I am that male friend in the harem story

"What's wrong, Iino? You seem to be sluggish." 

Today was the time for the home economics class, which was the class that was awaited the most by Onodera, Kobachi, Kozue Makihara, and even Iino, especially when, once again, they could taste Ishigami's cooking. 

Everyone knew that Iino was such a big eater. 

Even if her body was petite, she could eat a lot and never got fat, which was something that everyone was jealous of. 

Nevertheless, during this moment, Iino should be like a small puppy who wished for food from her master, yet why did it feel like she didn't appear good?

Instead, she appeared groggy, and her spirits were low. 

"Ah, n-nothing! I-I just studied a little late today." 

Hearing Onodera, who asked her such a question, Iino said awkwardly, as she lowered her head and felt a little guilty before she took a peek at a certain someone who had made her spend a sleepless night. 

"Is that so? I know that you want to maintain your status as the 1st rank, but even so, you need to take care of your health, Iino." 

The mid-term exam would be held soon, and Onodera also understood why Iino started to study hard, or rather, she also started to study with Ishigami in the library. 

Yes, there might be a few weeks or so before the exam started, but due to his dedication and diligence, those around him were also affected and started to study hard. 

Some might be okay with studying one night before the exam, but everyone knew that Ishigami wished to get a good score and change his impression as a student with a low score, and once again, they also wished to do the same.

Ishigami might be a scumbag, but there was no doubt the influence he brought to the people around him was good, as it made all of them wish to improve. 

Yes, even though he was a scumbag, he was still a good person, and because of that, many started to feel worried due to Iino's sudden change. 

What was happening? 

While Onodera didn't have much thought, considering Iino had always appeared as a good girl, Kozue and Kobachi were different. 

Kozue had the highest EQ in the whole world according to the setting of the story of Kaguya, so she felt Iino's dark thoughts. 

Meanwhile, Kobachi, who had known Iino for a long time, knew well that Iino wasn't a normal girl.

Probably due to Iino's parents, who often left her alone, whether it was her mother or father, the two of them had always been busy with work, leaving her alone in the house, without anyone except for the housekeeper, who cleaned up and cooked from day to day. 

While Kobachi knew it might be rude, she knew this girl was broken. 

Still, for the one that was targeted by this girl, Ishigami hadn't felt anything since this morning; he had been focusing on making money on the stock market. 

The electrical manipulation, which he gained from Hayasaka, was a good reward since he could manipulate his smartphone from a distance, and following his "Eyes of Wealth," he had been making money at a speed that would make people's jaws drop. 

This was a robbery, Ishigami thought. 

No, this was even more profitable than mere robbery. 

As expected of a financial market, it was the fastest way for one to make money. 

Nevertheless, it might be strange of him to work so hard, but he really planned to build his power, and frankly, he wanted to buy a company since a mere number was nothing, so he had been working hard to make money. 

'As long as my money reaches a few billion yen, I can buy a company.' 

His plan was to buy a mid-size company, and he wasn't choosy since whatever his choice was, he believed that he could make a lot of money from the industry he chose, and because of that, he was grateful that the choice of the food that the teacher told them to cook was easy. 

"Cookie?" 

"Can you make it, Yuu?" Onodera asked. 

"Let me see the recipe first." 

He didn't think that it was hard, and after reading the recipe, he said it was pretty easy. 

"How?" 

When Onodera asked this question, whether it was Kobachi, Iino, or Kozue, all of them were waiting for his answer since they couldn't wait for him to show his magic!

"It should be okay." Ishigami nodded and said, "Follow my lead, okay?" 

"Okay!" 4x

All of them were obedient since they knew their skill at boiling water well; they would just become a burden for him if they didn't follow his lead. 

As expected, Ishigami's movement was as elegant as ever; he was like that patisserie who had spent decades in France learning under a master and honed his skill like a samurai who tried to become one with heaven and earth. 

It sounded like a dramatization, but there was no doubt many felt jealous of Kozue, Kobachi, and Iino, who could be in the same group as Ishigami, whose cooking skill had reached the realm of god. 

In terms of cooking, Ishigami would be on the same level as Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton in physics or even above! 

"Should I add a variation?" 

"...such as?" 

"Peanut butter, jams, and many others." 

"Please." 4x

Those words showed how much they wished to eat his cookies. 

Still, as these were cookies, Ishigami could bake a lot of them, or rather, all of his classmates simply gave up spots of ovens for him in exchange for one cookie.

The value of his cookie was probably much more valuable than one gram of gold, he thought. 

If he wished to, then this cookie might become a new currency in the Shuchi'in Academy. 

"You guys owe me one favor." 

"Yeah! Yeah! We owe you a favor!" 

"You don't have to worry!" 

"One cookie is enough! I can even become your girlfriend if you wish to!" 

"...but you are a man, right?" 

"Onodera, someone wants to steal your boyfriend!" 

"Bastard, stop hogging him!" 

The class was filled with laughter, but for those who had really tried to steal Ishigami's stick or bad thoughts toward him, all of them lowered their heads in shame, yet the lust in their eyes couldn't be hidden. 

Wealthy, master of cooking, handsome, and also popular. 

This was destructive for any woman in this school. 

Even the teacher was tempted, and naturally, for this girl who held his secret, he was like a fire, and she was like a moth, so even if she were burned by him, she would fly toward him no matter what the consequences. 

"...." 

Only Kozue and Kobachi stared at the girl anxiously and then looked at Ishigami worriedly. 

Still, his focus has always been on the stock market. 

"Ishigami, is it done?" 

"Wait a moment." 

Ishigami answered perfunctorily, then after a while, he said, "It's done." Wearing the oven gloves, he took out the tray filled with cookies, and at that moment, the aroma swept the entire class and the school, causing everyone's stomach to rumble at the same time. 

That noise was so loud that it might be comparable to the sound of heavy machinery during the construction of skyscrapers. 

Unfortunately, those students outside of his class couldn't enjoy his cookies, but his classmates, even if they could only eat one, felt like they had seen heaven. 

Naturally, Onodera, Kobachi, Kozue, and Iino kept many of his cookies and kept them for themselves later. 

Ishigami also shared some with his seniors and his women. 

Still, when he was about to go to Tsubame to share his cookies since this woman was jealous that he hadn't shared his pudding previously, Kozue suddenly stopped him and reminded him with a solemn face. 

"What? What's wrong?" 

"Yuu, you need to be careful." 

"????"

"....."

What the heck?