The morning began just as most school days started for Minako Arisato- with her slapping the off button on her alarm as its screech roused her from slumber. Minako was a heavy sleeper, and her occasional summons to the Velvet Room while she slept didn't seem to help. She suspected something about the place affected her sleep, made it a little less restful. But the Velvet Room's occupants had proven to be nothing but helpful, so she didn't hold it against them when they felt it necessary to summon her.
With a reluctant stretch, Minako sat up and looked at the calendar posted on her bedroom wall. It was Saturday, so at least tonight she'd be able to turn off her alarm and sleep in. At least, she could do that, but she also thought it might be worth heading to Tartarus tonight. The team could always use the exercise from fighting the Shadows, and there's no telling what useful items they might come across in their exploration. Of course, if she decided to bring the team to Tartarus, she'd need to do her usual ritual. It wasn't something she told the rest of the team about, and they didn't need to know. It made her feel more alive, and considering the very real danger they all faced when they ventured into the mysterious tower, feeling alive helped her remember what she fought for.
"Hm, I guess I could just do it without going to Tartarus. Kind of like having my cake and eating it too." Minako thought to herself as she brushed her teeth, the final step of her morning habits. In any case, she had to hurry; it might be Saturday, but it was still a school day all the same and it wouldn't look good to be late. It would look even worse to Mitsuru, who she had plans to go shopping with after school today.
Rushing out of the dorm, Minako made it to the monorail with a little time to spare. Quickly finding Yukari and Fuuka, Minako approached her friends and teammates, engaging them in pleasant morning conversation. It seemed like a perfectly normal morning, or as normal as life could get for any member of SEES. Minako had no idea what was in store for her today, if she did, she would have likely just stayed in bed...
Minako had been a bit disappointed when Mitsuru had to call off their plans, citing Student Council responsibilities, but she knew that such a thing was a possibility. Still, Minako was one to look for the silver lining in any situation, and she looked at this development as an excuse to head back to the dorm early and relax, maybe even catch a nap to make up for her poor sleep. It was just a quick monorail ride off the island and a few blocks back to the dorm, perhaps with a short stop on the way back for a snack or a short detour to the Naganaki Shrine. Minako wasn't sure why, but she felt as if the fortunes at the shrine actually improved some of her friendships, as odd as that sounded.
Stepping on to the monorail, Minako casually leaned against one of the poles for standing passengers, relaxing against it as she waited for departure. Opting to relax a bit further, Minako quietly slipped on her headphones and fired up her MP3 player letting the music take her away. Had she not done this, however, she'd have heard the announcement over the monorail PA system warning passengers of technical issues with the passenger car doors, urging everyone to make sure they were well clear of them before they closed. There had already been several incidents of the doors closing on purses and other trailing items, though nobody had been injured in any incidents so far.
As it was, Minako was completely oblivious to the dangers of the car doors, lost in the music as she was. The headphones stayed firmly over Minako's ears even as the monorail reached its destination, which the girl realized as she felt the monorail lurch to a halt. With her headphones still on, Minako casually strolled out of the car and toward her unfortunate fate. Her wardrobe suffered its first casualty-
While there weren't many people riding the train with her, Minako was met with a wave of passengers as she disembarked the train. Progress was slow on her end, pushing against the throng of people who had to go someplace or another. If she wasn't so tired, she would have already made it off the platform by now...
*Bing-Bong* rang the station warning, signifying that the train was about to leave.
Argh! she thought, redoubling her efforts. I'm not going to spend my free hour stuck on this train just because some people don't understand right of way!
Reaching forward and putting her all into it, she pushed herself through the last of the horde, which seemed to be catching at her, holding her back. With a grunt, she persevered and suddenly came free, stumbling forward onto the loading platform.
"What was that all about...?" Minako asked no one in particular, letting out a huge sigh. Determined to get her personal day back on track, she readjusted her headphones and turned up her music, re-entering her personal state of zen.
What Minako didn't realize, and would have had she been more alert and less ensconced in her tunes, was that that last hold on her was not from the passing crowd, but from the train doors. In fact, if she had turned around just then, she would have seen the door carrying away her entire skirt.
Oblivious as she was, Minako happily walked away from the monorail station as her skirt was swiftly carried away, quickly shrinking into a black dot before disappearing in the distance. That would certainly make for a curious find for some monorail passenger when the next stop was reached. This wasn't the story of Minako's skirt, however, and the actual subject of the story was completely unaware of her new state of undress. Without her skirt, Minako was now unknowingly showing off her plain white panties to any and all who happened to look her way.
Lightly bobbing her head to the beat of her music, Minako was vaguely aware of how many people seemed to be staring as she passed by. Minako wasn't a stranger to getting some looks, and she knew that she wasn't unattractive, but the sheer volume of people with their eyes riveted to her was a bit unusual.
