Ren sighed silently and poured a cup of hot water for Yoko.
"Thank you."
After taking a sip, Yoko felt the warmth spread through her body.
"You can't sleep either?"
"I guess not."
His heightened state of excitement made it impossible for Ren to fall asleep anytime soon.
"I was planning to go out for a walk."
"Who would've thought you'd be awake this late too?"
"A walk outside?"
Hearing Ren mention this, Yoko's interest was immediately piqued.
In an instant, she sat up straight on the sofa.
"That's a great idea!"
"..."
Watching Yoko's sudden enthusiasm, Ren immediately regretted bringing it up.
But since he was the one who suggested it, there was no backing out now.
"So, you really want to go out now?"
"Hmm~"
"You'll have to change clothes first. Isn't that a hassle?"
"Why would I need to change? This works just fine."
To prove her point, Yoko stood up and spun around in front of him.
Her thick, fluffy pajamas were definitely warm enough—that much was clear.
"Are you sure?"
"If you go out in those, they'll probably be unwearable by the time we get back."
"It's fine."
Yoko smiled confidently.
"Since I mentioned liking this style of pajamas, one of my sponsors sent me a whole variety of them."
"I have at least seven or eight different sets, so I'm not worried about them getting dirty."
She had grown particularly fond of this style of pajamas.
Not only were they cute, but they were incredibly warm.
Even without a heater, wearing them in cold weather was enough to stay comfortable.
Recently, she had also discovered another unexpected advantage—if she wore these pajamas, pulled up the hood, and added a mask, almost no one could recognize her as the famous Okino Yoko.
There was no risk of attracting attention.
"Oh, right! I bought a matching set in your size, too. I was planning to give it to you as a gift!"
"Wait here, I'll go grab it!"
As Yoko dashed off, Ren felt an inexplicable sense of foreboding.
And sure enough, when she returned, she was holding a dark green dinosaur pajama set.
"Here! Put this on! Let's go for a walk together!"
Despite Ren's reluctance, he was pushed into the room and forced to change.
To his surprise, the pajamas were actually very comfortable.
Even without the heater on, they were incredibly warm, and the soft, fluffy fabric felt nice against his skin.
Now, he understood why Yoko liked them so much.
However…
This particular set of pajamas had a major problem.
Especially visually.
Standing before the full-length mirror, Ren took in his reflection—a cute green dinosaur stared back at him.
If he pulled up the hood, the little dinosaur face would bare its tiny fangs.
Suppressing his embarrassment, Ren turned around—only to see a short, stubby tail dangling from the back.
Before he could react, Yoko playfully grabbed the tail and held onto it.
"Can you not?"
"Sure."
She didn't let go.
"But only if you agree to go out with me tonight."
"..."
Ren was silent for a long time.
He pointed at his reflection in the mirror.
"Wearing pajamas?"
"Yes."
"You're a celebrity! Shouldn't you be more careful about how you dress in public?"
"I won't be recognized if I dress like this."
With that, Yoko cheerfully grabbed his dinosaur tail and led the way out.
"Alright, alright! Let's go!"
"Come on, let's go for a walk!"
Ren's opinion was completely ignored.
Having no other choice, he put on his cotton outdoor slippers and followed Yoko outside.
Luckily, there weren't many people in the area.
Even if they were seen wandering around in pajamas, it wouldn't attract too much attention.
---
"Hmm~~~"
As they walked side by side, Yoko stretched her arms out and let out a contented sigh.
"The cold air feels refreshing."
"You feel… relaxed?"
"Mhm~"
Yoko nodded.
Now that she was outside, the crisp night air helped clear her head.
Her earlier excitement had cooled down, leaving her feeling calm and refreshed.
"I wouldn't have been able to make this decision without you."
Yoko would never forget the reason she had the freedom to choose her own path, it was all thanks to Ren.
If not for his financial support, she wouldn't have even dared to consider starting her own studio.
If not for his connections, no one in the industry would have been willing to help her.
She had never forgotten that.
Even though he always claimed that he didn't like getting involved in other people's affairs, the reality was…
He still chose to help.
She turned her head and gazed at the young man walking quietly beside her.
Then, without a word, she gently tugged on his sleeve.
"Hmm?"
Ren looked over.
"There's something stuck on your hood."
"Eh?"
Caught off guard, Ren instinctively reached up to check.
The moment he turned his head, he suddenly felt something warm against his cheek.
From the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of her familiar, delicate face—closer than ever.
For a brief moment, his mind completely shut down.
By the time Yoko stepped back, Ren was still frozen in place.
He had never experienced something like this before.
He had never been in this kind of situation.
He had no idea how to respond.
"Pfft!"
Seeing Ren blush and struggle to react, Yoko couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"Wow, you really have no resistance to girls, huh?"
"I thought you'd handle it better, but it turns out… you actually see me as a sister."
Then, without hesitation, she took his hand in hers.
"Oh, by the way, just so you know, that kiss on the cheek? It was my first time."
"After all, you know my public image. I'm still the pure idol~ Okino Yoko."
Seeing that Ren was still too flustered to speak, she simply smiled and gently pulled him along.
"Come on, just keep me company for a little longer."
(To be continued.)
***
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