The absolute first place you hit up?

Naturally, the mall.

Terminus City's practically a temple to mindless consumerism by itself. Everything in this city's a result of corporate exploitation from its skyline to its boulevards lined with cathedrals of consumption. Theme parks, shopping malls, casinos, a hundred and one 'tourist attractions…'

And Terminus Mall is perhaps the greatest cathedral Terminus City has to offer in that regard. It's one of the largest megastructures in Terminus City. Fifty floors, underground and high up in the sky, all filled with stores eager to exploit any customers who come in with overpriced, mass-produced goods. Thousands of retail workers burn away hours of their lives every day to meet the screaming needs of the unwashed masses in this unholy place.

You've never laid eyes on a place more cursed… Or blessed.

Because for all humans have created a truly wretched place in the form of this over-engineered monument to corporate glory, well…

Even mindless consumerism has its perks.

Like cute underwear~!

"This is a lingerie store? I thought we were going to buy new clothing…" Kaina says haltingly. Your love's trailing behind you like a lost duckling. She turns, taking in the sights, eyes fixed on a few of the porcelain busts modeling lacy underthings.

"Well, we can't get cute new clothes until after we've got cute new underwear!" You explain happily. "It's the principle of the thing, yeah? We've got to accessorize! Ooh, we should get jewelry too, maybe a few earrings here and there…"

Hee~! You can't wait to model underwear for your love. Ooh~! You eagerly start scooping up some clothes to try out. And some for Kaina too. You'll have to get everything fitted at this store's auto-tailor once you've finished purchasing everything. That'll go by quicker if you ask…

Hmm…

"Hey, what size bra do you wear?" You ask Kaina.

"… Size?" Kaina tilts her head, looking confused.

Wait, hold on.

"… Do you not wear a bra?" You breathlessly ask. Does she go commando?! Kyah~! That's so daring!

"No, I wear a bra. I just cycle between the same seven sets of underwear I have. My coworker procured my current wardrobe five years ago. I've been using the same clothes since."

Holy crap, that's just sad.

"You mean to tell me you haven't been out shopping at all?!" You ask, more than a little horrified.

That's just heretical. Cute girls should wear cute outfits so they can do cute things together. Cute girls need to visit cute stores to buy those cute outfits.

Maybe you need to go through some housecleaning of the city yourself. Those damn pests, continually overworking your love like this…

"… I have never had the time to visit a store like this. I am finding this experience most fascinating," Kaina confirms. She squirms once she realizes you're just continuing to stare at her adorable face. "… Is something the matter?"

"No, nothing, just taking in how cute you are," you reply off-handedly.

"… You keep saying that I am cute. I do not… I…" Kaina stutters awkwardly.

"Nobody's ever called you cute before?" You ask, striding towards the door to one of the store's dressing rooms, garments in hand. A quick swipe of your phone unlocks the door, credits are transferred to the store's accounts. Kaina follows you in. That cool, slender girl's got another one of those minute blushes on her face.

"… No. Nobody has ever called me… Cute before – What are you doing?!" Kaina's voice raises slightly as you begin to take off your clothes. You shuck your top, let your shorts drop to your ankles…

"We need to try on the cute underwear to see how it looks on us, yeah?" You respond, looking Kaina directly in the eye as you slowly unclip your snug bra. Your tits jiggle as you release your creamy cleavage from its lacy confines. The pink tips of your nipples jut out proudly, hardening in response to the cool air-conditioned air inside this store.

"I… See…" Kaina trails off. You watch her gaze dip as her attention turns to your breasts.

Hee~! You just stripped for your love! Kyah! Her eyes on your nude body…

You can't actually control the flush that comes to your face now. Oh gosh, she's still staring~! Her eyes are tracking every movement your chest makes every time you breathe, the slight bob and bounce of your cleavage as you shift your posture to clench your thighs together…

"… Like what you see~?" You ask, feeling uncharacteristically shy.

"I don't… Know." Kaina stutters out haltingly.

… Eh?

"What do you mean you don't know?" You ask.

