I am that male friend in the harem story 225 Hope

Gasp! 

While Chitanda gasped, Oreki was speechless, Satoshi was helpless. 

Still, Chitanda somehow didn't feel surprised, but then again, inwardly, she didn't like the idea of Ibara becoming Satoshi's student despite the fact that she had no right to forbid it. At the same time, while she could use Kaho as a reason why he shouldn't agree, she felt like... it might affect their relationship since if she disagreed, then why did she allow herself to rely on him despite knowing his relationship with Kaho? 

Wasn't she too petty yet also greedy?

'Ah, why do I feel like this?' 

Yet, even if she knew all of those facts, she knew that she couldn't express her opinion. 

However, Oreki was different, and he wondered whether Ibara had given up. It was said that love was like a cancer. Even if one had removed it from the body, somehow, its trace still existed and a slight trigger might cause the situation to relapse. Yet, somehow, he also understood why Ibara couldn't give up. 

Oreki had known Satoshi and Ibara for so long, and he also understood Ibara's intense love toward Satoshi, yet despite all of that, Satoshi chose Kaho to be his girlfriend. 

Still, was Satoshi wrong? 

Oreki didn't think so since he knew well that a feeling couldn't be forced upon and if one didn't like others, then no matter how one tried it, he knew that it was impossible to change. 

Or might it change? 

Oreki wasn't sure since a feeling or an emotion wasn't something concrete, could be seen nor could be controlled. Still, as a bystander, he knew that he could only become the observer and entering their path was more or less troublesome and even rude, so he stepped back and just watched how Satoshi would handle this problem. 

'Meanwhile...' 

Glancing at the girl who stood behind Satoshi, Oreki sighed inwardly, hoping for Chitanda to be better to hide her feelings. 

"Why?" 

Still, Satoshi was as strong as ever. 

"What do you mean "why"? You know my dream, right?" 

"I do, but our genre will be different, then, and... the result for my manga hasn't been decided yet. Let's talk about whether you can become my student or not after that." 

"Okay, I will wait." Ibara nodded, understanding about Satoshi's decision since compared to her, to become his disciple, he wanted to solve the problem of his manga first. Yet, thinking of his manga, she knew well that it could become a masterpiece, a work that transcended time and would be remembered by people forever. 

'For him to have such talent...' 

She lightly licked against her lower lips, tracing the feeling of his large object which she had sucked lovingly previously. 

The feeling of loving someone who had an ability was something natural. When one has a certain talent in a certain area, such as football, singing, and many others, then it sparks, and blooms, and that person would be loved by many. 

Ibara, who had loved Satoshi deeply for so long, got to know him better, knowing his large object, and also his talent. 

Knowing all of that... how could she let him go? 

Yet, she also knew herself that compared to the others... while she was quite cute, she knew well she didn't have much of an advantage, and because of that, she knew if she didn't want to be forgotten by him, then... she had to make an extra effort. 

Fortunately, this guy was a bastard, or else... 

Or else, she couldn't be inside his heart. 

"........" Satoshi. 

"So, when are you going to send your manga?" 

"I need to do some arranging first." 

"Do you need help? 

"No, it's fine. Thank you for worrying, but let me do this by myself." 

"I see..." Ibara felt a bit sad since she couldn't have a chance to be close, but then, she was also afraid for her limited knowledge and slightly proud nature might cause a mess, or she might be hurt, so she decided to wait. Waiting till he was able to win the award, so that way, her little pride could disappear and she could wholeheartedly follow his words. 

Still, after teaching her that forbidden pleasure, Satoshi never thought that he could escape from her, right? 

"Chitanda-san." 

"Yes?" 

"Please let me join the Classic Club!" 

"......." 

Blinking her eyes, Chitanda felt the intense burning gaze of Ibara, especially toward Satoshi, but under the eyes of Satoshi and Oreki, she could only—

"...yes." 

"That's great!" 

As Ibara was happy, Oreki was speechless, while looking at Satoshi worriedly, wondering whether in the future, he might find Satoshi's corpse on the river, or lost in the mountain. 

"...I know that I don't have any evidence, but..." Satoshi looked at Oreki helplessly and asked, "Did you think something rude about me?" 

"It's just your imagination." Somehow, their banter made him smile, but Oreki also patted Satoshi's shoulder and said, "Be careful." 

"......" Satoshi. 

Still, after this, Satoshi decided to leave since he had made up his mind to send his manga right away to the publishing company as soon as it was finished, and naturally, Oreki also used this chance to run away, yet Chitanda and Ibara still remained in the clubroom of the Classic Club as they had to finish the registration of Ibara's membership to this club. 

"Here, you go, Chitanda-san." 

"Ah, yes, I have received it, Mayaka-san." 

When the two were together, somehow, Chitanda had a hard time talking, it felt awkward. 

"You don't have to be so restrained in front of me, Chitanda-san. If you don't mind, can I call you, Chii-chan?" 

"Ah, yes, sure, you can call me Chii-chan, Mayaka-san." 

Smiling, Ibara couldn't help but ask, "How about you call me, Mayaka-chan, too?"

"Eh?!" 

"I was just kidding. If you don't feel uncomfortable with it, then you don't have to force yourself, but since we have become the only female members of the Classic Club, I hope that we can become friends instead of having an awkward relationship." 

Ibara was blunt and straightforward, so she often expressed what she thought inside her heart. Yes, it often caused her a lot of problems since many were told to suppress their feelings for the overall situation, yet despite her petite size, she charged forward without fear, including expressing her love toward Satoshi. This also made it easy for her to get to know many people, and also have many friends, yet also enemies. 

On the other hand, Chitanda might appear blunt and truthful, never lying to her feelings, or curiosity, but this is how she acted toward those she trusted, and for those she didn't trust, she didn't show her genuine feelings, and only tried to be polite with others like how a daughter of the Chitanda family should do. This also made her become so spoiled and never intended to keep her distance to Satoshi as in her mind, she had registered him as someone that she could trust and wouldn't break away despite knowing her genuine.

Still—

"Yes, I also hope the same, Mayaka-san." 

"Really?" 

"Yes." 

"Thank you, Chitanda-san!" 

The question that Chitanda wanted to ask Ibara was somehow suppressed, and didn't come out from her lips as she could tell that this wasn't a question that she could ask to her, but then again—

'Let's ask Fukube-san.' 

As she thought so, Chitanda made up her mind to ask the origin of the unique smell that came from Satoshi and Ibara. 

Regardless, she had to say, the scent of Ibara's hands were just too... lascivious, she thought. 

The curiosity within her couldn't be suppressed and soon, it might not be able to be controlled anymore.