Soon, the two arrived at the door of Natsuhi's rented apartment.
The doorknob was gently pushed open, revealing an extremely simple, even somewhat sparse single room.
...Sorry for intruding.
Yui followed behind Natsuhi and walked in, neatly arranging her shoes for her, just like a virtuous wife.
Her white socks stepped onto the smooth floor. Though it felt a bit cool, Yui felt no unease.
'Sorry, I don't have any extra slippers at home. You'll have to make do for now.'
'It's fine. This is okay.'
[I wish Yui was my wife... Though, I still feel Sister Yako is better.]
[Sigh, I'm really a fickle man.]
Seeing Yui's awkwardness in this unfamiliar environment, Natsuhi couldn't help but want to hold her in her arms.
[Her face is so cold, so where does this instinctive urge to protect her come from?]
Shifting her gaze from Yui's body, Natsuhi finally took a good look around the room.
It was less like a home and more like a meticulously maintained showroom.
The living room and kitchen seamlessly connected, forming the main body of the apartment.
A low, rustic wooden coffee table and a floor cushion were the entirety of the living room furnishings. On the opposite wall hung a moderately sized LCD TV, with only a minimalist media console beneath it.
The kitchen area opposite was equally meticulous: the L-shaped countertop was spotlessly clean, equipped with basic appliances like a stove and a small refrigerator.
But no extra bottles or jars were visible on the countertop; even the dishcloth was neatly folded in the corner.
Most striking was a wooden staircase standing against the wall, leading to a raised rest area.
A mattress and plain bedding were neatly arranged up there, with a pillow placed in the center—that was where Natsuhi slept.
The space below the rest area was cleverly designed as storage.
A glass sliding door led to a small balcony, where a few washed clothes hung on a drying rack, swaying slightly in the evening breeze.
If someone said this was a high-end hotel, they'd absolutely believe it.
Hmm, feels similar to the protagonist's house in traditional anime...
Natsuhi: [So luxurious, much bigger than I imagined. Could the original owner have been a rich second generation?]
System: [Of course, this is the system-initialized room, for the host to focus on mission execution. Several people could live here with no problem.]
Natsuhi: [Something feels off, but thanks anyway, System.]
'Heh... Surprisingly clean. It doesn't feel very lived-in. Do you live here alone?'
Yui commented softly, her tone complex. With no adults to deal with and no way to discern Natsuhi's hobbies, this house... had an inexplicable sense of emptiness.
'Pretty much. But now with you here, I won't be bored.'
'The way you say it makes me sound like your pet?'
'Not at all. You're much cuter than a pet.'
Natsuhi chuckled, reaching out to gently ruffle Yui's blue-purple hair. Her other hand lightly encircled Yui's waist; the touch was softer and smoother than imagined.
'I see you as an important 'housemate'.'
Yui was stunned by her sudden intimate gesture, instinctively wanting to turn her head away, but her body froze in place, only the tips of her ears quietly turning pink.
[Really, why does this person like hugging me so much? No sense of boundaries at all. Not that I dislike it...]
Yui felt conflicted inside, but this time she didn't push Natsuhi away like last time.
'But...'
Yui's gaze swept over the empty walls and undecorated corners as she asked softly,
'There really isn't anything for entertainment here. What do you usually do... when you come home?'
'Training.'
Came the crisp reply. Natsuhi, barefoot on the wooden floor, walked to the center of the living room and casually performed a few stretching movements.
Faint muscle lines were vaguely visible beneath her clothes.
This was the result of adding several points to her physique—neither the skinny frailty of skin and bones nor the sharply defined strength of a muscular powerhouse.
Instead, it was the perfectly balanced, healthy type with just the right amount of muscle definition.
Natsuhi had also asked the System about her figure. Even after completing missions, adding more to her physique, and through self-training, her body would maintain its current form.
It wouldn't develop exaggerated, sculpted muscles or a bulky, ox-like build. In other words, strength would increase without adding bulk.
Her current physique was the ideal form in Natsuhi's aesthetic, perfectly balancing strength and beauty. Having a System was really convenient.
Though she liked muscles, that was limited to guys. Too much muscle on a girl didn't fit her aesthetic. It was that simple.
[Training? Speaking of which, that shoulder throw she did in the car earlier... was as clean as in a movie. She could actually use it so easily in a real fight.]
Yui seemed to recall something, her gaze unconsciously falling on Natsuhi's stretching arms and shoulders.
The sense of power contained within those fluid movements looked particularly attractive.
'Maintaining physical condition is a must. Occasionally watch TV, research new things, or... ponder life?'
Natsuhi's tone held a hint of jest. She was making it up on the spot; after all, one creates their own identity out in the world. Besides, her previous life was basically just these things too.
Watching opponents' footage was like watching TV, learning techniques was like researching new things, meditation was like pondering life. It all felt similar; no need to split hairs.
'That sounds quite demanding.'
Yui tried to imagine that kind of life. It felt somewhat distant to her, a completely unfamiliar new world.
'You get used to it.'
'When your body is moving, your mind actually becomes clearer. Compared to staring blankly at a screen, I prefer this feeling.'
Natsuhi loved combat, not because it was her livelihood, but because after entering a fight, after getting injured, during a life-or-death struggle, she felt an inexplicable thrill.
This feeling hadn't disappeared even after transmigrating into a female body. Instead, the lack of strength made her crave it even more.
She believed no one could refuse becoming stronger, just as no one would refuse higher attractiveness.
Natsuhi's fingers deftly spun a water bottle, her wrist tensing and relaxing intermittently, unconsciously training her finger and wrist strength.
This kind of 'training' was already like breathing to her, integrated into every fragment of her life.
'Um, may I go take a shower first...'
After receiving Natsuhi's permission, Yui, holding her change of clothes, quickly slipped into the bathroom. The door lock made a soft *click*.
Hearing the faint rustling sounds from inside, Natsuhi then remembered the other girl didn't have a change of clothes.
She walked to the wardrobe and pulled out a clean white bath towel.
'Yui, I'll leave the bath towel by the door, okay?'
After asking simply, not hearing a reply, Natsuhi subconsciously turned the doorknob—the door wasn't locked.
The door gap quietly widened.
Warm, steamy air from the bathroom washed over her. In this dreamlike mist, Yui stood with her back to the door, having just pulled her knit top halfway off.
The bunched-up clothing outlined the smooth, pale lines of her slightly arched back. Her slender waist appeared impossibly delicate in the hazy light.
The mirror clearly reflected what was half-concealed by the partially removed top—the already developing, youthful yet full'southern hemisphere,' rising and falling slightly with her flustered breaths.
Time seemed to freeze for two seconds.
'—Eek!'
After a short cry, Natsuhi was chased out...
But the'splendid view' was already imprinted in Natsuhi's mind. Had to admit, Yui's figure definitely had potential.
'Sigh, looks like I can't shake off the label of pervert.'
——————
After completely removing her clothes, Yui went to the washbasin and unwound the silk ribbon wrapped around her wrist.
A shocking cross-shaped scar appeared in the mirror. The ice-blue eyes reflected in it couldn't help but darken slightly.
As the temperature rose, water droplets slowly formed on the mirror surface. The scar's image in the increasingly blurred mirror gradually became indistinct...