"Now then, Hayato," Yuka's voice was calm, but her eyes locked onto mine with an unsettling intensity. "Care to explain yourself? Aren't you getting a little too comfortable around girls lately?"
From the other side Sanae also asked, her usual meek demeanor nowhere to be seen. "Tell me the truth—have you always been such a Playboy?" Her gaze was just as sharp as Yuka's, if not more piercing.
Playboy? Me? That couldn't be further from the truth. I've always been awkward around girls. In fact, these three are the first ones I've ever been this close to.
Moreover… who are you? Where did the meek, childish Sanae go?
Right now, I found myself seated at a desk in an unused classroom on the third floor, my back pressed against the cool wall. In front of me stood Yuka and Sanae, positioned side by side. One of their hands rested firmly on the desk between my legs, while the other blocked any escape route at my sides, effectively caging me in. Meanwhile, just behind them, Misaki watched the scene unfold with an amused smile, her hand playfully covering her mouth as if barely holding back a laugh.
Why am I being interrogated like this? And more importantly, how did I even end up in this situation? To understand that, we need to turn back the clock a little and retrace the events that led me here.
-------
As I approached them with a broad smile, an inexplicable sense of danger crept over me. Their smiles… something about them felt off. No, I must be overthinking things. Why would they have any reason to harm me?
And yet… why do I feel guilty?
Despite my doubts, I couldn't shake the unease gnawing at me. Swallowing my apprehension, I hesitantly asked, "Did I… do something wrong?"
Despite the creeping sense of danger, I still approached them with an awkward smile.
"No, of course not," Yuka replied, her smile unwavering.
"Why would you even ask that? You were amazing back there," Sanae chimed in, mirroring Yuka's expression.
…Now this is scary.
I shifted my gaze to Misaki, hoping for some kind of hint, but all she offered was a knowing smile—one that clearly said, "Figure it out yourself."
Okay… I'm probably just overthinking things. For now, I'll shove this to the back of my mind.
They didn't complain about anything, and if they won't tell me what's wrong, there's no way for me to figure it out. No point in dwelling on it.
P.E. was the last class of the day, so after changing back into our uniforms, it was finally time to head home.
But just as I stepped into the classroom to grab my bag, I spotted Sanae already there. Well, she hadn't participated in the game, so she never had to change back in the first place.
"Are you heading home now?" she asked, stepping closer to me.
Looking at her now, I felt a sense of relief—she was back to her 'normal self'.
"Well... yeah," I replied briefly. It's not that I didn't want to talk—I just wasn't sure what to talk about.
She grabbed my hand, her gaze lowered. In a soft, hesitant voice, she asked,
"I-I wanted to ask you… w-would you give me a tour of the school? You know, I just transferred today, so I don't really know where everything is."
I scratched my cheek awkwardly. "I'm not all that familiar with the school myself… but if you're fine with me, then sure." This might actually be a good opportunity for me to explore the school, too.
Sanae's face lit up instantly, and before I could react, she started dragging me along by the hand to grab our bags and head out.
Just as we opened the door, we bumped into Yuka and Misaki.
Yuka's gaze dropped from our faces to Sanae's hand gripping mine. For a brief moment, I could've sworn her eyes darkened slightly.
"Are you two going somewhere?" she asked, her tone neutral—but there was something unreadable beneath it.
Misaki, standing beside her, also seemed curious to know.
"I was just going to give Sanae a tour of the school."
Yuka fell silent for a moment, her gaze lowered. Was she… looking at our hands?
Then, she raised her eyes to meet mine and asked, "Would it be a bother if I tag along?"
"Can I come too?" Misaki chimed in excitedly. She probably just wanted to tag along for fun.
I glanced at Sanae. She didn't look particularly thrilled about it, but she gave a small nod, showing she didn't mind.
Taking that as permission, I turned back to Yuka and Misaki with a small smile.
"Sure."
We waited for a bit while they grabbed their bags, and then our walk began.
Starting from the second floor, where all four first-year classes were located, we moved through a long, spacious hallway. A few unused classrooms lined the corridor, and at the far end, there was a restroom for both males and females.
Then, we ascended to the third floor, where all the second-year classrooms were located. Like the previous floor, there were also a few unused rooms.
This school building was massive, spanning a total of five floors, with separate buildings for the gym, library, and auditorium. The school grounds were just as impressive, featuring a football field, a flower garden, and more.
Yet, considering its grandeur and abundance of classrooms, the number of students was surprisingly low. With so much extra space, it was inevitable that many rooms remained unused.
The setting sun bathed the entire campus in a warm orange glow, its light spilling through the windows as we walked down the third-floor hallway.
As I explained what was what, Sanae clung to my arm, silently listening. For a moment, I wondered if she even cared about any of this—but then again, why would she ask for a tour if she wasn't interested?
On my other arm was Yuka, holding on just as naturally. Every now and then, I caught the two of them exchanging glances, though I couldn't quite decipher why is that.
Misaki walked just behind us, her usual energy somewhat subdued. Maybe she had tagged along expecting something interesting, only to find the tour disappointingly normal. She had been quiet for a while, but perhaps boredom finally got the best of her, prompting her to speak.
"Say, Hayato," she began, her tone laced with curiosity. "Earlier, during the game… even though it was just that—a game—did you really not feel anything with how much skin ship you had with that girl from your team?"
I didn't think much of it, assuming it was just one of Misaki's usual tricks to get a reaction out of me. And I wasn't about to give her that satisfaction.
"Of course not," I replied calmly. "I know I shouldn't have done it, but at that moment, I just wanted to win. I even apologized to her afterward."
I couldn't see her face, but I could hear the grin in her voice.
"You know," Misaki said, her tone teasing, "I don't think that girl was actually angry at you."
