The weekend.
The mixer was scheduled for the afternoon. Saki Yoshida arrived at Kaede and Suzu's house early in the morning.
The person who opened the door wasn't Kaede or Suzu, but Rin. The moment Saki saw him, her shoulders trembled and her toes curled tight in her shoes.
She stammered for several seconds before speaking.
"L-long time no see."
"Saki, you've become so cute I almost didn't recognize you. Come in." Rin smiled and welcomed her.
Her long black hair flowed naturally over her shoulders. She wore a white, round-neck long-sleeve shirt under a denim-blue pinafore dress. Her bare legs under the skirt radiated the youthful charm of a high school girl.
The last time they met, Saki had started changing her look under Kaede's influence, but it was a minor shift—just contacts and light makeup. Her aura was still timid.
But now... though traces of the old Saki remained, her vibe had shifted significantly. If they met on the street, Rin would have had to double-check to be sure it was her.
In the living room, Kaede and Suzu were ready.
They hadn't dressed up specially for the event, sticking to their usual summer combo of denim shorts, white belts, and pure white short-sleeve shirts.
Seeing Saki arrive, Kaede checked her phone.
"It's still early. Let's rest for a bit."
"Uh... okay."
Saki sat stiffly on the sofa. Kaede went to get water while Rin sat beside her.
She shrank into herself, her guilty eyes refusing to meet Kaede's or Rin's. After all, she spent almost every night fantasizing about Rin.
"So... Sumire Enase suggested this mixer, right?"
"Eh... yeah," Saki whispered. "She said she'd bring some friends..."
"I heard Enase-san has been helping Sayu Wakaba quite a bit?" Rin probed. Since Suzu confirmed Karen hadn't ordered it, Rin had double-checked with Karen and Shion. It definitely wasn't Karen's doing.
Befriending a classmate was normal, but they were in their second year now. If they wanted to be friends, it should have happened long ago.
Sumire Enase was part of Karen's clique. Her sudden interest in a gloomy girl like Sayu was odd. However, when Rin asked Shion, she mentioned that Sumire was indeed a very social person who liked making friends.
"Yeah... Sumire has been hanging out with Momoko and Sayu all week. Chatting during breaks and asking her out after school. Sayu has become much more cheerful lately."
Rin chatted with Saki about Sumire for a while. In this "mixed" world of light and dark, it was better to be cautious. You can't be too careful with strangers.
Saki had gone out with Sayu, Sumire, and Momoko after school. Just simple things—shopping, claw machines, eating snacks. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
Eventually, Kaede walked up behind Saki and put her hands on her shoulders.
"It's time to go."
"!!!!" Saki jumped as if she'd been electrocuted. "I-I'm sorry!"
"Mmm? What are you apologizing for? I'm not saying you're late, just that it's time to head out." Kaede gently squeezed Saki's shoulders. "You apologize way too much."
"Ah... okay." Saki nodded guiltily. I thought she was jealous because I was talking to him.
Kaede really was a good girl. She didn't get jealous when her boyfriend talked to others. Meanwhile, I'm just a pervert who masturbates to him in secret.
Saki hung her head even lower.
After a quick cleanup, Rin grabbed Kaede and Suzu's bags and they headed out. They had agreed to meet Sumire and Sayu at a cafe near the commercial street.
They took a seat near the door. Moments later, Sayu appeared outside. Kaede ran out to wave to the three people across the street.
Sayu entered the cafe with a boy and a girl.
"Sayu, this is my sister Suzu and my boyfriend Rin Ito. And these must be the childhood friends you mentioned?"
After Kaede introduced the Hoshizukis, Sayu introduced her friends.
A boy and a girl. The boy was named Akiho Hasegawa. With his messy short hair and hunched posture, he looked exactly like an unconfident introvert.
The girl beside him was named Suzune Kagami.
Even on a day off, she wore her school uniform. No makeup, a plain white headband, and double braids—just like the old Saki.
"Plain" was the nice way to put it; "dowdy" was more accurate. However... her breasts were huge.
Like Sayu, they were both quiet loners. In middle school, they had formed their own group because they couldn't fit in anywhere else.
Rin ordered three drinks for them. Suzune Kagami and Akiho Hasegawa sat down awkwardly, scrolling through their phones and taking occasional sips.
Sayu's personality had improved over the week thanks to the four girls, so she could actually chat with Rin without it being painfully awkward.
Soon, Sumire Enase and Momoko Suzuki arrived. Rin observed them carefully.
He had expected Sumire to be a gyaru like Marin, but she looked quite refined. She had a clean bob cut, no weird hair colors or piercings, and she wore her knee-high socks perfectly.
The pink-haired girl beside her was much more lively. Petite, with pink hair in twin tails held by star clips. Her smile was playful, and her legs—encased in black pantyhose—added a touch of seduction to her cute look.
"Yoo-hoo! I'm Momoko Suzuki, just call me Momoko."
"Sumire Enase."
To Rin, Momoko looked like the "not-so-bright" type. Sumire was clearly the one in charge.
Sumire gave a faint smile and scanned Rin, Akiho, and Suzune. When she caught Rin's eye, he smiled at her. She then focused on Sayu and her friends.
"Kaede, Suzu, and Saki are great. But Sayu, Suzune, and Hasegawa-kun... you can't go to a mixer looking like that." Sumire's smirk widened. "But don't worry. That's why we met up so early. We're going to help you transform~"