Yu took a deep breath at the doorway. The gym shirt was loose enough, at least. But the bloomers… he tugged the hem of his shirt down for the twentieth time as if it might magically stretch into a skirt.
"Just act normal,"
He muttered to himself.
"Normal human girl. Normal gym class. This is fine. Everything is fine."
He stepped onto the field.
The chatter of students drifted over, sneakers scuffing on the track, balls bouncing on the court. But then Yu emerged into view—white shirt glowing in the sun, navy bloomers hugging his hips, pale legs catching the light.
The chatter hiccupped. Eyes turned.
A couple of boys wolf-whistled. A group of girls whispered furiously, one actually clutching her chest. Someone muttered,
"Damn, even in bloomers she's cute…"
Yu's ears burned.
'This is not fine! Not fine!!'
And then his gaze darted—straight to the edge of the field, where Taichi was standing with Yamato and Souma.
Taichi's world tilted.
There he was. Yukio. Yukio Hokohayashi. Except the braid swung as Yu jogged forward, bloomers accentuating every delicate line of his frame, cheeks pink from embarrassment.
Taichi's throat went dry. His fists clenched. He wanted to drag Yu off the field, throw a jacket over him, yell at everyone staring—hell, he wanted to yell at himself.
"Dude,"
Souma whispered at his side, stunned.
"I knew she was cute but… in bloomers? That's just unfair."
Yamato let out a low whistle.
"Taichi, you're awfully quiet. Cat got your tongue?"
Taichi's jaw tightened, eyes locked on Yu. His pulse roared in his ears.
'That's Yukio. That's Yukio. That's Yukio.'
But the world didn't care. The world had already decided.
Out on the field, Yu tried to melt into the line of girls forming for stretches, tugging at his shirt again.
"Oh Demon King, please let me survive this humiliation…"
Taichi couldn't look away. Not for a second.
"Yu-chan!"
Yu flinched as Fumiko Fujimori and Sakura Sato bounded over, practically glowing.
"Oh my gosh, you look adorable,"
Sakura gushed, already pulling out her phone.
"Stand still, I need to take a picture before class starts—"
"Wait, what?!"
Yu squeaked, flapping his hands.
"Smile, Yu-chan!"
Fumiko chimed, lifting her own phone.
"This is legendary!"
Click. Snap. Click-click.
Yu barely had time to tug at his shirt hem before Sakura wrapped her arms around him and pressed her cheek against his.
"Besties photo!"
Yu's face burned hot enough to fry an egg.
"D-don't post that!"
"We'll keep it safe,"
Sakura promised with a wink.
"But you seriously don't understand how cute you are."
Out on the boys' side, Taichi's hands curled into fists. Watching Yu get treated like some idol model, cheeks red, braid swinging, bloomers snug on his hips—Taichi's chest ached like it might explode.
"Bro,"
Yamato muttered, elbowing him.
"Your neighbor's the total gym class star already."
Taichi didn't answer. Couldn't. He just kept glaring, as if his eyes alone might burn the girls' phones to ash.
The whistle blew. Gym class began.
"Pair up for stretches!"
The teacher barked.
Before Yu could blink, Sakura had grabbed his wrist.
"Mine!"
She declared, dragging him away from the crowd.
Fumiko pouted.
"Hey, not fair. You had a head start!"
"Yup, yup, I called dibs fair and square!"
Sakura insisted, already crouching beside Yu and leaning over him with a grin.
"Come on, Yu-chan, reach for the sky!"
Yu obediently lifted his arms, stretching. His shirt rode up a little, showing the faint curve of his waist. The entire girls' line cooed.
"Too cute!"
Someone cried.
Yu nearly toppled forward.
'Why does stretching feel like a death sentence?!'
Next came laps.
Yu jogged alongside Fumiko, already winded after the second round. Fumiko cheered him on, clapping her hands and slowing her pace to match his.
"You can do it, Yu-chan! One more lap together!"
Yu puffed out his cheeks.
"I—I'm trying…"
Taichi, running with the boys, grit his teeth as he saw Yu's braid bouncing in time with his stumbling steps.
'Why are they treating him like he's some kind of princess learning to walk?!'
Finally—dodgeball.
Yu didn't stand a chance. He flailed, shrieked when the ball flew near him, and tripped over his own feet more than once. But somehow, every miss, every dodge, every stumble only made his teammates squeal.
"Yu-chan, behind you!"
"Careful, don't mess up your hair!"
When a ball smacked into Yu's stomach and he folded like a cardboard box, Fumiko and Sakura rushed to his side.
"Are you okay?!"
Yu wheezed, holding his stomach.
