Chapter 19: Insecurities of a Mermaid and a Pissed Vampire
After waiting for Ichinose-senpai to wave off her friends and say goodbye to them (a lot of hugging involved), we made pretty quick progress to my apartment. Kurumu continued to sulk about Ichinose being here but what I said had gotten through to her - they were in similar boats, after all.
Moka, apart from being a bit on guard, was talking away with Ichinose-senpai. Past the entire Gin incident and his subsequent expulsion, she, being the oldest member of the Newspaper Club became the club president, so it's not like we hadn't been spending time with her.
In fact, I'd be lying if I said I didn't find her interesting. Despite being a 'bit' odd (she tried to suck my life-force from me the first time we officially met because she liked my smell) she was surprisingly...well, nice. Gentle, even. She was intelligent and funny, and if it weren't for the few times she spoke with Moka, asking how I 'tasted' I would have thought she was a normal albeit very beautiful senpai.
As we got to my apartment, Kurumu pulled Moka away with her into the bathroom, saying they'd get changed first.
...But it was no doubt because she wanted someone to vent to.
Which left me and Ichinose-senpai in my living room, "Senpai, do you want anything to drink or eat while we wait for those two?" she was already dressed in some casual clothes, so she didn't need to get dressed.
Speaking of which, she was wearing a very nice white knit jumper which only showed off her impressive bust with some very tight denim jeans that likewise showed off her surprisingly mature curves. Finished off with a pair of white sneakers. Like I said before, she looked like a normal albeit stunning teenage girl.
Looking to me, her mellow yellow eyes just narrowed as she smiled, "Please, Tsukune-kun...call me Tamao when we're out of school," she said this politely but I could feel and hear the pining in her tone.
So I gave a nod, "Okay...Tamao-senpai. Do you want me to go and get anything?" I said and she pouted a little before she sat down on the sofa and pat the space next to her.
"Nope~ I just want you to sit here and accompany your senpai," she said with a slightly smug face but not in my direction.
Glancing in the direction she looked in, I only saw a blur of blue and pink rush out of my sight...but I knew it was those two being nosy. Smiling back, I raised an eyebrow, "I thought we were leaving the power you have as my senpai out of it while we're out of school?" I questioned, finding it funny how she was so mature and calm looking just now but after a bit of teasing, she's becoming a little red-faced.
"S-stop turning my words on me!" she gave a cute shout before averting her gaze. Thing went silent for a second before she pat the space next to her again.
Trying to think about what I should do about this senpai of mine, I sat next to her.
But out of nowhere she suddenly leaned her head against my shoulder and wrapped her arms around mine, "...Have I still not wormed my way past your defenses, Tsukune-kun?" she asked with a slightly saddened voice, to which I sighed before stroking her arm to try and comfort her.
"Sadly, no, I haven't...I'm sorry, Tamao-senpai," I said, apologetically, to which Tamao just laughed a little but it held a very self-deprecating tone.
"No, no - it's not your fault, Tsukune-kun. Just the baseless feelings of your stupid senpai," she smiled up at me but the pain in her eyes...it made me uncomfortable. I've come to the conclusion that I don't like seeing pain. It puts me on edge. "I guess I can't knock you away from Moka-san or Kurumu-san, can I?" I went silent for a second but I gave a terse nod, "As I suspected - you're a hard catch, T-Tsukune-kun," she tried to sound okay but that crackle when she said my name revealed all it could on how she was hurt right now.
"...I'm sorry, senpai. Even I know my feelings for the two of them are...odd. They came out of nowhere and with the intensity that should be built over months, not days," I explained with a sigh, not bothering to hide my feelings from her because she'd already figured it out herself, it would seem, "I can't even explain it to myself, most of the time," I said with a weak smile.
Hearing me, Tamao looked up at me with gentle eyes that seemed like cooling pools of moleten gold, "And I can't explain my feelings for you, Tsukune-kun. It doesn't make them any less valid," she said, again, with a pining tone.
Knowing I had to say something to keep her mood up, I gave her a nudge and a smile, "Well, look at it like this, senpai, my opinion of you has improved by leaps and bounds and it still is. So not all is lost, is it?" I said and a light appeared in her eyes as a light blush appeared over her face.
"No, I suppose it isn't..." she breathlessly said before continuing in the same tone, "Say, Tsukune-kun...I don't need it to be an emotional relationship. I could easily enough settle for something purely physical--" I stopped her with a shake of my head.
"If what you want is something like that--" but she quickly enough cut me off just like I did her.
Her mouth was in a frown but her eyes were getting a little teary, "I didn't say I wanted that. I said I don't need it to be that. There's a difference, Tsukune-kun," she said with a serious yet saddened tone, "What I want is to be your girlfriend, Tsukune," she dropped the honorific before continuing, "But if I can't get you to feel the necessary feelings for that, I'll settle for some form of relationship with you. It won't make me as happy as the former would but it'll be something, won't it...?" she said before looking away from me and letting go of my arm, "I-I should go. I've already made this a-awkward," she went to get up but I lightly grabbed her jumpers sleeve and pulled her back down onto the sofa.
