Round two started the second Yuki rang the bell, like the entire city ran on that sound.
Ding.
And the harem moved like it had practiced in secret.
I stood there with my Consent Candle glowing in my hands, my Level Three stamp shining on my license like a curse, Elise tethered to me and looking like she wanted to sue romance itself, and a growing crowd that absolutely treated my dating life like live entertainment.
Yuki lifted her clipboard. "New rule. Combo bonuses."
I blinked. "Combo."
Yuki nodded, way too happy. "The system rewards variety. A kiss plus a hug. Hand-holding plus praise. Arm-link plus forehead kiss. It stabilizes your bloom faster."
My system chimed immediately, snitching.
NEW MECHANIC: AFFECTION COMBOS
REWARD: BONUS XP
WARNING: THEY WILL MIN-MAX YOU
Freya gasped dramatically. "They're turning you into a gacha character."
Sofia smirked. "I knew his mouth was a resource."
Kaori squeaked, "A-a resource…?"
Mira adjusted her glasses. "Optimization is logical."
Rika bounced. "I WILL OPTIMIZE HIM."
Elise snapped, "Stop saying optimize like he's furniture."
Rika blinked innocently. "Pretty furniture."
I covered my face for half a second.
Yuki rang the bell again. Ding. "Rotation. Two minutes. One combo each. Over-clothes only. Hands visible. No intimate areas. No dogpiling."
Freya raised her hand. "Can we dogpile if he consents."
Yuki said, "No."
Freya pouted. "This city hates love."
Elise muttered, "For once, the city is correct."
Yuki pointed at the bench. "Hero sits. Courters approach one at a time. Ask first. Hero answers. If hero says no, you move on and don't whine."
Rika whispered, "But whining is half my personality."
Elise glared.
Rika swallowed. "I will whine silently."
I sat on the bench like I was sitting in court.
Elise stood behind me like a bodyguard.
The crowd leaned in.
Yuki pointed. "First. Freya."
Freya stepped forward with a grin that looked illegal.
"Ren," she said sweetly, "may I do a safe combo. Kiss plus lap pillow. Very romantic. Very legal."
Elise snapped, "No lap pillow."
Freya tilted her head. "It's not lap sitting. It's head resting. That's different."
Yuki glanced at her notes. "Lap pillow is permitted if hero consents and hands stay visible."
Elise looked like her soul left her body and came back with a lawsuit.
Everyone looked at me.
I swallowed. "Kiss and… head resting. Ten seconds. Hands visible. No weird stuff."
Freya clasped her hands like she'd been blessed. "I am the least weird person here."
Sofia laughed once. "Liar."
Freya leaned in and kissed me. Warm, playful, just long enough to make my brain go soft. She pulled back with a satisfied grin, then gently guided my head down onto her thigh while she sat beside me on the bench.
It was over-clothes, totally safe, but it still felt dangerously intimate because Freya's whole vibe was "everything is flirting."
She raised both hands up near her shoulders and wiggled her fingers like jazz hands.
"Visible," she announced loudly. "Look, officer. No crimes."
The crowd laughed.
Elise did not laugh. Elise looked like she was about to arrest Freya's thigh.
Freya leaned down, whispering so only I could hear.
"You're blushing into my leg," she teased. "That's adorable."
I mumbled, "Stop."
Freya smiled. "Aww. He refused. That's extra cute."
My system chimed.
COMBO SUCCESS: KISS + LAP PILLOW
BOND XP +45
WARNING: YOU ARE MELTING
Yuki tapped her timer. "Time."
Freya sat up immediately, still doing jazz hands like a menace, then kissed my forehead quickly and skipped away like she'd stolen a trophy.
Elise leaned down, furious whisper. "If she tries that again, say no."
I whispered back, "Okay."
Elise narrowed her eyes. "You are smiling."
"I'm not."
"You are," Elise hissed.
Yuki pointed. "Next. Sofia."
Sofia stepped forward like she was entering a duel.
"Ren," she said, voice velvet, "combo request. Kiss plus shoulder hold. And I'm allowed one praise line."
Elise snapped, "No praise."
Yuki checked her clipboard. "Praise is legal."
Elise looked personally betrayed by legality.
I swallowed. "Fine. One praise line."
Sofia's smirk deepened. "Good."
She leaned in and kissed me slow enough to make the crowd go quiet for a second. Not graphic. Just confident. Like she was stealing my breath on purpose and giving it back when she felt generous.
Then she pulled back, placed both hands on my shoulders, firm through my shirt, thumbs pressing once like she was grounding me.
And she whispered, perfectly calm, "Good boy."
My soul left my body again.
I made a pathetic noise that I wanted to delete from existence.
Freya clapped like it was a magic trick.
Rika squealed into her hands.
Kaori looked like she was going to faint.
Elise choked like she'd been attacked.
My system chimed violently.
COMBO SUCCESS: KISS + PRAISE + SHOULDER HOLD
BOND XP +60
WARNING: CRITICAL WEAKNESS EXPLOITED
Sofia released me cleanly, hands up, visible, smirking like she'd just won a championship.
"Next," Yuki said, sounding way too pleased.
"Next," Elise muttered, sounding like she was dying.
Yuki pointed. "Rika."
Rika bounced forward with the energy of a tiny disaster.
She clasped her hands in front of her chest like she was presenting herself to a judge.
"Ren," she said very seriously, "combo request. Kiss plus arm-link plus head pat. I want to pat you. Like you're my favorite hero."
Elise snapped, "No head pat."
Rika gasped. "Head pat is wholesome."
Elise hissed, "Head pat makes him blush."
