Chapter 23: Dream Simulation Card
The day at school had ended.
Yukinoshita lay sprawled on the sofa upon returning home, utterly exhausted.
Her body wasn't particularly tired; it was her mental energy that had taken a toll today.
After all, going out of her way to create opportunities for Hikigaya to bond with other girls required meticulous planning and effort.
With a sigh, she opened up the system interface to check Hikigaya's favorability ratings with other girls.
• Hikigaya's favorability with Isshiki Iroha: 70/100 (Close Friend)
• Hikigaya's favorability with Sawamura Eriri: 10/100 (Acquaintance)
• Hikigaya's favorability with Kasumigaoka Utaha: 35/100 (More than acquaintances, less than friends)
Yukinoshita was quite surprised.
Who would've thought Hikigaya's favorability with Isshiki was actually slightly higher than that with Yuigahama?
From Yukinoshita's perspective, Hikigaya seemed much more resistant to Isshiki in his daily interactions. So why did he like her more than Yuigahama?
"Ugh, Hikigaya-kun is such a strange person. Could he actually have some masochistic tendencies?" Yukinoshita muttered, sighing.
As for the two newcomers… She decided to set aside Sawamura for now. Her focus turned to Kasumigaoka.
"All that effort helping on the rooftop paid off..." she mused with a hint of pride.
Thinking back to the tense rooftop scene earlier that day still made her heart race. Being a stalker was harder than it looked—stressful and nerve-wracking. If not for her quick thinking, things might've turned awkward!
At least the outcome was satisfactory. She had successfully strengthened the bond between Hikigaya and Kasumigaoka.
As she reflected, the system's voice interrupted her thoughts:
[Current System Points: 530]
[New item unlocked in System Store: Dream Simulation Card]
"A new item?" Yukinoshita perked up.
"Open it," she instructed.
[System Store is now open.]
Her eyes landed on the Dream Simulation Card and clicked on it to view the details:
• Dream Simulation Card: Simulates a vivid and realistic dream for a selected target while they sleep at night, increasing their favorability toward Hikigaya Hachiman.
• Cost: 100 Points.
• PS1: This card does not work on Katou Megumi.
• PS2: The host can view the dream in real time.
"A single-use item again?" Yukinoshita frowned, deep in thought.
Compared to the morning Forced intimate Card, this Dream Simulation Card seemed less impactful.
Just a dream to boost favorability?
And it cost 100 points?
Yukinoshita felt the price was steep and the returns unclear.
As her mother often said when hiring employees: If their output doesn't double their wages, it's a loss.
The same principle applied here. If spending 100 points didn't yield a significant return, it wasn't worth it.
[Beautiful dreams can significantly increase the target's favorability. The closer the relationship, the more frequent the interactions, and the more opportunities for earning points. Highly recommended purchase.]
"Strengthening bonds through dreams, huh? It does sound like an investment…"
After some hesitation, Yukinoshita decided to take the gamble.
She had over 500 points, after all. Spending 100 to experiment wasn't too risky.
With that, she purchased the Dream Simulation Card.
However, a new dilemma arose after the purchase:
Who should she use it on?
Yuigahama?
Isshiki?
…Or even Komachi?
Cough, cough! No, no, her priorities were all wrong.
Yukinoshita dismissed the idea of using it on girls who already had high favorability with Hikigaya. They didn't need the boost.
Then, an image flashed through her mind.
"Kasumigaoka-senpai, perhaps…"
Of all the points she'd earned today, Kasumigaoka had contributed the most. Her interactions with Hikigaya had the highest point conversion rate.
If their relationship deepened, Kasumigaoka alone could become a consistent source of daily point income.
"Yes, Kasumigaoka it is!" Yukinoshita decided.
Of course, this wasn't just about point income.
Kasumigaoka was the top-ranking student in her year. If she and Hikigaya grew closer, she could also tutor him, improving his grades.
Boosting his academic performance while earning points? A win-win!
As the clock approached midnight, Yukinoshita prepared to use the card.
"Is Senpai a night owl?" she muttered, waiting impatiently for Kasumigaoka to fall asleep.
Finally, the system prompt appeared:
[Use Dream Simulation Card?]
"Yes."
[Enter the target for dream simulation—]
"Kasumigaoka Utaha," Yukinoshita typed without hesitation, then confirmed.
[Dream Simulation for Kasumigaoka Utaha in progress...]
[Host may view the dream. Would you like to watch?]
"…I'll just take a quick peek," she said, curiosity winning over her reluctance.
The system's screen lit up.
---
[Dream Simulation for Kasumigaoka Utaha begins.]
[Four years after Kasumigaoka's university graduation, she encounters her high school junior, Hikigaya Hachiman, on the street.]
[They reminisce fondly. During their conversation, Kasumigaoka learns that the Yukinoshita family had gone bankrupt due to an unforeseen incident, leaving them in debt. As Yukinoshita's son-in-law, Hikigaya was struggling to borrow money.]
[Moved by sympathy, Kasumigaoka offers to lend him money.]
[However, during the transaction, Kasumigaoka develops ulterior motives and proposes they check into a hotel together.]
[Faced with financial desperation, Hikigaya reluctantly agrees...]
---
"???" Yukinoshita's eyes widened as she abruptly ended the viewing.
Panting slightly, she muttered to herself, "It's just a dream… just a dream…"
Her expression darkened as she questioned the system, "Are you sure this absurd dream will actually increase Kasumigaoka's favorability? You're not messing with me, are you?"
[Please do not question the system's effectiveness.]
And with that, the system fell silent.
---
Meanwhile, in her sleep, Kasumigaoka's forehead was beaded with sweat, her lips trembling slightly as faint murmurs escaped.
"Hmm… Hachiman…"
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