Childhood Friend Jo Minji
"Um, hmm, ahem... Ehem...!" It was only after a long while that Jo Minji returned. Her face still flushed, she made awkward coughs that didn't suit her at all—she looked thoroughly confused.
"I-I'm back..."
"Y-Yeah."
She... has liked me all this time?
...No way.
After more than ten years together, I knew better. To Jo Minji, I was just her closest male friend. Nothing more, nothing less. That was what I had always believed.
But...
It's hard to dismiss it so easily when there are so many signs...
Her growing possessiveness toward me ever since women started appearing around me. The overly revealing clothes and skinship she showed while drinking the other day. Her strange behavior today. And according to Park Youngmin, everyone at the office already knew except me.
...
This... makes me look like a completely dense, stupid guy.
"S-So I just pick one of these two? Th-This one looks handsome! Let's go with this!"
Jo Minji, clearly flustered, pointed at one of the cars with exaggerated enthusiasm.
"...Right. Let's go with this one."
Park Youngmin hugged the car like a mother sending her child off to Seoul, wearing an overly dramatic expression.
"My baby... Mercedes... Even if you end up with that guy who only has money and knows nothing about cars, you have to live well..."
"What the... Anyone watching would think we're forcibly separating parent and child. I'll lend it to you sometimes, you idiot."
I replied to Park Youngmin's over-the-top antics while trying to sort out my complicated thoughts.
...Yeah. Let's just watch a little longer. I can't jump to any conclusions yet. I'll probably need to spend a lot more time with Jo Minji for a while. Might as well work on winning her over too.
Chances are... it won't take that long.
I picked up my phone.
[Cash 400,000 won] - 1 point
[Would you like to purchase 1,000 of the item 'Cash 400,000 won'?]
'Yes.'
A light expenditure of 1,000 points.
I immediately used the item.
[Deposit] 400,000,000 won
Account ****-***-****** 01/31 11:42:50
...
Even though I already knew, seeing the amount deposited into my account took my breath away.
It was different from when I received 240 million to give to Min Chaeseul. Back then, I had spent 8,000 points. But this time, the cost was only 1,000 points.
The money that came in... was 400 million.
"Huu... Haa..."
I steadied myself with a deep breath. I wasn't the type to enjoy wasting money, but... just this once, I decided to spend over a million won on a meal for three people. That level of luxury really meant nothing to me now.
No... that might actually be too modest.
From now on, I would have to get used to this kind of spending. Whether by chance or not, all my women had genuinely kind hearts. If I hesitated to spend money, they would hold back on spending too. Since I was satisfying my desires to the fullest through them, I should make them happy in return.
After finishing the insurance and other minor procedures, the staff member politely asked while tapping on the calculator.
"The total comes to... this amount. How would you like to pay..."
"In full, please."
The car itself was 270 million, but with all the additional procedures, it easily exceeded 300 million. Still, it was an amount that didn't burden me at all. It was money I could earn in a single night by sucking on Yang Ara's breasts.
I held out my card. The staff member received it with both hands.
"Whoa..."
"Ooh..."
Park Youngmin and Jo Minji let out small gasps beside me.
"That's seriously cool... Minji, you're so lucky, huh?"
"H-Huh? Wh-What do you mean by that..."
"Alright, let's go eat!"
At Park Youngmin's teasing, Jo Minji's face turned bright red. As she tried to say something back, I smoothly changed the subject and walked out of the showroom.
Jo Minji kept her head down, gripping the hem of her white, flowing dress with both hands.
...I really want to hug her tight.
Jo Minji glanced at me and gently grabbed my collar.
"L-Let's go..."
In the past, I would have just let it pass, but now it felt loaded with meaning.
I removed her hand from my collar, interlaced our fingers, and held her hand tightly.
"...!"
Her face flushed as if it were on fire. My own heart started pounding in response.
...It's a bit warm.
Our joined palms felt unusually hot. Sweat between them made our skin stick together stickily.
An atmosphere that shouldn't exist between friends.
Clearly, we were both conscious of each other.
"...What do you want to eat?"
"...A-Anything. You... you pick what you like."
We walked out of the store after Park Youngmin, both of us strangely hesitant. My body temperature was so high that the winter wind, which should have been cold, felt pleasantly cool. She was probably feeling the same way.
"...Your scarf. Wear it properly."
