"Well, I guess there's no helping it. We'll just have to keep working on it little by little," Yamauchi Sakura said with a nod, showing her understanding that Katou Megumi couldn't move in right away.
"Huh? Wait, when was it decided that I was going to move in?" Megumi blinked in confusion.
"Aha! So you can throw in a comeback, Megumi! That lighthearted retort wasn't bad at all," Eriri said, giving her a pat on the shoulder before being the first to head up the stairs.
Though Eriri might come off as a bit sloppy on the surface, that only applied to minor habits.
When it came to hygiene, the blonde ojou-sama was actually pretty meticulous.
After all, there was solid proof: dozens of identical green tracksuits neatly lined up in her wardrobe.
Sure, her outfits were casual, but she never hesitated to change them the moment they got worn or dirty.
"That's why, when you hear something unreasonable like that, you should be the first to say no," Yukinoshita said with a sigh.
Being too agreeable only invites others to keep pushing boundaries—especially people like Sakura, who clearly have no sense of them.
"Hmm~ but I don't think it's such a troublesome request," Megumi replied with a gentle smile.
'...Huh?'
Yukinoshita paused, her mind flashing back to the feelings of reluctance she'd been experiencing earlier.
Compared to her cold, empty luxury apartment, this place—brimming with constant laughter and liveliness—really was hard to leave behind.
If she could ignore the danger that Hojo Kyousuke posed...
No, actually, thinking about it more carefully—
It's because of his presence that this dorm feels so full of life and charm.
Everything she loved about this place existed precisely because of him.
And honestly, if she could eat such delicious meals every day, no girl in the world—except maybe herself—would turn down the chance to move in.
Just as Megumi had said, barring Sakura's usual nonsense, moving here wasn't an unreasonable idea at all.
But that was just her perspective.
Could it be that Megumi also had something going on at home?
Yet… no, she had just mentioned her parents several times.
Her home life seemed pretty balanced and relaxed.
Yukinoshita glanced over at Megumi's face, hoping to glean her true feelings using her "people-reading skills."
Unfortunately, it wasn't that her skills were lacking, Megumi simply gave her nothing to work with. Her expressions were just too neutral.
Still, maybe she's just too agreeable…
"Have you decided what we're watching?" Kyousuke entered from the tatami room, casually closing the sliding glass door behind him.
"Yup! We'll watch 'Chasuto: Fantastical After-School Adventures.'" Sakura flashed her tablet. Since Eriri had gone upstairs, she could finally tell the others.
"That one? But didn't you say you weren't interested in it before?"
"Well, we're going to play Hyakumonogatari later, aren't we?"
"Oh, right. That might actually make it more fun," Kyousuke nodded.
Listening to them, Yukinoshita immediately sensed something suspicious.
She quickly pulled out her phone to look it up.
"Alright, alright. Enough of that, go take a bath already! Yukino, you smell terrible~" Sakura said as she hooked arms with her and tried to drag her upstairs.
"I do not smell! And you reek of hotpot!" Yukinoshita snapped, clearly annoyed.
Sakura could be just as infuriating as Hojo Kyousuke sometimes.
"Come on, Megumi, let's go too," Shouko called gently.
Megumi smiled at Kyousuke and followed Shouko upstairs.
'Bath?'
That word instantly triggered something in Kyousuke's brain.
He caught Utaha-senpai trailing last and shooting him a playful, seductive glance.
'Damn it, why didn't I build an open-air hot spring in the yard? Why did I waste all that effort putting private bathrooms in each room?'
He imagined a better setup—a communal bath.
With the sound of running water, no one would hear if he shouted "Anyone in here?" He'd step inside to a chorus of surprised screams.
Then someone would slip and slide from the entrance all the way into the bath…
Girls screaming and dashing past him, occasionally tripping and landing on top of him.
Then—finally—he's left alone in the bath, the steam curling up around him as he slowly closed his eyes…
'The women's bath… now that would be the real deal.'
The fantasy ended with a jolt of inspiration.
"Oh right, Naoka! Didn't you say you were looking for a flat-chested model? Why not let Yukinoshita try on that outfit?"
"Huh? You mean the Tornado one-piece from One Punch Man?" Ueno Naoka blinked.