"I think… the ball was cursed…"
The girls giggled and helped him up, doting on him like he'd taken a fatal blow for the team.
Meanwhile, Taichi sat on the sidelines, staring holes into the ground. His jaw clenched so tight it hurt. His nails dug crescents into his palms.
He told himself it was just annoyance. Just irritation.
But when Yu smiled weakly at the girls fussing over him, braid loose, lips pink from gloss—Taichi knew he was lying to himself.
---
When gym was finally over, Yu dragged his feet back toward the girls' locker room, braid limp, bloomers sticking uncomfortably to his hips. He looked like he'd fought in a war rather than played dodgeball.
"Yu-chan, you were amazing!"
Sakura chirped, bouncing beside him.
"I got… hit in the stomach."
Yu wheezed.
"Yeah, but you were so cute when you fell!"
Fumiko added, eyes sparkling.
Yu nearly tripped again.
"C-cute…?! I thought I was dying!"
By the time they entered the locker room, both girls were still fussing over him, Sakura tugging at his sleeve to sit him down, Fumiko hovering like a worried mother hen.
"Yu-chan, you really don't like changing in front of everyone, huh?"
Sakura finally said, noticing how stiff Yu went as the other girls peeled off their uniforms without hesitation.
Yu's face turned crimson.
"I—I can't! It's too embarrassing!"
Fumiko clapped her hands, like she'd solved a riddle.
"Then it's simple! You can just use the bathroom stalls to change."
Yu blinked.
"…Really?"
"Of course!"
Sakura agreed.
"Lots of girls do it when they're shy. It's totally fine."
Relief swept over him like a tidal wave.
"Oh, thank the heavens… I thought I'd be exiled or something…"
Both girls laughed.
"You're so dramatic, Yu-chan. It's adorable."
Yu shuffled into the stall, closing the door firmly behind him. The moment he was alone, he sagged against the wall.
"Finally… safety."
DK01's voice hummed in his head.
[A private space was a smart call. You might actually survive gym class at this rate.]
Yu pouted, tugging at the cursed bloomers.
"Barely…"
---
Meanwhile, across the way in the boys' locker room, Taichi sat hunched on the bench, towel draped around his neck. Yamato and Souma joked loudly about dodgeball, tossing their shoes around, but Taichi didn't join in.
All he could see was Yu's flustered smile as the girls crowded him. His braid slipping loose. His pink lips puffing out when he pouted.
And now he knew—Yu was tucked away in the girls' bathroom stall, hiding shyly while his so-called friends babied him.
Taichi's eyebrow twitched.
"…This is torture."
He muttered under his breath.
---
Back in class, Yu sat back at his desk with a blissful sigh, pencil twirling lazily between his fingers. Thanks to Fumiko and Sakura's constant doting, the horror of gym class already felt like a distant nightmare.
"Yu-chan, you have to come with us to karaoke next time!"
Sakura whispered, leaning across the aisle.
"Yes, yes! We'll teach you how to sing gyaru-style!"
Fumiko added, grinning.
Yu's heart fluttered at their warmth. Compared to Yukio's old days of sitting alone in silence, this was paradise.
Meanwhile, Taichi sat two rows back, teeth clenched so hard his jaw ached. He couldn't focus on the droning lecture, not with Yu's laughter floating across the classroom like bells. Every time Yu smiled, every time those girls called him Yu-chan, every time someone else stole his attention—something inside Taichi twisted tighter.
His pencil snapped in half without him realizing it for the nth time this week.
---
As school finally came to an end,Yu ambled through the hall, schoolbag bouncing lightly at his side. DK01's voice nagged in his head like a parental echo.
[You're wasting time, Host. Your mission is to seduce the Tragic Target so we can move to the next world.]
Yu puffed his cheeks.
'But Taichi hasn't even bullied me once! If I go up to him to start a conversation, wouldn't that count as acting out of character? And then it's game over, right?'
[Correct,]
DK replied flatly.
[But doing nothing is also dangerous. You're at a standstill.]
Yu sighed inwardly.
'Then I'll just… keep enjoying this world. Fumiko and Sakura are teaching me so much. Makeup. Cooking. Even studying. It's nice.'
["Nice" doesn't save your demon king.]
DK01 deadpanned.
Yu ignored him, humming under his breath as he walked—until a shadow loomed into his path.
"Uh, hey…"
Yamato Yamada scratched the back of his neck, standing stiff as a board. His usual cocky smirk was nowhere to be found. Instead, he looked… nervous.
Yu blinked.
"Oh. Hello, Yamato-san?"
Yamato swallowed, ears red.
