05. First Date
05. First Date
§
"Done~!"
3-Star! Finally completed it.
I only finished the 3-Star right before the promised time!
"Ah...! Th-this isn't the time for this...!"
I hurriedly got up.
Like some stock chart-obsessed retail investor, I'd been glued to the screen for three days straight, watching when my Fatigue would refill.
The perk I got from Another World included <5-Minute Shower Cut!> too.
Time was tight, so without any sense of ceremony for my first date, I roughly washed up and dried my hair.
I threw on a shirt with a knit sweater, topped it with a brown long coat, a plain scarf, and jeans, then crammed my feet into sneakers and headed out.
Whiiiing-!
"Ow! It's cold...!"
Whining, I stopped by the convenience store on the way to the subway station where I work part-time.
The clerk was some uncle I'd never seen before—no need to get acquainted.
I bought a hand warmer, shook it vigorously, and boarded the train.
Calculating the remaining time until our meetup and the trip from Hyehwa Station to Jamsil Station, I was definitely gonna be late.
"Whew."
Whatever happens, happens. That was my conclusion on being late for a first date.
-This station is Jamsil, Jamsil Station. Doors opening on the...
More relaxed than anyone in the world, I got off last and strolled out, where the towering Lotte Tower greeted me.
Man, the world is great. They just whip up buildings this tall like it's nothing.
Walking with my hands clasped behind my back like an 80-year-old geezer, I spotted Ina at the meeting spot—face flushed red, wrapped head to toe in a gray scarf, stomping her feet while waiting.
"......."
I'm screwed.
That was the result of being late.
I snuck up and pressed the hot hand warmer to her forehead.
"Eek!"
"Late, huh? Sorry. Overslept."
"Ah...! N-no, it's f-fine! I h-haven't been waiting long!"
Her mouth was frozen too?
I pulled down her scarf, and Ina's nose and cheeks were bright red.
"When did you get here?"
"40 minutes ago......."
"......."
30 minutes late.
"I'm really sorry, Ina!"
In the game, even if I left her waiting an hour, she wouldn't react like this—guess people have to live in reality.
I'm fucking sorry.
"Anything I say as the late one will sound like an excuse, but how about I buy everything as compensation?"
"......."
Ina looked up at me with her clear, innocent eyes.
Paaan-
"For real?"
"Yeah, I won't be late again from now on."
Honestly, since I hooked up with Ina using hashtags beyond reality, the weight of promises felt super light.
But seeing her shivering while waiting for me, I realized this was straight-up a dick move.
Even in the game, now that it's reality, this ain't how you treat someone.
"First......."
Let's eat.
Once we stepped into the Japanese restaurant, the warmth finally hit, and Ina's frozen body thawed as her face relaxed.
"Uwaa~, it was so cold earlier. For real."
"Sorry......."
"Aw~, it's fine. Just keep your promise to buy everything! Then I'll forgive you. Hehe."
What's with this sunny disposition?
"And as punishment for being late, can you buy me just one gift?"
"......Yeah? Sure."
Wallet's thin, but whatever.
Hanging with a girl fresh outta 20 felt kinda criminal, even if we ain't that far apart in age.
Soon the motsunabe arrived, and her eyes went wide like #Lee Ina—pure reaction cam gold.
"Can I eat?"
"Yeah, hold on, lemme scoop some for ya."
I ladled some into a bowl, and Ina alternated looks between me and the bowl before opening her mouth.
"I'm really gonna eat this?"
"Yeah yeah, eat up quick. Must be cold."
Feels less like a date and more like feeding a cousin?
"Nom! Oh! Broth is good! Wow! First time trying this."
"How is it? Tasty, right?"
Reactions like this make you wanna do anything for her.
"Eat more, more."
Why do I wanna keep scooping?
First time we met, I thought she was a delinquent cuz of her hair color.
But just our third meetup, and I could tell she's a good kid.
"Sunbaenim......."
Ina fidgeted her fingers, glancing at me.
"......?"
"Can I order this?"
Ina pointed at the menu.
"Croquette? Yeah yeah, order it."
It was croquette side for dipping in the nabemono. She was munching away, eyeing the pic—must've looked tasty.
Reincarnated hamster or what?
Her cheeks stuffed full, chewing away—textbook hamster face.
I pulled out my phone to snap that cute moment, and she flinched, frantically covering her face with her hands.
"Gulp...! Wh-why a photo...?"
"Couples usually take pics on dates. Can you move your hand?"
"Ah......."
Ina's eyes wavered for a sec, then she nodded slightly.
She lowered her hand, and her eyes went wide.
His words, when followed, make the date feel comfortable and easy.
The phrase I added as the final solution for <#Contract Fulfillment>.
Human emotions are wild like that—sometimes you get choked up or pissed over tiny shit, but other times you're grateful for the little things.
"Wanna smile?"
"......Heh?"
Awkward in front of the camera, she flashed her white teeth unnaturally.
Click
"Oh? Looks pretty good? This time, natural while looking at the food. There ya go, good girl."
Click
Click
In the Guidebook, once you hit 100% 3-Star, you can make the heroine strip her skirt off or go no panties, and she'll feel totally comfy with it.
Let alone snapping pics.
"Wanna go skating?"
"Sure!"
Repeating these little commands made her super at ease with me by the time we left the restaurant.
Game and reality are different, huh.
I held out my hand to such an Ina.
"......?"
"Let's hold hands. We're lovers, right."
"Oh! Right."
Seeing couples holding hands on the street in front of the restaurant, she nodded quick and took my hand.
