I am that male friend in the harem story

'Isn't she a little too close?'

Oreki couldn't help but think so when he saw how Chitanda casually held Satoshi's hands firmly as she got so close. He didn't feel jealous, nor did he feel an interest in Chitanda since, as he had said before, he had no interest in a romance, but Satoshi had a girlfriend, and he also had told her that, so despite all of that, why did she hold Satoshi's hands like that?

While Oreki didn't want to think that Satoshi was someone that would be two-timing... or Satoshi might have, if possible, he didn't want that to happen, yet the problem was thinking of the consequences that might happen to his "only" friend, he hesitated for a moment before he said nothing since being too hasty wasn't good and he felt like he could talk about this problem later when Chitanda wasn't around.

Meanwhile, Satoshi didn't think much about Chitanda's action closeness despite how much it had brought so much turmoil within him, especially when he thought of his girlfriend, who tempted him and caressed him so tenderly.

'No! No!'

He quickly threw away his dirty thoughts before he nodded. "Isn't that obvious?" Still, inwardly, he hoped for Chitanda to fix her clingy hobby since it troubled him, he had to say.

"It's obvious?" 2x

Not only Chitanda but Oreki was surprised by Satoshi's answer.

"All of you remember that the Classic Club was almost disbanded before, right?"

"What did it have to do with the missing anthologist?"

Tilting her head, Chitanda felt confused, wondering what the connection between his answer and their current predicament was, yet there was no doubt the missing anthologist was weird, especially when the Classic Club was an old club. This club has a history of 40 years, and it has created 40 anthologies till now, yet all of them were missing. She couldn't find it in the library.

Yes, after her previous conversation with Satoshi about her missing uncle, the answer to all the mystery of her uncle and what her uncle had said to her ten years ago could be found in the Classic Club, and to understand this club, they had to get the anthologies, but unexpectedly, when Chitanda tried to find those anthologies, she couldn't find them, whether in the library or the clubroom, she couldn't find anything, which made her desperate.

"Have you thought that all of the items of the club might be left behind in the previous clubroom?"

"..."

"Ah!"

Chitanda was surprised and understood everything, but Oreki was more straightforward and asked, "So, do you know the location of the previous clubroom, Satoshi?" He could see how desperate Chitanda was, so he couldn't help but feel curious about the anthologists that she sought the most and why it was so important.

At the same time, Oreki also felt that they might have a certain secret, which he didn't know. It might make him curious, but somehow, he wouldn't try to pry it open since everyone had their own secrets, including him; but then again, it felt a bit lonely, he thought.

"I know the location." Satoshi nodded, then looked at Oreki. "Houtaro, come on! Help us pick out the books! There are many of them!"

"..." Oreki.

"I will show you my manga later..."

As Satoshi pulled away from Chitanda, he moved closer to Oreki and whispered.

"Huh? Have you finished?" Oreki was surprised, and Satoshi nodded. "It's almost done. I will send it soon to the publishing house for a competition, so you should read it before that."

"Okay."

As Oreki agreed, Chitanda was curious and asked, "What were you two talking about?"

"It's a secret."

"...." Chitanda.

"Chitanda-san, we boys also have our own secret, too."

"..." Chitanda.

Yet, even so, Chitanda was curious!

Regardless, the three walked together toward the previous clubroom of the Classic Club, where Oreki asked, "How did you know the location of the previous clubroom of the Classic Club, Satoshi?"

"I am a member of the Executive Committee. Don't you remember?"

"Will being an Executive Committee let you know the location of the previous clubroom of the Classic Club, Satoshi?"

"It will." Satoshi nodded as he smiled. "Being in an organization will give you more benefits than not."

"...being in the organization is troublesome."

Being in the organization meant that they had to respect those who were above them, and even if they didn't like it or not, this was what they had to do as it was an unwritten rule.

"Then, be on the top or be strong enough that you can ignore everything."

The rules were, in the end, created by the people on the top, so those who were below could be obedient, and they could exploit those who were at the bottom.

