Seeing her lower her head with a stubborn look in her eyes, Nozomi couldn't help but reach out and gently ruffle her hair.
"Ah—!"
Aoyama Nanami's cheeks instantly flushed a deep pink as she let out a startled cry and quickly stepped back. Her eyes glared up at him, flustered and full of shy indignation.
"S-Sorry! That was totally instinctive," Nozomi apologized, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "But I really meant it. Nanami… you should move into Sakurasou."
"Eh?!"
Nanami looked at him as though he had just confessed his love. Her whole body stiffened. She had been secretly thinking about making the move by the end of the month, but now he had beaten her to the punch.
Nozomi's smile was warm, carrying that subtle sparkle so common in anime protagonists trying to do the right thing.
"I know you want to achieve your dreams on your own. You're strong and determined. But there's nothing wrong with accepting help sometimes. At Sakurasou, you won't have to worry about skipping meals or collapsing from overwork again."
He leaned forward slightly, eyes sincere.
"And besides... you know Misaki-senpai, right? You've seen what she's been up to recently."
Nanami's heart skipped a beat.
"Come be the exclusive voice actress for our Meow Star Studio!" Nozomi declared with shining eyes and a dramatic sparkle in the background, as if sparkles and flower petals had swirled into existence from sheer willpower.
He couldn't just stand by and watch the girl he admired suffer any longer. Seeing her collapse from hunger just because she wanted to chase her dreams... it hurt.
Nanami felt her heart tremble.
She knew Misaki Kamiigusa was making an independent animation—Magical Girl Misaki—and was in desperate need of voice actors. Nanami had hoped to go through the proper channels, take the audition, and earn the role through merit.
But now... Nozomi had just offered her the chance directly.
Her face turned crimson as she fidgeted on the spot.
"I-I'm only an intern... a newbie…" she mumbled, eyes darting away.
"So what?" Nozomi cut in with a laugh. "Every great seiyuu starts somewhere! And you already have experience working with Misaki-senpai. She said she loved your voice acting, didn't she?"
Nanami bit her lip. The shield of resistance she'd built up was starting to crack. She didn't want to rely on favors. But connections… they were also a form of power. And she wasn't going to last much longer starving herself in silence.
If she kept pushing like this, she'd collapse again.
Taking a deep breath, Nanami suddenly bowed deeply.
"Nozomi-kun… thank you for thinking of me. I'd be honored to move into Sakurasou and work at your studio with Misaki-senpai. Please take care of me!"
Nozomi grinned.
"That's more like it! In that case—let's go grab your stuff right now!"
"Eh? Now?!"
"Of course! No time like the present. The sooner you move in, the sooner you get to voice magical girls with Misaki-senpai!"
Nanami could only nod dazedly.
...
Faced with Nozomi's overflowing enthusiasm, Nanami could no longer refuse. She'd already been saved by him twice, and now this kindness… she had no words. Living in Sakurasou solved her food problem, and being closer to Misaki-senpai was an extra bonus. Most of all, working with Misaki would be priceless experience.
Nanami didn't have many belongings—just two worn cardboard boxes. A blanket, a few changes of clothes, some study materials, and her beloved tiger-striped pillow: Torajiro.
Nozomi carried the boxes easily and helped her settle into a room on the second floor.
When Misaki came back and heard the news, she was over the moon. She immediately threw herself into helping Nanami unpack and decorate the room like an overexcited upperclassman.
The warmth from Misaki's unrestrained energy filled Nanami's heart like a hot bath after a winter day.
That evening, Sakurasou hosted a small but cheerful welcome party. The table overflowed with food. During dinner, the other girls were introduced one by one.
Nanami sat quietly, observing them all. Each girl seemed more stunning than the last. Was Sakurasou a dorm or a secret harem hideout?! And the only guy here was Nozomi… Was this really okay?
...
Back in his room, Nozomi finally had a moment to breathe and opened the system interface that had been blinking in the corner of his vision.
[Ding! Nanami Aoyama's check-in mission has been completed.] [Congratulations, player, for acquiring a special skill entry as a reward.] [Ding! You have obtained the special skill entry: Body Multiplication.] [Body Multiplication: Activate with magic to temporarily enlarge any part of your body.] [Ding! Fixed mission reward issued: 1 million yen.]
Nozomi blinked at the screen. "Body Multiplication...?"
His expression slowly shifted into something between amusement and disbelief.
"Is my system trying to turn me into a walking gag manga character…?"
Still, curiosity got the better of him. Channeling a wisp of mana to his hand, he activated the new skill. Instantly, his palm expanded until it was as big as a casserole lid. It looked comical but retained its flexibility—he could still move each finger smoothly, even with the exaggerated size.
Nozomi gave a mischievous grin. "This... could be fun."
As the moonlight gently poured into the hallway, Nozomi made his way to Mahiru Shiina's room. The door creaked open.
Moments later—
Under the strange moonlight and the spell's effects, Shiina Mahiru was wrapped in his arms, teary-eyed and flushed.
"Nozomi... you... are you trying to kill me?" she whimpered, barely able to speak.
Nozomi gave an awkward chuckle, scratching the back of his head. "I was just testing the skill. Honest!"
Mahiru glared at him, her arms still wrapped around his neck. "You call that testing?! I'm going to be broken if you keep this up."
He promptly deactivated the skill, shrinking back to normal. "Sorry, sorry. Let me see, is everything still okay?"
Mahiru snuggled into his arms, exhaling a long sigh. "Nothing's broken. But seriously, if you keep going overboard, I really won't be able to handle it."
Nozomi's eyes softened as he gently brushed her hair back. "I'm not totally heartless, Mahiru. I'll be careful. Do you... still like me?"
"Hmph. I hate you," she muttered with a pout, though her face betrayed the truth.
"Isn't that the same face you make when you love something a lot?"
Mahiru scowled and pushed his hand away from her chest. "No moving around. Just talk to me, okay?"
Nozomi nodded. "Alright, alright. Let's talk."
He wrapped an arm around her shoulder as she leaned into him again, eyes shimmering with vulnerability.
"Nozomi," she whispered, "I'm a little scared."
His body tensed. "Scared? Why? Did someone say something? Did someone hurt you?"
Mahiru looked up at him, cheeks flushed, then glanced away. "It's you... You're always so... intense."
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"I'm still in high school, you know... I'm not ready to be a mother."
Nozomi's jaw dropped, then he burst out laughing. "So that's what you're worried about? Don't worry, Mahiru. Frieren told me my current body constitution is unique. If I don't will it, there's zero chance of that happening."
Mahiru blinked. "Wait, really?"
He nodded with a grin. "Also, I'm kinda selfish. I don't want anything—anyone—stealing even a bit of your heart from me."
Her expression softened, then melted.
"You're the worst," she muttered.
"Yet you still love me," he teased.
Mahiru smiled, the moonlight catching in her eyes. "Yeah... I do. But you better not break me, Nozomi."
He leaned in, forehead to forehead. "Never, Mahiru. You're everything to me."