Chapter 276: Two People with Similar Experiences
"I merely observed it through the change in your demeanor."
Key seemed very humble about Hikigaya Hachiman's compliment. After all, given the speed at which his junior's strength was increasing, he would likely soon replace his friend's position, so there was no need for him to put on airs as a senior. Not to mention, pretending to be serious was also a very tiring thing...
"You seem very troubled. Let me guess, is it because of those women around you?"
Key looked at Hikigaya Hachiman with a half-smile, his sharp eyes seeming to completely penetrate Hikigaya Hachiman.
"Indeed."
After a moment of hesitation, Hikigaya Hachiman nodded, reluctantly admitting that Key had guessed correctly.
"Haha..."
Hearing the affirmative reply, Key couldn't help but chuckle softly.
"Senpai..."
Feeling a few crows fly over his head, Hikigaya Hachiman looked helplessly at Key, who seemed to be laughing at him.
"Sorry, sorry, I'm not mocking you, I just feel that you and I are truly fated..."
"Fated?"
"It's nothing, please don't mind it. So, how do you feel about the women around you?"
Waving his hand, Key signaled Hikigaya Hachiman not to mind what he had just said.
"As for them, to be honest, I am very troubled."
Recalling the various experiences of the past few months, Hikigaya Hachiman's face showed a tangled expression.
"No matter who I choose, it will cause an irreparable wound to the others. And if I don't choose, it's like two-timing, and everyone will get hurt in the end. Is that right?"
Key looked at the confused junior in front of him, his tone full of emotion.
Fate seemed to particularly enjoy playing tricks on people. He never expected that over a decade later, he would meet someone whose past experiences were so similar to his own. However, unlike himself, Hikigaya Hachiman's current situation still had hope, instead of having to wander in confusion for several years before being redeemed...
"Senpai, have you experienced a similar scenario before?"
The expression on Key's face made it hard for Hikigaya Hachiman not to overthink. That look of reminiscing about the past, he must have gone through what he was going through now, right?!
"That's right~"
Without the expected coyness or denial, Key frankly admitted his past.
"And the final outcome..."
Hikigaya Hachiman was stunned for a moment, not expecting Key to admit it so openly. Then, looking at Key's calm face, a bad feeling arose in his heart.
"Because no one was willing to give up, naturally all three ended up suffering misfortune."
Recalling such an unbearable past, a bitter smile appeared on Key's face.
"......"
Hikigaya Hachiman stared blankly at Key. If he didn't make a decision, would his ending be the same as his senior's?
"Don't look at me with such a sympathetic expression. Although the process was very difficult, I had a happy ending in the end!"
"No, no matter how much I think about it, a situation like that absolutely can't end well, right?"
Hikigaya Hachiman was skeptical of the final outcome Key mentioned.
"How could that be? No matter how difficult the situation is, there is a perfect way to clear the game in this world."
Patting Hikigaya Hachiman's shoulder, Key spoke sincerely.
"Then, what was your solution, Senpai?"
"To make all of them fall in love with me!"
"Huh?!"
"Is there a problem? Since I couldn't abandon any of them, why not just have them all!"
As he said this, Key's originally refined demeanor suddenly became invigorated. No, should I say excited?
"Senpai, are you serious?"
This idea sounds completely unreliable! What era is this? How could he possibly have them all? And even with such ambition, it wouldn't work with the girls, would it? After all, even the best of friends would absolutely...
"Super serious, yes."
After a brief moment of being fired up, Key returned to his usual gentle manner.
"You really are like me. You know, when I first came up with this idea, I was also startled by my own boldness..."
As he spoke, Key embarrassedly rubbed the back of his head, seemingly feeling ashamed as he recalled his reckless youth.
"Then, don't they know?"
"Of course they know. In fact, at the very first moment I was pursuing my current loved one, I simultaneously informed them of my ideal of having a harem."
"And the result was undoubtedly getting beaten up, right?"
"Ah, actually, no. Although they acted quite disdainful towards me at the time, in reality, they were all very gentle."
"So that means, before you told them, they already had feelings for you, Senpai?"
After all, putting himself in the shoes of a girl being confessed to, if a stranger came up and told her that she had already been included in his harem reserve list, she would definitely slap him, right?
"Aren't you the same as me?"
"Eh?"
Hikigaya Hachiman was suddenly stunned.
"Whether it's the two girls this afternoon or the one you rushed to save late at night before, don't they all have a considerable amount of affection for you? Furthermore, it's not impossible that there are others secretly harboring feelings for you besides them."
"They wouldn't, right?"
Hikigaya Hachiman couldn't guess how Miko Yotsuya and Yuigahama Yui would react, but Yukinoshita would definitely slap him. The idea of a harem was a dead end from the start.
"But before I spoke, I also thought it was absolutely impossible."
Key added.
At that time, besides one who was relatively close, the other three had actually only met him a few times, and the difficulty of conquering one of them was comparable to a world-ending level. But even so, he eventually succeeded.
"If you keep standing still, you will definitely face a bad ending, but if you try to find a solution, you might succeed. Of course, my words are only advice; the specific decision is still up to you personally."
After saying that, Key glanced at the complicated expression on Hikigaya Hachiman's face, patted his shoulder, and walked off into the distance.
"Senpai!"
"Yes?"
"From your current perspective, what do you think of your choice back then?"
"It couldn't have been better, of course!"
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