Genuine

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Isn't this exactly how the previous chapter began?"

"Stop trying to dodge the issue, Hikio."

I winced a little. So we're back to family names, huh?

In front of me sat two women.

One of them was older than me. With dark hair and uniquely scarlet eyes, she was formerly one of the most intimidating people I knew. Actually, I take that statement back. Knowing her, she can probably still be intimidating if she chooses to. As a matter of fact, the look she was giving me right now was scary as well, albeit for reasons different from usual. Her gaze was locked on to mine, the hint of a smile on her face as she stared at me in a way that was sending some very strong signals. Even in this awkward situation, she was perfectly calm, and was silently mouthing words at me. I had a feeling it was to deliberately piss off the person next to her, but I had an ever firmer feeling that she was sincere in her message, which was actually scarier. What words were she mouthing?

"I want you."

Be still, third leg. If you start rising now, this will not end like one of those gaijin pornos, in a threesome.

Of course, that was because of the other woman in the room.

If there was any doubt as to whether or not the Fire Queen still had her flames, let it be put to rest. Right now, she was burning a hole through me with her glare. Forget Daenerys. The mother of dragons, basilisks and any and all other fury known to man was right here, their combined power contained in that venomous glare. Oh boy. Right about now, I'm really missing that new meek personality she'd developed.

"Hikio."

I gulped.

"Explain."

Okay. Be calm and cool. You are only truly defeated if you give up. I have Level 100 stats. I also have a functioning brain. There is no way, I can lose this.

"Well," I began. "I wasn't lying. I really do like you."

This to Miura Yumiko. Observe response. Pupils momentarily dilated. Muscles relaxed. Good, she's calming dow-

"Then what was all that you were saying to her just a moment ago?"

She gestured at Haruno san, who unnecessarily waved at me.

"Well, I like her too."

FUUUUUUUU-

What have I done.

An assortment of objects came flying my way.

Books, chairs, utensils, hold on is that my fucking bed, why are these things hurting anyway? Don't I have like mountain level durability now?

The answer to that question was supplied by Omega.

It seems that MCs are always vulnerable to attacks by their girls.

Fuck.

I desperately covered up.

"Oi, stop wrecking the house. We just put it back together."

"Shut up, you two-timing jerk!"

Yumiko was, to not put too fine a point on it, absolutely fucking furious.

"It's not two timing! I'm not hiding anything from you."

As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I realized I maybe should have uttered them. I was hit with a mental image of Omega relaxing on a beach with a bowl of popcorn in hand as she watched all this go down.

Oi, help me out here.

No way. This is the most fun I've had in ages, including the times old Darkseid was slapping the shit out of that Kryptonian.

Realizing I was about to get no help from the incurable pervert living inside me, I decided to take matters into my own hands, and do the right thing. It's something heroes have done since ancient times. Jack Sparrow did it. Joseph Joestar did it. Gintoki Sakata does it all the time.

"Nigerundaiyo!"

Without further ado, I attempted to run away.

Keyword: attempted.

Before I could even get up, a certain someone had decided to shield me from Yumiko's barrage. Of course, her way of shielding me involved climbing on to my lap. Alarmed, I tried backing away, but I was almost at the wall. That, combined with my hurried movement, meant that I lost my balance and ended up leaning against in. Taking advantage, Haruno snuggled closer to me, placing her head against my chest and giving Yumiko what I was sure was a taunting smile.

"Now now, Miura chan. That's no way to respond to honesty. If you keep this up, you'll end up driving Hachiman away. But maybe that's for the best. I'll get to keep him all to myself."

So saying, she brought her face dangerously close to mine.

It was at this point that I observed changes happening at the genetic level in Yumiko's body. She was changing from human to super saiyan through sheer force of anger. Any moment now, she was going to use the Kamehameha and blast me out of the planet.

Wait, why is it decided that I'm Vegeta? Don't I get a say in this?

You're sort of being uncool right now, Omega pointed out.

Whose side are you on anyway?

I'm on your side, but you're behaving like one of those bitch MCs without a pair.

She sighed.

For a so-called monster of logic, you're remarkably stupid, aren't you?

