Apparently I can't progress further to the Elf route cuz I need to be with all four of my party members. Problem is, I can't do anything about it. The pink thing did absolutely nothing. So uhh... did I softlock the game somehow?
I need the four party members for the diving to the lake on the elf route. I checked the save editor and apparently my party members are [1,2,3,4], even though I am alone and I could do the Mayor route as well as the solo side quests. I could, though, go to the clearing in the forest and set up camp with Jen appearing there. Oh, and they're not in real life either. I can't find the three of them there.
Coincidentally, the solo side quest requires me to go to the lake as well, so uh I can't do that either.
(I took on the quest after I realized I softlocked everything)