Beneath the towering silhouette of the Tokyo Skytree, now illuminated in a majestic wash of warm orange and subtle blue accent lighting, a steady stream of visitors flowed in and out. The night air was cool and crisp, buzzing with the afterglow of the evening's magic.
Kasumigaoka Touji broke away from the current of people for a moment, approaching a small, tastefully arranged kiosk where a florist staff member stood waiting. He received a pre-ordered bouquet—a lavish arrangement of deep red roses, their velvety petals dewy and fragrant under the artificial light—and turned back to Kani Nayuta.
Her eyes, already wide from the night's wonders, grew even larger as he presented the flowers to her.
"Winter-sensei…" she breathed, her voice a soft whisper of pure surprise.
"How is it? Do you like them?" he asked, his tone gentle as he watched her reaction.
"Mm! I love them!" The joy in Kani Nayuta's heart wasn't just overflowing; it was effervescent, bubbling up and making her feel weightless. She had thought the evening's surprises were over, that the next stop was simply the hotel. To receive a bouquet of roses—the classic symbol of romantic affection—felt like a final, perfect flourish on an already perfect day. The pleasant shock of it sent another thrill through her.
Today has been too happy. Too fulfilling! She felt giddy, as if she were floating a few centimeters above the pavement, buoyed by pure elation.
"Am I… dreaming right now?" she murmured, her steps light as a feather as they crossed the street with the flow of pedestrians. She clutched the roses to her chest with one hand, the gift bag from the arcade dangling from the other.
"Should I wake you up?" Touji teased, his eyes glinting. He glanced at her ample curves and gave her a light, playful pat.
"Yada! You're so annoying!" Kani Nayuta couldn't help but chide him, yet the look in her eyes completely betrayed her words, glowing with unrestrained happiness. She was the very picture of 'tsundere'—saying one thing while meaning the exact opposite.
Touji chuckled, falling into step beside her. After a few paces, he said, his voice softer now, "To be honest… I kind of feel like I'm dreaming, too."
"Really?" Kani Nayuta looked at him, her surprise now mingled with warm curiosity.
"Of course. Just look… going on a date with such a talented, beautiful, and incredible girl like you…"
"..."
He continued, weaving a thread of sweet, sincere compliments all the way back to the hotel. Each word was a gentle assault on Kani Nayuta's heart, stirring the deep, warm emotions within her until she felt she might melt into a puddle of sheer bliss right there on the sidewalk.
When they finally entered their hotel room and the door clicked shut, sealing them in a private world, Kani Nayuta's last vestige of restraint vanished. She immediately clung to Kasumigaoka Touji, wrapping her arms and legs around him like an affectionate koala.
Laughing, Touji supported her with one arm under her legs, using his free hand to first deposit the heavy gift bag and the delicate bouquet of roses safely on the bedroom's coffee table. Then, with her securely in his grasp, he gave a few experimental bounces, making her giggle breathlessly against his shoulder.
"Winter-sensei, what are you doing?" she asked between laughs.
"Weighing you," he stated matter-of-factly.
"So? Did you figure it out?"
"Hmm… I'd say you're definitely under 100 pounds." She felt noticeably lighter than Kasumigaoka Utaha, he noted internally. Probably right around that mark.
"That's so vague!" Kani Nayuta protested with a playful pout.
"Then just tell me if I'm right or not!" he countered, giving her backside a light, teasing pinch.
"…Probably."
"Probably?"
"Mm… It's been a long time since I last weighed myself…" Her voice trailed off, then softened into something more intimate. "Winter-sensei…"
She tightened her arms around his neck, burying her face in the crook where his shoulder met his neck. Touji noticed, not for the first time tonight, how much she seemed to relish calling him by his online handle. Logically, using his given name, 'Touji,' would be the most intimate form of address…
"Do you get some kind of special… thrill… from calling me Winter-sensei?" he asked, his voice a low, teasing rumble near her ear.
"Hmm… There's a special feeling to it, yes," she admitted, her breath warm against his skin.
There really is?
"And you… you often call me 'Kani Nayuta-sensei' too," she pointed out, straightening her soft, supple back slightly to look him in the eyes. Her gaze was luminous, moist with a new, profound emotion. "Do you get a special feeling from that?"
"A little bit, I suppose…" Touji answered honestly. And then, to punctuate his confession, he leaned in and kissed her—a deep, claiming kiss that left no room for further questions.
"..."
The hotel room was a capsule of profound quiet, broken only by their shared breaths and the distant, muffled hum of the city far below. They had dimmed the main lights, leaving only the soft glow from a bedside lamp, which painted the room in hazy, intimate shadows.
"Truly… lovely."
Kasumigaoka Touji's voice was filled with naked appreciation as he gazed at Kani Nayuta. Black and white are opposing colors, creating the most vivid and dramatic visual contrast. In the low light, Kani Nayuta's skin seemed to glow with a dazzling, almost ethereal whiteness—pure as new-fallen snow.
