The first stop on their day off: the amusement park.
Under the blazing sun, a thunder-like rumble rolled closer and closer. Mixed within the continuous booming were rising and falling screams of terror.
"Rumble—!"
The tracks roared as the roller coaster, moving at astonishing speed, traced a graceful arc through the sky along its winding rails before plunging with a thunderous crash onto the water below, sending up towering sprays of white mist dozens of meters high. The fierce wind carried icy droplets, and the sheer force of the drop—enough to make one feel as if their body might shatter—sent chills racing from head to toe. The passengers could only vent their feelings through endless screams.
In the last row of the roller coaster, the rushing wind made it hard for Kamiyā Yuu to keep his eyes open. The intense twists and turns kept his entire body tense. If Kamiyā Sora weren't beside him, he would have already been shouting at the top of his lungs to release the pressure building inside him.
Kamiyā Sora's expression remained as calm and cool as ever, but judging from how tightly her small hand gripped Kamiyā Yuu's—and how much it trembled—her inner state was clearly no better.
Kamiyā Yuu squeezed her palm, signaling her to look at him. Taking a deep breath, he shouted along with the other passengers as the coaster went through another steep drop.
"Ahhhhhhh—!"
The strong wind scattered Kamiyā Sora's silver hair. A faint smile flickered in her eyes as she gently shook her head, not joining in the shouting.
After the thrilling ride, the roller coaster slowly returned to the station. Several passengers, unable to adjust to the sudden slowdown, hurriedly pushed off their safety bars and rushed to the nearby trash cans, vomiting uncontrollably.
Kamiyā Yuu unfastened his own safety bar. The intense ride had left his body a bit weak. Seeing Kamiyā Sora's pale face, he firmly held her still-trembling hand and asked softly, "Can you stand?"
Kamiyā Sora bit her lip unwillingly, pondered for a moment, then shook her head.
"It's nothing you need to hide. I'm only doing slightly better than you right now," Kamiyā Yuu said with a chuckle, flicking her forehead lightly. After helping her remove the safety bar, he gently lifted her into his arms.
"There's still some time. Let's rest over by the Ferris wheel."
He placed her on a nearby bench.
"My hat is still in the locker," Kamiyā Sora said weakly.
"Mm, we'll grab it when we go buy drinks later."
······
The second stop on their day off: a large shopping mall.
"Yuu, how is this one?" Kamiyā Sora stepped out of the fitting room wearing a black Gothic dress. The design leaned toward a more mature style—similar to the white Gothic long dress she usually wore, but more like formal attire for Western banquets. The intricate folds and lace patterns were perfectly balanced. Combined with her naturally cool demeanor, it gave off an indescribable sense of elegance and solemnity. The black Gothic dress made her appear more mature, further highlighting her refined and dignified aura.
Kamiyā Yuu looked her up and down for a while before frowning. "Sora, isn't this a bit too formal?"
"Mm, it does feel that way, but as home wear, it's not a bad choice." Kamiyā Sora pinched the hem of her skirt and spun lightly in front of him.
"If you like it, then buy it," Kamiyā Yuu said with a smile, nodding.
"What about this one?"
This time, Kamiyā Sora wasn't wearing her usual Gothic dress, but a white high-slit cheongsam with a classical Chinese style. Its fitted design accentuated her slender figure, making her appear graceful and alluring. Her smooth, well-shaped legs were partially revealed through the slit, stirring an impulse in Kamiyā Yuu to keep looking.
In his memory, this seemed to be the first time Kamiyā Sora had tried a style outside of Gothic clothing. And the way she looked in the cheongsam strongly resembled that "cheongsam Sora" image he had in mind.
—It would be even better with white lace stockings and long gloves… but Sora is my sister!
Kamiyā Yuu kept his thoughts to himself and firmly shook his head. "Not this one."
"I don't dislike this Chinese-style cheongsam. Would it be fine as home wear?" Kamiyā Sora seemed quite fond of it, fiddling with the hem and examining it repeatedly. The low heels on her feet tapped crisply against the tiled floor.
—Is she testing my self-control on purpose?
—Well… if it's just for home wear, I'd be the only one seeing it anyway.
Kamiyā Yuu rubbed his temples with a headache. With Kamiyā Sora intentionally or unintentionally choosing clothes that stirred his impulses, he genuinely worried that, without supervision, he might lose control one day. Helplessly, he said, "Buy a set of casual clothes for going out. As for home wear… as long as it's not too much, I'll leave it to you."
"I already have several casual outfits for going out, and most of the time I wear my school uniform," Kamiyā Sora replied with a frown.
"…" Kamiyā Yuu was left speechless. Thinking about it, he couldn't recall many times she had gone out before. Today was the first time in months she had agreed to go shopping with him.
To satisfy Kamiyā Yuu, for the final outfit, Kamiyā Sora chose a Western-style retro ensemble with a white top and black skirt. The design was similar to her usual white Gothic long dress, but the separate top and skirt featured more refined and elegant details. When she wore it, she gave Kamiyā Yuu the impression of a noble young lady from the Victorian era—graceful and dignified.
Kamiyā Yuu's eyes lit up, and he nodded in great satisfaction. "This one works."
The three outfits cost over 30,000 yen in total, instantly using up nearly half of Kamiyā Yuu's extra budget.
······
The third stop on their day off: a professional electronics store.
After having dinner at a restaurant in the mall, Kamiyā Sora was visibly tired from the afternoon's activities, leaning half her body against Kamiyā Yuu as she walked to conserve energy. As they prepared to head home, Kamiyā Yuu stopped by an electronics store—the main purpose of his outing.
"Yes, Mr. Kamiyā. That will be 43,000 yen in total. Your custom order will be delivered around 8 PM as requested," the cashier said with a warm smile, bowing slightly with her hands together.
"Yuu, what are those?" Kamiyā Sora covered her mouth lightly as she let out a sleepy yawn, asking with little interest.
"Thank you." Kamiyā Yuu smiled politely at the saleswoman. As they walked out of the store, he explained, "A few days ago, I pre-ordered a drawing tablet here. It can be used for digital art. I tested its performance just now, and it's pretty satisfactory. It'll help a lot with my animation work."
A high-end entry-level tablet costing over 40,000 yen could already support 3D modeling software. While technical limitations might prevent full functionality, it would still greatly facilitate his 3D modeling work.
Moreover, his reason for buying it wasn't solely for 3D modeling. He also planned to practice drawing on the computer. With the rapid development of the internet, digital drawing has become an essential skill for every key animator. Effects that were difficult to achieve with traditional brushes and paint could be easily realized on a computer.
Kamiyā Yuu had already mastered the fundamentals of key animation. Next, he needed to refine his skills while learning how to use color and special effects.