With Christmas approaching, the world outside was blanketed in white snow, the cold weather likely keeping everyone indoors except for couples and partygoers.
"Thank you, Kikyo-chan, for talking with me about all this. I… I think it's better if I take things slow."
In a cozy room, a petite and adorable girl sat across from Kushida Kikyo, her expression slightly dejected.
This was Mei yu Wang, her hair tied in twin tails, a sixteen-year-old blooming like a morning flower—tender and delicate, with emerald leaves bearing dewdrops of melancholy.
Her slightly upturned nose, cute lips, and flawless, smooth skin made her seem almost like a middle schooler, though her figure wasn't entirely underdeveloped.
Even her winter shirt couldn't completely hide the gentle curves of her modest chest.
Kushida smiled warmly at her dear friend's gratitude.
"It's no trouble. I just think confessing so soon might not work with Hirata-kun. It's better to build your feelings first."
"Y-Yeah, you're right." Mei yu Wang understood her meaning, though she couldn't help feeling somewhat dejected.
"I was too impatient. If the confession fails..."
Ever since hearing about Hirata's breakup with Karuizawa, the young girl's heart had become restless, wondering if this might be her chance.
Thus, Mei yu Wang wanted to seize the opportunity before Christmas to bravely invite Hirata out on a date, then confess her feelings under the legendary tree.
Lacking confidence, she instinctively turned to Kushida for help, seeking advice from her close friend.
Dreams are beautiful, but reality is harsh.
Kushida tactfully pointed out that Mei yu Wang's idea was somewhat naive.
Seeing Mei yu Wang's devastated expression, Kushida wasn't entirely unsympathetic.
A boy like Hirata had an overwhelming effect on young girls.
Handsome, sincere, respectful toward girls, gentle and considerate, athletically gifted, a sunny personality—and someone who knew how to care for others.
From their usual interactions, Kushida had subtly probed Mei yu Wang's thoughts.
The girl had not only never been in a relationship but also had zero experience with the opposite sex.
Previously, she had only buried herself in studies, harboring nothing but fairy-tale fantasies about love—something that left Kushida silent for a long while.
Truly befitting an international student from a certain Eastern country—what could almost be described as pure, unadulterated naivety.
Kushida suddenly recalled something and tentatively asked.
"By the way, if I may ask—why do you like Hirata-kun, Mei?"
Instantly, Mei yu Wang became flustered, her cheeks tinged pink.
After struggling for a long time, she finally managed to say, "B-Because Hirata-kun is so kind... He helped me before."
Kushida nearly facepalmed.
Of course, it was that kind of reason.
Not that she could judge—girls really had no resistance to a handsome guy's kindness.
For some reason, an image of a certain someone flashed through her mind, making her chest feel oddly warm.
"Mei, do you actually know much about Hirata-kun?" Kushida suppressed the strange feeling in her heart.
"For example—what kind of girls does he like? What does he usually do? What are his likes and dislikes?"
Mei yu Wang stared blankly at her before shaking her head and whispering.
"I-I'm sorry... I hardly ever talk to him..."
Seeing Kushida's silent expression, Mei yu Wang seemed to realize the outcome.
She lowered her head dejectedly, then clenched her fists and pressed them to her chest as if steeling her resolve.
"E-Even if I don't know now, I'll work hard to find out!"
Kushida felt complicated emotions at this.
Truthfully, she had a vague sense of what kind of person Hirata was—his kindness wasn't directed at any one person, but extended to everyone equally.
Yet Mei yu Wang couldn't discern the difference.
If the two actually started dating, she would likely gradually realize that Hirata treated her no differently from anyone else.
Love wasn't something to be shared—it was meant to be exclusive.
Suddenly, the image of Kaoru surfaced in Kushida's mind.
Unsurprisingly, he had been going on dates these past few days—utterly despicable, like some kind of public bus.
Even so, being able to drop her facade around Kaoru, seeking different thrills from him to relieve daily stress, even complaining about everyday troubles in front of him—perhaps it was precisely his candid and unrestrained nature that forced Kushida to remove her ever-smiling mask.
She wondered what he was doing today.
It seemed like he was on a date with some senior?
An inexplicable irritation flashed through Kushida's mind.
She instinctively wanted to call him but, realizing Mei yu Wang was still in front of her, forcibly held back.
"Kikyo-chan, have you ever been on a date?" Mei yu Wang suddenly asked.
"Huh? No, I haven't. I've never been in a relationship before. Boys are too troublesome, and besides, there hasn't been…"
As she spoke, Kushida froze.
