Parameter Supremacy: The Man Who Seizes a Harem Through Sheer Effort. - Chapter 67.

Episode 67: The Story of How Moe Is Ultimately Cute.

Even though I kept thinking that Moe had been acting a little strange lately, she was still a kind and adorable girl at heart. Whenever she touched me, I couldn’t help but become conscious of it, and she always smelled nice. I knew I had to stay firm as Shiina’s boyfriend, yet the fact that I still found myself caring about these things was probably because I was just a sensitive high school boy.

***

“Looks like Shii-chan can’t make it~”

“I just got a message too. Can’t be helped if it’s a family matter.”

Moe and I closed our smartphone screens at the same time. We had been right in the middle of discussing how the three of us would power through our homework together, but Shiina said she had something to take care of and wouldn’t be able to join.

“What should we do? Should we just continue by ourselves?”

“Shii-chan said she’s fine with that~”

Moe’s message seemed to have already covered the follow-up exchange.

“Got it. Then let’s just finish it.”

“Yeah. Should we stick to the plan and do it at the library?”

“Yeah. I could use some fresh air too. Let’s head to the library.”

It would be better to study somewhere we could actually concentrate. Besides, since I had been cooped up in my room most days, studying at the library felt a little out of the ordinary—and honestly, a bit exciting.

Of course, I hadn’t told Shiina or Moe, but I had already finished all my homework in the first half of summer break. Today I could just do some self-study beside Moe.

“Really? Then I’ll go get ready~”

Moe’s face lit up with a hint of happiness as she returned to her room. I finished my own simple preparations by just slipping my notebook and writing utensils into my bag.

Once we were ready, Moe and I left the house. Outside, the summer sky was in full force, the sunlight blindingly bright. We had barely started walking before sweat began to bead on my forehead.

“Haa, it’s so hot~”

Moe pressed her portable fan against her face, crossing her eyes dramatically as she complained about the heat. The occasional childish side she showed despite usually being so composed was incredibly endearing. The two of us kept shifting positions, searching for patches of shade as we walked.

“Is your right arm really okay now?”

Moe was still concerned about my arm. She had been like this throughout the entire summer break.

“Yeah. The doctor said my recovery is going smoothly.”

I opened and closed my right hand to show her. The bandage was supposed to come off next week.

Moe gave a slightly complicated smile.

“I see… That’s great. But… it’ll be a little lonely not being able to take care of you anymore…”

I smiled wryly. It was true that I had relied on Moe a lot during summer break—for meals, club activities, and most of all, for letting me recuperate at her house.

“I’m grateful to Midori-san and Masaya-san too, but honestly, I’m most thankful to you, Moe.”

Those were my true feelings. Of course I was grateful to Shiina, my clubmates, Wakako-san, and the others as well. But when it came to looking after my injury, Moe had undoubtedly done the most.

Moe smiled gently.

“It’s my responsibility, after all. It’s only natural.”

This was a phrase she used more and more often the closer we became. I wanted us to have a more equal relationship, but Moe refused to budge on this point.

“I really wish you wouldn’t feel so responsible…”

I let out a small sigh.

“It’s fine. I really was sorry for injuring you… but I think the reason I was able to get close to you, Ryuuji-kun, was because I had this responsibility to fulfill.”

“Though I still haven’t fully fulfilled it yet~”

Moe looked deeply moved. I gave a small chuckle.

“As far as I’m concerned, I want to get along with you even without any sense of responsibility, Moe.”

“Really?”

“Hm? Of course. I’m happy we became close.”

“Fufu.”

Moe let out a meaningful little laugh.

“I’m sure you’d be disappointed if you knew the real me, you know?”

I pondered her words for a moment, but I couldn’t quite grasp what she meant by “the real me.”

“If that happens, then we’ll deal with it then.”

Hearing that, Moe walked beside me with a faintly happy expression.

***

After passing through the ginkgo-lined promenade, we arrived at the private library inside the park. The first and second floors housed other facilities, while the library itself was located underground. The interior was pleasantly cool, and our flushed bodies cooled down rapidly.

Since we hadn’t come to borrow books, we simply sat down side by side at one of the desks. Around us were other students working on homework and elementary school kids engrossed in their summer research projects.

I took out my reference book and notebook, preparing to study. Moe, sitting beside me, looked slightly surprised as she glanced at my hands.

“Huh? Ryuuji-kun, where’s your assignment?”

It was a perfectly natural question.

“I already finished mine. I’m just doing self-study today.”

“Ehh!? You’re already done?”

“I had a lot of free time outside of club activities, so I finished early.”

“I see… Then you didn’t have to come along with me for my homework…”

Moe looked a little apologetic.

“Don’t worry about it. There’s nothing different for me to do at home anyway. If I’m going to be doing something, I’d rather spend time with you. It’s more fun that way.”

“……”

Moe’s cheeks flushed faintly.

