It was late. The fire in the hearth had died down to a soft glow, and the bottle of whiskey was nearly empty, the warmth from the alcohol still buzzing in my veins. We had just finished celebrating the New Year, but as I sat there, surrounded by the three girls who had become my closest friends, my mind kept wandering back to a thought I'd been wrestling with for a while.
Daisy, Liza, and Yabe—they meant more to me than just friends. Over the months, through all the chaos and danger, we'd grown closer than I ever thought possible. We'd saved each other's lives, laughed through the darkest times, and built something that resembled a family. But it was more than that. There were feelings I had for each of them, feelings that went beyond friendship.
I wasn't sure how they felt about me—or if they even thought about the idea of a relationship in a world like this—but the thought had been gnawing at me, and tonight, after a few drinks and the warmth of the New Year's celebration, I decided I couldn't keep it to myself any longer.
"Hey," I said, my voice a little rougher than I intended. I glanced at each of them, my heart pounding in my chest. "I, uh... I need to say something."
Liza raised an eyebrow, lounging on the couch with her legs stretched out. "What's up, Jake? You finally gonna admit you have a weird crush on us or something?"
I chuckled nervously, scratching the back of my neck. "Uh, yeah... something like that."
Yabe, sitting beside me, tilted her head, her dark skin glowing softly in the firelight. Her long white hair cascaded over her shoulder as she leaned in slightly, her gentle eyes filled with curiosity. "What do you mean, Senpai?"
Daisy was the last to speak, leaning forward from her spot across the room. Her cowboy hat was tilted low, but I could see her eyes watching me carefully. "Spit it out, Jake. You're actin' weirder than usual."
I took a deep breath, my heart hammering against my ribs. "Look, I... I don't know how to say this without sounding like a complete idiot, but... I've been thinking a lot lately, about the three of you."
Liza's smirk grew wider, clearly enjoying how flustered I was. "Go on."
I cleared my throat, trying to keep my voice steady. "I care about you guys. Like, a lot. And not just as friends. I mean, I... I have feelings for all three of you."
The room went dead silent.
Daisy raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest. "You got feelings for all of us? Like... what, you wanna date us?"
"Yeah," I admitted, my face burning with embarrassment. "I know it sounds crazy, but I... I don't want to choose between you. I care about each of you in different ways, and I thought... I don't know, maybe we could make it work? All of us, together?"
Liza burst out laughing, nearly spilling her drink. "Wait, wait, wait—are you telling me you're trying to start a harem?"
I winced, shaking my head quickly. "No, no, it's not like that! I don't mean it in some sleazy way, I just... I don't know how else to explain it. I want to be with all of you, and I don't want it to be weird or complicated."
Daisy let out a low whistle, leaning back in her chair. "Well, damn, Jake. You sure know how to make things interestin', don't ya?"
Yabe hadn't said anything yet, but I could feel her eyes on me, soft and thoughtful. She bit her lip, clearly thinking through what I'd just said. After a long pause, she finally spoke, her voice quiet but clear.
"You mean... like a relationship? With all of us?" she asked, her cheeks slightly flushed.
"Yeah," I said, nodding. "That's exactly what I mean. A relationship, with all three of you. But only if you want that too. If you don't, I get it. I don't want to make things uncomfortable."
The silence that followed felt like it stretched on forever. I couldn't tell if they were considering it seriously or just waiting to laugh me out of the room.
Liza broke the tension first. "Huh," she said, sitting up and looking at me with a thoughtful expression. "You know, I gotta admit, that's pretty ballsy of you, Jake. Didn't expect that."
"I'll say," Daisy muttered, shaking her head with a smirk. "You got guts, I'll give ya that."
I felt a flicker of hope in my chest. "So... is that a yes?"
Daisy shrugged. "Hell, I don't mind sharin'. We've been through worse together, and honestly? I kinda like the idea. We're a team. Why not make it official?"
Liza grinned, leaning forward. "You're not as dumb as you look, Jake. I'm in. This could be fun."
I blinked, surprised by how easily they were taking it. I turned to Yabe, the only one who hadn't answered yet. Her dark eyes met mine, and for a moment, I held my breath.
Yabe smiled softly, her voice gentle as always. "If that's what you want, Senpai... then yes. I'm with you."
Relief flooded through me, and I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. "Really? You're all okay with this?"
Daisy chuckled, standing up and walking over to give me a playful shove. "You've got a lot to learn about women, Jake, but yeah. We're okay with it. Just don't fuck it up, alright?"
Liza threw her arms around my neck from behind, squeezing me tightly. "You better keep us entertained, Jake. No half-assing this."
Yabe blushed, her smile growing as she leaned in closer, her head resting against my shoulder. "I'll always support you, Senpai."
I laughed, feeling a mix of disbelief and joy. "I won't let you down."
And just like that, we were in this together. It wasn't conventional, it wasn't what I expected, but nothing about this world was normal anymore. We'd made it this far by sticking together, and now, we'd take the next step as more than just friends.
We were something new—something that, against all odds, felt right.
Q: What would your new year resolution be?