"I was just reading a funny news story," Kato Megumi said flatly.
"Really, that's all?"
"That's really all." As Kato Megumi spoke, she glanced at her father.
From what she knew about her mother, all this nagging and gossiping had to be because she had drunk too much. Normally, she would never ramble on about so many pointless things.
Feeling his daughter's gaze, Kato Megumi's father could only shrug helplessly. There was nothing he could do about it either.
If even her father could not do anything, then everyone else was even less help.
Helpless, Kato Megumi could only give up resisting.
Meanwhile, because of Kato Megumi, Shirai Mio would glance in her direction every so often.
Even those tiny glances somehow caught Yukinoshita Haruno's attention.
"What are you looking at, little kouhai?" Yukinoshita Haruno leaned against Shirai Mio and followed her gaze.
Kato Megumi's presence might have been extremely faint, but she was not invisible. Combined with Yukinoshita Haruno's powers of observation, it did not take Haruno long to notice her.
"Is that your friend?"
"Ah, mm. She's a classmate and a good friend." Since she had already been noticed, Shirai Mio did not hide it and answered directly.
"Why does it feel like all your friends are cute girls?"
"Can't help it. I like pretty girls, after all."
Hearing that, Yukinoshita Haruno leaned close to Shirai Mio's ear in surprise and said, "What a fickle little kouhai. You already have me, and you're still not satisfied."
Shirai Mio merely glanced at Yukinoshita Haruno before turning her attention back to her food.
About an hour later, dinner finally came to an end.
However, the two resident drunks still did not seem satisfied and were discussing starting a second round once they got home.
Then both of them felt Shirai Mio's kindly little gaze fall upon them.
Sengoku Chihiro said quietly, "Um, we finally don't have work tomorrow, so we'll just drink a tiny bit more. We definitely won't get drunk."
"You say that every time. When have you ever not gotten completely wasted?" Shirai Mio muttered under her breath, then silently withdrew her kindly little gaze.
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The next morning.
Even though it was the weekend, Shirai Mio still woke up right on time at six in the morning.
She gave a lazy yawn, cuddled with Shiina Mashiro beside her for a while, and only then climbed out of bed.
After a quick wash, Shirai Mio changed clothes and left the apartment.
April mornings were still a little chilly.
But with Shirai Mio's [Cold Resistance], this little bit of cold barely counted as anything to her.
She headed straight to the nearby park. On days off, if she woke up early and had nothing special planned, she would come here for a walk and relax.
However, Shirai Mio had only just entered the park when a familiar voice came from behind her. "Mio?"
Shirai Mio instinctively turned around and found Kato Megumi's cute face in front of her.
Kato Megumi was wearing sportswear today. One look was enough to tell that she had come here to exercise.
Shirai Mio had run into Kato Megumi jogging here on previous visits as well.
"Megumi, do you come here to run often?"
"Mm, I wouldn't say often. I only come here to exercise a little on days off. Want to join me?"
Shirai Mio looked down at what she was wearing, then shook her head lightly. "I only came here for a walk, and these clothes aren't suitable for exercising, so I'll pass."
Just then, the System's voice suddenly rang in Shirai Mio's ear. "You're just making excuses. If you really wanted to exercise, couldn't you just ask Kato Megumi to swap clothes with you?"
"Before Kato Megumi leaves the park, please find a way to exchange clothes with her. Success may earn you a Kato Megumi series deck or item reward. Failure will require you to draw a penalty deck."
"Why don't you just die!" Shirai Mio could not stop herself from cursing aloud.
Seeing Shirai Mio's stiff expression, Kato Megumi asked curiously, "Mio, what's wrong?"
"Um, there's suddenly something else I'd like to ask you for." Shirai Mio smiled at Kato Megumi.
The moment the words left her mouth, Kato Megumi silently took half a step back and said, "Why do I always get the feeling that whenever you ask me for a favor, it won't be anything good?"
"Hear me out first. I just want to borrow your clothes for a little while."
"Borrow my clothes? Right now?"
Shirai Mio nodded, looking a little embarrassed.
Kato Megumi instinctively shook her head. "I just ran a few laps, so I'm sweaty. Better not."
"I-it's fine. If it's Megumi, I don't mind!" Shirai Mio said with a completely serious expression.
"But I mind," Kato Megumi said quietly.
"Please." Shirai Mio hugged Kato Megumi's arm and tried to deploy her acting-cute strategy.
However, Kato Megumi did not fall for it—or perhaps she did and simply did not show it.
After Shirai Mio kept pleading and pestering her, Kato Megumi finally asked, "If I don't exchange clothes with you, will something bad happen to you?"
"Mm, more or less." Kato Megumi's question also made Shirai Mio realize that she might have noticed the System's existence somehow, though she probably did not understand very much yet.
After hearing Shirai Mio's answer, Kato Megumi finally said softly, "Then... okay."
Naturally, they could not change clothes out in broad daylight. The two of them went into the restroom together and exchanged their clothes inside. Yet even after they had finished changing, the sound announcing mission completion did not come.
Shirai Mio looked at Kato Megumi in her clothes, then looked down at herself. It did not feel like they had missed anything.
Wait. They had only exchanged their outer clothes. They had not swapped their bras, panties, or anything like that.
Judging from the situation, it was very possible that they would have to exchange even their panties and the rest before the mission would count as complete.
Seeing Shirai Mio's stiff expression, Kato Megumi asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"
"Um, besides the clothes on the outside, we might need to exchange what's underneath too," Shirai Mio said, somewhat embarrassed.
"Underneath?" Kato Megumi froze for a moment before realizing what she meant, and a faint blush appeared on her fair cheeks.
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