In Pursuit of Happiness, Starting from Sakurasou

Getting Kanda Sorata to leave Sakurasou on his own would be even easier.

To put it simply, this kind-hearted guy just has a habit of picking up stray kittens off the streets. But the dormitory at Suimei University of the Arts doesn't allow pets, which forced him to live in Sakurasou, the infamous haven for so-called "weirdos."

They call them weirdos, but in truth, most of the residents of Sakurasou are geniuses—eccentric, maybe, but geniuses nonetheless. Meanwhile, Kanda Sorata is just an ordinary guy with a soft spot for helpless creatures. Living among them makes him feel out of place, weighed down by the constant pressure of being surrounded by talent.

So, he's been working hard to find good homes for the kittens he rescues. One by one, he sends them off to new owners, hoping that once he's given them all away, he can finally move out of Sakurasou.

However—

Nozomi had been right about one thing.

The kittens Sorata sent away eventually grew up and became mothers. And, as fate would have it, those mother cats stirred up trouble in the local cat community. The result? Sorata ended up as an unwitting savior of feline society. It was almost like the cats had started a secret network, spreading word that whenever a kitten was born, it should be delivered straight to him. Before he knew it, he was picking up more and more stray kittens every day.

This kind of mysterious "Cat Whisperer" ability… someone like Yukinoshita Yukino would probably be incredibly jealous.

It's well-known that Yukinoshita carries cat food in her bag, hoping to feed the strays she meets on the street. But, much to her frustration, the cats always keep their distance. No matter how many times she tries, not a single cat ever accepts her food.

Ahem. Back to the main point.

If the goal was to get Sorata to leave Sakurasou voluntarily, the solution was simple—deal with the cats.

Of course, Nozomi wasn't heartless enough to do something cruel like getting rid of them permanently.

Instead, he made a few calls and got in touch with the owner of a well-known pet shop. With a generous offer of 2 million yen, he convinced the shop owner to come to Sakurasou and adopt the cats.

Well, not all of them. Sakurasou still needed a few adorable mascots for the sake of atmosphere.

So why couldn't Sorata just send the cats away on his own?

Simple. He's just an ordinary student. He doesn't have the money or resources to find proper homes for all of them. It's not as easy as just handing them off to strangers—he has to make sure they go to good owners.

But the pet shop owner Nozomi contacted was different.

She wasn't just running a pet store—she also operated a "Cat Café," a place where people could relax and interact with cats in a comfortable setting. Since her business depended on these cats, she took great care of them, keeping them healthy, clean, and well-fed. There was no risk of animal abuse or mistreatment.

And since Nozomi had paid such a large sum, it wasn't just an adoption—it was an investment.

At the end of their discussion, the shop owner was so touched that she offered him a 10% share in the business. It was more money than she expected to receive, and she felt indebted to him.

From her perspective, Nozomi wasn't just some rich guy throwing money around—he was a cat lover, a kind-hearted person who genuinely cared about their well-being.

Well, she wasn't completely wrong.

Once everything was settled, Nozomi invited the shop owner to accompany him back to Sakurasou. It would be easier to have her explain things directly to Sorata.

On the way, Nozomi took out his notebook and began working on a game concept.

The theme? A dark magical girl story—something along the lines of Puella Magi Madoka Magica.

Right now, the most famous magical girl anime in this world was Magical Girl Meruru. Several seasons had already aired, making it a long-running franchise.

If Kousaka Kirino existed in this world, she would probably own every single piece of Meruru merchandise available.

Kousaka Kirino, from Ore no Imouto ga Konnani Kawaii Wake ga Nai, is a textbook example of a tsundere heroine.

But if Nozomi had to pick between tsundere Kirino and her best friend, Aragaki Ayase, he'd definitely go for Ayase.

That girl was an angel.

Ahem. Off-topic again.

Back to work.

Before his reincarnation, Nozomi had spent time writing web novels, so coming up with a compelling plot wasn't difficult. He quickly drafted a rough outline of the story, fleshing out the key themes and characters.

By the time he finished, he and the shop owner had arrived at Sakurasou.

Nozomi knocked on the door.

"Oi, Kanda! Come out for a sec. I've got something important to talk to you about."

"Coming!"

The door swung open, and Kanda Sorata stepped out, looking surprised.

