Chapter Text
* 11/7/20XX - Monday - After School *
After a long and particularly stuffy day at Shujin, Ren Amiyama was finally making his way home, the threat of exams weighing heavily on his mind. With the tests starting in only a few days, things were starting to get intense, in some ways even more so than fighting shadows with his cock out in the metaverse… As he walked through central street station, he wiped some sweat from his brow before he felt a light tap on his shoulder.
Turning around he was happy to see the cute smile of his red haired kohai, Kasumi Yoshizawa.
“Amamiya-senpai. What a pleasant surprise. Are you headed home too?”
“Sure am. I’ve been sentenced to some last minute studying unfortunately.”
“Same here. I don’t have club practice today because of the exams."
Just like him, the younger woman was dressed in her summer uniform. She wore a simple white choker around her neck and her hair was tied up in a ponytail with a bright pink ribbon. Gone were her tights, with grey, knee length socks in their place letting her slender legs breath up until her short plaid Shujin skirt. The pink cardigan he’d sometimes see her wearing outside of class was tied around her waist, and her white shirt was unbuttoned far enough to show a rather bold amount of cleavage and the fact she was not wearing a bra. For a moment his mind went back to their encounter in the rain last month when he was certain she’d purposely flashed him her cute little breasts through her wet shirt.
“That reminds me, there’s something I wanted to report to you. Would now be a good time?”
“Report to me? Um, sure I guess.”
Report. That was an odd thing to say. Ren found himself rather curious about what she wanted to tell him. Could this be to do with their training? The acrobatics she’d been able to show him so far actually had come in rather useful in his other life.
“Thank you. Why don’t we find a seat somewhere?”
“Huh? Amamiya-kun?”
A new voice spoke up from their left before they had a chance to move. Glancing over they saw, surprisingly, Ginkgo Asumi was approaching them. It seemed everyone was here today…
The brunette was dressed in her usual more presentable formal attire than any summer uniform. In this heat that had to be uncomfortable, but if it was she certainly wasn’t showing it on her face.
“And you are…”
After catching up with them Asumi turned to address Kasumi, smiling politely. Their expressions told Ren that they seemed to already know each other.
“It’s been quite a while, Asumi-san”
“And the same for you… Yoshizawa-san, right?”
“You two have met before?”
“My father works at a TV station. Have you ever seen Good Morning Japan? He’s the director.”
“I’ve been brought onto the show as a guest a number of times now. That’s how I ended up becoming acquainted with Yoshizawa-san.”
Asumi turned back to him with her usual calm and polite demeanour.
“I didn’t know you knew her as well, Amamiya-kun.”
“Yeah, we’re friends from school. Small world I guess.”
“He helped me out of a jam before, and now he’s been offering me guidance.”
“Helped you out of a jam, eh? I see…”
There was a rather teasing amount of assumption in that tone. That was unusual for the prim and proper detective prince. At least in the admittedly limited amount of time he’d spent with her so far. Something about her expression seemed slightly irritated too, now that was different…
“So, what were you two up to?”
“Oh, right! I was just about to share some exciting news. It’s nothing to keep secret, so I may as well spill it now.”
Turning to Ren, Kasumi placed a hand on her chest rather proudly.
“About that summer competition I mentioned to you before? I was chosen to be our club representative!”
“Nice! Congratulations.”
“This only feels like the beginning to me, though.”
“Isn’t your club’s team considered to be quite prestigious? And you’re their representative? I must say, that’s extremely impressive.”
“Thank you! I’ll do my best to make everyone proud.”
“I’ll be cheering you on as well.”
Asumi grinned, looking from Kasumi to Ren as she brought her hands together expressively.
“Ah, I have an idea-since all three of us are here, why don’t we go somewhere as a group? We can call it our little celebration for Yoshizawa-san’s success.”
“That would be wonderful! Does that work for you senpai?”
After considering the offer for a moment, the choice to Ren became obvious. A sweaty study session alone in Leblanc, or a spontaneous trip with two beautiful women.
“Sure. At this point I’ll take any excuse not to study.”
“That settles it. Would you mind if I chose the place? There’s a wonderful little café I know about…”
“Of course! Lead the way!”
Following Asumi’s lead, the young adults themselves boarding the next train to Shinjuku. She seemed adamant she knew the perfect place for them, yet despite their questioning wouldn’t mention any details other than it was a fairly laid back café which they could use to escape the summer heat. In the end they spent the rest of the journey chatting idly about their upcoming exams. It seemed even Asumi wasn’t free from their pressure, despite attending some fancy private school deeper in Tokyo.
After arriving in Shinjuku, they made their way down a street that actually seemed somewhat familiar to Ren. He soon realised it was the same area he accompanied Makoto to during their little investigation not long ago. Asumi and Kasumi chatted happily to one another, occasionally bringing him back into the conversation whenever they decided he was being too quiet. Before long they had made it to their destination. They now stood outside the very same building Ren had watched that friendly looking girl go into with Makoto. The vibrant pink sign above the door simply reading “Top Free”.
“This is an interesting choice of café… You’re sure it’s a café right?”
“Quite. A unique one I admit but quite lovely. I find such an open environment where we can freely shed our tops is a wonderful way to beat the heat on such a hot summer day, not to mention freeing”
“So the name… It means we’re supposed to go topless?”
“That’s correct. You have to actually, it’s part of their rules.”
The bluntness of the older girl's response seemed to catch the redhead off guard, her already noticeable blush growing a shade deeper.
“Asumi-san..? Isn’t that a little..?”
Ren noticed how Kasumi’s discomfort seemed to please Asumi for just a moment, at least before she hid it again with her usual smile. There it was again, that hint of something more going on behind the detective's eyes…
“Oh, I’m sorry, I should have considered that you might be a little shy. I’m sure we can find somewhere more-”
“N-No, it’s fine. I mean I was just thinking about senpai is all. He might be a little uncomfortable dining with two topless women.”
