Jimoto no Ijimekko-tachi ni Shikaeshi Shiyou to Shitara, Betsu no Tatakai ga Hajimatta. - Vol. 7 Ch. 58 - The battle for Valentine's Day has begun.

[UdenEmpati]

No need for supernatural, just branch the story immediately before, say, Kotaro's confession and have readers decide which route is canon to them. So far the harem is very balanced so if things stay this way it's believable that he could choose any of the girls. But I'd be fine even just some extra what if chapters.
Now will the author do something like that? The only other series I read from him wasn't an harem so I don't know how he plans to handle this one.

ohhh, more like "choose your own adventure" than trying to make a single cohesive timeline somehow fit routes with each character, type thing.
I don't know if that's quite what you meant, but it's how I can wrap my brain around the concept in a way that seems like what you're saying.
I think I was just coming at it from a different viewpoint and made it needlessly complicated all on my own.

Either way, if a harem ending actually works and can be well-written, then it's whatever for me, ultimately. I'd only take issue if it felt forced or like he picked all three and two of them were "pity picks" type thing (say Akira is the "main" but then Kotaro brings the other two along because "I'd feel bad if you were left out").

If the author gives each of them 1-on-1 time with Kotaro outside of the context of the central gimmick of the title itself (so no "competition/punishment games", just hanging out and being people around one another), and that's balanced out equally among each romance target and Kotaro clearly vibes with each in a good way -- then I could see a harem ending being justified. Though only if each girl agrees with all the others. It'd have to not be unbalanced as to who has "priority status", at least in my opinion.

At least Kotaro seems like he'd be up to the task of actually caring equally for each partner without showing favoritism. Which is a plus in my book.

 

[UdenEmpati]

Lmao, if all three of them jump his bones he might not be able to defend against it.

the problem they face is if he thinks it's just another punishment game taken to a new level and somehow still misunderstands what they're trying to do.

Which, honestly, is absolutely how I see that going, and they'd still be at square zero.

 

[D3V1L15H]

Sorry, all I can think of when cream puffs are mentioned is Mashle.

Bling-bam-bam-born my friend

 

[Lex79]

ohhh, more like "choose your own adventure" than trying to make a single cohesive timeline somehow fit routes with each character, type thing.
I don't know if that's quite what you meant, but it's how I can wrap my brain around the concept in a way that seems like what you're saying.
I think I was just coming at it from a different viewpoint and made it needlessly complicated all on my own.

Either way, if a harem ending actually works and can be well-written, then it's whatever for me, ultimately. I'd only take issue if it felt forced or like he picked all three and two of them were "pity picks" type thing (say Akira is the "main" but then Kotaro brings the other two along because "I'd feel bad if you were left out").

If the author gives each of them 1-on-1 time with Kotaro outside of the context of the central gimmick of the title itself (so no "competition/punishment games", just hanging out and being people around one another), and that's balanced out equally among each romance target and Kotaro clearly vibes with each in a good way -- then I could see a harem ending being justified. Though only if each girl agrees with all the others. It'd have to not be unbalanced as to who has "priority status", at least in my opinion.

At least Kotaro seems like he'd be up to the task of actually caring equally for each partner without showing favoritism. Which is a plus in my book.

Yeah that's what I meant, different separate endings for each heroine.
Of course I'm still routing for an harem ending and it could work under the justification that Kotaro can only be truly happy if he keeps challenging all three girls, so he needs all of them in his life.

 

[LordTartaros]

Nothing short of an harem ending is acceptable.

 

[YamiRi]

Kotaro is the heroine in this manga

 

[Outflanks10]

Thanks for the translation KappaBeast

 

[Carn109]

Push him down and make it official
Also based Kotaro spouting that rhetoric and one upping them with cream puffs

Also keep up the work. Hopefully it's not affecting you too much.

 

[yayforpenguin]

Either harem ending or sumika wins it all

 

[ItsThatBriGuy]

Kotaro is the heroine in this manga

Honestly, change the artstyle a bit and genderswap everyone and this is a fairly standard 2010s reverse-harem shoujo.

 

[TestAddress]

I ate baking soda cream puffs, meant to be that way so they can last the long travel from the tourist spot. It made my stomach iron-strong. After eating it yearly for five years, I am able to eat it without drinking water and in one swallow, with chewing of course.

 

[0Zion]

Man now I want a cream puff. Wtf.
Kotaro actually being happy is noice to see and the three girl just want to make a harem I guess?
Sumika got ignored though!

 

[xAKLx]

I wonder if maybe instead of an harem the author will make a route for each girl. The question then would become how many routes there will be...this chapter made me more convinced that Sumika's chances are very slim, but who knows.

or even better, a route for each girl AND a harem route