Harem of Side Characters [Rewrite]

Event - Girls and Nicknames

"I'm back..." A voice calls out as the door to the room opens.

...Wait, I should probably be panicking right now. I'm a boy, in the girls sleeping quarters, at night, next to a sleeping maiden. Any normal person would panic if they were caught in this situation. Alright, give me a moment...Ahem.

Oh no. This is bad.

"W-what in the bloody hell is this!?" The girl yells as she spots me sitting next to the bed. If my memory serves me right, this girl is Azuma Sana. She's very easily told apart from the other people in the class due to her boisterous voice as well as her odd dialect.

"Shh! Ruri is sleeping right now." Mori whisper-yells. "And I can assure you, it isn't what it looks like!"

"Then how'd ya explain this dodgy late night meeting! Why's this guy in the girls' room!?"

"Ruri wasn't feeling well. He was just helping me calm her down." Mori explains.

"What? What's wrong with her? Is it..." Suddenly it clicked in Sana's head. Mori nods to confirm. "Oh...Oh...You actually managed to snap her out of that?"

"More him than me. I didn't do much." Mori shrugs.

"I'm sorry for intruding." I say.

"Nah, now'd I know what happened, I can't blame ya. I was just a bit gobsmacked when I first saw ya here." Sana sheepishly rubs the back of her neck.

"It's an understandable reaction."

"Right on. Though uh...I dunno if I'll be able to get much sleep if ye'r here."

"Ah...I forgot about that. Well, I think I've overstayed my welcome. I'll be heading back now, but could you do me a favor?" I request.

"What'dya need?"

"If Ruri seems to be having a nightmare, please wake her up. I promised her I'd do it, but if I'm leaving someone else needs to do it in my stead."

"Of course. I wouldn't just let her be if she's squirming in her sleep, even if she's not my favorite person to be with." Sana replies.

"You make it sound as if you dislike Ruri." Mori states.

"Not that I dislike her, but she refuses to call me anything but Azumaballs."

"I see...how unfortunate."

"You can say that again."

"That aside, thank you. Well then, I'll be taking my le-" As I get up, a hand reaches over and grasps my sleeve. "Ah..." It stops me in my tracks.

"...-on't...leave...me..." I hear a sleepy Ruri mumble, her wrist weakly gripping mine. "Don't leave me...Kiyo..." She begs. Ah, she seems to have woken up, or is at least half awake.

"..." Even if I wanted to, it wouldn't be right of me to stay here.

"...Hmm, well it seems she doesn't want you to leave." Sana comments. "I doubt you'll be able to change her mind."

"It appears so...but I'll leave if you don't want me to be here."

"Well, Mori, what do ya think about switching rooms just for tonight?" Sana asks.

"Eh?...Well, I don't think Kayano would mind at least, but are you okay with it?"

"Yeah. I'll call Satsuki and Sakura to tell em about the room switch so they won't accidentally come here."

"Are you sure? I don't want to trouble you." I say.

"One look at the sleeping girl and it's obvious ye'r important to her. I'm not gonna take that away from her, especially when she looks this exhausted. I mean just look at the bags under her eyes. If she needs ya there to sleep, then ya need to be there." Sana explains.

"You're not worried that I'll take advantage of the situation?"

"Mate, I find it ten times more likely that Ichihashi will be the one molesting ya." Sana deadpans.

"...You make a fair point..."

"Is it...really molesting if...we both enjoy it?" Ruri slurs.

"Be quiet, Ruri. Go back to sleep." I rub her head.

"...Okaaay...Night Kiyo..."

"Good night."

"See? I mean she even has that nickname for ya and everything." Sana comments.

"It's just my given name, shortened. It's not exactly a very thought out nickname."

"Listen, if a gal likes ya, she'll give ya some sort of nickname. I mean, think about it. Who else has got a nickname for ya?" So if I get a nickname, that means they like me. I go through my head in order to think of others who have given me nicknames.

'Sir!'

'Ayako!'

'Friend!'

...

"...Well, there is this girl from Class C who has lovingly given me the nickname 'Asshole' and 'Douchebag'." I reply, thinking of a certain delinquent.

"Loving nicknames indeed." Sana snickers. "But ya get the point."

"I guess that means Ruri likes you as well, Ms. Azumaballs."

"Ay! Ye'r taking the mick out'a me!" She glares at me, before bursting out into giggles a few seconds later. "Well I'll be off, then. See ya."

"Good night, and thank you."

"Yeah, thank you Sana!" Mori replies as well as Sana exits the room.

Onodera comes in a few minutes later, probably to clear out some space for the other girls in the other room. Thankfully her and Mori don't mind sharing a room with me. I guess I've already earned their trust.

Ruri didn't have a nightmare the whole night.