Kasumigaoka Utaha understood Kasumigaoka Touji better than most, and being sharp as always, she could easily guess what he was thinking. Because of that, the lighthearted mood from earlier instantly shifted, replaced with a quiet tension that hung in the air.
Touji felt a strange tingle run up his scalp under Utaha's piercing gaze—it was the kind of look that made him feel like a guilty husband being interrogated by his wife… except, in this case, he hadn't even done anything wrong! At least, not yet!
Well, maybe he was thinking a little too openly about wanting to hold beauties in both arms… but still, that shouldn't count as cheating, right?
"…"
"I do have this idea," Touji finally admitted after a short silence, shrugging as though surrendering to her eyes. "But it depends on you. If you don't want it, then we'll drop it."
The words were meant to sound considerate, like, 'I value your opinion, Onee-san'. But somehow, Utaha heard an entirely different meaning in his tone:
'I want to bring them back, but if you refuse, then fine. I won't fight with you over it.'
Her chest suddenly tightened. Whenever the topic touched Kani Nayuta, her heart always became unstable, prone to overthinking and jealousy.
Seeing her complicated expression, Touji panicked a little, assuming she was rejecting his idea outright. Quickly, he waved it off, trying to lighten the mood:
"Pretend I didn't say anything."
To him, it was nothing but a test balloon. If she agreed, fantastic—he would call them over immediately. If not, it wasn't a big deal. He could always try again another time.
Touji already felt that Utaha's attitude had softened compared to before. Surely, the dream of holding beauties in both arms was just around the corner!
"Otouto-kun… let me stab you!"
Out of nowhere, Utaha made a stabbing motion with her hand, like an actress in a period drama about to plunge a dagger into someone's side. Her eyes gleamed mischievously as the "knife" aimed at Touji's waist.
"Eh!? Such deep resentment!?" Touji yelped, nearly jumping out of his chair. He was startled, but when he thought about it again—considering that he had just openly plotted about bringing others home—it wasn't really strange for her to react like this. He did feel a little guilty.
Clutching her hand quickly, Touji tried to play the part of the peacemaker, his face deadly serious:
"Don't stab me randomly, Onee-san! Someone's gonna die if you keep that up!"
Maybe he had spoken too hastily earlier…
"It's best if you die," Utaha replied smoothly, her wine-red eyes narrowing as she leaned closer. Her lips curved into a dangerously beautiful smile. "That way, the version of my Otouto-kun who belongs only to me will live forever in my heart."
"…That's terrifying! Absolutely terrifying!" Touji groaned, feeling a cold shiver creep down his spine. "Also, please don't trap me in your heart. Let me live properly in the real world, okay!?"
"If you want to live well," she teased, pulling her hand slightly as if testing his grip, "then behave yourself." Her lips curved upward ever so slightly, both charming and menacing.
Utaha glanced down at their linked hands, and after a moment of silence, tried to pull her hand back. When Touji didn't immediately let go, she pouted and commanded, "Let go!"
Noticing her expression, Touji obediently released her hand. Then, trying to regain his composure, he scooped up a mouthful of seafood rice, chewed thoughtfully, swallowed, and declared proudly:
"Come on, haven't I been performing well these past few days? In all aspects, I'd say I'm doing pretty good, right?"
"All aspects?" Utaha gave him a sharp side-eye, her lips twitching with both annoyance and amusement. "And you dare to say that after flirting around so shamelessly? I don't recall raising you to be such a thick-skinned baka, Otouto-kun."
Touji could only scratch his cheek sheepishly.
…
Lunch eventually ended amidst their usual bickering. Despite the sharp words, the meal carried the warmth of familiarity that neither of them could deny. After finishing, they cleared away the bowls and chopsticks, and before long the clock had inched closer to two o'clock.
Returning to their respective rooms, Touji sat down at his desk, tapping his fingers idly for a moment before opening something he hadn't checked in a while—the system panel.
[Dream Fulfillment Master System]
Bound Host: Kasumigaoka ToujiDream Fulfillment Level: Apprentice (25/100)Dreams Accepted: Otouto-kun's Bride! (Phase 1 complete, Phase 2 in progress!), Light Novel Master! (Incomplete), Lonely Socially Anxious Person Also Desires Friends! (Incomplete), She Wants to Change Her Attributes! (Incomplete), Manga Artist! (Incomplete)Dream Points: 966.5Dream Shop: Opened
"…Tch."
