Kaede didn't know if Akiho was "intact" or not.
All she knew was that when he returned, his face was glowing with a strange radiance...
It seemed he still didn't know Hikaru's true identity.
As for what the "training" involved, no one knew, but it seemed effective—Akiho looked significantly more confident.
Hikaru's "training" was a success, and the KTV session was proceeding well... at least on the surface.
Under Sumire's encouragement, Suzune and the others found the courage to take the mic and sing a song.
Their singing was mediocre at best, but the delinquents weren't stingy with their praise.
Buoyed by the atmosphere, the three introverts became noticeably more cheerful. Sayu even sang a few encores.
Kumagai and the others played it by the book, which allowed Sayu and her friends to lower their guard.
They were no longer hiding in the corner; they were actively chatting and engaging.
Though they hadn't lured Rin and Akiho away entirely, they had successfully disarmed the girls' suspicions.
Once the target is relaxed, the rest is easy.
The group stayed at the KTV until late afternoon.
Sumire had already booked a table at a restaurant. After the singing session, she led the group there.
After an entire afternoon of bonding, Sayu and Saki were chatting normally with the group. Even Suzune managed a few full sentences.
There was no physical contact yet, but everyone was becoming familiar—except for Akiho and Hikaru.
On the way to the restaurant, Hikaru and Akiho were already inseparable, whispering and giggling together.
Sayu, having come out of her shell a bit, was chatting happily with Sumire.
As for Suzune... watching her friends be so happy made her feel a twinge of bitterness, as if something were being stolen from her.
"Why not go join them?"
"!!!"
Rin's voice suddenly rang in her ear, startling Suzune, who had been focused on Akiho and Sayu.
"Ehh... I... I don't want to bother them... it wouldn't be right."
Suzune looked down and whispered.
"Sayu... Sayu finally became cheerful. And Akiho is finally talking to a girl. If I go over there, they might feel obligated to look after me..."
Her voice trailed off. She was happy her introverted friends were making progress, but she was desperately lonely being left behind.
They were friends who had bonded over their shared isolation. And now...
"In that case, how about I keep you company?"
"But..."
Suzune glanced at Kaede nearby. Leaving your girlfriend to talk to me... is that really okay?
"Don't worry about it. Kaede was worried you'd be lonely, so she specifically asked me to check on you." Rin smiled. "Right, Kaede?~"
Hearing Rin, Kaede turned her head... Mmm!?
She froze when she saw Suzune, then quickly turned back, acting normal.
-13!
Suzune's Netori value was -13!
Regardless of the sign, that number was very normal. It usually just indicated a slight internal tendency with no impact on actual behavior.
Only when the number climbed higher would someone actively seek out the fetish. A -13 was well within the range of a normal person.
What shocked Kaede wasn't the number itself, but the fact that it was 9 when they first met this morning!
In a single afternoon, her value had dropped from 9 to -13!?
I don't know what caused it, but this girl has massive potential.
Kaede smiled and went back to chatting with Sayu.
Unlike the promising Suzune, Sayu's value was 23—she had a slight interest in cuckolding others, which was also within the normal range.
Rin couldn't see the numbers. After greeting Kaede, he focused back on Suzune.
"Everyone says being an extrovert is better, but you shouldn't force yourself to change if you don't want to."
"I don't have to?" Suzune bit her lip, her expression complicated.
"What matters isn't what they think, but what you think. I know a girl who is more of a shut-in than you. At school, she's a total loner, hiding in dark, damp corners like a slug. But she's the lead guitarist of a band, standing on stage and performing live shows."
"Eh? Really?"
Suzune projected herself onto this "slug-like" guitarist... she couldn't imagine herself on a stage.
I'd probably be so nervous I'd pee myself.
"If you don't believe me, I'll take you to their next show." Rin smiled. "But remember... being a loner is different from being insecure."
"In that band, there's a bassist who loves being alone. She has no friends at school and enjoys the solitude. Solitude is a personality trait; insecurity is a flaw. Lift your head. Stand tall. Don't fear their eyes."
"There. Exactly like that. You were already cute, but you're much cuter like this~"
Under Rin's guidance, Suzune slowly puffed out her chest and lifted her blushing face.
Rin didn't just use words. As she lifted her head, he reached out and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
"There. Perfect~"
Thump-thump-thump...
Looking at Rin's smile, Suzune felt her heart hammering. Her cheeks burned.
It was the first time anyone had ever been so intimate with her.
But the next second, seeing Kaede chatting with Sayu and Suzu right beside her was like a bucket of cold water.
Right... he has a girlfriend. And she's a beautiful twin.
Rin was just helping them "transform." If Sayu hadn't invited her, she'd never have met him. He was just being encouraging...
Thinking this, Suzune's mood dipped, but she forced a smile so Rin wouldn't notice.
Sumire hadn't booked a high-end place.
She chose a standard BBQ joint popular for student gatherings. No private rooms, just a row of reserved tables in the main hall.
It wasn't that Sumire was cheap—Kumagai and Hayato were rich enough—but high-end places required quiet, which killed the mood. More importantly... they had "friends" here.
After sitting, the athletes expertly ordered food and looked at the waitress.
"By the way... we have high schoolers here, but could we get some beers?"
"Sorry, we can't serve alcohol to minors," the waitress said, winking at the athletes.
"Pity. Just bring us some sodas then."
The charcoal was lit, and plates of meat arrived soon after.
After an afternoon of bonding, the atmosphere was lively as they grilled and chatted.
As they were finishing up, the same waitress approached the table.
"Um... excuse me, guests. Could you keep it down a bit? Your group is getting a bit too loud for the other customers."
"So sorry! We'll be quiet," the athlete who ordered said, bowing with a practiced apology.
Once the waitress left, he frowned and looked thoughtful.
"Man... it's still early, but we can't really talk here..."
"I know!" Hayato, the delinquent, said as if struck by inspiration.
"A friend of mine owns a private bar nearby. How about we go there? minors can't drink here, but at my friend's place, it doesn't matter."
Here it comes!!!!
Rin and Kaede shared a look.
After a whole day of acting like decent human beings, the cloven hooves were finally showing.
The waitress was almost certainly a plant. They asked for alcohol to establish the mood, then used the "noise" complaint to manufacture an excuse to move to a private location.
"A bar? Yay! I've never been to a bar! Is it really okay?"
Momoko was the first to agree, clapping her hands with excitement.
If Kaede couldn't see Momoko's virgin status on the system, she'd have sworn the girl was in on the scam.
"It's fine. His friend's place is quiet, no customers tonight. We won't disturb anyone."
Sumire turned her gaze to Rin and Kaede. "Will you two join us?"
"Sure. Let's go."
Kaede didn't refuse. She nodded in agreement.
With Rin and the system at her side, she wasn't worried about any accidents.
This was the perfect chance to give Momoko a lesson about Sumire's true intentions and show her just how dangerous the world really is!