“…What’s wrong?”

“N-nothing~”

She looked at me with a slightly resentful gaze, so I could only respond with a wry smile.

“If there’s anything you don’t understand, just ask. I might be able to help.”

I recalled that impromptu study session we once had. Moe was probably remembering it too.

“Yeah. Thanks~”

She thanked me with a slightly happy tone.

***

Once we focused on our notebooks, the room grew quiet. Occasionally, the distant voice of a small child could be heard, but the only other sound was the occasional click of Moe’s mechanical pencil. Strangely enough, it felt comforting.

“Hey… is this correct?”

Moe hesitantly slid her notebook toward me. Written there was the sentence: “If I were a bird, I would fly to you.”

I leaned in to check and nodded.

“That’s correct. It’s properly in the subjunctive mood. But adding ‘right’ before ‘to you’ would make it sound a little more natural.”

“‘Right to you’… huh. Fufu, that sounds a bit romantic~”

“It’s just one sentence from homework.”

“But it means ‘I would fly straight to you,’ right? That’s kind of wonderful.”

I cleared my throat softly.

“…Well, if you only think about the meaning, it might be romantic.”

“Even though it’s just homework~”

Moe tilted her head and smiled. Her smile was so close that I hurriedly looked back down at my notebook. Noticing my embarrassment, she giggled softly. Moe lately was dangerous. She was becoming cuter and more bewitching by the day. Shiina’s face flashed through my mind, and I finally regained my composure. I somehow managed to continue my self-study.

***

It was probably past four in the afternoon. Although the summer sun was still high, the library closed at five. When I checked the clock, Moe noticed and smiled.

“It’s about time. Shall we start getting ready to head back?”

“You’re right. It’s already this late~”

Thanks to how focused we had been, time had flown by.

“Did you finish your homework?”

When I asked about our original goal, Moe smiled brightly.

“I only have a few more pages left, so I think I can finish it tonight~”

“Good. That’s a relief.”

“Fufu. Were you able to study properly, Ryuuji-kun?”

“Thanks to you, I was able to concentrate.”

“I’m glad~ I was worried I might have bothered you by asking so many questions, but I feel a little better now.”

“It was good review for me. Besides, most of your questions were already correct.”

Moe had asked me several things besides English, and nearly all of them had been right. However, every time I explained something, she would respond with slightly seductive remarks that left me flustered and tongue-tied.

***

Moe and I packed away our notebooks and writing tools and left the library. Moe gently pinched the hem of my T-shirt and walked a little behind me.

I had grown used to this ambiguous relationship with Moe. Maybe it was because we lived under the same roof and shared the same dinner table. Even if I didn’t see her as a sister, I had definitely started to feel affection for her as a cute little-sister figure. …Probably. More than friends, but not quite lovers.

Moe looked up at my face and smiled gently.

“Something on your mind?”

“Hm… a little.”

I gave a vague reply because I couldn’t quite put my thoughts into words.

“Is it about Shii-chan?”

“Yeah. That too.”

“…So there’s something else as well~”

I wasn’t sure whether I should let this conversation continue.

“Hey, Ryuuji-kun. Do you have any intention of getting a girlfriend other than Shii-chan?”

I was caught off guard when Moe casually threw out such a difficult question with a wry smile.

“…It’s not just my decision, so I can’t really answer that.”

“I see~ Then what if it was only your problem?”

“Huh?”

“If Shii-chan said, ‘It’s okay if you get another girlfriend.’ Just hypothetically.”

“……”

When Shiina had confessed to me, she had asked a similar question. What if Shiina allowed me to have multiple lovers?

Conversely, if Shiina said she wanted multiple boyfriends, I would definitely refuse. There was no need to even think about it.

I couldn’t understand what kind of feelings their teacher had when he took multiple wives. Polygamy ultimately made me keenly aware of how self-serving it was for a man.

Even so, strangely enough, I didn’t find the idea of “a man with multiple girlfriends” to be dirty. Perhaps that was simply how the world’s common sense worked.

“Assuming Shiina would allow it… I might respond to those feelings.”

Who exactly was I imagining when I said that? Or rather, who was I saying it for? Perhaps I was being led by her. The girl in front of me—Moe—had an expression of clear relief on her face.

“If… that person was… m-me?”

If it were Moe. No—in fact, I had probably been thinking with that premise from the very beginning. If Moe liked me.

“I would consider it seriously.”

“I see~”

It was a gentle smile. Moe stepped slightly ahead of me, then turned around.

“Fufu.”

A soft, adorable smile.

“Ryuuji-kun. I’ll do my best~!”

I really was a pathetic guy. Even though I had decided it would only be Shiina, I was so easily being swayed.

The homestay at Moe’s house would soon come to an end.

At the very least, until then, I wanted to create some fun memories with her as a little-sister figure. That was what I thought.