Although it was the first time he had heard this term, Naga clearly felt at that moment that it definitely referred to him. He took the opportunity to ask Yui for more information about this kind of person, but since Yui had only just started looking for information, her knowledge about it was still vague.
She only had one guess about these people: they were able to materialize something deep within their own dreams by invading and devouring the dreams of others, and the more intense the invasion and devouring of the dreams, the richer the gifts they received.
Very few people possess this talent, because few people can become so engrossed in their dreams that they cannot extricate themselves, and this is precisely the key to the awakening of the Dream Eater's abilities.
Ai knew all this because she had a senior classmate who was a Dream Eater. Through a few clumsy attempts at devouring and invading, she dropped out of high school before finishing and became the eldest daughter-in-law of a powerful family conglomerate in the city, living the life of a wealthy young lady that she had dreamed of since childhood.
Yui is her only friend. During a conversation in a coffee shop, she confided her secret to Yui and asked her to investigate the details of this ability so that she could use it more freely.
More than a month has passed, and all she has managed to glean from some strange and unusual books and from fortune tellers she doesn't know whether to believe or not, is the name "Dream Eater" and some fragmented explanations.
Love had no choice but to shift her focus to dreams and start from there.
The results showed that most of the research focused on psychological aspects, which disappointed Ai somewhat.
Watching her pale fingers slide dejectedly across the heavy book cover, Naga almost blurted out that he was also a Dream Eater.
"I'm sorry for talking so much nonsense with you." Looking at the time, Yui lowered her head apologetically, "I rarely have anyone willing to listen to me like this. Thank you, Mr. Strange."
Well... aside from the fact that he felt the way he was addressed was a bit inappropriate, this lunch was definitely his most satisfying encounter.
Next time we chat, at least I won't just listen passively. Naga opened the cover, smelling the fresh ink. Judging from the book's pristine condition, there really aren't many people who care about this kind of knowledge…
The afternoon's overtime work was even more boring than the morning's. Koga Yu, who had been fed by him, had a lazy satisfaction in his eyes. He settled comfortably in his chair and organized the data on his computer. Naga, who was a little excited by the encounter at noon, sent an email to Yu. The reply was like a coquettish plea, "My lower body is all swollen. Please, another day, okay?"
He simply said yes.
After opening the book and reading a few pages, Naga, who was naturally bad at reading long passages of text, soon felt his eyelids getting heavy. He quickly stuffed the bookmark in, straightened his back, put on his headphones, and listened to a heavy metal song that was almost like noise to perk himself up.
He didn't expect to adapt to the rhythm of a normal workday so quickly. Now, this state of having nothing to do feels strange to him. Looking back on his lifeless stay-at-home life not long ago, it feels like a past life.
"Yumeno-kun, what are your plans after get off work?" When it was time to leave work, Maeda Reiko waited by the wall in the corridor with a somewhat expectant smile. After observing him carefully for a moment, she made an invitation-like inquiry to him.
"No. Does Maeda-senpai have any suggestions?" Miku should still be listening to music in her office; she shouldn't have a chance to cause trouble this time.
"Um...actually, there's a social event today with a few companies upstairs. It's at the little bar around the corner." It seemed to be the first time she had taken the initiative to invite a man. She lowered her head slightly as she spoke, and a blush appeared on her full cheeks. "There's a guy who was supposed to...uh, but something came up and he can't make it. If you don't mind, Yumeno-kun, could you come along? If you could help out, no one would be left out."
Naga wasn't really interested in this kind of matchmaking event where the number of men and women were equal, a chaotic mix of blind dates, one-night stands, and everything in between. However, he was somewhat interested in Reiko, and he was indeed quite bored at night.
Before Miku could cause any trouble, Naga patted Reiko on the back and walked into the elevator with her. "Okay, let's go together then."
The meeting place was a medium-sized private room in a bar, where you could make a lot of noise without being complained about by the neighbors. The dim lighting was enough to blur the subtle flaws in faces, and with the stimulation of alcohol, it was undoubtedly the best place for women to strike an opportune pose.
Moreover, there are love hotels nearby, which shows that the organizers are very experienced.
The host was a short man with acne all over his face. Judging from the way his gaze would inevitably return to its original spot after a brief wandering, his target was the petite but well-proportioned office lady next to him. Contrary to Naga's expectations, the men didn't swarm around the most outstanding women like mosquitoes chasing blood. Instead, they pragmatically chose the ones with the highest chance of success and launched their offensives. Reiko wasn't particularly outstanding among the women present, yet she was still approached by two or three men in turn, while the two prettiest girls were largely ignored.
However, the two beauties' overly arrogant demeanor was also a factor. In this situation, risking embarrassment to challenge a difficult level was certainly not the route these males, whose goal was to release hormones, would choose.
But Naga was a little too preoccupied with her. A girl with a few freckles on her face, but who was quite cute, was taking the initiative to chat with him. To him, he neither understood nor wanted to refuse this kind of woman who took the initiative to approach him.
