I am that male friend in the harem story

"...I never thought that Kei-chan's "boyfriend" was you, Ishigami." 

When Shirogane heard from his father that Kei had a boyfriend, he couldn't calm down and quickly went home, as it was definitely impossible for him to give his little sister so easily to someone, but when he saw that "boyfriend" was Ishigami, he was all calm. 

"Kaichou, don't tease me, okay?" 

"Hahaha..." Shirogane laughed and said, "Stay for a bit. I will treat you to dinner." 

"Is that fine?" 

"If you are okay with my cooking, then please." 

"Then, I will accept your offer. Your cooking is delicious." 

"Haha, I will make something special for you, then." 

Shirogane smiled and then went to the kitchen of his home to cook a dinner for four, which was pretty new for him, but unexpectedly, it was kind of fun. 

"I am sorry, Yuu-nii..." 

Still, when Kei apologized, Shirogane had to say that Ishigami's relationship with Kei was pretty close, considering his little sister called Ishigami for the first time. 

'I don't even call him by his first name.' 

However, Shirogane didn't pay much attention to this problem and decided to focus on cooking dinner as he wanted to repay Ishigami for many things, including his little sister, too.

"It's fine. I am happy that I can be a guest, though." 

"Really?" 

"Yes." 

When Kei saw Ishigami's sincere expression, she sighed in relief, but Ishigami also understood her previous worry and her current expression. While this might not be a problem on the outside, especially with how private and individual the people in this country were, he knew that Kei was worried that he might have a bad impression due to the situation of her house. 

Poor. 

While Ishigami didn't want to be rude, he knew that this was the situation to describe Shirogane's household.

Despite being the 1st rank in the entire grade and even the country, Shirogane came from a low-income family, and his father even had a great debt. 

As Shirogane's little sister, naturally, Kei would share the same situation as her older brother. While it was her choice to stay with her father, it didn't mean that she didn't have a certain inferiority complex within her heart, especially with the current situation of her family. 

Shirogane might not think much since he knew well that Ishigami wasn't someone who would discriminate against others due to the situation at his house, but Kei was a girl and at a sensitive age. 

More importantly, she didn't want Ishigami to have a bad impression of her, so there was no doubt when she saw his unchanging yet sincere expression, which showed that he was happy that he could be a guess, she sighed in relief and was so glad to know he was as gentle as ever. 

'Unfortunately...' 

Still, she felt that Ishigami and Chika were suitable, she thought depressedly. 

"So, Ishigami-kun, you are really not my daughter's boyfriend, right?" 

All of a sudden, a deep, manly voice interrupted their conversation. At the same time, Ishigami could feel an intense gaze from the man before him, who was also the source of this voice.

Ishigami's voice was great due to the previous reward he gained from Chika's, but this man's voice wasn't bad either, he thought. 

Somehow, he could tell that Shirogane Papa would be suitable to say, "Muda! Muda! Muda!"

"Dad!" 

Kei looked at her father with a crimson blush and scolded him. "Please be quiet!" It was fortunate that Ishigami was around; if he wasn't around, she would be even ruder, yet this was normal, as she was in a rebellious period. Still, after she said this, she also felt a bit of regret since she couldn't control herself and acted like how she usually did. 

"..." Shirogane Papa. 

While Ishigami understood it, he also felt that it was a bit too much to act that way toward a parent, but he knew that it wasn't good to scold Kei directly, so he asked, "By the way, is Kaichou the one who is in charge of cooking?" 

"Ah, Aniki, I will help!" 

Kei went directly to the kitchen to help Shirogane, which made him speechless, but he welcomed her regardless. "It's your first time here, so just follow my lead obediently." While he said so, his voice was quiet, so Ishigami couldn't hear him. She nodded with a blush, showing embarrassment to Shirogane. 

"...thank you, Aniki." 

While she was shy, she said those words sincerely regardless. 

"..."

Staring at his little sister, who was so cute at that moment, Shirogane felt that it was good to have Ishigami around. 

Still, when Kei left, Ishigami started to talk with Shirogane Papa. "Are you okay, Uncle?" 

"Yeah, it's fine. It's something that happens every day, but thank you."

Yet, Shirogane Papa appeared happy, but it couldn't be helped since he could see Ishigami's thoughtfulness, who helped him, yet also tried not to make Kei feel awkward by scolding him. 

"Your parents must be happy to have a good son like you."

"No... I am a pretty troublesome child myself, after all." 

When Ishigami heard such praise, he couldn't honestly say that he was such a good son. His past wasn't good, after all; not only was he a shut-in, but due to his self-righteousness in helping a girl to whom he had fallen, he didn't think about how painful and hurtful his parents were when they received all the stigma due to his past mistakes. 

Instead of his parents, who had taken care of him from birth, the previous Ishigami cared more about a girl, a stranger who also had hurt him like others, which was pretty much a failure of himself. 

More importantly, he wasn't an original Ishigami, so he couldn't say that he was a good son, yet he tried to be one. 

"I can't see you are a troublesome child." 

Shirogane Papa was surprised since, unlike his son, who was pretty much worrisome, he could see how confident and easy Ishigami was, which was pretty much less worrisome. 

"Maybe because I have learned how much trouble I have caused, I try to be better." 

"Oh, that's great then." 

"It was all thanks to Kaichou, though." 

"Miyuki? Did he?" 

"Yes." Ishigami nodded and said, "That's why I owe a lot to Kaichou." 

If Shirogane wasn't here, then Ishigami knew that he was still a shut-in, someone who had given up on reality and just searched for comfort in another way. 

It was also because of Shirogane that Ishigami knew that he could stand where he was now. 

So, between the feelings of that girl and Shirogane, it was clear who Ishigami should choose, right? 

"You know, I don't mind if you date Kei-chan now." 

Shirogane Papa looked at Ishigami with a solemn expression and clearly thought that Ishigami was a good son-in-law in his eyes. 

Anyway, Kei would marry sooner or later, so why shouldn't Shirogane Papa search for a good husband for her first? 

"....." Ishigami. 

What should he do? 

Yet, Ishigami couldn't deny that Kei could become a good wife since even if he became poor in the future, he was sure that she wouldn't abandon or divorce him. 

Still, was it something you should say to a young man that you just met, old man?!

Fortunately—

"What are you two talking about? The dinner is ready. Let's eat!" 

"Okay." Shirogane Papa nodded, then looked at Ishigami and said, "I allow you to call me Papa." 

"..." Ishigami.