She suddenly realized why she was so irritated.
Kaoru had never gone on a date with her!
Even if she wasn't his girlfriend, shouldn't he at least take his pet out to play sometimes?
Did he just see her as a convenient woman?
Kushida knew Kaoru didn't think that way—otherwise, he could have done far worse things to her.
But she was still furious.
Mischief was one thing, but dates were dates!
"Kikyo-chan?" Mei yu Wang cautiously peeked at her best friend's reaction, noticing how inexplicably gloomy she had become.
"Ahaha, it's nothing. I just thought of something unpleasant. Boys can be really dumb sometimes. As girls, we have to guide them a little, or they'll never understand what we're thinking." Kushida snapped back to reality, plastering a smile on her face.
"Mei-chan, Hirata-kun probably wouldn't reject your idea, but since it's Christmas, a lot of girls might ask him out."
"Then what should I do?" Mei yu Wang seemed aware that her chances weren't great.
Kushida thought for a moment, studying the slightly anxious girl before an idea suddenly crossed her mind.
That perverted foot fetishist probably liked this type of girl, right?
Looking closely, Mei yu Wang wasn't exceptionally beautiful, but she wasn't bad either.
Her slightly childish face and slender figure made her look like a little girl, especially with her twin tails adding to her youthful charm.
Kushida had never seen Kaoru express disgust toward any girl.
If he could even lick a girl's feet, there was probably nothing he wouldn't do—after all, he was a lecher.
Aside from Mei yu Wang, there were also Sato Maya, Onodera Kayano, Chiaki Matsushita, Hasebe Haruka, Airi Sakura, and others in their class.
Hasebe Haruka and Airi Sakura seemed to be among Kaoru's main targets.
If she could secure all of them, Kaoru probably wouldn't object, right?
Who would refuse to have an ever-growing harem?
If the harem consisted entirely of her people, wouldn't Kaoru have to obey her?
Kushida blinked—this idea seemed quite appealing.
Unless Kaoru was stubborn enough to abandon his harem entirely, with everyone on her side, what could he possibly use to oppose her?
"Ahem, Mei, do you remember Mitoma-kun from Class A?" Kushida's plan was simple.
If Mei yu Wang was receptive, she would pull her into this scheme.
Mei yu Wang was momentarily confused but nodded at Kushida.
"I heard Mitoma-kun is dating Ichinose-san."
"Exactly. Since neither of us has any dating experience, why not observe how others do it?" Kushida coaxed gently.
"We could ask him for advice. If Hirata-kun agrees to go out with you, we can follow Mitoma-kun's example for our own dates."
"Wouldn't that trouble him?" Mei yu Wang hesitated.
Though she had a favorable impression of Kaoru, they weren't close.
"Not at all. I'm on good terms with him." Kushida smiled.
Without much thought, Mei yu Wang quickly agreed to Kushida's proposal.
...
After Mei yu Wang left, Kushida finally let out a sigh of relief.
She had wanted to be more direct but held back out of consideration for Kaoru's feelings.
Because the key to controlling the harem wasn't Mitoma himself—it was the girls in it.
Kushida didn't resist the idea of a harem because she never expected to monopolize Kaoru in the first place.
Knowing she couldn't control him, she simply gave up trying.
However, others might not share her perspective.
For example—
"Kushida-san, I'd like to ask you something."
Horikita Suzune appeared before Kushida, her expression icy and her tone frigid.
"I told you I was spending time with a friend today, didn't I?" Kushida hadn't welcomed her visit, but after several minutes of relentless doorbell ringing, she had no choice but to answer.
"Your friend already left, didn't she?" Horikita sat across from her. "What's going on between Mitoma-kun and Ichinose-san?"
Ah, so Horikita was the last to find out.
"Why ask me instead of him?" Kushida's expression darkened.
She despised Horikita's attitude.
Perhaps realizing she needed to adjust her approach, Horikita softened her tone slightly.
"I'm afraid of what I might hear... You're different. Everyone gathers around you—you must know more than I do. Like when they started dating?"
To Horikita, this news was devastating.
All her previous assumptions had been in vain—Kaoru didn't like her at all.
His heart belonged to Ichinose Honami.
Horikita had resisted accepting this truth until she witnessed Kaoru kissing Ichinose outside the dormitory, shattering her completely.
Kushida wasn't in a good mood either.
She was dissatisfied with Kaoru's actions—at the very least, he should have reassured his harem before going public.
Now that the official girlfriend had emerged, what about their status?
The more she thought about it, the more Kushida couldn't help but recall their Christmas date.
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