Chapter 131

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 131

Chapter Title: Knead Knead

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On the way home.

Mary and I parted ways.

It had been a while... We reminisced about old times and just sat there in a daze, leisurely passing the time.

The night air on the way back home felt refreshingly crisp.

It was almost 10 p.m.

No way... How many hours did we spend chatting over just one sandwich...?

Having a like-minded friend sure is a good thing.

The problem is...

Lately, I've been realizing that all the people I can call like-minded friends are women.

Before the dimensional transfer, I definitely had way more guy friends.

I did have some female friends too... but my ex-girlfriend from college had ended all those relationships out of sheer possessiveness.

I broke up with her after getting fed up with the exhaustion, but there was no salvaging the connections that had already vanished.

But now, it's completely the opposite.

Sea... Mary...

Nothing but gal pals.

Of course, I don't have a ton of friends in general.

Even so, I do have my closest friend.

The one I can confide everything to.

The one who supports me.

"Friend."

At first, I thought of it as just a system.

Then, as a convenient helper for counseling.

But at some point, it became an indispensable, special, and precious existence.

I've been feeling it even more lately.

Whenever I fall into doubt and feel powerless, or start wavering, it shows me the way forward.

It's the one that holds me tight, never letting me slip away.

The distance has closed.

Lately, it feels even closer.

Now the hole is big enough for physical contact.

"What are you gonna do about this?"

And lately, the hole has gotten even bigger.

It used to be just small enough for grabbing my wrist or barely accepting an ice cream.

Now both arms fit comfortably.

...Maybe if I forced my whole body through, I could make it?

"The hole's gotten way too big."

What a cheeky response.

"Anyway."

The question I've been harboring.

I asked once before, but it seemed hesitant, so I didn't press.

Maybe now's a good time to ask again.

"What exactly are you?"

I ask with a smile.

At this point, it doesn't matter what it is.

Human, monster—fine by me.

Even if it's an apostle here to wipe out humanity.

Even if it's none of those.

One thing's for sure: the wrist I held was slender.

The arm that wrapped around my back had a distinctly feminine curve.

So I'm guessing it's a woman... but...

Hold on.

"You... don't tell me you're a succubus?"

I've heard somewhere.

Succubi seduce on their own sometimes, but they also use contractors to lure in the opposite sex, feeding off the essence from those encounters...

Was I just an essence collector for you?

My out-of-left-field guess makes it freak out and deny it vehemently.

"Yeah, I know."

I flash a playful grin.

If the system really were a succubus, I'd probably have ten kids by now.

It wouldn't be a client list—it'd be a wife roster.

No job lets you legally mingle with female hunters as much as mine.

For a succubus, it'd be like an all-you-can-eat buffet.

It pops up a sulky emoticon.

"I'm hurt. I like you, though."

As a friend, as a partner.

Before I knew it, I was already at my front door.

- Beep beep bleep...

I unlock the door and step inside.

"I know."

Smiling at its frantic excuse, I start unbuttoning the shirt I'd worn all day.

My bare skin is revealed the moment I take it off. I head straight to the bathroom to wash up.

Grabbing a towel, I grin at the empty air in front of the door and say,

"I'm gonna shower now."

No reply—just an emoticon that looks like a face turning beet red.

The system never talks to me while I'm showering.

Now I get why...

It must be related to her gender.

"I'll be out after I wash up. Get ready. Just wait right there."

I declare.

Today, I'm getting the truth out of her.

- Splash...

The warm water washes away the fatigue of the long day.

It was a long one.

"I'll be out after I wash up, so get ready."

"Eua..."

"Just. Wait. Right. There."

"Euaaaah..."

Today...

User is being way too forward.

I'm super flustered... More embarrassed than anything.

Actually... Revealing my true identity isn't that hard.

I've always been upfront about it in my heart. Never once dodged it.

But my goal was to reveal it face-to-face, not from across dimensions...

- Splash...

User is showering right now.

I want to peek, but I do have some conscience.

I've always ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠tried not to look at private info up to now.

I think of myself as cool and professional. Heh.

Anyway, now that User's gone, this is my chance.

"Here goes."

I shove my arms through the widened hole first.