When it came to flat-chested characters, that was the first one that came to mind.
"Tatsumaki the Terrible Tornado"—the tsundere queen adored by fans.
Thanks to Eriri's gorgeously detailed art style, the fierce and beautiful character had captivated countless fans.
In terms of looks alone, she was the absolute pinnacle.
Sakura, the self-proclaimed great detective, had declared that Eriri was clearly biased and had poured too much love into this tsundere.
Of course, Eriri vehemently denied the accusation.
Though… she did really like that character.
Tatsumaki's costume was a high-slit black dress—so high that a careless panel might make it unbroadcastable.
The tight fit accentuated her petite frame, smooth abdominal lines, oval navel, and even her visible ribs…
Despite being a loli in shape, she exuded the same sensual charm as older characters.
Naoka had modeled the outfit after a school swimsuit, with thick padding in the chest area—so even the flattest girl would instantly gain cleavage.
Naoka herself could've worn it, but was too embarrassed.
Eriri? She'd evolved past that level.
With her impressive figure, Eriri could already look down on Naoka's existence from a higher plane.
Actually, in terms of personality, Kasumigaoka Utaha's proud demeanor was a perfect fit for cosplaying as Tatsumaki.
But once she wore the outfit, she stopped being little girl like altogether.
That's why Yukinoshita, who combined both their strengths—pride, elegance, and a flat chest—was the perfect candidate.
"You're right! Yukinoshita is exactly who we need!" Naoka exclaimed in excitement and dashed upstairs.
Actually, Kyousuke thought, 'I was going to suggest a maid outfit…'
Letting Yukinoshita wear that kind of high-slit dress?
She'd probably die of embarrassment.
No, she'd kill him before that, for even seeing her like that.
But hey, if it's the end anyway, might as well choose the way to go.
Seeing Yukinoshita in a dress like that… once in a lifetime, right?
'Hope Naoka manages to pull it off…' With that, Kyousuke also headed upstairs.
He turned the doorknob.
"Hmm? What are you doing in my room?" Eriri asked.
Crap, he'd accidentally ended up at Eriri's door.
Thankfully, she hadn't started changing yet.
"I just wanted to let you know that Commander Bubble has already gone to sleep."
"What?! He went to bed before me?!"
Eriri's eyebrows shot up in anger.
Normally, if she saw Momotarou already asleep before she went to bed, she'd walk right up and kick his little butt without hesitation.
"Yeah, yeah. I won't bother you while you're in the bath," the voice said casually.
"Oh."
With an impeccable smile, someone gently closed the door.
Eriri stared at the door plastered with posters and tilted her head.
"Why did Kyousuke bother to tell me that Commander Bubble's already asleep?"
She couldn't make sense of it—and chose not to.
Undoing the button on her pleated skirt, Eriri let it fall naturally to the floor.
Then she slipped off her blouse and walked to the mirror wearing only pure white underwear.
She stood on tiptoe slightly, making her legs look longer and more elegant.
Her toned thighs rose up to meet soft cotton white panties.
Despite having eaten so much earlier, her stomach remained flat and defined—just like Tatsumaki's.
No wonder Sakura thought someone was playing favorites.
Her white cotton bra, adorned with blue lace trim, dialed the cuteness up to eleven.
The hint of soft, pale skin peeking from the top was smooth and radiant, her curves flowing from collarbone downward, disappearing beneath the fabric.
Full and healthy, the natural shape radiated youthful energy—none of that unnatural look you get from push-up bras.
Staring at her own reflection—this beautiful girl even she could fall for—Eriri nodded in satisfaction.
If she ever wanted to seduce Hojou like that seductress did, there's no way he'd be able to resist!
Yup.
Teenage girls should wear cute bras.
Those uncomfortable wired ones?
Only someone like that pervy Kasumigaoka would like those!
She nodded again in affirmation.
Yes, cuteness was the only truth.
Meanwhile, Kyousuke, thankfully, didn't wander into the wrong room again.
Had he done it one more time, he might've ended up in Kasumigaoka's room.
Then tonight's horror movie plans would've gone right out the window.
Back in his room, he started his own bath.
The lingering smell of hotpot on his skin made him feel gross—it clashed hard with his mild germophobia.
