The Story of How I, a Guy Who Couldn’t Care Less About School Castes, Somehow Ended Up Making All the Five-Star Gals Fall for Me

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Chapter 25: Aiming to Be the Number One Girlfriend

“Alright! It’s about time we decide whose boyfriend is number one!”

We were eating lunch in the cafeteria as usual when Hinawa suddenly threw that out.

“…That conversation’s still going?”

I frowned a little.

“Of course it is! It’s not over until we crown a winner. So how about this Saturday?”

Ignoring my reaction, Hinawa jumped straight into scheduling.

Hold up—way too fast.

“So, uh, what exactly are we supposed to do?”

Miyu leaned in eagerly, already sounding excited.

“Ikoi’s gonna go on a date with each of us four. And the one he has the most fun with wins.”

“…Yeah, no, that makes zero sense. Girls who supposedly already have boyfriends going on individual dates with the same guy?”

Hari spoke up against it—but her resistance wasn’t nearly as sharp as before.

“Not feeling it?”

“From a common-sense standpoint, yeah.”

“Ohhh, I see. So Hari-chan’s just chickening out of the contest, huh?”

Hinawa gave a smug little laugh through her nose.

“The real question is why dating Kizuki decides who’s got the best boyfriend in the first place!”

“Ohhh, so Hari doesn’t wanna go on a date with Ikoi. Guess that means you forfeit. This round’ll just be me, Miyu, and Platina then.”

“Hah? No way! If anything, I’ve already gone out to eat with Kizuki—just the two of us!”

“““Whaaaaat!?”””

Wait, what!?

After all that secrecy, after telling me to keep quiet about it, she just blurted it out herself!?

“When did this happen, Hari!?”

“Hari-chan, sneaking ahead isn’t fair!”

“Pointless bragging won’t get you anywhere, Hari.”

Hinawa, Miyu, and Platina all started panicking at once.

Especially Platina—after what happened the other day, her stare felt like knives.

Why was I suddenly the bad guy here?

“It was the day midterms ended. I just happened to run into Kizuki, and something unpleasant had happened, so I asked him for advice. You three were all busy with your own stuff, so it’s fine, right?”

Hari insisted, but the other three didn’t look convinced at all.

“Kizuki-shi, is that true?”

Of course they turned to me to confirm it.

“Well, since she spilled it herself, I’ve got no reason to deny it. So yeah—yes.”

All four of them froze mid-bite.

The air around our table suddenly felt a lot heavier.

And the one who broke that silence—naturally—was Platina, whose brain was always the sharpest among the Fives.

“Then let’s just go with Hinawa’s idea. If we can’t settle things by comparing boyfriends, we’ll compete as girlfriends instead. Whichever of us gives Ikoi the most enjoyable date—that means she’s the most attractive girlfriend, which in turn proves she’s dating the number one boyfriend.”

It was a pretty forceful leap in logic, but the rules were simple and clear.

Aside from the fact that my judgment decided the winner, it was practically airtight. Damn it.

The four of them each wore faces of firm resolve.

“So Hari, don’t overthink it just because it’s Kizuki-shi. Just come up with your own fun date plan and join in. Not that I’d force you, of course.”

“As if! I’ve already gotten sick of this topic anyway! Fine—I’ll take you on! Let’s settle this once and for all!”

And just like that, Hari took the bait.

Couldn’t she stop and think for a second? If she ever got tricked by a sly adult someday, I wouldn’t be surprised.

Platina had boxed her in perfectly—logic and emotion in a one-two punch—until Hari finally nodded.

Naturally, I didn’t get a vote.

“Ikoi’s so lucky! Getting to go on four dates in one day!”

Hinawa said it with genuine innocence.

“Unheard of. What kind of playboy does that make me?”

“It’s fine! We’re just a close-knit group of friends hanging out. Totally no problem!”

I wasn’t so sure her “encouragement” meant anything at all.

☆☆☆☆☆

“You’ve gotta be kidding me…”

That Saturday, I found myself at Ikebukuro Station.

Since this was technically a “date,” I’d at least tried to dress the part.

A plain, glossy T-shirt layered under a collared, oversized shirt. Simple wide pants for balance. Sneakers so I could walk all day without dying. Casual, but neat enough to not look sloppy.

No matter where they dragged me, I’d be ready.

The destinations were to be kept secret until the day of.

The meeting spot: in front of Ikefukuro, the famous owl statue inside Ikebukuro Station.

“Huh? Everyone’s already here.”

Even though I’d shown up a good thirty minutes early, somehow I was the last one to arrive.

In the middle of the massive Ikebukuro crowd, the Five-Star Gals stood out like spotlights.

