I’m Just a Friend of the Prince, but Before I Knew It, I Have a Harem

Shiro, an ordinary high school student, learns the secret that Mikoto, an extremely handsome transfer student who is called “prince,” is actually a girl. Shiro promises to keep Mikoto’s secret, but he is in a heap of trouble when a gal in his class who is in love with Mikoto asks him for love advice, and a yandere junior student who has been chasing Mikoto from his old school is jealous of him. In order to protect Mikoto’s secret, Shiro sets out to solve the problem, only to find that he is now favored by a gal, a junior student, and even Mikoto, creating a harem. “No, I’m just the prince’s friend.” This is a romantic comedy in which Shiro, who was the prince’s friend, somehow ended up building a harem while giving love advice and fighting off a stalker who was chasing him.

Original Publisher

kakuyomu

Original Language

japanese

Type

Web Novel

## My Thoughts on I’m Just a Friend of the Prince, but Before I Knew It, I Have a Harem Okay, so I dove into "I’m Just a Friend of the Prince, but Before I Knew It, I Have a Harem" with a healthy dose of skepticism, and I came out… intrigued, but ultimately a little let down. The premise is classic harem fare, but I was hoping for a fresh twist. Did it deliver? Let's break it down. ### First Impressions The initial chapters hooked me. The story starts off as a fairly typical rom-com, but with a protagonist who isn't a complete pushover, which is a refreshing change of pace. The school life setting is familiar, but the potential for comedic misunderstandings stemming from the "prince's" identity kept me invested. ### What Works Well The dialogue is definitely a highlight. The back-and-forth banter between characters, especially when they're trading witty remarks, is genuinely entertaining. It gives the story a lighthearted feel that makes it easy to pick up and enjoy. I also appreciated that the story, at least in the parts I read, didn't completely abandon the core premise of the title. It actually explores the implications of the protagonist's situation, which is more than I can say for some harem stories. ### Areas of Concern My biggest issue, and I think many will agree, is the abrupt ending. It feels like the author just stopped writing when things were starting to get interesting. You invest time in the characters and their relationships, and then BAM! It’s over. It's incredibly frustrating and leaves you feeling unsatisfied. ### ⚠️ Spoiler Warning I'm putting this here because the ending is a significant point of contention. Apparently, the story concludes right after the heroines confess their feelings to the protagonist. Talk about a cliffhanger! We're robbed of the shuraba, the fallout, the resolution – everything that makes a harem story worthwhile. ### Final Verdict "I’m Just a Friend of the Prince, but Before I Knew It, I Have a Harem" had the potential to be a really enjoyable rom-com harem. The witty dialogue and non-beta protagonist were definite strengths. However, the abrupt and unsatisfying ending ultimately drags it down. It's an okay read if you're looking for something light and don't mind being left hanging, but be warned: you might be left wanting more – a *lot* more. I'm giving it a tentative 3/5. It's got charm, but the ending is a major buzzkill.