My Anime Harem is Complex

"Perfect!"

Early the next morning, Kaede dragged Ito Lin out of bed. Her mission? To pick the perfect outfit.From the moment he opened his eyes until almost ten o'clock, she didn't let him go.

"I'm supposed to be playing the pervert, so why are we dressing me up like a fashion model?" Ito asked, half-exasperated.

"My boyfriend can't lose face in public!" Kaede replied firmly, then paused, a sly gleam in her eyes.

"Besides... even if it's a pervert role, the goal is to teach Ami's friend a lesson. If he looks like a creep from the start, it won't work. The best way is to be handsome enough that she lets her guard down—and then bam! Unveil the pervert side at the end and give her a proper shock! Let her see what it really means to 'know a person's face but not their heart!'"

Ito Lin gave her a long look.She was way too enthusiastic about sending her boyfriend on a "date" with another girl.

The plan was simple: Ito Lin would meet Ami and her friend at the station, have lunch with them, and then… well, the afternoon would be for acting.

After he was dressed and styled to Kaede's satisfaction, both she and Suzu saw him off at the door.As soon as he stepped outside, Kaede whipped out her phone.

There were two small group chats:One between Ito Lin, Ami, and Kamino Megumi.The other between Kaede, Kamino Megumi, and Suzu.

Kaede: "He's out."Kamino Megumi: "Then let's head out too!"Kamino Megumi: "But why are you hiding this from him, Kaede-senpai? We could just follow them openly."Kaede: "I'm his girlfriend. If he knew we were following, he wouldn't act naturally."

At the agreed spot near the station, Ito Lin waited in a shaded area.

Before long, he spotted two figures approaching.

Today, Ami wore her hair down instead of her usual ponytails, the long, straight black style giving her a slightly more mature look.Beside her was a more boyish girl with a ponytail and sharp eyes scanning the area—Maki, just like in the photo.

Neither was in school uniform.Ami wore a loose, wide-neck short-sleeved shirt with "keepyoursmile" printed across the chest, just barely revealing the elegant slope of her collarbone. Below it, a floral pleated skirt and cute white over-the-knee socks completed the look.

Maki had a short-sleeved shirt too, this one printed with "cutegirl." Judging by the match, they probably bought them as a pair.For sun protection, she'd layered a thin hoodie over the shirt, paired with modest shorts that revealed half of her pale thighs. She wore neat black mid-calf socks on her feet.

Ito Lin approached them with a sunny smile."Hello~ Ami-chan, right?"

"Eh… Mm, I-I'm Ami…" she stammered.

"I didn't expect the real Ami to be even cuter than in the photo. And you must be Maki-chan? You're both adorable."

Maki frowned slightly. Wait… this guy isn't some fat middle-aged otaku?He's… better looking than in the photos?!

"…Uncle, your pickup lines are really dated."

Uncle?!Ito Lin twitched.Okay, sure, he was a few years older—but uncle was pushing it, wasn't it?

"I prefer 'older brother' over 'uncle,'" he said with a wry smile. "Anyway, are you hungry? I know a great place nearby."

"Got it, Uncle," Maki replied dryly.

As they walked, Maki gave him a subtle once-over.She'd been convinced he'd be sketchy, but his friendly attitude, gentle tone, and easy smile made him seem… well, kind of nice.

At the restaurant, Ito Lin got them a cozy booth. It wasn't upscale, but it was a place most students' parents might treat them to on a special occasion.

As they waited for the food, he chatted with both girls—treating them not as kids, but as equals.That simple shift in tone made them feel surprisingly at ease.

Meanwhile, in the next booth over, two very suspicious figures were pressed to the seat backs, eavesdropping with ears perked.

Kaede and Kamino Megumi, of course.

After confirming Ito had really left the house, Kaede had sneaked out five minutes later under the pretense of a yard stroll.Suzu had stayed behind to look after Mashiro.

Not that Mashiro needed supervision—she'd probably just hole up in her room drawing all day—but her luggage was scheduled for delivery, and someone had to be home to receive it.

Leaning in close, Kamino Megumi whispered into Kaede's ear with a teasing grin,"They're getting along really well~ Ami and Maki are super cute. Big Brother might just fall for someone else~"

"Hmph. Let them try." Kaede huffed, arms crossed. "They can talk when they've got bigger chests."

A short while later, the waitress arrived with dishes for Ito and the girls, but paused when she spotted Kaede and Megumi whispering intensely against their booth's backrest.She blinked at the odd sight, then looked toward the group chatting happily next door.

Still, she said nothing—just quietly served the food… then slid a glass of lemonade to the girls and gave them an encouraging nod.

After a simple lunch, Ito Lin leaned forward slightly and smiled as he brought up the afternoon's plans.

"So, about what to do next… I mostly discussed things with Ami before, but I don't know Maki that well yet. Is there anywhere you want to go?"

"Amusement park?" Maki tilted her head, considering. "Hmm… but in this weather, that sounds like torture."

She blinked. Wait—why am I even taking this seriously?This was supposed to be Ami's date. Why was she suddenly treating this like her own outing?

Her eyes kept flickering toward Ito Lin.Originally, she'd been worried about Ami falling for a shady guy online. But now, sitting across from him… he seemed genuinely nice. Thoughtful. Even a little… charming?

"You two go ahead with whatever you originally planned," she said, trying to step back. "Don't worry about me."

Ito Lin chuckled softly."Does Maki like manga?"

"Eh? Manga…? I mean, it's fine." She blinked at the question.

"Ami and I started chatting because we both liked manga," Ito Lin explained. "We had a few locations in mind—there's a manga bookstore, an internet café where you can read manga for hours, and a costume shop that sells cosplay props."

He glanced at Maki with a slightly apologetic look."But the bookstore and costume shop might not interest you, so how about we head to the manga internet café? You can read or game there, and it won't feel like you're tagging along."

"…Okay!"Maki's eyes lit up.

Even though this was Ami's date, Ito Lin had gone out of his way to consider her feelings, too.What a good guy! she thought, almost giddy.

Seeing the joy bloom on Maki's face, Ito Lin's lips curved into a slow smile.On the surface, he was the picture of kindness and consideration——but inwardly, he was just setting the stage.

The manga internet café was perfect.

Unlike a movie theater, it didn't have surveillance cameras.Private booths meant privacy. No witnesses. No digital evidence.And if things went well, the contrast between his current image—sunny, gentle, harmless—and what came next… would be deliciously shocking.

A wolf in sheep's clothing.

He even wanted Maki to feel like all of this had been planned from the start—like she'd been led here, step by step, by someone who never intended anything innocent from the beginning.

He suppressed a chuckle.Hehehe… Perfect.

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