And you may tell yourself, "This is not my beautiful wife"

Nick and Kim spent a long time luxuriating in the hot spring. They needed time to detoxify and regroup after the emotionally-intense confrontations they’d both had with their feelings.

Not everything had been resolved. But the warmth of the hot spring did wonders in absorbing the stressors of their current situation, clearing their minds and allowing them to move forward.

Kim had no idea how long they had been there. But when she came out, her large breasts looked like giant prunes.

She grinned at Nick as they walked back into the spa.

“I’m feeling hungry,” she said, rubbing her belly. “What about you, Nick? Want to eat?”

Nick nodded. “I could eat,” he agreed. “Assuming you don’t want to do anything else?”

Kim considered it. But she shook her head. “Not before dinner. After… well, who knows?” She gave him a sly look as she walked over to her locker- extraneous, since they were the only ones here, but convenient.

Nick was surprised to see her slip into a soft kimono like that at a traditional hot spring in Japan, though. “Oh! You look nice in that.”

“You think?” Kim brushed back her moist hair and looked at him curiously. “What’s the best part?” She leaned over, showing off her chest.

Nick blushed. He could see a decent amount of cleavage, and it was clear she was showing him that on purpose.

“I… I like all of it,” he said, thinking that was the best move.

Kim was about to show him that it wasn’t.

“Oh? All of it, eh?” She grinned, doing a little twirl, before bending over again. “You mean my breasts… waist… ass… and face? I’m flattered.”

Nick cleared his throat. He’d been naked for a while, so it was awkward wearing trousers again, but right now, he was feeling uncomfortable for a different reason.

Now it was Kim’s turn to leer at his… growth. She smirked and raised her eyes, giving him a knowing leer. Then she turned around, and headed back into the changing room.

“I still need to freshen up,” she called back to him. “You head off to dinner first, okay? I’ve already made reservations.”

Nick wasn’t sure what she meant by that, but he didn’t have time to ask because the world around him started to shift. Before he knew it, he was standing in the middle of a fancy restaurant.

Severely underdressed for the upscale atmosphere.

For a second, he started to panic, only to remember that this was Dream Alley. He could wear whatever he wanted! With a snap of his fingers, his trousers and button-up shirt were replaced with a fancy tuxedo, nice and upscale for an upscale restaurant like this one. He swallowed, and looked around, wondering where Kim could have gotten off to.

Well, you succeeded in surprising me, that’s for sure, he thought as he scanned the crowd of fancy socialites and wealthy entrepreneurs.

“Hello, Nick. I hope I didn’t keep you waiting long?”

Nick turned around, and for a moment he forgot to breathe.

Kim was standing before him look like a vision in scarlet. She wore a fancy red dress that clung to her figure, and emphasized it pretty explicitly. It looked like the kind of dresses that Rose used to wear, back when she first came to the island and was playing the role of the seductive vixen. But those dresses were designed to highlight her curves, and this one… was not. Judging by the way Kim’s enhanced bosom strained against the fabric, it was clear that her current outfit had been designed for a body with significantly reduced attributes. But if she was concerned or embarrassed by that, it didn’t show on her face, and she stood proudly for Nick’s appraisal, holding her head up high.

“Well?” She asked in an echo of several minutes earlier. “What do you think?”

This time, Nick couldn’t even stammer out an answer. He just stared blankly at her as his brain tried to figure out where all the blood was going.

Apparently, “no answer” was exactly the response Kim was looking for, because she smiled at his flustered expression, strolled forward, and linked her arm around his.

“Shall we go then?” She purred, sounding like a woman with far more experience than she actually did. Even she was surprised by how overtly seductive she was acting- this wasn’t like her at all!

…But she wasn’t receiving any complaints, either.

“K-Kim-” Nick finally managed to spit out, but she stopped him with a finger across his lips.

“I know,” she said hurriedly. Her cheeks turned a light pink. “Let’s save it until we get to our table, alright?”

Nick gulped and nodded. That would give him some more time to think, anyway.

And she was giving him a lot to think about.

At a restaurant like this, it would have made sense to expect some attendant to show up and escort the two of them to their seats. But that wasn’t what happened here. Instead, Kim took the lead, weaving him through the crowd of diners until they reached the wide balcony in the back of the restaurant, the veranda.

When she opened the glass door and stepped outside, Nick lost his voice for a second time.

It was beautiful. A wide, open patio on a raised ledge, overlooking the sea below. The restaurant was built atop a small cliff, giving them a marvelous view of the ocean, and the sun hanging low on the horizon before them. A single table was set up, beneath a wide canopy, giving them both privacy from the other diners, and the freedom to take in the awesome sight.

“I’ve never been to a fancy restaurant like this before,” Kim admitted, staring out at the horizon. She looked back at Nick, her eyes watering slightly as she smiled. “I created this from my dreams. That’s what Dream Alley is for after all, right? Living out your fantasies?”

“Yeah,” Nick nodded softly, approaching her and taking her hand. “Yeah, it is.”

