EP.27 Level 4 - Study If You Don't Know (11)
"Everyone, good work out there. Glad no one got hurt."
A dungeon break had forced us to come in on our day off. At least we suppressed it early; if any civilians had gotten killed or injured, the reporters would've swarmed us like flies.
"Eunhyuk, you're really something. I'd love to steal you for our team. What do you think?"
"Thanks for the compliment, Hyeun, but I've got my own team to think about."
"Fair enough. We've got that one weirdo on ours anyway."
"You mean Yoo Chaerin?"
"Yeah, pretty much."
She knew I'd figured out what kind of person Yoo Chaerin was. Still, I had zero intention of switching teams. Why the hell would I leave a group where no one messes with me to go suffer next to her?
We finished cleaning up the site and started preparing to disband. Gear stowed, consumables checked back into the warehouse... As I did one final sweep, Myo Seola approached me.
"Oh, good work. Got any time today, by chance?"
"Sorry, I've got plans. This break interrupted them, actually."
"Ah, got it. I'll ask later then. Wait—hold on."
She peered at my back like she'd spotted something, fiddling with it before slapping it lightly, brushing off whatever was there. Maybe some dust from all the rolling around earlier?
"You had some dirt. Got it off for you."
"Thanks."
Anyway, I'd originally had plans with Ayoung today. We'd even met up before the incident pulled us both here.
"Darling!"
"Yeah, all done. Let's go."
Myo Seola was giving Ayoung a weird look, though. She must still be hung up on what happened last time.
"Of all days, a break on our date."
"Can't be helped. Sucks about those reservations, though."
It was too late now, and every restaurant nearby had shut down in a hurry. No one could run a kitchen with monsters rampaging from the break. Only now that it was secure were the evacuees starting to trickle back.
"W-well then."
"Hm?"
"Wanna come to my place for food?"
"Yeah, nothing's open anyway. Sure."
We'd planned a proper date before heading back, but that was off the table. Ayoung had been so excited for today, too...
"You okay with that?"
"Me? I'm fine."
"You wanted the normal date stuff. Said you'd never done it."
"I-I'm good! I've read about it tons in books."
...Gotta take her out properly later. How does someone her age have zero experience like this? Girls with girls, at least—she's gotta have done that much.
"At least one thing I'm looking forward to is still on."
"Huh? Looking forward to?"
Was there something else special planned besides the date stuff? Going home now just meant dinner and fucking.
She loved sex, sure, but that wasn't the phrasing she'd use.
"I-I heard from Jeong-a..."
"Jeong-a?"
Suddenly feeling a chill. Jeong-a had been going wild with her masochism lately. She obeyed me perfectly, but sometimes she deliberately busted her own brakes.
"She said the new trait feels amazing..."
"Oh? Ah..."
So that was what she was excited about. She wanted brain-melting sex with Study If You Don't Know.
I hadn't planned on using it, but if she wanted it, no reason not to oblige.
"Worried it'll get addictive, but if it's what Ayoung wants, I'll make it happen."
"Heehee."
We were basically fake lovers, but treating her like a girlfriend felt oddly nice. Maybe because she seemed to genuinely like me? A tiny pang of guilt hit me.
How do I shake this off?
No matter how I turned it over, the answer was fixed.
Make her happy.
All I could give her was a female's joy. Might as well pour my heart into it. That was my calling, after breaking her.
"Feels like it's been forever coming here."
"Does it?"
We'd come together the day I wiped her memory, so it wasn't that long ago. But I'd been focused on training Yurim since, so it felt like ages.
"Surprising."
"What?"
"Never pegged Ayoung for someone who could actually cook."
"...Darling, this is just tteokbokki. Someone might hear and think I whipped up a feast."
"I just eat retort pouches at home."
Living alone, why bother cooking? Retorts were damn good these days, especially the frozen ones.
Of course, the orphanage kids needed real food, price be damned—they were growing. Same for hunters burning energy in the field.
"You make good money. Could just get delivery... Or wanna move in? Cook me breakfast?"
"What're you saying?"
"Living together, morning meals—it's a romance trope."
"How many fetishes do you have?"
Fine dining, movies... Seemed like she wanted to do every novel cliche with me since she'd never had anyone to share them with.
