Chapter 224: Noah has a conversation with each girlfriend [1].

Noah looked over the contact list on his phone, since the time had come to fulfill what he had promised Luna: personally informing each of his girlfriends that he would be meeting with Ayane.

In principle, it didn’t seem like a complicated task, since all he needed to do was explain that Ayane had asked to speak with him in private and that he had accepted.

However, considering his girlfriends’ personalities, Noah knew the reactions could be quite different.

’I hope none of them get too upset.’

He had already spoken with Luna, who, although she hadn’t been happy at first, had finally agreed to respect his decision.

Now the others were left, so Noah checked his messages. Yume was free that afternoon, while Iris had mentioned she wanted to play with him.

Besides, Aria had been insisting for several days on inviting him to dinner, and Ren had promised to show him a new mini-game house that had opened near the high school.

’Well, at least I have an excuse to spend time with all of them.’

Noah sighed and then opened the conversation with Yume.

[Hey, Yume. Want to hang out this afternoon?]

The reply came almost immediately.

[Yes!]

Noah smiled.

[How about the plaza near the station?]

[Perfect!]

[We can grab some ice cream.]

[I love that idea!]

A few seconds later another message arrived.

[Just the two of us?]

Noah blinked.

[Yeah.]

The response was instant.

[THEN IT’S A DATE!]

Noah brought a hand to his forehead.

’Of course.’

That afternoon, Yume arrived at the plaza ten minutes early. She was wearing a casual pink dress and had clearly spent quite a bit of time getting ready.

When she spotted Noah waiting near a fountain, she raised a hand.

"Noah!"

He turned.

"Hey, Yume."

The girl hurried over and hugged him.

"I missed you!"

Noah returned the hug.

"We saw each other yesterday."

"That doesn’t mean I can’t miss you."

"I guess you’re right."

Yume smiled, satisfied, and then took his hand.

"Shall we get that ice cream?"

"Sure."

They walked over to a small nearby stand, where Yume ordered strawberry and vanilla while Noah chose chocolate.

Then they found an empty bench and sat down together.

For several minutes they talked about high school and plans for the weekend.

Yume seemed especially happy, and Noah watched her as he ate his ice cream.

’I should tell her now.’

He waited until she finished telling an anecdote about a classmate.

"By the way, Yume."

She looked up.

"Yeah?"

"There’s something I wanted to talk to you about."

Yume smiled.

"What is it?"

Noah took a deep breath.

"I’m going to meet with Ayane."

Yume’s smile vanished.

"..."

Noah waited, and Yume blinked slowly.

"Ayane?"

"Yeah."

"Ayane Kagetsu?"

"Exactly."

"The same Ayane who’s from the enemy organization?"

Noah nodded.

"That’s right."

Yume slowly lowered her ice cream.

"..."

In her imagination, several tiny versions of herself appeared at once.

One was wearing glasses and holding a notebook, another was dressed in a military uniform, the third was crying, and a fourth was holding a sign that said: EMERGENCY!

"We have a problem!"

The military Yume shouted.

"A huge problem!"

Added the one with the sign, while the glasses Yume adjusted her lenses.

"First we need to analyze the facts."

"We don’t need to analyze anything!"

Protested the crying Yume.

"Another girl wants to take Noah!"

"That’s not confirmed yet!"

"But we know how these things end!"

The military Yume slammed an imaginary table.

"I propose immediate intervention!"

"No!"

Answered the glasses Yume.

"We already know what happened when Luna intervened!"

"Then we can intervene differently!"

"How?"

The military Yume smiled.

"By inviting Ayane to a friendly meeting!"

The others stared at her.

"And then?"

Asked the one with the sign.

"We politely explain that Noah is booked for the next fifty years!"

"That’s not friendly!"

"We can offer her cake!"

The crying Yume started sobbing.

"I don’t want another girlfriend!"

The glasses Yume sighed.

"We have to consider something important."

Everyone fell silent.

"If Noah is telling us personally, it means he wants to be honest with us."

The military Yume crossed her arms.

"That doesn’t change the fact that Ayane is a rival."

"But stopping him from talking to someone would only cause problems."

The crying Yume lifted her head.

"So what do we do?"

The glasses Yume answered with complete seriousness.

"Trust Noah."

There was silence, and finally the military Yume slowly lowered her arms.

"...I hate it when you’re right."

In the real world, Yume remained frozen with the ice cream near her lips, so Noah watched her.

"Yume?"

She reacted immediately.

"Yes!"

"You okay?"

"Totally fine!"

Noah raised an eyebrow.

"You sure?"

Yume looked down.

"...Not really."

Noah sighed.

"I get it."

She looked at him.

"Why do you want to see her?"

"Because she asked to talk."

"About what?"

"I don’t know exactly."

Yume frowned slightly.

"You don’t know?"

"No."

"And you accepted?"

"Yes, I did."

Yume stayed quiet, then asked something else.

"Do you think she’s going to confess?"

Noah nearly dropped his ice cream.

"..."

Yume’s eyes went wide.

"SERIOUSLY?!"

"I didn’t say anything!"

"Your face said it!"

"Yume!"

She puffed her cheeks a little, and Noah took a deep breath.

"Look, I don’t know what Ayane wants to tell me, but last time our conversation ended in a pretty awkward way."

Yume immediately remembered Luna.

"...Ah."

"So I want to hear her out."

Yume looked down and stayed thoughtful for a few seconds, then spoke.

"I don’t like it."

Noah nodded.

"I understand."

