Something’s wrong.

 

I can feel it in my bones. There’s a disturbance in the world, and my Haruto senses are going off like crazy. I’m sure that something is happening to him, or rather, someone must be seducing him.

 

Hehe, not on my watch!~

 

“Sorry everyone, something important came up at home. Is it okay if I leave early today to deal with it?”

 

The other girls at my club looked sympathetic. Usually, I was a very nice girl who never skipped club meetings, so the rest of the members were extremely accommodating with my request. Although, I wondered if it was okay since my emergency was entirely a lie.

 

The thought of Haruto being violated by another woman immediately sent my heart into a panic. It wouldn’t be wrong to call it an emergency, right?

 

“U-Um, excuse me. Can I speak to you privately for a moment?”

 

On the way home, I was stopped by a male classmate that I’ve never seen before. Hmm, what was his name? I think it was something like Reiki Suzuki?

 

“I’m sorry, I’m in a bit of a rush and–”

 

“Sakura Satou! Will you please go out with me?”

 

“…”

 

Seriously? This is the first time I’ve ever seen this guy in my life and he’s confessing right after meeting me. No, absolutely not, there’s no time for this.

 

“Sorry, there’s someone else I like. I hope you’ll find someone better for you. Okay, gotta go, see ya!”

 

I made a grand dash to Haruto’s house without turning back for even a moment. It wasn’t too long after school ended, so he should still be lazing around on his bed. Haruto, please be alright, your precious person is coming to save the day.

 

“Almost there~”

-Haruto POV-

Do you know that feeling of disbelief when something unexpected happens? Suddenly, everything around you stops, as if time had slowed to a crawl. My heart. My breathing. My senses.

 

Everything just stopped the moment Shizu wrapped her arms around me and tightly hugged my body.

 

I never expected this turn of events. Shizu’s sudden embrace was a mixture of warmth and confusion, leaving me stunned. I couldn’t comprehend the shift in our relationship dynamics, and my mind raced to process what was happening.

 

“Shizu… what’s going on?” I managed to stammer out, still processing the sudden change in atmosphere.

 

The warmth of her body enveloped mine, causing me to feel an irresistible pleasure. It felt like my brain was turning to mush, but that wasn’t a bad thing. Her embrace held a certain intensity, and I found myself drawn into the moment despite the confusion.

 

Shizu pulled back slightly, her eyes searching mine for a reaction. I could sense a mixture of vulnerability and determination in her gaze. The room felt charged with unspoken emotions, and I knew this was a pivotal moment in our long-standing friendship.

 

“Haru, I can’t hold back anymore,” Shizu softly said, her cheeks blushing as she gazed into my eyes. 

 

This atmosphere was incredibly odd, yet it felt completely genuine. Shizu was laying her feelings bare, hoping for me to understand her heart. My inadequacy couldn’t have been emphasized in a better way, as I struggled to find the right words to respond.

 

“Since we were children, I–”

 

“How about we stop right there?”

 

A different voice interrupted Shizu’s sentence. Standing in the door frame of my room was none other than my second childhood friend, Sakura Satou. There was a small key in her left hand, explaining how she was able to enter my locked room.

 

However, something was off. Sakura shouldn’t have been back from her club yet, it was far too early for her to be here. Even her aura was different, evident by the sharp drop in temperature in this room.

 

Sakura’s eyes lost their usual luster, instead becoming murky and dark. “Shi. Zu. Ku. Why don’t you go ahead and get off of Haruto for now?”

 

“A-Ah, okay…” Shizu slowly got off me, her expression a mixture of fear and embarrassment.

 

It felt like we were in trouble, although technically nothing inappropriate happened. However, no words came out of my mouth after witnessing Sakura’s dark expression. Different from earlier, her expression now was much angrier.

 

“...Uh… Sak–”

 

“Haruto, be quiet. I’ll talk to you later,” Sakura smiled, a smile that sent shivers down my spine. She gestured towards the door, indicating that Shizu should leave the room.

 

Shizu, visibly flustered, quickly left the room, shooting me an apologetic glance before closing the door behind her. Sakura followed her, but not before shooting me an accusing glance. I definitely had some fault in this situation, so I planned on apologizing later.

 

The door closed, then silence. I could hear some faint mumbling, but nothing else than that. Before I even realized it, half an hour had already passed.

 

Can I go outside yet?

 

As I was thinking that, the door to my room bursted open. Immediately, Shizu ran to my side and held my arm tightly. Not long later, Sakura rushed into the room as well.

 

“I’m Haru’s childhood friend! Who do you think has known him for the longest? You can’t break our inseparable bond!” Shizu exclaimed, tightening her hold on me.

 

“Get. Your. Hands. Off. Him. Now,” Sakura glared, fury evident in her eyes. “You may have known him before me, but I spent more time with him overall. Don’t even get me started with how much I know about Haruto. Did you know that he wet the bed until he was–”

 

“Both of you, calm down!”

 

Chaos was unfolding in my room, yet I was powerless to do anything.

 

-Bzzt-

 

-Bzzt-

 

-Bzzt-

 

[???]: I’m almost there!~☆ 

 

A new challenger approaches! 

 

Wait, who was this person? How do I have their contact? Most importantly, what did they mean by almost there?

 

-Rrrriiiiiingggg-

 

Oh, that was what they meant.