And because of that radiant paleness, the black lace she wore became all the more striking. It was a rich, profound black, mysterious and endlessly alluring. The unique crisscross strap design he'd glimpsed earlier, the delicate lace trim, the perfectly placed satin bows… they weren't just fabric; they were a frame, an accent, a masterpiece of intention.
"It's like a work of art," he exhaled, the words heartfelt.
"Calling it a work of art is too much of an exaggeration…" Kani Nayuta chided, but her voice held a smile that seemed to melt from her lips. A deep, satisfying warmth surged through her. It was worth it. Every bit of deliberation over which set to choose, the secret thrill of putting on her 'decisive battle lingerie' at noon… she felt, in this moment, that it had all been utterly, completely worth it.
"..."
The silent night soon became filled with a different kind of music—a symphony of whispered words, soft sighs, and the rustle of sheets. The noise of the world faded away, replaced by the intimate soundscape of two people discovering each other. It was only well past eleven o'clock that the room gradually settled back into a deep, satisfied quiet.
After exchanging sleepy, sated "Oyasumi"s, Kani Nayuta curled into Kasumigaoka Touji's arms, fitting against him as perfectly as a puzzle piece. Like a contented kitten, she nestled her head on his chest, her breathing slowly deepening as sleep began to pull her under.
Holding her close, feeling the steady rhythm of her heart against his side, Touji closed his eyes. In the darkness behind his eyelids, he willed a familiar panel into view.
[Dream Weaver System]Bound Host: ToujiDream Weaver Level: Apprentice (60/100)Active Dreams: Younger Brother's Bride! (Phase 1 Complete, Phase 2 in Progress!), Light Novel Master! (Incomplete), She Wants to Change Her Attributes! (Incomplete), Manga Artist! (Incomplete), Idol's Lover! (Phase 1 Complete, Phase 2 in Progress!)Dream Points: 35,966.5Dream Shop: Opened
"..."
His Apprentice experience had jumped to 60%. It felt close—the breakthrough to becoming a Third-Class Dream Weaver was within reach. A flicker of excitement sparked within him. What would change upon promotion? The number of active dream slots would surely increase. The shop would likely unlock new, more powerful abilities and items. He wondered if there were other, hidden benefits.
His gaze drifted back to the Dream Points counter. Tonight earned 30,000 points. His wallet, so recently depleted, felt comfortably full again. Without hesitation, he navigated into the Dream Shop and opened the list of supernatural abilities.
He made two selections in quick succession:
NO. 6, [Taunt]Description: Consume stamina to mark a target. For one minute, the marked target will involuntarily taunt all surrounding creatures!Price: 9,000 Dream Points.
NO. 55, [Basic Telekinesis]Introduction: Your mental strength and its recovery rate have been enhanced. You have gained the ability to exert force upon and influence the motion of physical objects through willpower alone.Price: 25,555 Dream Points.
"..."
'This dream currency really doesn't go far…' he thought with a wry internal sigh.
In the physical darkness of the room, Kasumigaoka Touji opened his eyes. For a brief moment, a faint, ethereal light-blue glow seemed to flicker deep within his irises.
He focused his will—his new will.
The entire room seemed to map itself into his consciousness in a new, tactile way. With a mere thought, the bouquet of roses on the nearby coffee table, along with the gift bag, trembled slightly… and then lifted smoothly into the air, hovering a few centimeters above the wooden surface.
'This… this is a real superpower!'
Like a child presented with the most fascinating toy imaginable, Kasumigaoka Touji began to experiment. He gently made other objects in the room float—a magazine, the TV remote, a pillow.
The coffee table? No problem.The small sofa? It rose an inch off the carpet.The bed they were lying on? Uh… no. That one, along with its two occupants, remained firmly grounded. The ability clearly had its limits; it wasn't as overwhelmingly powerful as he might have imagined.
But still…
A new, particularly mischievous idea occurred to him. At certain times… this could be incredibly… helpful.
He was suddenly tempted to wake Kani Nayuta and begin a new round of experimentation. But glancing down at her peaceful, sleeping face nestled against him, he reconsidered. It was her first time tonight. He wouldn't disturb her rest.
I'll try it out with Kasumigaoka Utaha-nee later… he decided, a different kind of anticipation taking root.
"..."
After a period of silent, wide-eyed practice, moving objects around the room like a ghostly conductor—
Perhaps due to the mental exertion of using his new ability, a wave of genuine fatigue finally washed over him. The excitement of the day, the emotional and physical intensity, and now the psychic drain caught up all at once. His eyelids grew heavy. With a final, contented glance at the girl in his arms, Kasumigaoka Touji closed his eyes and let the deep, dreamless sleep of utter satisfaction claim him.