"I don’t like thinking that another girl might confess to my boyfriend."

"I know."

"And even less if she’s from that organization."

Noah looked at her.

"That worries me too."

Yume played with the little cup of her ice cream.

"But..."

She lifted her gaze.

"I’m not going to oppose it."

Noah’s eyes widened slightly.

"Really?"

Yume nodded.

"Yes."

Then she paused briefly.

"You told me because you wanted to be honest with me, right?"

"Exactly."

"Then I want to trust you."

Noah smiled.

"Thanks, Yume."

She looked away a little.

"Although I have one condition."

Noah sighed.

"What is it?"

"When you finish talking with her, I want you to tell me how it went."

"Alright."

"And let me know when you get home."

"That too."

Yume smiled.

"Then we’re good."

Noah leaned in and kissed her on the cheek.

"Thank you."

Yume blushed immediately.

In her imagination, the little Yumes started celebrating.

"KISS OBTAINED!"

"The negotiation was a success!"

"Our relationship remains stable!"

The military Yume raised both arms.

"VICTORY!"

However, the glasses Yume raised a hand.

"Remember that Ayane still hasn’t confessed."

Everyone froze, and the crying Yume started up again.

"NOOOOO!"

In the real world, Yume hugged Noah’s arm.

"Noah."

"Yeah?"

"Can we stay a little longer?"

He smiled.

"Of course."

Yume rested her head on his shoulder and, for now, decided to enjoy their date.

The next day, Noah met up with Iris in her room to play video games, since they had planned to try a co-op game Iris had been recommending for several days.

She was sitting in front of a screen, holding a controller with both hands, and Noah took the seat beside her.

"From the left."

Iris pointed out.

"What?"

"Enemy."

Noah looked at the screen.

"Ah!"

His character took a hit.

"Where did that come from?!"

"From the left."

"I already got that!"

Iris kept playing calmly.

"Then dodge."

"I’m trying!"

For the next several minutes, Noah did everything he could to keep up, while Iris, as always, showed impressive skill.

She took out enemies, picked up items, and completed objectives while Noah tried not to lose all his lives.

Finally they reached a safe zone, and Noah let out a sigh.

"I need a break."

Iris looked at him.

"We’ve only been at it for forty minutes."

"For you that’s nothing."

"Yeah."

"..."

Noah drank some water and then remembered the pending matter.

"Iris."

"Yeah?"

"I wanted to tell you something."

She kept her eyes on the screen.

"I’m listening."

"I’m going to meet with Ayane."

Iris’s character stopped moving just as an enemy appeared from the side and attacked, making her health bar drop rapidly.

Noah’s eyes widened.

"Iris!"

She reacted, but too late, her character went down and the screen showed the defeat message.

"..."

Noah looked at the monitor, then at Iris, who remained still, and finally spoke.

"That was unexpected."

Noah blinked.

"The defeat?"

"No."

Iris slowly turned her head.

"The Ayane part."

Noah set his controller on the desk.

"Ah."

Iris looked at him.

"Are you two going on a date?"

"No, it’s not that."

"A meeting?"

"Yes."

"Alone?"

Noah nodded.

"Probably."

Iris stayed quiet for a few seconds, then asked,

"She invited you?"

"That’s right."

"And you accepted?"

"Exactly."

Iris turned her gaze back to the screen.

"...I see."

Noah waited, and she restarted the level.

"Don’t you want to ask me anything else?"

Iris thought for a few seconds.

"Is it dangerous?"

Noah raised his eyebrows slightly.

"I hope not."

"Then it’s fine."

"..."

Noah blinked.

"Just like that?"

Iris nodded.

"Yes."

"It doesn’t bother you?"

"Not particularly."

Noah looked at her, and Iris continued.

"If you want to talk with Ayane, you can."

"Thanks."

"Besides..."

She paused briefly.

"I don’t think forbidding you would do any good."

Noah smiled.

"I’m glad you understand."

Iris looked at him.

"Although I need to clarify something."

"What?"

"When I said I didn’t have a problem, that doesn’t mean I want another girlfriend in the group."

Noah nearly choked on his water.

"Iris!"

She tilted her head slightly.

"What?"

"I’m not saying I’m going to start another relationship!"

"I know."

"I’m just going to talk!"

"It’s fine."

Iris looked back at the screen and then added,

"But conversations with you tend to end in weird ways."

Noah opened his mouth and then closed it.

’I can’t argue with that.’

Iris picked up her controller.

"Shall we continue?"

Noah sighed.

"Alright."

They both kept playing, but a few minutes later Iris made another mistake and her character fell into a pretty obvious trap.

Noah looked at her.

"Iris."

"Yeah?"

"Are you distracted?"

"No."

"You just fell into a trap that you yourself taught me to avoid."

"..."

Iris stayed quiet, then answered,

"It was a mistake."

Noah smiled slightly.

"You sure it doesn’t bother you?"

Iris lowered the controller and looked at him for a few seconds, then finally sighed.

"A little."

Noah nodded.

"I understand."

"But it’s not your problem."

"How is it not?"

Iris looked away.

"I mean I can feel uncomfortable without trying to stop you from doing something."

Noah smiled.

"Thanks for telling me."

Iris picked up the controller again.

"You’re welcome."

After a few seconds she added,

"But today you have to play with me until we finish this mission."

Noah looked at the screen, the mission still had several stages left.

"...How much is left?"

"Three hours."

"..."

Iris smiled just a little.

"Any problem?"

Noah slowly picked up his controller.

"None."