“Is that the case Amiyama-san? I figured if anything you’d enjoy it.”
For a moment Ren didn’t quite know what to say. Of all the places he’d expected Asumi to lead them, this was certainly not it… And was Kasumi really okay with this?
“No… I’m just a little surprised is all…”
“I know it might seem somewhat unconventional but it’s really quite liberating, especially with our current weather. Once inside, everyone has to remove all clothing from the waist up, staff and guests alike, so nobody will pay us any particular mind.”
Opening the door, Asumi looked back at the two of them with a completely casual smile.
“That being said, there really is no need for either of you to do anything you aren’t comfortable with.”
“Really… It’s fine… The windows are tinted though. Is this like a club or..?”
“Goodness no. It’s nothing like that. Like I said before, it’s just a unique café. It’s quite peaceful, and the windows are one way for privacy.”
“What if you get spotted by fans like before?”
“That won’t happen here. The staff are quite vigilant in enforcing their no photography or harassment rules. We should be left alone.”
“Then I suppose there’s no reason to delay any longer…”
“Are you sure you’re up for this Kasumi?”
“Of course I am. I’m not so shy, don’t worry about me senpai.”
Heading inside, they were quickly greeted by a rather dashing younger looking man with ruggedly handsome blonde hair, clearly not Japanese by blood. As advertised, he was completely shirtless, his rather impressive toned torso on full display. Below his waist he wore only a pair of vibrant swimming trunks and a pair of flip flops, a peculiar uniform to be sure. He seemed more ready for a day at the beach than a doorman job, still he recognised Asumi as a regular and after the two exchanged a few polite he led them further in.
Ren noticed how the interior of the café was actually rather lovely with a sort of tropical vibe that explained the swim shorts. There was a great deal of plant life and an emphasis on wooden panelling in the design. It really was quite different to what he had imagined the first time he laid eyes on this building.
“So we just put our clothing in here?”
Kasumi questioned. They were now standing in a small locker room, the final stop before the cafe’s main floor.
“That’s right ma’am. You can hold onto the key until you depart.”
“Right, thank you.”
“Once you are all ready we can head through this door to the main café. We’re quite busy thanks to the heat but there should be a few tables free.”
Here we go then…
Despite some clear awkwardness, it didn’t take long for the three of them to dress down to the cafe's code. Clearly Kasumi had decided to take the rip the band-aid off approach and if she was apprehensive was hiding it well. As for Ren he felt little embarrassment at all at the idea of himself being shirtless. In fact he was rather hoping the girls might look at his muscular physique the way they did this foreigners.
I wonder if this whole top free thing was around before the mental perversions began degrading peoples concepts of modesty… Or maybe that’s why these two suddenly seem like this is no big deal…
Asumi usually dressed so professionally. For her to be a regular at a place like this, no matter how above board, really was quite surprising.
“Not bad Amiyama-san.”
Ren felt a slight pang of a rather confusing emotion as he realised the brunette was surveying him rather bluntly, her polite smile still adorning her face. She stood with her hands by her sides, her own toplessness very much apparent. Asumi was noticeably muscular, just like Makoto and her breasts, whilst not on Ann’s level, were rather substantial in size. They still hung with the firmness of youth and her nipples pointed a rather nice upward direction, standing an alluring deep red. He was certainly seeing a whole new side to the detective today…
“It’s admirable to see you are taking such good care of yourself.”
“I could say the same to you…”
It was incredibly hard not to stare, the challenge only becoming harder when Kasumi turned around, closing her own locker to join them. She had a slight flush on her cheeks but was otherwise doing an admirable job of acting like the fact her own small pert breasts now being out in the open was completely fine. Maybe Ren had misread her and she really didn’t care, she did flash him before... She wasn’t as muscular as Asumi but was clearly athletic, her figure much more slender, and then there were those surprisingly large cute pink puffy nipples.
“Senpai’s training has been going well.”
Kasumi said, steeling herself for a moment before taking a step closer to the others, the slight jiggle of her little boobs making Ren glad his trousers weren’t too tight. Part of him still couldn't believe this was all really happening. Even though he'd become somewhat accustomed to nudity lately, he'd never tire of sights like this. Considering the glances the girls were frequently giving him, he figured he wasn't the only one enjoying this too.
“If the three of you are ready, would you like me to take you to your table?”
“Yes, thank you Adolin.”
Stepping through the final door they soon discovered the main café very much followed the same tropical beach aesthetic of the rest of the building. A good number of booths and seats occupied the large circular room, an impressive water feature occupying the centre. The café counter was built into the far wall, with a pleasantly decorated menu of drinks and snacks on clear display.
It seemed this Adolin wasn't the only member of staff in a swimsuit, with all the servers walking around in either shorts or bikini bottoms too, and wasn’t that..?
Bridging a tray of vibrantly coloured drinks to a table of four, Ren saw the trendy looking girl with the tied up black hair that Makoto was looking for before. She seemed to be smiling and laughing with the customers, no mind at all paid to the way they were watching her modest breasts sway.
So she’s a Shujin student too huh?
Ren kind of hoped she wouldn’t recognize him or Kasumi as they were guided to a small booth. He’d probably have to mention this to Makoto later, though he worried she wouldn’t question what he was doing there too heavily.
Despite there being plenty of space around their table, both his red haired kohai and Asumi elected to sit closely at either of his sides. They were so close in fact that he would occasionally feel the soft warmth of their skin against him… If he didn’t know better he’d almost think they were toying with him on purpose.
After ordering and receiving their drinks, their blonde server left them be, likely to return to manning the entrance. The prices were a little on the high end but Ren supposed that came with the territory…
“Yoshizawa-san, you drink hot beverages even in the summer?”
