None of us spoke in the darkness...
This line of lyrics suddenly flashed through Imaizumi Keita's mind, and he almost sang it out loud.
The television was still playing the Afternoon Drama, the scenes on screen were harmonious, but it didn't affect the three people sitting there at all.
Shioyaki Lemon clutched her skirt with both hands, her gaze shifting back and forth between the coffee table and her knees, not daring to look up at Yanami Anna across from her.
Yanami Anna more or less understood the situation today. She leaned against the other side of the sofa with her arms crossed, her face expressionless, occasionally glancing at Shioyaki Lemon and Imaizumi Keita.
Imaizumi Keita pulled over a stool and sat opposite the two girls, his hands clasped as he thought about how to start.
After all, today's incident was still caused by him. He had to take responsibility for the situation before him and should speak up to ease the awkwardness.
If you want to have a harem, you have to have the responsibility that comes with it...
"Ahem."
He coughed softly, drawing the attention of the two girls.
He actually didn't quite know which way to explain it best; after all, he didn't have any experience running a harem before he transmigrated...
Therefore, he thought about the speeches in the news from the past and decided that speaking in that kind of tone might be better.
"I've asked you both here today because there is a very important matter that I need to communicate with you face-to-face."
Imaizumi Keita's tone was very serious, and his eyes didn't shy away as he looked at them.
"I think you both must have many questions in your hearts right now, especially Lemon."
He first turned his gaze toward Shioyaki Lemon. Lemon clearly stiffened, not knowing how to respond to Imaizumi Keita's address.
Imaizumi Keita didn't comfort Lemon's predicament but instead turned his gaze toward Yanami Anna. "Anna, I know you also want to know exactly what I intend to do."
He gave them a moment to digest this before stating the facts, confirming the suspicion in Yanami Anna's heart.
"As you know, I like Anna, and I also like Lemon."
"I don't want to deceive either of you, and I don't want to give up on either of you, so I chose... to date both of you at the same time."
"Of course, although I informed you about each other beforehand, this kind of pretending to be in a one-on-one relationship would make us all less happy..."
Imaizumi Keita's words were frank and direct, making Yanami Anna's eyebrows twitch.
This playboy bastard, those really are words he would say...
"Therefore, now that you both openly know of the other's existence as a 'girlfriend,' I hope you can get along well. Additionally, if there's any information you need to confirm or any questions you want to ask each other, you can communicate directly now."
After speaking, he took a posture of relief, indicating he was ready to accept the current situation and any reaction from the two girls.
"If there's nothing you want to ask, you can start scolding me. Whatever the punishment, I'll accept it."
In Imaizumi Keita's expectations, he thought Anna might be sarcastic, or the two girls would join forces to denounce him.
But nothing happened.
The two silent girls first glanced at the thick-skinned Imaizumi Keita, then looked at each other, and discovered the same emotion in each other's eyes...
The other person really does like Keita/Kin-chan very much...
Of course, this realization was useless because that was exactly why the two of them were sitting together...
The explanations and apologies Shioyaki Lemon had prepared in her heart were suddenly overwhelmed by a sense of guilt.
Yanami Anna looked at Shioyaki Lemon calmly, opening her mouth and struggling with her phrasing, not knowing how to start.
Lemon suddenly felt like a clumsy thief caught red-handed, while the owner just looked at her calmly...
She took a deep breath, looked into Yanami Anna's eyes, her voice carrying a hint of a sob.
...
"I'm sorry... Anna."
"I... I also like Kin-chan. I... I originally thought about whether I could date him without affecting you, but..."
Halfway through, Shioyaki Lemon couldn't go on anymore.
What did she mean by "without affecting her"?
In matters of feelings, how could they not be affected?
She found that no matter what excuse she used to defend herself, it seemed she couldn't change the fact that she was the latecomer...
Yanami Anna looked at Shioyaki Lemon's pitiful appearance as if she were about to cry and let out a long sigh.
She didn't look at Shioyaki Lemon but instead turned to scold Imaizumi Keita next to her.
"Imaizumi Keita." Her voice wasn't loud, but her tone was filled with irritation. "You really are an out-and-out bastard."
She stood up from the sofa, walked over to Shioyaki Lemon, and looked down at her, her tone full of frustration at her weakness.
"And you, Lemon, what's with this look like you're about to cry? The Shioyaki Lemon I know isn't like this."
These words weren't so much a reproach as they were... heartache.
Shioyaki Lemon was clearly stunned for a moment.
She looked up blankly, seeing her own tear-streaked face reflected in Yanami Anna's eyes.
Anna... she didn't scold me, but instead... she's scolding Kin-chan?
An indescribable surge of emotion and grievance rushed to her heart. Shioyaki Lemon's eyes grew hot, and her vision blurred instantly.
She tried hard to tilt her head back, attempting to force the unbidden tears back, but the crystal droplets still slid down her cheeks uncontrollably.
"Ugh..."
A suppressed whimper came from her throat.
"Wah...!"
