Kiyoko's presence was probably due to Aina's invitation, which was perfectly normal.
Kamishiro was just a little surprised when he saw Rei. Wasn't she Mitarai's girlfriend?
Why was she at a mixer too?!
Did they break up?
Iori clearly didn't get it either and directly asked, "What are you doing here?"
Nanaka explained from the side, "She's a friend that Aina brought over~"
After all, it was a mixer. Nanaka still wanted a few fresh faces.
However, what she didn't expect was... this face was anything but new.
Rie, holding her bag in both hands like a regular girl, smiled openly and greeted everyone cheerfully, "Good evening~"
One had to admit, as long as it didn't involve violence or Mitarai, this girl really was a beautiful and normal one.
What a shame.
After witnessing her lift Mitarai with one hand, they honestly had no thoughts about Rie anymore, not even jealousy toward Mitarai.
Even if those two went on a date, no one would interfere, though they did enforce a curfew for Mitarai, just to make sure he didn't spend the night out.
Boys had to take care of themselves when out playing, after all.
Graduating early for any reason was absolutely out of the question!!!
"I'm very sorry, but I might disturb everyone for a while."
???
"A little while?"
Ding dong~
"Yes, until my prey bites the bait!"
Just as everyone was puzzled, the group chat on their phones buzzed.
Mitarai was sending messages.
[Mitarai]: I heard there's a mixer tonight, I'm on my way! Wait for me!
"..."
Well, now they knew who the "prey" was.
At the same time, their fear of Rie rose to a whole new level.
This woman... wasn't just terrifying in strength her grasp on human psychology was just as frightening!
Looks like Mitarai's never escaping her clutches in this lifetime.
[Kamishiro]: No one invited you. Honestly, you're better off not coming.
[Mitarai]: Are you kidding? No way!
[Mitarai]: Tonight, I'm going full Big Bad Wolf~
[Mitarai]: Awooo~
"..."
Yep. Kamishiro now understood the meaning of "you can't reason with someone determined to die."
His stand-in was basically rushing to his own funeral.
"Uh… it looks like he's almost here…"
To prevent the scene from becoming too bloody and ruining the mixer, Kamishiro decided to sell out the stand-in ahead of time.
Swish!
Rie immediately stood up. "Thank you very much!"
Then she briskly walked to the door, clearly planning to intercept someone outside.
Of course, Rie was still considerate before leaving, she said, "Don't worry, I'll have someone take my spot."
"Oh?"
Now Kamishiro was intrigued. It was a mixer, after all having a few strangers around made it more fun.
Looks like the stand-in's sacrifice wasn't in vain!
Looking at the current lineup of girls, Kamishiro hoped the new arrival would be a loli.
Just like how they fantasized about big sisters, boys also dreamed of having a sweet, cute little sister!
A few minutes later
When Kamishiro saw the newcomer, he was completely devastated.
He clutched his face in despair.
The inevitable had happened!
Busujima… Sakurako!!!
Was this really a mixer?
This was now full-on Battle Royale Mode!!!
Six people total, and four of them had something going on with Kamishiro!
Two big sisters, and two mortal enemies.
Life was really full of surprises.
So freaking full of surprises!!!
(Ｔ▽Ｔ)
"Yo, if it isn't the green tea b*tch. Persistent as ever, huh?"
Seated, Kiyoko had already lost all interest in whatever Kamishiro had been doing earlier. She was glaring at Sakurako with obvious annoyance.
Seriously… why is this green tea chick everywhere?!
"Oh~ I totally don't understand what this manly girl is saying. I'm just here filling in for a friend."
"Unlike someone, who probably panicked after hearing Shiro was coming and begged her friend to sneak her in."
Sakurako sat down, completely unfazed. Trash-talking? She'd never lost a round.
"You're talking about yourself!"
Kiyoko gritted her teeth, then turned to her bestie in confusion.
Wasn't this supposed to be top secret?! How did the green tea chick show up too?!
(;?＿?)
Faced with her best friend's accusing gaze, Aina guiltily turned her head away.
"Ahaha… I didn't know Miss Rie and Busujima were acquainted…"
Kiyoko!
Please trust me!
This was a total accident!
