Three days had passed since that secret was exposed on the rooftop. As Yuki walked down the hallway, he felt an indescribable tension in the air. When he opened the classroom door, Mio— "[surprised]Ah, Yuki-kun... g-good day to you," she said, hurriedly hiding her face behind a textbook. As for Hina, the moment their eyes met, she blurted out a nonsensical excuse: "[scared]I-It's not like I was looking at you or anything!" (*What's with this awkward distance?*) His thirty-seven years of experience screamed at him that something was wrong. Shizuka was still sneaking glances at him from behind her book as always, and as for Rin-senpai, every time they passed in the hallway, "[cold]...Hmph," she'd say, turning her face away. (*They're plotting something. I know it.*) Yuki sighed. His adult intuition told him the four of them were moving behind the scenes. Today was Friday, after school. Yuki walked alone along Namiki Street. The evening light streamed into the shopping arcade, and the lady at the greengrocer's was shouting in her lively voice. The usual scenery. But within it—he saw four familiar backs. Hanauto. The pure coffee shop run by Mio's family. Mio was at the front, her waist-length blonde hair swaying gently, Hina's ponytail bouncing behind her, Shizuka following with unsteady steps in her braids. And at the very rear, Rin stood with her arms crossed, her silver hair gleaming. "[whispers]Why are the four of them..." Yuki instinctively hid behind a pillar in the shopping arcade. His heart pounded. What was a thirty-seven-year-old grown man doing? (*I mean, I wasn't invited.*) Making excuses to himself, he pressed against the window of Hanauto and peered inside. Retro interior, a round table for four. The four of them sat there, and Mio, dressed as a waitress, began serving. They all wore serious expressions. (*They even ordered coffee... What are they talking about?*) He strained his eyes further—and in that instant— "[angry]Yuki!!" The window slid open with a rattle, and Hina's hand grabbed Yuki's arm firmly. "[angry]What are you doing hiding and watching?! Just get in here!" "[scared]No, I wasn't called—" "[angry]I said get in!" Dragged along, Yuki was pulled into the shop. The doorbell jingled. Inside Hanauto, the scent of coffee mingled with cinnamon. Old record jackets decorated the walls, and the sunset streaming through the window bathed the wooden tables in orange light. "[gentle]Welcome, Yuki-kun. Welcome to Hanauto." Mio guided him with a soft smile. When Yuki was led to the round table— Hina on his left. Shizuka on his right. Rin directly across. Zero escape routes. "[scared]...Aren't you three a little close?" Cold sweat ran down his back. "[cold]Hmph, don't even think about running." Rin spoke lowly, resting her elbows on the table. Shizuka hung her head, her ears bright red, while Hina crossed her arms, pursing her lips in a way that seemed somehow embarrassed. Mio slowly drew a breath. "[serious]Then, from this moment—" A beat of silence. "[serious]The 'Who Gets to Give Yuki-kun a Love Letter' Issue Meeting will now commence." "[surprised]What the hell is that?!" Yuki's shout echoed through the coffee shop. Hina slammed both hands on the table. "[angry]It's me, obviously! I was the first one to pair up with him at the sports festival! With that kind of track record, it's obviously me, right?!" Hina's face was bright red as she rattled on. "[angry]No, it is I. On the very first day of transferring in, it was I who confessed to Yuki-kun first!" Mio wasn't losing either. Unlike her usual gentle demeanor, her large blue eyes sparkled with intensity. "[scared]...M-Me too." A small voice. "[scared]In the library, I gave him a lunch box... and, um, said I liked him... I have feelings too, properly. And I've talked about books with him the most...!" Shizuka, uncharacteristically persistent, spoke faster and faster. "[cold]Love letters don't matter." Rin declared, her arms still crossed. "[cold]I understand Yuki the best. He and I have the same scent." "[angry]What's that supposed to mean?! What kind of scent?!" "[angry]I, too, know that Yuki-kun's favorite drink is green tea!" "[scared]I also... know that Yuki-kun likes watching the sea alone...!" The heated debate from all four sides swirled around him. Yuki slumped his shoulders, exhausted. (*What the hell is this situation?*) The intensity of four girls was mercilessly hammered into his seventeen-year-old body. As the middle-aged man's spirit began to scream internally, Yuki's mouth moved on its own. "[whispers]...Nothing good will come from liking me." A low, muttered voice. The shop fell completely silent. Four gazes pierced Yuki all at once. "[sad]I might go back to my original world." Yuki kept his head down and continued flatly. "[sad]Inside, I'm a thirty-seven-year-old man. I'm just possessing this body—I'm not even a real high schooler. There's no guarantee I can keep living here as one. And yet—" His words caught. "[crying]And yet, do you really think I can... respond to feelings as serious as yours?" It was the first time he'd shown weakness. It was the moment the composure of an adult was overwhelmed by the unstable body of a high schooler. Silence. No one spoke. Mio's blue eyes were