The Corrupted Daily Life of an Alchemist Who Returned on His Own - Episode 5: Dream

Episode 5: Dream

“Hey, does it feel good?”

“…!”

It was as if time had completely stopped.

I’m usually composed.

I’ve always tried to act like an adult.

Even though I knew it was impossible for me, here I was—

“It’s gotten bigger again.”

In front of me, the woman I long admired peeked her tongue out. She was doing so teasingly, as she lay in my arms.

Her eyes were so moist they looked like they would melt.

She wore an alluring suit of armor.

But now, with her arms around my neck, she moved slightly… and stirred.

She didn’t make a sound. But the air seemed to ripple.

Skin touching skin was growing warmer.

A scent, sweeter than sugar, filled the small room.

Now I understood why people in the past used to compare women to flowers or nectar.

Sweat. Body heat.

Her soft, broken breaths escaping from her lips stirred my body uncontrollably.

“Your hair… it’s grown longer.”

“I grew it out for you.”

Though she had just been moving awkwardly, now she teased me again. She was trying to provoke me.

“You helped me back then, didn’t you? You let me bathe…”

“Yeah, yeah. That was—my way of saying thank you.”

“I was happy.”

“Hehe. Hey…”

She traced a finger from her collarbone to her chest and touched my cheek. She was urging me to look at her body.

Trying to make me touch the soft thing any guy would be happy to feel.

I tried to grab her wrist. But I averted my eyes and held myself back.

“…Jeez.”

A soft, damp sigh barely audible.

Even though she was already pressed against me, she leaned in more. She was wrapping her arms around my neck and pressing her warmth against me.

It was deliberate. Obviously.

But the warmth of her body in my arms, her small breaths…

Trying to resist—barely holding onto reason, I thought…

“I’m more erotic than before, right?”

“…!”

“You’re paying for this, after all.”

She used to be the top of the school caste.

Track team. Smart and athletic.

On top of that, kind and admired—she was the number one girl in our grade.

Her name was Shiranami Saki.

But around the end of summer before high school entrance exams…

She suddenly transferred schools.

I didn’t know the reason at first. But I found out soon after.

“Oh, isn’t that the Shiranami girl from the neighborhood?”

There was a factory explosion on the news.

I remember how people harshly criticized it at the time.

Stock prices crashed. Similar incidents piled up. The company fell quickly.

“I wonder if she’s doing okay.”

I thought that many times. But we hadn’t exchanged contact info.

I had no right to say anything.

Someone like me, poor and average, had no chance.

But… she was my first love.

I had no ulterior motives. I just admired her. I just liked her.

“Hey… do you like the old me… or the me now?”

She whispered again in my ear, and the pleasure surged.

As she played with my ear, she wouldn’t let me speak—just stirred up my desire again and again.

“Haa… ahh…”

“Hey… Izaki-kun.”

Staring into her damp eyes, she seemed to grow larger… until my vision went black.

“…!”

Pinned down, she kissed me deeply, over and over. She cupped my head in her hands so I couldn’t escape.

My mind grew hazy.

But the sweet, warm sensation in front of me wouldn’t stop.

“U-um…”

I knew it.

I was already an adult. I had no experience. I came to this kind of place for the first time…

And the first person in charge of me was Shiranami-san. I was honestly happy.

To meet my first love again…

“Izaki-kun… you’ve changed.”

“H-huh?”

“You’re more manly than you used to be.”

That same cheerful, sunny smile she had back then.

How many times has she taken care of me now?

“Hey, Izaki-kun… i-if you don’t mind…”

“Shiranami-san.”

“…S-sorry.”

“You said I’ve changed, but… even though I came to this kind of place, I live with my little sister, and we’re barely making ends meet. I don’t have the money to make you happy.”

What am I even saying? How embarrassing.

If only I had more money.

If only I had more courage.

If only I—

“It’s okay.”

“…Huh?”

“A few months ago, remember when you came? I honestly wondered what would happen to me from then on.”

I’d come many times, but she never talked about this before.

“Yeah.”

“My dad was doing his best, but I knew I had to work too. But because of that incident, no one would hire me… so this was the only place left. On the very first day, the first customer was you. That’s fate, right? The person I thought would defile me…”

Please don’t say it.

“Was my *first love*.”

“…Eh?”

“F-Forget I said that! This is a place for… that, so let’s just continue!”

After that, I visited many times.

We ate cake, talked about old times, searched together for ways to move forward.

Maybe… we were kind of like a couple.

But I always felt uneasy.

It hurt that I couldn’t stop her from doing that with others.

Even after going home, the feeling wouldn’t go away. I’d go back to work again.

So… that’s why…

“Hey, Izaki-kun.”

Still, every night, I’d think of her again and again, and get all worked up. I was beyond embarrassed.

“Nn… ahh…”

“You’re beautiful, Shiranami-san.”

What should I have done?

I was overwhelmed with shame.

*

“That was one hell of an erotic dream.”

Ahh… so that’s why her face looked familiar.

Lying spread out and staring at the ceiling, I tried to recall the dream.

“I don’t remember much except that it was erotic.”

Then I noticed something felt off below.

“Ha!”

Back in this time, I hadn’t even awakened yet.

As a guy, that’s pathetic.

I’d soiled the sheets—rare ones in our house, even if dirty—because of myself.

Well… it *was* erotic, so it’s fine.

“Ah, good morning, Onii-chan!”

“Morning, Minami.”

“Hey, Onii-chan, look at this!”

Minami pointed at the TV.

“Don’t you think Yamada Yuuki is super hot?”

“Huh? Ahh… he’s still around, huh.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Well, he’s good-looking, I guess. Better than most people out there.”

…I replied without thinking, but who was he again?

Oh, right, him. It’s year 12 now, so next year, huh?

He’ll retire from showbiz because of drugs.

That’s about all I remember.

“Oh! That means you’ve got ‘that kind’ of knowledge too?”

“What are you talking about, Onii-chan?”

“Nothing! Just talking to myself. Hey, Minami, did you eat yet?”

“Not yet. By the way, what were you doing at Shiranami-senpai’s house~?”

“Don’t smirk like that.”

I pushed down Minami’s sassy little head.

“Gweh!”

“Say ‘Thank you, Onii-chan.’”

“Whoa, since when did you start being all bossy!? Minami won’t forgive you!”

“What the heck? That’s impossible.”

I’ve been like this for hundreds of years.

“Thank youuu, Onii-chan~”

“What’s with that monotone voice… well, whatever.”

I handed her the sashimi souvenirs I got yesterday.

“Whoa!! You’re a god, Onii-chan!!”

“Right? Right?”

“Yes! It’s like you’re glowing!”

Laughing at Minami kneeling down, I went on with my morning routine.

“Hey, what’s up? You were out yesterday too, right?”

“Library.”

“Library? Studying? But Mom and Dad bought you study guides, right?”

“This was something else.”

“Okay. I’m heading to my friend’s house, so see you later.”

“Yeah.”

Alright, time to head out.