Chapter 5: The strangely ordinary panties

Another day, another blessing. I left the house earlier than usual because I wanted to see Mimi again. Just thinking that she'd be there again got me so pumped up and didn't know why.

I arrived at school an hour later and went straight to the council room. However, when I got there, she wasn't there. Perhaps I was too early.

Then just as I was about to leave the room, I heard a voice from behind, "You're here early."

I turned around, expecting to see Mimi. Instead, I saw the white figure. Guess he needed something again.

"What do you want?"

He turned his head and replied, "I'm not the white man anymore, I'm Kinbaku (blonde)!"

Then he placed a strand of yellow hair on top of his head. I didn't quite get what he was doing, nor did I care. I just wanted to get it over with.

"Anyway, today I'd like a photo." He said.

"That's it?"

"Yep! A panty shot!"

Was he joking? There was no way I could do that! Besides, I was a public morals member. Doing that would put me against what the public morals fight for. Well, not that I care what happens to it... but Mimi...

"I can't do that!"

"Also..." he added, "A pantyshot without panties!"

"You're asking for too much!"

Forget what I said before. There's absolutely no way I'd take a picture of someone going commando. It's just plain wrong.

"Come on! It's just this one time!" he said.

"Don't mistake me for a pervert! I don't take pictures of pantyless girls!"

Then he responded, "I didn't say you're gonna take it."

"What?"

"...But since you suggested it, I might as well take approve that!"

Me and my big mouth... I was overthinking it. Well, it was my fault, so I could only blame myself. But I still didn't want to do it, so I walked out, frustrated. "I'm leaving."

But just as I was about to step outside, he said, "I heard what happened yesterday afternoon."

I paused. He suddenly caught my attention.

"You know, that much miasama could corrupt the whole school. Just think of the casualties it might have if it breaks out."

I turned around and sighed. There's no way I could let the miasama destroy the whole school.

"Fine, I'll do it. But this is the last time, alright?"

"I highly doubt that." He replied.

It made me sick just looking at him. If only I could call an inugami, then I could ask it to devour him. But for now, I had to do his bidding for the sake of the school. After that, he disappeared. It was still pretty early, so I decided to play games in the computer room to kill time. But just as I was about to leave, I heard a conversation from some girls walking in the hallway.

"I can't believe she measured my skirt twice!"

"Tell me about it! My skirt wasn't that short!"

"What does she expect us to wear? The old school uniforms?"

Then they laughed all the way. That last line hurt me a little since I was wearing my family's passed-down uniform. But it didn't bother me that much because it wasn't directed to me.

I went to the school entrance to see what was going on and saw girls lining up for a skirt inspection conducted by Mimi.

"That's a pretty stressful job." A voice from behind said.

I turned around and saw Mako, still carrying his bag.

"You just got in?"

"Yep!" he answered, "I haven't even changed my shoes yet."

Then we turned our attention back to the line.

"So she's the school prefect's job, huh?" he commented.

"Yep. She's very strict."

"She's too strict, in my opinion." He responded, "So how was she able to pacify you?"

"Dunno."

That's right. She was able to purify my so-called miasama which was released yesterday. It was strange how an ordinary girl like her could do that. Was she even an ordinary girl? That aside, I decided to talk to her. But just as I was on my way to her, I saw something cruel.

A girl who just got her skirt measured pushed Mimi down and exclaimed, "Outta my way! I'll wear what I want!"

Everybody in the school entrance saw it and were all shocked, me most of all. The girl proceeded onward, while Mimi swept her legs and stood once more. She continued measuring skirts, as if nothing happened.

I approached her and asked if she was okay.

"Ah! Good morning, Hakura!"

"Why did you let her get away with that?!"

"What are you talking about?" She said while forcing a smile, "It's fine!"

No, it wasn't. She looked hurt. I couldn't just ignore it. But then again, what could I have done? With my Parthenophobia, all I could do was stand still.

"I-if you say so..."

"Oh, that reminds me..." she said just as I was about to leave, "Can you help me with the measuring?"

"B-but I'm a guy! S-shouldn't a girl be best suited for the job? Where are the other members? Maybe they can-"

"I'm the only member..." she replied with a faint voice.

Hearing that made me pity her. To think she would handle the responsibilities of a prefect alone, with no one to help her. So as a concerned member, I agreed to help.

"O-okay, I'll help... but are you sure about this?"

"Yes. I trust you."

Wow. I didn't know she trusted me that much. She was too trustful of others, but I guess it's not such a bad thing. She gave me a ruler and briefed me of my task.

"Make sure the skirts are 12 inches or longer."

"What if it's short?"

"Report it to me." She replied.

"Why do we have to measure them anyway?"

"It's our job as Public Morals Committee members. We can't have them exposing their undergarments."

Then I suddenly remembered the white man's – I mean Kinbaku's – request. Through measuring skirts I thought I could easily find someone going commando. That's what I thought until I actually started measuring a student's skirt.

"I didn't think this through!"

My hands were shivering so much. My Parthenophobia was acting up, but I still tried to measure it. In the end, I passed out.

The next thing I knew, I was lying down on the bed in the infirmary.

"...I passed out?"

I looked at my watch and saw that it was already time for homeroom. I hurried back to the classroom (which was something I didn't usually do) and made it just in time for attendance checking.

Some time passed, and it was already lunchtime. I went to Mako's classroom and, once again, asked for his help.

"What is it this time?" he asked.

"Apparently, Kinbaku wants us to get a photo of a pantyless student."

"Who's Kinbaku?"

"The white figure. He insisted we call him that."

"I see..." he crossed his arms and nodded, then exclaimed, "Eh?! Did you say he wanted pan-!"

I quickly covered his mouth and told him to keep quiet.

"Sorry..." he said, "So what's your plan?"

"First, we need a camera. Do you know anyone in the photography club?"

Disgusted, he replied, "Yes, but..."

I only understood his disgusted face when we went to the clubroom and met the only member of the photography club: Suzuna Nanoka. Once she opened the door and saw us, she quickly shut the door.

"Wait! We need your help!" Mako requested.

"Go away!" she exclaimed.

"Forget it. She won't do it."

He had a point. There was no way I could ask her to take pantyshots. That would ruin her reputation. But then again, it's not like I cared about those things. Then I remembered how clingy she was with Mimi the other day. So I used that to our advantage. I whispered to Mako my plan and asked him to say:

"I'll ask Mimi to do a photo shoot for you!"

We waited for her response. Then she opened the door and agreed to help. And so, our hunt for the pantyless shot began! First, we looked for students who skipped the skirt inspection. We found a few and asked Suzuna to take a photo of their panties. I'm the most shameless PMC member ever...

"Are you crazy?!" she reacted, "There's no way I'd take pictures of other girls!"

"You agreed already, there's no going back." Mako responded.

"Why not just take mine?" she said, "I have a lot of self-taken panty shots!"

Have you no shame...?

Wow, I never thought I'd hear that from a girl, unashamed too. I wanted to accept the offer, but then it'd miss the point of taking a panty shot. What am I thinking, all of a sudden?! Anyway, I told Mako to decline her offer. He did, but not the way I planned...

"Who would want a picture of a horrible monster's panties?!" he asked.

"What was that?!"

Then they started arguing. How were we gonna get the shot when those two kept on fighting every time they met?