What had started as a simple "date" had suddenly taken a strange turn.
Haru sat stiffly at a long table in a private room at Shiba Seki Ramen. On either side of him sat the giggling Anon and the soft-spoken little penguin, Tomori. Opposite them sat Kita Ikuyo and Ryo, whom Kita had originally planned to whisk away before Ryo could cause any trouble.
"Uwah, so we really did end up coming to this place after all?"
Anon tilted her head slightly, sounding half-resigned. She was the very instigator of this spontaneous "gathering."
Across from her, Kita Ikuyo scratched her cheek sheepishly and replied in an upbeat tone.
"There really wasn't much choice. If we're calling both Kessoku Band and MyGO members, there's no way Haru's apartment could fit that many people."
"This place is just way more suited for a get-together~"
As she spoke, Kita subtly glanced over at Anon, clearly trying to exchange silent messages.
She had finally worked up the courage to stall Ryo-senpai from interfering, only for Anon to casually wave her hand upon returning from buying ice cream and proudly announce that Ryo and Kita should join them for dinner.
And not just that, she wanted to invite the rest of the band members too!
This had turned into a gathering of over ten people. There was no way they could squeeze into Haru's tiny apartment.
"Unless everyone stacks on top of each other."
Ryo, expressionless, raised two fingers and demonstrated a bizarre overlapping motion in front of Haru.
This woman… was clearly talking about something completely different from everyone else.
Haru's eye twitched. With a resigned sigh, he turned toward the clueless pink brat beside him.
After all, he had already said that today's date would go entirely according to her wishes. Who would've expected Anon to go all out and invite everyone, turning it into a full-on meetup?
Just between Kessoku Band and MyGO, that made nine girls.
Haru pictured his cramped apartment, barely enough space to sleep three and after a moment of mental math, he sighed again.
Once the FIRST exhibit wrapped up, he really ought to find a new place.
If it were just him living alone, his small, cozy apartment would've been enough. But things were different now. His relationships, and the people around him, had changed dramatically.
At the very least, he needed something like Soyo's apartment which was spacious, upscale, and able to hold ten people or more.
Otherwise, what was he supposed to do next time? They couldn't come to this ramen shop every single time.
Deep in thought, Haru felt a gentle tug on the hem of his shirt. Turning, he found the small, delicate gray penguin leaning softly against him. Her amber eyes, clear enough to belong in a museum exhibit, looked up at him with curiosity.
Before he could speak, she asked quietly:
"Haru, did you invite Sakiko?"
"…Of course I wouldn't forget to invite her. But she still had some things she couldn't wrap up today, so I'm afraid she won't be able to join us."
Since they had already invited the members of two bands, there was no way Haru would forget about the girls of Ave Mujica.
Not to mention, both Wakaba Mutsumi and Yahata Umiri had already entered romantic relationships with him. And more importantly, helping Sakiko reconcile with everyone after their falling out had become a high priority for Haru.
The problem was, today, Sakiko had declined after much internal struggle.
As for the reason, Haru understood it well.
Sakiko still hadn't fully moved on. There were personal matters she hadn't yet resolved.
Haru reached out and gently ran his fingers through Tomori's shampoo-scented hair with natural ease, his voice soft and comforting.
"Sakiko told me just now how thankful she is that you invited her."
"From what I can tell, she didn't mean to reject everyone's invitation. She really just couldn't free up the time today. So don't worry too much. She doesn't hold any grudges against you anymore."
"And didn't she already apologize properly to everyone? Once she has more free time, if we keep inviting her a few more times, I'm sure she'll come to hang out with us again."
Of course, all of this depended on whether Sakiko could settle her personal affairs.
Right now, Sakiko's heart was still tied to Ave Mujica, the professional band she had worked so hard to build. Maybe it was the pressure, maybe the sense of responsibility, but the weight of everything still bound her like thick, heavy chains.
Until those chains were broken, Sakiko would never be able to truly relax.
All of these thoughts were buried deep in Haru's mind. In truth, he had already started thinking about how to help Sakiko. But before that, he needed to resolve the issues closer to home. Until then, he couldn't afford to let his guard down.
Still, the comfort he offered clearly worked, and the slightly downcast little penguin quickly perked up and nodded.
"I'll wait for Sakiko!"
Tomori took a deep breath and quietly made a promise to herself.
She didn't know the full story behind why Sakiko had left the band, but she believed there must have been personal reasons and struggles. It wasn't something she or Soyo could solve. She felt powerless in that regard.
But Haru was still here.
All Tomori had to do was believe in him and support him. That would be enough.