Is there something on my face? Minako idly wondered as she continued her journey. I don't think so... Maybe I just look really nice today? Yeah, that's probably it. Minako simply shrugged it off, too distracted by her music and fatigue to put too much thought into it.
The journey from the monorail station was largely uneventful, bringing Minako to the strip mall and its many shops. While part of her just wanted to get some rest, her most recent forays into Tartarus had left her with a healthy amount of spare cash. It had been awhile since Minako had treated herself to something, and the SEES leader felt that she had earned a little luxury. Maybe a little shopping wouldn't hurt... Then again, those benches were looking pretty inviting for a nice rest, maybe even a nap...
Minako took a seat in a not-so-crowded place, and took a nap. She must have dozed off for too long, because when she woke up, it was dark, and at the prime night-life hour, but the place she was in was still empty. She then peeked around the corner to see a bustling strip mall filled with people. She quickly checked her wrist watch. "7:30..."
It was at that time that she looked down, finally realizing her skirt was gone! How did it disappear?! All she had was her blazer, a see-through undershirt, and her tidy white panties. She quickly retreated back to the empty area. She looked around, and found a small vent. She didn't know where would it take her, but it would do.
Minako pulled the vent's cover, and proceeded to crawl in. As the second half of her body went in, she quickly realized that the vent led down. As she started to slip into the vent, her fall was suddenly stopped. She looked at the mouth of the vent, and realized her panties were ensnared by a screw.
With a frown, she slowly backed out of the vent, but then, another dilemma has occurred to her; her top had become tangled on a bolt within the vent. She was stuck with a choice, to either pull back out of the vent, or fall into the vent to who knows where.
Minako couldn't back down. If she went out of the vent, she'd be back to square one! Maybe it would lead her to safety. She had to gamble, or she'd have no safe way out of this.
Unfortunately she hadn't realized the cost, or she might have thought twice... but it was too late. By the time she felt her underwear tearing away from her swiftly bared hips, Minako was falling downward and came right out from the vent, in the middle of Escapade Nightclub.
The first thing Minako noticed was a whole lot of legs. As she took in her surroundings further, she recognized the thumping beat and low lights as the signature atmosphere of Escapade, the local nightclub. This was not at all where Minako had hoped the vent deposited her. Aside from the fact that the club was busy at this hour, there was the fact that Minako wasn't necessarily old enough to be there. Sure, the club employees usually looked the other way on nights when she went to visit Mutatsu, but the old monk wasn't usually here this day of the week. Beyond that, Minako knew that some Gekkoukan students would sneak into the club using fake IDs, and the last people Minako needed seeing her like this were her schoolmates.
Carefully, making sure not to snag any other pieces of her dwindling wardrobe on anything while exiting the vent, Minako crawled out of the vent and onto the club floor proper. As soon as she was on her feet, Minako held her hands tightly in front of her bare crotch, scooting along the wall to keep her rear end hidden. If she could at least get to a table or a booth, she could keep the fact that she was half-naked a secret.
Thankfully, luck seemed to be on Minako's side as the vent had deposited her near an empty booth! Giving a silent prayer of thanks to whatever spirit was looking over her, Minako quickly scrambled into the booth, taking a seat against the wall, as far from the floor as she could get. The feeling of the seat cushions against her bare flesh was interesting to say the least, and made it impossible to forget just how much of her was exposed.
Resting against the table, trying to calm herself down, Minako tried to think of a way out of this. She couldn't just run through the club like this, not with so many people around. There wasn't anything nearby that Minako could use to cover herself with, unfortunately. Really, it seemed as if Minako would have to wait for the crowd to thin out, or... that's it! The Dark Hour would turn everyone present into coffins, and then Minako could walk right out unseen! It was a flawless plan. With this in mind, Minako scanned the walls for a clock to see how far off the Dark Hour was.
10:30 at night. Minako had an hour and a half before the Dark Hour could save her. An hour and a half to stay in this seat, hoping nobody bothered her...
Unfortunately for Minako, somebody did bother her, in the form of an employee, asking for her ID.
"Aren't you a little young to be here?"
The man did not sound very pleased to see her.
Minako blinked, putting on her best innocent look as she gave a sweet smile upward, all the while tucking her legs close together and keeping her lower body as far out of sight as possible.
"Oh, no, I just look young! I, I totally come here all the ti-..."
"ID, miss."
"Right, right, ID..."
Minako gave a bashful giggle, as her hands vanished beneath the table, searching her bare legs for something she knew full well she didn't have... there wasn't anything she had, really.
"Er..." The man then gave the girl a measuring look. Fortunately he couldn't tell Minako had on nothing below the waist, but the presence of the uniformal blazer was pretty glaring.
