Letting the days go by, water flowing underground

To say that things were awkward between Kim and Vivian after the incident in the sauna was an understatement. The two women made their way to the hot spring, took extra long showers to clean off all the residual aphrodisiacs, and then got into the water all without saying a single word to each other.

For Kim in particular the silence was deafening.

She had never seen Vivian so quiet before. The heiress always had a witty remark or quip up her sleeve, and seemed to despise the notion of quiet. The fact that she wasn’t trying to engage Kim in conversation was a troubling sign, and one that only served to make Kim feel even more ashamed.

What was she supposed to do here? Was there any way she could make this right?

The one saving grace of the situation was that Vivian did not seem to hold Kim responsible for what had transpired between them. She didn’t seem angry with her- at the very least, she was willing to tolerate the tomboy’s presence.

Kim didn’t exactly feel great about it, though. At a glance, it was obvious that Vivian was troubled by something. What that something was, Kim couldn’t even ask- she felt like she’d more than relinquished that right with her horrible actions bringing Vivian to this point in the first place.

In the end, the two girls didn’t say a word to one another until they left the hot spring.

“So… I’ll go now,” Vivian said.

Kim twitched, and her eyes widened in surprise. She hadn’t expected anything from the heiress. Vivian’s face was an unreadable mask devoid of emotion as she stared at Kim, and it was only by her continued presence that Kim could feel some level of expectation from her.

Like she wanted Kim to say something, and wouldn’t leave until she did.

Kim couldn’t begin to guess what Vivian would want. Another apology? Some groveling? Or to pretend like nothing had happened at all, and just say goodbye like any other day?

It was that last one she decided to go with.

“Yeah… see ya,” Kim mumbled with a shaky nod.

Vivian nodded back, and apparently the two of them reached some understanding- though not one Kim could begin to guess at.

“Good luck on your date tomorrow,” Vivian added, and Kim realized that they never had gotten around to planning things out together.

Vivian probably wasn’t all that keen on doing her any favors after the little trick she’d just pulled.

“Yeah… thanks,” Kim nodded. “Good luck on yours, too.”

Then, like nothing had happened, a playful smile slowly spread across Vivian’s lips. It was the kind of smile that would look real to anyone else, but to someone like Kim who faked smiles every day of her life, she could see the way it couldn’t quite reach the heiress’s eyes.

“At least now I have an idea of what Nick and I can do together,” Vivian said with a chuckle, and her laughter rang just as hollow in Kim’s ears as her smile did.

“I… don’t think he’d appreciate that,” Kim stammered.

Vivian nodded. “No… probably not,” she agreed.

And that’s where they awkwardly ended things, neither girl quite sure where to go from here.

“…Again, I’m-”

“I said forget it.”

Vivian sharply cut off Kim’s attempt to apologize, with a stronger tone than Kim had ever heard her use before. And then she smiled cheerfully at the other girl.

“It didn’t happen, remember?” Vivian “reminded” her. “We just had a nice day at the hot spring, and nothing else.”

Kim swallowed. In a way, maybe Vivian was letting her off the hook. On the other hand, maybe she was so enraged by what Kim had done, she didn’t want to have anything to do with her ever again.

Just a couple days ago, that would have been a dream come true. Now Kim just felt murky and disgusting.

She kept thinking back to how happy Vivian had seemed in that sauna. With aphrodisiacs pumping through the air and filling the heiress with candor, she had expressed an entirely different kind of joy than the one Kim was so ordinarily used to coming from the heiress. And then it had all been ruined by the revelation of what she had done.

That made her feel the worst.

“Vivian…”

“Hm?”

Vivian turned back to Kim, looking at her curiously. Kim scratched her head and looked down, not quite sure why she had called out to the other woman or what she wanted to say. She just didn’t want the heiress to go away angry.

“Maybe… after my date… maybe we could meet up for coffee or something like that,” she suggested, not sure if she even wanted Vivian to say yes. “You know, to talk about how the date went… I could tell you what I did, so you know not to do the same thing.”

It was a shot in the dark, and she wasn’t sure if Vivian would take her up on the offer or not. But it was the closest thing to an olive branch Kim could offer in the present situation, and if Vivian accepted, then maybe, just maybe, she would have the chance to make things right.

Vivian was impossible to read again. For an instant a flash of surprise had leapt across her face, but now she was emotionless again.