"I, uh… was wondering… if you… y'know… wanted to go out with me. On a date."
The words crashed down like a thunderclap.
Yu froze, wide-eyed. In his head, DK01 let out a sharp, mechanical laugh.
[Oh, this is rich. Your old tormentor, now asking you out while the actual Tragic Target broods in silence. How will you play this, Host?]
Yu's lips parted in panic.
"Eh…?!"
Yu's lips trembled as Yamato Yamada's question hung heavy in the air.
"I—I… I don't…"
He shifted awkwardly, clutching his bag tighter. His voice was small, uncertain.
Just then, Fumiko Fujimori and Sakura Sato spotted him and rushed over.
"Yu-chan!"
Fumiko called, looping her arm through his.
"There you are,"
Sakura added smoothly, giving Yamato a cool glare.
"We're late for our study sess, remember?"
"Huh? O-oh, right!"
Yu latched onto the lifeline instantly.
Yamato rubbed his neck, visibly flustered.
"S-sorry, I didn't mean to hold you up. I'll, uh… wait for your answer later then."
That made both Fumiko and Sakura pause for a half-second, exchanging intrigued glances as they swept Yu away.
From the shadows down the hall, Taichi leaned against the wall, fists buried deep in his pockets. His eyes narrowed, jaw clenched so hard it ached. Seeing Yu rescued—protected—by anyone but him burned worse than fire. And worse still, Yamato's clumsy little attempt at asking Yu out was enough to make his chest twist painfully.
---
That night, Yu stretched with a little yawn after finishing his homework. His face felt cool and tight with the face mask Fumiko had recommended—
"hydration is everything, Yu-chan!"
—and he admired his reflection in his phone's camera, smiling at the glow.
Knock, knock, knock.
He padded across the apartment in a simple spaghetti strap tank top and loose shorts, humming softly as he went to answer the knock at his door.
When it swung open, his smile froze.
"…Taichi-san?"
The boy loomed in the doorway, eyes flashing with something sharp and unreadable. Yu's chest tightened with old fear. For a heartbeat, he thought—
'Is he here to bully me again?'
Taichi's gaze swept over him, and his stomach dropped. Fresh-faced, bare-shouldered, glowing in soft lamplight—Yu looked achingly cute. Too cute. And dangerously… inviting.
With a sudden shove, Taichi barged inside, slamming the door behind him.
"H-hey—!"
Yu squeaked.
But Taichi's hand was already at his wrist, dragging him across the room until Yu's back hit the edge of the bed. He toppled onto it with a gasp as Taichi leaned over him, pinning his hands down firmly.
"W-what are you—"
The words were swallowed in an instant. Taichi's mouth crashed down on his, fierce and unrelenting. Yu's eyes flew wide, body stiff, heart pounding as Taichi kissed him—hard, messy, desperate.
When Taichi finally pulled back, panting, his cheeks were flushed with heat. His voice cracked as he growled.
"Why are you acting so cute? It's like you want to be treated like a girl! Well… since you want to be a girl so bad—you're going to be my girlfriend!"
Yu's breath caught in his throat, stunned.
"And don't even think about saying no,"
Taichi snapped, eyes blazing.
"Because if you don't—I'll tell everyone at school you're a disgusting cross-dresser! You'll go back to being poor, creepy Yukio—except this time, you'll also be known as a perv who likes to wear stripe panties and makeup!"
The words rang like a cruel verdict, pinning Yu harder than Taichi's grip ever could.
The silence after Taichi's outburst was deafening. His chest heaved as he hovered over Yu, still pinning his hands.
Yu's wide eyes brimmed with tears, his body trembling under him. His lips quivered, a soft sound slipping out—half sob, half breathless gasp.
Taichi's stomach dropped.
"…Shit."
For a second, the guilt hit him like a hammer.
'I scared him. I… I went too far.'
Yu's shoulders shook as the tears finally fell. Taichi clenched his jaw, forcing himself to stay above him instead of backing away.
'No… no, it's fine. If I don't do this, someone else will take him. Yamato. Those creeps at the mall. Anyone. This way—this way, I'll keep him safe. By my side. Even if he cries now… it's better than losing him.'
He swallowed hard, his grip tightening just slightly as though reassuring himself.
'That's right. He'll understand eventually.'
Meanwhile, Yu's tears slid hot down his flushed cheeks for a completely different reason. His chest rose and fell, heart racing not from fear but from the warmth burning deep inside him, the one thing he couldn't show. His body screamed at him to lean into Taichi, to respond, to stop hiding… but the rules of this world wrapped around his throat.
'If I act out of character, I'll get booted back to day one.'
