What's Wrong with Adding Me to So Many Omni-Anime Geniuses?

"What, what are you doing?"

Sakurajima Mai was startled by his sudden movement, touched her chest, then became a little angry, her eyes sharp. "What's with your reaction? Is it strange that I have one or two people I know?"

"That's strange!"

He nodded hastily.

"..."

Sakurajima Mai clenched her fists, wanting to punch him twice.

Himemiya Chihaya's eyebrows are curved; were they originally like this?

But since things have already changed and become so distorted, the original plot probably doesn't matter anymore...

He shook his head dismissively, dismissing the unimportant thought, and casually asked, "By the way, who is the other person? A classmate?"

"No,"

Sakurajima Mai's eyes flickered, her expression slightly hesitant. "Actually... she's my junior."

"Hmm, and then?"

"I only occasionally run into her on the street, but we've actually only spoken a few times..."

"... Can this person be considered an acquaintance?"

His eyes met hers with an expression of absurdity.

Does this child seem to have some misunderstanding about the word "acquaintance"?

Sakurajima Mai's stunningly beautiful face glowed with a rosy light. "H-How can it not count! We know each other's names, and we even talk to each other occasionally! Doesn't that count?!"

"..."

The pity in Himemiya Chihaya's eyes deepened, causing her to dig her round, jade-like toes into the ground, feeling utterly embarrassed.

"I shouldn't have had any expectations..."

He turned his head away, no longer staring at her.

If she really knew someone at school, she wouldn't have made him travel all that way to feed her.

"What is that person's grade and name?"

Although he was almost certainly not familiar with the person, he just asked casually.

"Second-year student, Futaba Rio, her club seems to be... the Science Club?"

Sakurajima Mai rested her chin on her hand and said uncertainly.

"..."

The problem I was just struggling with seems to have been solved instantly... How could this even work?

"By the way... how did you two meet?"

In the quiet corridor where classes were in session, Himemiya Chihaya controlled her voice and asked Sakurajima Mai, who was also tiptoeing beside her.

Sakurajima Mai recalled the scene, "Last year at the start of the school year..."

"Did you buy her a chocolate conch bread?"

That's his guess.

"No, why are you bringing up bread? Are you hungry?"

Sakurajima Mai rolled her eyes at him disdainfully.

"It's nothing, you can continue."

"Well... it's not entirely unrelated. It seems to be during lunch break on my first day of high school. I noticed she looked worried, and maybe it reminded me of what happened to me, so I struck up a conversation with her."

"Then?"

"He offered a few words of comfort."

"Then?"

To cheer her up, I shared half of the preserved plum rice ball I made at home with her.

"..."

Is there any difference?

No, rather, this one seems to be even more powerful?

"Hiss~"

He gasped, having contributed several joules of heat to global warming.

Could it be that Futaba Rio... does this world really have no preference regarding sexual orientation?

He initially had no idea, but the successive appearances of band girls Ouka Mai and Tanaka Asuka... made him start to have doubts.

No, it's hard to say. After all, the other person is of the same sex. If she's normal in that respect, then it's too early for him to make a decision now.

He planned to remain reserved until he met the other party.

"We've arrived. This is the Science Club."

Sakurajima Mai, who was leading the way, stopped in front of a double door, pulled on the doorknob, but couldn't budge it.

"Looks like it's locked up. I'll just have to wait until school's out."

"Not necessarily."

Sakurajima Mai tilted her head and looked at her. "Hmm? What do you mean?"

He gestured to the side with his index finger. "Turn your head around for a moment."

Sakurajima Mai's skin wrinkled slightly, but she said nothing and turned around deftly.

Five seconds later.

"Okay, that's enough."

Whoosh--

What Sakurajima Mai saw again was him smoothly opening the door to the Science Club.

"... How did you do that?"

"I'm quite good at puzzle games, so I've invested a lot of skill points in that area."

"Does this have anything to do with solving the mystery?"

Sakurajima Mai increased the pressure of her feet, grinding them left and right, her smile revealing a growing sense of danger. "How do you look at this? It's practically a criminal skill, isn't it, Chihaya?"

"How can it be okay? What if we encounter a dangerous situation requiring escape from a locked room... Besides, skills are determined by the user's intended use; there's no inherent superiority or inferiority among them."

"So now you're committing trespassing. Do you want to go to the police station?"

"Please forgive me, I just didn't want to be too conspicuous after school... I swear, I almost never use this trick."

