Chapter 22
Chapter 22
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Familiar Tteok Shop (1)
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Friday, a day off from work.
On today's breakfast table were slices of bread pan-fried in a skillet, topped with strawberry jam.
Nothing fancy, but it hits the spot every once in a while.
But even as I shoved the sweet, jam-smeared bread into my mouth, the tension in our stiff expressions didn't ease.
"Auuugh, Mia. When are we gonna scrape together the rest? We'll hit the quest deadline before we even finish collecting skill points."
I let out a sigh, and Pomi—who'd been primping her face—leaned in close.
"Jun-young, wanna hit up a tteok shop? If the cops show, we just go invisible and bolt."
"Pfft!"
"Eek! Dirty! Eeeeng... My dress..."
Pomi pulled a pitiful face as she stared at her soaked dress.
It was the outfit we'd gotten via delivery on Tuesday.
"Ah, sorry... But with you around, going to a tteok shop feels kinda weird..."
I wiped her drenched face and clothes with some tissue paper as I spoke.
"...Can I feel a little touched?"
Her sad expression shifted as she heard me out. She clasped her hands together and gazed up at me with sparkling eyes.
No way. What I meant was it's a waste to blow money outside when you're the one sucking and blowing for me... If I said that straight-up, I'd get smacked, right?
Since she's already misunderstanding, might as well rack up some points.
These past few days, I've noticed the bathroom service levels up with more points.
"Mia, truth is, I'm saving points for system fees and to heal you up. I don't need other women at all. You're all I need."
Take that—eye-beam attack!
"Hmm? Says the guy who was loving it way too much with Yu-ra..."
Looks like the eye-beam attack isn't landing.
Pomi narrowed her eyes!
"Uh? Th-that was before we showered together."
"And you were groping girls' asses like it was Christmas... Yesterday you said you were practicing [Stealth Touch] and kept rubbing your dick all over them?"
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ [Stealth Touch (N, Active/Inactive)] - Makes contact stimulation subtle, making it hard for the target to notice the touch. Lv. 0: Stamina Cost (10 per hour), Contact Efficiency 5%
We'd barely scraped together 300 points by Wednesday morning, so we figured we couldn't keep going like this and finally picked up the [Stealth Touch] skill Pomi had recommended ages ago.
After trying it out, it has clear pros and cons.
The pro is that even on people with mild sexual barriers, it doesn't throw them into confusion.
The cons? The climax buildup crawls at a brutal 5% rate, and targets don't react sensitively enough to the touch—total buzzkill.
You want reactions like 'Ahh! My nipple!' when you tweak a nipple, or 'Ahh! My pussy!' when you graze down there. But this? Everything gets the same meh response.
Of course, if you go overboard—like slapping them hard or shoving your dick in—the skill cancels out. It's honestly more suited for pickpocketing than sex.
Anyway, yesterday I turned it on, groped some women with mild molester fantasies... but it was boring, so I ended up rubbing my dick on them too. And now Pomi's calling me out on it!
"Ahem! It's all for you, Mia—even if I hate doing it. A-and I'm skipping the tteok shop on purpose so I can buy you ice cream? Haagen-Dazs is crazy expensive."
I desperately changed the subject, but this wasn't a joke. At a month's pace, even with discounts, it'd blow 200,000 won. Shouldn't have started her on the pricey stuff... Should've stuck to Choco Bars.
"Th-then no tteok shop, huh... Sulky."
"You, get over here. Who told you to say 'sulky' out loud?"
"Kyaa!"
"Agh, why are you so damn cute? Huh?"
I stood from my chair, chased the fleeing Pomi, and hugged her tight from behind, rubbing my cheeks against hers like crazy.
"Hehe, everything's going according to plan. You're my prisoner of cuteness! ...Huh? Jun-young, think your phone's ringing?"
Pomi flashed a scheming grin as she said it.
I paused the cheek-rub and perked my ears. Sure enough, the ringtone was going off.
I headed to my room, grabbed the phone, and checked the caller ID.
[Mom]
"Oh right. Haven't called her lately."
I usually ring her once a week, but between ditching that interview last week and contracting with a stray succubus, life's been nonstop chaos. Totally spaced on calling.
I'd texted back 'busy' to her 'everything okay?' message, and now that it's my day off, she's calling right away.
"Mia, hang on a sec? ...Hello? Mom? Yeah, doing great. How about you?"
I pressed the phone to my ear and sat back at the table. Pomi, who'd been watching me, spread her arms wide like she wanted to sit on my lap.
"Kimchi? Still got some left. Wanna sit? Ngh... Whatever. Yeah? Oh, nothing."
—Jun-young, who's that? Your mom?
I nodded.
I pressed a finger to my lips, shushing her to stay quiet for a bit, but she puffed her cheeks and clung to the arm holding the phone, shaking it. You treating yourself like a baby now?
—I'm bored.
It's been one minute into the call—what?!
"...Who? Jeong-sun? Oh, yeah, I remember her. She's getting married? Nah, why would I go there?"
Pomi's whining right next to me, but Mom's chatting away, thrilled to hear my voice after so long. No signs of wrapping up! And now she's on about some elementary school classmate's wedding— this call's dragging.
"When am I getting married? Huh? Girlfriend?"
How does Mom know exactly what my future daughter-in-law looks like but still nag me to bring a girl home?
The second 'girlfriend' left my mouth, Pomi—who'd been fussing—started jabbing a finger at herself furiously.
—Me! Me!