Taking a satisfied sip from her cup, Kasumi smiled as he placed it down on the table, the motion causing her boobs to wobble.
“I have to prevent my body from getting too cold, since the meet’s coming up rather soon.”
“I see, you make sure you’re covering all your bases.”
“Aren’t you drinking the same thing Asumi?”
“Good point.”
In the end both of them had ordered tea, with Ren himself opting for a soda with one of those fun little party umbrellas.
“Well, some people say tea can cool you off, even when hot.”
Did they?
Ren didn’t have time to dwell on the thought for long as one of Asumi’s breasts brushed against his side as she leaned over to pick up a menu from the table. The slight soft touch sent a shiver down him as his brain realised what happened.
“I had this image that you enjoy sweet things, Asumi-san-is that untrue? I swear I saw you eating fried sweet bread on TV just the other day…”
“It’s all part of a marketing strategy. That sort of stunt is an easy crowd-pleaser.”
Ren swore she smirked at him as she said that. What was going on today?
“You seem to have your own bases covered as well.”
“They really even manipulate details like that?”
“Presenting oneself in a favourable light is nothing surprising. More surprising is just how innocent you seem to be.”
As he took a sip of his drink there was silence at the table for a moment, before Kasumi spoke up.
“I’ve been wondering: how do you two know each other?”
“His social studies class visited the set of a TV show I appeared on.”
“Ah, that’s right. Second-years got to go to a TV station.”
“He and I exchanged our opinions during the shoot and his way of thinking intrigued me.”
“I can definitely see that! Amamiya-senpai’s take on things often helps me as well.”
Ren quickly glanced away from Kasumi’s chest as she smiled at him, instead doing his best to nonchalantly act like he was admiring the water fountain in the middle of the room. It was obvious she’d caught him but she didn’t seem to care. It was a rather nice fountain, consisting of a male and female mermaid sitting together on a series of rocks. Of course they were top free too, their chiselled physiques just as remarkable as many of the café staff working alongside them.
“That reminds me, Yoshizawa-san. You had mentioned that he’s been providing you with some guidance.”
“Yes-like you just said, his way of thinking is intriguing. I figured I could benefit from his input.”
“In that case, let’s play a little game… Would you mind if I posed the same question to you that I first asked him?”
“No, go right ahead.”
“So, my question was, what do you think of the Nudist Thieves, Yoshizawa-san?”
Uh oh… Where was this going?
“The Nudist Thieves? You mean in the case that they do in fact exist, yes? I admit that the assistance of others in need is truly a great act… But I simply can’t agree with their methods.”
“I see. Care to explain why?”
“It’s not the nudist part is it?”
Ren asked a little nervously, trying to save face with a bit of humour. Kasumi chuckled, shaking her head as she gestured down at her own bare breasts.
“No, not at all, in fact I think that openness is one of the only honest things about them. It’s just that in the long run I suspect that their existence isn’t going to be beneficial to society.”
“How so?”
“Well, for example, when someone’s faced with a problem to overcome, I believe they need to do it themselves. Getting help from others is totally fine, but in the end, it takes a person’s initiative to truly create lasting change.”
“If society relied upon a safety net like the Nudist Thieves, I worry that people would stop making a conscious effort. Granted this depends on how severe the problem is, and it’s inaccurate to apply generalizations to an entire population.”
“But I believe a society where everyone simply leaves matters to the Nudist Thieves wouldn’t last for very long.”
“I see… So, in a sense of a person’s growth, their actions actually hinder it. Quite an interesting take on the matter.”
“What do you think of Yoshizawa-san’s opinion Amamiya-kun?”
It was an opinion he’d seen before shared online amongst a few of their critics. To be fair he could see the merit in it, but it failed to address the impact and harm of those evil few who truly would never change on their own without the thieves intervention. Still, he’d be lying to himself if he said he wasn’t somewhat disappointed to hear that Kasumi wasn’t a fan.
“It’s an interesting point, but without them many of these criminals would likely never make those changes on their own and continue to harm others.”
“Wait… Could you actually be a fan of the Nudist Thieves senpai?”
“Well…”
“I didn’t mean to start an argument. I just can’t help myself sometimes. Let’s change the subject to something a bit lighter.”
The three of them chatted idly for a while longer before Kasumi pulled out her phone. Ren noticed how the device seemed to have a large crack along the screen, and was in a surprisingly sorry condition all around. It seemed somebody had been trying to get in contact with her.
“I’m sorry, I should probably get going… If I’m away from home too late, my parents will begin to worry.”
“Right, then let’s call it a day. Good luck on your competition.”
“I’ll be rooting for you Kasumi.”
“Yes! Thank you!”
* 16/7/20XX - Saturday - After School *
Ren let out a deep sigh as he walked out of his classroom and into the second year hallway of Shujin academy. After a long week of studying and sitting exams it was all finally over, and it was clear he wasn’t the only one to feel the relief, though not everyone was expressing confidence in their performance. Just opposite him a duo of languid female students stood loudly expressing their concerns for how they’d done.
Just as he was about to head down the stairs and head to the thieves usual meetup spot for their planned get together, Dr Miyuki approached him from behind, dressed in her usual blue shirt and doctor's coat.
“...Hey there, Amamiya-kun. Congrats on surviving finals. Today was the last day, right?”
“Yeah, thankfully.”
The older woman chuckled and put a hand on her hip, raising a clip board in the other. Vaguely gesturing to the notes she gave him a slightly guilty looking smile.
“Say, would you happen to have some free time right now? There’s something I’d like to discuss. I promise it’ll just take a moment.”
“Sure I guess. Is it about our deal?”
“Not quite. I know you’re exhausted, so I’ll make this quick.”
Deciding just to go along with it, and slightly curious to see what the doctor had to say, Ren followed the older woman to the nurses office.