opened wide. Hina bit her lip, and Shizuka gripped the hem of her uniform tightly. Rin—just stared intently at Yuki's profile. And then, Rin opened her mouth. "[gentle]...In that case." Still leaning on her elbows, bluntly. "[gentle]Wouldn't it be fine if we all just... made Yuki-kun happy together?" A bombshell statement. "[surprised]...Huh?" Hina's mouth fell open. "[whispers]In Uragawa, it's not... that weird or anything." Rin's ears were bright red. She turned her face away, desperately trying to act composed. But her voice was trembling. "[surprised]...You mean a polygyny arrangement." Mio repeated slowly. Hina's eyes went round. "[surprised]Wait, hold on, is that... actually an option?" "[whispers]...If I can be with Yuki-kun." Shizuka said quietly, still looking down. "[whispers]Even then... I'm okay with it." Mio stared at Rin. "[serious]If senpai says so, then I... will not object. However." Mio turned back to face Yuki. Her blue eyes pierced straight through him. "[serious]What about you yourself, Yuki-kun?" Four gazes stabbed into Yuki all at once. His seventeen-year-old body was completely shaken by the intensity of four people. His heart was noisy. The tips of his ears burned hot, and he desperately fought to keep his voice from cracking. (*Damn, this is...*) Running his middle-aged experience at full capacity, he tried to stay calm—and failed. "[scared]...F-Fine." His voice cracked. "[whispers]I'll... decide to live in this world too." It was a short, but clear statement. In that instant— Mio gently placed her hand on the table. White, slender fingers. "[laughing]Then, the alliance is formed!" Hina slapped her own hand on top of Mio's with a smack. "[whispers]...Me too." Shizuka timidly placed her hand on top. It trembled faintly. "[cold]...Can't be helped." Rin brusquely placed her hand last. The corner of her lips was slightly raised. On the table at Hanauto. Amidst four plates of pudding and a single cup of coffee—an unprecedented harem alliance pact was quietly established. Yuki suddenly looked at the table. "[surprised]...Wait. Four plates of pudding. Where's mine?" "[laughing]I ate it!" Hina answered instantly, showing off her spoon with a beaming smile. "[laughing]Ahaha! Your pudding was delicious, Yuki!" "[surprised]You ate it?!" "[laughing]Sorry, sorry! Anyway, you showed up without even being invited—don't go trying to eat pudding too!" "[serious]It was my homemade pudding, you know..." Mio puffed out her cheeks. The shop was instantly filled with laughter. Yuki's heart was still noisy. But—he felt the anxiety and weakness from earlier melting away, just a little, in the smiles of the four girls. (*This is... the reality that happened to me, huh?*) * * * When they left the coffee shop, the evening sun was dyeing the streets of Minakaze orange. The wind from the sea carried a faint scent of salt. "[serious]Let's go to the rooftop." Rin took a spare key from her pocket. The five of them silently climbed the hill road to Kouyou Academy. When they opened the rooftop door— A breathtaking sight spread out before them. The sea was burning in the sunset. The green of the hilly terrain was gradually being dyed purple. The windows of houses in the city began to light up one by one. In the western sky, a gradient of orange and pink. Yuki leaned against the railing and gazed absently at the scenery. "[gentle]...In my original world, I never saw a sea like this." The words slipped out naturally. For the first time, not out of nostalgia—but as an attachment to this world. Mio stood beside him. Gently, she tugged at the sleeve of Yuki's uniform with just one finger. Close enough that her breath could touch him. "[whispers]I'm glad... that you made your decision, Yuki-kun." Yuki's body temperature rose gradually. "[angry]Hey, Mio, aren't you a little too close?!" Hina pushed her way in. "[serious]This is not a matter of distance. This is the distance of affection." "[angry]What the heck is 'the distance of affection'?!" "[whispers]...I want to be next to you too." Shizuka timidly lined up on Yuki's other side. "[cold]All of you are too loud." Rin stood behind them with her arms crossed. But the corners of her mouth were turned up. The sea sparkled. Five long shadows stretched out, cast onto the concrete of the rooftop. * * * As they disbanded on the rooftop. "[laughing]Yuki! Hurry up! We're going down before the sun sets!" Hina shouted from the stairway. "[gentle]We'll go down ahead of you." The four of them descended the stairs. Their footsteps gradually faded into the distance. Yuki remained alone at the railing. The evening sun sank into the sea. The sky slowly darkened. "[whispers]...Hey." In a voice no one could hear. "[whispers]Where did the original owner of this body... go, I wonder?" That day when his body first moved on its own. That moment when his fingers trembled at the hot coffee. Fragments of the original high schooler Yuki's memories occasionally flashed back. (*Where did that guy... disappear to?*) The sea swallowed the last of the light. "[angry]Yuki! I said hurry up!" Hina's shout again. "[laughing]I'm coming!" Yuki pulled away from the railing and ran down the stairs. On the rooftop wrapped in twilight, only the wind blew through.