And so with the Isako ordeal behind them, the gang were able to return to back to their mostly normal lives. Though things were always happening with them and it didn't take long for the need for action to occur yet again.
This time around, the idea of having Teru feel along on the ultimate decision was not lost on them. So even though it wasn't a weird thing to have her and Himawari leave the typical four during lunch, something felt off.
"So how does it feel to have six girls under your arms now?" Waa started off the conversation.
"What? Don't talk about that so publicly." He scolded her for apparently having no fear for them being found out. Honestly, he wished she'd take this a bit more seriously because one slip up would cause them a whole mess of trouble.
"It's not like anyone pays attention to us during lunch." She responded. "But I was just wondering about you-know-who."
"Teru looked fine to me." Kouji knew right away who she was referring to. Sure, there was no open or direct line of confrontation between him and her. However, one couldn't be blind to the indirect issues that could arise that surfaced as a result of what happened last weekend.
It was likely fine if one girl had to relent her position if everyone else went against her. They were a large group, so some things had to be accept regardless of one's feelings towards the issue. However, with this being the first time that had ever happened among them. Kouji did a lot of thinking and went through the many possible outcomes that may befall them down the line.
The biggest concern was what if one of them were constantly left out or failed to obtain what they wished for. No one could be happy forever under those circumstances and he didn't want them to suffer. Unfortunately, the solution may not be a good one, as it could bode as a reason for someone to ultimately cut ties between him and them.
And with Teru being the guinea pig in this experiment, that only put more stress on his mind. She was a strong willed girl who was not shy about speaking her mind on these issues. Though that also separated from the others, which means does she not share many values with the rest? Would she continue to argue against what the group felt like? "Though I don't want her to feel left out."
"It is nice that is your thought process." Said Anastasia. "She may fight you a lot, but on the inside you care deeply for her feelings."
"Don't we all?" That much was true. None of them would like it if she just broke up with him and left them all.
"If we are… Worried…" Yuma spoke up and gave a suggestion. "Then maybe you… Should talk to her…"
"I mean, sure. But how are we-"
"Alone…" She finished her point.
"I don't get it." He replied. If they were all concerned for her well being, don't they want to be a part of that too?
"Look, you're the one who's with her." Waa understood the point. "Besides, if we all go with that subject. She'll think we're trying to make her think like us." That would likely cause more of the problem they were hoping to nip right in the bud.
"Okay, then I know what I'm doing after school today." He chose to do it later instead of know because by now Teru was likely hopped up onto a tree and taking a nap. So other than now during lunch, he wasn't going to have the chance to talk with her privately until later. At least, given that she was touchy about being romantic during classes.
Unlike with Waa and Yuma who were both keeping a hand on each of his knees.
So this was where he went towards after classes were complete. He made sure to tell his uncle where he was going, which usually also earned him getting an implication that he'd be coming back as a 'man' for going to one of the girl's home all alone.
Teru was definitely going to beat him there thanks to skateboarding. He chose not to inform her of his arrival to surprise the girl. As well as the fact she might reject his offer to come over. For some reason, she hadn't allowed him back there since that one incident before they started dating. Probably because it involved him getting turned invisible, which was probably the craziest thing to have ever happened to him in his life.
On the bright side, at least the second time of him being here wasn't going to be that strange. So that was a plus, he thought.
It didn't take long for him to walk to her house, where seeing it once again reminded him that she was a rich girl. considering the way most of the girls in his harem acted around him, it was easy to forget they were supposed to be members of high society. Well, except for Himawari, she certainly made sure he didn't forget that fact.
Kouji knocked on the door, highly expecting to see Teru's dad answering. That man was pretty nice and laid back, so it was likely he was the one to answer the door. Then again, it was entirely possible for him to be busy with some other random experiment.
Which seemed to be the case when upon the door being answered, he was greeted with Teru's face.
"What are you doing here!?" She was freaked out upon realizing that it was him. Odd, seeing as they don't dislike each other. "Leave, now."
"What?" He wanted to talk to her and this was how she treated him? "Look, I just wanted to talk privately with you about-"
"Teru, who is it?" A woman's voice called out.
"No one, mom!" She yelled back. Hearing that short interaction made Kouji realize that he had yet to meet the other half of her parents.
"Oh, it must be that boy from her school." He heard her dad state out loud.
"Really?" Teru's face went completely white as she showed complete and utter fear in knowing her mom was coming.