Dinner finally, mercifully, ends. Kenji, having consumed enough food for three people, passes out on the sofa in a sugar-induced coma, sparing us further harem-related commentary for the time being. This leaves me, Rina, Haruka, and Aiwa sitting in a tense, post-dinner silence in the living room. The dirty dishes sit on the table like casualties of war.
Miki and Hana, who wisely "had to leave early," are long gone. It is just the four of us, trapped in the eye of the storm.
Rina breaks the silence. "Okay," she says, her voice devoid of its earlier fake cheerfulness. She looks directly at Aiwa. "Let's cut the crap. You are LUNA. We know it. Rui knows it."
Aiwa flinches but does not deny it this time. She just gives a small, miserable nod.
"And you," Rina continues, turning her glare towards me. "You knew. And you lied to us."
"I was protecting her secret!" I protest weakly. "Just like I protect yours!"
"It is different!" Rina insists. "She is the competition! And she has… historical claims!"
Haruka, who has been observing this with cool detachment, decides to intervene. "Arguing about who knew what when is unproductive," she states calmly. "The current strategic reality is this: We have three top-tier cosplayers, all operating within the same social sphere, and all," she pauses, her gaze sweeping over the three of us, "apparently vying for the attention of the same moderately competent handler."
"Hey!" I object to the 'moderately competent' part.
"The situation is unstable," Haruka continues, ignoring me. "The constant conflict is detrimental to our professional goals and," she adds with a sigh, "frankly, quite exhausting."
"So what are you proposing, Ito?" Rina asks suspiciously. "A duel to the death? Winner takes all?"
"Tempting," Haruka admits with a smirk. "But impractical. No, I am proposing something far more logical. Something… structured." She leans forward, her eyes gleaming with a terrifyingly rational light. "A formal agreement. A rotational system."
My blood runs cold. She cannot be serious.
"You mean… the treaty?" I ask, horrified. "Miki already tried that! It failed spectacularly!"
"Miki's treaty was flawed," Haruka dismisses. "It focused on restriction. My proposal focuses on… scheduled access." She looks at Rina, then at Aiwa. "We establish a clear schedule. Designated days for Rui-kun's assistance and companionship, allocated fairly amongst the three of us. No sabotage, no interference during another's designated time. A professional understanding."
"You want to schedule dates with my brother?!" Rina shrieks.
"Not dates," Haruka corrects smoothly. "Scheduled periods of focused interaction for the purpose of mutual benefit and potential romantic evaluation."
Aiwa just looks bewildered. "Share… Rui-kun? Like… a library book?"
"Precisely," Haruka confirms. "A valuable, if somewhat confusing, library book."
This is insane. This is the most ludicrous, dehumanizing, and downright weird proposal I have ever heard. I open my mouth to veto it with extreme prejudice.
But Rina speaks first. She is looking at Haruka, then at Aiwa, then at me. I can see the gears turning in her head. She hates the idea of sharing. But she also hates the idea of Aiwa getting any unsupervised time with me. And Haruka's cold logic… it appeals to her competitive nature.
"Fine," Rina says finally, shocking me to my core. "A schedule. But I get weekends. And holidays. And his birthday. Non-negotiable."
"Absolutely not," Haruka counters immediately. "Allocation must be equal. I propose a rotating weekly schedule, determined by a complex algorithm I will develop."
"What about me?" Aiwa asks timidly. "Do I… get a day?"
Rina and Haruka both look at her, then at each other. They seem to simultaneously realize that including Aiwa in the schedule is the only way to effectively monitor and control her interactions with me.
"Very well," Haruka concedes. "Matsuki-san will be allocated… Tuesdays."
"And I get Wednesdays!" Rina adds quickly.
"Leaving Monday and Thursday for me," Haruka concludes. "Fridays are designated group activity days. Weekends alternate."
They are actually doing it. They are carving up my life like a pizza, right in front of me.
"HOLD ON!" I finally explode, finding my voice. "Do I get a say in this?! I am not a commodity! I am a person! You cannot just schedule me like a dentist appointment!"
Rina, Haruka, and Aiwa all turn to look at me.
"But Rui-kun," Aiwa says softly, her eyes full of a confusing mix of apology and hope. "Would it not be… easier? Less fighting?"
"Easier for who?!" I demand.
"It is the most logical solution," Haruka states calmly.
"And it ensures fairness," Rina adds, though she clearly believes 'fairness' means she gets the majority share.
I stare at the three of them. My sister, my rival, my childhood friend/cosplay goddess. They have formed an unholy trinity, united by their shared obsession with managing my existence. I am outnumbered. Outmaneuvered. Utterly, completely doomed.
"Fine," I sigh, collapsing back onto the sofa in defeat. "Whatever. Schedule me. Just… try not to clash with my dental appointments."
The Rui Hinamata Co-Management Treaty is dead. Long live the Rui Hinamata Rotational Harem Schedule (Unofficial Title Pending Kenji's Input). My life is officially a farce.