A few weeks following our vacation, Mei and I received an unexpected call from Principal Theresa, summoning us to her office.
"Ah, you two are here. Please, take a seat," Theresa greeted us warmly, gesturing towards the sofa.
Curious yet cautious, Mei and I exchanged glances before complying with Theresa's request.
"So, how have you both been?" Theresa inquired her tone light but purposeful.
"We've been well, thank you," Mei replied politely, though a hint of anticipation lingered in her voice.
"You don't have to be polite around us, Principal Theresa."
Theresa chuckled softly before getting down to business. With a flick of her finger, Theresa activated the tablet on her desk and turned it towards us, revealing the contents of the mission briefing.
"A pretend mission?" Mei remarked as she scanned the information displayed on the screen.
"Yes, precisely," Theresa confirmed with a nod. "I need the two of you to act as a couple for this assignment."
"A couple."
Theresa's expression remained composed, her demeanor serious yet tinged with a hint of amusement. "Yes, that's correct. It's crucial for this mission."
Perplexed, I voiced our concerns. "But why choose us for this role? Wouldn't it be more appropriate to send in a real couple?"
Theresa leaned back in her chair, her fingers intertwined in contemplation. "You two have demonstrated exceptional teamwork and rapport in the past. Your chemistry makes you believable as a couple, which is essential for blending in without arousing suspicion."
"Besides, Shin, if the public were to discover that you're dating someone like Bronya, it could create unnecessary complications." I'll get branded as a lolicon.
"And what about Kiana? Shouldn't she be involved in this mission as well?"
A shadow crossed Theresa's features briefly, hinting at an unspoken complexity. "Kiana... That's a different matter altogether. For now, I need you two to focus on this assignment."
"I'll accept this," Mei declared, her tone resolute.
"Eh?! Mei-senpai?"
"What's the matter?"
"Are you really serious about this?"
"Yeah."
"I see..." I sighed, realizing that Mei had made up her mind. "In that case, I'll accept this mission as well."
"Very well, you two," Theresa interjected, "We believe that Anti-Entropy is involved in this, so be careful."
Mei and I exchanged nods before exiting the principal's office. We silently continued down the hallway until I decided to break it.
"Mei-senpai... Do you have any experience with dating?"
"Hmm? No, not really. I've spent most of my time training with swords and cooking food for everyone."
"A girlfriend material, huh?"
"What do you mean?"
"Oh, it's just something Bronya mentioned once."
"Fufu~ It seems you're starting to be influenced by Bronya's words, aren't you?" Mei teased, a playful glint in her eyes.
"By the way... Are we heading to the target destination now?" I inquired, breaking the silence between us.
"Yes, get ready. I'll meet you at the gates of St. Freya."
"Alright." I turned to walk away, but Mei called out to me.
"Shin!"
I stopped and turned back to face her. "Yes?"
"Don't forget to wear a formal outfit!" Mei reminded me with a smile.
"Got it," I affirmed with a nod before continuing on my way, heading back to my dorm.
A few minutes later, as I stood before the dorm door, I pushed it open and entered, immediately spotting Bronya and Wendy in the living room.
"Playing games, huh..."
"Hello, Shin!" Wendy greeted me with a warm smile as I entered the room.
"Hello, Wendy."
"I heard you got a call from Principal Theresa... The Bronya's curious."
Bronya chimed in, her attention still focused on her game.
"Yeah, it seems we have another mission," I replied, approaching them. "We need to go undercover as a couple."
Bronya paused her game, setting down the controller, while Wendy's eyes widened in surprise.
"A couple..." Bronya turned to me, her eyebrow raised inquisitively.
"Y-Yeah... We're supposed to gather information in a certain area without arising suspicion."
What happened to the atmosphere all of a sudden...? I feel... cold?
"Oh, so who's this lucky lady...?" Bronya's tone was laced with a hint of sarcasm, her gaze piercing.
"M-Mei-senpai..." I stammered out, feeling a bit uneasy about Bronya's reaction.
Wendy's eyes widened further in surprise, . "Mei-onee-chan? That's unexpected. Why would Mei-onee-chan date you? Did you do something to her? Hey, speak up, please? I need to know the answer." Wendy leaned in closer to me, her tone slightly intimidating as she awaited my response.
"Hahaha~ Well... U-Uhm... I think I gotta go get my outfit now..." I attempted to make a hasty retreat toward my bedroom, but Wendy and Bronya intercepted me, each grabbing one of my arms.
"Shin..."
Their intense gazes bore into me, causing me to squirm uncomfortably.
"Wait, calm down! It's nothing special, really! It's just for a mission! That's all!" I tried to explain, feeling the weight of their scrutiny.
"But you're happy," Bronya stated matter-of-factly.
"Eh? A-Am, am I really that happy?"
The two exchanged a knowing look before turning their attention back to me.
"No doubt, Bronya-onee-chan... Shin is happy," Wendy affirmed.
"M-Maybe it's because I'm teamed up with Mei-senpai!"
"...Guilty," Wendy and Bronya chorused simultaneously.
"Guilty!?"
Just then, a knock sounded on the door, followed by Mei's voice. "Dear~ Are you finished changing? I've been waiting for you at the gate, but you haven't come out, so I came here to get you."
"Dear..? Wait, what's Mei-senpai, right!?" I blurted out in confusion, my mind racing to process the unexpected term of endearment.
"Haha~ This is my first time being in a couple, so I don't know what to do... But anyways, I'll open the door now~" Mei's cheerful voice floated through the door.
Just as Mei opened the door, her cheerful expression shifted to one of surprise and suspicion as she noticed Wendy and Bronya holding onto my arms.
Her smile faltered, replaced by a more serious demeanor. "Oh? You're cheating on me already? That's bad..."
"M-Mei-senpai!? It's just a mission though!?" I stammered, feeling a bit overwhelmed by her sudden change in attitude.
"Even if it's a mission... don't you think going this far with it... is unacceptable?" Mei's voice held a hint of disapproval as she regarded us.
"Mei-senpai, wait... Let me explain."
"Oh? Explain in three words," she challenged, her gaze unwavering.
"I... am sorry."
"I see... I'm just kidding." Mei approached Wendy and Bronya, releasing them from her grasp. "You two, don't be jealous... I won't steal Shin away from you, so if you don't mind, let me borrow him for a bit."
Kidding?! I felt like a killing intent just now you know!?
"The Bronya is not jealous," Bronya declared, her cheeks puffed out slightly as she focused on her game.
"I-I'm not jealous either," "Wendy added, trying to keep herself from falling apart. Her voice was shaking, but she tried her best to sound composed."
"Oh, geez... Now then, Shin, how about you get ready? This time, I'll wait for you outside the dorm," Mei said, her tone lightening up again.
"Yes, Mei-senpai..."
With a sigh, I retreated into my bedroom to change into my formal attire. A few minutes later, I emerged from the dorm,
"How do I look?" I asked, giving a little twirl to show off my outfit.
"Hmm, I'd say 9/10?" Mei replied, her smile uncertain.
"Not a bad evaluation, I guess," I grinned, feeling a bit more confident in my attire.
"Well then... According to the mission briefing, we have to scout around the city and investigate... the Cafe?" Mei said, her brow furrowing in confusion.
"Eh? The cafe? Why there?"
"I... don't know."
"Well, no point arguing... Let's ask Principal Theresa once we get there."
"That's true... Shall we?"
And so, we set off on our mission, making our way through the city towards our destination.