Curious, I glanced over my shoulder at her. "What do you mean by that?"
"I'm sure even you noticed it," Misaki said with a knowing grin. "In class, she usually acts strong-headed, but in front of you, she was almost meek. And more importantly… after the match, when you were walking off the court, I caught her looking at you with dreamy eyes."
She paused for effect before adding, "On that note, I'd say she's probably developed a small crush on you."
"Hmm? No way," I denied casually.
Misaki chuckled. "Let's go with that. But suppose she does have a crush on you—what would your reaction be?"
I didn't think too much before answering. "I don't know. I'm not the type to enjoy attention, but if it's something like having a crush on me… maybe I'd feel happy about it?"
I mean, what guy wouldn't like it if a normal girl had affection for him? That was the simple logic behind my answer.
However… that turned out to be my biggest mistake of the day.
"Hehh, good for you, Hayato. You must be really happy," Sanae said with a smile, looking up at me.
…Wait. Why did she suddenly switch to that version of Sanae?
"How lucky of her," Yuka added, her voice deceptively sweet. "You never said anything like that when you heard my feelings for you. On the contrary, sometimes you even seem bothered by it. But for her… you're happy?"
Her gaze, much like Sanae's, was hazy.
I panicked. Now I really understood what Misaki was after.
"Wait, no, that's not—"
Before I could finish, Yuka and Sanae suddenly pushed me inside an unused classroom. The door clicked shut behind them as they took slow, deliberate steps toward me in unison.
A nervous chill ran down my spine, and instinctively, I started stepping backward. But before I knew it, my foot hit the edge of a desk, causing me to stumble and sit on it.
I tried to stand up, but before I could—
I was trapped between them.
-------
And that's how I got myself into this situation.
I mean, I'm glad they're getting along now, but… yeah, I'm in trouble.
"Umm, girls," I said with an awkward smile, trying to defuse the tension. "You know, I sweated a lot earlier and still haven't taken a shower yet, so… you might want to back away a bit."
It was a weak excuse, but hey, it is true.
"I don't mind if it's yours."
Both of them spoke in perfect unison.
…Why? Why is that? Does my sweat not stink or something?
"You know," Yuka said, her voice soft but unmistakably firm, "I've been holding myself back, knowing that things like that are inevitable while playing…"
She leaned in closer, her arms snaking around my neck, pulling my face dangerously close to hers.
"But now… I don't think I can help myself."
Her breath brushed against my lips, her gaze locked onto mine with an intensity that made my heartbeat quicken.
"Didn't I say before that when you get close to other girls, I feel jealous?"
I panicked and quickly turned my face to the side to avoid anything… unexpected.
But before I could fully escape, Sanae's hands gently cupped my cheeks, forcing me to face her.
Her hazy eyes locked onto mine, filled with an emotion I couldn't quite place—something deep, something desperate.
"Hayato," she whispered, her voice trembling, "you can't do it. I don't want you to fall for someone else… please don't abandon me."
Why…? Why did her words feel so heavy?
"What are you doing? Stay away from him," Yuka said sharply, her eyes locked onto Sanae.
"I could say the same to you," Sanae shot back without the slightest hint of meekness.
…Really? Now?
Up until this moment, they were practically in unison, but now they decide to bicker?
Though… I just realized something. Are they that?
A rare type of character you don't often see in romcom anime—the ones we call Yandere.
Thinking back on their recent behavior… the possessiveness, the jealousy, the intensity… it all fits.
And that's terrifying.
Sanae wasn't in "Troubled Heroines", so I never knew this side of her, but Yuka? Yuka was never a yandere! This is completely new territory.
Knowing what characters like them are capable of, beads of sweat formed on my forehead. This situation is dangerous. If I let their argument escalate, I might not make it out in one piece.
I needed to end this.
I racked my brain for a solution—anything that could diffuse the tension.
And then… a certain line came to mind.
A line used by many protagonists to handle their yandere girlfriends.
I took a deep breath and prepared myself. This better work.
I placed both of my hands on their heads, gently but firmly.
"Both of you, calm down."
The moment I spoke, their eyes immediately shifted to me, their previous hostility momentarily put on pause.
I took a deep breath and continued, keeping my voice steady.
"Let me clarify something. When I said I'd feel happy if a girl had a crush on me… that's all there is to it. It doesn't mean anything more. As long as I have you three with me, I don't care about anyone else."
"Right now," I said, giving them a warm smile, "you three are the most important people to me."
I observed their faces carefully. Their expressions flickered before softening, their cheeks slowly turning a shade of red.
I silently released a sigh of relief. Thank god, it worked.
Now, onto the real culprit behind this mess—Misaki. That girl definitely needs some punishment for putting me in such a difficult spot.
But just as I turned to glare at her… I was stunned. She was blushing too, just like Yuka and Sanae.
…Wait, what?!
"Hayato, it's not fair if you say it like that," Yuka pouted, looking at me as if I had just wronged her.
"You really sounded like a player right now," Sanae added, her eyes filled with suspicion. A player? What kind of player is she even talking about?
And then, Misaki chimed in with a teasing grin.
"That was impressive. You're getting better at this, aren't you?"
I felt a chill run down my spine. Better at what exactly?!
I sighed again. At least I managed to calm them down.
Looking outside, I noticed the fading light of the setting sun. As if on cue, the school announcement echoed through the hallway, reminding the remaining students that the school grounds were closing soon and that it was time to head home.
Well, there goes our school tour.
We didn't have enough time to finish it today, but there was always tomorrow. No big deal.
For now, let's just head home… if only they'd let go of me first, that is.
That night, before falling asleep, I found myself diving deep into WeTube tutorials—ones about "how to handle a yandere."
It's always better to be prepared for the worst than to regret it later…