250 Vol. 4 pt. 53 Patch 9.0 (1/2)

Despite the fact that Azalabulia has officially joined the relationship, now making it a five-way relationship with Fenrir, Cassiel, Nell, and Serra, very little has actually changed in how they all behave around one another.

Half a week has passed in reality – a week in-game, yet Fenrir and Azalabulia continue acting the same around each other. Cassiel and Nell have been trying to help ease Azalabulia into the whole relationship deal, and Serra has been as flirty and forward as ever with her, but such little progress is made that even they're starting to get concerned whether or not this will actually work.

Serra and Cassiel had it the easiest since they both starting dating Fenrir at the same time. Going from single to dating each other all at the same time was easy. Bringing Nell into the relationship was originally a bit more difficult for them than it was for Nell who seemed to flawlessly integrate herself into their lives. Now, with Azalabulia, it's as if Fenrir just doesn't know how to behave around her despite the reassurances that he just needs to be himself and treat her like how he treats his older girlfriends.

Fenrir is not the only one at fault, of course. Breaking through to Azalabulia and convincing her to just let things happen has been difficult. No matter how much she is reassured that she can just be herself and open up to everybody, the group has discovered that she is overly reliant on hiding behind her chuuni roleplaying to cover for her real feelings. Not only that, but when they do break through a tiny bit to her, she panics and either mentally shuts down or completely quits out of the game. Much apologizing is had afterward when she comes back into the game.

And so, with Nell's assistance—as dangerous as that is—the group has come up with a plan.

They have come up with a plan to help both Fenrir and Azalabulia.

The plan has been called, ”Operation: Full Chuuni.”

If Azalabulia is so dependent on being a chuuni, then they have decided that the best way to actually break through to her is by going full chuuni themselves. Well, they're going to make Fenrir go full chuuni, anyways.

”There's no way I can do that,” Fenrir says, waving his hands in front of his face. ”I'm cringing just thinking about it, and don't you think that she'll get embarrassed and log out during the final phase?”

”Worry not, my hero, it will be fine! As long as you remain in-character, I believe that she will be able to play along,” Nell explains.

”And what about me? It's – it's not like I'm completely comfortable around her, and you want me to do that?”

”Why are you even so weird around her anyways?” Cassiel asks. ”You had no problem with any of us. Are you forgetting you tried taking down one of the top players in the world for Nell? When you barely even knew her?”

”I – I mean… I did do that,” Fenrir answers.

”And you helped me and got revenge for Cass Cass,” Serra says. ”You have a hero complex.”

”Hey, I don't have a hero complex. Besides, we technically kind of saved her when she was in the dungeon.”

”She probably could have saved herself,” Cassiel says.

”I mean… probably. But that doesn't matter because it's not like I need to save a girl to get close to her in the first place!”

”Then what is it, my hero? Could it potentially be the fact that you know she is older than you?” Nell asks, striking a nerve as Fenrir freezes.

”Oh,” Cassiel, Serra, and Nell all say at once.

”It's – it's not like I'm nervous around older women or anything like that,” Fenrir stutters out as a bead of sweat rolls down the side of his face off of his forehead.

”So tsun,” Serra says.

”It's not being tsun,” Fenrir says, poking Serra on the forehead.

”Are you seriously nervous around older women? Even if they're like Aza? She probably acts the youngest out of all of us,” Cassiel says.

”Hmm. It must be the age difference,” Nell says. ”I have known others before who, regardless of how one may act, it is the age difference itself that makes them nervous! It is good to know that you respect your elders enough to be nervous around them, Fenrir!”

”Just don't call her an elder to her face.”

”Grandma Aza,” Serra says.

”Do you want to get blown up?”

”I want Fenny to blow up inside me.”

”That could be taken in several different ways, some much more disturbing than others,” Fenrir says and sighs. ”Alright. Fine. I'll admit it. I've realized I have a problem around older women, but not normally. It's only when they're flirty towards me, and… and I think knowing she's a teacher doesn't help.”

”Teacher fetish?” Serra asks.

Fenrir looks away and scratches the side of his head as his tail wags behind him.

”Oh! My hero! Would you like me to dress up with pantyhose and a sweater vest, and then slap the back of your hands with a ruler?” Nell asks.

Fenrir's tail starts to wag even faster despite him doing his best to give zero reaction to that statement. The girls have noticed this, too, and are now looking at each other with mischievous smiles.

It's time for science.

”Sweater,” Serra says.

Fenrir's tail continues wagging.

”Older women teachers wearing sweaters,” Cassiel says.