Interlude: Rindo Hibiki's Past

I, Rindou Hibiki, was just a normal girl.

For as long as I can remember, there was always an 'older sister' figure in my life. She was my cousin, and I absolutely adored her.

When I started elementary school, the new friends I made seemed so much more mature than the kids in kindergarten. I joined their circles, learning the ropes of being a girl—talking about romance, beauty, and cute things.

Then, one day...

"Hey, Hibiki-chan... your skin is kind of gross, isn't it?"

A single comment from an elementary school friend. I can't say I’d never noticed my skin before, but those words wounded me deeply.

When I looked at my friends, they all had beautiful skin, possessed of that natural moisture only children have. My breakouts were probably just early-onset puberty acne. But because of those words, I developed a massive complex.

"Mizuki-nee! Make me pretty!"

I pleaded with the person I relied on most—my cousin, Housaka Mizuki, who was two years older than me. Mizuki-nee had been cute, cool, stylish, and beautiful ever since she was little.

"Leave it to me! We share the same blood, so there's no way you won't turn out adorable!"

I was so happy to hear those words. I learned everything from her. As a result, my skin improved a bit, I started learning how to use makeup, and my style changed. But my acne never fully disappeared, remaining a constant source of stress.

In middle school, my situation took a turn.

"Rindou-san, I like you. Please go out with me."

A confession. I had managed to improve my appearance enough that even I could see the difference, and I’d become quite stylish. That change reflected in my personality too; before I knew it, I was considered one of the 'cute girls' in class. My pessimistic streak faded, replaced by a positive outlook like Mizuki-nee’s.

So, when a boy confessed to me, I was happy. For someone who had been obsessed with romance talk since grade school, it was a monumental event. In the end, I turned him down, but it was a moment where I truly felt the results of my hard work.

My life seemed to be going perfectly. I was popular and successful. And yet, the acne wouldn't leave me alone. It wasn't just my face; I started getting heat rashes on my shoulders and back too. It was usually hidden, but I absolutely hated it.

I knew I shouldn't pop the pimples on my face because they’d scar. But I wanted them gone so badly that I’d pop them anyway and hide the marks with concealer. But there were some things even concealer couldn't hide...

It wasn't Mizuki-nee’s fault. It was just my constitution. Looking at the other girls at school, some had acne and some didn't. Usually, you’d just think it was a phase and it would clear up eventually. But those words from elementary school were stuck in my head like a curse.

In high school, I entered a school where there were plenty of other cute girls. Even so, I naturally ended up in a high position in the class hierarchy, and two girls even cuter than me became my friends. While I was doing everything I could just to hide my flaws with makeup, my two friends had naturally perfect skin from the start.

"Let’s go to a mixer!"

My friends Himari Motoya and Umiri Ihara invited me to my first mixer. Long story short, it was awful. Both Hima and Umirin were vibrating with rage by the time we left, and the moment we parted ways with the boys, they exploded.

"That was the worst! What is wrong with them?! So gross!!"

"I blocked his number immediately!"

The boys were decently good-looking. They weren't exactly my type, but they were the kind of guys from another school who would be considered 'hot.' But they were nothing but perverts—making crude jokes and trying to touch us even though we’d just met. They clearly thought we were easy targets.

Because of that, while I still longed for romance, part of me started thinking all guys were trash. I didn't work this hard on my beauty just for creeps like them.

Then, a major turning point arrived. I turned sixteen, the age where you can finally have your Gift <Appraised>. I never wanted to be an adventurer; I just went in with the casual hope of getting something useful for daily life.

As it turned out, I had a Gift called <Desire>. And I possessed a skill called <Desire Vision>. This skill made people who could fulfill my latent desires shine with a brilliant light. I didn't really know what I was looking for myself. I figured maybe I’d find my Prince Charming, but for a long time, <Desire Vision> didn't react to anyone.

It was autumn of my freshman year.

"Hey, Hirose, how was your Gift?"

"Haha, it was a pretty disappointing result."

I heard those voices in the classroom. It was just a whim. A total whim. I tried using my skill.

"——!"

In an instant, there was a blinding flash of light. It was so intense I couldn't look away.

He was a boy who had been in my class for six months, yet I had almost no impression of him at all. And yet, the moment I used my skill, something inside me changed. I wanted to know more about him, so I approached him during lunch.

He was gentle, the kind of person who didn't have a single malicious bone in his body. Even though his face turned bright red just talking to me, he naturally helped me clear my tray. He was someone who was instinctively considerate of others. So, after school, I followed him.

The skin I've struggled with since elementary school... it can finally be beautiful.

Once I learned the nature of his Gift and Skill, I begged him with everything I had. He agreed to perform the treatment, starting with my face. The very next day, the effects were already visible, and I trembled with emotion.

I didn't hesitate to ask for a full-body treatment. His gaze made me feel shy, but I didn't hate it. He was different from other guys—I just knew it.

Maybe that's why I accepted his touch so easily. It was the first time a boy had ever touched my bare skin, but it was so gentle, so pleasant... it felt so good I thought I’d lose my mind.

Even though I knew it was the <Backlash> from the skill, my body began to crave him from that very moment. He was surprised. I hadn't intended for things to go that far either. But I just couldn't hold back; his hands felt so good, and I wanted him to make me feel even better... so I jumped him.

It was like I had turned into a beast, someone I didn't even recognize. It was my first time and it should have been painful, but I just wanted him more and more. Joining with him filled my heart and made me so happy.

As it turned out, he was happy too. Apparently, I was like an 'unreachable flower' to him, so he didn't mind at all. Well, I knew I was cute, so I definitely used that to my advantage...

I had no intention of letting him go, in more ways than one. Every time we met for a treatment, we slept together, and I could feel myself falling deeper and deeper in love. A relationship starting from the physical was something my old, idealistic self never would have considered. Usually, you’d become friends, then catch feelings... but once I fell for him, none of that mattered anymore.

His face is average. He doesn't have any standout features. He’s not my type at all. And yet, every time we meet, my love for him grows, overflows, and just won't stop. With a Gift like that, he could have easily used it for evil. But he didn't. That’s because he has a depth of kindness and sincerity that other boys just don't have.

And then, finally, the full effects of the skill manifested in my body.

I couldn't believe it. It was like I’d been reborn, like I’d started over as a baby. My skin was so beautiful I wanted to scream. My biggest complex—my acne-prone skin—was gone without a trace, and my figure was as toned as a model's.

Ah, being beautiful... it makes me so happy. My life has changed beyond recognition thanks to Hirose. I never realized how much being beautiful could affect my inner self. I feel like, for the first time, I can truly be a bright, happy person.

And it’s all thanks to meeting Hirose. That’s why I want to be with him forever.

Hirose... thank you for turning me from a girl who only dreamed into a real girl.