The Date
"I just want your opinion on it, Haru-chan."
"Even if you say that...this is a little..."
The young girl with brown hair tied into a sidetail and a boomerang-like cowlick sighed and shut the register's tray. In front of her, the average-looking boy that some would say resembled a beansprout in appearance and presence, Ichijou Raku, was looking at her pleadingly.
In the face of such a request, given to her in a manner like that of a puppy whining pitifully for food, Onodera Haru could only answer with complete honesty.
"It's terrible."
"What!? R-Really!?"
The beansprout boy's face fell to such a degree that it was as if he had lost all meaning in his life. Just how much confidence had he had in this plan?
"It's normal, absolutely normal, Senpai!"
Haru shook her head dispiritedly as she picked up a rag and began wiping the counter. If she wanted to be even more frank, she would've said that his plan was like something ripped out of a cheap magazine column.
"No way...I worked so hard on it though..."
"Did you really give any thought to this, Senpai? It sounds like you just came up with whatever was convenient to you and then added in a few gestures here and there."
Oh, was that a bullseye? Haru felt a twitch of irritation at that. Honestly, was this person even being serious about this? As she thought, he really was useless when it came to these kinds of things.
"Well, I suppose since it's Onee-chan, anything will be fine..."
"N-No! No, wait Haru-chan, don't give up on me like that! It's a rare opportunity so I want to make sure I do this right!"
"Isn't it too late for that, though? You're asking about this on the day of. What kind of changes do you expect to make so suddenly?"
"T-That's...well..."
Raku rubbed his neck as he mumbled some indistinct things about this or that activity. Haru finished wiping the counter and then continued speaking as she headed back into the kitchen.
"Well, I guess there's not much you can do. It's a terrible plan, but you might as well go through with it. You tried your best to come up with it, right? Then all you need to do is keep going with that attitude and make sure your feelings reach Onee-chan properly."
"R-Right..." said Raku, hanging around the counter as Haru came back with crates of sweets. He paused for a minute, feeling the words sink in and calm him down. "Yeah...I guess that's all I can do. Amazing, Haru."
"Huh? What is?"
"You. I feel like you just said something really mature and down-to-earth," said Raku, resting his elbows on the counter and chuckling.
"Flattery won't get you anywhere, Senpai."
The cowlick replied in a casual tone, bobbing up and down as Haru began arranging the displays below the counter.
"And you're still calling me Senpai...we're not in school anymore. You can just call me Raku."
"It's just habit. And besides, today's Onee-chan's day, so I don't want to be too familiar with you either," said the cowlick.
"...Well, I understand what you're getting at. But still...there's no need to be so distant is there...?"
"Then do you want me to act more intimately with you?" said Haru, popping up from behind the counter. A teasing smile played on her lips. "Even though you're going on a date with Onee-chan today?"
"I-I already said...you know that's not what I meant..."
Haru giggled a little and closed up the display cases. She walked around the counter and patted Raku lightly on the arm.
"Well, do your best, Senpai. Ah, and please stop by that sweets store we talked about."
"...Hey you," started Raku. Haru poked out her tongue and stepped back daintily. "Jeez, where did the cute underclassman named Haru-chan go...?"
"She grew up," said Haru, tilting her head and contemplating. "And she found love?"
"Why is it a question...?"
The playful banter between the two halted as they heard the sound of someone padding down the stairs.
"Good morning, Haru..."
A sleepy voice coming from a girl still in her pajamas, her head bobbing in a cozy daze. She yawned as she swayed gently, toddling over like a cute bear.
"Good morning, Onee-chan," said Haru with a complacent smile. As usual, her sister was really adorable. Peeking a glance next to her, Haru was sure that Raku was thinking the same thing.
"G-Good morning, Kosaki," said Raku.
"Oh...Raku. Good morning," said Onodera Kosaki, smiling pleasantly at him. "What are you doing here so e...ear..."
The happy smile froze on her face. Kosaki looked at Haru, then Raku, then Haru again. Haru nodded sympathetically, feeling oddly content watching her sister look back and forth between them at a panicked pace.
Still smiling, Kosaki took one step back. Then two.
"Kosaki, are you alr-?"
Raku had his hand extended out to her when there was an explosion and Onodera Kosaki went blasting back up the stairs.
"W-WAWAWAAAA! I-I-I'm sooorrrryy!"
Her tearful cries echoed faintly as the ceiling made rapid-fire thuds, followed by a loud bang from a door closing at supersonic speed.
Raku stood there with his hand still extended and his mouth hanging open. Haru turned away, hand covering her mouth.
A moment later, there was the sound of the door squeaking, a few lighter thuds, and then the tomato-red face of Onodera Kosaki peeked down from the stairs.
"R-Raku...I'll be right down. J-Just give me a minute to get ready..."
"Wait, Kosaki! It's too early, the trains aren't even running yet! I just came here to get some advice from Haru-chan, so don't rush!"
"O-Oh. Ok...well then...let me cook you breakfast..."
"NO!"
In an instant, there was perfect synchronization between Raku and Haru.
"Onee-chan, just act normally! Senpai will be leaving soon."
"Y-Yeah...I'll come back later, Kosaki."
"I-I see. O-Ok...I'll see you later then..."
The top of Kosaki's head retreated from the stairs. But then it peeked out again.
"U-Um...Raku."
"Y-Yeah? What is it?" said Raku, trying to hold back the urge to shout to the world "KOSAKI IS THE CUUUUUTTTESSTTT!".
"...I'm looking forward to our date today."
"Yeah...me too."
Simultaneous blushing. Some things never changed.
"W-Well then..."
Kosaki ducked back out of view. Raku tried to calm the swelling in his chest. For a few minutes, silence returned to the Japanese sweets store.
"...Senpai?" said Haru, a thought coming to her.
"What is it, Haru-chan?"
"...Why didn't you just call me on my phone?"
"..."
The two stood there as the silence commenced once again.
A few hours later, Ichijou Raku was standing next to a statue in one of Bonyari's parks. Dressed in a casual button-down shirt and jeans, the beansprout boy cast a weary eye at the statue.
...No one can tell that's me, right?
That was the thought Raku had about the golden statue that was a spitting image of himself, aside from the parrot head attached onto the shoulders. When it had first been installed in Bonyari, many of the residents had been confused as to why such a gaudy-looking statue was being put in the middle of an urban park like this. And of course, they had yet to receive an answer.