Staaare~
Just then, Haru noticed it. Sitting beside him, Anon, and across the table, both Kita and Ryo were staring directly at him.
Sensing something off, he rolled his eyes and spoke with a deadpan tone.
"If you have something to say, just spit it out. Staring like that... what are you trying to do, hypnotize me?"
"I'm not Gengar!"
Anon puffed her cheeks in protest, then pointed at the adorably spaced-out penguin and then at herself.
"I'm your girlfriend too, right? Since you patted Tomori's head right in front of me, I want headpats too!"
The shameless pink brat voiced her request with zero embarrassment, acting like it was only natural. With everyone present being part of their inner circle (Ryo-senpai's poker face aside), she was free to speak her mind without reservation.
She snuggled beside Haru like a playful puppy, asking for affection as freely as she pleased.
Once Anon opened the floodgates, Kita's eyes lit up. She leaned forward, delighted.
"Yeah yeah! If that's how it is, then I want one too! Haru, you can't play favorites!"
Kita really did run with the wind.
Just moments ago, she had blushed and said nothing, simply gazing at him with hopeful eyes. But the second Anon made her move, Kita pounced without hesitation, landing a solid emotional blow with perfect timing.
Haru was beginning to suspect that if someone ever jokingly suggested an open relationship, Kita would be the first to shyly raise her hand.
Ryo glanced over at Kita with a look of mild admiration, then chuckled and said with a sly smile, "Well, since the others haven't arrived yet, might as well get through everyone one by one, right?"
"…Ryo-senpai, you're not technically a 'girlfriend' yet, are you?"
Anon raised a brow and called her out, but Ryo, as always, remained perfectly composed. She calmly lifted her golden eyes and replied seriously.
"Haru and I share a deeper bond, beyond just emotional and spiritual connection."
"You mean a physical relationship, right?"
Having grown used to Ryo's mannerisms, Anon squinted at her and tossed the line out casually, like she was commenting on the weather.
A Saiyan never trips over the same stone twice!
Just as Haru's lips twitched and he was about to fire back, the sliding door of the private room quietly opened with the push of a slender, fair hand.
In walked a striking beauty with sleek black hair, her expression calm and composed. Behind her trailed a green-haired girl so delicately beautiful she looked like a porcelain doll. The sudden entrance shifted everyone's attention.
"Apologies for being slightly late. Has everything already started?"
Yahata Umiri's jewel-like green eyes scanned the room, stopping squarely on Haru as if locking onto a target.
Looking at his cool and radiant girlfriend, Haru hesitated for a second before asking uncertainly.
"Umiri… by 'started,' you mean eating, right?"
She blinked. Even Anon, who was sitting farthest away, could sense the flicker of confusion in her eyes. But after a beat, she raised an eyebrow as if in sudden realization and resumed her expressionless face.
"…Yes. I was talking about eating."
Yeah right.
Everyone silently swallowed the urge to say it out loud.
Sitting to Kita Ikuyo's right, Ryo watched Umiri with great interest. Umiri seemed to sense it and chose the seat beside her without a word.
Only the green-haired "little block of wood" followed behind, quietly taking a seat beside the little penguin.
Haru turned to her with a warm smile.
"Mutsumi, did your mom finally agree to let you manage your own schedule now?"
"Mhm. Thanks to you, Haru."
A faint smile surfaced on Wakaba Mutsumi's usually expressionless and delicate face. Clearly, she was doing much better than before.
It was thanks to the double push of Haru's bet with Mori Minami and the engagement with Mutsumi that the little wooden doll had been completely liberated from the Wakaba family's strict control. That was why she was now able to attend tonight's gathering freely.
No matter when she came home, her time and freedom would no longer be limited.
At that thought, Haru finally felt a bit of relief.
He had previously worried that Mori Minami, with her iron grip and intense desire for control, might have only agreed on the surface because of the bet, and would still secretly continue to restrict her daughter's life behind the scenes.
But judging by what he saw now, it seemed she was keeping her word.
"Even if your mom promised not to interfere with your life anymore, your dad doesn't have any objections?"
Mutsumi gently shook her head, replying calmly, "Mom said I didn't need to worry about that. If she agrees, Dad won't say anything."
So Mr. Wakaba was completely under his wife's thumb, huh. And to think he'd eventually become my father-in-law too… what a nightmare.
With Yahata Umiri and Wakaba Mutsumi arriving moments ago, Shiina Taki, who lived nearby, also showed up after bumping into Misumi Uika on the way.