When he saw Nozomi standing there with a gentle, mature-looking woman, he immediately looked flustered.

"U-uh… Mr. Landlord? What's going on? And… who is this onee-san?"

Nozomi smiled and gestured toward the woman beside him.

"This is Satomi Ishihara-san, the owner of a well-known pet store on Chiba's Commercial Street."

Sorata blinked in confusion.

"Haven't you been looking for suitable owners for your cats? Well, Satomi-san here runs a pet store and a cat café. If you're willing, she can take all of them in and give them a good home."

Kanda Sorata's face lit up with excitement, but as he glanced at the numerous cats lounging around the room, his expression clouded with hesitation.

"I do want to find proper owners for them, but..." he trailed off, conflicted.

Satomi-san smiled warmly, exuding the gentle aura of a responsible older sister. "You're worried, aren't you? Afraid I might not take care of them properly? That's completely understandable."

She crouched down to pet one of the kittens, her voice soft yet reassuring. "Why don't you come visit my shop? You can see firsthand how the cats live, how they're treated, and how much we care for them. That way, you'll know for sure if it's the right choice."

Sorata's face turned slightly red, whether from gratitude or simply being flustered by Satomi-san's kind demeanor, Nozomi couldn't tell.

"I-I'd like that!" he agreed eagerly.

With that, Sorata followed Satomi-san out of Sakurasou, likely to resolve the cat dilemma once and for all.

Nozomi leaned against the doorframe, watching them leave with a satisfied smirk. "Well, that should take care of things."

With Sorata gone and the cats soon to be rehomed, it wouldn't be long before he'd have no reason to stay in Sakurasou. Killing two birds with one stone—perfect.

Glancing at the stack of papers in his hand, Nozomi walked over to Kamiigusa Misaki's room, slipping his latest game proposal under her door. Now all that was left was to wait for her inevitable reaction.

Meanwhile, Ogihara Sayu diligently cleaned, kneeling on the floor as she wiped down the wooden panels. Every now and then, she stole a glance at him, her lips pursed into a small pout, her eyes carrying a hint of grievance.

She was jealous.

After all, she had been the one in Nozomi's arms last night.

But later, Kamiigusa Misaki had taken her place.

What embarrassed her the most was that it seemed as though she alone wasn't enough for Nozomi. Kamiigusa-senpai had stepped in, and things had escalated from there.

What was this situation?

Sayu had long accepted that Nozomi wouldn't be satisfied with just one girl.

Even so, facing reality was different from merely acknowledging it. Would she still be able to experience Nozomi's warmth and affection with other girls around?

A flicker of anxiety bloomed in her heart.

Just as she was lost in thought, a warm hand gently landed on her head, stroking her soft hair in slow, comforting motions.

"What's on your mind? You're frowning."

It was Nozomi's voice.

The warmth of his touch sent a rush of emotions through Sayu, making her eyes glisten. Without thinking, she dove into his arms, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist.

"Nozomi... can I still stay here?"

"Of course. Have you forgotten? You're a part of Sakurasou now."

"If it's about last night with Misaki-senpai—"

"No, it's not that. I don't mind… If anything, Senpai suffered the most."

Sayu's cheeks burned a deep shade of red. Resting her head against his chest, she mumbled in a small, embarrassed voice, "It's just… I feel so inadequate."

"I wanted to give my all to you… but my body just couldn't keep up."

It frustrated her. She had tried her best, yet she hadn't been able to fully satisfy him. Compared to someone like Kamiigusa Misaki, she felt so… lacking.

Her strength was too low. If she was this weak, could she really claim to be the only one for him?

Hearing Sayu's words, Nozomi blinked in surprise before his lips curled into an amused smirk.

"If that's the case… then try getting along with Misaki-senpai."

"But for now, it's best if we pretend nothing happened."

After all, Kamiigusa Misaki hadn't asked him to take responsibility.

"I get it," Sayu murmured, casting him a slightly bitter look.

Nozomi exhaled lightly, shaking his head.

This was almost too convenient.

Even Sayu, who had initially been so possessive, was now feeling guilty simply because she couldn't satisfy him alone.

This was practically the perfect excuse to keep multiple women at his side.

***********8

I don't know how to feel about this flimsy justification for a harem.....In any case, I think I tried adding more weight to justify it during the 3some.

Let's see how it goes.