Volume 3 Chapter 1 An Actress’s Sensual Secret A Harem Adventure Begins
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”I never thought I’d be spendin’ time with just you, Hirose,” Ihara Kairi breathed.
”That’s my line,” Hirose countered, his voice a little strained. “It’s always been Hibiki and Himari around, too.”
October had rolled in, marking the end of summer uniforms and the start of wearing their blazers as outerwear. On this particular day, Hirose and Kairi were together, operating as a duo. Her short, light-blue hair framed a face where a silver piercing gleamed on her ear. The ever-present Hibiki wasn’t with them today. Being alone was the entire point, though; there was a specific reason for their joint mission.
They had been waiting for a while in a nondescript room. They had a little time before the person they were meant to meet arrived. Perhaps that small window of secrecy was why Kairi scooted closer to Hirose on the sofa, her posture suddenly aggressive.
”Hey, is this okay?” she purred.
”Huh, wait… Just because we’re alone…” He trailed off, his face flushing. “Wha—stop!”
Kairi, who was usually so cute and smiley, was now entirely different. Her eyes seemed slightly unfocused, molten with desire, as she brought her face right up to his. She grabbed both of his arms, effectively trapping him, and then pressed her lips against his in a sudden, forceful kiss.
”Mmmph… K-Kairi… This is… this isn’t a good place… nngh…” Hirose muffled his protest against her mouth.
”Doesn’t matter, does it? There’s no one… mmph… here… ngh-chuu… hnnn…” she replied, pushing her soft lips harder against his while their tongues tangled. This was the very first time he’d been completely alone with Kairi like this, and it seemed to have made her far more active and aggressive than usual.
A heavy CLACK of a turning lock reverberated.
Right as they were exchanging that steamy kiss, the door to the room swung open, and two women stepped inside.
”Ah… W-wait…!”
Kairi’s face, which had been so languid and flushed moments before, was now a deep crimson. As they broke apart, a single, glistening thread of saliva stretched between their lips, then slowly snapped.
”—Please, continue. A genuine kiss, not an act. It’s quite intriguing,” the beautiful woman with straight black hair commented.
She looked directly at them, her tone utterly detached and flat despite having just walked in on a heavy make-out session.
”See, even Oriko¹-san said so! So… come here—” Kairi pressed, attempting to renew the kiss.
”Wait, Kairi, you dummy! Ngh—Stop it, I said! Stop!” Hirose shoved her away, finally breaking the intimate scene.
With a small, disappointed ‘aahn,’ Kairi reluctantly backed off, pressing a fingertip to her tingling lips.
”Is that truly all? I rarely get to witness such a thing up close. I had hoped to observe it for longer,” the woman mused.
”Uh… well, the reason we’re here today is kind of different from… that,” Hirose stammered.
”Ah, yes, that’s right. The discussion about you using your skill on me.”
Shiina Oriko, the young actress, stared intently at Hirose, her expression perfectly composed as she murmured those words.
*
Why had this bizarre situation come to pass? We have to rewind the clock about two weeks.
”—’Sensitivity Improvement’”
That was the name of the new skill Hirose had recently acquired.
After he and the girls, including Fuyutsuki (who isn’t here right now), had all showered and cleaned up, they settled down to formally discuss the new ability.
The New Gift: Sensitivity Improvement
> ＜Sensitivity Improvement＞
> Method: Stroke the entire body
> Effect: Improvement of sensitivity (However, it cannot raise sensitivity past a certain threshold)
> Recoil: The body becomes hot and sensitive for a set time
This was the breakdown of the ‘Sensitivity Improvement’ ability. When he shared it with Rindou Hibiki and the others, the reaction was a simple ‘Huh, okay,’ because none of the girls in the group had poor sensitivity in the first place. In fact, people with low sensitivity were quite rare, which made them wonder if the skill would even be useful.
But as is often the case with Hirose, destiny had a way of drawing trouble—or rather, opportunity—to him.
”—Eh… ah…”
”Koharu, what’s wrong?”
”Um… well, when we went to the beach before, I exchanged contact info with someone…”
”What, you got picked up!?” Motoya Himari gasped.
