Chapter 108: Two Ways to Make Your Love Rival Give Up
Breakthrough.
Looking at the official relationship announcement Renako posted on her social media feed, Mai was so jealous she could grind her teeth to dust.
She somewhat regretted her actions, wondering if she had been too hasty and scared Renako away, allowing Ren to seize the opportunity.
But what's done is done. Could she possibly claim she had given up? She definitely hadn't.
Mai fixed her gaze on Ren's face in the photo, staring and pondering for a long time before coming up with a plan and nodding with considerable satisfaction.
For Renako, she was capable of almost anything.
As for Ren, he was still taking it slow. Although they had tentatively established their relationship, there were still many issues to resolve.
First and foremost was checking whether Mai had truly given up. Even if it was another girl showing interest in his girlfriend, it would still be troublesome. It's not the theft but the constant coveting that's worrisome.
Then there was the matter of how to ensure Renako would accept his harem after he came clean. Unlike Hitori and the others, Renako was the first person he attempted to pursue after his harem had stabilized. If successful, it would be a milestone achievement.
There was a traceable method for this. With Renako, he could completely start from gaming.
So after taking the official announcement photos and returning home, Ren turned on his computer instead of spending time with Yuno and the others. He played ranked games with Renako and gifted her many skins.
Catering to her interests and continuously raising the stakes in ways she couldn't refuse—any normal person would eventually succumb to such treatment.
Sure enough, when Ren arrived at school the next day, Renako was waiting for him at the school gate. Initially bored and kicking at the ground, her face instantly lit up with a smile when she saw Ren. She ran over and hugged his arm, letting him sink into her ample bosom.
Although it was just a short distance, she clung to his arm all the way to the school building before reluctantly letting go.
Hitori and the others were quite understanding, knowing they shouldn't interfere at this time. They didn't accompany them, and didn't even have Ram and Rem drive them to school. Instead, they went to school on their own for the first time in a while, all to create the illusion that Ren only had one lover.
After all, under normal circumstances, knowing the other person already has a lover would make most people unlikely to accept their advances.
Renako didn't detect anything unusual from the harmonious atmosphere either. In her eyes, the dynamic between Hitori and the others was exactly what normal friends should have—and they were indeed genuine friends and close sisters. In a way, Renako's perception wasn't wrong.
"Senpai, Mai-san was saying bad things about you this morning. She said you actually already have a lover."
During lunch break, Renako called Ren up to the rooftop. While eating lunch together, she brought up the topic about him.
That morning, Mai had told her that Ren actually had a girlfriend, and that she was being played by a scumbag.
After saying that, she listed many pieces of evidence, such as love confession songs, being inseparable from the pink-haired beauty in class, and even someone spotting them going on dates over the weekends.
These were all vague pieces of evidence, and Renako didn't suspect Ren because of them, but it did serve as a reminder to her.
That is, for Ren, finding a lover would be all too easy.
So, could the situation Mai mentioned actually happen?
If it did, how should she guard against it?
"It seems she still hasn't given up. Even after kissing and making it official, it didn't work?"
Ren didn't jump into the fire pit but shifted the topic instead. As long as he didn't admit it, then it wasn't a thing.
"Right, even after all this, Mai-san still has her eyes on me. How could I possibly be swayed? We should just stay friends."
Renako, who didn't suspect Ren, was distracted and showed a troubled expression.
In truth, her initial thought about Ren was also that being friends would be enough, but she never expected Ren to take a liking to her, making it impossible for her to refuse.
Whether it was because of the three years of isolation after rejecting someone in middle school or because of Ren's own charm.
"Have you thought of any better ways to make her give up?"
Ren did have other ideas, but saying them might embarrass Renako too much, and he wasn't convinced they would work anyway.
Mai now seemed to think, "So what if you're dating? Even married couples can get divorced. Just see if I have the patience to wait for your relationship to hit a crisis."
The talent of a natural blonde was truly terrifying.
"No, I'll just have to be more careful about keeping my distance from her. If it really comes to it, I'll leave her group. After all, I have you now, Senpai."
After agonizing over this issue for a long time, Renako clenched her fists and made a decision. If Mai still hadn't given up after some time, she would withdraw from her social circle and stop being friends with her.
After all, while Ren trusted her, he didn't interfere with her friendship with Mai. She couldn't betray that trust. It was just a friend, right? She had mustered the courage once and made so many friends. Even without Mai and the others, she was sure to make new friends.
"That probably won't be necessary. Actually, I have another method, one that's more provocative. What do you think about this?"
Unless absolutely necessary, Ren didn't want Renako's relationship with him to affect her original social life. She could cut ties with Mai, but what about the other friends in that circle?
Surely they didn't all follow Mai's lead? Although it wasn't unheard of in Japanese high schools, judging from Mai's previous confessions, she wasn't that kind of person.
"...Senpai, you're a pervert~"
After hearing Ren's suggestion, Renako's face flushed, and she hugged her chest, shifting slightly away.
Ren's plan was to take some more intimate photos featuring the two of them. They didn't need to be overly intimate—just hugging naked would suffice, like chest to chest, without showing their faces.
Without revealing anything explicit, the hints that could be given were quite strong.
Having seen Renako about to be filled like a cream puff, surely Mai wouldn't still refuse to give up, right?
It's just that Renako found this method quite embarrassing. She couldn't help feeling that making Mai give up was secondary, while Ren's main goal was to be intimate with her.
This wasn't surprising, but her maidenly reserve and shyness prevented her from agreeing immediately.
Like the former Hitori, she had a bad habit of being unable to refuse others' requests. Regarding her lover's suggestion, while finding it feasible yet extremely embarrassing, she ultimately agreed to Ren's proposal.
However, they couldn't do it outside—it had to be at her home, where she would feel slightly more at ease.