Drawing the Line

I could feel the tension in my jaw as I forced the corners of my mouth upward. "Sorry. I'm already running late for an appointment... I'll have a friend add me to the group chat, so don't worry about it."

"Huh? W-wait, it'll only take a second..."

"Sorry. I really have to go!"

"S-Seonghyun!"

I left Lee Seol behind as she reached out to me, immediately turning on my heel and walking away. Even as I exited the building, my mind was spinning with countless possibilities.

I drew the line. Now I just need to see how she reacts.

No matter how late I claimed to be, giving out a phone number wouldn't take more than a few seconds. This was a clear signal. I don't want to give you my number. If Lee Seol tried to approach me any further or pulled something after this...

She must have memories from the previous round.

If that was the case, I had no choice. I'd have to use different measures. My eyes settled with cold resolve as I looked toward the dormitory.

The next day was the team lottery.

Since it was the day we'd be choosing the colleagues we'd spend the next year with through thick and thin, there were no other classes. That was why Jihun had suggested we hit up an officetel for the first time in a while. I wanted to enjoy my freedom too, so I agreed immediately.

Besides, I need to claim the tree.

The Giving Tree raises the skill proficiency of any man who sleeps with Shin Suyeon. In other words, while others sweat blood training and hunting monsters, I could simply fuck once and get stronger. There was no better deal than that.

Of course, the skill had a cooldown, so I couldn't constantly bang her to raise proficiency. Still, the difference between having this and not having it was massive.

She had a congenital curse that caused her to die young at twenty-two in the previous round.

Many men had shed tears over her death. I think this was around the time she debuted in the entertainment district. The timing overlapped with my admission to the Academy, so it stuck in my memory.

First, I need to create the bargaining material.

I planned to form a sponsorship contract with her. In exchange for dispelling her curse.

"Equivalent Exchange."

I pictured the skill I wanted. A powerful dispel capable of removing any curse. But—

Fuck. The plan was ruined.

The moment I cursed inwardly—

An unexpected gift. The corners of my mouth naturally rose at the realization that Speedrun had this kind of application. It had many restrictions, but securing even this was better than nothing. Thanks to it, I was able to arrive at the appointed time with a lighter heart.

I must have been a little late. Jihun was frowning deeply.

"This bastard is late as fuck. Do you even know what time it is?"

"It's only three minutes."

"Three minutes? Fuck, do you know how many times I could have thrust in three minutes?"

He only cared about time when it came to this.

"Let's just go inside. It's cold."

"Look at this bastard changing the subject."

There was no need for long conversation. We entered the large building with anticipation.

It was one of the top officetels in Korea. I wondered if a building with over eighty floors could really be called an officetel. I'd heard the price was beyond imagination since it was close to the Academy.

We arrived at the seventy-ninth floor. After ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the identity verification process, we began choosing women.

"Hell yeah! This is it! This is life! Hehehe!"

"......"

Watching Jihun flip through the tablet with bloodshot eyes somehow made me feel embarrassed. He picked a woman and entered a room. I also selected Shin Suyeon and went into my assigned room.

I was lying on the bed waiting when I heard a knock.

Knock knock.

"Come in."

"U-um, hello... I'm Shin Suyeon."

"......"

I momentarily lost my words. Was it because she was insanely beautiful? No.

She's way too ordinary.

Shoulder-length black bob hair and a tiny frame barely over 150cm. Her appearance was average for a Korean woman. Exactly that. Not ugly, but not pretty either. Her figure wasn't particularly outstanding. The dark circles under her eyes were especially prominent. It was clear why she was at the very bottom of the selection list.

She hasn't awakened her unique skill yet.

The Shin Suyeon I'd seen before had a face that could rival a celebrity.

"S-should I wash first? Or have you... already washed?"

"...Yes. I already did."

"......"

Her face turned bright red as her eyes darted around. Anyone could tell this was her first time. There ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was nothing to confirm.

I cleared my throat and called her over.

"Sit here beside me."

"Ah, y-yes! But I have something to tell you first..."

"Yes. Go ahead."

"Um... could we keep our clothes on while we do it...?"

It seemed to be because of the curse engraved on her back. I nodded in understanding.

