Clack-clack-clack…
In a dimly lit, ruined city, a man sprinted, fleeing something unseen. His body was battered, blood trickling from his head.
"Huff, huff… I'm safe here, right?"
He ducked into a derelict building, scanning for threats before catching his breath. But then—
Splat.
"W-What the…?" A sticky, foul liquid dripped onto his head, reeking like bodily fluid. Trembling, he looked up—
"KSSHHHAAAA!"
"AAAHH!"
"Eek!"
"Gah, don't scream like that! You scared me!" I snapped.
It was 11 PM, and I was watching a movie with some Holomems. The flick was a niche B-grade survival horror, old and not that scary. But the two clinging to my arms—shaking like leaves—disagreed.
"Was that really so scary?" I asked.
"Terrifying! Getting jumped by that monster? Pure horror! I told you I didn't want to watch this!" wailed Yuki Lamy, her shimmering blue hair betraying her snow-elf roots, gripping my right arm.
"Nene said it'd be fine 'cause Rei-nii said so, but it's super scary! I almost… uh, leaked!" cried Momosuzu Nene, my self-proclaimed little sister, burying her face in my left arm.
Don't blame me; I didn't pick this film. And Nene, idols don't say "leak."
"Eh, it's kinda fake," yawned Shishiro Botan, the white-haired lion beastfolk lounging on the sofa, munching popcorn.
"Grainy visuals, and the alien looks so cheap. Not scary," added Omaru Polka, the fennec beastfolk in circus-like attire, sprawled on the floor.
Why were these four at my place so late? Simple: NePoLaBo—Nene, Polka, Lamy, and Botan—got a week's break and decided to crash here for three days. Typical Holomem ambush. They'd already laid out futons in my living room, ready to camp, and Polka brought this crusty movie. Hence, here we were.
"Guys, I stopped the movie. Calm down," I said.
"Ughh!" Lamy whimpered, teary-eyed.
"Nenechi's glued to Rei-nii, sniffling," Botan noted.
These two had zero horror tolerance. Lamy just groaned, and Nene's tears were soaking my sleeve. Please, no snot.
"Look, we're buying Gunpla tomorrow, right? So sleep—"
"No way!" they shrieked.
"I can't sleep alone after that!" Lamy begged. "Please, Reiji-san, sleep with me!"
"Nene too! I'll leak if Rei-nii's not there!"
Nene, stop with the leaking threats. And idols, really?
"That's unfair!" Polka pouted. "I wanna sleep with Reiji-san too!"
"Me too, Rei-nii~♪" Botan purred.
Why are you two jumping in? Help me calm them!
"They weren't scared!" Lamy snapped. "They don't need to sleep with Reiji-san!"
"Yeah, you two laughed at the movie!" Nene added.
"Oh, right, that movie was sooo scary," Polka said, monotone.
"Totally freaked me out," Botan deadpanned.
Obvious fake acting. And stop crowding me—it's hot! Why do they all want to sleep with me?
Their bickering escalated until they settled it with rock-paper-scissors, winners sharing my bed.
At bedtime, Lamy slept soundly on my right, hugging me with soft breaths, her fear forgotten.
"…Sorry, Rei-nii," Botan whispered from my left.
"For what?"
"You wanted a quiet break, but we dragged you into this. You probably planned to chill alone…"
"Nah, I might've, but I don't mind hanging out if you guys want to. No big deal."
"But—"
"Don't sweat it. This isn't like you, Miss Carefree Lion. I'm having fun, so it's fine. Now sleep—we've got Gunpla shopping tomorrow."
Kinda embarrassed saying that out loud. But honestly, I enjoy their company, and it feels good knowing they look up to me. Even if they're loud sometimes.
"Hehe, you're too nice, Rei-nii~ (No wonder everyone loves you~♪)" Botan giggled, snuggling closer before drifting off fast.
Guess I should sleep too. Weird how I'm used to this—sharing a bed with Holomems. Scary thought.
(I won't lose—not to Shishiron or anyone. Reiji-san's my destined one.)
Lamy, eavesdropping, stared with dark, hollow eyes…
Meanwhile, in the living room, Nene shivered in her futon, clinging to Polka, who groaned under her grip, both haunted by the movie.
Morning came, and after breakfast, we hit B○○K○FF for Gunpla. Lamy and Nene were back to their bubbly selves, but Polka looked drained. What happened to her?
"Wow, they sell Gunpla here?" Botan said.
"It's mostly secondhand, so fewer new kits, but you can find rare gems," I explained. "Let's pick some."
"Cool!♪" the girls cheered, except Polka's weak "Yay…"
You okay, Polka?
