Chapter 3: I decided to play the mysterious card.

I pondered deeply.

Between a heroine drowning in erotic scenes and one completely devoid of sexual encounters—which one feels more special?

The answer was obvious.

Yeah, no contest—it's the latter.

And so, I resolved to set myself apart from the harem members by not blatantly seducing the protagonist.

The other girls were aggressively hands-on with Rekka. True to their reputation of being in perpetual heat, they'd grab his hand, cling to him, and even engineer "lucky pervert" scenarios at every turn. If Rekka suddenly groped one of them, they wouldn't hesitate—they'd probably drag him straight to the main event without a second thought. That's how intensely their reproductive instincts drove them to secure his "lineage."

So, I took the opposite approach.

No excessive physical contact. While the others pressed their chests against him, I maintained a deliberate distance.

I played the role of an indifferent, expressionless girl—passive to a fault. If Rekka ever gave in to desire and touched me, I wouldn't resist... but I'd never be the one initiating.

Heh. I'll pretend to be an unguarded maiden, all while watching this poor boy struggle against his own urges up close. Fufufu~.

---

The Moonlit Night of Fate—

The day after I, disguised as a mysterious beauty, dropped an obviously loaded line and made my dramatic encounter with Rekka...

As an emergency measure, I'd hurled my phone at him and fled the scene—yet here I was the next day, back in male form, attending school like nothing happened.

To explain why the "mysterious girl" had my phone, I'd told Rekka (still in girl mode) that I'd "just found it lying on the ground." Later, I played dumb: "Wait, someone found my lost phone?! No way! Gotta thank 'em next time~" Smooth. Crisis averted.

So now, I'm just the airheaded friend who dropped his phone—completely unrelated to the enigmatic beauty the protagonist met. It's not that weird for a heroine to cross paths with the MC through a side character, right? And since I "just happened to lose my phone," there's no reason to suspect me. My secret's safe. Hya-hoi!

As for our dear protagonist...

"......Koku, huh..."

He's slumped by the window, sighing like a lovestruck shoujo lead. Elbows on his desk, staring into space.

Then suddenly—bam—a slightly petite, elegant mystery girl shows up with his friend's phone. And she knew his name. Dude's drowning in a fog of intrigue.

Fufufu... Ahh, this is too fun.

"Heyyy, Rekky?"
"...Oh. Pokkie."

This is where the "friend character" shines. The harem girls are too busy gawking at his unusual mood to ask, so it's my job to dig. Listen up, ladies!

"Somethin' up? Muttering while staring out the window? Textbook LN protagonist move."
"Was I? ...Guess so."

I won't point out he always acts like an MC—that's what besties are for.

"You said 'Koku'—"
"Oh, uh... that's the girl I met yesterday."
"The one who returned my phone?"
"Yeah. She was... kinda surreal. Vanished before I could ask for her contact."
"Heeeh~"

Playing dumb, engaged. No way he'd guess the girl's me.

(Note: The alias "Koku" = "black," referencing my hair. "Kuro" was too basic, so I went with the edgier "Koku." Weird names stick better—mission accomplished.)

"...Hah! So you're into her?"

—THUD!

The harem squad (eavesdropping from their seats/doorway) just collectively choked. Priceless.

"N-not like that! ...Okay, maybe a little."
"Bro, that's literally what 'into her' means."

Rekka laughs, but I feel daggers in my back. Better pry harder, or the girls'll interrogate me later.

...Can't stop grinning. I know I should keep a straight face, but playing puppetmaster is thrilling.

They're all dancing in my palm. Best. Thing. Ever. So glad I can turn into a girl...

"So, Rekky. What'd she look like? Cute?"

"Kinda young? Pretty black hair. Wore a black shirt with a white hooded uniform—no idea which school, though."

"You researched her uniform?! Dude, you've got it bad. This is love."

—GASP!!

Pipe down, harem brigade. The normies are scared.

"Well, yeah! She knew my name—and I never reveal it in battles..."

"Mystery deepens. Who is this heroine-tier... I mean, girl?"

Glancing back, the girls are frantically scouring phones/laptops for info. Damn, they're obsessed.

Fufu. Waste of time. My uniform's a one-of-a-kind custom, and "Koku" has no records—no org, no real name. Suffer, my dears~

"Ugh, this clue's useless...!"

"Stay focused, Koori! We'll scout the city!"

"...Right. Thanks, Hikari. Let's uncover Koku's truth."

"For Rekka's safety, I'll summon Otoshi the ninja. After school, we—"

Look at this. A premium harem event, exclusive to heroines.

I've seized the protagonist's interest, thrown the heroines into chaos, and cemented myself as an outsider. Bask in my glory! Heheh!

I was sidelined before—but now? Time to turn this world upside down.

---

Yes, and so—after school.

What I had prepared was the Hyper Invisibility Cloak—an upgraded version of the makeshift transparent cloak that only lasted a few seconds, which I had originally made with Rekka. Thanks to my old man’s modifications, this one could last a full thirty minutes.