“It sure has heated up now that the rainy season’s passed. I just know my electric bill’s going to start climbing this month…”
Hanging up her coat, she took a seat before him and moved aside a large stack of books.
“Anyway, as I’d mentioned, there’s something I’d like your opinion on.”
“Does the counsellor need counselling?”
“Well, I suppose that’s actually accurate. I’ve had something on my mind lately, and I want to hear your take on it.”
Though she smiled there was a faint hint of pain in Miyuki’s expression.
“Okay, here goes… Oh-this is all hypothetical, mind you, but imagine there’s somebody for whom you have high expectations. They’re trying their absolute hardest to meet those expectations.”
“Now, this person receives an awful lot of special treatment from people so they can perform to the best of their abilities. What do you think those people will do if the expectations levelled on this person aren’t met?”
Ren considered this for a moment. That certainly wasn’t what he had been expecting to hear, but then he wasn’t exactly sure what he was expecting to begin with. He knew first hand how expectations could weigh a person down.
“Well that probably depends on the person. I imagine some would just be disappointed but others might even turn on them.”
“Exactly. For a lot of people those expectations will turn into anger and scorn… When you work as a counsellor, you always think, I have to help this person so their heart doesn’t break. But… that’s easier said than done.”
Dr Miyuki stood up, taking the top book from the pile beside her and moving over to a rather messy desk. Placing it down she began to flip through the pages, as if searching for something. For a moment she was silent, and when she finally spoke again her tone was solemn.
“This world really is a callous one. No matter how much positivity or dedication a person has… Just a bit of influence from their peers can easily mess with their heads. Every time I’m confronted with such a situation, I can’t help but grasp the limitations of therapy as a profession.”
“I imagine it’s hard but I guess all you can do is keep trying.”
“Oh, I’m not sick of this job or anything like that-don’t worry.”
Perking up, she walked back over to the chairs and gave Ren a polite smile.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to get all analytical. What I meant was, if we want to truly help people stuck in a predicament like that, we need a fundamental solution.”
A solution? To dealing with negative opinions from others? Something like that would have been useful a few months ago when he first came to Shujin, yet how could such a thing even be achieved?
“Like what?”
“Hmm… Nothing really comes to mind at the moment. This is just a thought, but what if we got the Nudist Thieves to change our hearts? Maybe have them shift out feelings so we won’t lose to this unfair reality? It would ultimately be for the positive.”
Ren considered this for a moment, a little alarmed. It was certainly true that the power they possessed could be used for something like that… Especially if those feelings of self doubt were strong enough to distort into a palace or shadow in mementos, but would that even be moral? Would it abide by their justice?
“Not really the change of heart they usually go for though is it?”
Miyuki let out a light chuckle, her gaze still far from meeting his own, looking off to some unseen thought.
“Good point. You’re right. Though would it really be so different?”
For a moment Ren wondered just how obvious it was the conversation was making him uncomfortable, before suddenly realizing the fact it WAS making him uncomfortable.
“Sorry, I was just thinking out loud. And I seem to have lost track of the time. I should be getting back to my work. Our conversation’s been very enlightening. Thank you Amamiya-kun. And enjoy your vacation!”
Leaving the doctors office the scruffy haired man let out a sigh. He wasn’t sure why that thought got to him so much. It was certainly true that the act of changing a heart was a complex one… He realised there was still much about this power they needed to understand.
* * *
Some time later, in the overground walkway the nudist thieves of hearts gathered together at their usual spot. All were present and currently either stood or sat in a rough line looking down on the passers by on the street below. A clear air of fatigue rested over them all.
“Exams are finally over… I’m so exhausted…”
Leaning over the rail, Ann pulled lazily at the unbuttoned collar of her shirt in a fruitless attempt to fan herself, whilst Ryuji slumped down to the ground beside her.
“I can get back to actually sleepin’ in peace…”
Makoto raised an eyebrow, clearly somewhat surprised by the blonde boy’s statement.
“Hm? You must have been studying pretty hard if it kept you up at night.”
“Nah… I was up playin’ video games. Slackin’ off is just too much fun…”
“I know, right!? My parents sent me this really cool little new handheld. I couldn’t help but keep picking it up and playing a little…”
“You two are perfect examples of what escapism can mean.”
“And I can only imagine what the end result will be…”
Disregarding the frown on the brunette's face, Ryuji stuck out his arms, gesturing to the public around them with a gleeful expression. His fellow blonde seemed equally excited. For a moment Ren worried his particularly loud demeanor was going to attract attention, no matter how much passersby were too numerous and loud to really notice their group.
“Whatever, it’s over with now. Who cares about that anymore!? What’s real important is the Nudist Thieves’ popularity! Ain’t it amazin’!?”
“It kinda feels like our time’s finally here!”
“I have even heard people excitedly speculating about our next target. We will have to choose carefully.”
“There’s no need to hurry. We should spend some time thinking it over.”
“Hold up, the most important thing now is our celebration party! I hope you guys didn’t forget. It’s the fireworks festival on the 18th. I guess we’re good meetin’ up in Shibuya, yeah? Let’s say… 5pm!”
“You sure are on top of THESE kinds of things…”
“Still, a fireworks festival does sound fun.”
“I’m down.”
“I suppose now that exams are over there is no harm in a little festivity.”
“Then it’s settled!”
* 17/7/20XX - Sunday - Daytime *
The next day, Ren found himself out in the blistering heat of summer once more, this time with Ryuji, Yusuke, and Morgana. Yusuke had notified them of a local fair in the area that should be fun for no other reason than to enjoy some nice foods. The girls had turned down their invites, stating that they already had other plans to prepare for the firework festival, so the four men found themselves with a slightly smaller group than usual.
Unfortunately this local fair turned out to be a lot busier than they had expected, with cues stretching for what seemed like miles. After nearly two hours in the hot sun all they had managed to get was some shaved ice… Still, Ren decided it wasn’t the worst way he could have spent the day and they at least were able to have a few laughs. Morgana was even getting on with Ryuji for a change, well, at least as well as they likely could.