- Ngh...

Shoulders made it...!

I twist a bit more to push my chest in...

Hah, darn it. Not yet, huh.

This hole's still too narrow.

Last time I hugged User's back tight, I was full of hope.

Truth is, two parts are the issue.

First, my chest gets caught... And probably my hips too.

I've matured more than I thought.

Not that it feels bad. Heh.

Anyway...

The world's rifts need to widen more.

Then this hole will open up fully.

Still not enough.

Better pull back before User returns.

"......?"

Huh?

- Twitch, twitch.

"......

It's not moving.

It went in fine earlier... But now my chest is awkwardly caught, won't come out.

Stay calm, try again.

If I maneuver right, it'll slip free.

- Jiggle...

"Urk..."

That's when it wouldn't budge an inch.

- Creak.

The door opens.

"Whoa, that scared me."

User opens the door and walks in right then.

I'm in the middle of shoving both arms through the hole.

From User's view, just my two arms flailing in midair.

"A ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠ghost?"

User approaches the hole by the bed, towel-drying his wet hair, looking startled.

Wh-what do I do...

Ah...

How could this happen...

Me, the world's greatest system.

Instead of helping User, I need his help...

Tears...

No other way.

In the end...

"Yeah."

"Huh?"

User, mid hair-dry, whips his head around.

"Stuck?"

He comes over here.

Shaking out his wet hair, he carefully inspects both my arms.

After eyeing my wrists and arms closely, User...

"Hahahahaha!!"

bursts out laughing.

Clutching his stomach.

"Hahaha!"

He's even wiping tears.

"Ahaha, this is hilarious. The system, hahaha... Sorry, just caught me off guard."

"Sorry, sorry..."

User sets the towel aside, still chuckling.

"What do I do?"

He grabs both my hands tight and asks.

My face heats up instantly, but he can't see it.

Getting out still seems impossible.

Guess I need to push further in...

"Alright, got it."

User, grin still lingering, grips my hands firmly.

And slowly.

- Squeeze...

Shoves both my arms right back into the hole.

"How's that? In?"

- Slide... slide...

"It's warm."

User's hands feel cool, fresh from the shower.

The sensation of those cold hands wrapping around and pushing my arms... it's weird.

My body starts sliding in slowly.

But then.

- Thud.

"Huh?"

"Something's caught."

The arms go in fine, but... my chest is firmly wedged at the entrance.

Looks like I need more force.

"Oh, yeah?"

User lets go of my arms and asks,

"How should I help?"

He should reach in himself and push my head.

"So there's a head. Got it."

User's hand slips into the hole.

Actually, there's a short passage between this hole and mine. That's where I'm stuck.

Think of it as a cost-cutting space purely for transit.

User's hand descends slowly through the darkness.

I lower my head, positioning it nicely for him.

"......"

But his hand doesn't reach my head.

- Slide...

It passes right by my head...

Goes right past my eyes...

To the exact spot caught in the frame.

In other words, right to my chest...

- Press...

"Oh, this is it. Yeah?"

"Ah......"

The spot User thinks is my head and keeps pressing...

Is actually...

My breasts.

Normally soft, but squished tight from being stuck, they feel firm...

This passage is bare-bones for cost reasons, so sensations aren't fully rendered...

I can kinda guess the round shape... and size...

Hence this situation...

"Should I press?"

The head was just an indirect excuse.

Directly, this is the way.

...If so...

"Gotcha."

- Press. Press.

Under User's gentle touch, my wedged body starts easing free.

"Better?"

"Alright..."

- Press, press, press.

Soon...

- Sliiiide...

My stuck body starts slipping out of the hole.

"Phew, good."

User lifts his hands from my chest...

Now I should head back too...

- Pat pat.

But User smiles warmly,

And gently pats my chest (which he thinks is my head).

"Thanks, always."

Such a touching scene.

He's encouraging me...

- Stroke stroke.

Even strokes it...

His cool palm on my chest...

U, ua...

My face is burning up, won't calm down...

- Knead knead...

"Friend, your head's kinda big..."

But that final blow was too much.

I muster my last strength and yank my body free from the hole.

And flee.

Th-this...

Is too much...