If you have a solution, I'd love to hear it.

Once more, she sighed.

So I'm going to have to spell it out for you, huh?

Yes, and please hurry up. She looks like she's nearly done powering up her Kaioken.

I saw a mental image of Omega dressed up in a button up shirt and pencil skirt, with a lab coat over it all. She was wearing glasses too, and carrying a clipboard with a paper on it which I was sure was blank. Adjusting her spectacles with the air of a doctor looking at her patient, she cleared her throat.

Any time today, I thought drily.

She pouted and muttered something about no sense of presentation or humour, before getting to the point.

For whatever reason, humans have (mostly) settled for monogamy as the ideal way of life when it comes to finding a partner. As far as that train of thought goes, you've already failed spectacularly. You've developed feelings for two people at the same time, and all three of you know it.

She'd pretty much nailed the situation on the head.

Let's see what your choices are in this situation. Firstly, you could go with monogamy, and choose to further your relationship with either Haruno or Yumiko. Choose a route, as these otaku like to call it. But what does that really entail?

You'd be rejecting one of them.

My eyes widened. Of all the ways to look at a harem situation, this was one I had never considered.

You know what I'm saying, don't you? Both Yumiko and Haruno have come to trust you over the course of the past few days. In that short period of time, you've single-handedly proved to them that good men exist. You've helped them, and you've done so without any strings attached. However, as the three of you went through these experiences together, they began to like you, as you did them. This is not a shallow crush or an infatuation. The lengths to which the three of you have gone prove this.

Do you understand? At this point, getting rejected in favour of the other would be like telling them they're not good enough. The one person they care about and trust would be telling them that he's choosing the other person. You'd be destroying them.

I listened silently, dumbstruck by these revelations. They were perfectly true of course. On no level could I say her reasoning was flawed.

She continued.

Of course. That isn't the only option.

I waited expectantly for her to say what the other choice was.

Alternatively, you could choose… neither of them. But be honest, Hachiman. That would destroy you, wouldn't it? You're at your limit. Maybe the world doesn't see it, but I live in here, and I see it. You're tired of being used. Tired of having feelings that remain one-sided. If all you get for your efforts is nothing, you'd rather not try at all. Just simply live alone, not caring. But everyday you spent like that killed you a little inside. When Yumiko came into your life, you found out what it was like to mean something to someone. When you found out how Haruno felt about you, you felt happy. You'd rather die than leave either of them.

Once again, I could only nod. Despite the fact that she resided within me, actually summing up my confused feelings into clear words was an act that left me stunned, since it forced me to confront them.

She went on.

And there you have it. The reasons why monogamy won't work for you. By the current moral and ethical standards of humanity, you're a lust-filled maniac, who treats women like possessions.

I lowered my head. It was true. All this time, I told myself I was fighting for the freedom of these women. For their right to choose how to live, and who to live with, rather than be swayed by the power of some hax Protagonist Trait. And that was still true. I would still fight to prevent them from being controlled.

Yet, that wasn't the only thing I was fighting for. Somewhere along the way, I had also started fighting so that they'd be with me. I'd unhesitatingly wrecked both Rito Yuuki and the red cosplay bastard because I thought they'd take Yumiko from me. I'd asked Haruno to live with me, and that was self-explanatory.

I wasn't altruistic. I liked them. Liked both of them.

I liked Miura Yumiko for her fiery heart and spirit, which she wore on her sleeve unashamed, for the entire world to see. It was something I could never do. For someone like me, who hid in the dark and watched, her presence burned as bright as the sun. Yet, underneath that tough exterior was a sensitive girl, who had been hurt before, but had the courage to try again. Once again, that was something I hadn't had the courage to do. I liked Miura Yumiko for that heart, and her honest, powerful feelings.

I liked Yukinoshita Haruno for her strength and courage. I admired her for them. Here was a woman who had carried burdens beyond anything I could have imagined, and had done so without the world being any the wiser about how she was suffering inside. Here was a woman who had known the pain of being used and abused, until it had turned her into someone who extracted what amusement she could from the discomfort of others. Yet, not once during all that had she ever turned her back on her sister. In her own way, she had continued to look out for her. And when the time came, she was willing to sacrifice anything to protect someone she cared about. I had seen that firsthand during the battle with the Hybrid. She was unabashed about how selfish she was, and how loyal she was.