"I have never… I do not…" Kaina frowns, groping for the right words to say. "… The only times I have seen another person without clothes has been within the context of my work. I have never been in a physical relationship. As a result…"

Right, you almost forgot.

This girl legitimately wouldn't know what exactly she's been feeling. Social awkwardness aside… Is she going through some kind of emotional repression due to all the long hours she's been working? It's like she's had no time for anything besides her work.

It's amazing she's gone on for this long the way she has. Goodness, her willpower must be extraordinary. How long must she have pushed herself? How much longer would she have pushed herself?

Gosh, what would this single-minded devotion look like if it were turned elsewhere…?

"… Well, I can help walk you through that. Making sense of all of this… It's not as hard as it seems. Can I take your hand real quick?"

"…" Kaina jerks her head into a quick nod and extends her arm. You take her hand… Then quickly jam it right between your warm cleavage. Kaina's green eyes widen. Her lips part slightly as you squish her soft hand right between your softer titties, laying her palm right against your sternum.

Thump. Thump, thump. The beating of your heart echoes within your chest. The rush of blood pounds in your ears as your pulse quickens.

"Feel that? How fast my heart's beating?" You lick your suddenly dry lips, wiggle your thighs together. Squish squish, your panties go. Hee~!

"… Yes…?"

"See how my skin's flushing? How my breathing's faster?" You whisper breathlessly.

"Yes," Kaina whispers back.

"That's what attraction looks like. This is what attraction feels like," you croon. "I'm all hot and bothered because a cute girl's staring at me in my birthday suit right now. Do you understand now?"

"… I think I do."

"Is that something you're feeling yourself right now?" You ask.

"… Yes," Kaina answers hesitantly.

Hwah! That's… Not a confession of love but it's pretty close!

She's got her hands on your titties! Oh, you just want to let her grope you right now! Just rub yourself all over the cutie in front of you! Rub your bellies together, rub your thighs together, fawn all over her cute face, plush lips… Stare into those green eyes…

No. No, there's time for that yet. For all that this girl's powerful and skilled in battle? She's painfully inexperienced in everything else from the look of things. Patience. Patience, Alice. You'll simply have to teach her the things she ought to know already so you can take all of her firsts.

Her first kiss. Her virginity. Her first love. Maybe her first child one day? If she asked, you'd be more than willing to carry Kaina's child~!

Hnn. Later. Later!

For now, you can relish in a bit of 'innocent' skinship. Just two girls having fun today~!

Strange. Why has Kaina gotten this close? She's so close you can feel her warm breath gust across your face. You stare, enraptured by how close she's gotten, the way her pink lips are slightly parted, the intensity of her emerald eyes staring down at you…

Hyan~! You let out a little moan as Kaina reaches out with her other hand and squeezes. Your nipples graze against Kaina's palms, your tits deform as she kneads your breasts experimentally.

What?!

And then, just like that, she stops. She's withdrawn her hands lightning quick. You shiver, unconsciously covering yourself up with your hands.

What was that?!

"I… I'm sorry. I just… The urge came across me," Kaina trembles looking down at her arms like they just betrayed her. "I did not mean… It was a stupid impulse. I don't…"

… Hee~! Heh-heh! Definitely not so stoic after all~! That was a surprise but…!

There's a girl who likes fun buried underneath all that duty and repression, eh? A sexy hedonistic pervert like you! Oh, you are so glad you decided to come to this city to totally corrupt this girl now!

"It's fine, it's fine," you coo. "Just warn me next time before you do something like that, okay~? And make sure not to do that to other girls! They definitely won't be as understanding as I am. You're a total cutie, but that'll only get you so far!"

It's more than fine.

You'd love for her to be that forceful again~

Something to look forward to in the future, neh?

"… Okay."

"Phew!" You exclaim, feeling more hot and bothered than ever. What you wouldn't do just to jump her bones right now… But there's a process to this. Damn and blast. You clap your hands together, gleefully noting how Kaina still can't look you in the eye. "Alright, I'll start modeling for you now, and you can tell me which outfits look cutest. How's that sound."