She's been getting a lot of pull lately...thought Raku with conflicted feelings. On one hand, it was her explosive progress that had made sure that their everyday lives had been kept largely intact. But on the other hand...the obvious reason was that someone like her in a position of power was just frightening to imagine...
"Raku!"
As Raku was in the middle of his pondering, Onodera Kosaki called out to him from a few feet away. He looked up and waved as she approached the golden statue.
"Sorry, did you wait long?"
"No, I just got here a few minutes ago," said Raku, feeling very fuzzy inside. Kosaki was wearing a simple white, sleeveless blouse and a navy skirt that flared out above the knee. It was a rather plain outfit, but the simplicity was a confident, mature look that only served to accentuate Kosaki's innate cuteness. At least, that was what Raku thought. Or at least, that was what Raku would've thought had he dissected his evaluation into something more tangible. But at the moment, it was all he could do to arrange the words that were forming in his mouth.
"Y-Y..uh...L..."
Kosaki gave him a questioning look.
"T-That outfit...really suits you," said Raku, blushing furiously at how tongue-tied he had gotten. Kosaki also blushed in response and looked down at her hands.
"T-Thank you. I was worried it looked a little plain..."
"N-No! No, it doesn't! You look fantastic."
A content smile appeared on Kosaki's face. "Y-You look cool too, Raku..."
"R-Really? Thanks..." said Raku, becoming incredibly self-conscious all of a sudden. He felt his hand reach up reflexively to rub his neck, but restrained the motion. He was glad that he had gotten Haru's opinion on his outfit. Although, he wasn't sure what to make of it since her reply then had also been "Anything is fine, isn't it? Since it's Onee-chan."
"Yeah...I think this really shows off how cool you look Raku."
"You were talking about the statue!?"
"E-Eh? Y-Yes...I mean, n-no! I mean...I think you look cool right now too..."
Yes, conflicted feelings. The conflict inside Ichijou Raku had grown in scale and intensity.
"Raku?" said Kosaki as Raku banged his fist against the statue.
"Ah...right," said Raku, coming to his senses. "Uh...well, shall we get going then?"
"Yeah."
As the two departed from the park, Raku reviewed the mental list that he had been constructing all week.
"So...you wanted to visit a restaurant today, right Kosaki?"
"Yeah. There's a limited-time dessert there that I wanted to try...Ah, but if you don't want go-"
"No, it's fine. It's around lunch time anyways. We can eat there and then have fun the rest of the day."
"That sounds good. The last time I ate there, the food was really delicious too."
"What kind of restaurant is it?"
"I think it's a family restaurant...it's not too far from here."
Exiting the park, the two crossed the street and joined the flow of others spending their weekend out in the town. Little kids ran past them with vigorous energy and the music from stores merged into a melodic medley. Snatches of conversation flitted in from here and there, drowned out occasionally by a passing car or salesmen shouting from their stalls. The scent of delicious fried chicken wafted over from inside of the numerous convenience stores they passed by.
Kosakis stomach gave a little growl.
"H..Hueh!?"
"What's wrong, Kosaki?" said Raku.
"N-Nothing," said Kosaki. She gave a little false laugh and waved it off. Ahh...w-what should I do...?
It was coming back to bite her. All the time that she had spent picking her clothes, showering, making sure that her hair was done well, putting on her makeup-
In the midst of it all, she had forgotten to eat breakfast. Sure, that had been a few hours ago, but why did her stomach have to start growling now!? They were heading to a restaurant anyways!
"I have to...endure it..."
"Are you sure you're ok?" said Raku as Kosaki mumbled to herself.
"Y-Yeah. I'm fine."
Just as she said that with a beaming smile-
GROOOOOOWWWWLLLL.
...
...
They were in the city. There was sound everywhere from the stores, from the people talking, from the cars passing by-
But still, even with all that noise, people heard. They heard and they turned their heads, then immediately looked away upon realizing that it was the empty stomach of a cute girl.
Kosaki stood there, completely stiff, her body trembling and the blood rushing to her face. Not knowing what to say, Raku simply cleared his throat and grabbed her hand.
"...I-I'm hungry too so...don't worry about it."
Kosaki buried her face into her free hand as they continued walking at a brisker pace. What was he supposed to say in this kind of situation? If he could make his stomach growl too, he would! But Raku had already eaten breakfast with the guys at home...
No, they just had to reach the restaurant quickly! Yes, the faster they got there, the faster Kosaki could eat. And if Kosaki ate, then the monster in her stomach would surely be pacified.
...What I am thinking? thought Raku as they came upon the restaurant.
"Welcome! How many is there in your party?"
"Two," said Raku, a little out of breath. Kosaki was sniffing pitifully behind him.
"Very well. There is a free booth over here. If you would come this way-"
They sat down at the booth and ordered some water to start with. Kosaki was still red in the face, but she seemed to have calmed down a little.
Groowwl.
"Kaaa..." The blush in her face intensified again and Kosaki lowered her chin to her chest. Maybe it was the exact timing of it or maybe it was because of Kosaki's cute reaction. But for some reason, a bubble of laughter leaked from Raku's mouth.
"S-Sorry..." said Raku, not sure why he found this so hilarious all of a sudden.
"N-No..." said Kosaki, laughing a little too. So embarrassing. It was really embarrassing. But...for some reason, she didn't feel so anxious about it anymore.
"Let's hurry and order something," said Raku, still chuckling.
"J-Jeez...Raku!"
"Sorry, I didn't mean...haha..."
"It's not funny..." said Kosaki, although she was having a hard time stifling her laughter too.
Grooowwwl.
"..."
"...Sorry. That was me," said Raku, his expression completely stone-faced now.
"Pffft..." Kosaki covered her mouth and looked away, shoulders shaking. Although it was cute, really cute, Raku couldn't help but wonder why small gags like that seemed to hit Kosaki the hardest...
After their laughter had subsided and they had a chance to look through the menu, a waitress came by to their table.
"Have you decided on your order?"
"Ah yeah..." said Raku, thumbing through the menu. "Kosaki, did you decide on what you want to eat?"
"Ah...no, not yet..."
"In that case...let's start with the dessert then. It's a little unusual, but we should eat it first so we don't get full later."
"Good idea," said Kosaki, nodding in agreement. "Then I'll have an ice coffee with the mango shaved ice."
"Mango shaved ice, huh? I'll have the same."
"Very well~ I'll have it ready shortly, Raku-sama ❤"
"Thank yo...Huh!?"
Raku slammed down the menu and looked up at the orange-haired waitress.
