An Evening for Two

Eastern Capital, Toshima Ward, the Sawamura Residence.

It was a Western-style mansion standing at the top of a slope, the sort that clearly belonged to a wealthy family.

"I'm different now."

Eriri Sawamura stood before the full-length mirror, still wearing her Toyogasaki Academy uniform. She looked no different from usual, but only Eriri knew that she had changed.

Standing before the mirror, Eriri raised her right hand and looked at the two oval contact lenses resting on the pad of her index finger.

Because she had spent her nights drawing by lamplight ever since elementary school, Eriri had started wearing glasses early on. By now, her prescription had long since passed minus four diopters.

Yet now, looking at the pretty girl with blonde twin tails in the full-length mirror, she once again experienced the clear world she had known in elementary school.

"Has my nearsightedness completely disappeared?"

As she spoke, Eriri turned to look out the window. A cherry blossom tree stood ten meters from her room.

It was still spring, so a few blossoms remained on its branches.

Eriri gazed at the cherry blossom tree outside. She could even make out the colors on its petals and easily count exactly how many there were.

"It was the same when I cycled home just now. Even when I hit forty miles an hour, I barely felt tired."

"I really am different now," Eriri said to her reflection, her wonder heartfelt.

What had begun as an ordinary school day had brought an unexpected love letter. When she went to turn down the confession, she discovered a "prank" by two upperclassmen at her school, then somehow found herself forcibly recruited as one of a mysterious organization's founding members.

The world had changed so quickly in that single day that even a seasoned anime geek like Eriri felt a little dazed.

Only now did Eriri truly feel that she was "different from before."

"But there's still the most important thing... my ability..."

Eriri looked into the mirror and took a deep breath. The reflection began to change, little by little.

Lustrous hair of a purple so deep it bordered on black, alluring violet eyes with a mysterious air, a taller figure with fuller curves than Eriri's-a woman who perfectly embodied the elegance of a refined lady appeared before the mirror.

-Sayuri Sawamura.

Eriri Spencer Sawamura's biological mother, and the woman she knew best.

"According to the ability analysis Luo Shu sent everyone on the forum, with this ability of mine called 'Transformation,' it's best to start with people I know and gradually try more difficult things... to let my mind adjust to the ability..."

"Eriri" examined herself in the mirror, then covered her cheeks, her face full of indignation.

"You rotten thirty-something old lady! Being taller than me is bad enough, but you've got a better figure too, and I even have to use 'Transformation' to improve my skin before it matches yours! You're almost forty!!"

Just as Eriri was seething over this, a knock suddenly came at the door.

Then, before Eriri could react, the door opened, and Sayuri Sawamura poked her head inside with a smile, waving a disc in her hand.

"Eriri, I bought the latest Grand Blue Blu-ray! Want to watch it together after dinner?"

"Oh my?" Sayuri Sawamura stared blankly at the other "herself" in the room, her expression briefly freezing.

Then, before Eriri could scream, Sayuri said teasingly,

"Eriri, you're being naughty. Dressing up as your mother like that-what if your father mistook you for me? That wouldn't be good."

"?!!!" In that instant, Eriri felt as though her head had exploded. Clutching it, she screamed, "Why did you come in without knocking?!"

"I did knock!"

Sayuri Sawamura watched the frantic Eriri with a grin. Her gaze lingered on the silver bracelet on Eriri's wrist for two seconds before she continued,

"Incidentally, the school won't approve if only one person attends the parent-teacher meeting."

"Who said I turned into you for a parent-teacher meeting?!"

Eriri stamped her feet in fury, then rushed forward and pushed Sayuri out of the room.

"Out! Get out!"

Helplessly ushered outside by her daughter, Sayuri Sawamura watched the door slam shut and said,

"Oh dear. I thought she'd already grown out of her rebellious phase."

"But come to think of it, when did that girl's makeup skills get so good? And that bracelet... could it have been a gift from a 'friend'? Hmm, she's barely started high school, and a friend is already giving her bracelets? Now, this is something."

"Could Eriri finally be growing up? Oh my, I can't wait..."

While the mother of the Sawamura household smiled and marveled at her daughter's "growth," inside the room, Eriri braced herself against the door, panting, her heart having nearly leaped out of her chest.

"That scared me to death. Scared me to death! Thank goodness I turned into Mom this time. Otherwise..."

At the mere thought of Sayuri Sawamura catching her transformed into Utaha Kasumigaoka or someone else, Eriri felt certain her mother would "interrogate" every last secret out of her.

That was simply too terrifying.

"I'd better do this stuff in the Astronomy Club from now on."

Now Eriri deeply admired Luo Shu's foresight. People like them really did need an especially secure space.

I'm never using my ability at home again... Eriri thought, still shaken.

Nerima Ward, the apartment Utaha Kasumigaoka rented.

Utaha Kasumigaoka lay on the sofa with her head resting on its arm, her gaze fixed on her phone.

The screen displayed a LINE chat, with the name "Luo Shu" at the top and a heart symbol beside it.

The last exchange in the chat was still the reminder sent when class ended.

'Luo Shu: Let's go to the club's classroom after class. It's about time we let Eriri in on a few things, haha. (Read)'

"Kasumi Utako: Planning to terrify the newcomer? You really are a nasty Supreme God! (Read)"

'Kasumi Utako: I'll lock the door when we get there. (Read)'

'Luo Shu: On Eriri's behalf: Gee, thanks a lot! (Read)'

Scrolling through the messages, Utaha Kasumigaoka recalled the inexplicable dread she had felt while passing an alley entrance on her way home. She sighed deeply, set her phone aside, and said,

"Sure enough, that blockheaded god just can't understand a girl's need to feel safe."

"Next time, I'll ask that blockheaded god if he can put a door to the club's Safe House here at my place too..."

"I wonder if that's even possible..."

Utaha Kasumigaoka murmured to herself. Soon, her eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and, holding her phone, her breathing gradually became steady.

The girl lying on the sofa slowly drifted off to sleep.