"...miss, we have a... dress code..." The man squinted for a closer look. It was hard to tell in the dim light, but he was starting to think that was ALL she had on her top...
Minako felt her face redden, as her hands clutched her knees to keep them from shaking.
She had to do something to get this guy off her case.
Thinking fast, Minako beckoned him closer.
"Could you, uh, come a little closer?" Minako asked. "It's a little... embarrassing to explain."
The employee seemed unmoved, but nonetheless leaned in closer to Minako, allowing the
girl to lean in and whisper to him.
"Okay, so, the thing is that I'm, uh... kinda bottomless." Minako whispered, watching the employee's eyes widen as she spoke. "It's not like I'm bottomless on purpose! It's, well, it's a long story, but I lost my skirt and panties on the way here. I can't leave this booth because, well, I don't want to flash my privates to everyone in this club, you know? So please, you just can't kick me out! I promise I won't cause any trouble, and I'm not here to buy alcohol. I mean, I don't even have any money to buy it!"
There was a moment of quiet, the only thing either Minako or the employee hearing being the thumping music of the club. Most likely, the employee was processing the whole story he had just heard. Minako knew it sounded outlandish, but she had to hope that he believed her.
"So... you're trying to tell me that you're here, wearing nothing but that top of yours." the employee said, an eyebrow raised. "Not only that, but you didn't strip down willingly. Then, you somehow snuck into the club, again with nothing below your waist, and took a seat here. And now you just want to be left alone?"
"I know, it really sounds crazy, but-" Minako began, only to be cut off by the employee.
"Miss, save it. Here's the deal, you're going to stay right there. You're obviously underage. It's bad enough you're here like that, last thing I want on my conscience is tossing you outside."
Minako stared at him wall-eyed, as if stunned to realize such a thing had even been on the table.
"I-...I, of course, I'll stay right here!" Minako nodded profusely, and gave the man a shy, appreciative smile. "Thanks ever so-"
"I didn't say you were getting away with this, girl. I can't have a half-naked girl lounging around the club at this hour, either. If you're going to be here, you're going to help."
"I, I'm going to HELP!? How?..."
"Leave that to me." The man flashed Minako a grin that made her skin crawl, then he turned and headed back to the bar.
Minako looked around, feeling her pulse rate going up a few notches. Maybe what he had in mind wouldn't be so bad? Maybe he was going to bring her something to wear?
But what if he wasn't? What if he wanted her to serve drinks looking just like she was? That had to be good for business.
Minako had to decide what she would do, fast.
Minako was desperate, but not foolish. The whole reason she was hiding at this table was because she couldn't bring herself to cross the distance to the club's door in her current state of undress. Even worse, if she ran she might get the police called on her, and then Mitsuru would get involved and Minako would have to try to explain what she was doing bottomless in a night club. No, the safest option Minako had was to wait.
Thankfully, Minako didn't have to wait long. A few minutes after he left, the server came back with something in his hands.
"Here, put this on." the man said, tossing the bundle in Minako's direction.
With curiosity, Minako held up the bundle tossed to her, discovering it to be an apron with the Club Escapade logo on the front. It was a simple thing, with a tie around the neck and waist, going down to just about halfway down Minako's thighs. Certainly shorter than any skirt she'd ever worn, but it would at least cover her most important spot. However, this left the issue of her back...
"Uh... thanks? But, do you have some shorts or something I could put on?" Minako asked, knowing that she was pressing her luck.
"All you get is the apron. Either take it or leave it. Of course, choosing to leave it also means choosing to get kicked out." the main said, flashing that same smile at Minako.
"Right, right. So, let me guess, I'm a waitress for the night?" Minako asked as she began to drape the apron across herself.
"That's right. You work here for the night in exchange for us not handing you over to the authorities, and we all walk away happy." the man said. "However, there is one other condition."
"And that is?" Minako asked, dreading what she was going to hear next.
"Well, you see... The apron is your uniform. Your shirt isn't. So, off with that cute top of yours."
Minako looked down, then up at him blankly, her cheerful expression turning an infuriated shade of cherry red.
"W, WHAT!?" She immediately regretted the exclamation. A few heads turned in her direction.
Minako smiled sheepishly at them, only in confidence that they couldn't see her, then they looked away. The man was not pleased. He set both hands on the table and leaned over, making his words perfectly clear, even over the ever-present thrumming beats.
"You help out in this apron, or you go outside in that top. Your choice."
"F, fine! J-...just give me some space." The man, confident he'd won, turned around and gave Minako some privacy.
The redhaired girl looked from side to side, unable to believe what she was about to do... until she did it. Her hands reached down, undid her blazer, then tossed it onto the table. Next she gripped the hem of her camisole, pulled it over her head, and threw it down as well. Minako cowered down, hugging her arms around her breasts to make sure she showed off nothing but an ample display of cleavage.
