Reunion

*Akashic POV*

After stepping into the room, Naomi froze for a moment before rushing into my arms.

"Akashic!!" 

She sobbed into my chest, her tears soaking my shirt. Instinctively, I placed my hand on her head like I used to and rested my other hand on her back, comforting her.

We stayed like that for a while, and as I glanced around the room, I noticed everyone smiling at us. Aunt Karin even had tears in her eyes.

[+200 Satisfaction Points]

After a few minutes, Naomi pulled back, though she still clutched a piece of my shirt.

"You lied…" she whispered, looking up at me with a pout.

"Sorry about that. But I'm here now." A smile spread across her face, but before I could say more, a loud stomach growl interrupted us. We all turned toward the source as she blushed furiously.

"W-what? I told you I was hungry!" Lena exclaimed, trying to hide her embarrassment. Her outburst made everyone chuckle, and soon, we began ordering food using the tablet on the table.

I sat next to Naomi, as everyone had made space for me.

Though I told her I was paying for everything, Aunt Karin had only ordered the cheapest items. Typical. I knew better than to argue with her, 

though. She wouldn't change her mind. 

I settled on the best steak they had, with sides like truffle roasted potatoes and grilled asparagus. My appetite had increased significantly since my transformation, so I ended up ordering a lot.

When I passed the tablet to Naomi, her eyes widened.

"A-Akashic... that's... too expensive." She looked from the tablet to me, concerned.

"Oh, I didn't check the price. Don't worry, I'm paying for it. Let me treat everyone for your birthday." She opened her mouth to protest but then closed it, nodding silently as she placed her order.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. Not many people had my number, so I checked it. It was a message from Sierra, letting me know they were on their way to discuss the contract with her father. I sent a quick reply, telling her we'd talk later.

When I looked up, Lena was the last one with the tablet. She hesitated, glancing at me. I winked playfully, mouthing, "It's fine." She blushed, smiling as her small hands quickly tapped through her choices. 

Luna, sitting nearby, shook her head at her sister, giving me an apologetic look.

Once everyone had finished ordering, we waited for the food to arrive, engaging in light conversation. Mostly, it was Lena asking about my car and whether she could take more pictures of it.

"Oooh! How about this one? Is this yours too?!" She held up her phone, showing a picture of me getting into one of my other cars.

"Oh... yeah. We go to the same school. You'll see it when we get back." Having my picture taken without knowing was a little strange, but honestly, I didn't mind. I think I liked the attention.

[+10 Satisfaction Points]

That proved it.

Before long, the waiter arrived with our drinks and appetizers. Lena wasted no time diving in, while Naomi leaned against my shoulder, unusually quiet.

"Are you okay?" I asked, glancing down at her.

"Yeah, I'm just happy you're here…" she smiled.

Taking a sip of my drink, I felt a rush of energy—it tasted incredible. I didn't know what it was, but it was definitely worth the price.

The atmosphere was lively, mostly thanks to Lena. The food arrived earlier than expected, and it was amazing, despite my heightened senses picking out a few imperfections. Lena and I kept ordering more, surprising everyone with how much we could eat. Aunt Karin, already full, chatted with us while Luna occasionally chimed in.

Naomi, however, was getting sleepy. After all the crying and eating, she was exhausted. Leaning on me, she closed her eyes. I gently navigated my hand to my wallet to pay the bill, careful not to wake her.

The total was $794.83—not bad, considering how much we ordered. I swiped my card and paid for everything.

"Thank you for today!" Aunt Karin hugged me as we stood up.

"It's the least I can do after everything you've done for me."

We gently woke Naomi and made our way to my car. There was enough space for everyone, so I drove them back to their hotel. I half-expected Lena to snap more pictures, but she stayed focused on Naomi, making sure she was okay.

That small gesture raised my opinion of her even more.

With the three of them in the backseat, my thoughts began to drift... But I stopped myself as soon as I realized where my mind was going.

[-10 Satisfaction Points]

'What? Why?'

<Answer: Rejecting your own desires—however deep they may be—can still result in losing satisfaction.>

I mulled that over as we arrived at the hotel. Parking out front, I got out and carried Naomi inside, while Lena and Luna carried the bags. Ignoring the stares we received, we rode the elevator to their floor and made our way to their suite. It was spacious and luxurious, but I didn't take much time to look around. I gently placed Naomi in her bed, took off her heels, and covered her with a blanket.

"Today was fun. You guys up for going out tomorrow afternoon?" I asked.

"Of course! The first date is always the most important~!" Lena replied with a teasing grin, growing bolder with each comment.

"Great. Let me know when you're ready, and I'll pick you up."

*Ding*

A notification chimed, pulling our attention. It wasn't mine—I'd put my phone on silent. Looking over, I saw Lena staring at her phone with a conflicted expression. There was sadness and anger mixed in her eyes.

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked, concerned.

She hesitated for a moment before forcing a smile. "U-uh, yeah, I'm fine... don't worry about me. Just get ready for our date tomorrow!" Her voice started soft but quickly rose as she tried to brush off whatever was bothering her.

I studied her for a moment, knowing something was wrong but unable to press further. If she didn't want to talk about it, I couldn't force her.

After saying my goodbyes, I made my way back downstairs to take Aunt Karin home.