"Here is your mango shaved ice!"
"Too fast! How did you- no wait...Marika! What are you doing here!?"
Tachibana Marika looked down at Raku as if seeing him for the first time.
"Ahhh, Raku-sama! What a coincidence! Are you having your date here with Kosaki-san?"
"Don't try and dodge it, Marika..." said Raku with a twitching smile. "The date wasn't a secret but I only talked about my plans with Haru-chan so how did you-"
Ah...
Raku did a mental facepalm. No, it hadn't just been Haru-chan had it...? Of course, he had talked about it with that glasses...
"I should've known..." said Raku, shaking his head, although he didn't look too put off about it.
"Ah, and also, I've got your ice coffee too ❤"
"How are you getting back here so quickly!?"
"Marika-chan! It's been a while," said Kosaki happily.
"Oh my, Kosaki-san. You were here too?"
"Don't start that now..." said Raku, taking a sip of his ice coffee. "Shouldn't you be at work, Marika?"
"I don't understand, Raku-sama. I've always worked here~"
"Yes, you did," said Raku, nodding. "In high school!"
"Mmmm! So good..."
Kosaki moaned in delight as she took a bite of the mango shaved ice.
"Kosaki..." She was taking it really well. Raku couldn't help but worry that after all these years, Kosaki had just started getting used to this kind of thing.
"Excuse me!"
One of the customers seated near them called out to Marika.
"Yes! Please hold on a minute!" said Marika. She hurried back to the kitchen with her apron and skirt bouncing energetically. Then she returned with a plate of pasta and threw it at the customer's table.
"Hwah!?"
"Oh my, it seems I messed up~" said Marika, poking her tongue out and lightly knocking the side of her head. "Please feel free to ask another waitress to assist you."
"Marika..." said Raku, unable to express words for what he had just seen.
"Mmm...so yummy..." Meanwhile, Kosaki was still engrossed by the mango shaved ice.
"Well then, it seems that I'm on my break now," said Marika as her boss hurried over to the customer to apologize. She sat down next to Raku and began hugging his arm.
"You still do things at your own pace, huh?" said Raku.
"Raku-sama is still my highest priority after all ❤"
"Don't make too much trouble..."
"I know, Raku-sama."
Raku looked over at the customer's table through the corner of his eye. It seemed while the pasta had knocked over a cup of water, the food and the dish themselves had suffered no damage. Really, she was getting a little too good at this nowadays...
"How's your health?" said Raku, looking down at Marika's face.
"Perfectly fine. I've had a check-up recently and there's nothing to be worried about."
"That's good," said Raku, patting her head. Marika flinched at the sudden gesture. "Hm? What's wrong?"
"...Raku-sama. You've been more responsive lately..."
"Well..." said Raku, scratching his cheek sheepishly. "I guess I have. You don't like it?"
"N-No...it's just..." said Marika with a muddled expression. "Haah...it feels like I've been losing to Raku-sama more and more...I'm not sure how to feel about i-eek!?"
Marika let out a panicked squeak as she felt someone hug her around the waist.
"K-Kosaki-san!? W-What exactly are you doing?"
"Mmmm, Marika-chan is so soft. I want to hug her too..."
"K-Kosaki-san...please stop!"
"But I feel left out...since Marika-chan is getting close with Raku..." said Kosaki, hugging Marika more tightly.
"Gh! T-That's...well...I am merely engaging in some light skinship with Raku-sama-"
"Me too! I want to be closer to Marika-chan too," said Kosaki, nuzzling her face in Marika's arm. "We haven't seen each other in a while..."
"Nngg..." said Marika. Her head swiveled back and forth from Kosaki to Raku. Her body quivered as the angel and devil Marika argued incessantly on her shoulders. Tears were starting to form in her eyes. Hey, hey, is it really that hard of a decision!?
But eventually, Marika's tenacity wore away.
"E...Excuse me," said Marika, reluctantly parting from Raku's arm. "I...I have some duties to attend to!"
"Ah!" Kosaki flopped against Raku as Marika fleed to the kitchen.
"Not bad, Kosaki," said Raku. To fight head-on against Marika like that...Kosaki really had gotten better at handling her now.
"Huh? What do you mean?" said Kosaki, looking up at him.
"Eh? Well, didn't you...? I mean, wasn't that on...?"
"Hm?"
Raku shut his mouth with an inward "hmm." Well...about that mango shaved ice.
"Ah...it's great!"
"I know, isn't it!?"
Ice shaved so finely that when put into the mouth, it melted into a texture like thick, rich cream. Springy and juicy mango cubes that burst in the mouth and infused the tender ice with its flavor.
Raku took another bite. The flavor was refreshingly sweet, almost passionately aggressive when compared to its delicate texture.
"What do you think, Raku?" said Kosaki, pushing herself up into a sitting position.
"I like it," said Raku with a bright grin.
"Me too."
After they finished their lunch at the family restaurant, it was time for their date. Kosaki wanted to say goodbye to Marika, but it seemed like she had decided to leave for the day...
"I wish we could've talked a little more..." said Kosaki, looking back longingly at the restaurant.
"We'll have a chance some other time," said Raku. Perhaps later today, actually. It wouldn't surprise him if she was fully recovered by then.
"I hope so," said Kosaki, turning back. "So, we're watching a movie now?"
"Y-Yeah...I know it's a little...normal...but one of the guys at home gave me some tickets..."
Thinking back, the last time he had seen a movie with Kosaki had been when they had gone to that shopping mall in high school...
"Ah, that was during Christmas Eve, right? When we saw 'Nyanku.'"
"You remember it pretty well," said Raku, a little surprised.
"Ah...! Well...that's because...it was a special memory for me..."
The two of them restarted their blushing duet. Raku wanted to respond with an empathetic "Me too!" but...the impact from Kosaki's direct statement there...
"But we didn't really watch the movie back then, huh?" said Kosaki.
"Ah...yeah. I was really worried that the movie was boring you back then."
"No, that wasn't it! I was just...looking at your face too much..."
"...Kosaki?"
"...Yeah?"
"...You're actually really daring, aren't you?"
"N-Noo! I'm noot!"
The lighthearted teasing continued as they made their way to the theater. As they talked about events that had happened in the past, Raku couldn't help notice how much things had changed. In high school, it had been a miracle just to have time alone with Kosaki at all. It wasn't like they hadn't talked casually back then, but it had been in the vein of classmates. No matter what, there had always been that respectful distance between them. Because they hadn't known about their mutual feelings back then, their conversations had been like sifting through eggshells. Safe topics and nothing too personal.
