In a twist of fate that felt almost like cosmic irony, the very fantasy Kasumigaoka Touji had casually entertained that morning—a scenario involving a 'Sexy Female Teacher' and some intensive 'After-School Guidance'—had, by the afternoon, been turned on its head. Instead of being the student, he found himself cast in the role of the 'teacher,' tasked with tutoring his classmates.
It was a pity, he mused, that this was all happening within the sterile, public environment of the school. If it were just him and Kani Nayuta in a private setting… well, his imagination might have wandered toward a very different, and considerably less academic, genre—perhaps something along the lines of 'Home Tutor and the Silver-Haired High School Girl.'
He quickly banished that thought. There were trash bags to dispose of.
***
Time flowed onward with its usual relentless pace. More than ten days slipped by, characterized by a peaceful, almost uneventful rhythm in Kasumigaoka Touji's school life.
The only notable development during this stretch was the quiet, seamless addition of Kato Megumi to his impromptu study group.
On the very first afternoon he began tutoring Kani Nayuta and the perpetually flustered Gotou Hitori, Kato Megumi had simply appeared, her homework notebook in hand. Without fanfare or apology, she had integrated herself into the circle, asking questions with a calm that bordered on boldness. For Kasumigaoka Touji, the logic was simple: herding two sheep was herding; herding three sheep was still herding. He had no objections.
And so, the study sessions continued.
****
That particular afternoon, under a brilliant sun that painted the school grounds in sharp contrasts of light and shadow, Kasumigaoka Touji found himself on a mundane errand: taking out the classroom trash. He was passing behind the main teaching building, near a quiet corner of the playground bathed in dazzling sunlight, when he stumbled upon a scene straight out of a classic school romance.
A boy, his posture stiff and earnest, was bowed deeply at the waist. He held out a carefully folded pink envelope with both hands. His build suggested he was part of a sports club—track and field, perhaps.
"Kato-san… I like you! Please, go out with me!"
A confession. And directed at Kato Megumi.
Kasumigaoka Touji, holding two black garbage bags, stopped in his tracks, his curiosity piqued. He was a silent, unnoticed observer to this slice of adolescent drama.
And then, as if triggered by the pivotal moment, a familiar, ethereal light blue screen materialized in front of his vision.
[★★★ Dream — She Wants to Change Her Own Attributes! (Completed!)]
[You have gained 21 Experience Points, 5000 Dream Points!]
[Dream Realization Level: Apprentice (60/100) → Apprentice (81/100); Dream Points: 1411.5 → 6411.5!]
"…"
Kato Megumi's dream—the desire to shed her 'background character' status and transform herself—was suddenly, irrevocably marked as complete.
The realization washed over Kasumigaoka Touji with a strange sense of inevitability. It felt both unexpected and perfectly logical. Her new confidence, her changed style, the way she carried herself… it had all culminated in this moment where she was no longer invisible, but the subject of someone's ardent affection.
His own status as a Dream Realizer was also on the cusp of a change. Only 19 more experience points stood between him and the next rank. Promotion to a Third-Rank Dream Realizer felt tantalizingly close—just one three-star quest away. The problem was, scanning the 'quests' he was aware of from the people around him, none seemed to carry that three-star weight. That was… troublesome.
His internal musings were cut short as the scene before him continued to unfold.
On the sun-drenched patch of grass, Kato Megumi did not reach for the proffered love letter. Instead, she clasped her hands neatly in front of her school uniform and offered a slight, polite bow.
"Thank you for your feelings. But I'm very sorry. I already have someone I like."
Her voice was clear, firm, and carried a finality that was both gentle and absolute.
The boy, whose name Kasumigaoka Touji would later learn was Fukuyama Takuya, jolted as if struck by a physical blow. His whole body trembled slightly, and a look of profound bitterness twisted his features.
"…I-Is that so?" he managed, his voice dry and strained. "Can… can you tell me who it is?"
He seemed unwilling to accept the rejection without a name, a rival to measure himself against.
Is it me?
The thought, unbidden and somewhat audacious, flickered through Kasumigaoka Touji's mind. As far as he was aware, he was the only boy outside of her own class that Kato Megumi interacted with regularly.
Of course, he didn't know the dynamics within Class G, but in the wider sphere of the school, he was her most prominent male connection. Their recent interactions through the study group had deepened their familiarity, and their nightly online chats had grown increasingly warm, occasionally tinged with a subtle undercurrent that felt like more than just friendship.