As he scrubbed himself clean, he mulled over what kind of scary story he should tell for their ghost tale session later.
The movie Sakura had chosen was about a group of thrill-seeking Japanese high schoolers who, after school, decided to play the "Hyakumonogatari"—the Hundred Ghost Stories—inside an abandoned school building.
They were disturbingly committed. No sudden deaths, but they did manage to summon a real spirit.
Problem was, nobody knew how to send it back.
If this had been a movie from another country, they'd probably call in an exorcist or set up a big human-vs-ghost battle.
But in Japan? If they didn't all die, could they even call themselves proper high schoolers? And so began the protagonist's surreal, tragic journey.
Each classmate met their fate, dying in the exact way their earlier scary stories had predicted.
They waited for death with dread—but also a strange acceptance.
The movie ended half a month later, with another group of teens walking into the same old school building… ready to play the same game.
Coincidentally, the residents of Ruyi Dorm had also decided to play Hyakumonogatari after the movie, which is why Kyousuke had said the atmosphere was "perfect."
———————————————————
In the room with the pink pig nameplate
Sakura flopped down on the bed, stretching out comfortably. She let out a contented sigh and called out with her eyes still closed:
"Yukinon, you go ahead and take a bath first. There are brand-new pajamas in my wardrobe—pick whichever you like."
"Wait a minute. I never agreed to stay over tonight," Yukinoshita said with a frown.
"You really are the stubborn type, huh? Fine, fine. I'm asking you as a favor—please stay tonight. A personal request from the president of the Service Club," Sakura said in an overly dramatic, helpless tone.
"…Are you treating me like an idiot?" Yukinoshita replied flatly. "Who is this supposed to help?"
"Or maybe… you're worried your snoring will keep me up?"
"Who does that!?"
"Ohh~ I get it. You can't sleep without your plushie from home, huh? How adorable. Guess I'll have to forgive you." Sakura let out a long sigh as she sat up.
Yukinoshita sighed too.
After a moment's pause, she accepted the challenge.
"Fine. I'll stay. And for the record—I don't snore."
"And no bedwetting either, okay~?"
"Cut it out already!"
Opening the wardrobe, Yukinoshita quickly spotted a neatly packaged set of plain pajamas.
But something odd caught her eye in the corner: a small box?
"Still haven't found anything?"
Sakura walked over and noticed where Yukinoshita was looking.
"Yukinon, wanna guess what that is?" she asked teasingly.
"Not guessing." Yukinoshita grabbed a pajama set at random and turned toward the bathroom.
"Alright, alright~" Sakura pouted, then opened the box.
The sound of plastic rustling behind her caught Yukinoshita's ear.
Her curiosity got the better of her—something she rarely held back.
Curiosity, after all, was the engine of human progress.
She turned—and immediately regretted it.
There was Sakura, shaking a small pill bottle at her with that goofy grin.
'Damn it. I knew it. Curiosity does kill the cat.'
Yukinoshita instantly pieced it together: Sakura's condition, the hotpot, the hidden box, the bottle of tiny pills.
It was medicine.
"Just a little post-dinner dessert~," Sakura chirped, cheerful as ever.
Yukinoshita's brow furrowed tightly.
"But it still doesn't taste nearly as good as what Kyousuke makes," Sakura added, looking slightly annoyed.
"It's strange, isn't it? I thought after that, I'd be stuck eating astronaut food for the rest of my life."
"But as long as I take my meds properly, I can still enjoy Kyousuke's cooking like before. Amazing, right? This is what progress is for—so we can be happy."
Yukinoshita's nose stung.
The word "idiot" floated in her mind, but she couldn't bring herself to say it.
Sakura's voice was still bright and full of energy.
If it weren't for the pill bottle in her hand, Yukinoshita might've thought she was just being her usual clownish self.
Under the white light, Sakura's pretty face practically glowed—smiling, twinkling with happiness, as if still savoring Kyousuke's food from earlier.
As long as she was thinking about Kyousuke… she could probably swallow any bitter pill with a smile.
That sentence popped into Yukinoshita's mind.
"…I'm going to take a bath." She turned and quietly walked toward the bathroom.
"Want me to lend you some underwear too? I have new ones~"
"No thanks!" she snapped.