Before heading home, they decided to check out a nearby construction site for a huge new stadium they’d seen on the news. Apparently it was going to be one of the biggest in Japan, yet when they arrived they found there wasn’t all that much to look at just yet.
“We seem to be premature spectators.”
“I guess this is what people call jumpin’ the gum.”
“Jumping the gun.”
“There ain’t no guns here.”
“That’s not- Ugh… It’s too hot for this.”
Large fencing covered in boards advertising the various companies involved blocked most of their view of the site, and the glimpses they could get showed simple bare bones, metal framing and a lot of construction equipment. The workers themselves seemed to have had the day off. Ryuji sighed and scratched his head as he looked around a little disappointedly.
“Since there ain’t nothin’ to do here-you guys wanna grab a bite somewhere?”
“Sorry, I’m considering picking up more art supplies. I have a summer assignment to work on.”
Frowning, Yusuke held up his wallet before staring at it pensively, gently weighing it in his hand.
“...Also, the summer festival drained my coffers. Even if I did grab a bite, all I could order would be water and a hot towel...”
“Ah… In that case we probably oughta just call it quits for today.”
“Hm?”
Looking further down the sidewalk, Morgana suddenly tapped Ren on the shoulder, gesturing to the sole figure standing by the gate to the construction site. Looking through the metal almost as pensively as Yusuke did his wallet, the crimson hair betrayed that it was Kasumi.
“Hey, isn’t that Yoshizwawa? Don't you think she’s acting kinda strange?”
“Uh, ain’t you guys headed home?”
“You can go ahead without me.”
“Huh? Welp, see ya then.”
“Yes, catch you later.”
After waving goodbye to the lads, Morgana decided it would be best to let Ren handle this one alone, moving behind a few boxes where he removed his collar, transforming back into a cat. Ren scooped up Morgana and his clothes, putting them in his bag before continuing down the path to approach Kasumi. She seemed not to notice him until he said hello.
“Amamiya-senpai!?”
“It’s a nice surprise to see you here Kasumi.”
“Y-Yes. Did you come to see the stadium?”
Something was clearly wrong here. Her usually peppy tone was low, as if something heavy was weighing her down. Her eyes were a little red and puffy. She must have been crying…
“I did too….”
“Is something wrong?”
“Sometimes, when things get me down, I come here. Although, that doesn’t really answer your question, does it?”
Finally looking up at him, she smiled through her distress.
“I know this may get in the way of your plans, but would you be willing to join me for lunch?”
“Of course.”
Leading the way, Ren took them to the same nice little restaurant he’d been to with the others after escaping from Masami’s place. It wasn’t too far and he figured the quiet atmosphere would be just what Kasumi needed right now.
Thankfully he turned out to be correct.
It was cool inside and well air conditioned, and after eating, in Kasumi's case about five more plates than Ren, she seemed to perk up.
“Phew! That was delicious.”
“You sure packed it away…”
In truth Ren was rather impressed at how such a slender woman could put so much away…
“I’m always like this after a meet. In all honesty, I’d like to keep going… But any more will end up harming my performance.”
“That summer competition you mentioned the other day? How did it go?”
“Simply put? It was a disaster. I’ve been feeling like I’m getting back into the natural flow of things, thanks to you Amamiya-senpai… But when the moment of truth arrived, my body still wouldn’t move the way that I wanted it to…”
“Maybe it’s more of a mental thing?”
“I think… That’s a big factor… Something similar happened to me in middle school-but back then, I had someone by my side that kept me going…”
“Who was that?”
Kasumi went quiet for a moment, her expression darkening and for a moment Ren worried he’d made a mistake asking that question.
“I… I have a younger sister… We promised each other that we’d win international gymnastics competitions together…”
“But this spring, she… died, in an accident.”
“I promised her we’d take the gold for our routines across the world. But I can’t stop worrying about my lack of improvement lately.”
“I’ve really been throwing myself into practice, but I wonder if even that won’t be enough…”
Ren didn’t know what to say… But he decided he needed to consider his words very carefully. The fact she was willing to tell him such a thing meant she likely really did value his input very dearly. After a few moments he resolved that he’d do his best to encourage her.
Reaching out across the table he took her hand in his own and looked deeply into his eyes with a sincere expression.
“It’s not over yet Kasumi. I believe in you.”
“Senpai…”
“You’re right-it’s just getting started!”
Now smiling again, she sat back in her seat and stretched out her arms.
“You just keep on rescuing me, don’t you? Okay! No more brooding! There are still more meets lef this year. I’m going to start from scratch and train as hard as I can.”
“Thank you so much for listening to all that. Now I feel like I’ve been recharged, mind, body, and spirit-”
The sound of her stomach rumbling cut her off as she slightly blushed.
“...Well, at least my mind and spirit are recharged. The best way to stave off hunger is with some vigorous activity! I’m go to jog home-take care!”
* * *
Meanwhile, standing in a cramped changing booth of a rather upmarket yukata rental store, Ann Takamaki and Makoto Niijima were in the midst of undressing from their standard summer attire. Wanting to dress up a little for the fireworks festival, the student council president had sought the help of the most fashionable woman she knew, an action she was slightly starting to regret…
“Um… Ann, did you really need to come into the changing room with me? There’s really not a lot of space in here…”
“Yeah! How else am I going to help you try on your yukata? They’re much easier to get into with a little assistance you know.”
“I see…”
In truth, their close proximity actually made this whole thing slightly harder, at least in Makoto’s eyes. There was barely enough room to bend over, let alone slip out of clothes. As she continued to undress she’d frequently accidentally brush against Ann, or worse touch somewhere she probably shouldn't. Her blonde friend hardly seemed to care though, in fact she had for some reason stripped herself entirely naked. Makoto internally questioned why she would even need to take off her underwear for this.
