"Whoa! So this is where I’ll be living from now on? It’s like I’ve walked into a theme park! I’m getting so hyped!"
The room was simple, furnished with nothing more than a bed, a wardrobe, and a study desk. However, to Yugo—who had been living a nomadic life of camping outdoors—this room represented the wonderful home he’d been pining for, complete with a roof and four solid walls.
Bursting with joy at the reality that this was finally his, Yugo set his bags down and gave the room a satisfied once-over.
"I figured two-person rooms were the standard, but I get this place all to myself? I feel like I've hit the jackpot."
He’d always imagined student dormitories involved roommates, but judging by the furniture, this was strictly a single. He didn't know if he was a special case or if this was just how Luminous Academy did things, but as he sat there savoring the privacy of a room that was light-years beyond a flimsy tent...
"Hello~! Congrats on escaping the wild, Yugo!"
"Oh! Melt! You came by for a housewarming? Thanks!"
Yugo offered his thanks to Melt as she stepped into the room with a cheerful bang. He realized he'd forgotten to lock the door, but since he didn't have anything to hide, he didn't give it much thought. Instead, he offered her a more sincere expression of gratitude.
"Professor Castle told me everything. You’re the one who convinced him to give me a room, aren't you? Thank you. Really."
"Oh, don't mention it! We just asked; the professor was the one who actually made it happen!"
His move into the dormitory was only possible because Melt and the others had petitioned Professor Uno. When Yugo reiterated his thanks to her, Melt just gave a carefree laugh and began inspecting the room alongside him.
"It's a great room! Way better than your camping days."
"I had my tent, but the rainy days were freezing and the wind was so loud... but I can finally kiss those worries goodbye!"
"There's a wardrobe for your clothes, too, so keep things tidy, okay? You’d better not let the outfits we bought together get all wrinkled."
"I know, I know! Now that I've got actual storage space, maybe I'll start buying more clothes... or even some hobby stuff?"
"Oh, that sounds nice! Want to go shopping again sometime? You've been so busy lately with your Blaster modifications and Requests... we should go on a proper date once in a while."
As they chatted, Yugo felt a prickle of embarrassment. It felt like a girlfriend visiting her boyfriend’s new apartment for the first time. Perhaps sensing his flustered state, Melt wore a faint smirk as she sat down on the bed.
"From now on, as long as you're in the mood, we can be alone together whenever we want. It’s better than talking outside where everyone can see us. That was always a bit awkward."
"I-I guess. But not anytime, right? This is the Boys' Dormitory. You can’t just waltz in here whenever you feel like it."
"Hehe! True. Still, it’s about time you got to sleep in a proper bed, Yugo! This feels pretty good, actually."
"O-Oh...?"
With that, Melt flopped onto the bed, rolling over to give him a seductive smile.
He wanted to tell her not to be so defenseless on a guy's bed, or to watch her skirt, but he felt like saying anything would be a total defeat. Melt watched him squirm, then teased him further.
"You’d better invite me over, okay? If I'm not the very first person you have a home date with, I'll never forgive you!"
"Sure... wait, hang on. We're already here together, so isn't this technically a home date?"
"Me barging in and you inviting me in are two completely different things! Honestly, Yugo, you're so dense about this stuff!"
"My bad, my bad!"
Yugo apologized with a wry grin as Melt hopped off the bed and stepped closer to him. He was still struggling to navigate the complexities of a maiden's heart when his savior suddenly appeared.
"Fuhahahaha! Yugo! So, you’ve finally crawled out of the wilderness, have you? As your greatest friend and lifelong rival, I have come to celebrate your move! And I’ve brought a gift—Borg Crab, a delicacy from my family's own territory! Taste my friendship and weep for joy! Fuhahahaha!"
"O-Oh! Marcos! What a... great time to show up! I mean, I'm glad you came! Thanks, seriously!"
Yugo was drowning in his lack of experience with girls. Alone with Melt, his mental state was on the verge of collapse. As he breathed a sigh of relief at Marcos's arrival, the room began to fill with even more visitors coming to congratulate him on his new home.