Chapter 139: An Arrangement Where Noah Has No Say.

"I don’t want a repeat of what happened between Yume and Luna."

Those words from Aria hit both girls, who looked at Aria as she continued.

"Things like secret relationships..."

Luna didn’t answer.

"Jealousy..."

Yume didn’t either.

"Lies..."

Noah lowered his gaze a little.

"Unnecessary competition..."

Iris raised an eyebrow.

"Unnecessary?"

Aria looked at her.

"Exactly."

Iris replied.

"You’re saying that because you’re the fiancée, right?"

"Correct."

"Then it benefits you."

"That too."

Iris leaned back in her chair.

"At least you’re honest."

Aria clasped her hands together.

"We all know the same thing."

She looked at Yume.

"You want to be with Noah."

Then at Luna.

"You too."

She continued with Iris.

"Her."

She kept going to Ren.

"You."

And finally pointed at herself.

"And me."

Noah raised a hand.

"I feel like I’m not even here."

Everyone looked at him, and Noah slowly lowered his hand, understanding his position.

"Continue."

Aria returned to the topic.

"So we can keep competing in secret, annoying each other, trying to get more time with him and creating problems."

Yume spoke.

"That sounded specifically aimed at Luna."

Luna looked at her.

"I could say the same."

Yume raised an eyebrow.

"I was the first girlfriend."

Luna answered with a tired tone.

"Here we go."

Aria raised a hand.

"Exactly this is what will happen to all of us if we choose that option."

Yume fell silent, and Aria continued.

"But another option is that we can get organized."

Iris frowned.

"How?"

"We’re going to decide that here and now."

Noah raised his hand again.

"Can I give my opinion on that?"

Five pairs of eyes turned toward him with a clear negative message, and Aria answered.

"Later."

Noah lowered his hand and thought.

’I can’t believe this.’

Yume was the first to speak.

"I have an idea."

Luna sighed, knowing what was coming.

"Of course."

Yume ignored the comment and continued.

"Since I was the first girlfriend, I should get more days with him."

"No."

Luna and Iris answered at the same time, so Yume frowned.

"Why?"

Luna replied immediately.

"Because that benefits you more than anyone."

"But it makes sense, doesn’t it?"

"You’re the only one who believes that."

Iris added.

"It has to be an equal amount for everyone."

Yume looked at her with a hint of superiority.

"That benefits you, since you joined last."

Iris pointed at Ren.

"Not anymore."

Ren opened her eyes.

"Why are you dragging me into this?"

"Because you’re engaged to him now."

Ren turned slightly red.

"That doesn’t mean..."

Aria intervened.

"Yes, it does."

Ren looked at her.

"You shut up."

Luna raised a hand.

"My proposal."

Everyone looked at her.

"The days should be organized according to availability."

Yume narrowed her eyes.

"You work here."

"Yes, and?"

"And Noah does too."

"What’s your point?"

"Then you’d end up spending more time together."

Luna stayed quiet, and Yume pointed at her.

"I knew it!"

"It’s practical."

"Practical for benefiting you!"

Luna didn’t answer, and Iris raised a hand.

"My proposal."

Noah started to enjoy the situation a little, just because it was no longer him being attacked.

"Each one chooses a different activity."

Yume frowned.

"Explain."

"I choose games."

Everyone looked at her, and Iris continued.

"Noah and I can be together until that activity is finished."

Ren brought a hand to her face.

"That also benefits you more, since some games last several hours."

Iris nodded.

"Exactly."

Noah let out a small laugh, so Iris looked at him.

"What?"

"It’s nothing."

Ren raised a hand.

"I think Noah should decide."

Noah opened his eyes, since he finally had a vote.

"Thanks."

Ren continued.

"And since we’ve known each other since childhood, probably..."

Yume lightly hit the table.

"That benefits you more too!"

Ren fell silent and then looked away.

"Maybe."

Aria smiled.

"My turn."

Luna looked at her with suspicion.

"No."

"I haven’t even spoken."

"It definitely benefits you more."

"Naturally."

Aria raised a finger.

"We can assign full days."

Yume listened.

"One girl per day."

Iris nodded slowly.

"That sounds better."

"And since I’m his main fiancée..."

"No!"

Aria smiled.

"I had to try."

Noah brought a hand to his face, and over the next few minutes the proposals got worse.

Yume proposed priority on birthdays, Luna asked for priority after dangerous missions, Iris demanded at least one night of video games per week.

Meanwhile Ren asked for time without the others because, according to her, she had already spent too much time faking her identity and wanted to make up for lost opportunities.

Aria proposed private vacations, at which Yume almost jumped out of her chair.

"That means trips..."

"Yes."

"With hotels..."

"Probably."

"Then no!"

Aria tilted her head.

"No what?"

"No private trips!"

"Then all trips will have to be group ones."

Iris spoke.

"That sounds exhausting."

Noah nodded.

"I agree."

Everyone looked at him, and Noah fell silent.

’Mistake.’

Aria finally raised both hands.

"That’s enough."

The others fell silent.

"This isn’t going to work if each of us tries to design a system that gives her an advantage."

Yume crossed her arms.

"Your first proposal gave you an advantage."

"Correct."

"Then you can’t criticize us."

"Yes I can."

"No."

Aria ignored that.

"There’s a simple solution."

Ren frowned.

"What?"

Aria looked at all of them.

"A shared relationship."

The only response she received was silence, so Noah raised an eyebrow.

"Isn’t that exactly what’s already happening?"

"Yes, but without organization."

Aria answered.

"I propose that we officially recognize it among ourselves."

Yume watched her, and Aria continued.

"None of us will try to force Noah to break up with another."

Luna nodded slowly.

"No secret relationships."

Iris added, and Aria pointed at her.

"Correct."

Ren spoke.

"And everyone will know who he’s with."

"Exactly."

Yume frowned.

"And the time?"

"It gets divided."

Aria took a napkin and pulled out a pen.

"We can make a calendar."

Noah opened his eyes.

"A calendar?"

"Yes."

"I don’t need a calendar."

Five voices answered.

"Yes."

Noah fell silent while Aria started writing.

"School days."

Luna observed.

"Work days."

Iris added.

"Weekends."

Yume leaned in.

"And special dates."

Ren added.

"Vacations."

Noah raised a hand.

"I think..."

Yume raised a finger toward him.

"Wait."

Noah already sensed that his opinion would not be taken into account.