So he sobbed, shook, and clenched his thighs tighter together, hiding the heat spreading low in his stomach.
[DING! Love-o-meter increased to 39%]
Yu's breath hitched as DK01's calm voice echoed in his head.
[You're welcome. The kiss triggered a significant affection gain.]
'Shut up!'
Yu screamed inwardly, his face burning hotter.
[Just letting you know. Also, I detect arousal. Should I log this as a tactical advantage or a system error?]
Yu squeezed his eyes shut, cheeks flaming.
'If you say one more word, I swear—!'
But his voice stayed tiny, cracking with forced sobs, while Taichi hovered above him, face twisted in guilt and determination.
Taichi exhaled shakily, murmuring low, almost to himself.
"…Don't cry. You'll get used to it… if it means staying with me."
Taichi loosened his grip on Yu's wrists just enough to brush a thumb over the damp trails of tears down his cheeks. His voice cracked low, awkward, almost tender but rough at the edges.
"...Don't cry, idiot. You'll… you'll get used to it. If you're mine, you'll have to."
Before Yu could even form a response, Taichi leaned down again, sealing his trembling lips with another kiss. This time slower, longer—an attempt to comfort, even if it tasted more like possession.
Yu squirmed, heart pounding, tears mixing with the heat that flared deeper each time Taichi's mouth moved against his. His body betrayed him, shivering with every drag of lips and tongue.
Taichi groaned softly at the taste, his own control slipping. One hand tangled into Yu's hair, the other sliding lower, cupping the curve of Yu's hip before daring to wander.
Yu stiffened, panic surging. DK01's warning blared in his mind.
[Alert: Physical escalation detected. Risk of out-of-character reaction imminent.]
'I know!!'
Yu screamed inside, body shaking so hard he thought Taichi must feel it.
The second Taichi's fingers began to knead against his thigh, Yu broke—pushing weakly at his chest, struggling with a force that was no match for him but desperate all the same.
"Stop! P-please, stop!"
His voice cracked through sobs, thin and weak, but it was enough.
Taichi froze. His breath came heavy, his body screaming at him to keep going, but the sight of Yu trembling, crying, actually fighting—it cut through.
"…Tch."
He yanked his hand back, pushing off the bed with a frustrated growl. He turned his back quickly, not wanting Yu to see the storm of shame and desire on his face.
Stalking toward the door, Taichi stopped with his hand on the knob. His voice came low, commanding, like he was forcing steel over his guilt.
"Tomorrow. School gate. You'd better start acting like a proper girlfriend… or else."
The door slammed behind him, leaving Yu slumped on the bed, chest heaving, tears and heat burning together on his face.
[DING!
Love-o-meter went up to 41%]
Yu wiped his eyes, pouting furiously.
"This is not what I signed up for…"
[Correction: This is precisely what you signed up for. And judging by his… response, progress is accelerating.]
DK01 replied, dry as ever.
"Shut up!"
Yu muttered, curling into the sheets. His cheeks flamed as a wicked little thought popped into his head.
"…Fine. If he wants to play dirty…"
Yu pulled up his system menu with a swipe of his mind. A particular feature glowed faintly, unlocked with his beginner's gift: Aquam Somnium. (Manual—Auto)
Smirking through his lingering blush, Yu selected the 'auto' option this time.
"I'll send him something he won't forget. That'll teach him."
[Confirmed: Wet Dream generated. Subconscious avatar deployed. You are not required to appear personally, however all memories of subconscious avatar will be transfered over to Host once dream is completed. Delivery scheduled for 02:00. -5 JP]
Yu pulled the blanket over his head, sulking but satisfied.
"Serves him right…"
Yu lay flat on his back, staring at the faint glow of the system menu hovering above his head. His face mask had long since been rinsed away, but his skin still smelled faintly of lavender.
"…What kind of dream even is this thing gonna make?"
He whispered into the quiet.
[Parameters: auto-generated. Expect a projection of your most statistically appealing form, based on the Tragic Target's subconscious preferences.]
Yu groaned, rolling onto his side and hugging his pillow.
"You mean—Taichi's type."
[Yup.]
"Ughhh,"
Yu muffled his whine into the pillow. His cheeks burned bright.
"What if it's—like—gross? Or embarrassing? Or worse… What if he dreams of me in something skimpy again?"
[Warning: probability of 'skimpy' attire rated at 72%. Especially after you two's make out session.]
Yu kicked at the blanket in frustration, face scarlet.
"I knew it!"
[Recommendation: rest. Dream deployment is automatic. You are not required to observe the process but be advised, you will get the memories of the wet dream in the morning.]
