Chapter 62: What the hell.

"I should go see if she's okay. It would be wrong of me not to, as a friend!"

It was that thought that led me here, kneeling under the scrutinizing gazes of two people and the amused gaze of another. The latter belonged to Saeko herself, while the former—her two friends—were a surprise in and of themselves.

'Yukino Yukinoshita and Rio Futaba.'

Yukino, with her long black hair cascading like a waterfall and piercing blue eyes, carried an air of cold elegance, especially with how just a single stare from those icy eyes could send a shiver down my spine. Rio, on the other hand, with her flowing ash-blonde hair and warm hazel eyes, had a much more calming presence… even though, much like the cold, blue-eyed beauty, she was currently staring me down with equal intensity.

I had no idea how Saeko managed to befriend such a unique pair, especially Yukino, but that wasn't my business, so I didn't ask. As for where we were, it was Saeko's room—exactly as I'd expected it to be. Clean and organized, reflecting her discipline, however surprisingly she did have cute dog plushies decorating her bed.

Yukino stared at me with cold disgust, while Rio only looked at me in confusion. But Yukino's gaze was so intense it completely overshadowed Rio's, making her confusion seem more like disdain.

'This was NOT where I thought I'd end up just because I wanted to check on Saeko.'

"So." Yukino's cold voice shattered the silence.

I looked at her questioningly, our eyes meeting—only making things even more awkward for me. "Hm?"

"You just let her take advantage of you?" Crossing her arms, she didn't relent with her disgust.

"T-That was not what happened!"

"Right. Very believable." She flicked her hair back slightly before recrossing her arms like an arrogant princess looking down on a commoner."

I could feel the venom in her tone, the weight of unspoken accusations pressing against me. A shiver ran down my spine at the possible thoughts forming in her mind.

I wasn't a pervert who would just let that happen—at least, not unless it was the right person!

'I guess, if I were to be honest about my thoughts on Saeko, I can't deny that I wouldn't mind it. Probably best not to let that slip out.'

My reasoning felt sound. I obviously liked Saeko enough, but with everything else I needed to focus on and my already blessed situation, I couldn't afford to get too greedy. Everything I wanted—or would want—would come in due time, as long as I kept myself in check and continued to improve.

Being real though, my harem was mostly the result of a ridiculous amount of luck. But hey, luck is just another part of life!

"Come on, Yuki-chan, let him off~!" Saeko just made things worse. She was having too much fun with this, and the smirk on her face made it all too clear.

Yukino looked at Saeko with even more disgust, but her eyes weren't as cold. It was like warm disgust—an impossible contradiction, yet somehow, she had achieved it. Those two started getting into it, so I tuned them out.

"Yo."

"Sup."

Rio and I just stared at each other with no other intention. At least until she dropped a bombshell.

Adjusting her glasses with measured precision, she bluntly asked, "How would you steal someone else's boyfriend?"

"..." My face deadpanned.

'Kind of a strong question considering we just met…'

Contrary to my thoughts, I decided to help her. I knew her situation—I had watched Bunny Girl Senpai. And while I still liked Mai better, Rio was still a solid choice for best girl!

"Let me guess, he's an athlete?" I asked.

She nodded, her neutral expression not shifting one bit.

"And the reason you like him is because he treats you better than most people or something like that?"

'Strange that I couldn't remember all the details of her situation, but with everything that's happened in my life, I'd be surprised if I still remembered everything.'

Once again, she nodded, pulling me away from my thoughts.

"First, ask yourself if you really like him as a partner or more as a close friend. That's important to recognize."

"But couldn't I like him as a close friend and then see him as a lover?"

"I mean, yeah. However, based on what you described, you should wait instead of actively pursuing him."

"If I wait too long, it might already be too late."

"That's one possibility."

"Then that means—"

"Look." I cut her off before she could bring herself further down. "Realistically, he probably won't break up with his girlfriend unless something drastic happens."

She looked hurt by my words, her lips pressing into a thin line as a small frown formed on her face. Her hazel eyes lowered, but since I was kneeling, we ended up staring directly at each other.

"However, I will say that being there for him and hanging out with him—especially when they have arguments—will give you a much better shot at stealing him. Now, if you realize that you truly love him as a partner, the best way to steal him is to do nothing except improve yourself."

"How does that work? That makes no sense."

"You like science, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then here. When someone works out and trains their body, their mind improves because of the release of endorphins, dopamine, and other neurochemicals that reduce stress and enhance cognitive function. Correct?"

"Uh, yeah, that sounds right if I remember correctly."

"By releasing those neurochemicals, an individual's overall performance rises significantly compared to someone who doesn't work out. Meaning, your mind will follow the improvement of your body, giving you either more confidence or a clearer, more focused mindset."

"Are you trying to imply that if I work out, I'll magically come to my own solution?"

"No... I'm saying that if you focus on yourself, you'll truly understand what you want. And once you know that, you'll learn how to take what you want."

"There are so many better examples than the one you gave."

"There are. However, I don't know that many science-related ones."

"Then use something you do know."

"Yeah, but I doubt you'd know or even relate to it."

"Is it because of—"

"Not because you're a woman, but because we specialize in different things."

"I was going to say because of our hobbies..."

"Ah."

'Awkward.'

I was just so used to people bringing up gender. Now I felt kind of bad.