Rika blinked. "Exactly."
Everyone looked at me again.
I sighed. "Fine. But gentle."
Rika squealed so loud someone in the crowd cheered.
She leaned in and kissed me quick and bright, like a spark. Then she linked her arm through mine and leaned into my shoulder, smiling like she'd won the lottery.
Finally, she lifted her hand and patted my head once, softly. Not rough. Not humiliating. Just… affectionate.
My face went hot anyway because my body was a traitor.
Rika giggled. "Cute."
Elise groaned, "I hate this."
My system chimed.
COMBO SUCCESS: KISS + ARM-LINK + HEAD PAT
BOND XP +50
BONUS: CROWD DELIGHT
Rika lifted both hands like she was surrendering, then skipped away with her tail swishing like a victory flag.
Yuki pointed. "Kaori."
Kaori approached like she was walking into a storm.
She held her charm basket in front of her like a shield, cheeks fully red.
"Ren," she whispered, "combo request. Hand-holding plus… a small kiss. And a charm for calm."
I nodded immediately. "Yes."
Kaori's fingers slid into mine, light and careful. Then she held up a small paper charm and pressed it gently to my wrist bracelet like she was blessing me.
She leaned in and kissed me softly, barely more than warmth.
When she pulled back, she looked like she might cry and laugh at the same time.
"Be safe," she whispered.
My chest did something stupid.
My system chimed with surprising sweetness.
COMBO SUCCESS: HAND-HOLD + CHARM + GENTLE KISS
BOND XP +70
BONUS: HERO BLOOM COOLING
Elise muttered, almost unwillingly, "Good."
Kaori heard it and nearly died of happiness.
Yuki pointed. "Charlotte."
Charlotte stepped forward like she was attending her own engagement party.
"Ren," she said smoothly, "combo request. Kiss plus hand-hold plus slow walk. Public romance. It lowers crowd aggression."
Mira nodded. "That is true."
Elise narrowed her eyes. "She's doing PR."
Charlotte smiled. "I'm doing him."
Elise's face turned red instantly.
I choked. "Charlotte."
Charlotte's smile widened. "Joke. Mostly."
I swallowed. "Okay. Yes."
Charlotte kissed me with calm possession, then took my hand and guided me a few steps through the lantern crowd like it was a private moment inside a public mess. Her thumb brushed my knuckles once, deliberate.
"You're doing well," she murmured, just for me.
I blushed again because apparently my body had no shame left.
My system chimed.
COMBO SUCCESS: KISS + HAND-HOLD + WALK
BOND XP +55
BONUS: CROWD STABILIZED
Yuki pointed. "Mira."
Mira stepped forward, already holding a scroll like it was foreplay for lawyers.
"Ren," she said politely, "combo request. Kiss plus cheek touch plus verbal affirmation."
Elise snapped, "No more praise."
Mira's expression didn't change. "It's not praise. It's affirmation."
Elise looked confused, which was rare.
I nodded, resigned. "Fine."
Mira touched my cheek lightly, then kissed me with controlled neatness, like she was proving you could be horny and organized.
When she pulled back, she said, calm as a receipt, "You are allowed to enjoy this."
I blinked.
That hit me harder than the kiss.
My system chimed.
COMBO SUCCESS: KISS + CHEEK TOUCH + AFFIRMATION
BOND XP +65
BONUS: MENTAL STABILITY +5
Freya whispered loudly, "She just seduced him with therapy."
Sofia muttered, "Respect."
Elise muttered, "I hate all of you."
Then Yuki stepped forward again, smug.
Elise snapped, "No."
Yuki lifted her clipboard. "Facilitator bonus combo. Required for data."
Elise looked like she wanted to bite the clipboard.
Yuki leaned close and asked sweetly, "Ren, consent."
I sighed. "Yes."
Yuki kissed me quick like a stamp, then pulled back and whispered, "Your lipstick mark from yesterday is fading. That won't do."
Elise's head snapped toward me so fast I thought she'd sprain something.
I choked. "It was from Freya."
Freya lifted both hands. "Allegedly."
Elise's face went nuclear.
My system chimed.
COMBO SUCCESS: KISS + PSYCHOLOGICAL DAMAGE
BOND XP +40
WARNING: CHAPERONE JEALOUSY RISING
Yuki clicked her pen, satisfied. "Excellent. Now—"
"No," Elise said, loud enough to silence the nearby crowd.
Everyone paused.
Elise stepped forward, eyes sharp, cheeks pink with fury and something else she refused to name.
"We are taking a break," Elise snapped. "He is overheating."
Rika raised her hand. "Can we cool him down with cuddles."
Elise glared. "No."
Freya grinned. "Can we cool him down with kisses."
Elise glared harder. "No."
Sofia smirked. "Can I cool him down with praise."
Elise looked like she might pass away. "Absolutely not."
Charlotte tilted her head. "Then how do you plan to cool him down."
Elise grabbed my wrist and tugged me close, chain clinking.
"Water," Elise snapped. "Food. Breathing. Normal things."
Freya whispered, "She's holding him like she's claiming him."
Elise's face went red.
"I am holding him," Elise hissed, "because he is tethered."
Rika blinked. "You could untether him."
Elise's eyes widened. "I will not."
Sofia smiled. "So you like it."
Elise made a sound that was not language.
I drank water because it was the only safe action left.
The crowd laughed softly.
The harem smiled like sharks.
And my system chimed one last time, cruelly cheerful.
AFFECTION LOOP PROGRESS: 80%
TIP: YOUR HAREM IS LEARNING YOUR WEAKNESSES
WARNING: THEY WILL GET WORSE TOMORROW