Parameter Supremacy: The Man Who Seizes a Harem Through Sheer Effort. - Chapter 70.

Episode 70: Morning Training with Shiina.

“Ahh, it’s hot…”

Wiping away her sweat, Shiina tilted her head back and drained the last of the water from her plastic bottle.

“Ah… it’s already empty…”

“Here, you can have mine.”

“Eh? Ah, thanks.”

She accepted the plastic bottle I tossed over with both hands. After a brief moment of hesitation, she brought it to her lips.

It was the early morning of the day after we had returned to that rundown apartment. My body had been itching to move, so I immediately contacted Shiina and we restarted our morning training sessions. She must have anticipated my message, because she replied almost instantly with an enthusiastic yes.

We had already finished a five-kilometer run. As expected, I could feel that my stamina had dropped slightly. Still, it wasn’t anything serious. A few more days of consistent running should bring me back to normal. Fortunately, my previously injured arm didn’t feel strained at all.

“How is it? Your arm seems okay?”

This was already the third time she had asked that question today. I had clearly made her worry quite a bit, and I felt a deep sense of regret for it.

“Yeah. It’s still just stretching and running for now, but there doesn’t seem to be any problem. I managed a full training session last night too, so I think it’s completely healed.”

“I see. That’s great. Then you should be able to start kendo again once the second semester begins.”

“Yeah, I think it’ll be fine.”

As I spoke, I began preparing for shadow practice. I took out my portable shinai and swung it in a clean, sharp arc. The blade cut through the air with a satisfying whoosh.

“…As expected of you.”

Watching me, Shiina’s expression softened with visible relief.

Yeah, everything seemed fine. I had continued practicing my footwork even during recovery, and I had kept up with whatever training my body could handle. My overall parameters felt slightly lower, but it wasn’t anything to be pessimistic about. I could recover quickly.

With that thought in mind, I smiled faintly and resumed my practice. Shiina, who had been watching with an exasperated look, eventually stepped up beside me and began swinging her own shinai in sync.

***

“Arm still okay?”

The fourth time today. Shiina really was quite the worrier.

“Yeah, no issues. Honestly, my stamina and muscle strength didn’t drop as much as I thought they would. That’s a relief.”

“From the outside, you don’t look any different from before the injury at all. Your body really is weird, Ryuuji.”

Shiina let out a soft “Nishishi” laugh as she said that. That particular smile was proof that she was in a good mood.

We had finished morning training and were now resting on a bench in front of the fountain, rehydrating ourselves. Since it was still summer break, there was no need to rush off to school afterward. It was a leisurely, relaxed morning.

“Hey, Ryuuji… The night before last, you slept together with Moe, right?”

Oh boy. The relaxed atmosphere vanished in an instant. A rather heavy question came flying my way.

“Yeah, we did sleep together. But that’s all it was.”

I answered as honestly as I could. The slightly jealous glare Shiina had been giving me instantly melted into a gentle smile.

“It’s okay. I believe you. Besides… I was the one who told you to sleep with her…”

She looked a little awkward as she said it.

“But you turned her down at first, right? Until I sent that message. Why did you tell me to sleep with her?”

I wasn’t angry. I simply couldn’t understand it. It wasn’t easy to casually accept being told by your girlfriend to share a bed with another girl.

I just wanted to know the reason. I could understand that she was trying to bring Moe closer to me. What I couldn’t figure out was why she wanted that so badly.

“Um… well…”

Shiina made a show of thinking it over, then eventually let her expression relax in resignation.

“Because I want you to go out with Moe… Is that no good?”

So that really was it. I had expected as much.

“It’s not that it’s bad. I just don’t understand why you want me to go out with Moe.”

“Does that mean I should break up with you and date Moe instead?”

“N-No!!”

Her voice rang out loudly. It was a good thing no one else was around this early in the morning. The volume was that intense. Even I was startled into silence.

“S-Sorry…”

Shiina’s voice suddenly became tiny.

“I don’t want to break up with you, Shiina. That’s why I feel anxious. I want you to tell me the reason.”

I spoke my true feelings. Shiina was important to me. I wanted to stay with her from now on.

“I’m sorry. I absolutely don’t want to break up either. That would be impossible. I’d probably die.”

“I really, really love you, Ryuuji. I can’t even imagine being with anyone else.”

