Chapter 119: A Difficult Choice

The rain wasn’t particularly heavy.

Kitahara Chiki still chose to walk home.

There was something charming about strolling beneath a gray sky while a gentle breeze carried the fine rain through the streets. The occasional droplets landed on his face, bringing a refreshing coolness that helped clear his mind. The streets were relatively quiet, and the soft patter of rain against the pavement created a peaceful atmosphere.

As he walked, his thoughts gradually drifted back to his recent encounter with Suzuki Misaki.

The more carefully he recalled their interaction, the more he felt that something about her behavior had been unusual.

At first, he hadn’t paid much attention to it. He had simply assumed that Misaki was in a good mood and had been treating him more warmly than usual. However, after replaying the scene in his mind, he began noticing details he had previously overlooked.

Her expressions, her occasional hesitation, and the way she had looked at him had all seemed somewhat different from usual.

She... hadn’t quite been herself.

There had been a special kind of attention in her gaze, accompanied by a hint of seductiveness and shyness. Although he hadn’t thought much of it at the time, those details now seemed rather suspicious.

A bold possibility suddenly emerged in Kitahara’s mind.

Could it be that Suzuki Misaki also wanted some "mugwort"?

The thought surprised him.

After all, their relationship had always been fairly straightforward. They were friends who worked together, and although Misaki had always treated him well, he had never seriously considered that her feelings might have developed beyond friendship.

Could his enhanced charm really be that powerful?

Kitahara couldn’t help touching his chin thoughtfully. If Misaki had genuinely developed romantic feelings for him, he would have to reconsider how he approached their relationship. She was someone he respected, and he didn’t want to misinterpret her intentions based on a few unusual expressions.

Before making any assumptions, he needed more information.

"System bro, do I really have to add someone as my girlfriend before I can check her favorability? Isn’t that a little unreasonable? If I can’t understand the other person’s attitude toward me, how am I supposed to make an informed decision?"

He had considered this restriction inconvenient for quite some time.

Ideally, he should be able to check anyone’s favorability. That would make it much easier to understand his relationships and determine how to proceed.

"Ding! The host has raised a valid point. Adjusting the system settings immediately."

A moment later, the familiar notification sounded again.

"Ding! Adjustment complete. The favorability checking function has been upgraded. From now on, the host can check the favorability of all women toward you."

Kitahara was pleasantly surprised by the system’s efficiency.

Looking at the interface, he discovered that a search box had appeared beneath the existing information. All he needed to do was enter a woman’s name, and her current favorability score would immediately appear.

Without wasting another second, he entered "Suzuki Misaki."

The result appeared almost instantly.

Favorability: 80 points.

"Oh?"

Kitahara raised his eyebrows.

Eighty points! That was even higher than Rena-chan’s current score.

He hadn’t expected Misaki to have developed such strong feelings toward him. Perhaps he had overlooked her attitude because they had known each other for so long. Their familiarity had made him take her kindness for granted.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

This was getting interesting.

Curious about the other women he had recently met, Kitahara continued testing the new function.

First, he entered Chida Rinon’s name.

Favorability: 50 points.

That seemed reasonable. They had only recently become acquainted, and his enhanced charm, decent appearance, conversational skills, and reputation as a writer had probably left her with a favorable first impression.

Next was Misa-chan.

Favorability: 50 points.

Again, nothing particularly surprising.

Finally, Kitahara entered Ai-chan’s name.

Favorability: 82 points.

"Wait a minute!"

Kitahara nearly stopped walking.

Eighty-two points?

He checked the result again, but the number remained unchanged.

What on earth was going on with this girl?

They had barely met, yet her favorability was already higher than Misaki’s. It was even higher than Rena-chan’s score had been when he checked it previously.

That was practically bizarre!

Unfortunately, the system only displayed the number without explaining the reasons behind it. Kitahara could only wait for another opportunity to interact with Ai-chan and figure things out himself.

However, the results had created another problem.

He had only one girlfriend slot remaining.

Originally, Kitahara had thought that obtaining an additional slot was already generous enough. Being able to pursue two relationships simultaneously seemed like a considerable advantage.

Now, with both Misaki and Ai-chan showing such high favorability, that single slot suddenly seemed insufficient.

If only the system allowed unlimited slots!

After considering the matter, Kitahara decided not to rush into a decision. He would observe both women a little longer and see how their relationships developed naturally.

For now, Ai-chan interested him the most. Her unexpectedly high favorability was simply too strange to ignore.

What exactly had made her feel so positively toward him?

He would have to find out later.

With that thought in mind, Kitahara resumed his journey home.

...

By the time Kitahara arrived, his hair was dripping wet, and his clothes had absorbed a considerable amount of rainwater.

Hayami Rina noticed him as soon as he entered and hurried over with a worried expression.

"Kitahara-kun, you walked home in the rain? Why didn’t you take a car or call me? I could have come to pick you up!"

"Hehe, it’s fine, Rina-nee. It’s only a little rain. I actually find walking in the rain quite pleasant sometimes."

"That’s still not okay! What if you catch a cold? The weather has already gotten colder."

Rina’s pretty face was filled with concern. She quickly fetched a clean towel and carefully dried his hair, paying particular attention to the dampness around his forehead and neck.

Kitahara watched her with a smile.

Rina really was considerate. She always seemed to notice the little things other people might overlook, and whenever he returned home, she would do whatever she could to make sure he was comfortable.

After helping him dry off, she hurried toward the bathroom.

"Wait here for a moment. I’ll prepare some warm water for you. Take a bath and warm yourself up properly."

A short while later, she returned to inform him that the bathtub was ready.

The tub had been filled with warm water, and Rina had thoughtfully added some bath salts and scattered a few flower petals across the surface. A faint fragrance lingered in the room, creating a relaxing atmosphere.

Kitahara couldn’t help appreciating her thoughtfulness.

Although he knew he wouldn’t catch a cold so easily, that didn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy being cared for.

After changing out of his wet clothes, he stepped into the bathtub.

The warmth enveloped his body immediately. He settled into the water and let out a quiet sigh of satisfaction. The pleasant temperature gradually dispelled the chill from the rain, while the fragrance of the bath salts helped him relax.

For a moment, he simply sat there, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere.

Rina had certainly put considerable thought into preparing everything.

Just as Kitahara was beginning to settle into the bath, he heard the bathroom door open.

He turned his head in surprise.

"Huh? Why is Rina-nee coming in too?"