She smiled, and wiped the wetness from her eyes. It was then that Nick realized she’d taken a moment to add makeup as well, which was another shock. Kim had always preferred the plain look, and that was just fine because her smile was all the beauty she’d ever needed.

Right now, though, she looked majestic.

“Shall we?” She gestured to the table, feeling a little awkward. She was both enjoying Nick staring at her and getting embarrassed at the same time.

Nick shook himself out of his haze and nodded quickly. “Ye-yeah, right!” He quickly moved around her, and pulled out her seat like a gentleman should, especially in a place as fancy as this. “Take a seat?” He asked, hoping he sounded suave, and not like an awkward dork on his first date ever.

Lucky for him, his date happened to like awkward dorks quite a bit. Almost as much as she liked the man she was with. With a giggle and a smile, she sat down, and Nick took the seat across from her. Just like that, candles lit up, casting them both in a soft glow that only got brighter as the sun set further down over the ocean.

“It’s almost night time,” Kim murmured, looking out over the sea. “Hey, you remember, when we had that one date before? Walking out on the beach?”

“Yeah, I remember,” Nick nodded.

“I needed to buy a vision to see that,” Kim giggled. “I was so **** to follow up on that wonderful date we had together at the Amusement Park, I wanted to give you exactly what you wanted.”

“And… it was,” Nick pointed out. That night still held a special place in his heart.

Kim beamed up at him, biting her bottom lip coquettishly. It was a surprisingly seductive move from her, but she’d been honing her skills at seduction all day. And while she might never reach the heights of someone like Rose, she felt confident that she was appealing to him in her own special way.

He couldn’t take his eyes off her, after all. And it wasn’t her cleavage he was gazing into this time.

“Looking back… I can’t believe I needed to do that,” she laughed, shaking her head and taking a sip of the complementary water that materialized for them both. “It should have been much easier to figure out what you needed from me!”

Nick laughed. “Oh, really, you think so?” He mused. “Easy, huh?”

“Of course!” She batted her eyelashes his way. “Guys like you only have one thing in mind, after all.” Her eyes quickly dropped to her chest, then back up to his.

He didn’t even look. She was kind of disappointed, but kind of pleased as well. Her emotions were facing a rather complex conundrum.

“I like you for you, Kim,” he said for what felt like the millionth time today. But this time, it wasn’t out of desperation to soothe some ingrown anxiety he feared she might have. He said it playfully, like two old lovers joking around with each other.

That was exactly what Kim needed.

“I’m glad I got this transformation in Dream Alley and not back on the island,” she said, adjusting her dress. “It’s not nearly as uncomfortable having these strapped to my chest as I expect it should be.” She’d heard a lot of complaints from Mary back when the farm girl had first gotten an increase in her asset portfolio.

“I don’t suppose you could be convinced to keep them around for a few more days, could I?” Nick was just joking again, since it seemed like Kim was taking it pretty lightly too. But she gave him a sharp look, like a warning.

“It’s a punishment transformation,” she reminded him. “If I use Sick Day again, it won’t just be this. I’ll have some other issues too.”

A good point to consider.

Then her smile returned.

“With that being said… we have all night ahead of us to make use of it,” she pointed out. “And… indulge our fantasies.”

Nick’s erection throbbed in his pants as he remembered their discussion in the hot spring. As important as it was to have that conversation with Kim, he was definitely paying for it now.

She knew, after all. Which meant she could use his weakness to her advantage.

And she seemed intent to do just that.

“If you wanted to be more comfortable, you could wear a different dress,” Nick pointed out, gesturing to the tight garment fighting with all its might to keep her assets contained. “I can’t imagine that’s very comfortable.”

“You would be dead right about that!” Kim nodded. “Even with Dream Alley, it’s a bit of a pinch. Still… it’s worth it. And not just because it makes you go like this.”

She gave Nick a dumbfounded, slack-jawed expression that made her look like a moron.

Nick blushed. “I-I didn’t look like that… did I?”

“Oh yeah, big time,” Kim laughed. And since her breasts didn’t grow a single millimeter she must have been telling the truth. “But don’t worry, I like making you look like an idiot just a little bit.”

Again, her boobs remained the same size. She wasn’t lying.

Nick still felt embarrassed.

“Kim-”

“This is my dress, actually,” she cut him off. “I wore it. For you. In those photos. You remember?”

Nick was about to ask what photos, when the waiter showed up holding a tray of food covered in silver.

Kim looked up at him, confused. “We- we haven’t ordered yet,” she stammered.

“On the house, madam,” he said, setting it down on the table and gingerly lifting the covering.

It wasn’t food unveiled by the elderly gentleman. Well, it was, in a manner of speaking. It may not have filled Nick’s belly, but it was certainly a veritable feast.

Photograph after photograph spilled out from the tray, spreading over the table like a gust of wind had knocked over a house of cards. Nick looked down at the countless photos spread around in front of them, all depicting Kim in a variety of outfits, posing seductively for the camera.

Kim gulped, turning red.

“I… I took those for you,” she admitted, burning with embarrassment. Of course Dakota would pick just this moment to finally give them to him, after days and days of holding them back.

