Chapter 24
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: It Feels Like We'll Meet Again
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“A guy?”
That single remark made several women in line turn around.
Exclamations, whispers, and low moans like laughter spread through the air.
“For real? A guy's here? A man showed up?”
“Whoa... even his scent is different...”
“Let's drag him inside right now.”
It was a reaction similar to what I'd gotten at the gym.
'How do men even survive in this world? In situations like this...'
At that moment, one woman approached me, her high heels clicking sharply.
Every time her chest bounced, the neon lights reflected off her skin.
She grabbed my wrist.
Hard enough for her nails to dig into my flesh.
“Oppa, what are you doing in line? No need for that. Straight to VIP.”
No sooner had she spoken than she yanked me forward.
I was practically dragged to the door.
Another woman opened it and pressed her body against my back.
Her breasts touched my back.
The warm, sweat-slicked, firm sensation transmitted directly.
“Let's go inside, yeah? We'll take care of you all night.”
The moment the door opened, the club's heat, music, and scream-like beats hit all at once.
The inside was already a scene of madness.
In the center of the dance floor, dozens of women writhed nearly naked.
Bra tops, thong panties, garters, chains, oil-glistening skin.
Some licked each other's breasts or kissed with hands between thighs.
'What the hell is this...'
In terms of my original world, it was like men doing weird stuff together.
Come to think of it, yeah.
There were hardly any men to begin with, so clubs would be women-only.
I was the fool for not expecting something like this.
The lights flashed red and purple, sweat and fluids sparkling in reflection.
The woman didn't let go of my wrist and dragged me straight to the VIP area.
As we climbed the stairs, she pressed her lips to my ear and whispered.
“Oppa, the best part here is... seeing how long a guy can hold out. How long can you last against us tonight?”
Something had gone terribly wrong.
I needed to get out of here fast.
“Ah... I've got something urgent today. It was fun, let's meet next time.”
I tried to stand and leave quickly.
-Grip
“Ugh...”
But one woman seized my wrist with iron strength and wouldn't release it.
“Where do you think you're going? You came this far, you gotta take responsibility.”
“Responsibility?”
“Yeah, there are already several VIPs waiting to fuck you.”
What the hell was this?
Was I hearing this right?
Did these people think they could handle the consequences?
I'd heard Yoo Seol had gone to prison for trying to rape a man.
And they were just going to do this without hesitation?
I decided to try scaring them a bit.
“If you keep this up, I'll report you to the police. You know I'm a man, right?”
“Heh... If we were scared of that, we wouldn't have brought you in.”
My threat had no effect.
“I checked you out, and you're barely a 1st Circle mage...”
'She scanned me already.'
“Someone like you? We fuck you, wipe your memory, and send you on your way.”
'So that's how it is...'
The biggest difference between my original world and this one?
The existence of 'abilities.'
Thinking back to everything from the gym today...
'In the end, I just looked like easy prey.'
With a man who seemed almost powerless showing up, no wonder they were so casual.
A treasure chest without a lock wandering around? Everyone would want to open it.
'First, think about escaping. Deal with the rest later.'
I scanned my surroundings.
I had to find the best escape route.
Two women in front and behind me.
No one near the exit.
They must have let their guard down, thinking I was harmless.
'In that case.'
I didn't want to give them time to think.
'They only mentioned magic, so they probably don't know I've learned martial arts.'
As Seo-rin had said, hardly anyone learned martial arts, so it wouldn't even cross their minds.
I quickly formed ice with Ice Arts in my left hand.
And created fire with magic in my right.
'Gotta nail it in one go. Their carelessness is my chance.'
I swiftly combined the Ice Arts and fire.
-Hiss
“Wha... what the...? What are you doing?!”
The ice and fire met, instantly filling the area around me with steam.
'Time to run.'
I bolted toward the entrance as fast as I could.
Thanks to my male physical abilities, escaping wasn't too hard.
'They can't keep up properly, so their physical strength must be like women from my original world...'
Watching them, I thought of Kim Da-in, who had overpowered me despite being a woman.
I'd brushed it off as some strength-enhancing trick back then, but I should check that out later.
-Thud thud thud
I ran without stopping.
'Just make it to the police station like this.'
I darted into an alley.
Footsteps thundered behind me.
Turning corners, into another alley.
My breath came in gasps, but I couldn't stop.
-Swish
It happened in that instant.
An unfamiliar hand seemed to yank me aside.
Fast. Incredibly fast.
Before I could steady myself.
My body was pulled away as if flying.
'Wha... what...'
That unfamiliar hand quickly covered my mouth.
“Shh.”
Even without her shush, the grip was too strong to break free.
-Thud thud thud
-Thud thud thud
Footsteps of several people echoed past the alley.
Probably the ones chasing me.
“Where is he? Where'd he go?”
Just like that, the women passed by.
“...”
“... Looks safe now...”
“Who are you?”
The person who helped me.
It was strange.
Someone almost eye-level with me.
She was the first woman I didn't have to look down at.
'I'm over 180 cm, so maybe late 170s?'
Black ponytail, with eyes that made her hard to approach somehow.
Her clothes suggested college age.
Actually, I could guess from her outfit.
Her youthful face contrasted with a mature vibe.
“Ah... thank you...”
“You?”
“Pardon?”
“Heard there's a dumb guy who came to the club alone.”
Dumb guy...
“Ah, that sounds like me.”
“No sense at all? Wandering around alone in a guy's body?”
It wasn't scolding.
Not angry or agitated.
No inflection.
Just flatly curious, like stating facts.
“Sorry. I don't know much about the world...”
I was grateful for the help, so I apologized and wanted to leave quickly.
“...?”
“What's wrong?”
She just stared at me blankly without a word.
“...Why are you...?”
“You apologized?”
“Huh? Yeah... I guess I did?”
“To me?”
The more we talked, the weirder she seemed.
Why were all the people around me so odd?
“Well... I messed up too, and I'm grateful to you, so...?”
“Grateful? To me?”
“Yeah... right?”
The conversation kept going strangely.
“Hmm...”
“Can I go now, maybe?”
Best to get away from weirdos fast.
“What's your name?”
“Yoo Seo-hyun.”
“Yoo Seo-hyun... Interesting.”
“Ah, yeah... Then I'm really gonna go.”
I hurried away from the spot.
Her eyes held a different kind of terror from Kim Da-in's.
Completely inscrutable.
“We'll probably meet again soon.”
“Pardon?”
I turned at the voice.
'Huh?'
She was gone from behind me.
“Weird. It felt like the voice echoed in my head...”
What a bizarre person.
Her rescue seemed more like satisfying curiosity than kindness.
Very strange.
I didn't dislike her.
But despite the brief encounter, her image stuck strongly in my mind.
And so, a meaningless week passed.
Not that I wanted to waste my vacation pointlessly.
But after the gym and club, I realized everywhere I went drew attention, so I didn't feel like going out.
Not that I hated women, but my personality just didn't crave the spotlight.
I didn't bother reporting the club incident to the police.
I felt I needed to learn more about being a man before acting.
If my unusual behavior got exposed during the report, it could spark trouble.
'Best to do nothing in times like this.'
Of course, I tried researching men too...
'But once in bed, everything feels like too much hassle...'
That's how the meaningless week slipped by.
This was the first time I ever looked forward to going back to work.
Seeing Ian or Seo-rin at work actually felt more comfortable.
It was like talking to women from my original world.
And so, after a week, I started work again.