I Came Home to Relax, But Somehow Ended Up Living With Two Dangerous Women

If Chapter 7 taught me anything…

It’s that my life is no longer in my control.

I stood at the mansion door.

Hand on the handle.

Mentally preparing myself.

“…Stay calm, Ren.”

I took a deep breath.

“You survived the meeting.”

Another breath.

“You still have your family jewels.”

Very important.

“…Everything is fine.”

And immediately knew—

Everything was not fine.

The smell hit first.

“…What is that?”

A strange scent filled the air.

Not bad.

Not good.

Just…

concerning.

I stepped inside cautiously.

“…Aoi?”

“…Please tell me you’re not experimenting on the house.”

I walked further in.

And then I saw it.

The living room—

Was gone.

Not literally.

But it might as well have been.

Tables.

Equipment.

Beakers.

Strange machines.

Wires.

Notes taped to walls.

Diagrams.

Charts.

Things bubbling.

Things glowing.

Things that definitely should not be glowing.

“…This used to be a living room.”

“ A room For the living to use to watch TV not a room for The preparation of the dead”

“Correction.”

I froze.

Aoi’s voice came sent chills through my spine

“This is now a controlled research environment.”

I turned slowly.

And there she was.

Lab coat.

Slightly messy hair.

Glasses reflecting the light.

Smiling.

“…Welcome back, Ren.”

“…What did you do.”

She tilted her head.

“I optimized the space.”

“…You turned my house into a laboratory.”

“Yes.”

“…Without asking me.”

“Yes.”

“…That feels illegal. Although most things you’ve done until now felt illegal!”

“It is efficient.”

“…I’m starting to hate that word.”

She walked closer.

Holding a clipboard.

“I’ve already begun preliminary observations.”

“…Of what?”

“Your living habits.”

“…You’ve been spying on me?!”

She shook her head.

“No.”

Pause.

“I’ve been observing.”

“…THAT’S THE SAME THING.”

She ignored me.

Writing something down.

“Subject displays heightened agitation upon environmental change.”

“I AM NOT A SUBJECT.”

She looked up.

“You are.”

“…I regret everything.”

And just as I was about to say something else—

CRASH.

The front door slammed open.

“…I KNEW IT.”

I didn’t even have to turn around.

“…Why do I hear violence.”

“REN!”

Yep.

I turned.

And there she was.

Hikari Shinozaki.

Standing in the doorway.

Eyes sparkling.

Breathing slightly heavier.

Like she had just sprinted here.

“…I had a vision.”

“…I don’t like where this is going.”

She stepped inside.

Slowly.

“…You returned home…”

“…Yes.”

“…and she greeted you…”

“…Yes.”

“…alone…”

“…YES.”

“…in a private residence…”

“…PLEASE STOP.”

Her cheeks flushed.

“…the tension…”

“…NO TENSION.”

“…the silence…”

“…STOP TALKING.”

“…your eyes meeting…”

“…I’M LEAVING.”

She stepped closer.

“…and then—”

“…DON’T YOU DARE—”

THUD.

The world flipped again.

“…WHY.”

I was on the floor.

Again.

Aoi looked down at me.

Then at Hikari.

“…Interesting.”

“…WHAT’S INTERESTING.”

She wrote something down.

“Subject experiences repeated physical trauma in the presence of romantic stimuli.”

“I AM GOING TO DIE.”

So far, this situation hasn’t gotten any better. Every girl I’ve had the chance to meet has been a danger to me—and honestly, probably to the entire school.

“…This is fine,” I muttered from the ground.

“It’s not fine,” Aoi corrected calmly, still writing on her clipboard.

“Your survival rate is decreasing at a steady pace.”

“…WHY WOULD YOU SAY IT LIKE THAT?!”

Hikari tilted her head slightly, looking down at me.

“…You’re very fragile.”

“I AM NOT FRAGILE, I’M BEING ATTACKED.”

Before I could stand up—

“Ren. Arakawa.”

…Oh no.

That voice.

Cold.

Sharp.

Authority.

Death.

I didn’t even need to turn around this time.

“…I’m already on the ground,” I said. “Can we just skip to the part where I get blamed?”

Silence.

Then—

Footsteps.

Slow.

Measured.

Terrifying.

Nanami stepped into the room.

Her eyes scanned the scene.

Me.

On the ground.

Hikari.

Standing over me.

Aoi.

Holding a clipboard.

Surrounded by what looked like a black market science lab.

Silence filled the room.

“…I see.”

NO YOU DON’T.

“This is not what it looks like,” I said quickly.

Her gaze shifted to me.

“…Explain.”

“I was attacked.”

“…By who.”

I pointed upward.

“HER.”

Hikari blinked.

“…I was inspired.”

“YOU BODY-SLAMMED HIM AGAIN!? AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? WHO GAVE YOU PERMISSION TO BE HERE?”

Nanami’s eye twitched.

“…And you.”

She turned toward Aoi.

“What is this.”

Aoi adjusted her glasses.