No that wasn’t it, it was more like she hadn't been wearing any to begin with. Ann's pile of clothes consisted of a simple summer tee, jean shorts and that was about it…
“Um, Ann?”
“One moment.”
Turning around and bending over to pick her yukata up off the bench, for a moment Makoto had a rather intimate view between the cheeks of Ann’s behind. Of course by this point it really wasn’t anything she hadn’t seen before, their battles in the metaverse and previous shaving session leaving no room for any real privacy. But still… Despite her brave face, she wasn’t ever sure she’d ever get used to such brazen displays… Everything was just there… Her distinctive labia, her anus… It was bad enough in the metaverse where she could somewhat ignore it all, instead focusing her mind on the mission at hand, but here in the real world, in such a cramped setting…
“Ah, there we go.”
Standing up and slipping the vibrantly coloured fabric onto her arms, Ann abruptly turned to face Makoto, snapping her out of her thoughts.
“Hey, why are you still dressed?”
“Hm? I’m in my underwear, am I not?”
“You can’t wear underwear with a yukata!”
The blonde woman’s tone was so decisive it was almost like she was stating something that should be entirely obvious, yet Makoto hadn’t ever heard anything of the sort. It was true she hadn’t really dressed up much like this in the past but there was no obvious reason she could think of that would make pairing it with underwear impractical.
“What? Why not?”
“Well… You just can’t. It ruins the aesthetic or something, and the feeling of being bare beneath it is totally awesome, not to mention refreshing.”
“Is that so…”
“Yeah! You’ve got to give it a try. I promise you’ll find it way better this way.”
In truth, Makoto found she was now only half listening to the excuse, her eyes now noticing just how much Ann’s large breasts swayed between that open yukata… She never considered herself to be attracted to women before, in fact she was fairly certain she was straight, but something about her friends perfect body really was captivating, almost like a beautiful piece of renaissance art…
“Here, let me help you.”
Not waiting for a response, Ann grabbed a hold of Makoto’s panties, kneeling as she pulled them down along with her. By the time she’d gotten them to the floor her face was left at eye level with the student council presidents exposed vulva and pubic hair. Letting out a giggle, Ann made no effort to act like she wasn’t staring.
Makoto didn’t really know what to think as she hesitantly stepped out of her underwear and unclasped her bra. Something told her that she wasn’t going to be able to argue about this, and maybe part of her didn’t want to. That arousal she so often felt when exposed to her new close group if friends was in truth, a big source of her inner conflict.
“It’s already grown back a bunch since our shaving session. Are you not going to keep up the trimming Mako?”
“Um… I don’t know… I’m not sure if it suits me…”
“Mind if I...?”
Ann asked, playfully, her hand hovering over her bush.
“Touch it? Um... Do you need to?”
“Heh, sorry, you’re too cute. I couldn’t resist asking.”
Makoto sighed, starting to feed her arms into the sleeves of her yukata. Looking down at Ann, still crouched in front of her pussy with that playful smile she felt her heart skip a beat.
“...How do you do it Ann?”
“Hm?”
“Make it seem so easy. You’re always so confident, like you don’t even care when the others see you nude. You own it way better than I ever could…”
“Really? You know from my perspective you’re pretty good at owning it too. That assertive demeanour you take as Queen is totally sexy.”
“It’s more like a coping mechanism… In reality I’m still kinda mortified…”
“Well you could have fooled me. You know I wasn’t always so confident either. At first I was just as embarrassed as you might be, probably even more. I guess over time I sort of just realised it wasn’t that big of a deal.”
Standing back up, the model assisted Makoto in tying up the front of her yukata, her own robe still left wide open, her naked body on brazen display. The gesture of her assistance felt oddly intimate and comforting.
“I mean, don’t get me wrong, it’s still weird, but when we’re all naked there’s not a lot we can do but accept it. Do you remember what I said before in my apartment? The guys would never really do anything. I trust them, and I trust you.”
“I… Thank you Ann… And I see what you mean. I’m probably just spending too much time getting in my own head.”
With her yukata now properly in place she looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. She really did look nice like this… And to Ann’s credit there was something kind of pleasant about feeling the fabric against all her beneath. She’d never gone out in a skirt without panties before but she imagined it must feel similar.
“Though fighting monsters in a dream world whilst completely naked will never not be at least a little strange…”
“Heh, yeah, it’s certainly not how I thought I’d spend my evenings… That colour really suits you by the way.”
“You think so?”
“Wanna help me tie up mine? We’re totally going to blow those guys' minds with these.”
Makoto smiled. No matter what bizarre situations the world, real and meta might decide to throw at her, at least she wasn’t going to have to face it alone.
* 18/7/20XX - Monday - Evening *
The train into Shibuya was somehow even more packed than the usual morning rush hour, with many people clearly heading for the firework festival. Ren saw plenty of people dressed up in traditional summer yukatas, whilst others were wearing sun hats and light clothes. A few people were even leaving shirts unbuttoned entirely, exposing plenty of skin and in a few cases even bras or bare breasts. A part of Ren wasn’t even surprised. He himself was dressed in a loose black polo whilst Morgana was in the one humanoid outfit he owned. At the sight of a group of young woman with their breasts exposed he smiled and pulled off his tank top, stuffing it into Ren’s bag.
Seeing Mona now bare chested with his cute boyish freckled face, cat ears, tail and collar, it really was quite the look… Considering nobody seemed to be complaining or even really acknowledging the topless tomboy he figured there was no need to ask him to put it back on.
“Hell yeah, free the nipple lady.”
Well, I guess some people have noticed…
It was already past five by the time he actually escaped the sauna that was the train car and made his way over to their arranged meetup spot. Ryuji and Yusuke stood side by side but the girls were nowhere to be seen.