Then she smiled. This time, it did look like the smile reached her eyes, even if it was a strange smile that Kim had never seen from the heiress before.

“Well, if that’s what you want, I suppose we could arrange it,” Vivian accepted, and Kim sighed in relief. It felt like a massive weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

As Vivian departed, though, her guilt returned with a vengeance, and she sighed again.

Even if Vivian forgives me… it’s not like I didn’t do something dirty. It felt odd, having such guilty thoughts about what had been intended as a prank. And if Vivian had been the same Vivian in the sauna that she’d been all week, maybe Kim would have moved past it easily.

But her sincerity… is stuck with Kim in a way she didn’t expect.

She shook her head and cleared away those thoughts, and headed back to her room. She had a lot of thinking to do.

Unfortunately, planning for Nick’s date was the furthest thing from her mind at that point.

But just because it was the furthest thing from her mind, that didn’t mean it still didn’t need to be addressed. And as night fell and she munched through her dinner (which she’d taken in her room, concerned about running into Vivian in the Banquet Hall) she kept thinking about what she wanted to do.

It was only when Dani poked her head in to check on her that she finally felt like she could open up to someone else.

“You okay, Kim?” The tomboy asked.

Kim shook her head. “Just have a lot to think about, that’s all,” she replied vaguely, not ready to get into the details yet.

Dani came in and sat down next to her on the bed. She eyed the burger in Kim’s hands warily. “Don’t stain the sheets, I have to sleep here too, you know,” she reminded Kim, trying to make a joke to lighten the heavy mood.

It went over like a lead balloon.

Kim looked at her, and smirked. “If my sweat didn’t ruin them, I doubt a bit of ketchup will,” she said, taking another bite of the burger. But she made sure to eat it over her plate.

“So what’s up?” Dani asked. “You’ve been out of it…”

After spending her morning in the boutique, Dani would have expected Kim to be up and about, enjoying her freedom. But no, the tomboy had been up here all afternoon.

“You planning for your date, maybe?” She asked hopefully.

Kim swallowed the last of her burger and nodded. “Yeah… planning. I’ve got a few ideas, but… never mind. I’ll tell you the rest later. After I’m back.”

Dani blinked.

“Back?”

Kim nodded. “Dakota.”

“Yes?” Dakota, who had obviously been watching the whole time, cheerfully popped onto the scene with a big smile on her lips. Dani jumped, surprised, while Kim just stared up at her, unfazed.

“I’m going to be going into Dream Alley tomorrow, for my date with Nick,” she informed the host. Then she looked to Dani. “When I come back, can we have a talk? I want your perspective on something.”

She knew that was a bit of a gamble. She really should talk to Dani now, so she could share her side of things before Vivian spread the word. Even if it “never happened” people would still pick up on the conflict between the two of them, and she wanted to make sure her roommate would listen to her without judgment or prejudice.

But she really didn’t have the energy to do this tonight. She wanted to put it all behind her like Vivian had suggested.

Dani nodded, still not sure what was going on, and Kim turned back to Dakota, who had been waiting patiently with her arms crossed.

“If you want to use Dream Alley, it’s not going to be easy to arrange,” Dakota pointed out. “You do have the 5000 BP to spend, of course, but…”

“I know, I know,” Kim sighed. “I have work obligations.”

They’d done this song and dance enough already. Dakota knew exactly what Kim wanted- at this point, she was just twisting the knife for funsies.

She was being very polite about it, though.

“So what’s your decision, then?” Dakota leaned forward, her eyes glittering with expectation. “Are you going to use your Sick Day transformation?”

Kim was about to open her mouth to answer, but Dani cut her off.

“Don’t do it, Kim, you don’t have to!” She asserted.

“Oh?” Dakota looked over at Dani, a little irritated by the interruption.

“Dani!” Kim gasped.

“Kim can take a day off without having to use her transformation,” Dani pointed out. “She’s done it before, remember? When Rose used her Method Acting to copy the transformation!”

Dakota smirked. “True enough,” she admitted. “But unfortunately, Rose already used Method Acting today, this afternoon, to copy Ella’s transformation. It won’t recharge in time for work, I’m afraid… sorry about that.”

Dani blanched. But she quickly recovered. “Then… have Sylvia do it!” She said. “That can work, right? Sylvia hasn’t used hers today, right?”

She’d been on a date with Nick all day. So there didn’t seem to be a reason for her to have used Method Acting today.

