Thinking back, I found out that I missed a rather important detail from my interaction with Koizumi Juri.

Was I too focused on returning to Satsukis room or was it because I ended up too absorbed in how she turned out to be a talkative person?

Either way, I seemed to have been treated not as a few years her junior but someone close to her on age. Thats the most unusual thing I hadnt noticed right away.

Setsuna was treating me like a boy who captured her dear little sister so the way she acted around me was understandable. But for Juri, its extremely unusual.

Do I look like an adult to her? Or did she see me as one?

Ugh Anyway, there might not be a reason for me to know. Thats unless I encounter her once more in the future. I will be asking her that question by then.

Unlike the first two days since they arrived from overseas, my parents left even before I arrived home. From what I heard from Miwa-nee, they left pretty early in the afternoon and they seemed to be in a rush.

Considering their job, thats kinda expected so I didnt think too much about it. Theres also no reason to pry on their businesses. Instead, I sent my mother a message to bug her once more, asking her when they will answer my questions about the past.

Its the third day since they arrived but aside from telling me their purpose of returning, theres not much that changed. Well, apart from Minoru slowly getting fond of them.

After dinner, I checked on the mother and child first before retiring to the bed with Akane.

Ah. Right. We first did our routine of taking a bath and the usual pampering. Akane, as always, exuded the joy and satisfaction of being with me. Even if our bed was wide enough to fit four or five people, were always squeezed together in the middle.

Its now a habit to snuggle with me and judging from her comfortable expression, the girl would never tire of it.

As we talked about the things that happened on our day, she once again sighed in amazement at how a lot of things could happen to me in a day. Hers was always only filled with normal school routines. Most of the highlights she would often tell me were about her best friends or about what shes learning in the club she joined.

Following that, we talked about our schedule for tomorrow. I only have that appointment with Mina as well as the part-time job at the gym. Other than that, I will be free until the afternoon.

To use that free time, I can surprise one of my girls after the tea-making competition. Since I had previously walked most of them home, showing up near their place was plausible. Chances like that were scant after all.

Choosing who among them will be up to me. I cannot be at any two places at the same time. Its inevitable that I will have to close one eye for the result of that decision.

This is the fate of having too many lovers that I love all the same. Even if I want to be with all of them, choices have to be made because its impossible.

Somehow, I felt like my mindset when I was only focused on my desire wasnt as taxing as the current situation. Back then, although I planned my tactics to steal a girl, choosing who I would meet was all done on a whim.

Right. Yae, back on the day I reconnected with her, expressed her worry about that in a roundabout way. She told me that I couldnt divide myself and my body might collapse because of the number of relationships I would have. And I brushed it off by telling her that she didnt need to worry since I would be the one to demand them.

At that time, I still hadnt remembered the real emotion I was feeling for them so I could say that in certainty.

Look what happened now? It became a major problem for me because I would always think about the girls that I failed to elect for every free time I got to spend with the one I elected.

When I reached that line of thought, I seriously looked at Akane and brought up the idea of getting a schedule planner for the girls. To fill it up with plans on who I am going to meet at what time and place.

I thought it was a bright idea and I could see her agree to it. However, the girl glared at me and reacted strongly against it.

No way. Im against it. Dont ever use a planner. If you do, dont put my name in it.

After saying that, Akane turned around from me and moved away, her whole body screaming to me that I made her upset. No. Not just upset, shes angry.

Looking at her trembling back thats not caused by her excitement or joy, I was sent into confusion.

This was the first time I saw her this angry. The first time ever since we met each other when were kids.

She hadnt been this angry with me even when I started acting out my desire and kept stealing girls left and right. She kept on obstructing my conquest back then but shes never this angry at me.

Whats wrong with the idea? Wont that solve the problem? Planning my day so that everyone can have a chance

That kind of thought swirled inside my mind. No matter how much I thought about it, I expected a different reaction from her. I was expecting her to praise me for it but no, she did not.

And the worst of all, I was still clueless why that idea made her this angry.

As the first-ever instance seeing Akane this angry, my heart throbbed in pain. I hated it. I hated that I made her angry.

Wont you tell me the reason why?

Seeing her that far away from me in bed, I thought of crawling closer. However, something tells me that I shouldnt. I shouldnt do it unless I understand what I did wrong.

I see. So, this was it. Even if I prided myself to be someone who understood all of my girls, something like this was bound to happen sooner or later.

This was my trait of being too insensitive to certain things. What might be fine for me wasnt for them.

Think. Ruki. Think!

And while I was thinking, my question was met with silence. Akane was still trembling but shes steeling herself not to turn around and look at me.

Most likely, she also feared it. She feared that her resolve would be easily broken once she did turn around or answer me.

Nonetheless, isnt it a lot better if she just pointed it out to me? That way, I can understand better what I did wrong. Did she want me to understand it myself?

Akane If its about that idea that I brought up, drop it. I wont get a planner. I promise. Also, please tell me whats wrong with it. Im dumb, Akane. I said.

I dont know what tone of my voice I used on that. However, seconds later, Akane replied to me, her voice cracking. Yes, youre dumb. You cant understand why I got this angry? I also dont want this, you know. Being angry with you Ill tell you but why dont you try asking everyone the same thing first? I really want you to understand it yourself, about why it is such a detestable idea.