The Prospective Protagonist
Sunday morning dawned.
“Ugh, I slept well……”
After waking up, I stretched refreshingly and checked my phone.
[ Sunday, AM 08:21 ]
“Phew.”
Fortunately, I hadn't overslept. I'd set an alarm for 9 just in case, but it seemed unnecessary.
‘Finally, today.’
Yesterday morning.
After finishing my part-time job and obtaining items through the Heroine App, I experimented with various things.
The experiments were mainly on the effects of the items.
I went to a cafe and tested by eating the candy myself or drinking water, checking how powerful the effects were and how they applied.
Having planned out the date based on that, I sent Yoon Yujeong noona the detailed time and place via Cocoatalk a little after lunchtime.
I was nervous that the candy's effect might wear off and she'd suddenly refuse, but fortunately, that didn't happen.
“The appointment is at 11. Still got some time to spare.‘
I lay back on the bed and imagined today's schedule.
Date at 11.
Strictly speaking, it was just a simple promise that I'd buy her a meal, but to me, it meant something different.
If I do well today, I might be able to kiss her.
Turning my head to look at the desk, on it were several heart-shaped candies, a tube that looked like a toothpaste container, powder in a bag, water in a small bottle, and even a lipstick-shaped laser stick.
All were items I'd prepared for today after finishing yesterday's experiments.
“Alright. I can do this.”
I spent some time watching MeTube videos on my phone, then got out of bed a little after 9.
After a thorough shower, I picked out what I thought were my best clothes and put them on.
Then I packed the pre-prepared items into a small bag one by one.
’ …Carrying all these things around makes it feel like I'm committing a crime.‘
As I was packing, I chuckled at the sudden thought.
’No, well… maybe it really is a crime?‘
I wasn't sure.
It was because they were magical items from a mysterious app; perhaps their ingredients were like drugs.
It might be using strange substances to seduce an innocent woman.
The thought that this might be something I shouldn't do brought a sudden fear, but I soon shook my head.
“No, if I've decided to do it, I have to.”
A mysterious app that I'd only seen in novels had come to me.
Maybe with this, my life could change 180 degrees. After all, the most important thing was myself. Let's set aside things like ethics for now.
’And if there are any side effects… they would definitely have been written in the item effects.‘
Convinced, I opened the door and stepped outside.
I took the bus to the meeting place and checked the time.
Current time: 10:46.
I'd arrived a bit early, but that was much better than being late.
After waiting about 10 minutes in front of the meeting place, I heard a voice from behind.
“Hi, Jinhyun. You're early?”
Turning my head, I saw Yoon Yujeong noona smiling.
‘Wow…….’
The moment I saw her, I couldn't close my mouth.
It was a face I saw almost every day, but since I only saw her briefly during shift changes, seeing her dressed up in casual clothes felt new.
Noona was wearing a short-sleeved t-shirt with a gradient from light orange to white and light gray jeans.
It was an overall fresh summer fashion, and she must have sprayed on a subtle, sweet orange perfume, giving off a refreshing vibe.
Though her outfit was quite simple and casual, her face and figure were so good that she looked incredibly beautiful.
I'd seen many pretty women, but this was the first time seeing such a pretty appearance up close for a one-on-one date.
Seeing noona suddenly made me nervous, and I started to wonder if I could do well, my confidence slightly dropping.
Because noona was obviously very pretty, while I felt ordinary.
‘No. Don't get nervous.’
I shook my head inwardly.
Yeah. Not whether I can do well, but that I have to do well.
While repeating giving up and retrying the quest yesterday, I'd used up all my remaining retry chances.
If I didn't succeed today and made no progress in the remaining 6 days, the quest would fail, and there would be no more quests to proceed with.
’And if, by any chance… quests disappear because there are none to proceed with.’
If I couldn't use this mysterious app anymore?
Just thinking about it was terrifying.
’That can't happen.’
I relaxed my tension, smiled, and replied to the greeting.
My preparations were perfect. All that remained was confidence.
“Yes. I arrived with some time to spare. Can't be late again, after all.”
“Pfft. That's true.”
Noona said with a bashful smile.
‘Being late…….’
I'd been late while messing around with the app for the first time. Thanks to that, I'd created an excuse to meet like this, so from my perspective, it was a fortunate lateness.
“So today, I'll buy you something delicious.”
I smiled naturally back and took a step toward the first location.
“Where are we eating?”
“You'll see when we get there.”
I walked down the street with noona.
Maybe because it was Sunday, there were lots of people.
Many couples were walking arm in arm, and thinking that I was mixing in with them in my own way made me feel a bit proud. Even though it was nothing right now.
“We're here. This is the place.”