"T, there... now... your turn..." She was already squirming in the seat, waiting and watching expectantly for the apron.
The worker then turned, reached behind him, and with a smile that made Minako's blood go cold, he made good on his offer.
"I'm a man of my word." the man said, tossing the apron to Minako. "Now put that on and get to work. There's a pen and notepad in the front pouch, your first order is the corner booth across the dance floor."
Minako glowered as the man spoke. Of course he'd tell her to go clear across the club like this. Tying the apron around herself, Minako slid out of the booth and stood up, blushing as she saw the full use of her attire. The apron went about a quarter of the way down her thighs, showing off an incredible amount of leg, and the top stopped mere centimeters above her nipples, displaying a ridiculous amount of cleavage. From the front it looked as if Minako was simply dressed in an incredibly skimpy outfit. As soon as one could see her sides or backside, however, it was plainly obvious that the apron was all she had.
This was going to be a long night. Minako stepped away from her hiding place, readying herself for crossing the dance floor to her first table. A swift slap to her bare posterior elicited a startled yelp from the nervous girl, whipping around to see the perverted smile of the employee.
"Remember to smile!" the man sarcastically said. "You'll be making plenty of our customers do the same!"
Biting back a venomous retort, Minako turned back around and made her way across the club. It turned out that the employee's perverted action had just been the beginning, as Minako felt her shapely backside assaulted as she tried to work her way through the dancers. A series of slaps, pinches, and even a few bold grabs had Minako's face redder than it had ever been by the time she crossed the dance floor.
Her first group of the night was finally in sight, and Minako's heart sank as she saw the trio enter. A group of her best friends, obviously out for a fun night out... and probably not expecting to see their leader serving drinks in naught but an apron. She had to hide, that much was clear.
But of all things, it just had to be them! It was a trio of the last people she'd want to see her wearing next to nothing. In the dim light, Minako clearly recognized... Akihiko, Junpei, and Ken.
"K, Ken!?" She couldn't believe it, but sure enough, there he was. The elementary school youth stood out even more than she did amidst all the taller bodies.
"I can't believe I let you drag us out here, Iori."
"Chill out, man, it'll be great! We get some drinks, listen to some beats, even score some digits!"
Minako recognized the voices, and hid behind the nearest table in record time.
A petrified glance around the side of her hiding spot confirmed her worst fears. That telltale hat, that bandaged face... That... orange vest!? "W, what on earth..."
"So, explain to me why you brought him." Akihiko was stone-faced as he demanded an explanation. Ken, to his credit, didn't seem fazed by the exotic interior.
More scientifically detached, as if wondering why adults would waste their time in such a dark room listening to music without lyrics... or instruments.
"Uh... the kid needs to lighten up, yeah? What better way!?"
"And what makes you think they'll allow a kid into-"
"So, party of three?" The waiter was all smiles as he greeted the trio. "Cute kid."
"Don't call me cute." Ken rolled his eyes and began moving away from the other two.
"...you don't have a problem with underage clients?"
"Normally, well, yeah. But it's a special night. Go have a seat, I'll have our new waitress take care of you."
Minako felt her blood go cold as the three sat down at a nearby booth. Then the waiter clapped his hands and began looking around for her. "Oh, craaaaap..." She whispered to herself as she curled up behind the table, watched the trio from the corner of her eye, and decided on what she had to do.
Minako wasn't one to let her pride hold her back. If ANYONE could help, it would be her 's what they were for, right?
The apron-clad steadied herself with a small breath, and got up, heading to the table... and sitting right beside Ken in the empty seat.
"H, hello."
Junpei whistled. Akihiko blushed and looked away. Ken stared like a deer in headlights.
And to Minako's endless embarrassment, he was the first to comment.
"Why are you wearing that? ..and nothing else?" Junpei's jaw could have hit the floor. Akihiko shut his eyes and coughed. Minako curled her fists against her lap and cringed. Of all the people to sit next to! From that vantage point, Ken could see... well, far too much!
"I, it's a long story! And NOT on purpose!"
"I hope not..." Akihiko muttered under his breath and tugged at his collar. "Go get decent before I come back."
"W, wait, it isn't like-!"
Akihiko shook his head in dismay and just left.
"Junpei! Y, you'll help, right?"
"Sorry babe, I don't carry a chick's clothes around, y'know? But... I guess I could ask around..." Junpei gave a wolfish grin, then winked.
"You two behave!"
Then Junpei left too.
"Hold on, don't leave me alone wit-"
"With who?"
Ken deadpanned, and Minako gave the boy beside her a bashful look.
"Eh...hehe... with.. a minor? I mean... it's against the law for you to be here, right?"
"I think there's laws against what you're wearing, senpai."
Minako felt her face burn redder still.
"N, now look here, it isn't like...!"
