(MC POV)
I've got a lot of friends—but I know having a lot of friends doesn't mean anything good.
Sure, I get along with everyone. But having too many friends means you're a friend to nobody.You're just there. A placeholder. A convenient presence. Once someone stops seeing value in you, they're gone.
That's why—I never really had a friend.
Yeah, I get along with everyone, but the truth is—I'm never really there.
I'm just a conditional extrovert.
I blend in. I smile. I talk. But I'm just a ghost in the crowd.
So why the hell am I even starting this monologue about friendship?
Maybe I'm just wondering how I fit into the new world around me.
Of course, even though Chizuru is the embodiment of hypocrisy, I have to get along with her within certain boundaries and act properly like a man—surely not like some crybaby who just got rejected.
But man… what a drag.
To think I'd bump into Chizuru.
Days passed, and soon, it was just four days before Thanksgiving.
When I got home and stepped into my apartment, the smile on my face dropped into a deadpan in an instant.
And, I still haven't found a girlfriend before Thanksgiving!
So maybe it's time to call someone for advice.
Moments later, there was a knock at my door.
"You're here."
"I see this is your new apartment, Kazuya-kun! Excuse me!"
A girl with short black hair strolled right in like she owned the place.
"So, what's going on, Kazuya-kun? Don't tell me you've finally fallen for me?"
That's Ruka. Somehow, we became friends—though I think I rejected her once. To me, she's more like a little sister. Not just me—my family treats her like she's part of ours. Like the youngest, loudest, brattiest child.
That's exactly why Ruka can't be my Thanksgiving date.
"Like hell. You're seventeen. Which makes you a brat."
Yeah—no thanks. I'm not trying to get thrown in jail.
"Boooring! Even after changing this much, you're still such a buzzkill! What a waste!" She then smirked. "But imagine Chizuru-san crying in regret! Kahaha! She deserve that!"
What a psycho.
But to be fair, not just the viewers of this dumb anime—even the people here are tired of all the BALLshit.
I sat beside her on the sofa and opened my laptop.
Ruka's clingy, but again—little sister zone.
"I'm looking for a partner for Thanksgiving. Mind helping me out?"
Ruka gave me a cold stare. "I see. So now that you're handsome, you think you can just pick any girl you like?"
"I'm not—!"
"Then what? We could just go out right here, right now!"
"The hell—dating your own sister is a crime."
"I'M NOT YOUR SISTER, DAMN IT!"
"That's what Grandma says, not me!"
"Hmph! Then how about this—if we have kids, and that'll finally stop Grandma from simping for Chizuru. Yeah! I'm genius!"
"You've got a point. But society will exile me, jail me, and turn me into a meme."
"Tch. Moralist."
Ruka crossed her arms and pouted in defeat.
Honestly, I don't even know if she really likes Kazuya, or if she's just craving a brother figure.
"Alright, I'll help you," she said. "But in exchange, you've got to come to my school culture festival!"
"Deal."
"Yay! I'm totally bragging about this to everyone."
I open my laptop. Then we opened the most popular blind date site.
"Only four days until Thanksgiving. No time to be picky then. I recommend this one, Kazuya-kun."
I let her take over the search. The site worked like a job board—you post your profile and requirements.
"What if I run into a scam?"
"That's why I picked this criteria, women in their 20s to 30s and with kids."
"Wait—you mean like... single moms?"
"Yeah. I'm not saying they're easy, okay? My mom's a single mother too. I know how desperate and lonely she felt—but she's also cautious. That's why she's still single. Anyway, I've got experience with this site, hehe~."
…Now I feel bad.
We started scrolling through the candidates.
"I want a boyfriend who's okay with neto...rase—Kazuya-kun, what's that mean?"
"You're too young for that. Next!"
What the fuck is this—so many red flags!
Probably because none of them post pictures. Feels anonymous. And apparently, that makes people honest about their fucked-up preferences.
"Kazuya-kun! How about this one? She seems okay!"
Let's take a look...
Hello. I'm 20 and a mother of two. I work in the entertainment industry. Just looking for someone who can give me a sense of security—and who's willing to help cook and assist with my kids' homework while I'm away for work.
"…So basically, she's looking for a babysitter?"
"Nope. Sounds more like she wants a guard dog."
We both had the same reaction.
Ruka giggled. "Still, if you're just looking for something short-term, this might be a win-win."
She has a point.
"…Alright. Arrange it for me, Ruka."
"Okay~!"