After a few drinks, the conversation became more varied. Some of the guys who were close to winning had already switched seats and were whispering to each other, while the girls who were making shy expressions were also enjoying themselves immensely.
It's foreseeable that at least three or four men will make it to home plate tonight.
A tall man, who was fairly pleasing to the eye, appeared beside Reiko and whispered incessantly in her ear. Reiko could roughly guess that they were discussing a date after the social event. Reiko seemed to want to refuse, but didn't know how to say it; her expression shifted between difficulty and confusion.
A woman like her is completely unsuitable for this kind of social gathering. Naga let the cold beer roll on her tongue a few times, weighed it in her mind, and whispered to Moko, whose ears were burning with excitement, "Moko, I have something to do tonight. Remember my number, and we can contact each other later."
"Oh? Ah, Anai is leaving already... I wanted to continue our date with you somewhere else."
Moko pouted and acted coquettishly, her rosy cheeks particularly alluring in the dim light. Without a doubt, as long as he stayed until the end of the social event, taking this girl to a hotel for the night would be a piece of cake, and judging from her personality, there wouldn't be any problems.
"There will be plenty of opportunities in the future. We live in the same building, so we'll meet again eventually." Naga used up all her composure to apologize to those around her in a low voice before leaving the room, which was now filled with drunkenness.
He walked all the way to the bar entrance, letting the cool breeze clear his head, then took out his phone and dialed Reiko's number.
Five or six minutes later, a somewhat disheveled Reiko ran out, clutching her skirt with both hands. Her shoulder-length hair was unkempt, with a few strands sticking to her sweaty cheeks.
"I'm so grateful, thank you so much." Reiko thanked her gratefully, then lowered her head in a bit of dejection. "How embarrassing. I was the one who invited you, but you saw me in such a sorry state."
Naga lit a cigarette and said with a smile, "Has Maeda-senpai never attended a gathering like this before?"
Reiko shook her head. "I've thought about participating before, but... I always felt I didn't have the courage. I never expected it to be like this."
Naga said, half-comfortingly, "It's not always like that. There are also pure matchmaking events, but they certainly won't be in places like this." He glanced at his watch. "Let's walk somewhere else first, so that no one else sees us. That wouldn't be good."
Reiko nodded, somewhat dejected, and said, "I thought it would be a great opportunity to meet new friends, but it turned out like this... I'm so sorry, Yumeno-kun."
Reiko wasn't very tall, and her clothes, which had been a bit disheveled inside, weren't completely straightened. As she walked beside Naga, he could clearly see her fair, moist skin through her open collar with just a glance. Perhaps because of her voluptuous figure, the area around her collarbone looked very fleshy, making one want to gently bite it.
"Reiko." After walking two blocks, Naga brought the endless chatter to a close. Since even the way she addressed her could be changed, it was time to consider what to do next. For a woman with her personality, a direct and assertive approach should suffice. "Is it alright for you to go home so late?"
Reiko blinked, still a little dazed from the lingering effects of the alcohol. "I share an apartment with a friend, and she usually doesn't want to go home until late at night. Now, when I get home, I watch TV alone." Seemingly feeling helpless about her loneliness, Reiko's shoulders slumped.
"Then...why don't you come with me for another drink?" Naga tried to maintain a calm and gentle tone, even though the beast in her blood was already burning under the influence of alcohol. "Anyway, I'll be alone when I go home."
Although his parents' views on him changed somewhat after he started working, their focus was still on his outstanding younger brother. Even if he didn't come home all night, his parents might not call him.
Of course, this was just wishful thinking on his part, since he had never stayed out all night before.
Tonight, maybe I can give it a try. The last time he slept with a woman in a hotel was back in high school. The only memory he had of her was his girlfriend's face, showing a liberated expression as she looked at his blood-stained underwear—just like how dating him until she lost her virginity was all about doing what people her age were supposed to do without being laughed at.
"Hmm..." It was already late, and Reiko was well aware of what it would mean to accept the man's invitation at this time. She frowned and hesitated without answering.
"You don't want to go home alone and dejected so early after your first social gathering, do you?" As if a voice was guiding him, Naga grabbed her arm. With a woman so hesitant, he should just follow his own instincts. Before she figured things out, enough time would have passed—a fact that welled up within him told him, making him look forward to tonight.
As expected, Reiko couldn't bring herself to strongly object. Although she looked somewhat embarrassed, she still followed his steps, her body pressed against his under his control.
"Has Reiko ever had a boyfriend before?" Naga asked casually, not giving Reiko any time to calm down, and headed straight for an izakaya across from a hotel.
"Uh… I had a boyfriend during my junior college years," Reiko answered honestly. "But he wasn't really serious about the relationship, so… uh… I got dumped."
"Oh, that guy really has no taste."
"Yumeno-kun, don't joke with me..."
Half an hour later, with her cheeks flushed, Reiko nestled softly against Naga and walked out of the izakaya without much resistance, heading towards the hotel entrance where the neon lights flickered with an ambiguous glow.