After the weekend After the weekend ended, Mai and Masashi’s life got a good while of normalcy. There was peace at the school and they were in our own little world mostly.

He kept up with his routines and included Mai with him too. She received the same daily quests as him and got the same benefits.

Their skills were shared. It seemed simple but was actually a very amazing thing. They could help each other level up their skills.

Such as Mai was learning a different martial art and Masashi was learning another. She didn’t receive the corresponding skill for that martial art but Masashi’s [Martial Arts Mastery] skill got increased at double the experience rate.

After Mai leveled up to level 15 they experienced a change in their systems.

[EXP gains now changed to percentage-based numbers.]

[When the EXP reaches 100% The Gamer will level up.]

[Daily Quest rewards will provide 1% EXP for each completion.]

This was very helpful since the big numbers were getting annoying and tiresome to deal with.

This also made sure that the daily quests will be valid even at higher levels.

…

There were some major incidents, like the thing with Koga Tomoe.

Mai got her first gig after the hiatus and teased Masashi about the kiss scene before coming clean about it. She received a good spanking that day.

Mai took some time off from school and went for her shoot. She was sad that she wouldn’t see Masashi for a good amount of time. Masashi just gave her a mysterious smile.

On their first night away from each other, Masashi called up Mai and spent an hour talking to her before telling her that he was going to bed.

Instantly, he appeared beside her with a chibi plushie of Mai in his hand, making Mai jump off the bed while about to scream. She stopped, looking at the person that appeared, and questioned Masashi about it.

He showed her the plushie and its effects and got a squeal in return. During the time she was out for her shoots, Masashi just teleported to her and spent the nights with her.

He even showed her the stalker-like photos that he took of her. Needless to say, she threatened him to delete them while he didn’t. It was a big fight that ended in a compromise. Masashi gave Mai embarrassing images of himself too.

Sakuta started dating Koga Tomoe and unlike what it was supposed to be. They got together for real.

Mai even gave the outfit that she modeled for work to Kaede who loved it.

Sakuta is enjoying dating life with Koga.

He even found the younger version of Shouko during a walk with Koga in the rain. He told Masashi about it the next day.

(A/N: I’m getting lazy and didn’t really want to write the whole Tomoe arc. So, I just skimmed over it.)

…

2nd August

“So, Masashi-senpai, what do you think about the situation?”

“We should ask Futaba about this,” Masashi says as he makes a call to Futaba.

Waiting for her to pick up he asks Sakuta, “Do you want to come with or should I just go and talk to her?”

“You can just go senpai. Just let me know what she says.”

…

“Futaba? You seem different.”

“It’s too hot to wear my hair down. And I’m wearing contacts, so no glasses.”

“Why the uniform though? You got something to do in school?”

“I’m the only member of the science club, I have to be productive or they’ll close it down. Anyway, what did you need to talk about?”

“Yeah, Sakuta got another of his wild Puberty Syndrome things going on. He met Makinohara Shouko. It’s just that she turned into a middle-schooler and a first-year at that.”

“Did you check? Yourself, Azusagawa might be going crazy.”

“I did, and shockingly she’s real. What do you think might be the situation?”

“Most probably the same girl with the same name. I read somewhere that everyone has at least 2 doppelgangers in the world.”

“Now that’s just a common myth.”

“So is Puberty Syndrome. Anyway, no harm’s been done yet right?”

“Right.”

“Then tell Sakuta to not worry about it, he should enjoy life with that first year.”

“By the way, there’s a fireworks show soon. You should wear a yukata this time.”

“For who? You?”

“Of course not, I’m interested in seeing only my Mai in a yukata. I’m telling you to wear it for Kunimi. Also, I think it’ll go great with that hairstyle.”

“Anyway, I have to leave. See you later.”

“Thanks for the talk, I guess.”

…

Masashi went to meet Sakuta at the cafe where he works to let him know the situation while complimenting Koga on her yukata.

While He was having that conversation, He saw Mai walk in the door and just straight walked up to her and enveloped her in a hug.

“I’ve missed you, my bunny,” Masashi says to her

“We were together just last night.”

