Made It! I Became a Prince, Hahahahahaha

Sunday.

Room 404.

"Ahallo, wake up, Haruo-kun!"

Kamigami Haruo, who had not been awakened until noon, rubbed his eyes and stared blankly at the person before him.

Was this a dream? It had to be, right?

Had he already started a family?

Otherwise, who was this person seriously cleaning his room after waking him up? And who was this person whose chances of appearing in his room were practically nonexistent?

"I became a prince?"

"Who's the older one? Who's the younger one?"

"Horikita-san is definitely the older one, right? No! Honami might be the older one after going dark..."

Kamigami Haruo muttered the fantasies of a hopeless otaku, but the glint reflected off the kitchen knife finally made him shut his mouth obediently.

"Honestly, Haruo-kun, what time do you think it is? Sleeping until now isn't a good habit."

Ichinose Honami picked up the cans on the floor, nagging like a mother as she did so.

"No, how did you get in?"

After pulling on the shirt that had fallen beside his bed, Kamigami Haruo scratched his hair and voiced the question on his mind.

"Ta-da! The Room 404 key card!"

Ichinose showed off the new room key card, pinched between her index and middle fingers.

"Huh? Ah!?"

Kamigami Haruo let out a cry from the depths of his soul.

"Didn't you say it yourself while we were working out together last night? That room key cards could be purchased. Since you never opened the door, I discussed it with Horikita-san, and we got one together."

Ichinose explained the whole story with a perfectly serious expression.

"That's incredibly rude! What if I didn't close the door while showering, or changed clothes in the living room? Will you take responsibility if my chastity is gone? Right! It'd be fine if you took responsibility. That's settled, then. From now on, try to come in whenever I'm not wearing clothes, and be my punching bag for life! Hmph!"

Kamigami Haruo indignantly said something utterly shameless. Then, ignoring the two stunned girls, he picked up a change of clothes and headed into the bathroom to shower.

"Ahahahaha..."

Chop! Chop! Chop? Chop! Chop chop chop chop...

Only after a long while did awkward laughter and the sounds of a knife chopping as though Kamigami Haruo were an ingredient drift out from the living room.

It made Kamigami Haruo shudder. Maybe from fear, or maybe because he had to pee.

Swish.

"Stop staring at me. We boys shower fast, okay?"

As the bathroom door opened, Kamigami Haruo emerged fresh from the bath and spoke beneath the gazes of the two girls.

"I understand. After all, you're the kind of person who even uses body wash to do the dishes."

As Horikita Suzune said this, she glanced at Ichinose Honami, who was washing vegetables beside her.

"Ahahahaha..."

This was perhaps the legendary, "I can recognize who you are from just one sentence," right, Ichinose Honami?

"What kind of thing is that to say? I'll show you what I'm capable of! Come with me."

Kamigami Haruo picked up his student ID and called Ichinose Honami out to the shopping district to buy things.

"C-coming. But will Horikita-san be okay by herself?"

After washing and drying her hands, Ichinose Honami asked Horikita Suzune.

"It's fine. Make fewer dishes. I'll bring back some of the popular soup dishes while I'm out."

Hearing that, Horikita Suzune gave her a disdainful look, as though she had finally managed to persuade her.

Convenience store.

After bringing Ichinose Honami into the shop, Kamigami Haruo hurried straight toward the free goods section.

Stopping before the sign that read three free items this month, Kamigami Haruo turned and asked Ichinose Honami beside him.

"You haven't claimed any free items this month, right?"

"I haven't... What's wrong, Haruo-kun?"

"Then that's perfect!"

As he said that, Kamigami Haruo had already selected a bottle of dish soap, a bottle of shampoo, and a box of face masks, then instructed Ichinose.

"Here, go pay for them."

"Your every move always catches people by surprise, Haruo-kun. Fine, I'll go pay."

While waiting, Kamigami Haruo looked around at the goods. Then, when his gaze swept over a suspicious figure, he froze for a moment.

A white-haired loli.

Why would a busy personage such as yourself grace a mere convenience store with your presence?

He looked around again for that master thief. If he got the chance, he could even take her as his teacher. After all, with all the fighting against this person and that person in the future, he didn't feel secure without some special skill.

A skilled pickpocket's technique combined with his own speed—wouldn't that make him invincible?

Calm down, calm down. I'm a law-abiding person, not the kind who doesn't eat beef.

Coming back to his senses, Kamigami Haruo merely gave Sakayanagi Arisu a slight nod before walking toward her.

Sakayanagi Arisu returned a polite smile and remained where she was, waiting for Kamigami Haruo to approach.

Kamigami Haruo walked up to the shelf beside her, picked up a magazine, and looked through it, intending to pass the time until Ichinose finished paying.

She stiffened. Sakayanagi Arisu's hand gripping her cane stiffened, and only after a long moment did she draw a breath and speak to Kamigami Haruo.

"Good day. You are Kamigami-kun, correct?"

"Ha... What is it?"

Kamigami Haruo answered the girl before him without even raising his head.

"I heard that you coerced my classmate into shoplifting for you. What do you suppose should..."

Tap.

Sakayanagi Arisu gritted her teeth as she watched Kamigami Haruo's retreating back, forcefully striking the floor with her cane.

The problem was that she had no idea whether he had done it intentionally or unintentionally—or perhaps intentionally unintentionally.

She would remember those two.

At the same time, Kamigami Haruo spotted Ichinose Honami waiting at the entrance after paying, and quickly called her over as they headed toward the student cafeteria.

"Haruo-kun, was the person you spoke to just now the princess of Class A?"

"Yeah. White-haired loli, the Chairman's daughter."

Kamigami Haruo pursed his lips. She was the very embodiment of frail, sickly, and easy to knock over.

Though what would happen after knocking her over was anyone's guess. He might end up sinking in Tokyo Bay tomorrow.

One push, two deaths: one sunk in the bay, the other bled out and died from exhaustion.

You should stay home and recuperate. Whether it was Kamigami Haruo or Ayanokōji Kiyotaka, neither was a man you could hold onto with one hand.

"Even though she's the Chairman's daughter, the princess's health doesn't seem very good."

Ichinose Honami said this with a hint of concern.

"Every gift fate gives has already had its price marked. Just like you—even though you've lived in hardship, you have a group of people around you who sincerely care for you, don't you?"

Kamigami Haruo spoke as though he did not care, yet his tone was unexpectedly wistful.

"Yes. I'm very fortunate to have met everyone. This will probably be the most unforgettable memory of my life."

Ichinose Honami spread the fingers of both hands, touched her fingertips together to form a triangle, and slightly raised her head as she sighed.

"So you'd ✓⑧ better not √⑧ go dark over some √⑧ relationship issue, or I'll √⑧ put a bullet in you, I'm √⑧ telling you."

Kamigami Haruo quickened his pace, stopped in front of Ichinose, and poked her forehead with his index finger.

"I understand, Haruo-kun."

"Be good."

"Oh..."

They arrived at the place with the most foodies at Advanced Nurturing High School: the student cafeteria.

The two were now standing in line, waiting for the students ahead of them to collect their meal tickets.

When it was their turn, Kamigami Haruo selected a highly popular dish under Ichinose Honami's astonished gaze.