That idiot had to know their sizes were completely different.
What the hell was she thinking?
Inside the bathroom, Yukinoshita began unbuttoning her skirt—but the thought of Sakura sitting right outside made her feel oddly shy.
She hadn't bathed with her sister since elementary school, and she'd never been to a public bath.
Sure, Sakura was a girl too, but still...
"Kyousuke's room is just next door, you know. If you start drowning in there, just call out—he'll come running~"
"Shut up!"
She already knew Hojou's room was next to Sakura's, but hearing it said out loud made it feel real.
With her skirt now off, Yukinoshita suddenly felt like someone was watching her—like invisible fingers were gently tracing her thighs.
Her skin prickled, goosebumps rising at the thought.
A rosy blush instantly bloomed on her cheeks as her eyes instinctively darted toward Hojou's room—even though all she could see from the bathroom was tiled walls.
"So annoying!!"
She couldn't help but shout out loud, only to immediately cover her mouth in panic.
'Crap! Did Hojou hear that? What if he actually rushes in here?!'
"Huh? Yukino, are you turning into Eriri or something? That totally sounded like one of her catchphrases," Sakura said teasingly.
Yukinoshita no longer had the will to respond.
She suspected that Yamauchi Sakura was either due for medication or just in a weird mood, using her as amusement.
She turned on the shower, letting the warm water cascade down.
Since she had already decided to stay the night, Yukinoshita finally relaxed and allowed the water to soak her long black hair.
As the straight strands clung to her back and chest, the water trickled over her skin like a gentle caress.
Her mind unwillingly recalled what Sakura had said—Hojou was just in the room next door.
And suddenly, even the soothing water felt like a tender touch...
Ugh, seriously, why did she ever think moving here wouldn't be a big deal?
Sakura was right—it was arrogant to think she'd outlast her.
If she kept getting teased like this every day, her lifespan would definitely shorten.
"Yukinooo~ Want me to join you in the shower? I can scrub your back~ Feels amazing~"
"No, thank you!!"
"Aww, what a shame~ Guess I'll go shower in Kyousuke's room then."
"I beg you, please just come in here instead!!"
This girl is hopeless.
'Wait—did I just start making Sakura-style jokes too?'
———————————————————
In a room decorated with a white cat plush that had bright blue eyes, Megumi Kato was quietly sitting at Shouko's desk.
Of course, she wasn't going to keep her host waiting just because she wanted a shower.
The sound of running water could be heard faintly from the bathroom.
She slowly leaned forward, resting on the desk, and stared absentmindedly at a poster on the wall.
She recognized the character—Mikasa Ackerman from Attack on Titan.
Shouko had introduced her when she first entered the room.
Megumi hadn't expected someone as soft-spoken and gentle as Shouko to be into such a fierce character.
But the more she thought about it, the more it made sense.
Mikasa was gentle in her own way too.
Among all the characters in Hojou's stories, Megumi's favorite was actually Saitama-sensei.
The guy who could walk down the street in a skintight suit and cape, squeezing through supermarket bargain bins, and still go completely unnoticed.
She felt like he was just like her—a totally ordinary person.
But at the same time, she dreamed that one day she, too, might become the center of the world—just like Saitama.
Maybe she'd walk out of school and find dozens of men in suits and sunglasses lining the entrance, flanked by shiny black luxury cars.
At the front of the procession would be a white-haired old man, tears streaming down his face as he said, "My lady, I've finally found you!"
…Okay, maybe that fantasy was a bit unfair to her parents and sister.
That's why she'd only ever indulged in it once.
Though, knowing her sister, she'd probably insist on tagging along to enjoy the luxury together.
Other daydreams included: meteors crashing into Tokyo.
Finding a mysterious device that turns her into a magical girl chosen to save the world.
Her future self appearing to reveal a destiny only the two of them could fulfil.
The seas flooding Japan, leaving her the sole survivor…
A totally average teenage girl.
That's what Megumi Kato was.
Even her fantasies were completely ordinary—just imagining a normal life suddenly turning extraordinary.
And that was perfectly normal, right? Everyone, boy or girl, must've fantasized like that at some point.
If they hadn't, that would be the real surprise.