Desperate to explain, Minako turned towards Ken with a glare, and was soon interrupted.
The knots Minako had tied to hold her apron together weren't exactly put together with a steady hand. Unbeknownst to Minako, it was only a matter of time before those knots failed. Unfortunately, the knots chose the worst possible moment to fail.
When Minako turned to face Ken, that was all the force needed to undo the knot behind her neck, the two thin strands of fabric sliding off her neck and pulling the upper half of her apron down with them. Desperate to explain herself, Minako failed to notice her sudden exposure.
"Listen, I've been trying to explain, but people keep interrupting me!" Minako said, happy to see that Ken at least seemed to be giving her undivided attention. "I know it sounds crazy, but I went to take a nap on a bench, and woke up without my skirt! I tried to find a place to hide, and kinda... lost my panties and wound up in here. It's... complicated."
Minako paused, hoping Ken would say something. Anything. A word of understanding, or comfort, or even doubt. Instead, the young boy continued to stare at her intently, slackjawed.
"Uh... Ken-kun?" Minako asked, suddenly worried about her friend's odd behavior. "Are you okay? You're being awfully quiet..."
That's when Minako realized that Ken's stare wasn't quite matching up with her face. In fact, it was aimed a bit lower. Following Ken's gaze, Minako shrieked as she discovered her fallen apron, displaying her bare chest directly to Ken's face! No wonder he hadn't said anything, the poor kid was mesmerized!
"EEK! K-Ken, stop looking!" Minako screamed, clapping her arms over her chest. She couldn't believe she'd just flashed Ken, of all people! Sure, he wasn't as perverted as, say, Junpei, but he was just a kid!
With his view of Minako's magnificent chest obstructed, Ken was slightly roused from his stupor. Still, the noises that came from his mouth didn't exactly qualify as words, but rather strangled attempts at speaking. Minako could tell she wasn't going to make any progress like this.
Minako did the first thing that came to mind: hide so she could try to fix this little problem. Without stopping to consider the potential problems, Minako ducked under the booth table, intent on simply ducking out of sight. Unfortunately, this plan would immediately prove itself a poor one.
Minako's frantic reaction hadn't been exactly thought through. She simply came to the logical conclusion that there was no way she could retie her apron sitting out in the open... and definitely not in front of Ken.
So with her arms still intent on covering her exposed breasts, she extended her legs out beneath the booth and slid down until she was completely out of sight.
As the near-catatonic Ken watched on in disbelief, he witnessed what Minako hadn't quite realized, the rear knot of her apron slipping out of place as the redhaired girl clamored into hiding... leaving it abandoned in wake of her presence.
Then, finally, Ken found he regained the ability to form words. "M, Minako, your-...Uh..."
It was a small blessing that he had no line of sight to the vanished girl, but with a small gulp of tension, Ken had easily put two and two together.
Minako was naked. Not wearing anything, right under the table by his feet.
Ken was fairly certain he had never blushed harder in his life.
At the faint sound of a feminine voice, he finally snapped out of his dreamlike reverie. He could hear a panicked stifled cry from beneath the table.
Minako needed help, and he was acting like a hormone-driven kid! Ken had to do something.
Acting on impulse, Ken steeled himself before he leaned to one side so he could look under the table. He needed to know what was going on, and loathe as he was to admit it... he felt he wasn't likely to get another chance like this anytime soon. "Uh... are, are you okay... senp-" The start of the concern-tinged question was all Ken managed before he saw a wide-eyed redhaired girl, desperate to conceal her nudity, looking back at him with 'oh-please-kill-me-now' dread.
For that heart-stopping moment, his gaze had taken in too many details. The outline of Minako's cleavage behind her arms, the curves of her legs, the smooth surface of her abdomen... and the girl's hopeless efforts to conceal as much as possible, resulting in quite the opposite.
"W, wow..." Ken's reaction wasn't quite as perverse or disoriented as either of his sempai's might have been... which let him all the more transfixed on taking in every detail of the girl's body. He felt like he was staring at pure art, in the flesh.
"KEN!" Minako practically hissed his name between her lips, desperate not to draw any more attention, even as her face positively burned red. "G, give me the apron!"
"The... apron?" Ken dumbly repeated those words, then was finally jarred out of his reverie. "...sorry, I-..I'll get right to it..." Vaguely aware of how hot his own face felt, he went to sit up and stop making a fool of himself.
Unfortunately, he reacted a little too suddenly. With new-found haste, Ken had begun to retreat from his conspicuous posture beneath the table. Minako saw what was about to happen, and her eyes widened as the warning she meant to speak came out as a weak gasp of alarm.
Ken sat up too fast, and at the entirely wrong angle. The rear of his head struck the underside of the booth... and then Ken completely lost his posture, tumbling down from the seat and into Minako's cramped hiding place.