”No, no, it was a girl! She was at the dungeon tourist spot, too.” Koharu quickly explained, trying to recall the details.
Kirino, sitting beside her, nodded in recognition as she listened closely.
”Her name is Hourai Midori, and she’s the same age as us. She’s the daughter of the head of an adventurer-exclusive talent agency called ‘Treasure Next.’ She actually knew about you, Kirino-chan.”
”‘Treasure Next’? Isn’t that the biggest one?” Saori interjected.
”You know about them, Saori-chan?” Hibiki asked, suddenly interested.
”They’re famous in the adventurer world, of course.” Saori gave the simple explanation.
But the real kicker came next.
”So, this Midori-chan said that all the models scheduled for a shoot this weekend suddenly had to back out. She needed to fill the magazine pages with a different plan…”
”Which means?”
”She just sent us an offer to be the models!”
”EEEH!? But I’m not an adventurer!” Kirino cried out in shock.
Treasure Next, being a talent agency, partners with magazine publishers. They sometimes loan out adventurers as models, but this request was different.
”That’s apparently not a problem. This is a general fashion magazine, nothing to do with adventurers. So it’s okay even if you don’t have a Gift,” Koharu clarified.
”H-huh, I see…”
”And she said they need five people…” Koharu looked around at the faces in front of her. Only Saori was shaking her head vigorously.
”I can’t. I have work,” Saori stated firmly.
While working at the Adventurer’s Guild, Saori wasn’t forbidden from taking a second job, but she simply preferred to avoid doing a photoshoot with the much younger girls.
”Right, that’s fair… So, should we ask the other two?” Koharu wondered aloud.
”Koharu, you’re just assuming Kirino and I are going?” Hibiki challenged her, an amused look on her face.
”You’re going, aren’t you, Hibiki-chan? She said your face will be in a magazine!”
”Haha! I wonder if someone like me should be doing that? What do you think, Hirose?” Hibiki cooed.
”Hibiki, you’re cute enough to be a model. And the ‘two people’ Koharu mentioned are Himari and Kairi, right? You don’t even need to ask them; they’ll absolutely say yes.”
”…If you say so, Hirose. I guess I’ll check with those two, then.” Hibiki, who had looked far from unwilling from the start, conceded.
”What about you, Kirino-chan?”
”If everyone else is doing it… I’m a little embarrassed, but okay,” Kirino replied shyly.
”Then it’s decided! I’ll reply to Midori-chan,” Koharu confirmed.
And so, the five of them became models.
*
—One Week Later.
They arrived at the photography studio, where a handful of staff, including the photographer and makeup artist, were waiting to welcome Hibiki and the others.
”This is amazing! I can’t believe we’re making our model debut!” Himari shrieked excitedly.
”Right? We’re definitely cute, but still!” Kairi agreed, her eyes sparkling.
Predictably, those two had immediately agreed the moment the proposal was mentioned.
”—Thank you all very much for coming on such short notice today. For those who don’t know me, allow me to introduce myself. I’m Hourai Midori—a high school sophomore, but I’m involved in my company’s work like this. Today, I’ll be your manager, so please treat me well.”
The beautiful girl with long, flowing, light-green hair had introduced herself politely. Midori herself had the looks to be a model, but she prioritized her company’s business, which was why she was acting as a manager and intermediary, even as a high schooler.
The studio had prepared Christmas-themed costumes. Though it was only October, they had to plan ahead since the magazine wouldn’t be published until later. With the studio time limited, the five girls went to change.
”Excuse me… and you are?” Midori asked, having noticed Hirose’s presence.
”Oh, um… I was asked to come along as their escort, but I guess I’m in the way. Sorry.”
”No, no, not at all. I was just wondering about your relationship with the girls.”
Hirose had indeed come along. Midori was curious about him while the girls were getting ready and had decided to ask.
”I’m Hibiki’s boyfriend. The rest of them are all my classmates.”
”Ah, so that’s the relationship. You seem close with all of them… you’re very fortunate to be surrounded by such lovely women.”
”No… It’s more like all my relationships are unexpected gifts,” Hirose replied vaguely.
He generally kept his Gift a secret, so he used a vague phrase, but Midori obviously didn’t understand what he meant by that.