"Sure. But today, I actually came because I have a proposal for you, Miss Shin Suyeon."

"A proposal?"

As she tilted her head in confusion, I pulled out a contract from ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my pocket and handed it to her. The terms were simple.

Most officetel workers wanted to become sponsored girls. It was far more stable than risking STDs with multiple clients. They could live comfortably and be showered with luxury goods. Shin Suyeon, who had entered this line of work to pay for her dispel treatments, was no different.

But she seemed more shocked by another part. She shrank back, watching me warily.

"H-how did you know I was cursed?"

"Does that matter?"

It didn't. But questions still remained.

"There's no guarantee you'll actually dispel it... Even famous dispellers said it was difficult..."

Without further explanation, I lifted the hem of her blue dress.

"Kyaaak!"

"Stay still."

Black stems like tree roots had taken hold along her spine. If they reached her neck, Shin Suyeon would die. When I lightly touched the roots—

"Ugh!"

She screamed as if stabbed. The fact that she was willing to sleep with men while enduring this pain... I couldn't tell if she was foolish or brave.

Dispel.

My hand glowed white. At the same time, the black stems on her thoracic vertebrae shrank slightly.

"Haa..."

She let out a sigh of relief, realizing the pain had lessened. Simultaneously, her legs began trembling. It looked like she was trying to hold back pleasure. When I glanced at her face, it was flushed with arousal.

So this is the side effect.

After confirming that using Dispel caused sexual arousal, I pulled away from her.

"I believe this is sufficient proof of my dispelling ability."

"B-but..."

She still looked hesitant. I added more.

"I'm not asking for anything big from you. You don't need to say sweet things for my sake, and I won't demand dates or anything like that."

"W-what if I end up liking someone...?"

"It doesn't matter. You can kiss them, have indirect sex with them. Just don't have penetrative sex until the contract period ends."

When I said that, she looked confused. It made sense. What her officetel seniors had told her and what I was saying now had a huge gap. Normally, sponsors implicitly avoided any mention of dating, yet I was openly permitting it. Perhaps it was a defense mechanism from what those women had done to her.

Honestly, I had no interest in receiving emotional love anyway.

Regardless.

"Will you do it? Or not?"

Shin Suyeon bit her lip in deep thought before finally nodding.

"I'll do it!"

Bingo.

"Good choice. Then let's drop the formal speech. My name is Lee Seonghyun. Can I call you Suyeon noona?"

"N-noona? Y-yes, but... how old are you?"

"Twenty. One year younger than you, noona."

"Oh... I see."

I looked older than my age. In a good way, I appeared mature. In a bad way, I looked aged. I casually ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠took her hand.

She flinched! It was the reaction of someone touching a man's hand for the first time.

Cute.

I pulled her into my embrace. Along with her warm body temperature came the scent of a forest rather than a typical woman's fragrance. It was the phytoncide scent that calmed the mind.

"Kyut!"

When I licked her neck, she trembled and let out a small cry. That adorable reaction made my cock gradually harden.

I slipped my hand inside her dress and cupped her breast. A modest mound filled my palm. Roughly an A cup. The thought of these growing to D cups made endless excitement surge through me. Shin Suyeon's current body was something I could only enjoy right now. Once she awakened her unique skill, not just her face but her entire body would gradually transform.

Her skin was as soft as a baby's. I gently pressed the nipple that had slightly risen from it.

"Hah..."

With my other hand, I reached into her soaking wet panties. Past the slightly coarse pubic hair, my fingers found her secret place.

"W-wait!"

Her hand grabbed my wrist. The way she was shaking suggested she was quite scared. However, her body was already in heat from the earlier Dispel. Ignoring her wrist, I rubbed her clit.

"Kyaaahk! Wait, just a second! There! Hah!"

She was so sensitive that liquid splashed onto my hand. Still, I didn't ease up. I tormented her by rubbing, flicking, and circling that small pearl.

Every time I moved my fingers, her waist bucked wildly. It even drew an involuntary chuckle from me.

"Haa... haa..."

Shin Suyeon's legs were quivering. The foreplay was complete. I took off my clothes and pulled out my cock.