"But you're good with Yurim now, right? Why not go out with her?"
"Th-that's..."
"That's?"
"It's for couples, isn't it?"
"Uh..."
I didn't think so. The vibes were different, sure, but friends hanging out was fine.
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"But in novels, playboys do that."
"Playboys, yeah, but friends are different from dating."
"Novel character dialogue verbatim...!"
Now I sound like the playboy. With Jeong-a, Ayoung, Yurim... Shit, maybe I was.
"So I'm the playboy?"
"Weren't you?"
Couldn't argue when she said it like it was obvious. Ayoung was the only one acting like we were dating, though. Yurim loved my dick, not me. Jeong-a was avoiding me out of fear—which she saw as neglect play. Impressive, honestly.
"Hate that?"
"I like that side of you too."
Her head had playboys way too romanticized. I'd nudged it, but she'd already been primed. Thanks to that, she didn't care if I openly hung out with other women.
"I do get jealous, though."
"You do?"
Guess not. She just accepted it as part of who I was. Convenient.
"Yurim's fine, anyway."
"Anyone off-limits?"
"Someone I don't know?"
"Gotta introduce you before I fuck 'em, then."
"You're such trash, Darling."
Okay, that line was rough. But I needed to maximize EXP sources. Might have to eye some A-ranks later.
Not yet, though.
Level up first. I'd filled the EXP bar training Yurim, but...
Another wall.
Wonder what the condition was this time. Hell if I knew how I broke the last one. Even if I did, it'd be different anyway.
Needed to level soon to touch Yoo Chaerin...
"Thanks for the meal."
"Darling, gonna wash up."
"Together?"
"O-oh..."
Seemed Ayoung wanted to try all sorts of new things. Fresh experiences were fun, after all. I nodded, and we headed to the bathroom.
"B-but how do we do this?"
"No idea?"
"Mom and Dad bathed me as a kid, but..."
"Hm. Fill the tub with hot water, soak first."
Big tub like that, wasted on solo use. Come to think of it, most of my team weren't used to normal life.
Heard other hunters threw money at guys for parties.
"Huh? What's this sticker?"
"What?"
"Some weird one on your clothes."
Black circle design. When did that get there? Chaos today—I hadn't noticed.
"Darling, hurry!"
"Coming."
I chucked the black sticker in the trash, stripped the rest, and joined Ayoung at the tub.
"Mmm! Your nipples and pussy lips are gorgeous as ever. Such a pretty pussy slut!"
"D-don't stare like that. Embarrassing."
"Too late for that. Temp's good—hop in."
As Ayoung sank into the tub, her tits floated up, blocking her face till she rested her arms on them, settling them normally.
"Hate how they do this every bath."
"They are huge."
"Bouncing while running sucks too. Proof of mana, so I'm proud, but still annoying."
"I love 'em."
"Hehe."
How many guys hated big tits? High-rank hunter badge, prime bride material. Couldn't stop staring—reached out and groped.
"Hng♡"
Squished her round nipples like jelly. Light moans escaped with each press as I teased her areolae, then lost it and latched on. Kneaded the left breast while sucking the right nipple hard.
"Hah♡ Y-you said washing♡"
"Don't care. Your slutty body's fault."
Grabbed her head, crushed our lips together. Tongues clashed wildly, ragged breaths mingling. Fuck, why's your body so damn hot? Got me hard just looking.
"Pah♡ Sex is great, but keep your promise first."
"Right, the trait. What should it do?"
"Make it feel as good as I love you."
"Oh..."
Sweetest thing I'd heard lately. Sweet pussy slut...?
"Pleasure sensitivity rises with how much you love me. Got it? Study If You Don't Know."
"Ah, gotta draw it, yeah?"
"Cheek okay?"
"Sure."
I inked a heart tattoo on her right cheek. Experiments showed conditional ones shifted color when met. Put it on her face so I could gauge her love level.
"Haa♡ Love you, Darling♡"
"Uh, what?"
The heart on her cheek flushed pink rapidly. On the verge of overflowing.
"A-Ayoung?"
"Love you♡ Darling♡"
Glassy-eyed, she reached for me with open arms.