Chapter 127: Kitahara-san, Do You Mind Having One More Girlfriend?

Today, Hayami Rena’s favorability toward Kitahara Chiki had increased considerably, reaching 84 points.

Looking at the system interface, Kitahara couldn’t help feeling rather satisfied.

The progress was faster than he had initially anticipated. Rena had gradually become more comfortable around him, and the events of the afternoon had clearly left a favorable impression.

If her favorability increased a little further, he would be approaching the next important milestone.

At that point, he could make his intentions clear and take their relationship to the next level.

Thinking about this, Kitahara couldn’t help smiling.

Of course, there was no need to rush things. He had already learned that building a relationship required patience, and he was quite willing to let things develop naturally.

After dinner that evening, Kitahara spent some time resting before finally getting up and leaving the house.

His destination was the neighboring residence.

The autumn rain had been falling continuously since the afternoon. Although it wasn’t particularly heavy, the persistent drizzle had made the temperature drop noticeably. A cool breeze occasionally swept through the neighborhood, carrying the damp scent of wet pavement and fallen leaves.

Kitahara opened his umbrella and walked along the short path separating the two houses.

After reaching the entrance, he folded one hand around the umbrella handle and pressed the doorbell with the other.

Ding-dong!

He waited beneath the shelter of his umbrella, listening to the faint sound of rain hitting the ground.

Fortunately, he didn’t have to wait long.

The door opened, and a petite, cheerful figure immediately appeared in front of him.

"Wow! Kitahara-san is here!"

Aso Ai’s eyes lit up as soon as she recognized her visitor.

She quickly stepped outside, wearing a bright smile.

"Come in, come in! It’s really cold outside. You shouldn’t stand there in the rain!"

Kitahara looked at her outfit and chuckled.

"Hehe, Ai-chan, you’re dressed rather lightly."

Aso Ai seemed to have rushed to answer the door without properly considering the weather. She was wearing only a thin knit sweater, paired with silver-gray tights.

Although the outfit looked comfortable and suited her cheerful personality, it wasn’t particularly appropriate for such a chilly evening.

The cool autumn air had already made her shiver slightly.

Nevertheless, her excitement at seeing Kitahara seemed to outweigh her concern about the temperature.

"It’s fine! I wasn’t expecting you to arrive so quickly!"

"Still, you should put on something warmer. The temperature has dropped quite a bit."

"Okay, okay! I’ll remember!"

Ai responded cheerfully before stepping aside to let him enter.

The moment Kitahara crossed the threshold, he immediately noticed the difference in temperature.

The interior was considerably warmer than outside.

The familiar living room was illuminated by soft lighting, creating a cozy atmosphere that contrasted with the gloomy weather beyond the windows.

Asumi Misa was also there.

She had apparently been sitting inside the kotatsu when the doorbell rang. Upon seeing Kitahara enter, she quickly climbed out from beneath the quilt and straightened her clothes before greeting him politely.

"Good evening, Kitahara-san."

"Good evening, Misa-san. Sorry for disturbing you."

"Not at all. Please make yourself comfortable."

After exchanging greetings, Kitahara glanced around the room.

Compared with his own residence, the interior decoration here was considerably more feminine. Cute dolls, decorative cushions, cartoon-themed accessories, and various small ornaments were scattered throughout the living room.

Some items were arranged neatly on shelves, while others seemed to have been left wherever their owners had last used them.

The overall appearance was somewhat cluttered, but it wasn’t unpleasant.

On the contrary, the room had a lively, welcoming atmosphere. It felt like a place where people could relax without worrying too much about keeping everything perfectly organized.

However, beneath all those cute decorations, the quality of the furnishings was unmistakable.

The furniture, appliances, and household accessories were all from expensive brands. Even the seemingly ordinary decorations looked like carefully selected items rather than inexpensive purchases.

It was another reminder that this was a wealthy household.

Kitahara wouldn’t have been surprised if even the cushions and blankets had cost a considerable amount.

"The weather suddenly became so cold, Kitahara-san," Ai said, noticing that he was still standing near the entrance. "Why don’t you join us in the kotatsu? It’s really warm inside!"

She pointed toward the large table in the middle of the living room.

"Misa-chan and I were just sitting there. Once you get inside a kotatsu on a cold day, you won’t want to leave!"

Aso Ai spoke with such enthusiasm that Kitahara couldn’t help laughing.

Before he could respond, she had already approached him and lightly taken his arm, guiding him toward the table.