"Huh? Oh, r-right."
I fixed her scarf and took her hand again as we walked toward the parking lot.
Then—
"...Hm?"
A woman with pink short hair was gazing longingly at the car inside the Benz showroom's glass window.
Where have I...
She gave off a strangely familiar feeling.
Who is she?
As we got closer, I took a better look. The woman was completely absorbed in the Benz and didn't notice me. Even with a padded jacket on, her chest was noticeably full and prominent. Her long, slender legs looked great in black tracksuit pants with three white stripes. The pink-dyed hair and the somewhat bold makeup gave her a strong impression, like a high school student. Various phone straps dangled from her padded jacket pockets.
She was the type who would look good in a school uniform... or rather, a heavily modified school uniform. The kind of woman who looked stylish even in a slacker outfit.
A name I hadn't spoken in a long time surfaced in my mind.
"Shin... Jiye?"
The woman turned her head toward me, her pink bob swaying.
"...Yes? Who..."
"...Huh?"
Jo Minji seemed to recognize her too and let out a small sound.
"Huh? J-Jo Minji?"
Unlike me, Shin Jiye recognized Jo Minji immediately and couldn't hide her surprise.
"Oh... L-Long time... no see."
Jo Minji replied with a less-than-welcoming expression. No... she looked slightly scared.
"H-How have you been?"
"......Yeah."
An unbearably awkward silence. It was obvious both sides felt uncomfortable with each other.
After a brief pause, Shin Jiye looked at me.
"By the way... who is this person... Do you know me?"
"...This is Kim Junyoung."
"Kim Junyoung? Kim Junyoung... Oh, oh!? Kim Junyoung? This is!?"
This is? That's harsh.
Well, the Modification App did change me a lot.
"Wow... You... got really handsome? Or is your face the same? Your height and body... Wow."
She stood with one hand on her hip, looking me up and down with an arrogant yet cheerful attitude.
Shin Jiye suddenly reached out toward my body.
"Whoa...! This is... seriously no joke? Look at those abs! Your chest too... Whoa, shit... It's huge... and hard! Isn't this at least a B-cup? Hehe."
She freely groped my stomach and chest without hesitation. It was rude, but... I didn't mind being touched by a pretty woman. My cock was starting to react.
But then—
"Huh?"
"Eh?"
Jo Minji stepped in front of me and blocked Shin Jiye's hand.
"Th-That's enough..."
She spoke with a slightly frightened expression.
Shin Jiye raised her now-awkward hand, looking confused.
"Huh... What's going on right now... Ah...? Aha...!"
Shin Jiye's eyes caught sight of Jo Minji's small hand trembling while tightly holding Kim Junyoung's large hand.
"Whoa. No way. You two finally got together?"
Kim Junyoung and Jo Minji's relationship had been somewhat famous back in middle school. Jo Minji, the undisputed prettiest girl in school, and Kim Junyoung, who single-mindedly protected her from the position of a male friend. Then and now, Shin Jiye disliked men. They only looked at her—an idol trainee—with lust-filled, disgusting eyes.
But Kim Junyoung... he was really okay.
Because of that, back in middle school, she had felt a slight attraction toward Kim Junyoung. He truly only had eyes for Jo Minji. Not with aggressive advances, but by playing the role of a male friend and gently watching over her.
Jo Minji, who relied on him as her only friend in her broken relationships without knowing his feelings.
That picture was truly beautiful—one that naturally brought a smile to anyone who saw it.
Even if he wasn't tall or handsome, he occupied the romantic position that all female students dreamed of: "less than a boyfriend, more than a friend." That was Kim Junyoung.
But now... wow... he's become a total homme fatale, hasn't he?
Broad shoulders, firm chest, abs visible even through his sweater, solid thighs. Back in middle school, Kim Junyoung had been lacking compared to Jo Minji, but now they were the perfect handsome couple.
Seeing them holding hands so tightly made her want to smile.
"Sorry, sorry! I didn't mean to act weird between you two. I really didn't intend that. I'm so sorry!"
Shin Jiye took two steps back. Even though her appearance was exactly the type Jo Minji would be scared of, there was clearly no malice in her.
Jo Minji must have felt it too—her slightly trembling hand calmed down.
I had considered chasing Shin Jiye away, but it seemed like an overreaction, so I stopped.
She... wasn't the one who bullied Jo Minji.