It's My First Time Today...
It's my first time today... Ahh, unfamiliar ceiling. ...? Wait, this isn't even a ceiling? It's dark. The sharp scent of detergent stung my nose, and the cramped space pressed in.
"...Where the hell am I?"
My half-asleep brain slowly started turning. Narrow walls, fabric brushing my arms, legs folded up. Ah. The closet. Memories flooded back all at once. Special Meal (SS). Mana depletion, holding my breath until I passed out.
'It told me to hide, so I did.'
Did she catch me? If she had, she'd have woken me up. She'd have grilled me excitedly about why I was hiding here and sleeping. Even if not, she'd at least have left the closet door open. I muttered to myself and checked the time on my phone in my pocket.
'Four hours?!'
I'd been out for nearly four hours. Holding my breath, I listened carefully. No signs of life. No TV from the living room, no footsteps. I wasn't sure if I still hadn't been caught, but it made me paranoid anyway. Carefully, I pushed open the closet door.
Screech.
With the tiniest sound, I slipped out. The utility room light was off. The living room was dark too. On the dining table, only the neatly cleaned dishes remained.
"...They ate it."
I wondered what Yoo Serin and Yoo Raen thought of the food. Coming home to a feast laid out with no one around—they must have found it weird... But eating unknown food without suspicion? They were so innocent; how did they survive? Then one fact hit me.
'Oh. If they ate it, they must have noticed the buff effect.'
Hmm... But no messages yet, so they probably didn't suspect me. Lucky. I let out a long breath and quietly opened the front door, slipping out. Only after exiting the apartment did the tension finally ease. My Status Window had returned to normal, so I didn't feel the depleted mana, but after four hours cramped up sleeping, the exhaustion lingered fiercely. Still, thinking about today's events sharpened my mind instead.
SS-Rank. Special Meal (SS). All stats doubled. This time, I really felt it. This Snail Husband unique ability that granted it with a single snap wasn't just some 'housework power.' It was balance-breaking.
"How... should I use this?"
Special Meal (SS). No materials needed, conjured from thin air with just mana and stamina. This time I'd dumped all my mana recklessly, but instinctively, I knew—if I'd rationed stamina and mana, I wouldn't have passed out. The problem was its performance. All stats doubled for 12 hours. This transcended buffs. It applied to any hunter, but especially for S-Rank hunters, the efficiency would be insane. Just one meal before battle could turn an S-Rank into S+... no, even an unprecedented SS-Rank. Even top A-Ranks could be boosted to S.
"Money..."
The thought flashed by. How much could I charge high-rank hunters per meal? Unofficial contracts, raid-exclusive buff chef? Tens of millions per go? Hundreds of millions? Or direct deal with the Association?
......
But.
"I'd become a managed asset immediately."
The moment this ability went public, with no direct 'combat power' of my own, I'd be a 'support S-Rank' or worse—a 'national strategic asset.' Under 24-hour 'protection' that was really surveillance, cooking for life.
Some might say I'm overly suspicious of the Association, making a fuss. But that's how they were. Without backing, you're used. Rumors even swirled of a powerless S-Rank blacksmith being exploited until suicide. Reasonable suspicion. True or not, better safe.
"This... isn't a card to play lightly."
At least not until trustworthy connections appeared.
"Floor 3. Doors opening."
"Huh?"
"Oh, hi there?"
Lost in thought, I ran into someone unexpected. Han Choyeun, from yesterday in the same spot. The elevator doors opened, and there she stood in an awkward pose.
At first, she just wanted to get friendly. Yeah, but the method was the issue.
"We've barely met once, how do I run into him 'by chance' again..."
Unless faking coincidence, there was no excuse to approach the neighbor. Can't say 'Hey, you broke into my place, right?'
So Han Choyeun rationalized: Yoo Gaon snuck into my house uninvited, why can't I do something shady too?
"Just... check inside the house."
That was the start. She turned a potted plant toward the entrance. A simple surveillance skill let her sense entrants. Usually for delivery times lately. Fiddling with her phone, half her focus on the door, she rushed to the window each detection to check faces.
"Ugh."
Always nothing, time slipping to dawn.
"What the hell am I doing..."
Self-loathing hit as she questioned obsessing over this guy. Then—
Bzzz.
