Ren looked across the table with a blank stare before turning to me and saying, "Why am I here again?"

I sipped on a caramel latte and said, "Because otherwise there'd be too much girl power."

"Uh-huh..." Ren slowly nodded and then shifted his gaze off to my right. Specifically, at Celes. Then he shifted his gaze to my left at Cici. And then finally, he shifted his gaze to Cici's left at Yui. "...Should I be congratulating you or cursing you right now, Kimura-san?"

"Just shut up and drink your damned coffee."

Ren chuckled and then leaned back in his chair, sipping on his coffee.

We were at the shopping mall in Roppongi. It was... Friday? Thursday?

Time was a bit wonky after all the things that were happening, but it was close to the end of the week.

Anyway, to sum things up, me, Celes, and Yui were on a break from school with what recently happened. Yui was also staying over at our house because her uncle was apparently sorting out some business deals.

At least, that was what Dad told me. From the way he said it though... I had a feeling that it wasn't quite as simple as a mere business deal.

But I didn't probe too deep into it.

Like Dad said, better to just enjoy a normal high school life for the time being.

Of course, considering the *other* guest now staying at our house...

"O.M.G." Cici took a large slurp from a tall turtle mocha cooler and said, "These are *so* much better in person than in pictures!"

Ren gave Cici a weird look and said, "It's... just a mocha?"

"But it's a *real* mocha! With cream, coconut milk, and extra sugar!" Cici took another sip and let out a content sigh. "Is this what it feels like to get off?"

My eye twitched.

Yui blinked and said, "Where are you getting off?"

Celes took a sip from her plain hot cocoa and said, "Ignore her, Yui."

"Ooh, are we doing neglect play now?" Cici grinned and said, "I've always thought that you'd be good at giving the disgusted look, Princess- Yeah! Like that!"

Celes turned up her nose and then shook her head. Looking at me, she said, "Just where did you find this crude woman, Sen?"

"...It's complicated."

And dang it, Cici! Stop that!

'Stop what? I'm just being a normal, perfectly adjusted member of society.'

I can hear the sarcasm there. Don't make me read through all the fine print and report you.

'Jokes on you! Even if you cut me off from the system, I'm real now so I still get to bug you! The only thing that'll change is that you won't be able to hear my cute private thoughts anymore. Uwu.'

...How and why are you this cringe? Did some crazy mad scientist train an AI on the YouTube comment sections of VTubers to give birth to you?

'Hmph! Meanie! I keep telling you, I'm a real person, not an AI!'

That's not the setting you were using before, dimbo. Hah...

I sipped on my caramel latte and then looked at Yui. "How are you holding up Yui-chan?"

"H-Huh?" Yui flinched and then set down her cup of chai tea. "Oh. I'm fine. It's just..." She looked at me, giving me a once over. Then she looked at Celes and Cici before saying, "...So you're really a guy, huh?"

I felt my face heat up and said, "S-So what if I am, huh? Guys can be cute too!"

Cici gasped and hugged my arm. "Sennie-poo! You're finally accepting it!"

Celes reached over and shoved Cici's face away. "You are being far too clingy in public! And Sen is mine!"

"Ooh, am I going to be abused and thrown away now after the neglect play?" Cici let out a disgusting laugh and said, "Kinky."

I rolled my eyes and tugged Cici's ear.

"Owowow! I was just kidding!"

"You're playing around too much, Cici. That stuff is fine when roleplaying online, but keep your fantasies separate from reality."

Cici pouted for a bit, but then she sighed and said, "Fiiine. If that's what you want, Sennie-poo... I'll stop since you're my bestie."

Yui pursed her lips, looking between me, Cici, and Celes with a complicated expression. After that, she looked at Ren and said, "Kanryo-san. Is Sena- I mean, Sen always like this with women?"

Ren leaned one arm over the back of his chair and sipped on his coffee. After that, he said, "If you mean how he always has crazy women chasing after him, yeah." He wrinkled his brow and said, "Sometimes, I wonder if he's emitting a weird pheromone or something."

I peeled Cici off me and rolled my eyes. "What am I, a Queen Bee or something?"

Ren shrugged. "Just pointing out a fact. Though it looks like you've gotten better since Celes and Yui seem pretty normal."

...Let's ignore the fact that Celes started off as a devout believer that I was a goddess and Yui had the largest girl crush on me.

Still, I guess that was better than the yanderes chasing me down in the past. Or someone like Akane-

I quickly cut off my train of thought when I saw someone walking in the background.

A beautiful woman with light brown hair tied in a ponytail. A perfectly chiseled body that anyone would admire that was barely covered by tight clothing and a leather jacket. Confidence and an intimidating aura that created a bubble around her that people passing by refused to penetrate.

...Okay. Weird, but reasonable.

Akane was in town and probably wanted to keep us safe. Dad also probably asked her to keep an eye on us after what happened, and she was probably double inspired to do that since Ren was here.

But...

...Why the heck is Sensei with her?!

xxx

A quaint tea shop in the middle of the Roppongi Hill mall. There, two women sat down after ordering some drinks.

"Thank you for coming to see me so suddenly, Aka." Ayumi let out a faint smile and slid a cup of green tea across the table.

Akane sat down across from Ayumi and grabbed the tea. "It's fine, Ayu. I'm surprised though." She tilted her head and said, "I overheard my kid brother say that you were tutoring him and Sennie. You could have let him know we were classmates."

Ayumi's smile grew a bit strained. "I was hoping to keep things a bit professional as a teacher, but..." She sighed and reached over to pull up the black strap from her blouse. "It turns out I'm not good at that either."

Akane sipped on her tea and said, "That's because you try too hard, Ayu." She waved her cup around and said, "You need to be a bit more selfish."

Ayumi giggled and then picked up the cup of tea she got for herself. "I know, I know." She sipped on it and said, "I got scolded again about that recently, so I'll get better at it."

"Scolded?" Akane raised an eyebrow and said, "By who? Did you finally get a boyfriend?" She gave Ayumi a onceover and said, "Is that why you finally started dressing up?"

Ayumi crossed her right arm beneath her chest and then waved her left hand and said, "Oh, no." She laughed and said, "I've just been changing my outfit a bit since I got my new job."

"Seems like that's not the only thing that's changed about you, Ayu."

"Hm?"

Akane eyed all the guys staring at Ayumi and said, "Nothing." She shifted her gaze back to Ayumi and said, "What's this all about then? It's not about Ren's grades or anything, right?"

Ayumi shook her head. "No." She smiled and said, "I just wanted to pay you back a bit." She swirled her tea around and said, "I've always admired how strong you are, you know? And since I'm going to be an idol now, I thought that I could learn a bit from you."

Akane blinked. "Wait. An idol? ...You?" She burst out laughing and said, "This world really is topsyturvy these days, huh? First, Sennie gets a girlfriend, then some idiots going in on Uncle Hajime's turf, and now the shy Ayu-chan says she's being an idol..."

Ayumi puffed. "And what's wrong with that!? I can do it!"

Akane stared at Ayumi, thinking for a bit. And then she burst out laughing again.

"Akaaaa!"

xxx

"Hm?" Celes glanced at me and said, "Do you see something, Sen?"

"...Nah. Must be my imagination."

I shifted my gaze away from Akane and Ayumi-sensei. Or at least, the women who looked like them sitting in the tea shop across the mall.

Yeah. After all, what were the odds that they were like high school buddies or something, right? And that Sensei would walk outside boldly wearing such a risque outfit?

Right.

So... Let's just enjoy this relatively calm time before we go back to school and-

Wait.

School.

Cici.

...Ugh. I am *never* going to have a normal high school life at this rate, am I?