Using this, I stealthily made my way from home to the station area, then transformed into a beautiful girl inside an empty restroom.

No traces left behind.

Now, I was the mysterious beauty who appeared out of nowhere—a perfect setup. And when it was time to go home, this little trick would come in handy too.

Now then, time for today’s objective—Operation: Mysterious Girl from Last Night.

The plan? Casually appear before the protagonist (who’s out shopping while lost in thought) like I’m just out for a stroll, then vanish into the city.

Since I’d already confirmed through prior conversations that Rekka was planning to buy daily necessities, all I had to do was nonchalantly pass by his usual supermarket.

If he spotted me in this eye-catching getup, he’d definitely try to stop me.

No need to rush, but letting too much time pass would dull his interest… So depending on how Rekka acted, I might even follow him all the way home.

Not that I expected that timid guy to go that far, but if he got suspicious of me knowing his name and tried to probe for info, I’d play along accordingly. Closing the distance all at once sounded pretty fun, anyway.

I was gonna let my own desires take the wheel here. …Oooh, I’m getting pumped!

“…Oh. Looks like Rekky’s done shopping.”

Peeking from the shadows, I watched as a black-haired boy with red mesh highlights stepped out of the supermarket, carrying a large plastic bag in one hand.

Rekka lived alone in a rundown apartment a little further ahead, and whether because he cooked often or not, he always bought a ton of groceries at once. Maybe I should help him carry them…

“…Wait, no no no.”

Get it together, me.

Right now, I was Koku—a mysterious, expressionless, black-haired loli beauty.

Face? Poker-faced.

Voice? As flat and monotone as possible.

I had to perfectly embody my ideal stoic heroine.

“………”

“…! Ah, that girl…!”

I made my entrance with a casual drift, pretending not to notice him. Gotta sell the whole "you’re beneath my notice" act.

“…Mmm…”

Oh-ho? Looks like the boy’s flustered at our convenient reunion.

“………”

Heh heh heh…

“…!”

…Huh?

He’s… not stopping me?

Why’s he frozen, staring at the ground?

Uh, hello? I’m gonna walk away at this rate! Hey! Seriously!

“…! W-Wait—!”

“WAIT JUST A MOMENT, PLEASE!!”

Just as Rekka finally mustered the voice to call out to me, a shrill cry drowned him out.

…Huh? Wha—?! When did these two get behind me?!

A blonde ojou-sama and a blue-haired girl—Hikari and Koori—were now standing there.

“We’ve found you! You are Koku, correct?!”

“Sorry for the sudden approach, but… mind if we have a word, Koku?”

Crap.

Sandwiched between the protagonist and the heroines.

Is this what they call "surrounded on all sides"?

“H-Hey, you two! What’s the big idea—?!”

“It’s fine. Stay back, Rekka.”

“Indeed. We merely wish to invite this individual for tea.”

The hell kinda "invitation" comes with those murderous faces?!

If I went along, I’d probably get beaten to a pulp—and not with tea leaves, but actual fists.

Scary.

…But.

Don’t underestimate me, girls.

I’m not some half-assed amateur messing around with you on a whim.

This black-haired, expressionless girl isn’t just a disguise—I’ve transformed down to my very core.

A little emergency like this won’t rattle me.

I won’t break character as the mysterious, untouchable heroine—no matter what.

Any cold sweat you see is just your imagination.

That’s right.

I’m the final piece—the one who interacts with the harem protagonist from a completely different angle, setting myself apart from the other heroines.

The hidden, enigmatic wildcard whose very existence is uncertain—the kind of character who wouldn’t even have a sample CG on the official game site, let alone a sprite.

The premium, special-slot, non-harem mystery heroine.

Because that’s who I am—

The Secret Heroine.

“…Understood.”

A voice so cold it sent chills down the spine—completely devoid of inflection.

The moment I turned, my gaze locked onto theirs, and the two girls—who had dragged me into this battlefield—flinched, gulping as they took an involuntary step back.

“…Ah! ‘Understood’… as in?”

The blonde ojou-sama, her mental superiority overturned by a single icy reply, forced out a strong tone despite her visible unease. Beside her, the blue-haired girl had already clamped her mouth shut, overwhelmed by the eerie presence before her.

“Tea.”

Like a machine.

Staring at the two girls, now frozen in place.

“I accept your invitation.”

One step forward.

They didn’t move.

No—they couldn’t.

Like frogs pinned under a snake’s gaze, they trembled before a girl a full head shorter than them.

Their fear was written all over their faces.

“…H-Hold on!”

Just as I was about to take another step, the boy stepped between us, shielding them.

I stopped.

No need to approach him.

The ones who’d kindly invited me for tea were the two behind him.

“…You were invited too?”

“Sorry, but… could we call off that tea party for today?”

He was clearly protecting them.

Maybe he saw me as a threat.

To him, those two were precious comrades—people he’d shared hardships with, people he had to protect.

So he shielded them.