Nijika and Bocchi, who lived in Shimokitazawa and Yokohama respectively, were likely to arrive a bit later. But already, the once spacious private room was quickly filling up, becoming increasingly lively by the minute.
…
Nagasaki Soyo was furious.
She wasn't unfamiliar with social media platforms like X. When she had nothing better to do, she would scroll through posts or catch up on the news to kill time.
But this afternoon, by sheer bad luck, she happened to come across a blog post by a certain infuriating pink-haired girl.
Anon, ever the social butterfly, loved uploading photos and snippets from her daily life, always accompanied by a flood of emojis and dramatic commentary. Soyo usually scrolled past her posts with a cold, unreadable expression.
But today's post was different.
All Anon had posted was a single photo and a short caption: "Off to the aquarium today!"
Compared to her usual posts, this one was shockingly plain. But the photo… seemed to show her holding someone's hand. Sensing something was off, Soyo immediately held her breath, alarm bells ringing in her head.
Even if it were turned to ashes, she would recognize that hand in an instant, it was Haru's!
There was no doubt: today, Anon had taken her husband to the aquarium on a date. And knowing that woman, the second the date ended, she'd try to push even further. No matter how small the risk, it was still a risk to Haru.
Soyo was livid. But more than that, she knew she had to act.
She couldn't let anyone beat her to the punch. She had to be first, no matter what.
"…"
Sitting expressionlessly on the sofa, Nagasaki Soyo refreshed Anon's X feed again and again.
She was currently at Haru's apartment.
Knowing Anon's habits all too well, she guessed the girl would probably suggest having dinner at Haru's place after the date. So, Soyo had preemptively camped out in his apartment, lying in wait like a trap ready to spring.
Haru had already told her where the spare key was. With that, she could enter and exit his place as she pleased.
To avoid suspicion, she hadn't messaged Anon at all.
"They should be back any minute now…"
With a delicate flick, she tucked a strand of brown hair behind her ear and tied on an apron, pacing back and forth at the entryway while holding her phone.
Once that fox thought her plan had worked, and walked in full of glee, ready to make her move, Soyo would be waiting at the door. She'd greet Haru with a smile so sweet it could give you cavities and say:
"Welcome home, Haru. Would you like dinner first, a bath… or me~?"
Just imagining it made her heart race with joy.
With a soft smile curling her lips, Soyo clasped her hands behind her back and patiently waited for Haru and the fox to walk into her trap. But then, the phone in her hands buzzed with a new notification.
Frowning slightly, she unlocked it and saw a message in the band's LINE group from none other than Anon.
For some reason, a wave of dread swept over her.
[Anon: Does anyone want to meet up at "Shiba Seki Ramen" for dinner? I just invited the Kessoku Band girls too. Tonight's meal is all on Haru~! If you don't come, you'll totally regret it!]
The fingers clutching her phone went pale from the tight grip. Soyo lifted her gaze, ice-cold and trembling.
The warm smile that had just been on her face vanished at terrifying speed, replaced by a chilling glare.
The beautiful, motherly features of Nagasaki Soyo's face flushed red—but not from affection. This was pure, unfiltered rage. Her blood pressure was spiking, and it showed.
Nagasaki Soyo was truly angry this time.
…
"U-Um… did Hitori already… succeed?"
"Y-Yeah, I guess you could say that. But it's not just thanks to me… It was all because of Kita-chan and Ryo-senpai. If I had done it alone… I probably would've regretted it for the rest of my life. I'd die alone in some forgotten corner of the world…"
"You damn stray cat, shut it! You ate everything, what are the rest of us supposed to eat?! And why did you only eat the meat?!"
"Delicious."
"Hm? So you're a bassist too? No wonder I thought you seemed oddly interesting just now."
Grease sizzled as it dripped from the grill onto the blackened charcoal below. The aroma of grilled meat, fresh sushi, and deep-fried dishes began to fill the private room, mingling with the constant chatter and clinking of bowls and chopsticks.
Around the long table in Shiba Seki Ramen's private room, sat a circle of uniquely beautiful girls.
With Ijichi Nijika and Bocchi arriving, the room's atmosphere became fully alive and noisy.
Even though they all came from different bands with different styles and backgrounds with some meeting for the first time, many had connections behind the scenes. And there was something they all shared in common that made conversation flow effortlessly.
If Haru were left alone with any one of them in a quiet room, there would be an awkward silence filled with shy tension and anticipation.
But with ten girls gathered together, the space tilted hard toward donuts, and the imbalance in hotdogs became overwhelming. The girls chattered away like birds set free, their smiles growing brighter with every new topic.
