A swimsuit and a synergy bonus.

As Hiyoko had promised, a swimsuit was thrown over the door. Before looking at it, Chihiro already knew he'd see one of two things: a ridiculously skimpy swimsuit if Hiyoko had failed to control her urge to bully her target one last time on the way out, or a normal one for a girl of Chihiro's size if she was thinking clearly.

To the programmer's relief, it appeared the threat of being **** to act against her will had kept Hiyoko in line. The rental she'd chosen was a sensible two-piece: a bikini top and bottom, conservatively covered and decorated by a short skirt and a multiple frilled layers on the top. The combination of frills and the black-and-white color scheme reminded Chihiro of someone, but he didn't pay it much attention. Instead, after confirming Hiyoko's footsteps indicated she was exiting the hut, he sighed and finished stripping off his feminine underwear.

Replacing the top was simple enough: this style was probably the next best thing to the shirt he'd been planning to wear, and it was even correctly sized for someone relatively flat-chested. It wouldn't be comfortable to announce himself as a guy dressed in something that frilly, but he didn't think he'd rush that announcement any time soon, regardless. For now, it fit Chihiro's feminine body well.

The bottom was a bit more concerning, for a reason that was apparent once Chihiro shed the bloomers he was wearing. There it was, between his legs... It wasn't much, but it was his. When he pulled up the bikini, he was careful to tuck himself in at the front. It wasn't as uncomfortable as he expected, and because of the skirt, his secret ought to remain well-hidden.

His secret...

Up until today, he'd thought that secret would be the big reveal during this vacation. Not that he intended to flash anyone, of course: he'd simply planned to announce his true identity to all of his friends. Instead, he'd ended up harboring a much bigger secret, one he was now **** to lie about, even to his friends. He understood that, for the sake of his promise and his goal, Custom Girls was clearly a blessing, but why couldn't he get comfortable using it the way it was meant to be used?

It was crude to think about, but... after his previous adventure with Hiyoko, he wasn't even erect! Even with control, he'd basically been backed into a corner, and he didn't seem to have a kink for it. Really, this was always going to be an uphill battle. After all, had he ever been the type driven by a strong lust for women, with a depraved desire to control them? Had he ever been a real man, as he now thought of that title?

Standing there in a pretty, frilly bikini that fit him perfectly, he'd never felt like less of one. He sighed as he cleaned up the clothes he'd left around. "If it's going to be like this... shouldn't I just give up on Custom Girls? Maybe I should-"

Just as he was thinking that, as if to reconvince him, his app buzzed loudly with a new message. The young man jumped, startled. For a moment, he considered ignoring it, but he decided he should at least take a look. If he didn't find something convincing, maybe he could at least find a way to back out of the agreement.

"Hey kid,

Another weak delivery. In case you forgot, we're trying to harvest sexual energy. Isn't there something that gets you going?

Nevermind. There's no point in lecturing you. Instead, I'll give you a few tips to bring you closer to that manhood you're after.

First, this program is about satisfying your needs. You just need to think about what speaks to you, then seek that out. But if you don't know it yet, why not keep trying things out? Think about what you liked doing and what you didn't and you'll get closer to your preference.

Speaking of trying stuff out, more gems can only help. You have 10, now, and if you meet a new girl and finish a new mission, you'll be looking at more. However, wouldn't you like to supercharge your gem count and start digging into some bigger, badder effects? This is a great chance to consider a 'synergy bonus.' Such bonuses can be earned by putting multiple related purchases on the same target, or on different targets, or even just by selecting related targets. Think of it as a reward for being a guy who knows what he wants. If you're not sure what to do, why not aim for one of those? Here's two you're close to:

BONUS: Bitch Tamer - Use purchases to limit the actions of three different women with bitchy personalities. (2/3) REWARD: 10 gems + Mystery bonus

BONUS: Blondes are Best - Use purchases to play with three different women with natural blonde hair, without changing their hair color. (2/3) REWARD: 10 gems + Mystery bonus

And as a last tip: have you considered contact? I'm surprised I'm having to tell a Custom Girls user this, but messing with a girl's actions and awareness is only the tip of the iceberg. Looking at them will probably only get you so far. Eventually, you're going to want to touch them or have them touch you. If you don't have an idea of what to do, why not try for that?

I know that's a lot of 'why nots', but hey: why not?"

Chihiro had more "why" on his brain than "why not." Somehow or another, the concept of taking what he wanted from women was feeling more and more distant. It didn't feel right, but maybe, when he reached his next target, he should try acting outside of his comfort zone?

Regardless, with the changing room locked up behind him, Chihiro was ready to enjoy the beach. Even if he had to wear a woman's swimsuit, even if he had to think about what he'd do to women or even what he wanted to do to women, he was going to choose to enjoy the beach!

Just as he thought that, stepping out of the hut and onto the sand, shielding his eyes against the bright sun, he bumped into someone who'd take that choice out of his hands again.