Chapter 45

Chapter 45: Don’t Wear A White Dress

Back when she was an idol, in order to avoid any unevenness in her skin tone, Shimizu Sakuya would always apply a thick layer of foundation all over her body before going on stage.

If what Natsukawa Amane saw in her dream was true—

And if she were really going to face Fujiwara Yuki forcibly stripping her clothes to verify something—then, before going home, she’d just need to apply foundation and concealer to cover up the heart-shaped birthmark on her body and the mole on her chest.

But that wasn’t a complete solution. It could only conceal things temporarily.

She still had to continue playing this master-and-maid game with Fujiwara Yuki for a while. If it happened in the bath… or if she got discovered later… Then what?

So, Shimizu Sakuya decided to do nothing.

Though it was risky—and if she misplayed, she might end up being…

If she were recognized, she’d just pretend she didn’t have memories of the future, and that it was only Fujiwara Yuki who had awakened those memories unilaterally.

It might be troublesome at that point, but wouldn’t that still be better than getting caught in a lie and going in for a second round?

Anyway, for now, she’d take things one step at a time.

Once she finished her thoughts, Shimizu Sakuya continued to ask.

“Can you remember any other details?”

Natsukawa Amane shook her head apologetically.

“Senpai, as you know, dreams are usually vague—we can only recall the gist of them.”

“I see… Still, thank you, Natsukawa-san.”

“It’s no problem, senpai. Please tell me the result the day after.”

Natsukawa Amane looked at her with burning eyes. Her amber gaze was young but firm, clear like an angel’s, pure and untainted.

“Because the things I saw in dreams before… they never actually happened in reality. But if this one really does, and if I can change the outcome because of what I saw—then I’ll definitely save you without hesitation, senpai.”

Shimizu Sakuya was moved. After all, Natsukawa Amane had only ever seen her in dreams. In this timeline, she had no name, no face—just an NPC.

Yet her pure, sincere, radiant, and precious heart was like a glittering diamond—rare and invaluable.

It was hard not to be touched by that.

Shimizu Sakuya looked at her earnestly and sincerely promised:

“Natsukawa-san, if you ever need my help in the future, you can come to me too. I’ll do everything I can to help you.”

“Ah—senpai, don’t say it like that. I would’ve done this no matter who it was.”

Natsukawa Amane waved her hands shyly, scratched her cheek, and bashfully avoided her gaze.

Finally, her drifting gaze landed on the large clock hanging high above the school building. She hurriedly pointed at it to change the subject.

“Eh? Senpai, look—the morning reading period is about to start. We should head to the classroom.”

She finished speaking and quickly tugged on Shimizu Sakuya’s sleeve, trying to pull her along.

“Ah, right! Let’s go, let’s not be late,” Sakuya nodded, snapping back to reality. As a student, being late was no small matter.

So, led by her sleeve, Shimizu Sakuya followed Natsukawa Amane toward the school building.

They walked in silence. The atmosphere was calm and unhurried.

Sakuya watched Amane’s hair sway with her hurried steps. The faint wind it stirred carried a soft jasmine fragrance—light and pleasant.

Her back was narrow, one might even call it petite. She was about the same height as Sakuya.

Yet such a frail-looking girl could still speak so decisively about saving her—running around for her, asking for nothing in return…

What a kind child.

When they reached the third-floor stairwell, Natsukawa Amane suddenly stopped and called out to her.

“Senpai.”

Sakuya stepped closer.

“What is it?”

“We’re about to part ways, and I don’t know if I’ll be able to find you after school. Next week… um.”

She turned around, her expression shy for some reason.

“When you see me next week, senpai, can you wear a pretty dress? Don’t wear a white one—it gets dirty too easily.”

Sakuya tilted her head, a little puzzled.

“Of course, that’s no problem. But why not a white dress?”

Natsukawa Amane pressed a finger to her lips, deliberately keeping a secret.

“Shhh. I can’t explain. It’s a secret.”

“Alright~ If it’s your secret, Natsukawa-san, then I won’t ask.”

Sakuya nodded and smiled, agreeing without hesitation.

“Then, as a fair trade, you also have to wear a pretty dress next week.”

Sakuya’s eyes traced over Amane a few times, as if she could already see her in a flowing blue dress. Her gaze was filled with admiration.

“Wear a blue dress, okay? I really like blue—and you’d look great in it, Natsukawa-san.”

“Okay. I promise,” Natsukawa Amane nodded.

“Then, Natsukawa-san, goodbye for now. It’s a promise—next Sunday, no backing out. I’m off to class first.”

Shimizu Sakuya waved goodbye with a smile, then turned and stepped onto the stairs.

“Goodbye, senpai.”

Natsukawa Amane also waved at her, standing rooted in place like her feet were made of lead.

—Because if she wore a white dress, and senpai wasn’t locked up, then on that deep blue night sky filled with fireworks, in the slowly turning romantic Ferris wheel, they’d kiss.

Not going on the date wasn’t an option—senpai would end up pinned against a glass wall, nearly naked, eyes filled with tears, enduring painful humiliation.

But if they did go on the date—she’d lose her first kiss.

Either way, her first kiss should go to someone she loved.

But if she had to kiss senpai…

Natsukawa Amane absentmindedly touched her lips, confused.

She didn’t mind kissing a girl.

But—did senpai even like girls?

It seemed like she did.

Because in her dreams, she was always cuddling intimately with different girls. Those scenes were thrilling, bold, blush-inducing—an adult world Amane had never touched.

She herself didn’t like girls, so when the time came, it would probably be senpai who kissed her, and then she’d return it with passion.

But that could easily make senpai misunderstand and think she was a lesbian.

Wouldn’t that be kind of cruel to senpai?

Ugh, so frustrating.

Come to think of it, this did feel a bit like grasping at straws. But maybe just changing a dress really could shift the entire timeline. She had to try.

Natsukawa Amane furrowed her brows and let out a long sigh. Reflexively, she reached down to grab the little Cheese Cat keychain at her waist—

But her slender hand grasped nothing.

Only then did she remember—

She had already given the Cheese Cat to senpai.

Strangely, a hard-to-describe feeling welled up inside her.

Was it conflicted? Sour? Anxious? Expectant? Maybe all of them—or maybe none.

When her thoughts settled, Natsukawa Amane finally pulled out a notebook from her pocket, packed full of dates and events in tiny writing.

“2017 (?) April 23 — Hotel next to the government building. She (Nearly naked) was pinned against the glass.

Logged on: March 25, 2017.”

The hotel was circled in red ink, with a long arrow pointing to the note: “Wansen Hotel.”

“2017(?) April 22 — Tokyo Amusement Park, 8:40 p.m.

Ferris wheel, fireworks, and she (In white lace dress) kissed.

Logged on: April 11, 2017.”

She stared at the messy, crooked handwriting, then pulled a water-based pen from her pencil case and carefully wrote down a new entry.

“April 12, 2017 — Already told her about the future event.

Final outcome — ?”