His blonde friend seemed to have followed the trend of wearing an open shirt, a vibrant yellow Hawaiian style that was completely undone, leaving his toned abs and chest in full view, whilst Yusuke had actually dressed up in a full deep blue yukata. It suited him rather nicely and gave him a sort of refined look, a stark contrast from the brash man beside him whose mismatched happy trail was plainly running up from his shorts.
“It’s so hooooot….”
“I feel like I’m being baked…”
“No top Morgana?”
“Look around, plenty of people are going shirtless. I’m not going to suffer any more than I have to.”
“A fair point.”
“Heh, I can’t believe how many ladies are letting their tits out! Even if it is some kinda mass distortion I’m here for it man.”
“Harmless or not, it's still a little concerning considering how widespread it is.”
“You never know, maybe it’s not even that and people are just getting more liberated.”
Stretching out his arms Morgana let out a satisfied sigh.
“I guess we can hope. Clothes are stupid anyway.”
“Ughh now I’m thinking about titties. Those girls are way too late.”
“It must be taking time for them to put on the yukata.”
A moment passed in silence as the artist looked them both over.
“Why aren’t you three wearing them?”
“I don’t got clothes like Yukata. But man, you look way too normal in that.”
“People often say that to me.”
“Ah, by the way… The exams…”
“I bet you got a big fat F on them.”
“Shuddup! We- We don’t know that yet!”
As the two continued to squabble, Ren noticed two women dressed in full flower decorated yukatas and rather nice makeup began to approach them from out of the crowd, one light and pink, the other black with deeper red flowers. A
Addressing Yusuke, the one in pink smiled brightly.
“Are you going to the fireworks festival?”
“That’s right.”
“Us too! Wanna go together?”
Ryuji’s eyes practically bulged out of his head as he realised what was happening.
“Are we… getting hit on!?”
The other lady giggled, beginning to playfully tug on Yusuke’s arm.
“C’mon, let’s go together. Do you happen to be a model? You look great in that yukata.”
“Your friends are super cute too. Heh, I like the collar.”
“Y-You do?”
"And those breasts are incredible! Are they natural?"
Leaning over to rather unsubtly whisper in Ren’s ear, Ryuji smirked widely.
“Waitin’ around’s a pain, so can we just go with these chicks?”
“You want to abandon Ann and Makoto?”
Whilst he admitted these women looked very pretty Ren didn’t much like the idea of just giving up on their friends.
“We’ll both apologize to the others later!”
“That’s enough.”
Yusuke said abruptly, as the lady tugging on his arm purposely loosened her sash to reveal even more cleavage. His serious tone seemed to somewhat startle them.
“You’re disgracing your yukata. You should be more aware of your womanhood.”
Letting go and turning back to her friend, the other woman in the darker yukata shook her head before together they began to walk off. Ryuji looked devastated.
“How could you!?”
“Why don’t you go after them then?”
Spoke a familiar voice from behind. Ann and Makoto, each dressed in their own beautiful yukatas, finally emerged from a group arriving from a new train. Ann’s was a light blue with various vibrantly colored floral patterns, whilst Makoto’s was white, decorated in large red and black designs.
“So those are the kinds of girls you like Ryuji.”
“Uh, well… That’s…”
The blonde man blushed, struggling to think of an excuse.
“...You know, Yusuke’s such a pretty boy, but he is really missing out because of what he says.”
“I guess, but he’s more likeable since he stays true to his ideals. Definitely more than somebody I know.”
“I heard that Ryuji’s pretty much failed his exams.”
“Oh?”
“Mona, you little-”
Before he could say anything else, Ann gestured to a large crowd beginning to funnel up the escalators.
“Hey, it’s gonna get crowded if we don’t get going.”
“Agreed.”
Beginning to walk off, the thieves briefly left Ryuji behind as he stood, scratching his head in despair. Quickly rushing after them did his best to turn things around but Ren guessed that it was a fruitless endeavor.
“But man, you both look amazon’ in yukata! Talk about Japanese beauty…”
* * *
When they eventually made their way out into the streets, they were as expected already packed full of hopeful onlookers and it was rather difficult to find a decent spot to stand. Fighting through the crowds Ren found himself suddenly being pushed face first into a woman’s freely swaying breasts. She chuckled as she looked down at him, her pierced nipples just below his eye level. Wearing only a pair of mostly unbuttoned jeans shorts which showed plenty of peeking bush, she seemed to be more occupied with sipping from a beer can than the young man who just accidentally motorboated her chest, at least until she got a glimpse at his face.
“Ren! Long time no see!”
“Ohya?”
“It’s good to see you buddy! Heh, easy there though, guys usually have to buy me a drink before I let them up in there. Like them?”
From the way her speech was slightly slurred the reporter was clearly at least a little drunk. Ren blushed, deciding this probably wasn’t the best time for a catch up.
“S-Sorry, I can’t really chat. Enjoy the festival though.”
“Huh? Shooting off already?”
Nodding goodbye he quickly moved through the crowd to re-join his friends, though unfortunately Ann had seen the whole thing unfold and was chuckling to herself at his embarrassment. When they did find a small space to stand they chatted happily waiting for the show to begin.
“Hey Mona, have you ever thought about getting your nipples pierced? I think it would suit you pretty well actually.”
“L-Lady Ann!”
“I’m serious. It would fit your rebellious tomboy look really well.”
“My rebellious tomboy look?”
“Hehe, it’s just an idea.”
“I’m surprised at just how many women I’ve seen going topless.”
“It’s gotta be that mental perversion stuff at work right? Part of me kinda likes it though.”
“See! Ann gets it!”
“No surprise there…”
As the show finally started the sky began to fill with colour, vibrant explosions lighting up the night. Even with the sheer number of people around for a moment there was no denying the festival's beauty but then suddenly the wind began to pick up… From out of nowhere rain began to fall heavily causing people to move desperately for cover. The festival officially ended with an announcement sounding out that due to flood warnings now coming in they could no longer continue the show.