Especially the bolder ones, who openly began sharing "special" kinds of experiences.
"Uwah… what a chaotic scene…"
Anon blinked at the spectacle unfolding in front of her, letting out a heartfelt sigh of amazement.
She had worried that inviting so many people might be awkward. With girls from different bands who might not even know each other, she expected silence. But to her surprise, they all jumped straight into conversation, as if they'd known each other for years.
"Anon, you are the real culprit here."
Haru rolled his eyes and muttered with exasperation. No one else in the room had a more complicated feeling than he did.
Between the three bands he was currently involved with and excluding Sakiko (absent for personal reasons), Uika (too busy with idol work), and Yuutenji Nyamu (who declined the invite) there was only Nagasaki Soyo still en route.
Meanwhile, of the ten girls present, seven had officially confirmed romantic relationships with him.
Even the waitress who'd just delivered their food had gone stiff with shock. Without thinking too hard, Haru could tell just from the extra plates of grilled oysters that the head chef must be fuming in the back kitchen.
And worst of all, this really was all his fault. Haru had no way to explain it either.
"W-What do you mean 'culprit'… I only did this because I wanted everyone to get along…"
Anon puffed up her cheeks, pouting like a steamed bun. Haru couldn't help but sigh and reached out to gently pinch her face to soothe her.
"Totally my fault. I just can't comprehend the brilliance of Lady Anon."
Pleased with herself, Anon lifted her chin with pride. But before she could bask in the moment, a thought struck her and she frowned.
"There aren't any more girls coming, right? Like, there's not some woman we haven't seen yet, right?"
Haru's expression grew a little strange, and even before he answered, he felt the collective gaze of the entire room shift toward him.
Maybe because all eyes were already on him, but the moment Anon asked that question, the room fell eerily silent for a beat. Several girls glanced over mid-conversation. Clearly, the question had landed like a thrown stone into still water.
Some, like Bocchi, Nijika, Taki, and Kita, could only sneak glances. Others, like Mutsumi and Tomori, looked at him directly. But the truly outrageous ones like Umiri and Ryo were already mentally preparing to answer for him.
Feeling those gazes, Haru didn't hesitate and spoke up.
"There are only the girls from the three bands I'm close with. You don't expect me to invite RING's Matsugi Ririko or something, do you?"
Even without Anon asking, Haru was well aware of his situation.
He now carried the weight of each girl's hopes and futures. No matter what, he wouldn't betray their feelings.
"…"
Not far away, Ijichi Nijika blushed deeply and kept sneaking glances in Haru's direction. Her eyes flitted between the girls from MyGO, Umiri, and Mutsumi. She quickly realized that a few of them were already his girlfriends.
W-Why is everyone acting so calm?
Isn't it weird that Haru is dating so many girls at once? Why isn't anyone saying anything?
Or… is Nijika the weird one for thinking that?
Come to think of it, someone from Kessoku Band must be dating Haru too, right? Was it Ryo? Kita? Or Bocchi? Was she the only one left who hadn't made her feelings known? Was she the only one still hiding her love?
"Ugh…"
The thought made Nijika whimper softly. She had stayed silent for the band's sake, but if everyone else was fine with this "harem," then what was she even holding back for?
"Ijichi-senpai, are you feeling okay?"
Shiina Taki, sitting beside her, leaned over with concern. Nijika's eyes darted nervously as she waved her hands.
"N-No! I just… zoned out a little."
"Because of Haru?"
A voice mumbled from beside them. The silver-haired jellyfish-like stray cat, Kaname Raana, spoke up with sushi in her mouth.
Nijika froze. Busted.
Panicked, Taki grabbed Raana by the collar and scolded her in a hushed voice.
"Noraneko(Raana), don't blurt stuff like that out!"
"S-Sorry! Please don't mind her, Ijichi-senpai. She just says things without thinking!"
"…I-It's fine. Really."
But her voice quivered slightly as her heart thumped wildly. Yahata Umiri, seated on the other side of Taki, took a bite of grilled meat, swallowed, then turned to Nijika and spoke expressionlessly.
"This might be overstepping, but I hope you'll take it seriously."
"Hey, Umiri, what are you…"
"Words left unsaid eventually become impossible to say. Better to speak them while you still can."
She shot a meaningful glance at Taki before turning back to her meal, picking up a piece of salt-grilled pork with her chopsticks. Her words left Nijika stunned and speechless.
Ryo had told her similar things before, but this… hit differently.
Umiri was right. It was time she gave it serious thought.