His left hand—the one holding the grocery bag—tightened ever so slightly, radiating hostility.

"Really… sorry about this."

"...I see."

Understanding his feelings, I took a step back.

My expression remained unchanged—like a doll's.

Only my gaze shifted downward, breaking away from the subtle upward glance I'd been giving them.

──…………PFFFTTTTT!!!

Agh! That was way too tense! I messed up!!

No doubt about it—this was a mistake. I didn’t just startle the heroines—I made Rekka wary of me. No two ways about it, I blew it. Seriously, sorry for making things weird, all three of you.

I’m done for today. Time to go home. My "mysterious expressionless heroine" act was way too clumsy.

At this rate, if I stick around, things might escalate into a fight—and with how defensive they are, I wouldn’t be surprised if they attacked me. Gotta run.

My combat skills are barely above a water flea’s. If this turns into a brawl, I’m headed straight for the grave.

"If there’s no tea… I’ll go." "...Yeah. Sorry for stopping you out of nowhere."

Watching Rekka stand protectively in front of Hikari and Koori, it finally hit me.

This must be the difference in affection levels. Sure, I picked the wrong dialogue options, but still…

Well, we did only meet yesterday. There’s no rushing relationship points.

The correct route this time should’ve been ignoring Koori and Hikari and leaving outright.

But before I can book it outta here—wait. There’s one last thing I gotta do.

To smooth things over for future interactions, I need to signal that I’m not an enemy. If they’re too wary, I’ll get labeled hostile.

That said, being too obvious would backfire, so I’ll hold back and keep it subtle.

I stop, then slowly turn back.

They’re still a little tense, so even as an "expressionless" character, I need to make it visibly clear—'I look really, really sorry' vibes.

"...Sorry for scaring you."

Hoping that a humble tone might earn me some understanding, I leave it at that and speed-walk away.

Lesson learned from today’s failure: Being too mysterious isn’t always good. I really didn’t mean to freak them out—next time, I’ll tone down the intimidating glare.

Please, please, PLEASE let them remember me not as "that scary girl who threatened their friends" but as "a girl they accidentally hurt by overreacting."

I’m begging you, universe.

---

I am Rai Electro, leader of the Civil Hero Club and student council president.

Today, student council work ran longer than expected, so I was delayed getting home. After stopping by the house, I went out again with my little brother to do some shopping—but by then, it was already dark.

In the moment I looked away, my brother got lost.

I know. This is all my fault.

Between my duties as club leader and student council president, I must have been exhausted, and my attention slipped. Pathetic. I can’t even face my juniors, Rekka and Koori, like this.

But pride doesn’t matter now. A child lost at night? Who knows what could happen.

I need to find him. Now.

He must be scared, crying all alone—

"P-Peekaboo~... Bweh!" "Kyahaha!"

...Or so I thought.

Turns out, this town has some very kind people.

A black-haired girl in an unfamiliar school uniform was making silly faces, and my brother was laughing along with her.

When I asked her name, she said it was "Koku." Unusual—maybe a nickname?

I thanked her, feeling guilty for not doing more. I offered her the milk we’d just bought as thanks. It was a bit pricey, but it felt like the least I could do. Honestly, I’m just relieved she accepted.

Come to think of it... wasn’t "Koku" the name Koori and the others mentioned? If she’s the type to help strangers like this, no wonder she’s talked about. I should take notes.

"...Then, I’ll be going."

Koku bowed slightly at the bus stop. She was mostly expressionless, but the face she made for my brother? It was pure comedy. If she ever decided to be an entertainer, I’d support her.

"...Um, President Rai?" "Hm?" "I have a request." "Sure. Anything."

For the person who found my brother? Absolutely.

"Could you... tell Koori and Hikari I’m sorry?" "Them?" "...We talked today, but I think I scared them."

No way. Koku scaring anyone? I can’t imagine it. Those two are hardly scared of anything.

...Wait.

Unless... she gave them a look even more terrifying than her funny ones?

So her range spans both comedy and horror? Now that’s talent.

"Got it. I’ll let them know. ...Oh, right—your contact info—"

"Sorry. My bus is here."

"O-Oh. Right."

Before boarding, she patted my brother’s head and gave me a soft smile. To anyone else, it might have seemed expressionless, but after talking to her, I could tell.

I waved back, grinning, my brother doing the same.

"Hey, Miss Koku—" "Just ‘Koku’ is fine." "Then... Koku. Will we meet again?" "Yes. Very soon, I’m sure."

The bus doors closed, and it drove off.

...She was a strange girl.

That hesitant air of hers—I bet her doll-like expression causes misunderstandings. But anyone who’d comfort a lost child for that long? That’s kindness. I hope others see that too.

Good. I’ve made a wonderful friend. She seemed younger, but age doesn’t matter. I’ll see her again.

...Wait. I introduced myself, but did I mention being student council president? Could she have recognized me? ...Nah.

Later, in the clubroom...

When I shared the story, Koori, Hikari, and Rekka turned pale.

...What was that about?