A few days after receiving confessions from the four women…… Today is the last day of our trip.

We left the mountain lodge and headed over to the adjacent shopping mall to kill time while waiting for the Shinkansen back home.

"All right! Last shopping spree— let's go buy everything!" "……Yeah!"

The high schooler sisters, full of energy, bolted into the shopping mall the moment we arrived.

"May I ask what your wishes are, my lady?" Haruka inquired of Rushia.

"I am a bit tired. Let's just drink some tea in the hotel lounge until the train arrives."

"Then I shall join you." "Very well. Enjoy your vacation."

With those words, Rushia headed toward the hotel next to the shopping mall.

"Sis, I'm sticking with the lady-in-waiting, so how about you give Karin a call?" "U-um……"

The large man in the suit spoke to Haruka.

I learned later that Haruka and that big man were actually brother and sister.

Miro bowed his head slightly and followed Rushia out of sight.

In the end, it was just Ichika and me left behind.

"Um... Oka-ta-n... kun. So then... shall we go?" "Yeah... I guess so..."

We walked through the shopping mall in silence. We were both silent.

"You want to buy anything?"

"Huh? Uh, umm... no. Not really." "I see..." I glanced at Ichika walking beside me.

She was wearing a purple short-sleeved polo shirt and a white flare skirt.

For someone who usually preferred pants, it was a rather girly outfit. "H-hi, is it weird...?" "No, you look good in it." "R-really?"

Ichika's face lit up with joy.

The change in her expression was adorable... and I couldn't help but feel tender toward her. "Ichika." I reached out to her. "H-huh? Y-you... is it okay?" "Well... don't tell me I can't, right?" "T-that... makes sense, I guess."

She broke into a beaming smile and took my hand in hers. ...That day.

The proposal Akari made was an unprecedented experiment: to try dating four people at once.

Of course, I was confused and worried about it. But in the end...

I accepted their proposal. "Hey, Oka... Michihiko-kun."
Ichika walked beside me.

Her cheeks were flushed, her mouth slack and sloppy with a goofy grin. "What's up, Ichika?" "Hehehe ♡ I just called out to you~ ♡" "Are you a middle schooler or something?"

Having become boyfriends to all of them, the way Ichika addressed me had changed. From Ogaya-kun to Michihiko.

"I'm so happy I could die. I mean... I've officially become your girlfriend, even if it's just for a trial period, and we're holding hands on a date like this." Ichika laughed with genuine delight.

Unlike Akari, her emotions were directly reflected in her expressions. That was comforting in its own way.

"But... Oka, Michihiko-kun, are you sure this is okay? The [Trial Relationship]... you accepted it." Trial Relationship.

As the name suggests, it referred to the pseudo-romantic relationship we had formed with the four of them.

"Aaah. I think this arrangement is the best way for me to connect with each of you individually."

I wasn't exactly the type who was good at handling such things.

When we established these trial relationships, we made some agreements.

1. While in a relationship with the four girls, Ogaya would not spontaneously pursue other women on his own.

2. When one of them is with Ogaya one-on-one, the other three will not intrude on that time.

3. The order in which they will go on dates with Okaya shall be determined by mutual agreement to ensure fairness and prevent any bias.

4. Whatever happens, let's all stay friendly! ♡

"The last clause is way too ominous..."

"That line Akari-chan wrote..."

Our group LINE had been created, and those articles were written in the Notes section of it.

Akari was naturally the one who put that together.

"But... but with this... I can go on a date with Hikohiko-kun without any worries. And... u-um..." "Um?"

"U-ugh, it's pervert-y... ugh! I'm talking about nothing!"

Ichi-hana shook her head vigorously, her face flushing crimson.

"Anyway, I think this trial dating is really great. I can invite Hikohiko-kun on dates without feeling awkward."

"And I can focus solely on Ichi-hana, which makes things easier on me." "R-really..."

By chance, we ended up passing in front of a jewelry store. "Hey, Oka... Hikohiko-kun" "What's wrong?" "Shouldn't we buy... a ring?" "Huh...?"

Ichika’s face flushed bright red as she spoke in a rapid, stammering rush.

"N-no! It's not perverted or anything! I just... well, I've always wanted to wear matching items. After all... isn't that ring something you'd want to get rid of now?" "Ah..."

My left ring finger still had the wedding band on it.

"Why didn't you throw it away?"

"It's not like I have any lingering attachment to Misae or anything. It's just that... having the ring there became so natural, you know?" Taking it off would only make things feel awkward and out of place.

"N-no! If that's how you feel about it... then, um, maybe a replacement ring? What do you think?" "Ah, that sounds good." I stepped into the jewelry store.

Behind me, Ichika struck a victorious pose, exclaiming "Yoshi!", which was somehow quite endearing to watch.

Apparently, there were such things as pair rings in this world—rings worn by couples—and they seemed to be quite common.

"Customer? Is there something you're looking for?" The clerk asked me.

My past self would have struggled to answer that. But... it's different now. I answered immediately.

"I'm looking for pair rings to wear with my lover." ★

After finishing our shopping, we headed back to the city.