"Ken!? A, are you o-..." Minako replied in a small tone tinged with genuine worry, staring down at the dazed boy who had landed lightly against her. Her voice soon left her again, though, for a far more alarming reason. Not only had Ken landed against her, but also in the most compromising position imaginable.
"A, ah...! K, Ken... oh no, please... a, ah...wake up..." In mere moments Minako's composure had been shattered, reducing the confident girl to a bashful, stammering mess. The boy hadn't just landed against her... Ken had landed in her lap. More specifically, his head had landed in her lap.
Her naked lap, and it was none other than that delicate incline between her hips that she felt the bridge of his nose brushing against. "Oh geez, p...please get up..." Minako had to be very, very careful about how she went about this. She had to wake him up and not make him panic... but she also had to make sure she didn't lose her cool; in more ways than one. The last thing Ken needed was to wake up and... oh no, bad bad thought. She couldn't let his innocence get shattered like that!
Minako, exerting immense willpower, kept her breathing steady and looked down to the dazed boy. Okay... she knew what she had to do. Minako reached her hands down, gently trying to stir Ken from his slumber.
"W-what is it, senp-" Ken began to speak in a half-aware tone, his vision still a blurred haze as he looked up from an incredibly soft resting place to Minako's face, completely oblivious to his line of sight having passed over the older girl's naked breasts.
He set his hands down and moved away from Minako's nude lap, to immense relief on her part, before wiping at his eyes.
Then Minako was finally free to cover herself, just in time for Ken's vision to clear and realize what he was looking at.
"W, wow... er..."
"SHUSH! I need your help, and this is no time to get all shy!"
"I, I'm not shy! It's not my fault you're na-"
Minako gave another 'ssh!' sound, and recoiled back beneath the table.
"Look, my only way out of this is with your help, so what I need you to do is get me something to wear!"
"What do you expect ME to give you?! Nothing I have on would fit!"
Minako fumed, staring at the petite boy as she squirmed beneath the table. "Well, it's... it's better than nothing? Heh...he..."
It amazed Ken how that girl still could be optimistic at a time like that. He'd have fainted long ago.
"Well... I guess you could, like, cover yourself, but you would still look ridiculous..."
"Not as ridiculous as I look now!"
Another good point. "Senpai, I really would like to help, except, well... I can only give you my jacket."
"Your jacket?! What good's that going to do me!?"
Ken took the question into account, and felt his cheeks warm as he looked over the elder girl's barely covered cleavage.
He didn't expect it would do much good at all.
"I, if you have a better idea, senpai-..."
Minako did not. "Fine...fine! T, take it off. I'll-...I'll try to make do." The flustered redhead nodded and looked away, blushing quite colorfully herself, though it was difficult to say whether it was due to her situation or what she was asking someone little over half her age to do.
Ken hesitated, realizing he had still been staring at the fair skin on display, then snapped out of it and nodded quickly. "Uh, right..."
There was an awkward cough, and Ken shrugged off the undone black blazer before extending it to Minako. "You sure this is... gonna be okay?"
"It's gotta be, right?" Trying to maintain some layer of responsibility, Minako winked with a forced smile. She had been about to take it, then suddenly frowned and tilted her head. "Eyes shut, Ken."
"S, sure." Mentally chiding his lack of maturity for having needed a reminder, Ken did as asked while his elder pulled the jacket on.
Minako had been right to question the logic of Ken's offer. The petite jacket barely made it over her shoulders, much less her breasts. It contained them, but buttoning the black fabric had taken a lot of struggling. The gaps between the buttons and outline of the material left no doubt that they were barely containing a very ample set of breasts, to the point that Minako still felt a mild urge to cover herself.
Worse than that was the lingering fact that she still had nothing in the way of bottoms, and the jacket wouldn't even cover her exposed midriff, much less her pelvic area or even a trace of her backside.
"Can I open them n-"
"NO!"
Minako cringed, tucking an arm around the tight-fitting chest of Ken's jacket and wedging the other between her legs.
"I, I still can't get up like this!"
Ken sighed, and with his eyes shut, knew what he had to do. He took a deep breath and took hold of Minako's wrists.
"W, what are you doing!? Let goooooo!"
Ken ignored the wailing redhead's protests and began pulling on her wrists to spurn her into movement.
"Come on, you look fine, I'll cover for you until we're away from here!"
"HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO THAT?!"
It had been too late to wonder that. Seconds later Minako was pulled out from under the table. She was standing behind Ken for all of two seconds before she gave a stifled shriek and hurried into the booth, hands desperately folded over her bare lap.
"Ken, you get here NOW!" The boy gulped and slid into the spot next to Minako, trying awkwardly not to look towards her or even sit too close. "I can't believe you ruined my hiding spot!"