“Yeah, but you were still away. I was only able to meet you during the night.”

“My boyfriend is so needy,” Mai says while hugging Masashi just as tightly.

“Let's get out of this dump. I’ll take you to a nice place for dinner.” Masashi takes her hand and just walks out of the place ignoring everything else.

“That’s Masashi-senpai for you. The moment he sees Sakurajima-senpai, he just forgets everything else in the world.”

“I think it’s romantic,” Koga says.

…

Mai and Masashi are walking hand in hand to get dinner.

They don’t take the car since they just want to enjoy each other’s company and walk together.

After dinner as they’re walking back to the apartment complex, they see Futaba walking into a net cafe.

“What’s she doing here?”

They follow her into the cafe and look for her.

“I’ve never been in a net cafe before.”

“This is going to take forever.”

“Yeah,” Masashi says and pulls out his cell phone to call Futaba’s number.

“Hello?”

“Futaba, where are you right now?”

“I’m at home. What is it? More trouble?”

“Hey! I take offense to that statement.”

“Masashi, look.” Mai interrupts Masashi and points in a direction.

“Senpai? What’s wrong?” Futaba says as Masashi turns to look at ‘Futaba’.

“Nothing, battery’s dying. I’ll call you back tomorrow.” He says as ‘Futaba’ also notices him and runs away.

Masashi and Mai go after her and catch up to her easily.

“Were you talking to ‘me’ on the phone?”

“Yeah”

“Then I guess there’s no hiding it.”

…

Sitting outside a pavilion are Mai, Masashi, and Futaba.

“There are two of me,” says Futaba

“Fuck’s that supposed to mean?” Masashi asks.

“Exactly that. There have been two Futaba Rios since three days ago.”

“Puberty Syndrome?” Mai asks

“As much as I hate to admit it,” Futaba says

“Any idea about the cause?”

“If I did, I would’ve dealt with it by now.”

“The one I met today afternoon was your counterpart, huh?”

“I haven’t seen you today so it must’ve been. That imposter is a pain in the ass. Since she’s squatting at my place and going about her life, I can’t even go back home.”

“So, you went to a net cafe? You should’ve contacted me or Sakuta first.”

“She’s staying with us tonight,” Mai interjects.

Masashi says, “That’s a good idea.”

“She can stay in our guest room.”

“‘Our’ guest room?” Futaba asks.

“Yes, ‘our’ guest room. Mai and I basically live together.”

“I used to think you were a simp but apparently not.”

“Oh, don’t get me wrong, I’m a simp for Mai but just a really passionate simp.”

“I see…”

…

At Masashi’s apartment, Mai and Futaba go to take showers in the two bathrooms while Masashi sits outside Futaba’s bathroom and starts a conversation.

“I’ll leave a towel here.”

“Okay.”

“Do you have a change of clothes?”

“I do.”

“If you don’t, you can borrow Mai’s bunny girl outfit. I’m curious how you look wearing it.”

“I just said I do, you pervert.”

“That said, are you okay?”

“I will be, once you leave.”

Masashi just ignores her statement and sits down in front of the bathroom door.

“Of course, he’d sit and make himself comfortable in front of the bathroom if I tell him to go away.” She mumbles loud enough to let him hear.

“That last question was about the Puberty Syndrome thing.”

After a pause, she says, “I don’t really know.”

“That’s all?”

“What do you want me to say?”

“You don’t have to get all defensive. I just want to hear your thoughts on the situation.”

“I’m a little scared.”

“Just a little?”

“I was really scared when I was alone at the net cafe.”

“See you’re opening up about your feelings.”

“Now for the question of the year. What kind of identity crisis are you going through?”

“What?”

“I could ask you all about the ‘how’ of the current situation but that won’t really bring a solution for this. I want to know why this happened. The best conjecture I could come up with is that you’re having an identity crisis about yourself. One part of you wants to do something but the other wants nothing to do with it. What do you think happens?”

“I don’t have any idea about an identity crisis that I’m supposedly having.”

“You’re not ready to talk about it yet, huh? It’s fine. I don’t mind.”