I am that male friend in the harem story

As Ishigami's sincere apology reached her ears, Kaguya's heart raced. She began to craft an excuse, a veil to conceal her blossoming feelings for Shirogane, but the words caught in her throat, leaving her vulnerable. 

"I mean... why should I go on a date with Kaichou?" 

Yet, it was impossible for her not to be attracted by Ishigami's proposal, but it was impossible for her to be straightforward to admit that she was in love with Shirogane. 

However, if there was a justifiable reason, then Kaguya didn't mind though. 

Fortunately, Ishigami was as smart as ever and a reliable junior that Kaguya always thought of. 

"I mean... I am in love with someone and want to bring her on a date, but I am not confident about my plan, so can I ask you and Kaichou to test try my date plan to see whether it is good or not?" 

Kaguya's heart exploded with excitement. She could see that Ishigami had become even more handsome at this moment, and his words filled her with joy and excitement, thinking that her junior was so reliable! 

At the same time, she had decided to clear up his stigma by tomorrow! 

When Ishigami came to the school tomorrow, everyone would know the real culprit, and he was innocent! 

Still pressing her hand against her cheek, Kaguya appeared as calm and elegant as ever. 

"I see... if that's my junior's request, then I can't refuse it, can't I? Who made you my junior? Geez, what a helpless junior. You need my help at every moment, but you don't have to worry. I will help you with Kaichou." 

"...ah, yes, thank you." 

Ishigami thanked Kaguya with a plain tone, yet he tried to be as sincere as possible. 

'If I am as rich as her...' 

Ishigami drank the chamomile tea brewed by Kaguya, trying to mask his frustration for being poor and helpless. 

"Are you okay with this weekend?" 

"Sure." Kaguya nodded, then remembered Ishigami's question to Shirogane on the break previously, who asked him whether Shirogane was free this weekend or not.

"Have you thought of this before?" 

"I am in love with someone after all, and I want to date her successfully."

Ishigami was a kind and understandable junior, so he wouldn't tease his senior anymore. 

Kaguya nodded, feeling satisfied by Ishigami's attitude. "You don't have to worry. I will help you with everything." Still, when she thought it was over, she heard him ask another question. 

"Is that all?" 

"What do you mean?" 

"Don't you want to hear my date plan?" 

"...." 

Kaguya blinked her eyes and still did not understand the meaning behind his words. 

However, Ishigami was still kindly explained to her in a subtle way. "You can give me input on where I should go on this date plan." 

"I see..." Kaguya felt her heart was beating so fast, but—

"Can you tell me your date plan first?" 

Even if she was excited, she was a novice, and it was her first time to fall in love with someone. She also had never gone on a date with someone, so she wasn't sure where to go. 

"Hmm... there are many places that I thought of, such as going to the aquarium, watching the colorful fishes and enjoying the dolphin show... going to the famous spots, tasting delicious foods... strolling around the park, enjoying the quietness together... going to the planetarium, stargazing the beautiful stars together... or even going to the neighbor town, having an escape journey together." 

"....." 

Kaguya didn't say anything. It wasn't that she didn't like Ishigami's plan, but her head was overloaded with all the information as she imagined how powerful it was to go to those places with her beloved! 

All of those plans were so great that she didn't know which he should choose! 

However, even if she wanted to go to all of them, she knew that they only had one chance, so she couldn't waste it. 

Still, she didn't know what to do, so she asked, "I see... all of them are wonderful, and I don't have any opinions of all the choices that you have made, but you can only choose one after all, so where will you bring her?" 

"....." 

Ishigami was speechless, but he thought for a while and said, "I guess... I will bring her on a normal date." 

"...normal date?" Kaguya looked at Ishigami in doubt. 

"Yeah." Ishigami nodded. "Watching a movie together, then eating together as we talk about the movie and many other things, before strolling around the area, and... if there is a time..." 

"If there is a time?" 

If there was a time, they should go to the hotel, Ishigami thought, but he wouldn't say something like that, so he thought for a while and said, "Going to the arcade?" 

This was probably the best answer he could come up with when he thought two high school students went on a date together. 

"Arcade?" 

"Yes." Ishigami nodded and asked, "Have you been there, Senpai?" 

"Not yet." Kaguya shook her head and said, "But I know that it is a noisy place." 

"It is." Ishigami didn't deny Kaguya's opinion, which caused her to look at him strangely. 

"Then, why did you decide to come to this place?" 

"There are many fun games, and even if you don't have any topics for conversation, you can play those games together." 

"I see..." Kaguya nodded. "You can become closer as you play together." 

"Yes. It's like our childhood when we become close to each other naturally when we are playing together." 

Still, unlike Ishigami, who had a normal childhood, due to her identity, Kaguya didn't have a normal childhood, so she longed for something normal, and this date plan attracted her the most. 

"You are right. As this is the first date, let's make the safest bet." 

Kaguya decided to choose this plan! 

"Okay, I will set everything up tonight and talk this to Kaichou tomorrow." 

"...thanks." Kaguya felt a little embarrassed since she knew that Ishigami had accommodated her whim and embarrassment. 

"It's fine. You are my senior, right?" 

Watching his relaxed smile, Kaguya also smiled and said, "You are also my junior, so you don't have to worry about anything." 

The two might not have expressed their thoughts, but they knew they understood each other. 

"Then, I will go back first, Senpai." 

Everything was solved, and Ishigami knew that his stigma would be cleared up soon. As for urging Kaguya, he wouldn't do so, especially when he trusted her. 

Only—

"No, you can't go home now." 

"Huh?" 

Ishigami was dumbfounded, then shuddered once again when he saw Kaguya's sweet smile. 

"I am your senior, right? So, isn't it natural for me to help you? There is still time, so I will help you with your study."

Ishigami's lips twitched, and he knew that this girl had planned something bad. "Ah, no, I don't want to bother you, Senpai. I have troubled you with many things after all." While he said so, he had already planned to escape. 

Yes, while the prospect of being taught by a beautiful senior was nice and all, he wanted the gentle one instead of the Sparta one!

"It's fine. It's fine. You don't have to worry." Kaguya still had this sweet smile on him, grasping his wrist tightly so Ishigami couldn't escape. Unlike most women, her grasp was powerful, especially when she trained with Kyuudo (Japanese Archery) from childhood. 

'Ow! Ow! Ow!' 

Ishigami felt helpless, feeling pain as her fingers dug deep into his arm. 

"So, what's your answer, Ishigami-kun?" 

"...please take care of me, Shinomiya-senpai." 

"Good. I like an obedient junior, so sit down there and let me teach you everything." 

"....." 

As Ishigami sat down obediently, he sighed inwardly, thinking how hopeless he was in front of the overwhelming power of capitalists. 

While he wanted to wash away his humiliation, he knew that he had to be more connected, wealthier, and more powerful than Kaguya. 

Still, while such a thing was possible with his system (probably), he knew that, more importantly, he had to improve his grades and be stronger, especially when he saw the red marks on his arm when he took a bath after he went home. 

---

Who do you want Ishigami to partner up with?