"But as I thought, you still talk the most normally with Chitoge-chan."
"Really? It's not like I make a special effort..."
"Yeah. I think you're the closest with Chitoge-chan, so that's probably why."
"Are you jealous?"
"A little bit...I think?"
"What do you mean 'I think'...?"
"Who knows~" said Kosaki in a sing-song voice. She bounded forward a bit and turned around, her navy skirt swirling. "If I was jealous, what would you say?"
"Don't turn into a gorilla girl."
"Jeez! That's mean, Raku!" said Kosaki. "You still call her that...?"
"Sometimes."
"I feel bad for Chitoge-chan..."
"I don't mean anything bad by it. It's just out of habit so..."
"Ah...yeah. Chitoge-chan called you 'beansprout' too, huh?"
"Don't think about calling me that," said Raku in a teasing tone.
"I-I wasn't!"
After a few more minutes of walking, they came to the movie theater. However...
"It's closed!?"
"Repairs, huh...?" said Kosaki, reading the sign. "I guess we're out of luck today. What should we do, Raku?"
"Nnn..." Raku crossed his arms and contemplated. The movie theater had been the big event for the date so now there was a huge gap in their schedule. He had made some backup plans, but...
"Elementary, my dear Watson," said Raku, striking a pose like that of a master detective.
"Eh? What do you mean, Holmes?" said Kosaki, looking expectantly at Raku.
Eh...she's going to play along?
Why are we doing Holmes play...?
"Well..." said Raku, clearing his throat to buy some time. "Here we have two companions that are on a romantic date together. They've already eaten a meal and walked quite a distance to watch a movie at the theater. However, the theater is out of commission."
"Yeah...and then? I mean, that's right Holmes! But...then?"
"Standing here, in front of the shut-down theater, what must the thoughts of these two companions be?" said Raku, flourishing his arm at the closed doors. "If you think of it that way, then it all becomes quite clear, Watson."
"Eh? Really?"
"Yes..." said Raku, turning around and facing Kosaki. "It's all too clear that these two companions must..."
"They must...?"
"..." Raku's eyes scanned the buildings around them. "...Go window-shopping?"
Kosaki fell over in a dusty heap.
"Raku!"
"Sorry! I couldn't think of anything else..."
After a brief discussion, the two decided to go down a few blocks towards the market area. And of course, their first stop was at a 100-yen store.
"There's always something interesting to look at in here," said Kosaki, perusing through all of the colorful items on the packed shelves.
"Kosaki-"
"Hm?"
Raku appeared with an afro and an enormous handlebar mustache. Instantly, Kosaki broke down into little squeaks of laughter.
"What are you doing, Raku?" said Kosaki, in-between laughs.
"Sorry, sorry. Let me take it off."
The afro came off, revealing a bald head.
"PPPPPPPFFFTTTT...R-Raku...! Stop it!"
Kosaki ran away, holding her hands up to her mouth as Raku chased her with the bald cap.
After buying some watermelon-shaped popsicles inside the store, the two continued their window-shopping. They stopped and peeked into an adoption center, where little puppies yelped and rolled on top of each other. They squeezed into a small restaurant display store and examined all the delicious-looking plastic food. Passing by an open bar stall, the two of them hurried away, blushing, as they heard calls like "Must be nice to be young!".
Eventually, they came upon a familiar-looking arcade.
"Ah...isn't this...?"
"Yeah..." said Raku, feeling like he'd just met an old friend.
In front of them was the Bonyari arcade. It had been a while since the two of them had come here. The layout had changed and some of the machines had been switched out, but the atmosphere of the place was still distinctly rooted in their memories.
After all, this had been one of Chitoge's favorite places to visit.
Ohh! So this is a Japanese arcade...it's really tall!
Is it? Isn't it about this size in America?
I guess there are some, but most of them are just a single-story...
The first time he had gone to an arcade with Chitoge. They had wandered up and down the three floors with Chitoge taking a strong interest in the fighting games on the second floor.
Ohh! These machines can switch between games...
Are you sure you want to just camp here? You don't want to play anything on the other floors?
Why? Those crane games are just a rip-off anyways. It's all chance. And I don't feel like playing rhythm games right now.
Well, I guess you can always try them some other time...
Watch and be amazed at my Heihachi, beansprout.
...Why am I not surprised you play that character?
Chitoge's triumphant yelps and laughter faded away as Raku and Kosaki approached the arcade, drowned out by the pop music playing inside. Gleaming white machines riddled the entire first floor, tightly packed together in grids and leaving narrow alleys for navigation. Through the clear windows of the UFO catchers, you could see figurines, massive plush dolls, external battery packs, key rings and other assortments.
"It's pretty nostalgic, isn't it?" said Kosaki as they stepped into the arcade. "I'm not really good at games, but I came here a lot with Tsugumi-chan and Chitoge-chan."
"Me too. I don't think I really visited the arcades much until I met Chitoge. Then, I got dragged down here so many times I lost count," said Raku. Turning his head to the side, he could almost see the blonde hair and red ribbon rushing by him and jumping onto a machine. "I'm not bragging, but I got pretty good at these games because of that."
"The UFO catchers?"
"Yeah. Chitoge said they're different from the ones in America, so she got hooked on them while she was here," said Raku, walking up to one with an enormous round dog plush resting inside.
"Are you going to play?" said Kosaki, coming up next to him.
"H-Huh? No, I was just looking..."
"But it's been a while, right? Why don't you try it?"
"Are you sure? We could go play some games on the third floor instead..."
"It's ok. I was never really good at these ones, so I want to see you play, Raku."
"Thanks for the pressure," said Raku, grinning. He fished a 100-yen coin out and put it into the machine.
In this machine, there was just the single dog plush resting in the center of a flat platform. The drop-off point was in front of the platform, leading to the hinged door below. It was a situation that he had seen before.
I knew it. It's rigged after all...you can't pick it up at all!
You're doing it wrong...look at how big the prize is. It's not something you can get in just one shot...
Why don't you try then, if you're such an expert?
I'm just saying...I played a couple of these when I was in middle school.
The hands of his high school self and his current self overlapped over the three buttons. One for left, one for right, and one for forward. Getting it centered laterally was the first step; the forward movement was limited to one direction after all. But getting it centered wasn't enough...
Ahh...it dropped again.
See? You're no good at it either.
Let me try one more time. I'm pretty sure I can get it this time.