The thought of walking away from either of them… pained me just to think about.

I had become the sort of bastard I'd hated.

A selfish MC who pretends to stand on the moral high ground while kicking, clawing and scratching to hold on the women he meets. A selfish bastard who wants everyone.

Omega spoke again, but this time in a far softer voice.

Yes, selfish. Not the pure-hearted loner you thought you were. Denying it is pointless. So why not be honest instead?

I looked at her in my mind, and she was smiling slightly.

No matter how it makes you appear to other humans, your feelings aren't false, nor are they weak. Whatever else you are, Hachiman, you aren't a bad person. You haven't toyed with Yumiko or Haruno, nor have you coerced them. Your intentions towards them aren't evil.

Don't be yet another MC who thoughtlessly leads everyone around him along, with no sincerity. Tell them the truth.

My jaw dropped open.

Omega had, quite directly, just advised me to go for the true harem route.

But it would be unfair to them both…

Why? Are you planning on giving anything less than a hundred percent to either of them?

I shook my head.

Then let them decide if they're OK with it or not. Just speak your heart, and let them choose for themselves.

I took a deep breath and looked at Omega's mental self in my head. She nodded encouragingly.

Opening my eyes, I saw Yumiko about to throw the dining table at Haruno and me.

Right. All or nothing.

Gently extricating myself from Haruno, I got up and made my way over to Yumiko.

"I'm not kidding. I really do like Haruno. There's no chance of that changing."

A flicker of pain crossed Yumiko's emerald eyes, and they began to water.

"You fucking jerk!"

She broke the table over my head. It hurt, but I stayed standing. Tears in her eyes, she turned and began to storm off, but I caught her hand.

The situation was reminiscent of the way she had left the last time.

No. I'll make sure there are no misunderstandings this time.

"You didn't let me finish," I said to her.

"I don't give a shit what you have to say," she replied, without turning around.

"I was going to say I wasn't kidding about liking you. And there's no chance of that changing."

She turned around, her voice breaking as she spoke.

"How the fuck can you say that with a straight face, Hikio? How can you expect me to believe that, after everything you've told me about traits? After I left, I thought, you couldn't have been using it on me. So I came back… only to find you already with someone else. How the hell am I supposed to trust you?"

"You can't. There's no reason for you to trust someone like me. Someone who shamelessly admits to liking two people at the same time. Logically, there's no reason to trust a person who makes a statement like that. It's something that comes out of a womanizer."

Yumiko's pull on my hand weakened, and she looked down, wiping her eyes.

"But this isn't about logic. I'm not that selfless. Not anymore. So all I can do is tell you is that this is the truth, Miura… no, Yumiko. I… like you. I'm just a loner who's gotten lucky a lot lately. Before you came… can I really call what I was doing living? I met you, and I thought of what I knew you as back in school: just an arrogant social queen who looks down on everyone. But you proved me wrong. I could waste a lot of time trying to say how you're different from what I thought you were, Yumiko, but none of that would be enough. So what I'll say is…

You gave me a reason to live."

I realized I was wiping my own eyes now.

"Before I knew it, I'd grown attached to you, in just one week. Seems impossible, doesn't it? But I felt good around you. I didn't have to think. Didn't have to over analyse. For the first time in who knows how long, I was happy. It took me a while to realize, it was because of you.

You changed my life, Yumiko.

I'm selfish. And I know I'm asking for too much. I know what I'm saying is hard to believe, harder to accept. But I want to be with you. These are my honest feelings. I've never toyed with you, and never will. You've never been, and never will be, "just another person" to me. And neither will Haruno.

That's why… I don't want to lose either of you. In the end, this is the genuine I've decided on. It's selfish. Greedy. But it isn't a lie. All I can do now is wait for your answers. Both of yours."

I let go of her arm and backed away.

