School Harem Chaos and Umi's Bedroom Invite
The next day with Umi. I woke up right away.
"Ugh.... fuck."
My body felt heavy as lead. Even during spring break, my schedule had been packed, but adding school life on top made a huge difference. It was like my stamina was draining in real time.
But this was just the burden every student had to bear. I washed up and threw on my uniform. I was getting used to being possessed, but seeing myself in this uniform still felt off.
"Let's go."
I headed straight out the front door.
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The classroom was the same as always.
"Shota-chin!"
Eri spotted me and came flying into my arms. Poof—! If I'd dodged, she would've gotten hurt, so I caught her body.
"W-What the hell, suddenly getting all lovey-dovey?!!"
Umi yelled.
"Huh? I already confessed to Shota, remember? I declared war, so dashing in is totally legal now."
Eri said. What a battle-ready mindset. High school girls were tough creatures, as expected.
"Shota doesn't like it either, right? She confessed and now she's all over you without even getting a yes."
Umi immediately called for backup from me. Squish—! Eri was pressed so tight against me that I could feel her soft body parts in all sorts of places. Then, with a blush creeping over her cheeks, Eri looked up at me with those misty eyes.
"Shota.... you hate it?"
Eri tilted her head cutely as she asked.
"I like it too much."
The words just slipped out. Damn.... her destructive power was insane. The overwhelming stimulation turned my mouth into a truth-spitting machine.
"Seriously.... pervert. Go die. Just."
Umi shot me a cold glare.
"Umi doesn't even like Shota that much, does she? And even if she does, she can't even be honest about her feelings. No way I'm falling for a girl like that."
Eri said, still clinging to me.
"Urk....!"
Umi was at a loss for words. Eri smirked provocatively at her.
"H-Hold on. Eri. Wanna step outside?"
Right after, Umi locked Eri in a headlock and dragged her out of the classroom.
"H-Hold on!! I need to confirm my love with Shota.... Umi!! Too strong!!"
Eri flailed as Umi hauled her away. Yeah, Umi was sneakily strong. Anyway, the little commotion settled down.
And that's when Taiga walked into the classroom.
"Your surroundings are always so noisy."
Taiga glanced at Umi and Eri as she said it.
"Ahh.... Taiga doesn't get it, huh? This is what they call 'popularity'."
I turned to her with a grin.
"Popularity my ass. What bullshit. You open your mouth and it's all nonsense."
Taiga chuckled and smacked my shoulder. It actually hurt.
"Natsukawa Taiga.... coming to school two days in a row."
"What, she turning over a new leaf or something?"
The other students started whispering. Well.... she was a local delinquent legend. Showing up in uniform looking all normal drew eyes.
Zzap—! Taiga shot a glare at the class like the attention annoyed her. It was scary as hell. Gave me elementary school flashbacks to getting shaken down at the arcade.
"..........."
The students folded like origami.
"Taiga. You planning to actually come to school properly now?"
I asked her.
"Yeah. Might as well. I'm your teammate now with Sassis too. Gotta stick close so we can stay in touch."
Taiga said. Yeah.... after joining the party, Taiga starts attending school normally. Straight out of the game.
"Sniff.... did my influence reform her...."
I wiped away a tear.
"Bullshit!!! It ain't because of you!!!"
Taiga swung at my shoulder again.
"Whoa, easy with the tsundere talk. I get you're hiding your embarrassment."
I raised my hands neatly.
"Gaaah!! This guy's so annoying!!!"
Taiga clutched her head and screamed. She had that tough delinquent vibe, but her banter game was weak.
That's when Umi and Eri came back in, apparently done talking.
Stare.... Soon, Umi and Eri eyed me chatting with Taiga.
"You got close with Natsukawa?"
Umi said, looking back and forth between us.
"Yeah...."
Eri was thrown off by how fast our relationship had leveled up. Yesterday, our only connection was her dragging me to the rooftop, and now we were talking like buddies.
"Well.... yeah, we got close. Taiga fell captive to my overflowing 'charm' too."
I muttered, gazing out the window. I always end up enchanting people without meaning to. It was a blessing and a curse. Everyone worshipped me.... so I couldn't have normal relationships. I felt like Gilgamesh before Enkidu. Ahh... Lord Gilgamesh, what kind of life did you live?
"Pffft-haha! Saying that with your busted face is hilarious."
Umi burst out laughing.
"Hey!! It's not that busted!!!"
Even if it was, that was too harsh!!!
"Shota.... you're not seriously delusional enough to think you're hot, right? That's only okay up to middle school. Wake up."
