Satsuki tilted her head slightly, looking at me with dilated pupils. Speaking rapidly with no inflection, flat. I was chilled by her calm way of speaking, like a windless sea.
“No, I’ve just been normally preparing for the new semester—”
“With that body?”
“Yeah, that’s right, but…”
There was no particular problem just moving around inside the house. I’d gone out a bit, but I hadn’t gone far. Staying in the room felt like bad things would accumulate, so I took short walks, but really, that was all.
“Hey, am I not needed anymore…?”
Tears spilled from Satsuki’s eyes with a trickle.
“You’re inconvenienced with that body, right? Why won’t you rely on me? Why won’t you tell me your address? I was waiting, you know? I was ready to do anything if you’d just order me. But even though I waited and waited, no contact came, so I gathered my courage to come here, and you’re doing something reckless like cleaning alone—hey, answer me?”
This is too heavy, and it’s scary!?
Satsuki right now was more terrifying than any horror movie could ever be.
Any half-hearted deception or lie would risk hurting her. I took a deep breath and steeled myself.
“At first I was thinking of contacting Satsuki, but I thought you’d be busy… You had university preparations and various other things, right? I was trying not to make you worry…”
Not a lie, but not entirely true either. For something that came out on the spot, it was passing.
“…Really? It’s not that you didn’t need me anymore?”
Life returned to Satsuki’s clouded eyes.
“I wanted to say I’d be fine alone, but it seems I still can’t manage. Honestly, today, having Satsuki come really helped me. Thank you.”
“Yeah… yeah! I’m so glad!”
“Whoa!?”
Overcome with emotion, Satsuki jumped into my chest. I caught her reflexively, but the scent of fabric softener and the nice body of a popular gravure idol were touching me. My rationality was about to fly away.
“Satsuki, um, I’d appreciate it if you’d let go…”
“Ah, sorry? I was so relieved because I thought I’d been abandoned.”
“No, there’s no way I’d abandon you…?”
Though I didn’t remember picking you up either. Rather, I’d even thought I was the one who’d been abandoned.
“I’m so glad… If you’d hated me, I would’ve had a dark campus life.”
Satsuki was patting her chest in relief. Seeing her like that, I felt driven by a sense of duty. I had to abandon my selfishness and say it. I couldn’t let Satsuki keep feeling guilty forever.
“…Hey, Satsuki. Can I say something?”
“Hm? What is it?”
“Don’t worry about me and just enjoy your university life. It’s your last moratorium before entering society.”
Since Satsuki was working, I didn’t know what career path she’d take, but normally, university is the last paradise before entering society. I didn’t want her to waste those four years feeling guilty about me.
“…So you don’t need me after all?”
“That’s not what I’m saying. Having you help me like today really does help. It’s just, we’ll be at different universities, and Satsuki has her own life, right?”
“My life exists for Satoshi-kun’s sake, you know?”
“Eh…”
She said it with a straight face…
She was so serious that I was the one who faltered.
Satsuki smiled.
“More importantly, Satoshi-kun, you say strange things. We’re going to the same university, you know?”
“Eh?”
“Huh? Didn’t I mention it? Though we’re in different departments.”
“This is the first I’m hearing of it.”
Even playing 【LoD】, while they’d mentioned going to university, it shouldn’t have specified which university.
“So you don’t need to worry about anything! I’ll take care of you at university too, staying right by your side!”
“Ah, yeah.”
Being told with such an innocent smile, I couldn’t refuse. Rather, if I refused, the aftermath would be scary. I’d decided to let her do as she pleased until her guilt toward me disappeared. I had no choice but to compromise here.
However—
“W-well. I might rely on you at school, but there’s no need to come all the way to my place, okay? I can’t cause you that much trouble—” Ding dong
The intercom rang, as if to interrupt my words.
“I’ll get it.”
Ignoring the homeowner, she went to the entrance on her own. Probably something I’d ordered online had arrived.