"It'll be fine, Minako-chan!" The taller girl blushed. She hated when Ken addressed her that way. Hated that she liked it, especially.
"I, I told you not to call me that..." In public, but she kept that much to herself.
Ken blushed, and looked away, rubbing at his neck.
"Look, uh, Minako... I... I just wanted to tell you... er..."
"This is a REALLY bad time, Ken...!"
"Well, it's just that... um..." Ken swallowed hard, mustered up all his courage, then turned to Minako and extended his arms out to her.
Minako nearly leaped out of her seat as Ken reached over towards her lap and took up her hands into his. She turned to him with a sudden tilt of her head, red-faced and in sheer panic."W, what are you doing!? This is no time for... " She began to fidget, and found herself ensuring her bare legs stayed squarely close to one another as the boy held onto her fingers. Gosh, his hands were so soft... No, bad thoughts!
"M, Minako... I just... uh, wanted to say... I really, um, like you..."
Ken began to blush somewhat, but not half as much as Minako was. Her face practically matched her hair at that point.
"Ken, t... that's sweet, but-... we... really shouldn't talk about-"
"You're sweet, fun, cute, and-and-and I love being around you! So... I'd like to be with you more!" Ken, emboldened by his words, grabbed Minako's hands tighter and leaned closer. "...so, so-... will, will you be my girlfriend?"
"K, Ken! I can't believe you're... asking me this now..." Minako began to squirm, awkwardly aware of how little she was wearing as her legs shyly shifted along one another. "I mean... sure, you're... you're, um... cute and nice and... and soft and... oh god..."
Minako looked away, blushing redder as she tried to tug her hands away, her chest lightly heaving beneath the thin 'attire' she'd borrowed. "I can't believe you had to say this now...!"
Ken ignored her protests and leaned in closer. "...so...will you?"
Minako gulped, looked to Ken to try and think of a proper response, when the jacket became compromised.
As Minako pursed her lips to try and phrase the most polite way of turning down an overly enthusiastic, and yet far too sweet, grade-schooler, the audible sound of a *snap* distracted her thoughts.
The taller girl blinked at Ken's hopeful gaze in plain confusion. Where had that sound come from?
Her answer had come in the form of the telltale draft she felt seconds later, as the sensation of the loosened jacket finally registered with Minako, held in check by one less button, which had proved incapable of containing the ample cleavage it had never been tailored for.
She felt herself gulp in unconscious dread as she craned her head down, expecting to see a fractional amount of her curves put on display. That would hardly the worst predicament to be in, given everything else that had happened so far.
It hadn't stopped there. Another snap, then a pop, then a rustle of fabric... and the jacket effortlessly came apart, hanging open against her otherwise nude breasts.
"Oh, oh no..."
The opened jacket didn't do much at all, even less than it had done when it was fastened. The unbuttoned jacket rested loosely against the front of Minako's chest, not doing much in the way of concealing anything else.
And amidst her intensified plight, Ken was still softly gripping her hands and waiting patiently for a response that Minako had no capability of forming.
"K, Ken... this isn't a..." She gulped again. "...good time..."
As for the boy in question, Ken remained blissfully ignorant at the worst of times, staring over the presence of the jacket at Minako's eyes as if it weren't even there. It might as well not have been.
"Come on, Minako... I, I really have to know..." Ken gripped Minako's hands tighter and tugged on her arms lightly. "...plea-"
Minako and Ken's eyes widened simultaneously, then. As Minako's arms came up... the shoulders of the jacket were drawn out... and Minako's breasts rose into plain sight, completely exposed.
"I, I... I uh... oh, sorry..."
Minako gulped again, feeling her breasts rise heavily, their hardening peaks practically inches from Ken's face.
"K, KEN! L, let go of my..."
Ken reacted in a panic and did as asked, letting go of Minako's hands, covering for Minako in the only way he knew how... by covering her breasts instead.
Squish. It was a sensation more than a sound that registered with Minako, her senses glazing over as she felt the small hands over her bared curvature settle into place... and press against them.
"W, what are you DOING!?"
Minako nearly recoiled due to the combined sensations of utter shock and reluctant arousal as Ken had reached up and covered the fronts of her breasts as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
"W, well, I thought I'd... uh, try and cover for you..."
"Th-that is not going to h, help at all...!"
Minako stared around in a frantic, red-faced display of sheer humiliation. Thank heaven no one saw the scandalous display this was making of her and her teammate alike. Minako was pretty sure if anyone would be held accountable, it would be the near-naked elder of the two.
Minako had to act fast to maintain her decency, despite Ken's unnervingly calm intentions. If he had been acting any other way... No, bad thoughts! Minako shoved them out of her mind, and in desperation, took action.
Minako gulped, then wrapped her arms around Ken and pulled the boy into her lap, tightly.