"That sounds…" Kaina's lips twitch into a half-smile. "… Fun."

"Awesome!"

--

Of course, after that, you've got to indulge in more skinship.

No day of rest and relaxation would be complete without a trip down to the spa~!

More specifically a Japanese-styled Onsen. Terminus City was built over a geologically active hotspot, and it's one of the major cities immigrants flock to in the Pacific. As a result, there's a thriving Asian and South-East Asian subculture in this city. This is why you get to visit a lovely establishment like this where you get to bathe in some warm mineral water!

"Ah, this is the best!" You sigh as you relax in the hot water. There's a soft splash as Kaina follows you into the water. You turn to stare at her, your eyes raking over her form. Her nude form.

Gosh, her entire body's as pretty as her face is. Her skin's flawless. Her nails and cuticles too, as well as her hair. If you didn't know better, you'd think she's the type of girl who does her best to stay cute and sexy like you are. You have to moisturize! You have a whole skin-care and hair-care routine you need to go through!

She cheats with magic. She's so stupidly overpowered her whole body constantly rejuvenates itself so she can work harder.

Gosh, that's so unfair. Unfair, unfair. Unfair!

Uuu! It should be unfair for a girl to be this cute and this effortlessly pretty! It's like you're staring at a slender blonde-haired nymph in the pool. An ethereal beauty's come down to bathe with you!

"… This does feel nice," Kaina admits. Your love looks significantly more relaxed. She was carrying a tension in her shoulders, the way she walked. That's all gone now, washed away by the nice sensation of soaking in some hot mineral-rich water. "I had almost forgotten…"

"Did you used to soak in baths like this?" You ask, capitalizing on that last bit. Kaina's initiating a conversation by herself!

"… My friend used to take me to the hot spring when we were younger."

Oho. Your ears perk up. "Your friend did, huh?"

"Now that I'm here I remember… We went shopping too…" Kaina says, muttering under her breath.

"Is that why you're so comfortable being naked in front of me?"

Honestly, you thought you'd have to push harder. You were almost afraid you'd overstepped at the lingerie store, but Kaina took your… Lewder antics in stride. It surprised you, truth be told. You weren't expecting her to take that this well.

"… Yes, I suppose it is."

"Is she why you groped me earlier?" You tease.

Kaina goes red, lowering her body deeper into the warm water. "… Maybe? There was a… Ritual we used to have. I… I don't know."

Huh.

… Huh.

"Well, I'm flattered to be compared to her then."

"… Hmm…" Kaina murmurs. "… She would have liked you. I think."

Would have, huh? Past tense, not present.

Well. That explains a bit.

You take a moment to indulge in some quiet companionship as you watch the steam waft up from this spring. A moment of serenity in the chaos of the city. A natural-looking oasis in the midst of all of this industrial squalor. Even in a place like this, there's beauty to be found.

Much beauty to be found...

That much is clear as you scoot yourself closer to Kaina, so that your hips are touching. She flinches, then relaxes as you lean in close to lay your head on her slim but sturdy shoulder.

"Hmm…" You murmur, letting the warm water soothe the aches and pains in your body away.

"… Is there a reason why you're constantly touching me?" Kaina asks.

"Does it bother you?" You ask seriously.

"No. It feels… Nice. But I just do not know…" Kaina trails off, clearly lost for words again.

"I guess I'm just a tactile person. I like the experience of it all, you know?"

"I don't know."

What's the best way to describe this…

"I like intimacy. I like being this physically close to people I like. I like hugging, I like shoulder patting, I like hand-holding…"

Hee. You're certainly relishing how Kaina's slender body feels against your own. And you still can't believe you're getting away with this much skinship~!

"You like being close to people?" Kaina asks.

"Well not all people," you concede. The smelly garbage people who infest the world? The worthless meat sacks who run and scream every time they get a boo-boo? The greedy corpos who grind all that's good and pure underneath their heels to make some numbers go up? Psh, nah. But soft, cute girls? Cool-looking girls with shy, softer centers? Adorable in their innocence and naivety? Possessing shining souls in this wretched quagmire of a world?