Saying that, Shiina threw herself into my arms.

“Hey, I’m all sweaty right now…”

“I don’t mind. You smell nice, Ryuuji.”

She buried her face in my chest and took several deep sniffs. It was kind of perverted.

I let out a small sigh and gently stroked her head.

“So… is it okay if I ask for the reason?”

“…”

Shiina, who had been thinking while pressed against my chest, eventually lifted her face and looked up at me.

“I won’t tell you the reason. But it’s nothing weird, so don’t worry. It’s just… my feelings for you are a little too heavy… and I can’t say it… haha.”

She gave a self-deprecating smile.

“Do you really not want to tell me?”

“No, it’s fine. I’ll tell you. If you really want me to, I’ll talk. Even if it’s embarrassing…”

There was no need to think about it. I trusted Shiina completely. It would be tactless to force her to reveal something she found embarrassing.

“Understood. You don’t have to tell me. I trust you, Shiina.”

“Ryuuji…”

Overcome with emotion, Shiina hugged me even tighter. Being squeezed with full strength by a girl who had placed third in the nationals was honestly quite painful. It almost felt like it might awaken some strange fetish in me. Still, I endured it.

I continued gently stroking her head.

***

“So… should I start going out with Moe?”

I asked again to the now brightly smiling Shiina, who looked thoroughly satisfied.

“Yeah. Of course. I’m not forcing you. If your feelings match, then I want you to go out with her.”

“Our feelings, huh…”

“Yeah. Ryuuji, do you like Moe?”

If it was simply like or dislike, then of course I liked her. But whether those feelings could develop into romance was still unclear to me. …Besides, there was also Satou Minato to consider.

“We lived under the same roof for four whole weeks. There’s no way I could dislike her.”

“Yeah, that makes sense.”

Shiina nodded.

“As for romantic feelings… I still don’t know. To begin with, just being able to date you was more than enough for me. I hadn’t even thought about a second girlfriend.”

The moment I said that, Shiina hugged me again.

“Ryuuuuji~♡ I love you~♡”

“Okay, okay, I get it.”

I smiled wryly and stroked her head.

“Well, that’s how it is for now. Right now, I still see her more as a little sister figure.”

“A little sister, huh. I see. Yeah, got it. Thank you, Ryuuji.”

Shiina nodded in understanding. Then—

“If it’s Moe or Matsuri, I’m totally okay with you making them your girlfriends♪”

She casually dropped something outrageous. My girlfriend was wearing a mischievous, wicked little smile.

***

After finishing morning training and wrapping up what had turned into a surprisingly deep conversation during our break, we began heading home. Even so, my house was just around the corner, so our time together wouldn’t last much longer.

Until yesterday, mornings had included Moe, Midori-san, and Masaya-san. Today, the house would be empty again when I returned. I was used to it, yet it still felt somewhat lonely. Even parting with Shiina felt reluctant. Such thoughts crossed my mind.

“Ah, right, Ryuuji. Is it okay if I come over tonight?”

A sudden question.

“My house? I don’t mind, but is there something you need?”

I asked the obvious. Spending the night in my room? No way…

“Yeah. I was thinking we could sleep together.”

“…”

“I want to sleep together with Ryuuji♡”

She repeated the important part twice.

“W-Why so suddenly?”

“Eh? Because you slept with Moe, right?”

“Eh? Ah… well, yeah, I did, but…”

“See? You slept with Moe, so isn’t it weird if you don’t sleep with me?”

“??”

“You can sleep with your little sister figure, but not with your girlfriend?”

She had a point. Wait, no—what kind of point was that? Was I being set up here…? …No, surely not.

“Does that mean you’re staying over?”

“Yeah♪”

“What about your parents?”

“It’s fine! I already got permission!”

She had planned this thoroughly. Well, I suppose it couldn’t be helped. From Shiina’s perspective, there was probably some jealousy involved. This might be part of being a proper boyfriend.

“Sigh… alright. You’re coming at night?”

“Yeah. Around six, I think. I’ll head over to your place!”

“I’ll get things ready and wait for you.”

“Yay! I’m staying over at Ryuuji’s house!”

As I watched Shiina’s brightly smiling profile, I couldn’t stop the soft smile from spreading across my own cheeks.