I eyed an old Musha Maru and a newer Liu Bei Unicorn but passed. The girls rummaged, each grabbing a kit:
"I'm going with this—it's me!♪" Botan said.
"This one's so Nene-colored!" Nene chirped.
"This'll shock everyone!♪" Polka grinned.
"I knew I wanted this one," Lamy said.
We bought our picks and headed home.
Back at my place, we unpacked. "Alright, show your Gunpla."
"Prepare to be amazed!" Nene boasted.
"I got a winner," Polka said.
"Mine's totally me," Botan added.
"Let's reveal together!" Lamy said. "Ready… go!"
Thud.
I froze. My MG Gundam (Origin Ver.) was fine, but their picks? All from Gundam 00's Celestial Being, all 1/100 scale, no duplicates:
1/100 Gundam Exia (Lamy)
1/100 Gundam Dynames (Botan)
1/100 Gundam Kyrios (Nene)
1/100 Gundam Virtue (Polka)
Gundam 00's four main units: Exia for close combat, Dynames for sniping, Kyrios for aerial battles, and the bulky Virtue with its massive beam cannon. I only know the basics of 00, but this was wild.
"Did you guys plan this?" I asked.
"Nope! I picked Kyrios 'cause it's orange!" Nene said.
"Virtue's gimmick felt surprising," Polka explained.
"Dynames was love at first sight~♪ Its sniper rifle's cool!" Botan gushed.
"I decided on Exia when I watched 00," Lamy said.
Crazy coincidence, all 1/100 too. HG wasn't an option? "Impressive they had these old kits together."
"Who cares? Let's build, Rei-nii!" Nene urged.
"Right, let's do it."
Scene skip for brevity.
"Alright, Lamy and Botan want mods, Nene and Polka just paint, right?" I confirmed.
"Yup, I want my Exia to feel more me!" Lamy said.
"I want extra weapons, not full mods," Botan clarified.
"Here's a box of junk parts. Use what you want," I said, handing over a stash of leftover and broken kit pieces. They're great for custom work—never toss them.
They dug in. As I prepped paint in the yard, Polka approached, holding red and blue spray cans. "I want a red-and-blue two-tone on Virtue's parts. How do I do it?"
"Use masking tape. Paint one color, topcoat, let it dry, tape off what you don't want painted, then do the second color. Peel the tape after it dries."
"Got it!" Polka started priming.
Nene bounced over. "Rei-nii, I want Kyrios's orange to sparkle! How?"
"Paint it gold, then layer clear orange lightly. Too much clear orange darkens it, so go thin for a glossy shine."
"Okay, I'll try!" Nene began priming.
Each worked on their custom paint and mods.
Fast-forward to completion.
On the last day of our sleepover, we held a Gunpla showcase. Everyone beamed, proud of their work.
"Alright, Lamy, you're up," I said.
"Here's my Freezing Gundam Exia!" she announced.
A light blue repaint of Exia, with Beginning 30 Gundam's ifs units on the right shoulder, front and back, plus a translucent blue lace "cape" trailing from it. The shield's white parts had delicate snowflake patterns, hand-taped with Polka's masking tape. Stunning.
"Mine's Ground-Type Gundam Dynames," Botan said.
A matte black Dynames with an MG Ground-Type Gundam backpack, set up for both beam and ballistic combat, per Botan's multi-role vision.
"Check out my Tricky Gundam Virtue!♪" Polka revealed.
A red-and-blue two-tone Virtue, circus-like and clean, with even its hidden Nadleeh Gundam painted to match. Vibrant, but handling risks paint chipping.
"Last, my Gundam Kyrios Hyper Nenechi Ver.!" Nene cheered.
A glossy Kyrios with orange parts painted gold and clear orange. Some color unevenness, but solid for a first try.
"Great job, everyone. Nene's got some paint patches, but for first customs, these are awesome," I said.
"Yay!♪" Lamy cheered.
"Love how mine turned out," Botan said.
"I'll nail the paint next time!" Nene vowed.
"This sleepover was a blast! Let's do it again!♪" Polka said.
Seeing them enjoy Gunpla warmed my heart. Another successful build.
"Hey, Reiji-san, I want a reward for our hard work," Lamy said.
"Sure, if it's reasonable."
"Then sign and stamp this…" She slid a marriage certificate across.
"Nope, not happening," I shot down. Does she carry that thing?
"Lamy-chan, that's cheating! Nene wants to marry Rei-nii too!" Nene whined.
"No cutting in line! Polka wants to be with Reiji-san!" Polka protested.
"I'm fine being a mistress if I get love~♪" Botan teased.
No, Botan, that's not okay. Find better guys than me, all of you. So noisy to the end…
The sleepover ended on a high note.
But none of us knew…
A week later, something wild would happen…