"You're...Well, you're really overthinking this, senpai," I said with a smile, "For one, we're both teenagers. It wouldn't be good if we suddenly started up a friends with benefits type of scenario. It's better to just see what happens, isn't it? Instead of forcing it? So, please, just calm down. You haven't made anything awkward," I said with a genuine tone, or at least I tried to because she needed to hear it, "Do you think I'm some kind of bumbling idiot who can't deal with talking about feelings and the such?" I asked, to which she shook her head, getting defensive.
"N-No!"
"Then just relax, Tamao," I said before patting her head, "We're still in the midst of our highschool years, so you have plenty of time. Plenty of time for me to see you in that way and plenty of time for you to make me fall for you, right?" I jokingly said, to which her face morphed into one of confusion.
"You...almost sound as if you want me to succeed?" she said to which I laughed.
"No, it's not that, Tamao," I said and she looked a bit down at what I said, but I just continued, "I just don't deny the chance that I could. I already have feelings for two girls at the same time, so who's to say a stupid fickle guy like me couldn't have feelings for three girls?" I questioned before shrugging and leaning back into the sofa, "Honestly, I'm pretty weirded out by the fact I actually can do that. I always thought I was pretty Monogamous."
I mused this but what I wasn't expecting was Tamao to suddenly latch onto me and hug me with surprising strength that would have crushed a normal man, "...Thank you..." I heard a muffled whispered.
"For?" I asked with a small smile, wanting to know exactly what I'd done with those words.
She looked up at me, her chin resting on my chest, "For giving me the confidence to carry on pursuing you...but also for not taking advantage of my emotional state and using me for lustful purposes," she smiled before carrying on, "Even if you are an indecisive perv who can't just pick one girl!" she cheekily said.
"Hey, is that any way to treat your junior--" but I was caught off guard as she giggled and leaned up to me and placed a kiss on my lips. Before I could even do anything, she backed away.*
(*A/N - Don't you just hate it when your government installed superhuman reflexes fail you? Because I do. But seriously speaking, this is a fanfic about a harem manga, so expect plotholes and inconsistencies like this. His reflexes will work when it matters.)
Just as I was about to speak, I heard a shout of annoyance, "You thieving cat! Get away from Tsukune!" Kurumu came barrelling toward us, her cheeks puffed and red with anger before she stopped in front of us and pointed at Tamao, "You took Tsukune's first kiss!"
"Fufu~ And~?" Tamao replied with a newfound confidence that was quite...attractive, honestly.
"B-but, he...I...Urgh!" Kurumu resulted to pulling at her hair when I felt a malevolent gaze focused on me.
Turning to where Kurumu came from, I saw Moka's narrowed green eyes death staring at me. Her cheeks were puffed and her lips were pouted and despite looking cute as hell, she also looked pissed as hell as well.
"M-Moka," I nervously got out before deciding to pull out the big guns. Turning my head to the side, I offered my neck with a business-like smile, "Hungry?" I said but against all odds, she just turned her gaze away from me.
...She's mighty pissed, huh?
Hopefully she comes around and realizes I didn't initiate it. I'm innocent (for the most part) in this scenario. Totally innocent.
Getting up, I walked over to her while leaving Kurumu to argue with Tamao about my first kiss. Did that stuff really matter? Not really. It was a one-sided kiss anyway. Though I guess I should acknowledge the fact I did just say she had a chance with me which may have not been the best thing to say to a girl who likes you and was, at the time, hugging you. So...my bad, I guess.
...Her lips felt quite nice though, I must admit.
"Moka," I said as I got next to the pink-haired girl who was still pouting at me, "I know you're upset with me but I really didn't know Tamao-senpai was going to kiss me," I said with a helpless look but she just raised an eyebrow at me.
"So you're calling her 'Tamao' now? I see how it is," she said before taking my hand which confused me. But it soon made sense when she placed it on her rosary, "Take this off for me. The other me wants to have a chat," she said before going silent and just looking at me.
Sighing, I just pulled at the rosary and it unclipped itself.
Though unlike other times, there was no explosion of energy. The changes just happened and I was left with a glaring silver-haired Vampire.
"Can we at least do this outside of my apartment?" I asked and thankfully I received a nod.
Now I just needed to figure out how to fight silver-haired Moka without getting too hurt. We still had to go out after all.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Mr_Cryptid
Mr_Cryptid A harem fanfic without the girls getting jealous of each other and angry at the MC? That would be heresy, I'm afraid, so I have to include it. But don't worry, Tsukune isn't about to take a beating without fighting back.
Plus, you gotta understand why Moka is upset, right? The guy she likes was just 'kissing' another girl. From her perspective, at least. You guys know that Tamao initiated the kiss and Tsukune did nothing to return it but Moka doesn't know that. Hence her anger.
Anyway, sorry for the lack of anything happening in this chapter. I just needed to have something happen to further Tsukune and Tamao's route/relationship. Now Kurumu, Moka, and Tamao have their route's foundations set up. Now I just have to figure out a character arc for all of them. Which I mostly have.
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