Touji stared at the screen, rubbing his temple. He needed to clear one of the existing dreams if he wanted to make space for Kani Nayuta's dream. But which one could he finish quickly?
Only one came to mind—'Lonely Socially Anxious Person Also Desires Friends!'
But that puzzled him. By now, he felt that Gotou Hitori, Kumin Tsuyuri, Kato Megumi, and himself were all getting along decently. Why hadn't this quest been marked complete yet?
He thought back—he'd treated Hitori to food, Kokonoka had gifted her a pillow, Megumi had even baked cookies and brought them to share at the club two days ago. There had been small but genuine moments of interaction among all of them.
And yet… the system remained unmoved.
"Good heavens…" Touji muttered under his breath, ruffling his already messy hair. "Are you seriously that stubborn, Hitori-chan? Or are you so socially anxious that you can't even approve of anyone?"
He paused, sighed, and waved a hand dismissively. "…Alright, alright. That was just me venting."
Deep down, Touji knew the answer. People with social anxiety weren't just shy—they were hyper self-conscious. Even simple kindness could be brushed aside as a formality. Being treated to food, being given a pillow, being offered cookies… all of that could easily be rationalized away as nothing more than 'club members looking after each other.'
Which meant that to Gotou Hitori, none of this necessarily equaled friendship.
Touji scratched his head, groaning. "This is so damn tricky… I can't just walk up to her and say, 'We're friends now, yay!' like some shounen anime protagonist, right?"
If he actually did that, Hitori-chan would probably freeze like a startled rabbit, then think it was some kind of punishment game from a round of truth or dare. Just imagining her panicked face made him sigh again.
The only realistic option was to help her when she genuinely ran into trouble. Then, when she inevitably thanked him, he could casually wave it off and say, 'It's nothing, we're friends, after all.' That way, it would feel natural, and hopefully she would finally recognize that she wasn't alone.
"Yeah… that's probably the only way," Touji muttered, leaning back. "Of course, it'd be even better if Tsuyuri-chan and Kato-san helped push things along before I get my chance."
Having more allies on the field could only increase his odds.
"…"
With a plan loosely forming in his mind, Touji's gaze drifted over to the other names on his system panel—Kato Megumi and Eriri Spencer Sawamura. Both of their dreams looked like they'd take a decent amount of time, but they weren't impossible.
Eriri's path was straightforward enough. She just needed to draw the first few chapters of her manga, submit them, and wait for publication. The real issue was time. She still had school to attend, wasn't a full-time manga artist, and her notorious gaming habits chewed away at her productivity. If she managed serialization within three months, that would already be a miracle.
Kato Megumi, on the other hand… yare yare daze. Her dream was far trickier. Becoming "more noticeable" wasn't something you could grind out overnight like levels in a game. Her personality itself was the issue—too bland, too quiet, too easy to overlook. If he wanted her to shine, she needed more than just inner change; she needed an external push.
Touji tapped his phone thoughtfully, then pulled up an image he had saved earlier: a cute hairstyle pic of a girl with an outward-curling bob. He smirked and shot it over to Kato-san with a message.
[Touji.]: "Kato, do you want to try changing your hairstyle? I feel like this one would really suit you, (☆▽☆)."
The style wasn't anything drastic. It was still a bob, but with curled ends that flicked outward, creating a playful, voluminous effect. Just that subtle change gave off a more lively, cute vibe. And best of all, she wouldn't even need to go to a salon—just a flat iron at home would do the trick.
(see attached for comparison. I don't see much difference, like all Iphones. Still same, but different.)
Almost instantly, his phone buzzed. Kato Megumi had replied.
[Kato.]: "Am I your target too? Σ(゜△゜|||)"
Touji blinked. "…Eh?"
[Touji.]: "?? What are you talking about, Kato-san? Did you get hacked or something?!"
The next moment, the dreaded notification appeared.
『The other party recalled a message.』
Touji stared at his screen blankly. "…Oi."
Then another bubble popped up.
[Kato.]: "Just kidding."
Touji nearly fell out of his chair. "Oi oi oi! Don't scare me like that, Kato-san!"
Quiet types were the scariest when they suddenly cracked a joke. It was like watching a horror movie—silent build-up, then bam! jump scare.
He slumped back, groaning dramatically. "Seriously, you're gonna give me gray hair before I hit twenty…"