But Yu's mind wouldn't settle. He buried himself under the sheets, pouting, torn between curiosity and dread. His last thought before drifting off was a grumpy:
"If it's something pervy, I'm never forgiving him…"
---
The clock struck two in the morning as Taichi lay peacefully asleep in bed, however his dreams were entirely different from the quiet apartment.
The gym field stretched before him, golden light spilling over the track. The world shimmered faintly, as if lit by memory rather than sun.
And there—standing at the center of it all—was Yu.
Not trembling. Not crying. But smiling. Dressed in that cursed gym uniform again, except… softer, sweeter. The sunlight caught in his hair, made him glow like something untouchable.
Taichi's throat went dry. He couldn't move at first, could only stare.
"Taichi,"
Dream-Yu said, voice lilting, carrying warmth that real Yu had never given him. He tilted his head, lips curving in a shy smile.
"You came."
Taichi stumbled a step forward.
"…Y-you're…"
Dream-Yu giggled lightly, closing the distance on his own. His fingers brushed Taichi's pajama sleeve, lingering, featherlight.
"Don't be so tense."
His smile softened into something teasing, a secret only the two of them shared.
"You said I was your girlfriend, right? So… let me be."
The world blurred. Suddenly Yu was closer—too close—his body pressing faintly against Taichi's, those huge doe eyes looking up at him with pure trust. His lips curved, parted ever so slightly.
Taichi's breath hitched. Desire thundered in his veins. His hands trembled as he cupped dream-Yu's face, leaning down without thinking—
—and dream-Yu kissed him first. Soft. Gentle. But melting him from the inside out.
Taichi groaned into it, pulling him tighter, greedy for more. The taste, the warmth, the impossible sweetness—it was everything he'd denied himself. Everything he was terrified of.
"…Mine,"
He whispered hoarsely against those lips.
"You're mine."
Dream-Yu just laughed softly, whispering back.
"Always."
The kiss deepened, melting from innocent sweetness into something hotter. Dream-Yu leaned into him, body pressing closer, arms looping shyly but insistently around Taichi's neck.
Taichi's self-control splintered. He crushed dream-Yu against him, devouring that mouth, his tongue sweeping greedily. A low, guttural sound escaped him—need, raw and unfiltered.
The world blurred again, and suddenly they were no longer standing in the gym field but tangled on a futon, the room glowing with warm lamplight. Dream-Yu was beneath him, breathless, flushed, hair spilling across the pillow like silk.
"Taichi…"
Dream-Yu whispered, voice soft, full of heat. His thighs shifted apart ever so slightly, a subtle invitation that sent lightning through Taichi's veins.
"You don't know what you do to me,"
Taichi rasped, lips trailing down dream-Yu's throat. His hands roamed over the curve of his waist, fingertips trembling at the impossible softness beneath them.
"I can't—stop—thinking about you."
Dream-Yu's lashes fluttered, his lips parting in a quiet moan. His hands slid over Taichi's back, pulling him down closer, urging him on.
"Then don't stop~"
Dream-Yu breathed, eyes shining with pure surrender.
That was it. Taichi's last tether to reality snapped. He kissed dream-Yu again, fierce and desperate, every inch of him consumed by fire.
"Mine. Mine. Mine."
And just as the heat threatened to tip over into something irreversible—
The dream froze. The warmth on his lips, the softness under his hands, all dissolved into mist. Dream-Yu's gaze lingered for just a beat longer, smiling that same tender smile from the start.
"Always."
Then he was gone.
---
Yu bolted upright, hair sticking out in every direction, his face already pink. He'd barely opened his eyes when a cold, mechanical voice cut in.
[DING! Tragic Target experienced dream climax. Reward: +5 JP.]
Yu's entire body seized up.
"W–WHAT?!"
[Congratulations. Your balance is now 10 JP. Though, I'm curious why the Love-o-meter didn't budge this time. Hmm.]
"Th-that was the last thing I wanted to wake up to this morning!"
Yu groaned, collapsing back onto the mattress and pulling the blanket over his burning face.
"Ughhhh…!"
His legs kicked uselessly under the sheets, the image of dream-Traichi's flushed face and rough hands flashing through his mind no matter how hard he tried to bury it.
[Recommendation: do not dwell. Wasting your energy on fantasy dreams is negligible. Focus on upcoming tasks like studying for future tests and getting better at cooking.]
"Do not dwell?!"
Yu wailed into the pillow, mortified to the point of combustion.
"I can feel it stuck in my brain! I'm never sleeping again—NEVER!"
[Unadvised. Lack of sleep lowers performance in tests and cooking lessons.]
Yu whimpered.
"Why is this my life…"