Parameter Supremacy: The Man Who Seizes a Harem Through Sheer Effort.

Episode 51: Kayano Shiina – Me and Moe.

Kayano Shiina;s POV.

Two days had passed since that incident.

The week began anew on Monday. Moe and I headed to school as usual.

During morning homeroom, our homeroom teacher, Doi-sensei, cautioned everyone: “For the time being, please avoid going out alone.” He also informed the class that Ryuuji-kun would be absent for a while to receive treatment. No specific reason was given, but with the morning news reporting “high school student in critical condition,” a restless murmur settled over the classroom.

As expected, Matsuri bombarded me with questions. I managed to deflect her with a simple “I’ll explain properly later.”

Minato-kun, meanwhile, acted no different from usual.

Apparently, Moe’s safety had already been relayed from Midori-san to Minato-kun’s mother. The two families had been close neighbors since childhood, their mothers exchanging the most reliable updates. I recalled Midori-san mentioning that during a local event some time ago.

Moe said she’d received a message from Minato-kun. It was filled entirely with apologies, from start to finish.

No contact had come to me at all. If that moment had truly been Minato-kun’s confession, then the silence made sense. He knew I couldn’t return his feelings—not when my heart belonged to Ryuuji-kun. Understanding that, I could accept the lack of words. Still… having my childhood friend say nothing at all left a quiet ache of loneliness in my chest.

***

At lunchtime that day, I found myself at a loss. Normally, I’d eat with Ryuuji-kun, but today… I hesitated. Maybe invite Moe and Matsuri? I glanced toward Moe’s seat—and she noticed, rising quietly. “There’s something I’d like to talk about,” she said softly. Just the two of us for lunch.

—Something to talk about.

I knew exactly what it was. The image of Moe clutching the unconscious Ryuuji-kun, tears streaming as she confessed everything, still burned behind my eyes.

“Sure. Let’s talk.”

I agreed, and we decided to eat together. Of course Matsuri immediately grew suspicious, but I promised “I’ll explain everything later,” and she backed off—for now.

“Moe, shall we go?”

“Yeah. Let’s go to that spot from before~”

The bench beside the tennis courts, where the three of us had eaten together after so long. That day had been wonderful… but today felt different. Still, somehow, I believed it would be all right.

“Okay. Let’s head out.”

Bento boxes in hand, we walked side by side. We stopped at the vending machine for drinks along the way.

I knew what was coming; it was exactly what I expected. Even so, my pulse quickened. Yet when I thought of the long years we’d spent as childhood friends, the anxiety strangely melted away.

Moe, too, wore a faintly tense expression. But the occasional smiles she gave were gentle, almost serene.

***

The sunlight was strong, the verdant cherry trees casting deep, cool shade. A damp sea breeze swept across the school grounds, brushing our cheeks with the faint scent of salt.

We sat side by side on the bench and opened our bentos. As I picked up my chopsticks, I stole a glance at Moe. She held hers between her lips, seemingly searching for the right moment to begin.

“Fuu…”

I exhaled softly, steadying myself, then spoke as if testing the waters.

“So, Moe… how was the date with Minato-kun?”

“Eh?”

The question caught her off guard; her eyes widened. After a brief pause, she answered quietly.

“Yeah… the date was fun.”

I couldn’t quite read the deeper emotion beneath her words.

“I see… And did you figure out how you feel about him?”

Moe gave a shy laugh, and this time her feelings shone clearly through her expression.

“Yeah…”

“I don’t hate Minato-kun. But as a childhood friend, he’s important. That’s about it, I think.”

She continued.

“That day… so much happened, and I thought about a lot of things…”

“But I finally understood who the most important person is to me…”

“The most important person, huh…”

I looked down at my feet, waiting for her next words.

“Yesterday… right before you came to visit, Shii-chan… I properly apologized to Sagara-kun.”

“That’s good.”

“Yeah. He accepted it, and then he even apologized to me instead… His kindness really made me happy.”

Moe smiled softly, genuinely delighted.

“And, Shii-chan…”

“Yeah?”

I braced myself.

“I…”

“Yeah.”

“I think… I like Sagara-kun.”

***

A brief silence fell between us. I broke it with a long, deep breath.

“I see. Somehow… I already knew. Your feelings.”

Yes, I’d known. I’d never seen Moe so raw, so emotional, as I had that night two days ago.

“Yeah. Falling for someone just because he protected me… I know it’s simple and stupid, even I think so…”

“But I wanted to tell you properly, Shii-chan. Because you were the first one to fall for Sagara-kun.”

“Ahaha, thanks. Don’t worry about it. After something like that, anyone would fall for him.”

I truly believed it. Calling it “the suspension bridge effect” felt too dismissive. When a boy risks his life for you, your heart moves—it’s only natural. And if that boy is Ryuuji-kun… all the more so.

“Really… And, well… I don’t think I can stop these feelings anymore…”

“I understand. So… what do you want to do, Moe?”

“Eh?”

“I love Ryuuji-kun. Probably more than anyone else. But you feel the same, don’t you?”

“Yeah. I don’t think I’m losing.”

“Then… what should we do?”

