After their applications for the matching banquet were approved, candidates were permitted to ask a Healer-class individual out on a date in advance. This practice was allowed by The Empire, provided, of course, that the Healer-class individual consented.
The purpose was to allow them to get to know each other before the matching, so they wouldn't be going in completely blind.
Of course, there were also some who already knew each other and had a good relationship before the matching. In such cases, they could absolutely choose one another during the event.
Thus, in the three days leading up to the matching banquet, Sophie Wexler received a steady stream of invitations. These could be sent by any of the approved applicants, and while there were many, she didn't accept a single one.
The candidates who received rejection notices stared at their message inboxes, each one deep in thought. 'She rejected me... Does that mean she chose someone else?'
'Who is that someone else?'