And it seemed rather poetic, having Sylvia work so that Kim could go on a date. It almost sounded like something she’d be supportive of.

The look on Dakota’s face showed that she was supportive of it, too.

“So, subjecting Sylvia to a job, so you can go play with Nick? I can’t say I’m against that,” Dakota snickered. “That could almost be as amusing as giving you a punishment transformation for taking a Sick Day!”

Kim wasn’t convinced. The fact that Dakota was supportive of this idea was almost reason enough to not go along with it.

“We should ask Sylvia though, just to make sure,” she pointed out. “If she doesn’t want to do that…”

Kim realized that this might be the perfect opportunity to check in with Sylvia and see how her date went. After all, this was a very rare occasion where a girl wouldn’t be going up to the Master’s Suite after her date.

Dakota clapped her hands together. “What a brilliant idea, Kim! In fact, let’s go ask her right now, shall we?”

Kim and Dani looked at each other. Every time Dakota agreed with them, it caused them to question whether or not this was actually a good idea.

And yet, the two flustered girls still followed Dakota out of their room. Dani was glued to Kim’s side, staying with her for moral support. She didn’t know what was going on with her roommate, but it seemed clear that Kim was bothered by something.

Kim herself just looked doubtful of this whole thing.

Neither girl expected what they saw when they knocked on Sylvia’s door.

“Sylvia!” Dani’s eyes widened.

Kim gasped. “Your hair!”

Sylvia blinked, then beamed. “Oh, do you like it?” She chirped. “I… oh!”

Her eyes widened when she saw Dakota, and she straightened up. “Dakota! What do you want?” She was even more wary of the host than the other two.

“Can’t I come by to see how one of my contestants is doing, after a date with the master?” Dakota purred.

Sure she could. But if anybody thought that was actually why she was here, they were kidding themselves.

Dakota didn’t even bother pretending to keep up an act, and barreled right on through. “But you’re right, I’m not here to do girl talk about how far and you and your ‘Daddy’ got tonight, because we both know Nick’s too much of a gentleman to accept a dish that’s been served up to him on a silver platter,” she mused.

Sylvia’s shoulders sagged in disappointment and she couldn’t help but nod.

Dakota shook her head. “No no no, I’m here on account of another contestant, in fact!” She stepped aside, and let Kim make her case.

“Kim?” Sylvia looked to her curiously.

Dani nodded encouragingly, but when Kim opened her mouth, nothing came out.

The fact was, she wasn’t even sure what she wanted to ask.

Seeing Kim floundering, Dani was quick to cut in. “So you know how Kim’s date is tomorrow, right?” She reminded the former host.

Sylvia nodded. “Yeah…”

“Well, she wanted to use Dream Alley, for her date.” Dani glanced at Dakota, who was busy inspecting her nails, acting like this wasn’t her problem in the slightest. “But our magnanimous host reminded us of her work obligations.”

Sylvia blinked. “That’s what her Sick Day is for, yeah?” She pointed out. “So she can take a day off work, can’t she?”

Dakota nodded. Seeing that, Sylvia’s heart leapt in her chest.

Dani was undaunted though. “Yeah, but that would give her a punishment transformation,” she pointed out.

“A mild punishment transformation,” Dakota interjected. “Hardly even an inconvenience!”

Dani gave her a sideways look and Sylvia bit back a snicker.

Nobody bought that for a second.

“So let me guess,” Sylvia said, looking at Dani and Kim, and pointedly not looking at Dakota. “You want me to use Method Acting to copy Kim’s transformation tomorrow, so I can take up her shift?”

“Basically yes,” Dani nodded. “We were gonna ask Rose, but the timing doesn’t sync up properly, so…”

“Hmm…” Sylvia tapped her chin thoughtfully.

“If you don’t want to do it, you don’t have to,” Kim said. She’d already prepared herself mentally for the punishment transformation anyway. Method Acting hadn’t even occurred to her, this was more Dani’s show than hers.”

Dakota cleared her throat, getting the attention of all three girls. They stared at her, but she was still looking at her nails.

“Hmm?” She finally looked up, wearing a confused expression that was as fake as her sympathy for Kim’s plight. “What is it?”

Kim sighed. “…Did you have something you wanted to add?” She’d been around enough sleazy managers to know when someone was maintaining power while pretending to be neutral. Dakota was running things, and they were on her schedule, not the other way around.