Imaizumi Keita was about to speak to comfort Lemon and ease the atmosphere between them, but he found that Yanami Anna was faster than him.
Yanami Anna sat down naturally next to Shioyaki Lemon and then reached out to gently pull the sobbing Shioyaki Lemon into her arms.
This comforting gesture was done so skillfully that for a moment, Imaizumi Keita felt like he was the one comforting Lemon.
Imaizumi Keita somewhat suspected that Yanami Anna had long prepared herself to soothe other sisters in the role of the "Head of the Harem."
After all, he had been giving Yanami Anna warnings for so long; it was only logical for this to happen...
"Alright, alright, stop crying." Yanami Anna's movements were a bit clumsy, but her tone was unusually gentle. "Why are you crying?"
Enveloped in a warm embrace, Shioyaki Lemon could no longer suppress her emotions. Her broken, tearful voice came from the crook of Anna's shoulder.
She buried her face in Yanami Anna's shoulder, and the guilt and anxiety she had accumulated for so long poured out toward Yanami Anna all at once.
"Be-because..."
She spoke between sobs, her words intermittent.
"I-I clearly stole Anna's boyfriend... b-but Anna, you actually... didn't scold me... instead you're scolding Kin-chan... I-I feel... so guilty..."
"Isn't it only natural to scold him? Because he's a bastard who deserves to be scolded."
Yanami Anna said as if it were a matter of course, her hand not stopping as she patted Lemon's back.
She turned her head to glance at Imaizumi Keita, whose expression was a bit subtle, and then explained to Lemon: "Besides, you don't need to feel guilty. This guy... already has a record."
"A record?" Shioyaki Lemon raised her tear-filled face and looked at her in confusion.
"Yeah." Yanami Anna nodded and explained, "When I agreed to date him, he had already told me clearly that he's a rotten person and would definitely two-time in the future. I saw through his playboy nature long ago."
These words caused Shioyaki Lemon's crying to pause. She stared blankly at Anna, her brain momentarily stalling.
Anna... already knew?
Kin-chan actually started saying such unacceptable things while dating Anna...
She wiped her tears, and a huge question surfaced in her mind: "Then... then why did Anna still date Kin-chan?"
"Eh?" Hearing this question, Yanami Anna instead showed a surprised expression. "Lemon... you don't know?"
Her gaze instinctively turned toward Imaizumi Keita.
Imaizumi Keita received her questioning look and shook his head helplessly.
Yanami Anna understood immediately.
So that's how it is.
Lemon doesn't know about Keita's superpowers yet.
She just... simply dived in because she liked him.
Having realized this, Yanami Anna's mood suddenly became somewhat complicated.
She had always thought Lemon was also deeply involved because of that "special reason."
"Well, my situation is a bit complicated."
Anna didn't explain further and instead asked Shioyaki Lemon out of curiosity.
"Rather than me, I'd like to ask you, Lemon. Why... why did you choose to date this guy?"
"I..."
Shioyaki Lemon was stunned for a moment; this question was also beyond her expectations.
She lowered her head and thought for a bit, then gave the simplest and most direct answer.
"Because... I really like him."
The tearful tone from before was gone from her voice, replaced by a purity unique to a young girl.
"I feel like... Kin-chan is different from other boys. He's smart, amazing, and knows so much... even though he can be really annoying sometimes when he talks, but... but just... just being able to be with him makes me feel so happy."
Listening to this confession, which could be called the epitome of pure love, Yanami Anna let out another long sigh.
She looked at Lemon, who had recklessly stepped into the mud pit that was Imaizumi Keita out of pure affection, and for a moment, she felt that her own desperate display of sovereignty at the Fireworks Festival due to insecurity was a bit ridiculous.
With Lemon's silly appearance, what did she really have to guard against?
With a Lemon like this... was there really a need to be so strictly on guard?
This idiot was simply no match for her at all.
She was just... like her former self, being deceived by the same bastard.
Yanami Anna sighed, and the arm she had around Lemon's shoulder couldn't help but tighten a bit more.
The sudden pressure made Lemon feel a bit uncomfortable in her arms, and she snapped back to reality, asking in a low voice.
"...Anna, what's wrong..."
"It's nothing."
Yanami Anna released her arm and clumsily wiped away the tear stains on Lemon's cheek with her finger, sighing self-deprecatingly.
"I just suddenly remembered what happened that night at the Fireworks Festival."
"The Fireworks Festival..."
Lemon was a bit confused and subconsciously wanted to confess about dragging Kin-chan away.
"Yeah," Anna nodded, seeing the worry on Lemon's face, "That night Keita ditched me and ran off with you, and I was scared to death. My head was full of worries that Keita would be snatched away by Lemon."
She imitated her exaggerated internal monologue from that time, causing a blush to uncontrollably spread across Shioyaki Lemon's cheeks.
"I, I didn't..."
"You did, but Lemon is mostly just silly when it comes to love."
Yanami Anna interrupted her, finding her appearance a bit amusing, "But looking at you like this now... it feels like my worries back then were a bit unnecessary."