I pulled the phone away for a sec and scolded her.
—Hey, how am I supposed to call a kid like you my girlfriend? You wanna see Mom report her own son? ...Hey, why the grin? Don't smile like that. Makes me uneasy!
Mia's smirk grew as she took a huge breath.
I tried desperately to stop her out of sheer panic, but it wasn't enough to block her wide-open mouth.
"Uh. Mo! Mmm! Mo! Mmoo! Mom! Hello! Motherrr!"
....
A beat of silence, then pandemonium erupted from the receiver.
"Huh? Mom? Who's next to you? Oh, it's not like that."
"Oppa! We're not like that, right? Oppa!"
She crawled right up to the phone, chirping and yelling.
"Yeah? Huh? No, don't you trust your son? Bring her once?"
I cupped my hand over the phone to muffle it, but she'd heard everything already.
"We're not there yet. When the time comes, I'll bring her to say hi."
This was going nowhere fast, so I reluctantly admitted to having a girlfriend.
"Huh? Her name?"
Shit. What now?
I mouthed the question, and Pomi cheekily looked up at me, sticking out her tongue with a grin.
Pop.
Is this what they mean by veins bulging? If I end it like this, I'll explode. No choice.
"Oh, you wanna know her name?"
—Mia. It's Mia.
I smiled warmly at Pomi and answered into the phone.
"...It's Yu-ra. Kim Yu-ra. You know the college girl next door, right?"
Crack.
My counterattack froze Pomi solid. Didn't see that coming, did ya, punk?
Seeing her tremble with rage made me stick my tongue out at her on reflex.
"...Huh? How'd I land such a pretty girl? No, Mom, when did you get such a close look at her face? ...Oh, that? C'mon, I've got that invisible charm, y'know. Hahaha! Kh-hack... Uh, Mom? Gotta go. Stomach suddenly hurts... Yeah, okay..."
Beep.
The call ended. I clutched my side and collapsed face-first onto the table.
"Gaaah! What the hell, you little shit!"
"What? Yu-raaa? Jun-young's a cheater! Cheaters gotta get punished! Achoo!"
"Ow! Hey, that actually hurts. Quit it. Ah! You're in for it now! Ugh, can't even smack this tiny thing."
She ignored me and thrust her head at me, acting cocky.
"Hit me! Hit meee~!"
Agh, so annoying.
Flick!
"Ow! Hiiing...?"
I gave her a light knuckle rap on the head, and she pulled a weepy face.
"Whew, breaking a sweat first thing in the morning... Bread's all cold now."
"Head huuurts..."
Even as I slathered jam on the cold bread, Pomi wouldn't sit.
She just cradled her head in both hands, gazing up at me all forlorn.
Wow, that con artist. I barely touched her... But seeing her cute face like that stirs up guilt that wasn't even there.
"Sigh... Hurry and finish eating. Then we'll grab dessert."
Man, she wasn't this spoiled at first... Guess that's why upbringing matters. Spoil 'em too much and they turn into brats.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ A little later, I stood alone in the elevator, rubbing my arms.
"You're the one who wanted snacks. Why am I the only one freezing?"
Yup. Soon as we stepped outside, she whined about the cold and went full spirit mode—solo.
—Hehe.
"Don't laugh. I'm getting attached."
I walked two minutes to the convenience store and wedged discounted ice creams between my fingers.
—No Haagen-Dazs today?
—Picky eating's bad for you.
—Yeah... Then I want the one with the devil picture!
Pomi boldly picked one with mint mixed in!
—Whoa! So much ice cream today!
—Skip Haagen-Dazs and this is what you get.
—Hmm... Tough choice.
I swung the big bag back and forth as I reached the villa.
Just two floors up, but the elevator was coming down anyway—might as well ride.
I hit the up button and waited. Ding—doors slid open.
"Brr... Cold. Hurry inside... Whoa!"
I was hopping in place, ready to jump in, when I jolted in surprise.
The face beyond the opening doors? Yu-ra.
"Ah, hey."
Unofficial, but our junk and stuff had met already—might as well greet friendly.
She'd been looking down a bit, but lifted her head at my hello.
"Ah...? Oh, neighbor... Hi?"
Her blank expression softened into a slight nod once she recognized me.
I nodded back and waited for her to step out...
Why isn't she getting off?
I glanced at Yu-ra. She was tilting her head in that vague 'I kinda remember, maybe not' look.
"...Not getting off?"
"Ah...! Sorry."
We brushed past with awkward smiles.
"Take care."
"Oh, yeah. You too..."
I stepped inside and peered out. There was Yu-ra's back, still head-tilted.
If Pomi with her 'Succubus Eyes' saw something, maybe. I stared at her pointedly, and like she'd been waiting—
—Hurry up and let's eat ice cream!
You've got it easy. No thoughts in that head.
...Fair enough. We're not dating or anything—just banged once using her barriers and fantasies. Reading her mind's overstepping.
I resolved to stop thinking about Yu-ra and hit the 2nd floor button.
[The doors are closing.] Anyway, I've got about 400 points left... Since I'm thinking tteok, maybe offer one up to Yu-ra while she's here? Virgin bonus is gone, but the rest still gives 4x...
Lost in point fantasies when suddenly—
"Huh?!"
Yu-ra whipped around like she'd realized something and jammed her hand between the closing doors.
Pale fingers wriggled through.
Screee... Creak! Thunk!
And beyond them, wide round eyes.
Our gazes locked.