Perhaps it was telepathy, or perhaps Kato Megumi simply possessed an overly keen sense of her surroundings. At that precise moment, her gaze shifted sideways, away from the devastated Fukuyama, and landed directly on Kasumigaoka Touji, who was standing some distance away with his bags of trash.
Fukuyama Takuya followed her line of sight. His eyes widened in recognition as they settled on Kasumigaoka Touji. He had seen this guy before—the handsome classmate who had come to their classroom to personally deliver a souvenir to Kato Megumi. The memory clicked into place, deepening his dismay.
A complex mix of resignation and disbelief crossed Fukuyama's face.
"Is it… Kasumigaoka-san?" he asked, his voice heavy.
He seemed to gather himself for a final, desperate plea. "Kato-san… although Kasumigaoka-san is excellent, he already has two girlfriends…"
The unspoken message hung in the air: Don't set your heart on someone so clearly out of reach! Look at me! I'm available!
"It's him."
Kato Megumi ignored his indirect warning. Her reply was simple, light, and carried an undeniable certainty that brooked no argument.
For Fukuyama Takuya, those two words were a critical hit, shattering his last remnants of hope. The color drained from his face.
"…I see," he mumbled, the fight gone from him. He looked from Kato to Kasumigaoka Touji and back again, opened his mouth as if to say something more, but ultimately just offered a stiff, dejected bow. "I understand. I… wish you happiness."
With that, he turned and walked away, his shoulders slumped, leaving the sunlit corner occupied only by Kato Megumi and the now thoroughly bemused Kasumigaoka Touji.
"Kato-san…" The name escaped Kasumigaoka Touji's lips, wrapped in a swirl of huge surprise and unexpected emotion. A smile, unbidden and warm, touched his face.
This was immediately followed by a sharp, pragmatic headache.
After all, as the departing classmate had so bluntly pointed out, he already had two girlfriends. How was he supposed to explain this development to Kasumigaoka Utaha and Kani Nayuta? What would their reactions be? To 'conquer' another girl in just over a month… it sounded indefensible, even to his own ears. Wouldn't Kani Nayuta, so trusting and devoted, be deeply disappointed?
While this internal storm raged, Kato Megumi stood calmly, waiting. Fukuyama's departure seemed to have lifted no weight from her shoulders; if anything, she seemed more resolved.
"Kato-san is becoming more and more radiant," Kasumigaoka Touji finally said, breaking the silence. He truly hadn't fully appreciated it until this moment, but the transformation was undeniable. She was blooming.
Her outward-curled bob, with its hint of a soft perm, framed her face with a new sense of youthful vitality. Her skin retained its signature translucent, milky-white smoothness, flawless as porcelain. Her nose was straight and delicate, her large eyes, fringed by long lashes, held a new depth, and her lips—a beautiful cherry color—looked full and dewy. The overall effect, seen up close like this, was profoundly captivating, stirring a desire to pull her close, to…
He shook the thought away, focusing on her words.
"All of this is thanks to Kasumigaoka-kun," she said, her voice maintaining its characteristically light, airy quality. A faint, almost imperceptible curve touched the corner of her mouth. "Without you, I would still be that low-presence background character."
So, her gratitude was part of the reason for her feelings? It was a common enough trope, but it felt genuine coming from her.
"I just made a suggestion," he demurred, waving a hand. "You were the one who made all the changes. And you had a great foundation to start with."
He hefted the garbage bags, suddenly very aware of the incongruity of holding a romantic conversation while on trash duty. He began walking toward the school's incinerator shed. Kato Megumi fell into step beside him without hesitation.
He decided to address the elephant in the room directly. "Kato-san… do you mind that I'm… well, a bit of a player?" He was genuinely curious about her perspective.
"It would be a lie to say I don't mind at all," she admitted, her honesty disarming. "But… I don't think Kasumigaoka-kun is the fickle, heartless type of scumbag."
"You have a good eye for character!" Kasumigaoka Touji couldn't help but laugh at that. He would admit to being fond of beautiful things—fickle, perhaps—but a heartless scumbag? No, that didn't fit.
They reached the incinerator. He tossed the bags inside with a practiced motion, the mundane act a stark contrast to the gravity of the moment. He turned to fully face her.
"So," Kato Megumi said, her clear, autumn-water eyes locking onto his, going straight to the heart of the matter. "What is Kasumigaoka-kun's answer?"
The directness was pure Kato Megumi. There was no coquetry, no games. Just a simple, daunting question hanging in the air between them, as palpable as the afternoon sunlight.