...You're pretty stubborn about these kinds of things.
Ah, excuse me. Are you having trouble with this machine?
Y-Yeah...it's pretty difficult...
Ah, yes. This prize seems quite heavy, so it will be difficult to grab it normally. But if you look at the shape...
The high school Raku and Chitoge listened intently as the arcade attendant gave them some hints about the machine. The present Raku heard those hints loud and clear as he began manipulating the claw.
A round shape, but too heavy to grip...
So just roll it...
The claw was not strong enough to lift the plush completely. But it was enough to lift it high enough for the plush to drop. And because the plush was bottom-heavy, it would rotate upon impact instead of staying still-
And turn the fall into a roll.
"Ohh! Amazing! Raku, you almost got it!" said Kosaki. Five tries later, Raku had rolled the plush enough so that it was right at the edge of the platform.
"Yeah...but it's getting a little expensive," said Raku, fishing his last coin out of his pocket. "I guess this will be the last one..."
"You can do it, Raku!"
But as he slipped the coin into the machine, Raku realized that it was impossible. The plush had landed on the wrong angle. Even if he picked it up and dropped it, it'd simply rotate back the way it came from. The only way to get it to drop successfully was to roll it a few more times so that it straightened out into a better angle.
Ah...is there really no way to win? thought Raku as he moved the claw left and right. Kosaki was watching with shining eyes of anticipation. Raku didn't want to disappoint her, but he couldn't figure out a surefire method.
I can only leave it to chance then...
The time was ticking down on the machine. Raku moved the claw and aimed it towards the plush's tag. If he was lucky, it would snag on the claw and stay put long enough for the plush to tip over the edge.
This much...this much isn't enough to stop me!
Give up already, Chitoge...there's no way you can get it like that...
Hmph! Just you watch...
Chitoge's blue eyes glinted as she pressed the forward button, sealing her fate. Raku held his finger on the button as the claw inched forward, little by little, hovering right over the tag-
And this is where...
This is where...
As soft as a twitch. Their hands lifted from the forward button. And the claw whirred to a stop.
The claw descended, hurtling towards the plush's tag-
...victory is mine!
And missing it completely.
"Ahh...so close..." said Kosaki. Raku sighed and lowered his head. Close, indeed. The claw had pushed the tag away instead of slipping through it. Sure, it had been a high-level maneuver, but still...he had been confident that he could pull it off...
"I guess luck wasn't on my side..."
"Jeez. If you just hadn't messed up that rotation earlier, beansprout."
"Shut up...it couldn't be helped, Chitog-"
Raku's eyes snapped open.
That voice...
Raku and Kosaki turned around to the person that had spoken behind them-
Brilliant blue eyes. Fair blonde hair, like a princess. A familiar face, one that neither one of them could ever forget-
"Chitoge-chan!"
"Hey, Kosaki-chan. Beansprout," said Chitoge, holding her palm out in greeting. "It's been a while, huh?"
At the moment, the group had relocated from the arcade to a nearby department store. Chitoge had been on a shopping trip with Tsugumi for new clothes when they had spotted Raku and Kosaki in the arcade. After some small talk, Raku had agreed with Kosaki's suggestion of accompanying Tsugumi for her shopping.
"But wow. You look so different now, Tsugumi-chan."
"I-Is that right? I only changed my hair though..."
"I wonder if this outfit will look good on you...?"
Inside the clothing store, Kosaki was helping Tsugumi pick out an outfit to purchase. Chitoge and Raku were standing together at a nearby wall, watching them.
"But it's really a coincidence, huh? You just randomly ran into us while you were out with Tsugumi..."
"Well, I guess if you're just picking the spots you took me on dates for Kosaki-chan, it was bound to end up this way."
"That's a coincidence," said Raku, letting the jibe slide. "But the fact that you even knew that I had a date with Kosaki...as I thought, it's that guy, isn't it?"
"Who knows?" said Chitoge, shrugging. "But he says 'hi' anyways."
"Jeez, even when he's on the other side of the world..." said Raku, although he wasn't too troubled by it. After all, that was what made that glasses glasses.
"But wow. You finally took Kosaki-chan out on a date, huh? Even though it's way overdue..."
"S-Shut up...you know that there were a lot of things that had to be settled first..."
"I guess so," said Chitoge in an appeasing tone. "But a lot's changed since then, huh? I mean, you actually have the nerve to ask Kosaki-chan out on a date now."
"Speak for yourself..." said Raku, giving Chitoge a once-over. "I think you're the one that's changed the most...Like that hair for example."
"Oh? You like it?"
"Well, I can't say it looks bad on you," said Raku. The long, silky curtain of hair had been replaced by a bobcut with slightly wavy tresses. "It's kind of a shame though. Why'd you cut it?"
"Long hair was kind of a hassle since I started working in my mom's company," said Chitoge, twisting a lock of hair around her finger. "My mom just ties her hair up when she's working, but it was too much of a bother for me so I just cut it."
"But Tsugumi grew her hair out instead, huh? It really suits her."
"Well that's because people kept mistaking her for a boy and...there were some incidents..."
There was a momentary pause as images flew through their minds. Well, it wasn't hard to imagine...
"And you stopped wearing your ribbon..."
"I can't really wear it at work. People think it's kind of childish," said Chitoge with a sigh. But then she brightened up and held her arm up to Raku. "But I'm making do somehow."
The familiar red ribbon was tied like an armband a little above her bicep. In black marker, the word 'The Boss' had been written.
"Wah...look at that ego," said Raku with a small puff of laughter. "Are you sure you can get that off later?"
"I'm not an idiot. I made sure to use water-based markers so it can wash off," said Chitoge, nodding proudly.
"Not all water-based markers are washable..."
"...Huh?"
A few moments later and Chitoge was tearfully rubbing at the ribbon.
"Ahhh! I knew it was holding up too well..."
"Well...don't worry. I'm sure there's a cleaner that can remove it."
"Let's go look for one right now."
"Hey. Did you forget why we're here in the first place?"
"Well, it's just a spare anyways," said Chitoge with a sneaky grin.
"Huh!? You little..."
"Hehe. Don't get too full of yourself, beansprout," said Chitoge, flicking him lightly on the head.
"Man. Everyone's just poking fun at me today..."
After that, Kosaki came over with Tsugumi and her new outfit in hand. With her stylish body and new, sophisticated hair that flowed elegantly over her shoulders, the cute, fluttery outfit that they had picked may have seemed clashing. However, as Tsugumi blushed and fidgeted nervously in front of them, it was more like seeing an innocent girl on the cusp of adulthood. There was something oddly seductive about it all.