”Um… I was wondering, is there another shoot happening next door?”
”Ah, this studio is quite large, isn’t it? The areas are divided, but sometimes we share the space with other parties.”
Hirose’s gaze went to the section next to theirs, which was only separated by a line drawn on the floor. There were both white and green screen backdrops set up, and a woman was already standing there, rapidly changing her poses as a shoot was underway.
”That person… I feel like I’ve seen her somewhere.”
”Oh, you don’t know? That is Shiina Oriko—the hot, rising young actress.”
”Seriously!?” Hirose gasped.
Shiina Oriko, twenty-two years old. She’d been scouted on the street as a teenager, appeared in small dramas, and was now starting to make waves in famous series. Someone like Hirose, who was focused primarily on adventurer knowledge, might not know her, but the more pop-culture-aware Himari would have. She just hadn’t noticed before due to the excitement of her own debut.
”So she’s an actress…”
”Heh. It’s understandable not to know her when you’re surrounded by beautiful classmates who don’t look inferior to her. Maybe that’s why,” Midori said with a small smile.
”That’s… I mean, still. That Shiina-san is so expressive and beautiful, too,” Hirose admitted.
”The talk on the street is that they call her ‘The One-Hundred-Faced Actress.’ They even say she can cry in five seconds.”
”Wow… Actresses are amazing, aren’t they?”
Hirose watched Shiina Oriko’s shoot with deep interest while he waited for Hibiki and the others to finish their preparation.
When the girls finally appeared, their dressing and makeup were complete. Each of them—as a Santa, reindeer, elf, or snowman—was wearing a cute costume that was a little bit revealing.
”Hirose! How do I look?” Hibiki asked immediately.
”You’re cute… but wait, people who buy the magazine will see this, won’t they?”
”What, are you getting jealous?” Hibiki teased him.
”Of course I am…”
He wanted this cute girlfriend to be seen only by his eyes. He wished he could be the only one to see this sexy, adorable outfit.
”Hey! Don’t just look at Hibiki! Look over here, too!” Himari pouted.
”That’s right!” Kairi backed her up.
Hirose sighed, saying ‘yes, yes,’ but still told them that they were all cute.
”Koharu and Kirino are cute, too.”
”Thank you!”
”Thank you very much!” Kirino beamed.
Because of her larger chest, Koharu looked a bit more erotic in her outfit than the others, which was probably the fault of the non-standard Christmas costume. It made it hard for Hirose to know where to look.
The shoot finally began, and after a while, they took a short break. The six of them, including Hirose, headed to the break room. Shiina Oriko and her manager were already there.
”AH! It’s Shiina Oriko!?”
”No way! Amazing! She’s so pretty!”
As expected, Himari and Kairi leapt up and down in surprise.
”Um, I-I’m sorry, but could we get an autograph?” Himari asked, suddenly shy.
”Me too!” Kairi joined.
”If you’d like,” Shiina Oriko replied with a gentle, composed demeanor, and she shook hands with both of them. To Hirose, who had been watching her intense performance just moments ago, the current Oriko seemed too calm, almost unnaturally so. She was a true actress, with an incredible on/off switch for her personality.
A soft, scraping RATTLE echoed.
Hibiki, who was trying to sit down at the table in the break room, kicked her chair leg. Her eyes widened as she stared intently at something.
”Could it be… even an actress…?” Hibiki mumbled to herself, her voice a near whisper.
Though she was clearly startled, Hibiki managed to sit down, then quickly gathered the other five, including Hirose, to lean in for a secret discussion.
”Hibiki-chan, what’s going on?” Koharu whispered.
”—To put it simply… Shiina Oriko is reacting to Hirose.”
When Hibiki said that, everyone collectively swallowed.
”What!? Are you serious?! That’s Shiina Oriko! She’s a major actress right now!” Himari hissed.
”But I guess even actresses have problems, huh… Considering Hirose’s skill… which one is it?” Kairi wondered.
Their talk quickly shifted to Hirose’s Gift. She had to be reacting to one of his abilities, and they urgently needed to figure out which one.