Since my nerves had been on edge, I sank into the sofa’s backrest.
“Guess whoo~”
“Whoa!?”
Suddenly my vision was filled with darkness. No, more than that, this familiar voice was—
“Shuna…?”
“Correc~t!”
My hands were released, so when I turned my neck back from the sofa, I hit something soft. Shuna was looking down at me with a big smile.
“Long time no see~”
“Yeah, uh. Long time no— Wait, that’s not the point! Why is Shuna at my place!?”
And also, when you do that from behind, your melons are touching me!?
“It’s not just Shuna—” “I missed you so much!” “Ah, wait!?”
Continuing, Shino got all dramatic as if this were an emotional reunion, her eyes moistening as she jumped at me.
“It’s been several days since I’ve seen Satoshi-sama… Even though there were preparations, the days I couldn’t take care of you felt so very, very long. How is your injury? If it’s gotten worse—”
“Ah~, I’m fine. It’s healing steadily.”
“That’s good then…”
Shino was sitting on my lap talking to me, but the distance between our faces was nearly zero.
Even though our faces were this close, Shino’s skin was beautiful like a jewel.
Wait, I shouldn’t be making creepy observations like that!
“Sorry, you two. Please get away from me…”
“That’s right. Get away! You’re bothering Satoshi, aren’t you?”
“Okay~”
Shuna and Shino reluctantly moved away from me. I was grateful she’d pried them off, but why was Reine here too?
“Long time no see, Satoshi.”
“It hasn’t been that long. More importantly—” “Hey, Satoshi.”
My question was sealed again. More than that, Reine’s way of closing the distance was too smooth. My sofa was technically a two-seater so you could lie down, but in an instant she’d taken position next to me, and then she wrapped my right hand in both of hers.
“I missed you. I was worried the whole time. I thought you might be crying alone, scared…”
“I’m not a child… More importantly, mmph!?”
“But you don’t need to worry anymore. I’ll be by your side watching over you, so rest easy. If you get scared, you can cry on my chest, okay?”
By the time I realized Reine had pulled my face close, I was already enveloped in a blissful sensation. More than that, the one crying with emotion was Reine herself.
How worried were you about me… Was I really that childish…? I’m a bit shocked.
More than that, these guys won’t let me talk at all!?
I’m grateful they’re taking care of me, but I’d like them to respect my will. I attempted to escape from Reine’s person-ruining hug.
And then—
“Haa… So, why are you all here…? I don’t think I gave out my home address…”
“What do you mean? Didn’t you hear from Satsuki?”
“No, nothing…”
“That person… Of course you’d be confused, Satoshi. Honestly.”
Reine was pressing her temple, but I wanted to do that several times more.
“Everyone’s here!”
Satsuki returned from the entrance. I still hadn’t gotten any answers, but questions just kept piling up. It was finally quiet, so I should get proper answers soon.
“I don’t care how you know my address at this point. More importantly, why are you all gathered in my room…”
“What do you mean? We’re moving in. Starting today, we’ve all moved into the room next to Satoshi-kun’s, so we’re neighbors! By the way, we’re all going to the same university too!”
“Eh…?”
“Though our departments are all nicely different.”
“Man~, I should’ve chosen the same Economics department as Satoshi-kun.”
“That’s right… I want to beat my past self during exam period to death.”
“Seriously…”
At this point I wanted to doubt the world’s forcing power, but the game itself should have ended when the [BAD END] message appeared. There was no university arc, and there was no sequel. In other words, it was a coincidence that I ended up going to the same school as the heroines.
“Are you okay?”
“Eh? Yeah. I’m okay.”
“Good.”
Satsuki’s voice brought me back to reality. When I looked up, all four heroines from 【LoD】 were looking down at me, smiling.
“Well then, Satoshi-kun. Let’s enjoy our university life together, okay?”
It should have been an innocent smile, but somehow I sensed darkness in it.
“Please go easy on me…”
That was all I could say.
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