Chapter 88: Stocking Appreciation Conference
Anon only learned the specifics about the orientation party after joining, and Ren was very supportive of such events for socializing and bonding—
Though it was a bit rough on the waist.
But it was necessary to maintain it as a tradition; otherwise, fostering connections within the harem would become quite challenging.
In the blink of an eye, Ren's harem had formed its own chat group for casual conversations—of course, just one group, with Ren included.
The topics in the group were mostly everyday matters: what to eat tonight, weekend plans, complaining about boring classes or difficult exams, and so on. Beyond that, they often discussed their purchases and what they wanted to give to Ren.
Expensive gifts were beyond Hitori and the others' means, but small items and snacks were things they frequently bought and often shared with Ren.
Then came clothing and personal items. Hitori still took every opportunity to wear her favorite pink tracksuit, even though her personality had improved significantly. It had become a habit—once, she felt uneasy without it; now, she felt downright uncomfortable without it.
"How can girls not dress themselves up properly?" Karen noticed that most of the girls had similar styles. Since they still had to attend school, they wore uniforms most often. On weekends, they'd switch to other clothes or cute dresses, but surprisingly, none of them were experts on stockings!
Hitori, for instance, was someone who'd wear pants under her uniform and even layer a tracksuit over it. Asking her to wear thigh-highs might be pushing it.
Karen felt her legs were a bit too fleshy, not as slender as a typical high school girl's, and worried that stockings wouldn't look good on her.
The others—Anon, Yuno, and Satou—had more suitable figures. To expand the range of novelty they could offer Ren, they privately discussed and ended up buying stockings.
They bought all kinds: bodystockings, hip-huggers, thigh-highs—mostly in black and white. More daring styles like fishnets were too challenging for them; their sense of modesty kept them from being that bold.
While they were exploring more mature fashion choices, Ren wasn't idle either. It was already June, and from Monday to Friday during school, he posted another recruitment notice to prepare for releasing a new song.
The new song, translated as "Midnight Dancer," was originally used in a commercial but had gained some popularity for a while, making it sufficient as a transitional piece.
To "borrow" more songs, they'd have to wait until Karen mastered them. She had some talent in this area—maybe not heavenly, but enough to handle those good songs.
On the weekend, Ren started recording. The orientation party had to be postponed to the following weekend since recording one song per day was a bit demanding for a temporarily formed band.
By the way, this time, Ren called on Ryo to be the bassist instead of Yahata Umiri, as Umiri had joined a fixed band—heard it was called "Mujica"—and with some major backing, it was gaining significant popularity online.
Not long after, though, that band blew up too. Ren saw it on Twitter after finishing his recording. Do these girl bands have some tradition of disbanding right after their first performance?
Ren didn't understand, but he was greatly astonished. The band Anon used to play with had now ceased activities as well.
One could only say fate plays cruel tricks. Now Anon had fully devoted herself to her shop exploration career, happily watching her follower count rise while sporting a perpetually smug grin, completely devoid of any intention to continue band activities.
As time passed, the third weekend of June arrived—a weekend destined for unrestrained indulgence. Since everyone had been restraining themselves from Monday to Friday to avoid affecting their studies, coupled with Ren having recording sessions last weekend, it could be said Hitori and the others hadn't had proper intimate time with Ren for two weeks.
Though this wasn't exactly a brief separation nor a honeymoon period, it already felt more intense than both combined.
...
"Does it look strange?"
After returning home, a bashful Karen changed into black sheer stockings with a hugging fit. She approached Ren with evasive eyes and awkward movements, clutching the hem of her clothes while feeling deeply embarrassed.
Her already mature-developed body made the stockings appear strained to the point of nearly tearing. Being her first time purchasing and wearing them, the size wasn't perfectly matched, nor had she researched the difference between semi-transparent and opaque varieties. The semi-transparent pair she bought allowed Ren to appreciate how the thin fabric stretched taut against her delicate thighs.
The sheer black stockings revealing skin beneath possessed an irresistible allure. Ren directly lifted Karen onto his lap to examine the craftsmanship of the stockings.
The texture was slippery smooth, her legs soft and tender—utterly captivating.
Next was Hitori, wearing sheer white stockings that made her skin appear flushed through the fabric. While black stockings accentuate curves, white ones emphasize fullness. Though merely changing hosiery, this made Hitori's legs look even more rounded and plump.
With this "black and white duo" seated on either side of him, Ren found it hard to maintain composure.
Yuno and Satou also formed a black-and-white pair, though the former wore over-the-knee black stockings while the latter wore over-the-knee white ones. They took it further and bolder, emerging after bathing wearing only intimate apparel beneath their stockings.
"Feeling like continuing like this with you all will inevitably make things strange."
Anon was the last to emerge. Having no allies in this, she merely wore white knee-high socks, essentially hosting a hosiery exhibition for Ren.
"Isn't it blissful not having to think about anything once your mind becomes strange?"
Karen's cheeks flushed crimson as she tightly clung to Ren's arm, masking her shame. Having five people together was more embarrassing than three, yet this very embarrassment deepened their bonds.
"Yuno, Satou, we'll leave the rest to you."
Being more familiar with Yuno and the others, Hitori similarly held onto Ren's other arm, blushing as she signaled for Yuno to begin. The main characters of tonight's welcoming ceremony were them.
Such scenes didn't embarrass Yuno or Satou—they could accept anything that made Ren happy.
Watching Ren revel like a decadent emperor indulging in sensual pleasures, Anon quietly scoffed, yet still approached with flushed cheeks and bitten lips.
The orientation event was a great success. Although Yuno and Satou weren't too embarrassed, after going through difficulties together, their relationship with Hitori and the others improved significantly.
They not only became as close as sisters who shared a blanket, but also witnessed each other's most embarrassing moments.
However, Satou and Yuno still competed fiercely. They weren't afraid of creating "fruits of love," but rather feared losing to each other by securing fewer advantages.
This competition didn't bring chaos; instead, it motivated others to participate actively. After all, if no one competed at all, Yuno and Satou would indeed monopolize everything completely.
While the Harem remained harmonious and stable, good news arrived from another front: Ren finally received an application for the maid position he had been recruiting for, and they scheduled a meeting at a café in two days.