I am that male friend in the harem story

This was probably the first time the Shirogane family had a dinner of four, yet instead of being awkward, they felt warm and comfortable somehow. 

Shirogane's home was small; it was just 1LDK, old and cramped, yet strangely enough, it was comforting. 

Love. 

Ishigami knew well that this was probably the reason where this comfort came from. 

Yes, it might be a little cringe and even corny, but he knew well that this was where the happiness of this family came from. 

Naturally, love had many different types, whether it was between a couple, a family, or many others; for it, one could do everything, including how Shigorane Papa worked hard for his family despite having so many debts instead of giving up. 

Yet, even so, it didn't mean that this family was perfect, especially when this family lacked one member, but Ishigami wasn't a naive young man who would question every problem within his mind without any tacks or simply being thoughtless. 

"So, you happened to meet each other?" 

"Yes."

"How?" 

As they ate the curry cooked by Shirogane, they couldn't help but talk to each other. While Shirogane knew that Ishigami got to know Kei, as Ishigami had helped Kei with her bike in the past, he wondered how they met each other today.

Ishigami nodded, hesitating for a moment, then said, "Just before I went out with my girlfriend earlier, I happened to meet her, who was looking for a part-time job, then helped her." 

Ishigami knew that it was risky for him to tell how he met Kei, especially when he went out with Chika instead of Onodera, his official girlfriend. While he had dated many heroines, he didn't want to expose it to anyone since he was sure that people definitely couldn't accept what he did and would look at him from above, telling him that he was wrong, yet he knew that deep inside, they were jealous of him, and just tried to make his value lower. 

At the same time, with all of the experiences that he and those heroines experienced, no one thought that their relationship was wrong since they had been together step by step to how they were. 

The struggles that they had to reach this point were hard, and Ishigami also almost died so many times. 

Those people who knew nothing would simplify everything as if the process was nothing worthy and everything was easy, but for him and the heroines who had experienced everything, they knew well that this relationship was real and they were together due to love. 

Once again, while it was sappy and a bit cringe, Ishigami could do all of this due to love; yes, their love toward him, who was such a bastard, but even if he was a bastard, he would treasure them dearly. 

"Thank you for your help." 

Still, when Ishigami told me how he met Kei, Shirogane thanked him sincerely since Ishigami had helped his little sister get a part-time job. More importantly, his little sister would work at Ishigami's mother's flower shop, which made him feel relieved, knowing that his little sister was in good hands. 

"Thank you, Ishigami-kun." 

Shirogane Papa also thanked Ishigami, thinking that he was a good young man. "But are you sure that you are not dating my daughter?" 

"Dad!" 

While Kei was embarrassed, Shirogane sighed and said, "What are you talking about? He has a good girlfriend, so how can he date Kei?" 

Those words made Kei and Ishigami lower their heads at the same time. 

Kei aside as her face reddened, shy, yet bloomed inwardly, Ishigami felt a bit guilty about hiding everything, especially to Shirogane, who had helped him so much, but... this and that was a different problem, and even as a friend, it didn't mean that one had to tell everything to their close friends. 

Like how Shirogane didn't say anything about his past, Ishigami didn't plan to talk about his relationship with many women. 

"That's a shame..." Shirogane Papa sighed and said, "I thought that I would get a good son-in-law?" 

"....." Ishigami.

"Well, that's true." Shirogane nodded, thinking that Ishigami was the chillest guy ever, especially when Ishigami didn't try to pry into his family and just had fun, like how a friend would come to visit. 

'Or rather, this should be the first time?'

Shirogane had been working hard, and even if he had friends, it didn't mean that they had visited his place, and he also didn't plan to, considering the situation of his house and none of them were so close that he would bring them back except for Ishigami. 

Shirogane knew Ishigami at his lowest point, and because of that, he didn't mind showing this part of him as he knew well that Ishigami wouldn't judge him. 

Still, like his father, he had to say, it was quite a shame for Ishigami not to be able to become his brother-in-law.

"..." 

Ishigami couldn't say anything, but subconsciously, he glanced at Kei, who also happened to glance at him, blushed, and then lowered her head to hide her current expression. 

'...I am not such a good guy.' 

His heart felt heavy, but he knew well that this was a price that one had to pay to have a harem. 

Ishigami wasn't weak, and his will wouldn't break just because someone would deny or mock his dedication. However, Shirogane was different after all. 

"Thank you for the dinner, Kaichou. It's delicious. I want to stay for a bit, but I have to go back." 

"Ah, I will send—" 

Before Kei finished her words, Shirogane said, "I will send you back." 

"You don't have to." 

"It's fine. I want to talk with you for a bit." 

As Shirogane continued to persist, Ishigami could only accept Shirogane's goodwill. "Okay." 

"I will just send you nearby, though." 

"It's fine." 

As the two left, Kei sulked, but then, the good thing was that she knew that she would be working under his mother. Even if she knew that Ishigami had a girlfriend, her heart couldn't help but be beating and happy for some reason. 

Only Shirogane Papa had to say that he felt a bit conflicted when he thought that his daughter would leave the nest. 

"...why did you cry?" 

Yet, Ishigami and Shirogane, who had left the house, knew nothing and just walked as they talked about Ishigami's preparation for the mid-term exam. 

"Have you studied well?" 

"I do." 

"Show them your worth later during the exam and crush all of them who made fun of you." 

"...you are not as nice as everyone thought you were, Kaichou." 

"Haha." Shirogane laughed and said, "If I am kind, then I will be swallowed up by that school." In that school, most of the students had a good family background, and he was just a normal boy with a slightly handsome face, yet a poor family. If he was such a naive guy, then he knew that he would be swallowed, but fortunately, he had met so many people, including Ishigami.

So—

"You know what, I plan to confess to Shinomiya." 

Ishigami almost fell, but he quickly calmed himself and asked, "Have you made up your mind?" 

"I do." Shirogane nodded and was somehow glad to talk about this problem with Ishigami. "Do you think it is so sudden?" 

"Not really, and there is no "right" time for this type of situation." 

To confess to someone, it was hard to say which was the best time to do that, but according to Ishigami's research, normally, if the two didn't know each other, then two to three months should be the safe bet, and more than that was too long but less than that was too fast. 

Yet, every individual was different, and dating was different from a fling where you just slept and then parted away. 

Ishigami wasn't sure how the West was, but in the East, people commonly connected their hearts first before connecting their bodies instead of the opposite. 

Still, finally, Shirogane decided to man up. 

"This will be our third time to go out, and I think this is the right time for me to express my feelings." 

"I wish you success." 

"Thanks." Shirogane smiled and said, "You have been a great help, Ishigami." 

"....." 

'Don't look at me that way...' 

When Ishigami thought about what kind of exchanges he had had with Kaguya, his heart was heavy when he heard Shirogane's sincere help. 

"Kaichou, it's enough here." 

"Then, I will go back now." 

"Okay, thanks, and I wish you good luck once again." 

Patting Shirogane's back, Ishigami showed his smile.

"Yes!" 

Shirogane smiled and became spirited as he could see Ishigami's sincere smile. "You too, good luck with your relationship." 

Ishigami didn't say much and only smiled, but if Ishigami broke up with his girlfriend, Shirogane would tell Kei to make a move as soon as possible, he thought. 

Then, as they parted, Ishigami looked at the starless night sky as he thought that the original plot of the Kaguya-sama had returned, and fortunately, he didn't break the relationship between Shirogane and Kaguya. 

On the weekend, when Shirogane confessed, the two would become a couple. 

Closing his eyes, Ishigami wished sincerely for their happiness as he let out a long, helpless sigh.