Now that I'd said what I had to, all the courage I'd mustered up was gone. I felt like the guy who's somehow managed to take his first dive at the pool, and is in the air, about to hit the water, wondering if he hasn't just made a terrible mistake.

I couldn't even bring myself to look at either of them.

A silence as brittle as glass followed my last statement. One could have cut the tension with a knife.

"And what if I don't want to share you?"

I looked up at Yumiko. She had her fists clenched. Her eyes were rimmed with red, but her gaze was strong now. Determined.

"I don't want half of you, Hikio," she said, softly. That single, quiet statement had more weight to it than any amount of shouting or screaming.

"Don't you see? You already have all of me. Even if you leave now, that won't change."

For a moment, she glared at me, before grimacing in frustration.

"You already know I'm not going anywhere, Hikio."

The sheer relief those words gave me was almost enough to make my legs give out.

She took a step forwards, towards me.

"This is insane. This whole idea is insane. Even those jerk-off harem mangas don't go this far. You're actually suggesting we do this."

Running her hands through her hair, she seemed to be talking to herself now.

I could see it now. We'd ventured into unknown territory. The blanket of comic effect was no longer there to soften the truth of what I had said. After all, isn't that what a harem manga is? Using humour to sell impossible situations? Glossing over the turmoil and difficulty of relationships? Treating people as if they were mere options, "routes", to be taken or ignored at will.

And worst of all, those half-assed protags. They're not dense. I refuse to believe they don't know what's going on around them. And if they do, they ought to realise. They're playing with people. With their feelings and their lives. Spend all your time chasing after one girl, while conveniently leading others along. Why? Are they nothing better than back-up options for you?

And it isn't just something that happens in stories. More than anything, I knew what it was like to be lead on. It wasn't even their fault. I was the one who read too deeply into perfectly normal interactions. It had been wrong of me to expect anything in the first place. As if being helpful to someone automatically gave me the right to expect their feelings. I knew that was wrong. No one was obliged to like me.

But that was also how I knew. Feelings are never rational. Logic has nothing to do with them. It's hard enough with misunderstandings. People who deliberately lead others on… are nothing but scum.

So I refuse. I refuse to play the dense MC card. I refuse to use the "nakama-zone" as a get out of jail free card. I never thought of either of these two as friends in the first place.

I refuse to compromise.

This is my genuine. My way.

I approached Yumiko.

Cautiously, because I was still nervous, I reached out.

"It is insane. It won't be easy. But I want to try", I said.

To my immense surprise, she looked up and grabbed my collar, bringing her face closer, centimetres from mine.

"You better try. Because if all of this was just you talking air, I'm going to kill you."

Those fiery emerald eyes glittered. Uncertainty. Doubt. They were in there. But she wanted to give this a try. She thought I was worth it.

Time to repay that trust.

I leaned in closer as well.

"I'll give it 120 percent. And we'll pick up where we left off. There's no way I'm okay with you gaining a Tsundere Trait, or us having to spend another five chapters making relationship progress we already have all over again."

"Ahem."

The both of us looked at Haruno, who hadn't moved from her spot by the wall yet. Unlike us, she seemed perfectly at ease.

"Well, that took ages, but you managed to accept it."

Rising up, she made her way over to us. Far from being doubtful or nervous, she seemed confident and open. That simple change from her old facade was staggering. The raw sexuality she was exuding was almost unreal, on the level of a hax ability.

Scary.

"Personally, I have no problem."

She placed on her finger under my chin, running them over my skin softly.

"Honesty scores big in my book, and it must have taken a pair to come out and say all that up front. I'm looking forward to our 'progress' as well."

"Oi, Hikio, I wasn't done talking to you yet."

What have I gotten myself into?

That which all men dream of, but few have the courage to pursue.

A mental image came my way, of Omega back to her usual garb, a leather outfit that was far too stimulating to the imagination.

By the way, there is one person I forgot to mention earlier.

Someone you forgot to mention?

I thought back to what she said, and couldn't figure out who she might be talking about.

For all that talk about not being dense, you sure can't see some obvious things.

Being direct doesn't hurt, you know.

She smiled slightly and winked before receding into my mind.

Nah. I'll see if you can figure this one out by yourself.