"M, Minako-senp...!"
"SSH!"
Minako whispered harshly, trying to keep herself still and composed as she clutched the fidgeting boy into her lap, trying to ignore the ongoing pressure against her nude chest and the feeling of those palms grazing her gradually hardening nipples. At least... with Ken against her, she actually had some cover. This wasn't so bad really. In fact she...
Minako blinked and her eyes went wide as she felt... something brushing against her thighs.
Ken, to be specific. Ken sitting in her lap...and straddling it.
"WHAT ARE YOU D, DOING!?"
Minako, red-faced, stared down at the boy innocently sitting in her naked lap.
"I, I'm... uh, covering for you..."
"N, not like that you are no..."
"Are you two okay?"
Minako looked over Ken's shoulder at a waiter who watched the two innocently. Minako gulped, tried meekly to conceal her outstretched legs, and nodded.
"I'm, I'm fine, I just..." Minako nearly shrieked as Ken nestled into her lap. Talk about distracting. "...want to be alone!"
The waiter gave the two a skeptical look, then finally left. Minako sighed in relief. It was high time she got that boy off of her and got her clothing back.
The only problem was...
"Ken?" "Minako?"
Akihiko and Junpei spoke at the same time as they stopped just shy of the table, staring blankly at the youngest member of SEES planted firmly in the lap of their leader, one of whom clearly both ill-dressed and indisposed.
Junpei liked to think he had a pretty vivid imagination, but what he saw was pretty far beyond it.
"Uh, wow, go away for five minutes and the kid grows a pair..."
"It's not like that!" Ken and Minako both spoke in unison, though their leader tried to maintain some level of responsibility at that point by throwing her arms around Ken and holding him close to her.
"Listen, my... my apron fell apart, so... Ken decided to cover for me, okay!?"
The two men shared a look that seemed skeptical at best, but Akihiko just sighed and set a folded up pile of clothes on the table. He knew their leader was flaky, but he didn't think she was even remotely deviant enough to indulge in the scenario one might think from a sight like that.
"Fine. Get dressed then." With that said, Akihiko turned and walked out of sight. The less he had a sight like that burned into his mind, the better.
"Right, go get dressed, no rush!"
Junpei was all grins as he fell right into the seat opposite Minako. Unlike Akihiko, he was pretty fond of the view.
Minako, red-faced, turned to Junpei with a glare. "G, get lost, idiot! I can't get dressed with you he-"
"What about him?"
Minako blinked, and stared down to the boy who was still calmly covering her as if nothing had happened.
She knew before she could even think of getting dressed, first things first...
"Ken, uh... I need some, er, privacy... please?" She still managed to be polite, even offering a ghost of a flustered smile.
The boy blinked, and as if it finally dawned on him, he nodded. "Uh... S,sure... I'll go wait someplace else..." As Ken walked off, he was clearly quite flustered as well, though that could have been from anything, least of all that disarming smile of hers.
However, Minako realized too late what the end result of Ken's departure would be. Before she could tell him to do anything else, Ken calmly moved his hands, slid off the bench, and walked away. Junpei stared for what felt like hours at the exposed result before Minako managed to cover herself up with a frustrated expression.
"YOU TOO, JUNPEI...!"
"Oh, yeah... heheh..." He was grinning a mile wide as he got up and left. Leaving Minako alone at the table with a much-needed change of clothes. She looked around to ensure she finally had some privacy, and then she was able to put an end to her plight.
Minako had wasted little time in changing into her uniform. Once properly dressed, she had meekly gotten up and hurried out of the club without a word. At least, that had been her intention, until Ken caught up with her. The boy cleared his throat, reached out for Minako's hand, and with a sheepish smile, she accepted.
The two went back to the dorms hand-in-hand, drawing more than a few strange looks, but the taller girl ignored them all. It could've been much worse without the boy's help. Still, her thoughts danced back to his earlier words as they walked.
"Did you... um, really mean all that, Ken...?"
The boy coughed, blushed, and looked away as they came to a stop outside the double doors. It was his best chance to talk his way out of it, but he'd already gone that far, so he saw no reason not to commit.
"I... kinda did, yeah..."
"Ki~nda?" Minako parroted the reply back at him with a sweet smile that made the youth blush.
"S, stop teasing me...!"
"Oh, never crossed my mind..." Minako winked, and entered ahead of Ken. She let go of his hand and smiled as she retreated to her floor. "...thanks for everything. Sweet dreams, K'." With that said, she gave him a parting look that would have the boy blushing for hours.
Minako fell asleep not long after retiring to her room. It wasn't until some hours later, when she was sure that everyone was fast asleep, that she headed one floor down to a certain boy's door, hesitantly knocking from where she stood in her pajamas.
There seemed no better time than to give him a belated answer.