"D-Don't get any funny ideas..." whispered Chitoge.
"You're the one that looks like you want to jump on her," whispered back Raku as Chitoge's hands made a strange groping motion.
"A-As I thought, it looks strange on me, doesn't it...?" said Tsugumi, drawing back timidly.
"No, you look amazing Tsugumi-chan!" said Kosaki, beaming at her. "I wish I had a nice body like yours..."
"T-That again, Onodera-sama...it really isn't like that at all! My shoulders are always sore and I have difficulty moving the way I want to...it's such an inconvenience..."
"Did they get bigger?" whispered Raku.
"They got bigger," said Chitoge.
Wow...
Kosaki and Tsugumi went back to the fitting rooms to try a few suggestions from a sales clerk. Raku and Chitoge went outside of the store and sat down at a nearby bench with some drinks from a vending machine.
"Are you sure you shouldn't be hanging out with Kosaki and Tsugumi?" said Raku, taking a sip of oolong tea.
"Nah, it's been a while since Tsugumi-chan saw Kosaki-chan," said Chitoge, opening up her own bottle of Aquarius sports drink. "And if I wasn't hanging with you, we'd definitely just leave you here and go have our own fun."
"That's a joke, right?"
"Hmm...maybe that's a good idea. There's no way Kosaki-chan is having fun on a date with you anyways..."
"Hey."
"Honestly, we spent all of high school pretending to be boyfriend and girlfriend. Didn't you learn anything back then?"
"Yeah, I guess. Don't treat a gorilla out to dinner or she'll break your walle-"
"Some things don't need to change, right?" said Chitoge, cracking her knuckles. Raku decided it'd be wise not to finish his sentence.
They sat quietly for a while, taking small sips from their drinks. It was a weekend, so there were plenty of couples walking around in the department store. Just a few feet from them, there was a blonde high school girl lecturing her boyfriend as he hauled around dozens of bags in his hands. To their right, the same couple licking cones of soft-serve ice cream and watching the river of people on the floor below. To their left, the girl was sighing in exasperation as the boy slipped down against the wall, completely exhausted from walking all day.
"You were a huge pain in the ass, you know?" said Raku, shaking his head.
"H-Huh!? What's with that all of a sudden?"
"Nothing..." said Raku, laughing. Chitoge raised an eyebrow at this, but didn't pursue the topic. She finished her drink and held her hand out for Raku's bottle.
"Thanks..."
"What's with that surprised look?"
"Nothing..." said Raku. "You really did change...or more like, you're less bratty now."
"Haha. Very funny," said Chitoge, putting the bottles into a recycling bin. She sat back down with a flop and brushed her hair back behind one ear. "We're all moving forward anyways. I heard you finally got a job in Tokyo."
"Yeah. I'm glad I don't have to do interviews anymore," said Raku, hanging his head in relief. "The commute's not that bad either..."
"Why don't you rent an apartment? You're not going to take over for your dad, so you should probably get your own place."
"After I save up some money...Tokyo is expensive, you know?"
"I think we've got some guys that live in Tokyo. You could room with the-"
"No thanks," said Raku instantly, already imagining life with a bunch of hitmen in a cramped studio. "Besides..."
Raku scratched his cheek, looking a little bashful.
"I might have people over..."
The most pitying smile appeared on Chitoge's face.
"You wish."
"No way, no way," continued Chitoge, her blonde tresses shaking as she tried to hold back her laughter. "You've still got a looong way to go, beansprout."
"Now who's getting full of herself...?"
"Ahh...even though you've changed, you're still an idiot beansprout," said Chitoge, standing up and stretching. She turned and jabbed a thumb over at the store. "Well, should we head back in?"
She looked back at him with that nostalgic smile. Even if she was angry, even if she was sad, even if she was frustrated-
All of those faces from his memories-
They always came back to this one. The face of his best friend, Kirisaki Chitoge. A true hero.
"Yeah, let's go," said Raku, also getting up. The two of them started towards the clothing store again, where it seemed Tsugumi and Kosaki were finalizing their purchase.
"By the way, did you get a chance to visit Miyamoto?"
"Are you kidding me? Do you know how big America is? Ah, but I still talk to her on Skype with Kosaki-chan."
"Skype? You guys talk on Skype?"
"Yeah. With Yui-san too. And Marika and Maiko-kun and Haru-chan-"
"H-Hold on a second! How come I'm not invited to these!?"
"Who wants to invite you? We'd just end up talking about you like idiots then..."
"...That's such a contradictory reason."
Fake lovers from high school, Kirisaki Chitoge and Ichijou Raku. As they walked side-by-side again, teasing and mocking each other-
The distance between them seemed to have never existed.
"Oh, Raku-chan. Welcome back!"
"I'm back, Yui-nee. Kosaki is here too."
"Welcome, Kosaki-chan! Come in, come in!"
"Excuse my intrusion..."
Tsugumi and Chitoge had come back from America to continue negotiations for a Japanese branch of his mother's company. They weren't sure how long they'd be staying; if the negotiations went well, then they might be able to stay here and help supervise the branch development. In either case, Kosaki had made plans to meet with them again later during the week.
After separating from the two, Raku and Kosaki had taken a break from window-shopping and headed back to the urban park. After munching on some crepes from a stand, their appetites had worked up into a full roar.
"...I should've known this would happen."
"Ahaha..."
But of course, the restaurant that Raku had made reservations at had closed up early due to unexpected maintenance.
"Is there anywhere you want to eat, Kosaki?"
"I'm fine with anything...except konnyaku..."
"Ah...right," said Raku, remembering back to the haunted house in their second-year. Actually, he still hadn't found out why Kosaki seemed to be traumatized by konnyaku...
Raku went back over his plans again. It was getting dark, so they couldn't go very far. Not that he wouldn't mind walking with Kosaki at night, but there were fewer options to eat once it reached a certain hour, not to mention some shady solicitors started to roam the streets...
Ramen was a safe option. Or maybe a beef bowl? But that was kind of cheap...perhaps they could go eat soba or sushi...
Hmm? Wait a minute...this feels like deja vu...
He looked to his side and saw Chitoge waiting impatiently next to him.
Did you really give any thought to this, Senpai? It sounds like you just came up with whatever was convenient to you and then added in a few gestures here and there.
That's right...
The only dates I really went on were with Chitoge...