Eri started seriously worrying about me. That hurt my heart more.
Anyway, I shot Taiga a look—don't mention the monsters. She nodded.
"You two just exchanged a look, didn't you?"
Umi pounced on it immediately. She was sharper than she let on.
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Anyway, right before things got messy, the homeroom teacher walked in. After morning homeroom, the peaceful school days rolled on. But today was Wednesday. No PE class, unfortunately. Sitting through lessons left me feeling stiff and blah.
"Alright.... this class is ahead on the curriculum. Just self-study. Ask if you have questions."
Right before lunch in 4th period, the teacher said it in a deadpan tone. Then he pulled out a manga and started reading. Teachers.... what a sweet gig. It was a public high school in a small city, so no skirt-chasing pressure. Everyone just did the bare minimum.
"Shota."
Then Eri from the seat behind me called out.
It wasn't her seat originally. But Eri used her gal superpowers to swap with whoever was there. And Umi immediately took the seat next to her. Black gal and blonde gal like guardian deities behind my back.
"It's self-study. Don't talk to me."
I said.
"Pfft. Not even studying."
Eri laughed. Well.... I was outlining a novel. Back before possession, I'd pre-studied all the basics, so I had free time. Plan was to sketch during downtime and grind writing after school.
"Your shoulders look tense. Want a massage?"
Eri offered.
"Nah, I'm good."
No massages. Just study. Quietly.
"No vetoes allowed?"
Eri giggled like she'd predicted it and started kneading my shoulders. Rub rub—! It was.... kinda embarrassing. Getting a massage from a girl sparked all sorts of thoughts. Her hands were surprisingly dainty. My face heated up as that fact got seared into my brain.
"W-What are you doing?"
Umi yelped in a panic.
"What? Just a shoulder rub."
Eri monopolized my shoulders like she was showing off.
"N-No, that's not how you massage! You just wanna touch Shota's shoulders, huh? We all know!!"
Umi yelled and claimed my left shoulder.
"Watch. This is a massage."
Umi started kneading my left side. Eri on the right, Umi on the left. Rub—! Rub—! Two cute girls massaging my shoulders was too stimulating. They were pressed right up against my back, so soft parts brushed me too. To keep my cool, I desperately focused on novel plotting. Yeah.... pure thoughts, pure thoughts....
But the black and blonde gals weren't giving me breathing room.
"Shota. Whose feels better?"
Umi was super competitive.
"Mine, obviously?"
Eri whispered from the other side.
"Both...."
"Choose wisely."
Umi radiated massive pressure with one line.
"Both is banned."
Eri smiled sweetly. But her eyes weren't smiling. What now.... I started pondering.
That's when the manga-reading teacher came to the rescue.
"Arikiri. Enjoying your harem is fine, but this is self-study. Tone it down."
The teacher said.
"No.... it's not a harem.... it's not like that."
I protested quickly.
"Damn.... back in my school days, I never got that kind of youth.... Co-ed school, but basically all-boys. Girls never talked to me. Not even borrowing my gym clothes for sports day...."
Suddenly the teacher was spilling his dark past. Felt like I'd stepped on a landmine.
"Anyway, enough about me. Arikiri, write a reflection essay later."
The teacher cut himself off. A reflection? Felt like personal grudge there.
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Anyway, school ended.
"Shota. Let's go."
Umi blocked my path suddenly. Was Eri about to glare? But Eri stayed chill.
"See you at home then, Shota?"
Eri smiled and pecked my cheek. Guess she wasn't pushing after-school since she could drop by my place anytime. That was my guess.
".....Straight to the dojo?"
Umi asked.
"Yeah."
Train at the dojo, write webnovel at home, hunt monsters at night. That was the routine.
"Um.... after training at the dojo, got a bit of time?"
Umi made a random suggestion.
"Karaoke?!! Karaoke it is!! Awesome!! Let's go!!!"
I bit the bait hard.
"Not karaoke?!! Why are you so obsessed with karaoke?"
Umi shot it down instantly.
"Dokki dokki don don!!!!!"
"Uhahahaha!!! Don't sing here!! It's embarrassing!!"
Umi laughed and patted my cheeks. Whoops. Got too hyped. Ahh.... if we'd gone, I'd have crushed that anisong medley again. Bummer.
"After.... wanna come to my room.... and hang out?"
Her follow-up froze me solid. Her room?
"Your room got a karaoke machine or something?"
I made a logical guess.
"No!! Why would I have one at home!!! Why are you so fixated on karaoke!!"
Umi looked exasperated as she shot me down. Anyway, a new plan popped up out of nowhere.