You'd do all sorts of things to cuddle up to those girls~!

Anything for your loves. Anything~!

"Just the people I like," you sing out, splaying your hand in the water. You splish, splash about. It feels nice to let the warm water run between your fingers.

"… You like me?" Kaina asks.

"Eh? Of course I do. I keep saying you're cute you know, I wouldn't say that to someone I didn't like!" You giggle, nuzzling your cheek against Kaina's shoulder. Hmm. She smells nice~! Gosh, this water's making your head go a bit floaty… It's super nice!

Ah, you need to indulge in treatments like this in the future. It's nice to be able to soak in the bath after a day at the spa~!

You feel fingers clasp at your wrists… Then trail down into your palm. You crack open an eye to see that Kaina's tentatively snaked her hand into your own.

"… Physical contact like this is nice…" Kaina whispers. She sounds almost awed, like someone who's just experienced a divine revelation.

"Yeah. Isn't it?!" You cheer. "Y'want more? We can do hugs!"

"… Hugs?"

"Skinship's practically a requirement when you're at the bath! And this is supposed to be therapeutic. It's been medically proven that hugs are extremely effective at healing sickness! Like loneliness, depression, anxiety, and stress! It's a medical necessity!"

"… Okay."

Yay~!

Kaina turns to face you… Then stiffens as you glomp her. Slippery skin glides against skin. You feel the soft squish of her breasts against your own, the smoothness of her tummy against your own. Your thighs slip and slide past each other. You shiver as she breathes out, her breath ghosting across the nape of your neck.

Your shivering intensifies as Kaina reaches around to… To hug you back!

Hwah~!

Ah, this. This is bliss! Feeling her warm body against your own! Feeling her heart pound in time with your own...

Wait, why are her shoulders trembling?

"Hey. Hey, you alright?" You ask, suddenly concerned.

"… I think I will be. But... Can we… Stay like this?" Kaina whispers shyly. "Just for a bit?"

Hee.

Ah, so cute~! That tone she's using! She's like a child who's just discovered her favorite food, and now she's asking for more~!

"Of course we can. We can hug for as long as you want!"

Or, well, until the bathhouse kicks you out but there's no sense in bringing that up right now!

As it turns out, you end up hugging for quite a long while.

--

Alas, the day has to come to an end. There's only so much time you can afford to spend with Kaina. Rather, there's only so much time Kaina can afford to spend with you. Her phone practically blows up the instant you get out of the onsen.

"… Work again," Kaina concludes glumly as she checks her phone. At least she's dressed in a much cuter outfit than what she had before. A crisp white blouse contrasted with a navy-blue skirt. Add on her new leggings and boots…

She certainly looks a lot more comfortable in her new ensemble. The beauty regime the both of you just went through had its effects too. After that bath, her skin's taken on a bit of a healthier tone. Her already luxurious hair's only grown more so. And she's wearing that slight, small smile on her face more.

That smile.

Ooh, that smile...

Those aren't the only things she's wearing. Hee~! There's the cute underwear you convinced her to buy…

"You have to head off again?"

"… Apparently," Kaina replies tersely. "Thank you for… Today. I had… I…"

"You had fun?" You prompt gently.

"… Mmh," Kaina nods, a bit of that shy hesitancy returning to her body language. "I did."

"And are you relaxed too?"

"… I think I am. Hugs helped. I… enjoyed myself."

"Hey, I did too!" You grin. "Hey, hey. You wanna do this again sometime?"

"Maybe. But work is… Important. I can't just…"

"We could schedule something!" You reply quickly. "Here, I'll give you my number so you can text me."

"I would like that," Kaina replies. So halting and hesitant. So awkward. How cute!

"Awesome. Alright, just… One more thing, okay?"

Kaina blinks, eyelids fluttering shut then open. "One more thing…?"

A bit of a surprise from you to her. A gift for such a cute, good girl…