So that's what Chitoge had been getting at before...Raku wished she was there to slap some sense into him. He had been doing this all wrong...
"Kosaki."
"Hm? What is it, Raku?"
"Do you have anything you want to eat?"
"Uh...well, I mean...whatever's convenient..."
"No, I mean..." said Raku, trying to figure out how to say this properly. "I know it's not really cool for the guy to leave it up to the girl. But...I'm finally on a date with you and...well..."
"S-Sorry...I guess I haven't really been contributing..."
"No! That's not what I meant..."
Raku made a small 'hmm' sound as he looked off aimlessly and thought. I'm thinking too much, aren't I...?
It wasn't that he thought Kosaki wasn't making enough of an effort. Or that he thought he was taking too much of a lead.
The fact was that this was a date with him and Kosaki. But for it to feel like that...
Raku reached over and lightly held Kosaki's hand. "I guess I mean...I love you, Kosaki. So I want to spoil you...or something like that. So...it's ok to be...no, wait, that's not it. I mean, it'd be helpful if...no, no, not like that..."
Kosaki squeezed his fingers. Raku stopped the furious scratching at his head and looked at her.
"I get it," said Kosaki, leaning against him. "Yeah...I guess it's better to be like that."
"Sorry...I couldn't really..."
"Then Raku...?" said Kosaki softly. "I want to make a request..."
"What is it?" said Raku, ready to take on anything. He had to do at least that much after mouthing off like that.
And so, that was why they had come back to his house.
"Uuu...I want to have some of Raku-chan's cooking too..." said Yui enviously.
"What are you saying, Yui-nee? You guys already ate the dinner I prepared earlier, didn't you? Plus I've been making your bento lunches..."
"Yeah, but Kosaki-chan gets a special meal just for her..."
"S-Sorry for making such a selfish request..."
"Well, since it's your guys' date, I guess it's ok," said Yui with a soft chuckle. Having just got out of the bath, Yui was dressed in her casual wear and playing with Kosaki's hair. "Kosaki-chan's hair is so silky...being young is nice..."
"Yui-san is very beautiful though! I want to be as attractive as you when I'm older..."
"I'm sure you will, Kosaki-chan. You're already very cute."
You guys are almost the same age though...thought Raku as he brought over the food to the table. Of course, to his eyes, he also thought that Yui was cute, not to mention that slight mature feeling from her being a teacher. But even then, Kosaki was still the cutest!
"It's a little simple since I haven't gone to the store recently..."
A plate of mapo tofu, slick with chili oil, and a simple salad of greens with ginger dressing. Since Yui had started living in, Raku's repertoire had started to include several Chinese dishes as well. Especially since all Yui could make was gyoza...
"Mmmm!" said Kosaki as she took a bite of the mapo tofu. Intensely hot from the chili oil, but then soothed over by the tingling sensation from the Sichuan peppercorns. The tofu was tender and firm, the gravy and bits of meat coating each cube with savory flavor. Every bite sank into her body with comforting warmth. The fresh salad helped cleanse her palate and kept the dish from becoming too overpowering.
"Smells good..." said Yui, drooling a little.
"I made you a dish too," said Raku, like a tolerant mother to her child.
"I love you, Raku-chan!"
"Yeah, yeah," said Raku. He and Kosaki exchanged smiles and dug in.
"It's so delicious, Raku!"
"I'm glad," said Raku. Even though they could've eaten anywhere outside, Kosaki had wanted to eat his food. It was a simple gesture...almost textbook romance...
But still...he couldn't help but feel happy about it. Eating together with her, the everyday taste of his cooking seemed so refreshing now.
"So, Kosaki-chan is staying over today then?" said Yui, chewing on some salad.
"Huh? What do you mean?" said Raku.
"Hm? Well, it's dangerous for you guys to go out right now...Huh? Raku-chan, didn't you notice nobody else is in here except us right now?"
"What..." said Raku, getting up and scanning the room. He went outside and looked out into the main hall.
Quiet. Absolutely quiet. That was impossible. There were dozens and dozens of yakuza living here! Where the hell did they all go!?
"I told them not to fight but..." said Yui, pouting. "But it sounds really serious. Someone from the Beehive went completely out of control ever since Chitoge-chan came back..."
The other glasses, isn't it!? Wait a minute...why would he go berserk anyways!? The only thing that changed was...
...
Was it the hair!? Is that the only reason, you damn glasses!?
Raku sighed and put a hand over his eyes. "Sorry Kosaki. But she's right...it might be too dangerous to take you home right now..."
"I-I see..." said Kosaki, her face a little red. "T-That's ok, if you're fine with it. I'll call home to let them know after we finish eating..."
"Yay! Kosaki-chan, we can take a bath together! It's been so long..."
"You just took a bath, didn't you!?"
"Jeez, Raku-chan! That's a little rude to say to a girl, don't you think?"
"...No. I don't think that at all."
And so, Onodera Kosaki ended up staying over at the Ichijou household for that night. After eating dinner, Yui helped Raku wash the dishes while Kosaki went to shower and take a bath. The three of them watched TV for a little and chatted, with Raku's father coming by later on.
"Oh, Raku. So, you already heard about the guys then? That Claude guy...Adel's got his hands full with him right now..."
"I knew it was him..."
"Hm? Oh, hello there. Onodera-san, wasn't it?"
"A-Ah yes...hello. It's nice to meet you again..."
"Raku...inviting your girlfriend over when you know she can't go back home for the night...you're really getting bold, aren't you?"
"T-That's not it, old man!"
"Well, have her sleep in your room, Raku. We don't know how tonight's going to turn out, so I want to keep as many of the rooms open...for uhhh...emergencies."
"Is it really that bad right now!?"
After setting up a second futon inside Raku's room, Raku and Kosaki had said good night to Yui and prepared for bed. Since Kosaki didn't have her pajamas with her, Raku gave her one of his spare kimono to wear.
"It has Raku's scent..."
"S-Sorry! I guess I didn't wash it thoroughly-"
"N-No, I meant...I like it..." said Kosaki. Once again, the daring words from Onodera Kosaki flew like arrows through Raku's heart.
"I-It's a little big though. It's not too loose?"
"N-No...I think it's fine," said Kosaki, although the collar of the kimono spread enough to show a small amount of cleavage. Raku was trying with all his might to keep his eyes away from it.
"W-Well then...let's go sleep..."
"Y-Yeah..."
He turned off the lights and the two of them lay down in their futons. For a little while, they just laid in silence, the only sound coming from their light breathing.