Standing in front of a building, I pointed to the third floor. The sign read 'Luma Shabu'.
“Heh. Shabu-shabu?”
“Yes. Do you not like it?”
“Umm~ It's just unexpected. I thought we'd go to a pasta place or something.”
She'd hit the nail on the head.
I'd also considered going to a Western restaurant at first. Since I'd finally gotten the chance, having something like hangover soup felt a bit off, and pasta was a safe choice anyone would think of.
But there was another reason I'd chosen this place.
“Then shall we go in? I've made a reservation.”
“Yeah. Sounds good. I like shabu-shabu, so it's perfect.”
We took the elevator to the third floor. The entire third floor of the large building was a shabu-shabu restaurant.
“How many people?”
“Two. We have a reservation.”
“What's the name?”
“Cheon Jinhyun.”
“Yes, confirmed. I'll guide you this way.”
A person in neat clothes guided us to a window seat.
Luma Shabu was a fairly famous shabu-shabu place. It was popular mainly among young people, one reason being the buffet style.
When you ordered shabu-shabu, you could eat from the salad bar for free.
“Noona. What would you like?”
“Hmm. What do you like?”
“Since I'm treating you as an apology today, pick whatever you want, noona.”
“Got it. Then...... let's have seafood!”
I rang the bell and ordered seafood shabu-shabu, then we each got up and went to the salad bar to get what we wanted.
“Thanks for the meal, Jinhyun.”
“Yes.”
After eating shabu-shabu and feeling somewhat full, we each got dessert.
I got ice cream, and Yoon Yujeong noona got fruit, a slice of cake, and coffee.
While we were eating, I glanced around and stood up.
“What are you getting?”
“Shaved ice.”
I said with a smile and moved toward the shaved ice area.
‘Whew…….’
Standing at the shaved ice station, I looked at Yoon Yujeong noona. She was looking out the window, munching on fruit.
That was a relief. I'd been thinking about the right timing, and it seemed there was still room in her stomach.
When making the reservation, I'd deliberately booked a corner window seat.
From there, the salad bar area, especially where desserts like shaved ice were, wasn't visible. I'd been to Luma Shabu with friends a few times, so I knew it well.
“This was it.”
I took out the bag of powder and the tube from my bag.
This was exactly why I'd chosen Luma Shabu.
‘Alright.’
I quickly made my own shaved ice, then started making noona's.
I scooped ice, added red beans and condensed milk. Decorated with a few pieces of injeolmi and jelly, then sprinkled the powder from the bag and started squeezing the tube.
‘Hope this works.’
The powder was crushed candy from the Heroine App, and the tube was syrup I'd made myself yesterday.
It was regular strawberry syrup mixed with melted candy from the Heroine App.
One of the things I'd tested at the cafe yesterday was that while eating the candy directly applied the effect, crushing it into powder or melting the candy itself and mixing it with something still applied the effect safely.
The most important thing was consuming about one candy's worth.
If you consumed about one candy's worth, the effect would apply safely to the target you looked at while consuming it.
‘I almost confessed to the part-timer.’
I smiled bitterly, recalling yesterday.
I'd used 5 of the remaining 12 candies for experiments, and the place I'd chosen was the cafe.
It was a spot where I could sit for a long time and eat something.
Sitting in the cafe, just in case, I'd targeted the most ordinary-looking female part-timer first and experimented while only looking at her. If I hadn't properly understood the candy's effect, my heart would have been pounding so much that I'd have thought it was love at first sight.
‘I never expected the candy's effects to stack.’
One made me feel a little attracted, but eating two made me feel very fluttery even though it was someone I'd never seen before with an ordinary face and figure.
It seemed dangerous to eat more, so after that, I'd continued the experiment looking at other people.
‘Done.’
I looked at the finished shaved ice.
The powder sprinkled on it was from one crushed candy, and the syrup was made by melting two candies.
It was a creation with a total of three candies, but I wasn't aiming for the effect of three.
‘She'll probably leave some. I hope she eats about two worth.’
The simplest way was to just give the candy, but if her favorability toward me changed every time she ate one, it might raise unnecessary suspicion.
Naturally.
To give the effects of multiple candies as naturally as possible, mixing them into food was the best method.
Therefore, Luma Shabu's buffet style, with sweet desserts and customers serving themselves, was the most suitable place for me.
“Here. I made noona's too.”
I returned to the table with the shaved ice, placed a regular red bean shaved ice at my seat, and the one with candy powder and syrup at noona's.
“Yeah. Thanks.”
Noona answered with a smile and immediately took a bite of the shaved ice.
I swallowed hard inwardly, watching her eat the shaved ice.