It was my first time seeing them in casual clothes, and each outfit screamed personality.

Hari had gone for a sleek sporty style—subtle flashes of skin that highlighted her figure, striking the perfect balance of cool and feminine.

Hinawa rocked an American-casual vibe—denim, flannel, and plenty of daring exposure that radiated confidence.

Miyu looked soft and fluffy in her girly getup—adorably feminine, the kind of universal style that could win over anyone, and it suited her perfectly.

Platina, meanwhile, exuded a chic, mature aura—mode fashion that mixed elegance with quiet sex appeal. No fake glasses today; instead, proper makeup and polished details drew out her natural beauty.

Each one had a completely different look, yet every single one was stunning in her own way.

People passing by couldn’t help staring—some sneaking glances, others openly gawking. And of course, a few hot-blooded guys tried their luck hitting on them.

But the four of them didn’t even spare those guys a glance.

Still, the pests just wouldn’t give up—using the excuse that the girls were “just high schoolers” to keep pestering them.

“Ah, Ikoi!”

The moment she spotted me walking up, Hinawa shouted and waved her hand high.

“Excuse me—these girls are with me. Let’s get going.”

I stepped right between them and the pushy guys, then guided the four away from the scene.

Ignoring the annoyed stares of who the hell is this guy?, the five of us made our way up to the surface.

The weather was perfect—bright sunshine with a cool breeze to keep it comfortable. Ideal date weather, if there ever was such a thing.

“Hiwatari-san, did I get the time wrong?”

“Nope, you’re early. Still before the meeting time.”

“Then why’s everyone already here?”

“Because we were all too excited to wait for our dates with you, Ikoi.”

“…This is supposed to be about deciding who among you is number one, right?”

I reminded them of the day’s supposed purpose.

“Ah, right, right.”

Hinawa only grinned in response.

And so, the crazy event began—

Four Five-Star Gals, one after another, on their “individual” dates with me.

Chapter 26: A Date with the Healing Small-Animal Type Gal

The date order had been decided by lottery: Miyu → Hinawa → Platina → Hari.

“I’m up first. Please take good care of me.”

And so began Miyu Chigira Presents: The Date. Our first stop was Sunshine City.

“Alright! Let’s all meet back here in two hours. Everyone, make your dates fun! Aim to be the number one girlfriend!”

Hinawa shouted cheerfully in front of the fountain plaza.

“That’s not the point. Weren’t we supposed to be figuring out who’s got the best boyfriend?”

“Details, details. Either way, the plan’s the same.”

“You’re way too sloppy about this.”

With that, Miyu and I split off from the other three.

“Looking forward to it, Kizuki-kun.”

“I’ll do my best as your escort. So, where do you want to go?”

“No need to act so formal. I don’t really have a set plan—let’s just stop at whatever shops catch our eye.”

Miyu gave me a soft smile.

That gentle look eased my nerves right away… though clearly, she’d noticed how tense I was.

Clothing stores, restaurants, character-goods shops, shoe stores, home goods, toy shops—you name it, Sunshine City had it.

The two of us drifted from storefront to storefront, enjoying easy window-shopping.

As we chatted, the distance between us naturally closed, step by step.

“Kizuki-kun, want to go into that clothing store?”

“Sure.”

Women’s fashion had way more variety than men’s—bright, colorful, and overwhelming. Following Miyu inside, I couldn’t help feeling a little out of place among the mostly female customers.

“Wow, this is cute.”

Miyu picked up a dress and held it against herself. The fresh, early-summer color looked perfect on her. She checked her reflection in the mirror from different angles, then let out a disappointed little “ahh…

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s just… there aren’t many clothes that fit my body type nicely. This one seems better for someone a bit slimmer.”

“Really? Looked fine to me.”

Judging by the way it fit across her shoulders and frame, it seemed like it would work.

“Well, I can wear it… but, um, since I’ve got more chest for my height, the skirt rides up higher. That makes the whole silhouette look weird. Worst case, my underwear could end up showing.”

“Ah, I see.”

She put the dress back on the rack.

“Oh, but this shirt—I think it would look great on you, Kizuki-kun.”

She grabbed a shirt and held it up against my chest.

“Mm, the size is perfect. It really suits you.”

“…How’d you even know my size that quick?”

“I’ve got two older brothers, so I know men’s sizing pretty well.”

“Even if I had sisters, I doubt I’d ever figure out women’s sizing like that.”

No wonder Miyu was the youngest of the bunch—it all made sense now.

Before I knew it, she was piling up clothes and holding them against me one after another, like I was her personal dress-up doll.

