"Right, once everything's settled this time, I should solidify my relationship with Hoshimi in reality. Otherwise, I always feel a bit uneasy."
"A dream is still just a dream, and it can never compare to reality."
"Even Hoshimi, once our relationship is established, will probably feel some sense of responsibility... No, perhaps calling it possessiveness would be more accurate."
"Heh~"
As Kotoko thought about this, she chuckled to herself, suddenly feeling as though she was setting a 'flag,' much like the saying 'I'll marry you once this battle is over.'
"Oh well, better not overthink it. Let's focus on the task at hand first, and deal with the rest later."
"Ah, I almost forgot something."
Kotoko pulled out her phone and sent a message to Hoshimi.
"Hoshimi, I'm investigating something tonight. Don't pull me into the dream."
After sending the message, Kotoko turned off her phone to avoid any distractions from her work.
"Alright then, time to get to work~" Kotoko put away her phone, holding a red-brown cane, and strolled gracefully down the street with the poise befitting a 'Goddess.'
Behind her, a massive skeleton that only she could see followed closely, guarding her every step.
…
At Hoshimi's House.
Hoshimi had just returned home and picked up his phone, coincidentally seeing the message Kotoko had sent.
"Hoshimi, I'm investigating something tonight. Don't pull me into the dream." — Kotoko
Investigating something all night? Is Kotoko always this driven in her work? Can her body handle it?
Hoshimi thought for a moment and sent a message out of concern.
"Kotoko, your health is the foundation of everything. Please take care of yourself. If things get tough, don't bear it alone. You can come to me. You know how to best utilize my dream abilities."
After sending the message, Hoshimi waited a while but received no reply. He guessed that Kotoko had either silenced her phone or turned it off to fully focus on her task.
With a helpless shake of his head, he resigned himself to the situation for now.
Starting tomorrow, he planned to spend more time in the dream realm and set it up so that whenever Kotoko fell asleep, she'd automatically be pulled in. That way, he could keep an eye on her, making sure nothing went wrong.
"Buzz—"
His phone suddenly vibrated, and Hoshimi thought it might be Kotoko's response. But when he checked, he saw it wasn't from her, but from Kasumigaoka.
"Are you there?" — Kasumigaoka
Hoshimi took a few steps forward and lay down on the couch, beginning to reply to Kasumigaoka's message.
"I'm here. Have you decided on the location for our weekend date?" — Hoshimi
"No, actually, I wanted to tell you I've got something going on this weekend. Our date plans might fall through..." — Kasumigaoka
Hoshimi raised his eyebrows slightly. Given how much Kasumigaoka valued their dates, it would take something serious to disrupt their plans.
What could be so important that she'd cancel their date?
Curious, he decided to ask.
"What is it?" — Hoshimi
"The second volume of "The Strange Dream Chronicles" has some issues. I need to meet with the editor to discuss them, plus there's the matter of the illustrations. I need to talk with the artist... I really can't push it back any longer. This was supposed to be handled last week, but it got delayed until now. If I wait any longer, I'll miss the final deadline." — Kasumigaoka
So, it was about her book. That made sense.
Books were a huge part of Kasumigaoka's life, so it was understandable that she'd cancel a date for something so important.
And to be honest, from the way she described it, it sounded like she was really up against the deadline.
The so-called 'meeting with the editor' was probably code for being locked in a room to finish her work, right?
This was getting interesting. Too bad he wouldn't get to see her frantically working to meet her deadline.
But there was a serious question here.
Hoshimi's smile faded, and he grabbed his phone, asking with utmost seriousness.
"Utaha, is your editor a man or a woman?" — Hoshimi
"Image" — Kasumigaoka
Hoshimi opened the image and saw a photo of Kasumigaoka with a short-haired woman in professional attire. Judging by the outfit, this young woman must be Kasumigaoka's editor.
The moment he saw the photo, Hoshimi's hidden displeasure vanished into thin air. The editor was a woman. No problem, then.
Also, this editor looked quite nice...
"Well? Are you satisfied, my dear Hoshimi?" — Kasumigaoka
Hoshimi chuckled and replied.
"Not bad, not bad. You're both beauties, but you still win by a mile." — Hoshimi
"Of course, that goes without saying." — Kasumigaoka
"Alright, I'm busy now, so let's talk later. Also, don't pull me into the dream for a while, I'm... a bit tied up." — Kasumigaoka
"Got it~ Got it, no worries~" — Hoshimi
Deadlines, huh? He could totally understand. If she missed them, that would be a real disaster.
He wasn't the type to hold her back at such a critical time. Once she made it past her deadline, then he could make it up to her.
For instance, when Kasumigaoka finishes writing 20,000 words of young adult literature in five hours—complete with plot, detail, depth, and meaning—if she succeeds, then all she has to do is read it aloud, just like before.
But if she fails... well, she might just have to experience firsthand what it's like to be a magical girl fighting tentacle monsters.
"Heh~" Hoshimi's grin widened, becoming more mischievous.
He was already looking forward to their next meeting. It was bound to be a lot of fun...
…
At Kasumigaoka's House
Kasumigaoka set down her phone, staring at the drafts on her desk with a headache. She'd managed to brush Hoshimi off, but what was she going to do on her end?
Ever since she got back in the afternoon, she'd been trying to recreate Hoshimi's school uniform from memory on paper.
But after drawing for so long, the result was far from satisfactory.
It was clear—humans have their limits. While she excelled in academics and writing, her skills in art were lacking.
Even recreating Hoshimi's uniform seemed incredibly difficult.
Oh well, she thought. Better to find a professional to help her.
Once the uniform was accurately recreated, she could post the image on a forum and quickly identify Hoshimi's school.
It was a shame his uniform didn't have a school crest—if it did, she wouldn't have to go through all this trouble.
With a sigh, Kasumigaoka took out her phone and sent a message to Eriri.
Yes, that's right—the professional she had in mind was none other than Sawamura Spencer Eriri.
Though this young lady was a bit tsundere, her artistic skills were undeniably reliable. With her taking the lead, there'd be no problem in perfectly recreating Hoshimi's uniform.
"You there?" — Kasumigaoka
===
[30 Bonus Chapters: https://www.patreon.com/cherryblooming]