Extra 6: Fantasy Boyfriend

—–Translated by daydrop. Please read on the original site at daydrop.nowaki.net.

Ushio received an unexpected request to design some characters for a smartphone app. It was the first time that he had been asked to do this type of work, and well yeah, it had sparked his interest. When he went to a meeting with his clients for a tour and introductions, he said that he had never played a smartphone game before, and the project leader pulled out her own phone to show him one.

“The game will be something like this. We don’t plan to have a lot of gachas or collaboration events where people have to throw lots of money at the game, but well, we do hope that they spend something at least. We’re envisioning a pretty casual and relaxing type of game… A game like this would be very cute.”

“What is the objective of the game?”

“I wouldn’t say that there’s an objective or anything. You can angle for fish, catch bugs, pick fruit and such… And look, the animals will come out and tell you ‘I want this,’ and you can give things to them.”

It was certainly a peaceful island, and there was a cat about two heads tall that popped up a thought bubble with an icon of fishes in it. When the human character who resembled the project leader held out a brown paper bag with an illustration of a bear on it, the cat happily accepted it, and a pink heart floated out above its head.

“When you do so, it raises their affection for you. You can befriend all sorts of animals by repeating the process, and you can do things for your home campsite like make furniture or grow flowers.”

“So there are lots of ways to enjoy the game.”

“That’s right~ …Well, unless you work hard to give tributes to the animals, they won’t give you the time of day though~”

The murmur seemed like it might trigger a landmine, so Ushio didn’t comment on it and told them that he would be happy to consider the request. The meeting ended, and on the way home, he researched the game that she had told him about, and by the time he reached his train stop, he reached the conclusion that he would never download the game on his own if it weren’t for work. The game was cute, calm, and heartwarming, and it was even well-executed down to the details, however… As he went grocery shopping, he realized why he felt no desire to play the game.

It’s pretty much my day-to-day life.

It was late at night when Kunieda-san arrived home. The thought bubble that popped up over his head was meat, rice, and alcohol… Which was obviously his imagination, but Ushio was sure that he had the right answer. When Ushio served him simmered meat with tofu, white rice, and beer—well, he didn’t get all excited like the animals or thank him, but he did eat it voraciously.

“I mean, look.”

“…What?”

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

And then another thought bubble that only Ushio could see popped up. It was the weekend, which meant more alcohol and snacks. And so Ushio warmed up some sake and served it with some stir-fried daikon radish and anchovies.

Look, I got it right again. Actually, I want to know what the wrong answers are.

“But there’s no heart.”

“Huh?”

“Just talking to myself.”

Kei gave Ushio a deeply suspicious look, but he didn’t question him about it too much and finished a late dinner with drinks to his full satisfaction. Next was… Oh, right, a bath. A bath, right? And he would want something refreshing to eat in there as well.

“The bath is ready.”

“Okay.”

“I have mikan oranges in the freezer.”

“I’ll eat them in the bath.”

Yes, yes, and when you’re all refreshed and relaxed in the tub, I’ll pick the perfect time to bring them to you.

This was generally how his days went, and Ushio didn’t think that he was working to give Kei “tributes” to curry his favor. Plus Kei didn’t think one iota that he was getting tributes or whatever. Life was more like intersecting gears than a seesaw—as long as they each turned without any issues, then that was the best for them both. And so Ushio hadn’t looked for anything in return for everything that he did.

“…I can see it,” Ushio whispered, looking at Kei who had just gotten out of the bath.

“I can see it clearly~”

“What the hell kind of radio waves have you been receiving all night? You’re creeping me out.”

“No, no~ I can see it~ Your thought bubble~”

The bubble with Kei’s requests that floated above his half-damp hair like a cloud or cotton candy.

“It’s me, hmm?”

“What?”

Ahhh, Ushio was glad that he had a home with a roof, walls, and a bed that he didn’t have to make himself.

“Okay, let’s make your affection shoot up~”

“Seriously, what the hell are you saying!?”

Even if Kei didn’t know what Ushio was saying, he shook his head vigorously like he knew what would happen next. But Ushio could still see that the thought bubble was there. Well, that meant that he would have to pay plenty of tributes then. With love.

“By the way, what do you think I want right now?”

“Huh?”

When Ushio had asked his question, he had caught Kei’s face between his hands so that Kei couldn’t run away. The skyrocketing temperature of his body gradually warmed through Ushio’s hands.

“You’re really such a closeted pervert~” Ushio teased.

“Only in your wild fantasies, you bastard!”

“Huh? Then tell me what Kunieda-san thinks the right answer is~”

“How would I know…”

Before Kei could look away in desperation, Ushio pressed a kiss between his eyebrows.

“Hurry up and emit a heart~”

“Are you telling me to die!?”

“That’s not what I meant. …I know that you know what I mean.”

“I said that I don’t.”

More than any game in virtual reality, Ushio had the most fun playing with this Prince that he could touch in front of him.

It was a happiness that they had been promised.

—–Translated by daydrop. Please read on the original site at daydrop.nowaki.net.

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