One day, Kotori had the brilliant idea of inviting Yoshino and Natsumi for a sleepover in her house.

Of course, the two were naturally timid and weren't sure about accepting Kotori's invitation, but Kotori was quite convincing (forceful) and so they agreed to come.

"Moom, I'm home. I brought some friends."

"Welcome back, Koto-chan. So, are these your friends?"

The person who greeted them was a beautiful woman with red hair that ends slightly above her shoulders. The resemblance between her and Kotori was clear for all to see.

That woman was Homura Itsuka, Kotori's mother.

"U-um, nice to meet you. My name is Yoshino Himekawa."

"I'm Natsumi Kyouno…"

"Welcome! Yo-chan, Nat-chan."

Yoshino and Natsumi blushed a bit at the nicknames they were given, but they also couldn't help but smile at the pure kindness of Haurko's voice. It was a tone only a mother could achieve.

"Mom, did dad already leave?"

"Yes, he left right after lunch. Ah, Takkun, Koto-chan's father, works in Deus Industries. He's a Realizer mechanic. Our work sometimes makes us travel, so this kind of thing isn't unusual."

Haruko explained to Yoshino and Natsumi.

Both Tatsuo and Haruko are employed at Deus Industries, and at fairly high positions. A perk of being old friends with Mio. They're both Realizer mechanics, but they obviously can't leave their daughter alone, so when they're called to travel for work like this it's often only one of them goes.

Well, in the few situations when they both needed to go at the same time, they used to leave Kotori with Mio, which is how she and Shido became almost like brother and sister.

"So that means…"

"Yup. Tonight is a girl's night!"

It seems that, rather than being sad about it, Tatsuo's trip went perfectly well with Kotori's plans for the night. Though strangely, Haruko seemed to be the most excited.

"Well, we'll have plenty of time to enjoy ourselves later. For now, how about dinner?"

The girls had come to Kotori's home right after their training, so they were quite hungry. In fact, Natsumi's stomach couldn't help but rumble a bit, which made her a bit embarrassed, though Haruko only found it cute.

Since they were guests, Yoshino and Natsumi were told to sit and wait at the table. Meanwhile, Haruko and Kotori served the table. Before long, dinner was set and they all began to eat.

Needless to say, the food was delicious. But it wasn't just that. It had a special taste. The taste that only a loving mother can put on her food. It was a taste neither Yoshino nor Natsumi had felt for a while.

Naturally, during dinner, conversation sprung up.

"Yo-chan, Nat-chan, how are your lives? I mean, outside of the NWET. Like, how did you two meet? Or how about your families?"

"Ah, I was about to ask that. Mom's so sneaky."

Yoshino and Natsumi were surprised by the question. Although they seemed a little hesitant, they decided to answer after quickly looking at each other.

"I've known Yoshino for years now… she's been my best friend since then. She really helped me get through tough times."

"I didn't do anything special, Natsumi-san. Just what anyone would have done."

"No. If it wasn't for you and Nagisa, I…"

Natsumi paused. She seemed pained, so Haruko guessed the subject was a bit tough for her. She decided to try and switch topics.

"Who is this Nagisa?"

"Ah, she's my mother."

"Oh, Yo-chan's mom? That's nice. I'd like to talk with her when we've got an opportunity."

"That… would be hard… she died over a year ago."

"O-oh…"

It seems that, while trying to not step on eggs, Haruko ended up stepping on a landmine. Even Kotori was a bit at a loss over what to do.

But the one who seemed the most worried was Natsumi.

"I'm sorry. It was because of me."

"Natsumi-san, I already told you, you don't have to apologize…"

Yoshino held Natsumi's hand as she said that, but her eyes got teary. It clearly was a sensitive topic for her.

If Haruko could go back in time, she would have stopped herself from asking that question. She couldn't have imagined it would have been such a sensitive subject.

Maybe noticing the tense atmosphere, Natsumi and Yoshino decided to talk a bit more.