If I'd known this would happen, I would've brought Kanako instead…
Ignoring the bickering besties, Sakurako turned her gaze to Kamishiro, who was now slumped in his seat, trying to disappear.
Her eyes twinkled with mischief. "Shiro, what a surprise~ Running into you at a mixer like this~"
"Y-yeah, totally unexpected, hahaha…"
Kamishiro gave a forced laugh, feeling like he was sitting on pins and needles.
Of course he didn't believe these two were really here for the mixer.
It was obvious they came knowing he would be here. They were targeting him!
And that wasn't even the worst part. The worst part was…
Yamamoto and the others were giving him death glares so intense it was terrifying!!!
That's right.
Ever since Kamishiro sat back down, he'd been under constant visual assault from his three friends.
And just now, the murderous intent in their eyes had gotten even stronger.
They'd figured it out!
The pink-haired girl and the ponytail girl both were connected to Kamishiro!
Based on Kitahara's earlier lie detector reveal, these two were likely part of Shirou's harem!
Damn that bastard why won't he just drop dead already?!
Six people total, four of them had ties to that jerk Shirou, and the last one was Kitahara's girlfriend…
What kind of mixer was this supposed to be?!!
If that's the case… don't blame them for what happens next!
The Beast Trio exchanged looks and silently nodded.
This was a mixer, after all so of course, they had every right to make a move.
Shirou himself had said it he didn't have a girlfriend.
In that case, getting his girls stolen was fair game!!!
The fires of jealousy and lust blazed in the hearts of all three.
As Yamamoto pondered who to go after, he overheard Aina sitting directly across from him mutter:
"Wow, I didn't expect to know everyone here."
Yamamoto: !!!
That one line instantly grabbed his attention. He swore on his 20 years of virginity he'd never met this girl before!
That sweet girl-next-door vibe, if he had met her he'd never forget!
Which meant…
This was a classic pickup line!!!
Yamamoto froze, feeling like he'd just unlocked a mystery.
So-called "knowing everyone" was a common approach tactic!
At that realization, a smug smile crept across Yamamoto's face.
As expected, his charm was unstoppable, he'd barely arrived and already had a girl flirting with him.
The only reason he hadn't had a girlfriend before must've been because these scumbags were dragging him down!
But…
There was still a difficult decision to make.
He looked at Azusa, then Nanaka, and finally Aina.
Two lovely big-sister types, and one sweet girl-next-door who might be into him…
Tough call.
Suddenly, he glanced at Kamishiro beside him and, with steely resolve, snapped one of his chopsticks clean in half
And pointed it dramatically at all three girls at once!
"We're adults now we want it all!"
Iori was stunned after witnessing everything Yamamoto had just done. Grabbing him by the collar with a twisted expression, he snarled, "You bastard, all you care about is the damn trident, huh?!"
"I don't know what you're talking about. I just accidentally broke my chopsticks."
Yamamoto smiled nonchalantly, playing the fool like a pig unafraid of boiling water.
Looking around at the scene the 'cheerful' faces of the three perverts dripping with lust, Kiyoko and Sakurako's sweetly sarcastic smiles, and Kamishiro hiding like an ostrich Azusa's lips curled into a grin. Behind her, it was as if a little black devil's tail tipped with a heart was wagging back and forth.
This mixer… is absolutely hilarious!!!
"Whatever! Let's toast first!"
It was a mixer, after all alcohol was a must~!
Kamishiro raised his glass, volunteering to liven up the mood. He was well-practiced at this kind of thing.
Back when he had just started at a certain high school, he was famous as a social butterfly.
Unfortunately...
After a few mixers, the guys just stopped inviting him...
He could organize his own, sure but then it always felt more like an impromptu trap than a proper mixer.
Right now, though, he had no time to hide his true self.
Mainly because those two girls were terrifying!
Kiyoko and Sakurako had been staring at him nonstop since the start, whispering strange things under their breath.
Like witches.
So scary!!!
To fight off his fear, Kamishiro decided to face it head-on!
Hmph!
Even if disaster was waiting, it'd be the future version of him outside this room that would have to deal with it.
He wasn't afraid!
Life is about reckless abandon!