On the return trip, Ruisa’s grandfather had booked us a Gran Class seat.

“Whaaah…… This is way too high-end… What the heck is this?”

I couldn’t blame Akari for her eyes going wide. The cabin was incredibly serene.

The seats were also quite spacious, boasting an interior that felt like you were inside a luxury hotel.

I hesitated and tried to decline, but since he had already secured the seats, I couldn’t say no.

Sinking into the incredibly plush seat, I slowly closed my eyes. “…That was one hell of a seven days.” “O-Akari♡” Akari sat down next to me. “That ring really suits you, ♡” “You’re so perceptive…”

She’d already noticed the presence of the pairing rings we were wearing. “Did you split the cost on that?” “Yeah.”

“Oh, I see. Adults just have it so much better, huh? Having money really is the best. I’m so jealous.”

Akari kicked her feet—pata-pata—while saying this with a smile on her face.

“…For someone who complains about money, you look pretty comfortable yourself.”

“Of course I am♡ Ichika-chan is basically just a high schooler in a middle schooler’s body, anyway♡”

Ichika, you damn girl… You’re getting looked down on even by high schoolers now, huh……

"I can't wait to get home, hehe."

She said it with genuine delight, her mood buoyant and light. "What do you mean?"

"Because we're boyfriend and girlfriend now, me and A-karin ♡" She leaned in close to his ear. "...Let's have a lot of fun together, okay? ♡" "You..."

As she pulled back from his face, let out a small giggle.

"Don't you think it's great? Since we're officially dating now, there's no need to hold back or worry about anything, right?"

"...No, well, I suppose so. But are you really okay with this?"

"Mm-hmm, of course ♡ Honestly, that was the main reason I agreed to be your girlfriend in the first place~"

Heehee, Akari laughed softly, covering her mouth with her hand, unable to contain her excitement.

"This is gonna be so much fun~~ ♡ Ah, and don't worry, we'll use protection, obviously." "Obviously... I hope you mean that..."

I gave Akari's forehead a playful boop. She let out a mischievous "hee-hee" in response.

"A-karin should start looking forward to it too, okay ♡ I've never done this before, but I've studied up on plenty of ways to please my man!"

"I see. You really aren't a child anymore, are you." And just then.

Buzz, buzz went my phone.
[Okaya Midoriko]

"Okaya Midoriko? Who's that?"
"It's my little sister."

"Oh. A sister. Okayrin, you've got a sister?"

"Yeah. We're pretty far apart in age. Plus, there's a bit of a... complicated situation with her."
"Complicated situation?"
"Don't worry about it. I'll tell you sometime."

I couldn't really take a call inside the car, so I hung up.

Immediately after, a LINE message flew in.

[No hanging up allowed. Seriously, what do you think is happening?]
I typed back that I was on the train.

[Ah, okay. Bro, I'm going to your place next time.]
[Huh? What's that supposed to mean?]

But no reply came from Midoriko.
Read and ignored, huh...

"How old is Okayrin's little sister?"
"About the same age as you guys."

"Oh... so a high schooler then. And what was she saying again?"
"She's coming to my place next time... Ah."
"Aah!"
...This isn't good, is it.

I haven't explained the situation with Akari and the others to Midoriko yet.

"W-What are we going to do... Karin?"

"...Well, I'll just fudge things a bit on the day and it should be fine."

"Y-Yay! There's no way you'd actually stay at Karin's house for a while, right!"

"Yeah, I guess so... Just stay with Roshia that day." "Sure. No problem."

Before long, the train pulled into Tokyo Station.

As we were heading to exit through the ticket gates, Mr. Sanro Nuekawa was waiting at the JR gate.

"I'll take you all home!" "Thanks a lot."

Next to Sanro-san was the woman from the hotel reception... I think her name was Narai.

"Sanro. A-And Narai... what are you doing here?" Ichika asked.

"Well, I came to pick you up."

"But why is Narai-san here?"

"Eh? It's because we're living together."

「Haaaaaah?!」 Ichika's face contorts into an expression of sheer shock.

"L-Living together? Y-You guys... already!?"

"What's there to be surprised about? We've been dating for quite a while now, you know, right?"

"Mm, it's only been about six months, so isn't it pretty standard?"

"Living together after just... six months..."

Hearing Nara-san's words, Ichika slumped her shoulders in defeat.

"When are you two going to move in together?"

"H-Huh? No, that is... I mean..."

Ichika fidgeted with her fingers in front of her chest. "I'm not... mentally ready yet..." "Ichika. Don't hesitate." Lushia tapped Ichika on the back.

"If you keep stalling, Akari's gonna take all the credit for herself. The moment she became your lover, she started pressuring me to make her rice porridge at home nonstop."

"Oh! Right... What do I do now? The Master..."

"There's no problem at all. I have no intention of losing."

Rushia smiled wickedly, and Akari returned the grin.

"Well, go get 'em! I'm gonna hole up in my love nest, where nobody can bother me, and have so much fun... until I'm completely dry, yeah? ♡" Rushia clenched her teeth.

"...What are you planning to do 'so much,' Akari?"