In this country, one man loving one woman is the norm. Yet loving multiple women at once isn’t condemned either. That, too, is simply another truth of this world.

Our choices were two: fight over him, or share him.

“Before I met Sagara-kun… I used to think it’d be nice if the three of us—you, me, and Matsuri-chan—could somehow date Minato-kun together…”

I’d thought the same once. I never held romantic feelings for Minato-kun, but in the distant future… I’d pictured that possibility. A future the four childhood friends might have shared. But that future no longer existed.

“Yeah.”

I considered it. Me, Moe—and perhaps, before long, Matsuri too. The number of girls who loved Ryuuji-kun might keep growing. Strangely, the thought made me smile.

“Honestly… I’ll probably end up jealous of you, Moe…”

“Yeah. I’m already jealous of you, Shii-chan?”

Seeing her say it with such a calm face, I realized something. Maybe—with Moe, and Matsuri—we really could surround Ryuuji-kun and make it work happily. For the first time, I could picture that future.

“Okay. Moe… you’re allowed to fall for Ryuuji-kun.”

I might sound arrogant. But I fell for him first. A little seniority shouldn’t be punished.

“Thank you. Honestly… I was a bit scared you’d hate me.”

“You can’t stop yourself from liking someone. These past two months have taught me that painfully well.”

I gave a wry smile; Moe nodded with a quiet “Yeah.”

“Then let’s aim for it together.”

I flashed a mischievous grin and told her.

“To become Ryuuji-kun’s girlfriends.”

Moe beamed happily. “Yeah!”

And so, our private lunchtime conversation drew to a gentle close.

***

After school that day, Moe and I left the building together to visit Ryuuji-kun in the hospital. As we walked from the school to the gate, hurried footsteps approached from behind, followed by a shout.

“Shiina-cchi! Moe-cchi! Wait〜!!”

It was Matsuri, calling out loudly.

“Haa, haa, haa, haa…”

She must have sprinted. Her shoulders heaved as she caught her breath. Once she steadied herself,

“‘Later,’ ‘properly later’—no way! You’re telling me everything right now!!”

She’d ended up left out, after all. Still, she deserved to know the full story. I glanced at Moe—“Okay?”—and she nodded. I turned to Matsuri.

“Let’s talk while we walk. We’re heading to visit Ryuuji-kun.”

Matsuri immediately declared, “I’m coming too!”

She then pulled out her phone and called her grandfather right there. By the time the call ended, she’d had money transferred to her account for souvenirs… Typical rich-girl move. In the end, we went shopping for get-well gifts with that money.

As we walked, I recounted everything from Saturday.

How Ryuuji-kun and I had gone on a movie date. How, by chance, Moe and Minato-kun had gone to see a movie at the same time, same theater. Afterward, dinner, the arcade… I told it all in order. When I reached the arcade part, Matsuri’s expression darkened.

Then I explained what happened after Moe and Minato-kun parted ways.

***

“…That’s awful.”

Matsuri fell silent, looking down with a grave face.

“And Sagara-cchi…?”

I chose my words carefully to reassure her as much as possible.

“Yesterday his consciousness had already returned. He looks pretty banged up, but…”

“They said a few days in the hospital should be enough, so he’s supposed to be discharged the day after tomorrow.”

Hearing that, Matsuri exhaled in true relief. “…Thank goodness…”

***

Afterward, we stopped at a stylish fruit parlor in the shopping district near the hospital. Matsuri wanted to buy something for the visit. Rows of fresh fruit—perfectly ripe and out-of-season alike—lined the display. Matsuri agonized over her choice.

“Hmm〜. What should I get? Watermelon’s in season? Ah, but it’d get messy… Hmm, hmm. Maybe melon〜?”

Watching her groan, Moe offered help.

“Since Mom always brings fruit when visiting, maybe jelly would be better?”

The store-exclusive fruit jellies lined up at the register gleamed under the lights, luxurious chunks of fruit suspended inside, practically shouting their freshness.

“Ah! Perfect! These look easy to eat〜!”

Once decided, Matsuri moved fast.

“Excuse me〜! I’ll take all of these jellies—from here to here〜!!”

She pointed, asking for the entire row. The clerk blinked. “All of them…?”

“Matsuri!?”

I tried to stop her in shock, but she grinned confidently.

“Jelly’s basically a drink!”

Moe and I stood there, mouths agape. In the end, even Ryuuji-kun couldn’t finish that mountain of jelly. Moe and I took some home as souvenirs, and the whole family ended up helping consume them. Matsuri showed zero remorse.

***

On the way to the hospital with our haul, Matsuri asked again.

“I get what happened with Sagara-cchi〜, but… what about the lunchtime thing?”

Moe stiffened; I gave a small, resigned look.

“Moe, why don’t you tell her?”

Moe glanced between us, then nodded. “Okay.”

“So… about Sagara-kun protecting me—you already heard that part, right?”

“Yeah! The part where Sagara-cchi shielded Moe-cchi from the thug, right? Hm? Wait…”

Seeing Moe’s bashful expression, Matsuri pieced it together faster than one-times-one.

“Eh? Wait… did you fall for him?!”

Moe looked at her in surprise. I pressed a hand to my forehead and sighed.

“Y-Yeah…”