I did find a shirt I kind of liked, but with the price tag—and the uncertainty of how much money I’d be bleeding out over the rest of the day—I passed.

At one point we grabbed crepes for a break. Since it was the weekend, the place was packed, so we stood off to the side, eating shoulder to shoulder.

“Can’t even remember the last time I had a crepe. These are pretty good.”

“When we hang out as a group, we’re always eating sweets.”

She opened her small mouth wide and bit into hers, cheeks puffed up adorably like a squirrel.

“Oh, Kizuki-kun. You’ve got cream on your mouth.”

I tried wiping it off, but no luck.

“Other side. Hold still a second.”

She leaned in and brushed it away for me.

“There, all clean.” Then, without a second thought, she licked the cream off her finger.

“Eh!?”

“Eh? …Ah! Sorry! It’s just a habit from when I’m with everyone! I didn’t mean anything weird by it!”

She panicked so much she ended up flailing her crepe around too.

“Chigira-san, you’re gonna drop it!”

On reflex, I grabbed her hand to steady it—which, of course, meant I ended up holding her hand outright.

“It’s fine now.”

I let go slowly, releasing her fingers one by one.

““……””

Both of us quietly went back to eating.

Too cute. Painfully, deliberately cute—so much that I didn’t know how to deal with it.

If she was doing it on purpose, I’d start developing trust issues with women.

For a slow-witted guy, that kind of calculated charm was easy to read—and dangerously effective.

Even someone who wasn’t a naive boy could fall for it without meaning to.

Next to me, my classmate—two heads shorter—nibbled at her crepe in silence, still curling up from the embarrassment earlier. It made her seem even smaller, which only stirred up the urge to protect her.

I shoved the rest of my crepe into my mouth at once, only to smear cream all over my fingers. I was about to head to the counter for napkins when Miyu beat me to it, holding out a wet tissue.

“Here, use this if you want.”

“Thanks. You’re really thoughtful, Chigira-san.”

“I’m just overly cautious, that’s all.”

She said it like it was nothing.

“When you’re this kind to a guy, he’s bound to get the wrong idea.”

“I don’t mind if you do.”

“…Huh? But don’t you have a boyfriend?”

The line was so openly suggestive that I couldn’t help leaning in to study her face.

Our eyes met.

And then she laughed like a mischievous kid caught in the act.

“Whoops, lie. Everyone else suddenly said they had boyfriends, so I just went along and pretended.”

She glanced up at me, cheeks tinged with embarrassment.

“No wonder I couldn’t picture what your boyfriend would even be like.”

So in the end, my hunch had been right all along.

“Are you mad?”

“No. Just… convinced, that’s all.”

“Mm, I was hoping for a different kind of reaction.”

Miyu puffed out her cheeks—like a squirrel.

“Like what?”

“Like… you’re relieved, or happy, or maybe even secretly excited.”

“…That’s…”

“So it’s fine! You don’t have to hold back if you misunderstand, okay?”

She repeated it once more, then turned her attention to finishing the rest of her crepe.

Meanwhile, I just stood there awkwardly, restless to the core.

Her affection was embarrassing, but at the same time it made me happy.

Was she being modest by not saying it outright—or was it deliberate?

Either way, I didn’t want to brush off her feelings just because I was shy.

As I waited beside her, fighting off the stupid grin threatening to spread across my face, I clenched my back teeth to keep it together.

Afterward, we went upstairs and browsed more shops.

Before I knew it, our time was almost up.

On the way back to the fountain plaza, we stopped by a character goods store.

She picked up a keychain of a certain mascot—apparently one of her favorites.

“Hey, since we’re here, wanna buy matching ones as a keepsake?”

“Matching ones?”

The meaning behind it made me pause for a second.

“You don’t want to…?”

“No, it’s fine. Something like this, I’ll cover.”

“No way. I’ll pay for my own. Besides, you’ve still got three more dates today—if you start blowing your allowance now, you’ll be broke before the end.”

“…A gal who worries about a guy’s wallet? You’re an angel.”

Confirmed. Gals who are kind to men do exist.

“When you exaggerate like that, it doesn’t even feel like a compliment.”

“Then how about this—we both buy one and exchange them as gifts?”

She happily agreed to my suggestion.

We paid at the register, stepped out of the store, and swapped our little presents.

As I walked, the “judge” in me replayed the date in my head.

It was the kind of outing you’d imagine spending with a girlfriend on a weekend—the standard date.

Having a cute girl like Miyu Chigira all to myself? That was every guy’s dream come true.

The time flowed by gently, but with little heart-stopping moments sprinkled in again and again.

“Kizuki-kun, thanks for today. I had so much fun.”

“Same here. Thanks for inviting me.”