“No, not at all, I’m just a neutral observer,” lied the woman who had orchestrated this whole scenario in the first place. “But I will say… I think you girls are being a bit too hard on the benefit of transformations. They aren’t all bad, you know. If you would just open your minds a little, and dip your toe in the water, you might even come to appreciate the benefit a temporary transformation provides to your perspective!”

Sylvia’s eyes widened and she nodded in agreement. That was exactly what she’d talked about with Nick earlier, on her date.

Kim couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“But it’s a punishment transformation!” Dani blurted out, staring in shock at how brazenly Dakota had tried to play it off.

Dakota blankly stared back at her.

“A punishment transformation,” Dani repeated.

The host continued to remain silent.

“…A punishment-”

“Yes, yes, yes, you keep using that word,” Dakota finally interrupted her, shaking her head distastefully. “Don’t think of it as a punishment, that’s such a dirty word.”

Kim stared at her. “But that’s literally what it’s called.”

“Well, let’s forget about that, then!” Dakota clapped her hands around the head of her cane. “Instead of a punishment transformation, let’s call it a funishment transformation!”

Dani and Kim were at a loss for words.

“Ooh!” Sylvia’s eyes sparkled. Somehow, Dakota’s crazy logic was actually winning her over.

“But it’s still going to be a punishment, though, right?” Kim pointed out, regaining her bearings.

“Well, with a negative mindset, anything can seem like a punishment,” Dakota bluntly replied, her logic growing increasingly tenuous. “I’m sure that Sylvia here can appreciate the benefit of broadening horizons by taking on a transformation or two for just a little while.”

Sylvia nodded thoughtfully. “Well…”

“Sylvia!” Dani’s jaw dropped.

“What? I mean… it’s not the worst thing in the world!” Sylvia protested defensively.

“Besides, Kim, I would have expected you of all people to be open to the idea of temporary transformations,” Dakota pointed out, running her fingers through the loose strands of hair on the edge of Kim’s cheek.

Kim hastily pulled away, her face red. “I-I mean…”

She knew what Dakota was alluding to. Back when she’d taken that random transformation on Dakota’s say-so, and turned into a different person for a day. That had been… an experience.

A positive one.

Wait, I’m not seriously considering this, am I!?

Kim couldn’t believe she was actually giving Dakota’s suggestion some serious thought. The idea that she should ignore the possibility presented here by passing her job responsibilities off onto Sylvia and actually agree to use her Sick Day?! That was stupidity incarnate!

And yet…

“For what it’s worth,” Sylvia said, raising her hand, “I’m fine with it. Doing your job for the day, I mean. But I really think you should be open-minded to the fun a temporary transformation can provide you, Kim!”

She seldom had the opportunity anymore to talk about the benefits of transformations.

“But it’s a punishment transformation!” Dani made the sensible argument for what felt like the millionth time. How could Kim just ignore that?

“Yeah, it is…” Kim nodded. A wave of guilt flashed through her as she remembered what happened with Vivian earlier this morning. Maybe she deserved a punishment…

No, but that wasn’t why she was going to do this. If she was going to do this.

“It’s your choice,” Dakota said, looking from Sylvia to Kim and then back again. “I’m not going to push the issue one way or the other.”

…She said, after having practically shoved the idea down their throats.

“Come on, Kim, it’ll be so fun!” Sylvia encouraged her.

“…Fine. Geez, I must be going crazy…” Kim shook her head, unable to believe what she just agreed to. Dani groaned and rubbed her temples in frustration.

“Lovely!” Dakota held up her cane. “Then I’ll think of a good one for you! …But first, about the price…”

Right. She’d almost forgotten.

With a sigh on her lips and roll of her eyes, Kim made the transaction. She knew she was probably making a massive mistake here, but it wouldn’t be her first one today.

Kim: 8100 BP – 5000 BP = 3100 BP

“Pleasure doing business with you,” Dakota chirped, and she flickered away with a flourish of her cane.

“Thanks, Dani,” Kim said, turning back to the tomboy. “But I think I’m going to give it a go. And if it doesn’t work… I’ll know never to use Sick Day again.”

Dani shrugged. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” she muttered.

“Come on, don’t look so glum, my girl!” Sylvia patted Kim on the back. “I’m sure your date with Daddy will be great, just like mine was!”

Kim really hoped so. She’d been waiting for this for a long time. If one brief moment of stupidity would put it in jeopardy, she might be liable to break something.

And that something might just be her own skull.