“A controlled research environment.”

“…This is a residential building.”

“Yes.”

“…Not a laboratory.”

“It is now.”

Silence.

Heavy.

Dangerous.

Nanami slowly walked further into the room.

Her heel clicking softly against the marble floor.

Each step somehow louder than the last.

“…You have both violated academy protocol.”

“I DIDN’T DO ANYTHING!” I shouted.

“I WALKED IN AND GOT ASSAULTED BY ROMANCE AND SCIENCE!”

“That is not a defense.”

“IT SHOULD BE!”

Hikari clasped her hands together.

“…It really was beautiful.”

“WHAT WAS BEAUTIFUL?! ALSO WHY ARE YOU HERE HIKARI? DID YOU JUST LET YOURSELF IN”

“….. Yes, but that shouldn’t be a problem we’re all friends here aren’t we?”

“… Friends don’t body slam eachother”

“The tension.”

“THERE WAS NO TENSION!”

Aoi scribbled something down again.

“Subject denies emotional engagement despite clear physical reactions.”

“I’M DENYING BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING TO ADMIT!”

Nanami exhaled slowly.

“…This is exactly what I feared.”

“…Yeah, me too,” I muttered.

Her eyes locked onto mine.

“From this moment forward…”

Uh oh.

“…I will be personally supervising all interactions that take place within this residence.”

“…Excuse me?”

Hikari’s eyes sparkled.

“…Supervision…?”

Aoi tilted her head.

“…Additional observation data.”

“…WAIT NO.”

Nanami continued.

“I will not allow this situation to deteriorate any further.”

“…It already deteriorated,” I said. “I hit the ground twice.”

She ignored me.

Of course she did.

“And if I determine that either of you—”

She glanced at Aoi.

Then at Hikari.

“—pose a continued risk…”

Her gaze returned to me.

“…he will be removed.”

“…STILL ME?!”

“Yes.”

“…I really am the victim here.”

Silence fell again.

Then—

Aoi raised her hand slightly.

“…President.”

Nanami narrowed her eyes.

“…What.”

“I would like to conduct a stress response experiment under supervision.”

“…Denied.”

“…Understood.”

Hikari raised her hand.

“…President.”

“…No.”

“…I haven’t asked yet.”

“…Still no.”

“…Understood.”

I slowly stood up.

Dusting myself off.

“…I hate all of you.”

“Language,” Nanami said coldly.

“…I strongly dislike all of you.”

“That is acceptable.”

“…This school is broken.”

“No.”

Nanami replied.

“…You are the problem.”

…

…

…

“…I’m definitely not surviving this year.”

Silence lingered in the room.

Heavy.

Uncomfortable.

Then—

Nanami turned.

As if making a decision.

“…This situation cannot continue.”

Uh oh.

I felt it.

That shift.

That moment when someone in power decides your fate.

“…What are you talking about?” I asked cautiously.

She didn’t look at me.

“I have reached a conclusion.”

That’s not good.

“The current arrangement…”

She glanced at Aoi.

Then at Hikari.

Then back at me.

“…is unstable.”

“…That’s one way to put it.”

She ignored me.

Of course she did.

“Therefore…”

…

…

…

“I will be moving into this residence. From now on to keep a eye on Aoi and you Ren.”

…

…

…

“…WHAT?!”

My brain stopped.

Aoi blinked.

“…Additional observer.”

Hikari gasped softly.

“…A love triangle…”

“IT IS NOT A LOVE TRIANGLE!”

Nanami crossed her arms.

Completely serious.

“This is not a request.”

“…You can’t just move into my house!”

“I can.”

“…On what authority?!”

“I am the student council president.”

“…THAT DOESN’T MEAN YOU CAN JUST LIVE WITH ME!”

“It does in this case.”

“…THIS SCHOOL MAKES NO SENSE!”

She stepped closer.

Her presence overwhelming as always.

“I will ensure that no inappropriate behavior occurs.”

“…Define inappropriate.”

She stared directly into my soul.

“…Everything.”

“…I’m doomed.”

Aoi wrote something down.

“Subject stress levels increasing rapidly.”

Hikari clasped her hands together again.

“…This is getting even more romantic…”

“STOP SAYING THAT!”

Nanami turned toward the door.

“I will have my belongings moved here by tonight.”

“…TONIGHT?!”

“Yes.”

“…I don’t consent to this!”

“Not required.”

“…I HAVE HUMAN RIGHTS!”

“No.”

“…I’M CALLING MY LAWYER!”

“You do not have one. Even if you did I could definitely afford a better lawyer”

“…That’s true.”

She paused at the door.

Then looked back at me.

“Prepare yourself, Ren Arakawa.”

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

“Your situation…”

A small pause.

“…is about to become even more difficult.”

The door closed behind her.

Silence.

I stood there.

Frozen.

One crazy scientist.

One romance-obsessed martial artist.

And now—

A strict, terrifying student council president…

Moving in.

…

…

…

“…I’m dead.”