If he waits until people come and go before going in, he'll definitely get the same, no, even more intense stares as Sakurajima Mai —after all, she's been here for two years, and everyone else is used to it.

These are all measures taken out of necessity!

When did he ever use this skill before?

In order not to appear like an ordinary young man with ulterior motives, he has been deliberately restraining himself in his current situation of being surrounded by women.

"Ha..."

Sakurajima Mai let go of him with a headache, and the two walked together into the medium-sized chemistry classroom on the first floor.

Although he felt it was somewhat inappropriate to use a room that was somewhat dangerous as a student's clubroom, he had no right to say so.

After closing the department door, she pressed further, "Why did you want to learn this skill?"

"It wasn't that I specifically learned it, it's just... did you play with puzzle toys like Luban Lock, lock picks, combination locks, or Rubik's Cubes when you were little?"

"You mean you learned it while playing?"

"You may not believe it, but it's true. This kind of ordinary door lock has a very simple structure and is easy to open."

"Looks like it's necessary to change the locks in the house..."

Sakurajima Mai fell into deep thought.

Even though her apartment door locks were already complicated, what if...?

Himemiya Chihaya neither confirmed nor denied this. What he wouldn't say was that if he encountered a lock that he couldn't open with his skills, he had other ways to open it.

For example, boxing techniques are also techniques, and strength is also a principle.

Because they had already wasted a lot of time, the bell for the end of class at Minehara High School rang soon before the two could chat for long.

Amidst the growing noise, presumably because there was no duty today, the activity door for the Science Club was opened again after less than five minutes.

"Oh dear, didn't I lock the door at noon?"

A young girl's voice, almost devoid of emotion, confused and bewildered, rang out along with the sound of a door being opened. It was completely powerless, clearly indicating kidney deficiency and weakness.

"Huh? Sakura, Sakurajima- senpai?!"

When Futaba Rio saw that there were two other people sitting inside, one of whom was an acquaintance, she was immediately taken aback and took a step back.

"W-Why is Sakurajima- senpai here?"

She quickly realized what was happening, smoothed her bangs, pressed her arm, and turned her head away, not daring to look directly at them.

She wore the same spring school uniform as Sakurajima Mai, and her delicate, transparent glasses couldn't hide her intellectual and beautiful face. Like Sakurajima Mai, her hair was loose, but her long, curly gray hair covered her back.

The familiar white coat was still hanging not far from Himemiya Chihaya, but it wasn't draped over her shoulders.

However, for superficial ordinary people, her figure, which is more eye-catching than her height, is more striking.

"I'm sorry to bother you without an appointment, Futaba -san."

Sakurajima Mai nodded and greeted him casually, without changing her expression.

Beside her, by the window, sat Himemiya Chihaya, pacing back and forth between the two, unsure how to react.

Does it exist, or doesn't it? This is the kind of reaction.

I'm not sure, let's observe further.

Chapter 485 How could work never be finished?

"I see, now I understand why you've been looking for me."

Do you understand?

"Well, although if it were someone else, I'd probably just think they're an idiot and kick them out."

Futaba Rio glanced hesitantly at Sakurajima Mai; in truth, she herself was still unable to accept this strange occurrence.

But she knew Sakurajima Mai's personality and that she would never try to kill time with her for no reason. In addition, she felt grateful and fond of her, so she didn't say much.

She then turned her attention to another person who, objectively speaking, was actually more noticeable.

"Um, Sakurajima- senpai, who is this? He's probably not a student at our school."

She made her judgment based on the fact that he wasn't wearing a school uniform.

Sakurajima Mai gave him a look, signaling him to introduce himself.

He smiled politely and said, "Nice to meet you. I'm Himemiya Chihaya, a friend of Ms. Mai. I'm currently helping her find a solution."

Sakurajima Mai added, "It was Chihaya who helped me find the clues about Adolescence Syndrome; she was a huge help."

"Friend..."

Futaba Rio silently recited something to herself, then looked directly at him. "I am Futaba Rio, and for now, the Club President of this one-person Science Club. I'm a second-year student. Nice to meet you."

Then, as if nothing had happened, she looked back at Sakurajima Mai: "So, Sakurajima- senpai, you're currently looking for the root cause of this incident, right?"

"Yes, I wonder if you have any thoughts, Futaba?"

"Um..."

Futaba Rio hesitated for a moment, then looked up and asked, "This might be a bit offensive, but may I speak frankly, Sakurajima- senpai?"

"Please speak."