The Stand User Of The Daily World

Chapter 152: The Supporting Heroine Duo

If possible, Shunsuke wouldn't want his "woman" to be in the public eye either.

However, acting was something Mai had loved since childhood, and being a school idol was an essential part of Muse's charm.

So, out of respect for their own wishes, all he could do was make small adjustments—like not holding handshake events, avoiding intimate scenes, lengthening skirts, and having them wear safety shorts under their performance outfits.

As for someone like Marin, who was only considering becoming an idol for money, Shunsuke had no intention of giving her a chance. He brushed her off with a few casual remarks.

After closing Twitter, Shunsuke saw several messages in a row from Utaha.

[Kasumi Utako: Trash-kun, are you still at the police station?]

[Kasumi Utako: Your Twitter account is about to explode.]

[Kasumi Utako: Still not responding? Were you actually detained?]

[Kasumi Utako: Goodbye, Mr. Criminal.]

Seeing Utaha's increasingly blunt tone, Shunsuke covered his face. Did these people really have nothing better to do? I don't even know what's going on yet, and somehow they already have everything figured out...

Just then, another message arrived.

[Kasumi Utako: I saw your new post on Twitter. Are you just going to leave me on read?]

—Uwah, so scary! Aren't you supposed to be in class right now?

And the boldest part? Utaha actually called him out for leaving her on read and immediately followed up with a text to question him about it. Wouldn't a normal person just pretend nothing happened?

Seriously, why hasn't this inhumane read receipt feature been abolished yet?

Shunsuke gently patted the small head of Mashiro, who was still clinging to him, before dialing a number.

The call was immediately rejected.

[Kasumi Utako: I'm still in class, idiot.]

[Fujii: Then focus on your lesson. Don't get distracted.]

Just as he sent the message, Utaha called him back.

"You're supposed to be in class, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I told them I wasn't feeling well and went to rest in the infirmary," Utaha replied matter-of-factly before cutting straight to the point. "You've seen what I told you, right? Go ahead and make your excuses."

Shunsuke sighed. "Why are you assuming I'm making excuses?"

"Because I know you will."

"That's the same thing!"

"The four people you brought to the Classics Club—two of them have already succeeded, right? That means the remaining two are next, correct?"

"Stop jumping ahead and making wild assumptions!"

"So, you really did go after all four?"

—Damn, she's too sharp.

Shunsuke glanced at Mashiro, who had become unusually quiet and obedient, then replied in his usual tone, "You're getting way out of line here."

Their back-and-forth continued for a while, until it seemed Utaha had finally vented her frustration. Her tone softened. "Just make sure you handle everything properly."

"Yes, yes, I won't make you worry any longer, Utaha."

If it were Eriri, she would probably be flustered and start spouting nonsense at this point. But Utaha merely let out a small hum and said, "Good. Make sure you settle everything before coming to my place this weekend."

"Being a great angel isn't easy, huh?"

After hanging up, Shunsuke glanced at Mashiro, who was still clinging to him, then considered Utaha, who had just called, Mai, who was keeping an eye on him, and the people who hadn't called yet but definitely would once things escalated—along with those too afraid to even try. A heavy pressure weighed on him.

He suddenly felt that even if he split himself into five, it still wouldn't be enough. Seriously, how do those so-called "legendary playboys" manage to juggle relationships with a dozen people at once?

Shunsuke made up his mind—when he had the chance, he needed to learn their secrets.

As for the ongoing uproar on Twitter? Well, no point worrying about that. Mrs. Sayuri was already involved, so he might as well leave it to her.

He just hoped that when he went to school tomorrow, it wouldn't cause too much of a stir.

...

"As expected, this was just my wishful thinking."

Sitting at his desk, Shunsuke sighed as he felt the countless subtle glances sneaking in from all directions.

"This is what school is like, huh? Nothing spreads faster than gossip. Don't you think so, Megumi?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Fujii-kun," Kato Megumi replied calmly, her expression as unreadable as ever. "After all, I don't have any friends in class to gossip with."

"Don't say something so depressing. Didn't I introduce you to Rio and Sakuta?"

"But they're your friends, aren't they?"

"...Is that so..."

Thinking of Hayama's trio of loyal followers, Shunsuke fell silent. Maybe he had been forcing his own ideas onto her.

It made sense—Futaba Rio was someone who immersed herself in her own world of science and rarely socialized.

If it were Shikuma Rika, maybe the two would have more in common, but Kato Megumi was just an ordinary assassin with no real reason to connect with a science enthusiast.

Without him acting as a bridge, the two of them would probably never interact at all.

—Maybe he should just start a gaming club and bring Kato Megumi, Kasumigaoka Utaha, and Eriri into it. That way, the harem rivalry could be resolved through their creative works, alliances could be formed and broken, and in the end, the rightful queen would emerge victorious.

As these absurd thoughts ran through his mind, Shunsuke spoke casually, "By the way, Megumi, it's been quite a while now. Why are you still calling me 'Fujii-kun'? Shouldn't you be using my first name by now?"

"...Should I?" Kato Megumi paused for a moment. "I personally think calling someone by their first name before even a month has passed might be a little too fast."

"Have you ever had friends before, Megumi?"

"…No."

"See? You don't have any experience, so where's your basis for saying that a month is too soon? I think it's perfectly fine."

Kato Megumi looked at him with a subtle shift in her expression. "Fujii-kun, do you think I'm an idiot?"

"Huh? Why would you say that?"

"Even if I've never had friends myself, I've spent plenty of time sitting alone in the corner watching others make friends. Or rather, precisely because no one pays attention to me, I sometimes see things more clearly. So I do have a general sense of how these things work," Kato Megumi explained in her usual quiet tone.

—Shimata! I messed up! I treated Megumi like she was Mashiro again!

Shunsuke internally screamed. That unreadable expression of hers had unconsciously made him think of Mashiro, and without realizing it, he had tried to brush her off in the same way.

"Or could it be that Fujii-kun sees me the same way as Shiina-san? As a girl who doesn't understand anything?"

—Kato-san, could you not see through me so clearly?!

Shunsuke finally understood just how sharp Kato Megumi could be.

Without meaning to, he had been completely defeated in this exchange.

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