“Actually, I… I knew about these,” Nick admitted, thumbing through them. “That they existed, anyway. I just didn’t know there were… so many.”

Kim looked beautiful. Regardless of what she wore, the camera simply loved her. And Nick could see the love reflected back in her eyes, even though he knew it had nothing to do with the photographer. No, the reason why Kim looked so enamored here was because she knew exactly who these photos were meant for.

They were meant for him.

“After this photoshoot,” Kim interrupted his perusal, clearing her throat, “I was given a prize from the bounty. Three of these outfits, I can wear any time I like. And this… this is one of them.”

She gestured to the red dress she was wearing, identical to the one in the photo Nick had just started admiring. He raised his head and took in the changes, and saw that she looked even more confident now.

“I can wear this whenever I want,” she said again. Then she blushed. “That’s why… I wanted to wear it tonight.”

She could have adjusted the dress to suit her enhanced assets. But she felt like if she did that, it would be a betrayal. A betrayal of herself, and all the hard work she’d put into earning this dress. Posing for hours and hours, all to look beautiful for his sake. She was proud of her accomplishment, and the look on Nick’s face told her she was right to feel that way.

“So… should we get something to eat?” She asked, taking another sip of water. “Or have you already had your fill?”

Nick laughed awkwardly. “I don’t know how to answer that,” he admitted honestly. “But I will say, I’m looking forward to dessert.”

Kim just laughed back at him, and they signaled the waiter to take their orders.

Kim may never have eaten in a fancy restaurant like this before, but her manners were impeccable. Far more than Nick would have expected, given her performance at lunch. She took every precaution to make sure she didn’t embarrass him, so she could be his perfect date. And he was proud of her for it. And when the meal was finished, he felt full in so many ways. As if he hadn’t just soothed his stomach, but his heart and soul, as well.

“Shall we go?” Kim rose from her seat and held out her hand, and that’s when Nick realized that there was a staircase leading down from the veranda, to the beach below.

He accepted the offered hand, and they descended down to the shore. The sun had just finished setting on the horizon, and the first stars of dusk were beginning to come out.

“There’s something about the sunset and the night sky that just gets to me, you know?” Kim murmured, looking up at the stars. The wind over the water was chilling, but she didn’t feel cold. “It’s like, I’m so small and insignificant, you know? Standing here, staring up at them like this…”

“I know the feeling,” Nick agreed. “Sometimes, we forget that we’re just one person in this small little world.”

Kim nodded in vague agreement, then lowered her gaze back to him. It was hard to make him out in the night, but the light of the tiki torches spanning their path certainly fixed that little problem quite nicely indeed.

“It’s hard, living my life.” The bluntness in Kim’s voice wasn’t meant to elicit sympathy, or even to be a complaint. It was just a simple fact of reality. “I have to work constantly. I hardly ever have any time for myself to enjoy things.”

“I know,” Nick said, feeling an apology coming on even if he didn’t think she wanted one. He couldn’t help himself sometimes, but he held himself back.

“But I still want to be here for things like this,” she said softly. “Looking at the night sky, or the beauty of nature… it helps. It reminds me that me, my problems, they’re all so small and insignificant. Compared to the glory of the universe, they aren’t really anything at all, are they?”

Her lips turned up into a smile.

“And if I think about it like that… then maybe it doesn’t seem like such a problem, you know?” She pointed out. “Maybe… I can deal, for one more day.”

Nick nodded. He completely understood where she was coming from. “You’re amazing, you know that?”

He felt like he couldn’t tell her that enough.

She looked surprised and alarmed for a moment. But before she could say anything, Nick continued, “A lot of other people in your position, Kim, they might be overwhelmed. They might give in. But you never do. You just keep going, with your head held high, and you keep trying your best.”

Kim laughed. “I think you’ve told me that a few times today,” she pointed out.

“I know,” Nick said. “But I haven’t told you… that’s what I love most about you.”

Kim’s eyes widened. “…You… I-I see, that…”

“I do love you, Kim,” he said, a little firmer. He reached out and cradled her cheek. “We’re not just having fun together. These dates, they’re casual, I know, but the fact remains, you’re still an important person to me. I love you. For all those little things, from your courage, to your boldness, to the way you smile in the face of adversity and try your best… everything about you enamors me completely and makes me wish I could have you all to myself, forever.”

He leaned forward and gingerly pressed his lips against hers. It wasn’t a playful kiss, like the ones they’d shared over breakfast, or a steamy kiss, like the one in the sauna. It was a gentle and delicate kiss, filled with love, and a desire that was more than just physical attraction.

Kim felt fireworks go off in her mind as she kissed him back, holding him close, and allowing herself to luxuriate in his love for her.

And she breathed back to him when the kiss was done, “I think I’m in love with you, too. For always seeing the best parts of me, even when I don’t see them in myself.”

She’d never really considered love or dating back when she was working herself to **** in her youth. Her focus was always on money for her family, for food, for her wellbeing and future. But here, now, sinking into Nick’s embrace and with him in hers, it seemed impossible that she could want for anything else.