"It was about two or three years ago, Yoshino and I were in the same class. Somehow, she came to talk to me, and we became friends. One day, she invited me to her house, just like this. That was when I met Nagisa."

"It was just me and my mother at home. She worked a lot, so she told me to invite a friend so I wouldn't be lonely. Natsumi-san was the first friend I made."

"At the time I had… some trouble at home, so going to Yoshino's place was like going to heaven for me. Nagisa was also really nice to me, and when she saw…"

"... Maybe you didn't hear about it, since it happened in a different city, but there was a Spacequake two years ago… we both lost our mothers to it. We've managed to live thanks to the support Mio-san's company gives to Spacequake victims and their families. Earlier this year, we were invited to take the test, and that's how we ended up where we are…"

Probably due to Kotori's efforts to build her friendship with them so far, Yoshino and Natsumi seemed comfortable enough to tell their story, even if not completely.

"We found Tenka, I'm sure we'll find them as well!"

In an emotional outburst, Kotori suddenly shouted. Haruko felt like she heard more than she should have, so she would pretend not to notice.

This hotheadedness was very much like Haruko herself when she was Kotori's age, but she has learned to control it as she's gotten older… she is still prone to occasional outbursts though.

Yoshino and Natsumi didn't say anything, only nodded. Certainly, since they had found Tohka's missing twin, maybe the Neighboring World was also saving a special encounter for them.

They continued eating dinner. Both Kotori and Haruko were careful with their questions now, but there didn't seem to be any other landmines, which was a relief.

"Phew. What do you girls say about a bath now?"

A little while after they finished dinner, Haruko asked that. The girls happily took her offer, and then the three went into the bathing room.

Of course, the Itsuka family's bathing room was just like any normal family's bathing room, meaning it wasn't especially spacious. Yet, since the girls were all small, it didn't feel cramped.

Well, that would have been the case if it were only the three of them.

"Surprise!"

"Mom?!"

Haruko suddenly opened the door to join them. It was so sudden the girls didn't even have time to get shy and try to cover themselves.

They began to blush, but they also looked at Haruko's naked body. She was a beautiful adult woman, so the girls couldn't help but look at all the curves and parts that were still developing on their own bodies with a bit of hope and curiosity.

"It's been a while, so why not? Come on, Koto-chan, let me wash your back."

"No way!"

Kotori rejected Haruko, but it didn't seem like Hakuro would be defeated so easily.

"Since Koto-chan won't let me, how about you, Nat-chan?"

"E-eh? I-I don't mind."

Without really understanding what she had agreed to, Natsumi sat on the stool Haruko prepared for her. Haruko then began to wash her back.

Because she was so close, Haruko was able to notice a few strange spots on Natsumi's skin. She couldn't tell for sure, but, due to what she had heard previously, she could only think of those as scars.

Suddenly, things clicked on her head. In all likelihood, Yoshino's mother, Nagisa, had somehow also noticed these and went to Natsumi's home to get an explanation. That's how the mothers got involved in the Spacequake and the daughters didn't.

Of course, as a mother herself, many things went through her head and heart at that moment. But she decided to shut them down. There was little point in bringing it up again.

"Nat-chan has such beautiful skin. I'll give you something to put on so it'll turn even more beautiful."

"T-thanks?"

"Also, we can't forget these."

"Aaan!"

Haruko suddenly reached around and started massaging Natsumi's breasts. Kotori obviously didn't stay silent.

"What are you doing, mom?!"

"Didn't you know massaging them helps them grow bigger? Well, they say that a boy's massage is best, but we'll work with what we have. I'm pretty sure Shii-kun likes them big, you know? So I don't mind helping Koto-chan make her appeal. Of course, I won't let Yo-chan be the only one left out."

And so, for the rest of the bath's duration, Haruko's soul was switched with that of a perverted old man's. Or so it seemed at least.