Hirose’s ‘Beauty’ Gift included the skills: ‘Skin Quality Improvement,’ ‘Fat Burning,’ ‘Depilation,’ ‘Hair Quality Improvement,’ ‘Breast Growth,’ and ‘Sensitivity Improvement.’
”Her skin’s already perfect, she’s slim, probably already depilated, her hair is beautiful… her chest is plenty big… It can’t be that one, right?” Hibiki mused.
”No way… but… is it really impossible?” Himari’s voice was full of doubt.
Despite their disbelief, they all came to the same, unspoken conclusion.
”—’Sensitivity Improvement’?” Hibiki whispered the name of the skill.
That was the exact moment Shiina Oriko rose from her chair and walked toward their group.
”—If you don’t mind, could I join your conversation?”
Shiina Oriko, the famous actress, sat down in the empty seat next to the group of high schoolers, showing an intense interest in the ordinary boy.
—
Summary:
Hirose and Kairi’s intimate moment in a secluded waiting room is hilariously interrupted by the sudden arrival of the composed actress, Shiina Oriko, setting a tense, sexual tone for the new arc. Later, the girls all get ready for a revealing Christmas photoshoot orchestrated by Midori of the Treasure Next talent agency. But the excitement quickly turns into possessive suspicion when Hibiki realizes the famous actress, Oriko, is exhibiting a clear attraction to Hirose, a tell-tale sign that she has reacted to one of his powerful Beauty Gift skills in this steamy harem romance.
—
Character Insight:
Shiina Oriko, the renowned ‘One-Hundred-Faced Actress,’ is introduced with a cool, almost surgical focus, despite her high-profile celebrity status. Her lack of emotional reaction to Hirose and Kairi’s scandalous kiss, combined with her immediate, analytical interest, suggests a deep-seated professional need or personal flaw that Hirose’s Gift of Beauty—specifically the Sensitivity Improvement skill—might solve. This immediately positions her as a dangerous, high-level rival in Hirose’s developing harem adventure.
—
Behind the Scene:
The setting shifts to a professional studio, moving the romantic harem comedy out of the typical school environment and into the real world of fame and talent agency pressures, which is where Midori’s plot-relevant introduction comes in. The chapter pivots on the revelation of Hirose’s latest skill, ‘Sensitivity Improvement,’ and the immediate, powerful magnet it makes him for women, regardless of their own beauty or celebrity status, which explains the shocking intrusion of the actress Oriko.
—
T/L:
1 [Oriko]-san: A respectful Japanese honorific suffix used when addressing or referring to someone. ↩
Notes:
• Ihara Kairi – Short, pale blue hair and D-cup (F, 159cm), Kairi is Hibiki’s sharp-witted friend. She’s known for her cute smile but is frequently suspicious and inquisitive regarding her classmates’ secrets. Kairi’s interactions highlight Hirose’s growing circle and the effect of his skill.
• Shiina Oriko – a 22-year-old actress, currently a rising star known as ‘The One-Hundred-Faced Actress’ for her incredible range and emotional control (she can cry in five seconds). She has straight black hair. Despite her fame, she is calm and almost unnervingly composed. Her immediate interest in Hirose, after detecting his Gift, suggests a professional or personal need that his unique skills might be able to fill.
• Rindou Hibiki – Hirose’s cheerful, bold classmate who is the first to request his Beauty skill. Hibiki (F, pink bob hair, 158cm, F-cup) is outgoing, expressive about her interests, and quickly becomes Hirose’s girlfriend after an explicitly intimate scene. Her reactions help set the adult tone of the story.
• Motoya Himari – Energetic classmate of Hibiki (F, 161cm, orange long hair, D-cup) who avoids the ‘gyaru’ label. Himari is lively and often envious or curious about developing romantic and physical relationships around her, seeking Hirose’s attention as the story progresses.
• Kirino – Strikingly beautiful with blue long hair (F, 168cm), Kirino is gifted with ice magic and feels isolated because of her appearance. Hirose’s Beauty skill helps her improve her self-image and social comfort, directly affecting Kirino’s relationship with her family and classmates.
• Hourai Midori – 17-year-old classmate, daughter of a famous manager, target of assassination attempt. Have Pale Green Hair (Long).
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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