And to be fair, thanks to Kamishiro's lead, the mixer was finally looking… somewhat normal.
At least now it resembled an actual mixer!
Azusa: "You all visited our school during the culture festival, didn't you?"
Nanaka: "You all seem so close~"
The two older girls smiled warmly, looking at their underclassmen and friends. The mood was pleasant.
Yamamoto: "Aw, you flatter us~"
Fujiwara: "(Honestly, being friends with this bunch) is a little embarrassing to admit."
Nojima: "But for my bros (and their misfortunes), I'd take a knife to the ribs."
The three guys chuckled, their smiles brimming with lust.
Just moments ago, they had made their decisions.
Nojima and Fujiwara stuck to their original plans and pointed their chopsticks toward Nanaka and Azusa respectively.
Watching the two make their moves, Yamamoto curled his lips into a sneer.
Sure, if possible, those two were clearly the best options.
However
Yamamoto wasn't totally delusional.
Those two older sisters were clearly on a whole different level, they were way out of their league.
And don't forget Kamishiro was still in the picture!
Even if he thought he was more charming than Kamishiro, he knew it still wasn't a safe bet.
In a situation like this
It's better to go with someone who already likes you!
So… Yamamoto's gaze shifted across the table to the awkwardly seated Aina, caught between Kiyoko and Sakurako.
Aina: {{(°△°; "}}!
Still suffering through the constant sarcastic jabs from Kiyoko and Sakurako, Aina suddenly shivered.
She had a terrible feeling.
Something bad was about to happen!
{{(°△°; "}}!
Aina blinked in confusion and glanced around, trying to figure out who was trying to ruin her day.
And then
She locked eyes with Yamamoto.
Wink~
(Ｔ▽Ｔ)
That wink nearly sent Aina straight to the afterlife!!!
Now she knew exactly why she had that ominous feeling before.
She had been targeted.
Do you know how much emotional damage a wink from that guy can do to a blossoming young girl?!
Trembling, Aina scooted closer to her besties, seeking safety.
Kiyoko blinked, puzzled by Aina's reaction.
Clearly, she hadn't realized what had happened yet.
Even Sakurako, who'd been closely observing Kiyoko, looked confused.
One second later they understood everything.
Because
With his target confirmed, Yamamoto launched an all-out assault!
He puckered his lips and blew Aina a flying kiss!
Σ_(???」∠) UGH!!! ×2
All three girls gagged in unison.
This was psychological warfare!!!
Aaaaaaah!!!
Nightmare fuel!!!
Meanwhile, Yamamoto's unfortunate target Aina was trembling violently.
"Ahahahahahahahahahahahahaha…"
Her expression looked utterly broken.
Kamishiro's trio stared at her in confusion.
"What's wrong with Cakey?"
"Looks like she saw something unseeable."
"She's completely fried!"
Aina: Ahahahahahahahahaha…
She never should have come to this damn mixer!
Unlike Kamishiro and the others, Yamamoto misinterpreted Aina's deranged smile.
He thought it meant his moves were working.
Just as expected!
No girl can resist my charm!
Excellent. Time to follow up with Phase 2!
He had thoroughly prepared before this mixer.
Step one showing his interest had gone perfectly. Now, it was time for step two!
Ask the girl about her preferences for a classic conversation starter!
Under the puzzled gazes of Kamishiro and the others, Yamamoto picked up his drink and struck a pose he thought was incredibly cool.
Then he asked:
"Do you… like virgins?"
PFFFFFTTTTT!!!!!
Kamishiro and others trio spat out their drinks in perfect sync. Now they finally understood why Aina had broken down.
This bastard was the problem!
The moment Yamamoto asked that question, the entire room went silent.
Kiyoko and Sakurako gave him scathing looks, immediately stepping in front of Aina like bodyguards.
Pure-hearted Nanaka turned beet red at the words.
How did the conversation suddenly go there?!
Ironically, the calmest person in the room was Chisa.
After all, she was in the same class as these clowns and she was way too familiar with their antics.
As for Azusa... she wore a mysterious smile and opened her mouth to say something.
But
Smack!
At the last second, Kamishiro clapped his hand over Azusa's mouth.