'Sigh. Probably not him.' Last check, then quit.
"Oh...!"
Finally. The face she'd waited for. She yanked back her senses, stood, glanced in the mirror. Expression okay? Can't look like she waited. Drank water, casually exited toward elevator.
"Floor 3. Doors opening."
The chime echoed. Doors opened—eyes met.
Ah. Timing too perfect.
"Huh?"
Yoo Gaon sounded surprised; Han Choyeun played it cool.
"Oh, hi there?"
"Hi. Heading to the convenience store?"
His disheveled clothes prompted it.
"Pardon?"
"...Huh?"
"Uh, y-yeah! Yeah, convenience store..."
'Why's he so flustered?'
Unexpected encounter? She stuttered awkwardly. I tried sidestepping politely...
But she stepped closer.
"Um... you free right now?"
...Suddenly? I stopped.
"Huh? Oh... yeah. What's up?"
Brief silence. She hesitated, then dropped the bombshell.
"Wanna grab a drink?"
"...Pardon?"
"Uwaaaah...! I don't do this with just anyone—"
She spilled excuses rapidly. But before hearing them, my brain froze. Now? This hour? Sudden? We'd only met once in the elevator yesterday? No way.
My heart sank. What if hidden cameras caught me today?
'Hey, were you in my house?' Beating around the bush? Or probing over drinks?
Thoughts raced. A beauty like Han Choyeun wouldn't fancy me, so a sudden invite screamed that it was something negative. Should I reject? She might not be sure yet. Maybe it seems suspicious? Doubt turns to certainty. 'Why did you avoid me?' Worst case scenario: she tip me off to the Association.
...Or maybe I'm just overthinking?
"This may be s-sudden, huh?"
I smiled lightly, probing her. Calmly, she shrugged.
"We're neighbors on the same floor, we barely said hi. I'm just... being neighborly?"
Neighbor. That word unnerved me more. An unescapable tie. I caught my breath briefly, then nodded.
"Sure... why not. Nothing better to do anyway."
True, I've got no plans. Her face lit up visibly, leading me to her apartment.
"...Wait? Why back here..."
The direction she led me: not outside, but her place.
"Wait here a sec, I'll grab some booze!"
"...Huh?? Wait—"
My brain lag, I followed blankly. Tossed inside, she dashed to the store.
...What was this situation? Dragging a plain first-timer guy home for drinks? he doesn't give me gold-digger vibes...
"Fuck... I'm screwed?"
I reached a logical tragic conclusion: I'm busted. I slumped at entrance, clutching my head, awaiting my doom.
Luckily. Really luckily, not busted. At least vibe-wise now.
Han Choyeun returned laden with soju and beer, set snacks and poured at center table. Drinks flowed—one, two glasses. Surprisingly normal mood. Feared interrogation; instead, daily chat. Her plant awakener reveal, hunter woes. Weird plants in gates lately. Didn't know same-floor peer. Ah, she was 23. One year older sis.
Nearly strangers, but chiming in, convo flowed easy... And she was gorgeous, eye candy too.
...Super open-minded. Two soju bottles and third beer in, her cheeks flushed noticeably.
"Um... but yeah."
Words trailed.
"I don't do this with just anyone, okay?"
"...? Uh, sure."
"For real. Don't misunderstand. I'm not that kinda girl."
...Didn't she say that earlier?
"Just... y'know..."
Gripping can with both hands, she stared.
"Yesterday in elevator... you seemed weird."
Heart dropped. Here it comes?
"Weird how?"
"Not weird exactly... um... inexplicable..."
Silence. I kept cool, hid panic.
"Super... ordinary."
...Insult?
"But not-ordinary vibe?"
...Huh, silent scream thing? Please no report.
But next words veered unexpected.
"Made me curious."
"...Me?"
"Yeah."
Nodding, she blushed, added:
"N-not like that! Just neighborly! Fellow floor resident!"
Again. Flailing cutely—drunk?
"I don't usually invite first."
"Yeah."
"For real. Not with anyone."
"Yup yup."
"First time today."
Why say that. Booze hit; repeats ramped.
"Don't misunderstand... I'm not easy..."
"Yeah, you don't seem it."
"For real... I don't let just anyone in... You've already been in..."
...Hold up.
"Ah."
"...Ah."
Busted.