Every time she follows my words, her mind gets all comfy and relaxed—nothing weird about that, yeah?
The skating rink was packed as befits a winter date spot.
We were just part of the crowd.
Rented gear and waddled onto the ice.
"Come up slowly."
"Y-yeah...? Th-this is my first time...! Eek!"
For someone used to grippy floors, slipperiness is alien AF.
Same for Ina—she clung to the wall, trembling.
Click!
"Comes out pretty."
"Hehe, heh......."
Gotta reply to me but also focus on not falling—hence the weird laugh.
Sliiiide!
"Try spreading your toes out like this. Then you can stand."
"Oh? Oh. Ooh!"
Ina, barely standing while holding my hand, looked up at me with joyful eyes.
"Sunbae! Look at me? Am I doing good?"
"Aww~, good job good job~!"
Instead of getting shy from the praise storm, she puffed up proud and cocky.
Thud!
And that cockiness led to a fall.
"You okay?"
"Yeees! Coat's thick, so fine."
I'm only on my second time skating too, so not pro-level—we spent the date tripping, catching each other, helping up, repeat.
"Huaa~, tiring. Sunbaenim, you not tired...? Oh, you are."
"Gonna die. Wanna grab something warm to drink?"
We headed to the rinkside seats, I bought hot drinks from the stand, and she bowed her head in thanks as she took it.
Passersby eyed her two-tone hair curiously, but Ina seemed used to it, unfazed.
"But it's a date, so wanna take a pic together?"
"Ooh~, yay! Now everyone'll believe it, right?"
"Probably."
We smooshed our cold-reddened cheeks and noses together for the shot.
Normal players skip intimacy grinding. Why bother when you're just tryna fuck.
I did that early on too.
But seeing Ina with her real temps, humidity, expressions, emotions—I couldn't go that hard.
Rested a bit, skated more, repeat—time flew.
"Wow, sunbae. Soles hurt?"
"......About to burst."
"Mine too~. Shall we head out?"
Returned the rentals and stepped out—already dark.
Still early evening, but winter makes it feel like midnight. Streetlights, buildings, car lights kept the roads bright at least.
"Sunbae."
Ina, who'd been toddling along, spun around to face me.
"......?"
"At first today, dating felt so hard and awkward? Never dated before."
Ina's eyes curved into a fresh smile.
"But just following sunbae's words made it weirdly comfy and easy?"
"Yeah? Glad to hear."
I held out my hand, and after a day's solid training, she took it without hesitation.
"Been a while since I dated too, so I was nervous you'd be uncomfortable."
"Wow, really? Didn't seem like it at all."
"For real."
"Hehe."
I stroked Ina's head and said,
"Tired, right? Let's book a nearby inn, rest up, then grab dinner."
"Shall we?"
Seeing her nod like it was no big deal, I nearly burst out laughing.
At 3-Star, any hypnosis nerd would've clocked Ina's growth direction.
Common Sense Alteration.
Ina isn't dating me cuz she loves me.
She contracted a fake romance via hashtag to fend off creepy dudes, and we're just doing couple stuff like normal lovers.
That's what makes it hot.
"Ah! Sunbae, you staying over tonight?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Gotta tell my parents ahead."
"Huh? Tell 'em you're sleeping with me?"
She shook her head frantically at my question.
"No way! I'd be dead. Got a close friend—gonna say I'm crashing at hers. We've been tight since we were kids."
Right now, you look like a kid to me too.
While Ina texted, I found a place to stay.
Lucky it was a weekday—hotel with a discount popped up.
§
<Lee Ina>
Contracting with Inmok sunbae was the best choice ever.
Back in school, friends would rave about older guys sometimes.
I was like, "That much?" But now I get it—they were right.
Or not?
Looking at my friend crying unnie and Inmok sunbae, maybe not......
Academy dudes are all immature bros—not all of 'em fit.
"Wow.... First time at this hotel."
Eyes wide at the big room, then drawn to the Seoul nightscape outside the huge window, I stuck to it.
"So pretty. Hee."
Click
While sightseeing, I heard a camera shutter behind me.
Turned around—Inmok sunbae holding his phone.
"First time, gotta take a pic. Smile."
"Hee~, yees!"
Suddenly realized it was just me in the shots, so I called him.
"Sunbae! C'mere! Let's take one together! We're a couple, right?"
To Ina, this situation wasn't serious at all. Just fun roleplay prank-level.
For a girl who's never dated, serious romance was beyond imagination.
"Hee~."
I looped my arms around sunbae's neck from behind, peeking my head out to face the camera.
Click!
Pic of my beaming smile.
If a third party saw, it'd scream "couple hitting the hotel."
"So, shower together now?"
"Shall we?"
After a day of training, Ina's head algorithm was simple.
In dating, just trust and follow sunbae's words.
No need to overthink.
"Then strip."
Watching sunbae undress casually, I followed suit without a second thought.
Coming home, stripping and showering is daily "easy" routine—just doing it together as lovers on a date.
Rustle
"Coat."
He took my coat and hung it up—I scratched my cheek watching.
If he hadn't contracted with me, he'd have a real girlfriend by now?
Kinda sorry.
"Sunbaenim! Thanks."
"Hm? For what?"
"You can't date others cuz you contracted with me......."
"It's fine. Like I said at the cafe last time, wanna focus on studies while in school."
Hearing that made me grateful for Inmok sunbae.
"And even if it's a contract, as my girlfriend, Ina'll do everything for me, right?"
"Y-yeah! I'll do my best!"
Of course!
Contracts gotta be fulfilled.