She looked at him, confused, as sweat beaded on Kamishiro's forehead. He pinched her cheeks hard.
He knew exactly how chaotic Azusa could get.
Her mouth had to be sealed!
Otherwise, those horny beasts would absolutely not let go of this seductive big sister!
Sensing the shift in the girls' expressions, Nojima and Fujiwara made a swift decision.
They kicked Yamamoto to the ground and began mercilessly pummeling him.
Nojima: "What the hell is wrong with you?!"
Fujiwara: "You're trying to blow up the whole party? You're disqualified!"
"..."
Watching the impromptu WWE match unfold, Sakurako twitched.
This was hands down the most pathetic, most absurd mixer she had ever attended.
She turned to Kamishiro, who had somehow ended up sitting between the girls.
"So, uh… where the hell did you find these guys?"
Kiyoko also turned toward him.
She honestly thought she'd be a better participant than this crew, even as a guy.
Her inner old-man soul was raring to go.
Kamishiro fell silent for a moment and then said,
"Totally normal. This is just how the Mechanical Engineering Department at Izu University is."
He was being honest, this wasn't slander!
"..."
Sakurako had nothing more to say. Her fantasy of Izu University was completely shattered. But since things had turned out like this…
A glint of seduction flashed in her eyes. She gently brushed her hair aside and slowly rubbed her toe against the inside of Kamishiro's thigh. She leaned close to his ear and whispered temptingly:
"Then, how about we just end this mixer here? Want to head over to the boss's bar for a few drinks?"
Gulp.
Kamishiro instinctively grabbed that mischievous leg. The silky skin under his hand stirred a dangerous temptation.
Come to think of it… it had been a while since he visited the boss's bar for a drink.
Just as he was about to agree, he suddenly felt his arm being wrapped in something soft.
He turned to find Kiyoko, who had somehow sidled up beside him, exhaling warm breath into his other ear.
"Hey, Kamishiro… I bought a new set of lingerie yesterday. Why don't you come over to my place later and tell me if it looks good? It's lacey and… see-through~"
Pfffft!!!
Who the hell could resist that?!
Kamishiro clutched his nose, utterly torn. Should he go for the drinks… or the lingerie show?
This was… a painfully hard choice.
He tentatively suggested, "Um, hey, you know… maybe there's a way… I could enjoy the lingerie while having drinks?"
At those words
The two girls, who had been locked in silent competition, paused… then smiled with identical, devilish grins.
Two delicate hands casually slid onto the insides of Kamishiro's thighs.
"You tell us~" ×2
{{(°△°; ")}}!
Killing intent!
Overwhelming killing intent!
Kamishiro's brain went into overdrive. He knew if he said the wrong thing now, he might not leave this place alive!
He turned a desperate gaze toward Azusa-nee, silently pleading for her to change the subject.
However…
Azusa-nee was currently bombarding him with silent signals.
'Count me in too!'
"..."
What the actual hell!
He couldn't even handle a triangle, how was he supposed to deal with a full-blown, unstable quadrilateral?!
Clearly, Azusa-nee was a lost cause. Kamishiro looked toward the three perverted beasts, hoping they would cause some kind of commotion to draw attention away.
Anything would do!
And then
Kamishiro was met with six blazing eyes full of fury.
At some point, Yamamoto and his two buddies had stopped doing their dumb and were staring, unblinking, at his interaction with the two girls.
Behind them… a literal STAND of malicious intent had formed.
"..."
Perfect.
No need for them to cause a scene now!
He was afraid their "scene" would be murdering him.
So now, his last hope was…
Kitahara and Kohei, the two still watching from the sidelines!
Remembering their bond of brotherhood, Kamishiro put on a bold smile and silently mouthed to them:
"30 new AV titles, 'Otaku-chan' closed beta access!"
SLAM!!!
Internal voice connection established. Your teammates Iori and Kohei are now online.
The two of them slammed a 1980-yen lie detector down on the table and made a proposal:
"Hey everyone, just chatting is getting kinda boring."
"Let's play a lie detector game~"
Kamishiro: ???
A lie detector game… IN THE MIDDLE OF MY SHURA FIELD?!
Traitors!!!