She reached out her index finger and gently tapped the tip of Lemon's nose.
"With your shy, simple, and silly look, Lemon, you don't look like someone who could handle that bastard at all."
I, I'm not silly...
Shioyaki Lemon subconsciously wanted to retort, but feeling the acceptance in Anna's words, she held back what she was about to say.
Anna... was this her way of telling her she wasn't angry anymore?
Realizing this, the momentum Lemon had just gathered to retort instantly deflated.
Fine, if she's called a fool, then she's a fool, as long as... as long as Anna doesn't hate her.
She had originally prepared for the worst-case scenario: being scolded severely by Anna, or even being told to break up with Kin-chan immediately.
The current situation was much better than she had imagined; she was only being called an idiot...
Based on this realization alone, she wasn't silly at all; sometimes she was actually quite clever...
"...Thank you, Anna."
"Thank me for what? I didn't speak up for you."
Yanami Anna said this as she hooked her arm around Lemon's and leaned against her.
The atmosphere in the living room softened considerably.
Imaizumi Keita, who had been sitting opposite them acting as background noise, immediately sensed the opportunity for a happy ending.
Seeing the harmonious atmosphere between the two girls, he felt it was a good time for him to re-enter the conversation.
"Um, seeing you two like this, I..."
He had just started, preparing to say something to solidify this hard-won peace.
"Shut up."
No sooner had he started than he was unceremoniously interrupted by Yanami Anna.
Anna turned her head, and the previous tenderness was gone from her beautiful almond eyes, replaced by an air of authority.
She pointed a finger at Imaizumi Keita, then at herself and Shioyaki Lemon beside her, and announced word by word:
"Bastard Keita, you don't have a say here right now. From this moment on, it's time for us two girls to criticize you, you cheating bastard."
"Until we discuss a conclusion, you just sit there quietly and listen. You're not allowed to interrupt, you're not allowed to explain, and you're certainly not allowed to use your twisted logic to cause trouble. Understood?"
"..."
Imaizumi Keita tactfully shut his mouth and nodded.
Fine, I'll be obedient.
In the end, I'm the one who benefits anyway.
Imaizumi Keita comforted himself this way.
He looked at Yanami Anna's forceful appearance of "This Queen has made her decision," then at Shioyaki Lemon beside her, whose eyes revealed that "Anna is right," and couldn't help but sigh.
He had envisioned many ways for a Shura Field to unfold, but he never expected it to be like this...
How did it turn into a situation where the two female leads formed a united front on the spot and treated him, the male lead, as the final boss to be defeated?
However, this feeling... didn't seem bad either.
It was fine.
He stood up, seeing that both girls looked a bit thirsty, and took the initiative to walk toward the kitchen.
"I'll get you both something to drink. You guys take your time chatting."
Leaving them some space was the wisest choice right now.
There are some things that girls can only truly talk about openly when the man is not present.
Watching Imaizumi Keita's back as he consciously withdrew, Yanami Anna gave a satisfied hum.
This guy finally has some situational awareness.
With Imaizumi Keita gone, the atmosphere in the living room became even more relaxed.
Yanami Anna calmly shifted further into the sofa, finding a more comfortable position.
"So, Lemon,"
Her gaze fell on Lemon, her face full of curiosity, "Can you tell me? What exactly happened today? How did you... end up coming back to his house with Keita?"
This question was exactly the part Shioyaki Lemon knew least how to talk about.
Facing Anna's searching gaze, she took a deep breath, knowing this was an unavoidable hurdle. She decided to tell the truth and recount everything that had happened from the beginning.
"Um... the story starts after the Fireworks Festival..."
Lemon's voice wasn't loud, but Yanami Anna heard her clearly.
She started from that morning run when she saw the hickey on Keita's neck.
When she mentioned that she had also taken the initiative to kiss him and leave a mark on Keita's neck out of competitiveness, Yanami Anna's eyebrows couldn't help but twitch upward.
"...Then, that guy had a reaction,"
Lemon's voice grew smaller and smaller, and her cheeks grew hotter and hotter, as she almost buried her head in her chest.
"He said he was in pain... so I... I thought, since it happened because of me, I should take responsibility..."
"Responsibility?"
Yanami Anna repeated the word.
"Um... just... helping him resolve that... trouble..."
Lemon's voice was now so quiet it was almost inaudible.
Yanami Anna looked at Shioyaki Lemon with a complicated expression.
She never expected that Lemon's offensive had already reached such a bold stage.
Was she stimulated by her own progress?
The relationship between her and Keita had also advanced so quickly because of a lot of physical intimacy...
How did it feel like Lemon's progress was almost catching up to hers?!!
If she didn't pay attention, putting aside whether Lemon could threaten her position, her progress might really catch up...
That bastard Keita actually coaxed Lemon into doing such things...
Could it be that Keita used his superpower on Lemon to make her so bold?
But she quickly dismissed that thought herself.
No.
If Keita were the kind of man who abused his power to influence others' will, there would probably be more than just her and Lemon around him now.
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