"Come on, come on! There’s still room!"

Kitahara had little reason to refuse.

He removed his shoes, settled down beside the kotatsu, and slipped his legs beneath the thick quilt.

A pleasant warmth immediately spread around his lower body.

Indeed, it was remarkably comfortable.

For anyone unfamiliar with Japanese households, a kotatsu was a traditional heated table designed to keep people warm during colder seasons.

It generally consisted of a low table with a heating unit underneath and a thick quilt draped over its frame. People sat on cushions around it, placing their legs beneath the quilt to enjoy the warmth.

During winter, it was practically an essential household item in Japan.

After experiencing it firsthand, Kitahara understood why people were so reluctant to leave once they had settled inside.

The warmth was particularly pleasant on a cold, rainy evening.

Aso Ai soon squeezed in beside him, followed by Misa, who returned to her original position.

With three people gathered around the table, the atmosphere became even cozier.

"By the way, where’s Chida-san?" Kitahara asked after looking around.

He had expected to see Chida Rinon as well, but she was nowhere to be found.

"Oh, Rinon-chan is busy with something today. She mentioned having a meeting, so she probably won’t be back for a while."

Ai waved her hand casually.

"She’s always like that. Sometimes she comes home really late because of work. You don’t need to worry about her."

She then turned toward Kitahara.

"By the way, Kitahara-san, have you had dinner yet?"

"Yes, I already ate. What about you two?"

"Misa-chan and I just finished eating too!"

Ai nodded enthusiastically.

Then, as though suddenly remembering something important, her eyes brightened.

"Actually, Kitahara-san, there’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you!"

"Oh? What is it?"

Ai leaned slightly toward him, her expression filled with curiosity.

"Which of the two sisters living next door is your girlfriend?"

Kitahara paused.

Before he could answer, Misa interrupted from the other side.

"Ai-chan, could you please stop moving around?"

Her tone carried a hint of helplessness.

"There’s only so much space beneath this kotatsu. You’re making it difficult for everyone to sit comfortably."

Only then did Kitahara become fully aware of the situation.

Chida Rinon’s kotatsu wasn’t particularly large.

With three petite girls sitting around it, there would have been just enough room. However, Kitahara’s arrival had changed the situation considerably.

His legs were noticeably longer than theirs, and accommodating them beneath the relatively small table was already a challenge.

To make matters worse, Ai seemed incapable of sitting still.

Whenever she spoke, she unconsciously shifted her posture, moved her legs, or leaned from one side to another. Her constant movement made the already limited space even more cramped.

Kitahara could feel his legs occasionally brushing against those of the two women.

Since he was wearing relatively thin trousers, even slight contact was noticeable.

The other two probably felt the same thing, particularly because they were wearing tights.

"Ara? What do you mean, Misa-chan? Was I moving?"

Ai looked genuinely confused.

"I wasn’t moving at all!"

She paused, seemingly reconsidering her own statement.

"Wait... Was I actually moving? But I’ve always been like this!"

Misa pressed her fingers against her forehead.

"You really are hopeless..."

She glanced apologetically toward Kitahara.

"I’m sorry, Kitahara-san. I’ll leave you two to chat. I’m going upstairs for a while."

"Ah, sure. Please don’t mind me."

After giving him a polite bow, Misa climbed out of the kotatsu and headed upstairs.

With Misa gone, Ai immediately turned her attention back to Kitahara.

Apparently, she hadn’t forgotten her original question.

"Now, Kitahara-san! Let’s continue what we were talking about!"

Her eyes sparkled with curiosity.

"Which of those two sisters is your girlfriend? Is it the older sister or the younger sister?"

Kitahara looked at her for a moment.

Ai was clearly very interested in the answer. Judging from her expression, she wasn’t going to let the matter drop easily.

He considered whether to give her a vague response.

However, after a brief pause, he decided against it.

"Ai-chan, that’s actually a rather private question. Technically, I could choose not to answer."

He smiled slightly.

"But since you’re so curious, I don’t particularly want to lie to you."

Ai leaned forward expectantly.

Kitahara finally gave her his answer.

"Both of them are my girlfriends."

For a moment, Ai simply stared at him.

Then her eyes widened.

"Sugoi!"

Her reaction was immediate and remarkably enthusiastic.

"That’s amazing, Kitahara-san!"

She looked at him with renewed curiosity, as though she had just discovered something far more interesting than she had originally expected.

After a brief pause, she tilted her head and asked with a playful smile:

"Then... would you mind having one more?"