By the time the thieves were able to take shelter in a nearby convenience store they were already soaked… Before heading inside the girls did their best to ring out their yukata, with Makoto seeming particularly uncomfortable with the way the wet fabric seemed to be sticking to her figure. In the rush, Ann’s had come a little loose, and as she pulled on the material her obi began to slide.
“Ann-”
Ren’s warning came too late. The obi fell to the floor letting the yukata flop open and reveal that the model was completely naked beneath, her large breasts flopping free and hanging in the open as she frantically tried to wrap herself back up.
“Woah…”
“Ughhh! Could this get any worse!”
As if the universe itself was listening, a group of six or so people suddenly barged past into the store, trampling the obi further into the wet pavement.
“Excuse me!”
“Here.”
Ren snatched the fabric off the ground before anyone else could step on it.
“Thanks…”
Now holding her yuakata closed with one hand she took it gratefully and began to inspect the damage. It was salvageable and with a good wash would probably be fine, but putting it on now would only mess up the rest of it. Handing it back to Ren to look after in his bag, they finished drying off as best they could and headed inside the store.
Ryuji and Morgana went to buy some snacks whilst Makoto did her best to help Ann with her outfit and Ren looked into the rain on his phone. It was likely to keep up for a while longer so they’d either have to wait it out in the store or make a dash back down to the train station.
“Hmm?”
“Makoto? What’s up?”
“I think I just saw someone I know…”
Glancing out the window Ann followed Makoto’s gaze to a fancy looking vehicle on the road. A man in a suit was holding an umbrella for a young woman as she got inside.
“You mean the girl in that black car?”
Now looking for himself, Ren realised the woman was the same floofy haired girl he’d previously seen tending to the flowerbeds in her underwear, then again at the school clean-up. She was even dressed in a beautiful pink yukata of her own. It hugged her plump curvy figure in a rather nice way too. Judging by that car her family must have been rather well off.
“Well, she’s got a ride… Oh! Time to show your skills, Mona! We need you as a car!”
“It’s not possible in the real world!”
The other two said as they came back with their snacks. Yusuke eyed Ryuji’s hungrily but said nothing.
“My feet hurt… My yuakata’s ruined, It’s cold… The festival’s been cancelled… This sucks…”
Letting her arms fall to her sides in a huff, Ann’s outfit fell open once more, except this time she made no effort to close it, her nipples standing prominently thanks to the cold. As Ren’s eyes moved down to her her vulva Makoto quickly closed it for her, sighing as she held it in place.
“We made such a commotion with the public, and this is what we get? Laaame. Aren’t heroes that lurk in the shadows boring?”
“That’s how it should be.”
“You really think so? To be honest, I’m not a fan… I wanna change the world with a loud bang, like a huge firework! Then again, we aren’t gonna find someone bigger than Kaneshiro that easily.”
“Though it’s regrettable, we should go our separate ways for today.”
“Yeah. Let’s go home.”
* * *
When Ren finally got back to Leblanc it was around 7pm thanks to all the traffic and full trains, but to his surprise the cafe seemed to still be open. Sojiro stood cleaning a mug, chatting with the single customer still occupying the stools. Sitting at the counter, a professionally dressed woman with long silver hair sat with an empty cup of coffee before her on the laminate. There was an uneasy aura about the two of them, and her crimson eyes seemed to be piercing Boss’s soul…
For some reason those eyes seemed oddly familiar to Ren in a way he couldn’t quite explain.
“So you won’t tell me, no matter what?”
“I have nothing more to say to you about that.”
“I see. In that case, I have ways of making you talk.”
“Huh? What’s that supposed to-.”
Standing up abruptly, the woman grabbed her black leather bag and began to leave, not so much as giving Ren a glance as she walked by.
“Thanks for the drink.”
“H-Hey! We’re not done here yet!”
After the door closed behind her, Ren looked back over to Sojiro.
“What was that about?”
Sojiro scoffed, his tone still stern.
“It’s nothing. Anyway it’s past closing time. Just help me clean up, okay?”
Not seeing any reason to kick up a fuss, Ren didn’t complain and got to work. Just as he was wrapping up some washing up, a TV announcement caused him to prick up his ears.
“...These are the details of the message that was posted on Medjed’s website.”
“To the Nudist Thieves causing an uproar in Japan: Do not speak of your false justice. We do not need the spread of such falsehood. We are the true executors of justice.”
“The Nudist Thieves again..?”
“However, we are magnanimous. We will give you an opportunity to repent your ways. If you agree to a change of heart, we will accept you as our own. If you reject our offer, the hammer of justice will find you.”
“Justice, huh?”
“We are Medjed. We are unseen. We will eliminate evil.”
“Asumi-san, why do you think this announcement was made at this time?”
“I don’t know the details, but there’s no doubt that they were provoked by the Nudist Thieves. Whether it’s a sense of rivalry or a simple attention grab, given the recent trends, I cannot say.”
“Regardless, it’s quite a nuisance.”
“A nuisance?”
“Both Medjed and the Nudist Thieves are nothing more than groups that uphold an egoistic justice.”
“What a stupid thing they’re getting riled up on… Nudist Thieves huh? What in the world are they? You know about them?”
“Not really no. Seems like a fad.”
“What are they stealing though? I’m still having trouble getting that part… Well, it’s about time I go home.”
“Make sure you lock the place up. Also about the stuff in the fridge- Well… I guess it’s fine. Just don’t use too much of it.”
“Thanks boss.”
As Sojiro left the store, Ren stood staring at the TV as Asumi continued her speech.
“It’s possible that more people like these will continue to appear due to their influence. In that respect, the Nudist Thieves face a very serious crime...”