The good part was that Kotori, Yoshino and Natsumi had never been so thoroughly cleaned. Though that came at the cost of a few embarrassing moments. Still, it would only make them grow closer, so Haruko gladly took on the villain role.

After the bath and after getting dry, everyone put on their pajamas. It was time for the most awaited part of the night.

The pajama party.

Since Tatsuo wasn't home, Haruko said that they could use the main bedroom. While the girls got changed, she took some old board games that were gathering dust and took them to the room.

Of course, the girls began to play those games that hadn't seen the light of day since Kotori was a child. And while at it, they had all kinds of conversations, though maybe not as freely as girls normally do in these situations, since Haruko was still Kotori's mother.

"Um, Haruko-san, can I ask something?"

"Sure, go for it."

"How did you meet Mio-san?"

Yoshino asked as she threw the dice and moved her piece.

It was a fairly normal question that anyone would have probably asked. As a reminder, Mio is very famous, so it's hard to imagine Haruko, who seems like a normal mother you'd see anywhere, being her friend. If anything, it was weirder that it took this long for her to be asked about it.

"Oh, that's an old story, and it's really nothing special. But do you still want to hear it?"

Natsumi played after Yoshino, and then it was Haruko's turn. She said that while moving her piece.

Yoshino nodded, showing a clear interest. Although they were silently watching, Natsumi and Kotori also seemed interested in hearing that story.

Now that Kotori thought about it, she had never asked that question to her mother. Maybe because they already had such a close relationship when she was born, but to her, them being friends with Mio's family is only natural. Though she does understand how it seems weird looking from a third-party's perspective.

Since there seemed to be no escape, Haruko let out a sigh and then began to reminisce.

"Let's see, that was long ago. Like, 30 years or so, it was right after Japan's Spacequake. I don't know where she showed up from, but I remember a friend introduced us. And the rest is history really."

"Eeh? There's no way it's just that."

Kotori seemed to be expecting such an interesting story that she even forgot to play her turn. Well, this kind of gossip is also part of a girls' pajama party.

But Haruko was troubled. There really wasn't much to tell, so there wasn't even a way to embellish the past. She did her best to fish through her memories to try and find something.

"I'm sorry to disappoint. If I had to add anything… hmm, ah, I was almost forgetting. Hehe, this is sure to make things exciting. You see, Mio had a crush when we were younger."

The board game was all but forgotten. Again, this kind of gossip is very in-place considering their current situation.

It was nothing too absurd. A young girl had a crush. It could be referring to Mio or anyone else really. But of course, Mio's fame made it interesting.

And that's not to mention that Mio is not married, her only known family is Shido, her son. But, obviously, for her to have a son, there must have been a man in her life at some point. Come to think of it, it was nothing but amazing that gossip magazines weren't going after this story like rabid dogs.

Needless to say, the girls' curiosity reached an all time high. Haruko made a smug look, but she didn't keep them waiting for long.

"Curious? Alright then. You didn't hear it from me, but the name of her crush was Shinji-"

Haruko's voice suddenly cut off. It's not like someone interrupted her or something, she cut herself off. She froze, as if she had been paused in time.

An awkward silence followed for a moment. Kotori and the others were waiting for Haruko to continue. Of course they were curious about who this Shinji was. Maybe he wasn't just a crush, but Shido's father?

However, as soon as they reached that natural assumption, the girls themselves froze as if paused. But time itself was still moving normally.

After a second, they went back to the board game, as if the previous conversation had never happened.

No, to be more specific, it was as if the world itself was making them forget about it and making them think that there was nothing strange.

And so they continued their game, and once they got bored of it they moved on to the next thing. But they never again touched on that subject.

The clock ticked and soon it was time to sleep. Of course, in a pajama party, even that was a fun event.

And so ended Yoshino and Natsumi's sleepover at Kotori's house. What would remain in their memories is the time they spend together, making them grow closer, but not a word about Mio's past.