Nanako tilted her head quizzically.

"It's none of your business, sis. Alright, let's get home quick! Sanro-chan, take us!" "Yippee!"

And so, with Mr. Sanro driving, we made our way back to our house.

"Whew... made it home to the homestead!"

Me, Akari, and Nanako got out in front of the single-family home.

"Jirota-nii is bringing Chobi over tomorrow."

Jirota was Mr. Sanro's older brother, and it was to him that Nanako had entrusted her dog for care.

"...Thank you so much!"

Nanako let out a sigh of relief.

She'd probably been worrying about the dog.

"Well then, Naoka. We'll be seeing each other again [soon] then."
"Bye, Teruhiko-kun."

With that, the two got into the limousine and drove off.

"...'Soon,' huh? What does that mean, Sensei?"
"Huh. No idea."

"C'mere, Akarin ♡ You'd better hurry home now~"

Akari pulled a key from her skirt pocket. And then...
Clunk!
"What's that?"
"What's wrong, Akari?"
Akari's face suddenly drained of color.

"It's... it's me... I'm sorry. I think I forgot to lock the door..."

It seemed the front door had been unlocked from the start.

"...N-Not that we... i-is it okay, do you think?"
"I-I'm sorry..."

"Nah, it's fine. You two wait outside. I'll go check inside just to be sure."

Seeing the two of them nod, I went ahead and entered the house first.

The entrance... Nothing seemed particularly out of place...
Wait a minute? What are these leather shoes doing here...

There were women's leather shoes by the entrance. They were quite a size down.

They weren't Akari's, and they weren't Nanaiko's either. "Could it be that……!"

Something came to mind, so I headed toward the living room.

"……Ah, Onii-chan. Welcome home. Or is it, aren't you late?" "Midoriko!"

My little sister…… Okaya Midoriko was lying sprawled across the sofa.

Her long hair, tinged with a slight red hue, had fallen loose. She had it tied up in a ponytail. She was wearing a mini skirt and a short-sleeved shirt.

She had a cardigan wrapped around her waist.

Lying face-down on the sofa, she dangled her legs and flapped them around.

She had a Chupa Chups lollipop in her mouth.

"……Besides, you're way too late coming home. You made me wait so long."

"No, you…… why are you here? Where's the key?"

"……I borrowed it from the landlord. Besides, is it really such a problem for a sister to be at her brother's house?"

「Ah, no... Well, I mean, that's true, but...」

Midori Lake sat up and cleared her throat with a short cough.

"...... Big bro. Long time no see. Actually, it's been since the New Year before last?" "Ah, ah... Yeah... it has..."

I didn't come home for last year's New Year because I was too busy... No, that wasn't the reason.

Wasn't this a pretty damn dire situation...?

Her cheeks flushed a slight pink, and as she wiggled her Chupa Chups stick back and forth, she said.

“...Bros. That chick cheated on you and dumped you, right? Well, that’s the smart move. See, things turned out exactly the way I said they would. You always were like that, back in the day too... Hey, what's wrong with your face?”

“No... just, how long do you plan on staying here?”

“...Hm. Well, I’m sticking around for a while. Take care.” “W-What!?!” And just then— “Akari-chan!” “Sensei!”

Akari and the others walked in at that very moment. “S-Should we call the cops!?”

“...Sensei! Are you okay?!”

Akari clung to my arm, while Nanaiko held onto my waist.

«…………………………………………………………what?»

Emotion drained from Midoriko's face, leaving a hollow void. "...Bro, who are those people?"

"Ah, no... this is... Midoriko. That's not— it's different..."

Looking displeased, her younger sister Midoriko clicked her tongue in irritation.

"...What the hell? I don't want you clinging to my brother like that?" The JK sisters' eyes went wide. "«Y-Your little sister!?»"

"...Exactly. Outsiders, get lost. And what do you think this is? A public place? Don't enter without the owner's permission."

Irritated, Midoriko waved her hand dismissively, shooing them away like stray dogs.

"No... Midoriko. Didn't you two work as cram school tutors during university? These are your former students."

"...Huh? Why do my former students have the audacity to trespass in my brother's house without asking? That's just plain burglary. Go home."

I didn't fully understand, but Midoriko had become fiercely irritable. "We don't even have a place to go home to."

Watching Akari lower her head, trembling, I made my decision.

"Midoriko. Listen carefully. These girls are..."

“Aww! You're so annoying! Get lost!”

Midori Lake stood up and forcibly grabbed Naeko's hand.

“Please don’t interfere with my time with Onii-chan.” “……Ouch.” “Midori Lake!”

Her sister flinched, her body going rigid. “Let go of me.”

“Nooooo! You stupid brother! Just because I’m here makes you an idiot! An idiot!”

When my sister gets upset, she kicks my leg and storms off the scene.

Bang, the bathroom door slammed shut.

“Okarin…… is this okay?” “……It might be bad.”

We had started a trial relationship as lovers, with no less than four people. If my sister found out about that……

Besides, she was apparently going to stay for a while from now on.

No matter how I looked at it, I felt like chaos was brewing.