"Kosaki...?"
"Hmm?"
"...Are you sleepy?"
"Not at all," said Kosaki, laughing a little.
"Me either."
"Hehe. Today's date was pretty interesting, huh?"
"Interesting...I guess you could call it that," said Raku with an ironic smile. Well, at least it hadn't been as normal as Haru had predicted.
"But it was fun..." said Kosaki, rolling over onto her side. "I always have fun when I'm with you, Raku."
"Me too..." said Raku, turning his head to face her. "I mean...that's all I keep saying, but I really mean it..."
"I know."
Beneath their covers, Kosaki's hand slipped through and briefly touched his fingertips. He brushed back against her fingers and then their hands intertwined.
"It'd be nice...if it was always like this..."
"Always unexpected maintenance...?"
"No! You know what I mean..."
The two of them laughed. They understood perfectly what they really meant. The relationship that they were in now...this strange situation that had continued since high school...
"But I don't know if I want it to stay exactly the same..." said Raku, his mouth twisting into a complicated expression. "Not just the school anymore...but the whole town calls me 'Womanizer' now, you know...?"
"But everyone knows about the situation...they're all just kidding..."
"I know that, but it still feels kind of...you know..."
"Well, you're not a 'womanizer,'" said Kosaki, slipping into his futon and snuggling up to him. "You're just Raku."
"I wonder if we really can keep this up..." said Raku. "Marika's definitely making progress with her political status, but..."
He was sure that all of them had the same thoughts in the back of their mind. Whether or not this was a good idea. Whether or not it succeeded, was it something that was right? Were they just playing in a sandbox...trying to hide away from reality...?
"It's difficult, isn't it? But..."
"But?"
"...We're all walking down our own paths. Giving up things so that we can keep taking a step, little by little, towards our dreams."
Struggling. Enduring. Perservering. The journey of human life.
"So...I think it's ok. If we're...a little selfish. A little greedy..."
"Yeah...maybe," said Raku, looking up at the ceiling. He could feel Kosaki's breath tickling his neck in rhythmic caresses. "Ah, whatever! I'll take a leaf from Chitoge's book and worry about it later."
"Ahaha..."
"Moving on from that...you know, Onodera-san."
"Hm? What is it, Ichijou-san?"
"Is it just me or have you been pushing your chest into my arm for a while now?" said Raku.
"Ah...who knows..." said Kosaki, hugging his arm more tightly.
"I knew it...Kosaki, you're really daring inside..."
"Jeez, it's not like that!" said Kosaki, getting up and looking down at Raku. Her kimono slipped a little, her white skin illuminated softly by the moonlight from the window. "It's Raku's fault mostly..."
"Is it?"
"Yeah. It is..."
She dipped down, her lips approaching his, their bodies separated only by the thin sheet over the futon-
WHAM!
"Mmmnn...gyoza..."
"Y-Yui-san!? U-Uh...n-no! T-This isn't what you think it is! I-I was just...I was just...doing push-ups on top of Raku...!"
"Kosaki, she's just sleepwalking, so you don't have to say stupid excuses like that!"
"Waaaiii~! Gyoza paraaaddee..."
"Y-Yui-san! N-Noooo! N-Not there!"
"Bocchan! We're back from fighting with the Beehive!"
"Y-You guys!? W-Wha-wha-"
"Yo, Raku. I stopped by too- HUH!? Y-Y...W-WHAT ARE YOU DOING, BEANSPROUT!? Making Kosaki-chan and Yui-san...together...!?"
"Y-You've got to be kidding me! N-No, wait, Chitoge! I can explain this-"
"Excuse me, is my sister here? I came to pick her up...HAH!?"
"W-Wait, wait! Hold on! If it continues like this, then I'm sure Marika will also-"
"Ah, no need, Raku-sama. I've already arrived ❤"
"M-Marika!? What are you doing here!?"
"Excuse me, did Ojou by chance come by here tonight..."
"Eh...? Was that Tsugumi's voice?"
"T-Tsugumi-chan!?"
"W-Wait, what!? Close the door! Everyone get in here and close the door! She's going to kill m-"
"Ah! Raku-sama inviting me to his room...I'm so happy...❤"
"You stay out! Why are you even here anyways!?"
"U-Uuu...R-Raku...Yui-san is pulling off my kimono..."
"YUI-NEE! KEEP GO- I MEAN STOP! STOOPP!"
"Ojouu. Are you in here? Ojoou."
And so, another day passed by peacefully for Ichijou Raku and his harem.
Afterword
There were some major kinks in Bonyari Saga's overplot, so that's being reworked as of now. So instead, I decided to do a oneshot showcasing Raku and his harem at some indeterminate time in the future. I was partially inspired by the new chapter of To Love-Ru Darkness. As I've said before, I see lots of similarities with To Love-Ru and Nisekoi. As much as some people might dislike it for its fanservice, To Love-Ru is an interesting model to look at for harem romcoms if only because it doesn't avoid or dodge the question of harem relationship dynamics, but confronts it head-on. Other harems that actually develop the romance usually descend into drama and internal character conflict as the messy ties from a harem relationship web start straightening out and the "true girl" eventually comes out on top. While this is certainly something that could be possible with Nisekoi, I wanted to depict a scenario where the harem situation moved forward rather than dissolving.
With "harem" as the theme, the next step I took was focusing on the characters. One thing that I really like in Nisekoi is that the characters are actually pretty grounded and perceptive. You can really see this in Chitoge and Raku, the latter who's usually seen as being incredibly dense (which I disagree with, but that'd be digressing too much). Considering that the whole premise of Nisekoi is based around a fake relationship between yakuza and mafia heirs, coupled with the various crazy hijinks that happen as a result, you need flexible, tolerant characters for this kind of thing to work. There are many moments where Chitoge or Raku are able to easily see through the smoke and mirrors to the actual problem at hand; it's just they have no choice but to go through with it for whatever reason. Other characters like Kosaki and Shu are pretty accepting of random events that happen and are pretty good at taking things in stride.
I was a bit worried that the way I've depicted the characters might seem a little OOC, since I ended up having them interact in very casual ways. But I felt that as they got older, especially if the harem situation continued, that the characters would become more relaxed and accepting of certain things, especially for personal interactions. But of course, no matter how mature you get, there are still those moments where you can't keep yourself composed...hehe.
In any case, this is the Nisekoi harem as I imagined it would develop. Thank you for reading and let's meet in the next one~