"...you really have changed, Satoshi."

"Did I?"

"Yes, if it was before, you wouldn't say something like that."

Oreki had known Satoshi for so long, so of course, he could tell that Satoshi had changed.

Satoshi had become more overbearing, manly, and decisive, Oreki thought.

"What was Fukube-san like before, Oreki-san?" Chitanda asked curiously.

"Er..." Oreki felt Satoshi staring at him, so he gulped and said, "It's a secret~!" He also wanted to add "te-he~!" But he held on.

"..." Chitanda.

"I know you are curious, Chitanda-san, but my past isn't that great."

"B-But I am curious, Fukube-san..."

Her voice was filled with meekness, and her eyes showed reluctance, seemingly wishing to know everything about Satoshi. Knowing him, understanding him, and becoming closer to him.

"You should ask my girlfriend if you are curious."

Satoshi wondered if this continued sooner or later, Chitanda would be on his bed, which made him speechless and helpless.

"...." Chitanda.

While Oreki snickered inwardly, he held it, but at the same time, he sighed in relief, knowing that Satoshi's heart was firm toward his girlfriend. This also made him curious, wondering whether love could change someone like this. If there was a reason why Satoshi changed, it was all due to Kaho, after all, and Satoshi tried to become a better man, which was good, he thought, yet he also felt lonely as he was being left behind.

"As expected, you are really different now, Satoshi."

Satoshi smiled at Oreki's words and said, "I am not different. I just take the initiative."

"Initiative?" 2x

"In our life, we will encounter many things, whether it is happy or sad, and at that time, our response can only be either calmly face those things or lose our calm as we mess up everything.

"Still, I don't like something that is definitive or isn't absolute, so before all of that happens, I want to face all of that in a way that I can be sure to solve all of them. In easier terms, I am just someone who buys a bandage and medicine just in case my family is hurt or sick."

"That's... a troublesome way of life."

Hearing that comment, Satoshi didn't lose his smile and said, "But which is more troublesome than when you are prepared to face all of them or while being unprepared, Houtaro?"

"..." Oreki.

Similar to those who prepare medicines in case of an emergency, they might not need it, but if they needed it?

"If you become an insurance agent, I believe you can succeed, Satoshi."

"If I end up in a failure, then I might become one since an insurance agent makes a lot of money."

"Do they?"

"I have heard that the top agents can have an annual income easily exceeding 20 million yen."

"20 million yen?!"

In a country where the average income of the people was just three million yen annually, such an income was impressive!

"Well, in any place, those who can sell will receive a higher income, but it also has a high pressure, so if you want to live comfortably without seeking a troublesome human interaction, then avoid a sales-related job."

"Is there a job without trouble, then?" Oreki thought that Satoshi knew everything, so he wondered whether there was a job that could make him live an easy life without being troubled.

"Then, a civil servant. Except for the fact that you might be ridiculed as a tax thief, then your life is as good as stable."

"..." Oreki and Chitanda.

"...is that a good job?"

"It is." Satoshi nodded. "Even with that disadvantage, you won't have to worry about being laid off. If you don't aim for a promotion, then you can just ignore everything, whether it is your colleagues or superiors. Still, it's better if you can get into a good university and pass the elite bureaucrats exam since those who are at the bottom will be worked like cattle on the farm."

"....." Oreki and Chitanda.

"What about the elite?"

"Well, they can just be a thief salary, working in a limited way, but having a stable income, which is better than many."

"..." Oreki and Chitanda.

"Let's talk later since we have arrived."

"Oh." 2x

Their conversation was so interesting that they almost forgot their current objection, which was to find the missing anthologist of the Classic Club.

Yet, they never had it in this place.

"Wall Newspaper Club?" 2x

Still, they didn't have time to ask or question him as Satoshi had already knocked on the door of the club. "Excuse me."

"...." 2x

The man of the initiative.

Somehow, they felt this title suited him well.