After being carried all the way back to the dormitory in a princess carry by Yaeno Muteki, Myriad Dreams finally managed to stop her gushing nosebleed.
She slumped into her chair, complaining weakly, "Muteki... you're just too overbearing..."
Before she could finish, a gentle "flick" landed on her head again.
Thump!
"Ouch!"
"It's because you're such a flirt!" Yaeno Muteki retorted righteously.
However, seeing Myriad Dreams clutching her head with tears welling up in her eyes, her gaze softened.
She let out a helpless sigh and reached out to gently rub the spot she had just struck.
"Honestly... I don't know what to do with you."
Myriad Dreams basked in the slightly apologetic caress, and the small sense of grievance in her heart dissipated.
She habitually tried to move back to her own bed, only to suddenly realize... the bed was completely empty!
Her usual pillows, her duvet, and even that slightly worn blue plushie she secretly hid under the covers were all gone!
"Eh?! Where's my stuff?"
Myriad Dreams looked around in shock, her gaze finally landing on Yaeno Muteki's originally tidy bed.
Now, it was prominently laid out with two sets of pillows and duvets, one of which was her very own!
"W-What's the meaning of this?" Myriad Dreams pointed toward the bed, her voice stuttering.
Yaeno Muteki walked up behind her, naturally wrapping her arms around her waist.
She rested her chin lightly on her shoulder, her warm breath brushing against her ear.
Her tone carried a hint of natural intimacy:
"We're already... so close, aren't we? It's not like it's the first or second time..." Her voice dropped lower, carrying an ambiguous magnetic quality.
"Don't be so shy."
With that, without waiting for Myriad Dreams to react further, Yaeno Muteki once again demonstrated her incredible initiative.
She easily scooped Myriad Dreams up into a horizontal carry, walked to the bed in a few steps, and gently placed her on the inner side, right where her own pillow and duvet were waiting.
"Wait, wait! Muteki! Isn't this progressing a bit too..." Myriad Dreams tried to struggle, but under Yaeno Muteki's smiling yet unquestioning gaze, she ultimately only flopped around symbolically twice before resignedly shrinking into the covers.
'Anyway... it really isn't the first time we've shared a bed... even if it was always in the name of "punishment" or nursing back to health before...'
That night, held in a somewhat semi-forced warm embrace, Myriad Dreams slept exceptionally deeply (or rather, she didn't dare move).
...
The next day, Myriad Dreams arrived at the Team Spica clubroom carrying a strange sense of exhaustion (and a sore waist).
As soon as she walked in, she found the atmosphere exceptionally lively.
Special Week, Silence Suzuka, Tokai Teio, Gold Ship, Daiwa Scarlet, and almost all the other members were present.
"Ah! Myriad Dreams-senpai! Good morning!" Teio greeted her with her usual boundless energy.
"Good morning, Myriad Dreams-san," Silence Suzuka nodded with a smile.
Gold Ship, meanwhile, expressed her greeting in her own unique way.
"Yo! Little sister!! Your complexion today... hmm, looks quite refreshed!"
She gave a suggestive wink.
Myriad Dreams responded with a dry laugh and found a seat in the corner, wanting nothing more than to lower her presence.
Not long after, the trainer, Okino, walked in holding a tactical board.
"Quiet down, everyone. Morning meeting is starting!"
Everyone immediately sat up straight.
Trainer Okino scanned the room, cleared his throat, and announced, "Today, Team Spica will be welcoming a new member!"
"A new member?"
"Who could it be?"
Curiosity was instantly piqued. Even the lethargic Myriad Dreams raised her head.
Trainer Okino looked toward the door and said, "Come in."
The clubroom door pushed open, and a figure walked in with steady, firm steps.
She had short, mountain-brown hair, sharp eyes containing a hint of hard-to-detect nervousness, and an upright posture.
It was Yaeno Muteki!
She walked to the front of the room, faced the group, and bowed solemnly. Her voice was clear and powerful:
"Hello, everyone. I am Yaeno Muteki. As of today, I am officially transferring to Team Spica. I look forward to working with you all!"
For a moment, the room fell silent, followed by a wave of whispers.
Mejiro McQueen knit her elegant brows slightly, whispering to Vodka beside her in confusion, "Yaeno Muteki-senpai... why would she suddenly transfer here?"
Meanwhile, Tokai Teio, sitting not far from Myriad Dreams, wore a look that said "just as I thought."
She nudged the still-dazed Myriad Dreams with her elbow and said in a low, mischievous tone.
"I don't know the official reason... but I can probably guess why~ right, My-ri-ad-Dreams-sen-pai?"
Myriad Dreams: "!!!"
She looked at Yaeno Muteki on the stage— who was introducing herself with a righteous face while her eyes drifted toward her from time to time— and then felt the curious, knowing, or entertained gazes of her teammates.
Especially Teio's "I know, I totally get it" look.
She suddenly felt dizzy, wishing she could find a crack in the floor to crawl into.
'Muteki... if you're going to transfer, then transfer... but why did it have to be Spica?! Now the whole team knows... no, they all think they know exactly what's going on!'
Myriad Dreams covered her face in despair.
It seemed her life in Team Spica was destined to never be peaceful again from the moment Yaeno Muteki stepped into this room.
Watching the subtle atmosphere below the stage, Trainer Okino pulled out a lollipop and started eating it.
'Well... it looks like I won't have to worry about the team's energy level.'