That's why she liked Saitama-sensei so much—a man who hid the world's strongest power behind a plain exterior.
Because when he did show his true strength, the world couldn't ignore him.
As for herself... sigh~ Whether on the outside or inside, she was just an average high school girl.
Her only redeeming quality? Maybe being... kind?
Sigh~ Even her best trait was painfully average.
It was like someone looked her up and down, hesitated for ten minutes, then forced out a polite compliment just to be nice.
And yet, even someone like her had been welcomed by Sakura and Hojou.
They had brought her into their world, invited her to the Ruyi Dorm.
Despite there being so many girls better than her, Hojou Kyousuke never ignored her—not even once.
That was the most shocking part!
When she first accepted Sakura's invitation, Megumi had mentally prepared herself to just sit around silently until it was time to go home.
It was like class activities all over again—without friends around, she'd immediately become one with the sofa. (At least no one had ever sat on her.)
'Ahhh~~ I'm so happy~~~'
Her heart fluttered like a kitten pawing gently at it, tickling her into a quiet joy.
Her eyes squinted into a smile, and her cheeks puffed up adorably as she rested her chin on her arms.
She rubbed her nose against her arm, catching the scent of hot pot.
Despite having eaten a lot—encouraged by Hojou and Eriri—just thinking about Hojou's cooking made her hungry all over again.
The sun outside hadn't completely set, but the room's lights were already on.
She sat up and began exploring Shouko's room.
The desk looked like a typical girl's, not too different from her own back home.
But the books on it were a different story.
While her own desk was stacked with fashion magazines like MINI, mer, and mina, Shouko's shelf held girl's mags plus a bunch of intimidatingly titled books.
"Voice Acting Theory,"
"On-Site Demands for Voice Actors,"
"Are There Roles That Just Don't Suit You?"
"Should You Stick to One Type of Character?"...
Since Shouko had told her earlier to feel free to read anything if she got bored, Megumi didn't hesitate to pick one up.
Whoa...
Packed with margin notes and underlines—it reminded her of that rare first-edition novel Sakura had lent her.
Just looking at it told you how seriously Shouko studied.
She opened another book. Same thing. The edges were even curling from use.
She glanced at the hearing aid on the nightstand.
It must've taken someone like Shouko—so strong and determined—to become a real heroine.
The sound of running water stopped.
Megumi turned her head just as Shouko stepped out of the bathroom, her hair wrapped in a soft blue drying cap.
She noticed Megumi looking and gave her a warm, gentle smile.
Megumi didn't speak. Shouko had explained earlier—without her hearing aids, she wouldn't be able to hear her anyway.
They're amazing... Both Shouko and Hojou.
Megumi didn't rush to shower.
Instead, she walked over and took the hair dryer from Shouko's hands, gesturing that she'd help.
Shouko blinked in surprise, pressed her lips together for a moment, and then gave a soft, grateful smile.
"Then I'll leave it to you, Megumi."
And from the way Megumi's lips curved, Shouko didn't even need to read them to know exactly what she said:
"Don't mention it."
Shouko adjusted the bag she used to keep water out of her ears, then gently patted Megumi Kato's arm.
Normally, it was Hojou-kun and Sakura who helped her dry her hair—they were always the quickest to finish bathing.
Feeling the gentle touch on her head, Shouko couldn't help but want to say something to Megumi.
She wanted to chat about the dishes they'd had earlier and ask which one was Megumi's favorite.
Or maybe talk about their mutual friend Eriri, or ask how Naoka was doing at school.
But unfortunately, at this moment, it would just be her talking—she couldn't hear anything Megumi said.
Shouko pressed her lips together, but she didn't feel even the slightest bit of disappointment.
These conversations could wait a little while.
Blow-drying someone's hair was something Megumi Kato was very used to.
When her sister was still at home, she would always yell for Megumi to help dry her hair after every bath.
Even in high school, she would still climb into the bath with her like a little kid, even though the bathtub at home was so tiny.
The hair beneath her fingers was so soft and silky.
Watching Shouko sitting there quietly, her hands properly folded on her knees like a well-behaved grade-schooler, Megumi couldn't help but smile.
Shouko looked absolutely adorable.
With a contented expression, Megumi's touch grew even more gentle.