Forgive Me... It's Too Boring
"Hey, I messed up..."
She couldn't even meet my eyes, just collapsed there trembling.
"I'll do anything. Please forgive me just this once. I was so hungry. I swear, really, I won't do it again..."
Seeing her grovel like that, anyone would think I was some abuser who'd been beating her regularly for years.
"..."
Cute. She looked like she'd shiver if I so much as poked her.
"Get up."
"Y-yes...?"
I casually tore open the box of snacks in her hand. A few packs of crackers inside.
Back in the day, I used to think this was such a rip-off. Why bother wrapping a handful of crackers in these tiny plastic packs? Just cheap marketing. I still thought the same, but now I had enough money that their petty tricks didn't faze me.
"What'd you eat?"
"N-nothing. I didn't eat a single one..."
"Speak casually."
I opened the fridge. Nothing great for a midnight snack.
"Eat that for now. There's milk—have it with."
"C-can I really eat it?"
"You think I'd starve you? I didn't worry 'cause I figured you'd help yourself."
I poured her a glass of milk and set it in front of her.
"Thank you so much..."
That one cracker must've meant the world to her—Arin nibbled at it happily, looking blissful.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you..."
Her family didn't seem that bad off, but there was no confidence in her eyes. Maybe she'd been abused.
"Anyway... eat up. If you're still hungry, have more. Sleep when you're tired."
"W-wait!"
She called out to me. I kinda wanted to game, but her expression was too desperate to ignore. And she was beautiful, so the conversation wouldn't be boring.
"Speak... casually."
"That feels better?"
"Y-yeah..."
She bowed her head so low I couldn't see her face. I'd been using formal speech on purpose to keep distance, but if she didn't like it, no reason to keep it up.
I'm not gonna work her like a slave anyway. We'll be seeing each other's faces for a while, so no need to make it awkward.
A resentful slave risking jail to stab me with a kitchen knife, or exploiting my trust for extravagance even I couldn't afford—though with my money, who knows what that'd even be. As long as I avoided those wild cards, my life was smooth sailing. At least, I could keep living like I always had. Without working.
No need to get too close. Just plant the idea that this kind of life ain't so bad, right?
Tempting, though... Her body was pretty alluring. Not dressed slutty or anything, but no bra—her breasts jiggled with every move.
Whatever.
She'd been dragged here to pay off her family's debt. No interest in touching that.
She looked like she'd accept without resisting, which oddly made me feel guilty.
"So, anything else?"
"Th-that's... all."
Her voice shook—was she scared to talk casually with me?
"Fine then. Sleep when tired. Fridge stuff... I'll stock more tomorrow, so eat what you want."
"O-okay..."
I turned my back on her for real this time and sat at the computer. Fired up the game.
/////
Two days passed.
Kim Arin trembled before a new dilemma, at a loss.
"Ugh, uuuugh..."
She clutched the bedsheet, squeezing out sighs like she was wringing out every emotion inside her.
"So... boooooring..."
A bit luxurious worry for a brand-new slave, but her reality was brutally harsh.
"Wh-what do I do."
Can slaves even touch phones? She'd tossed that question aside ages ago.
If she had the self-control to resist, she'd have studied hard, landed a good job, and paid off the debt by now.
But even that had limits.
"Data's cut off..."
Slave status. Couldn't use the phone without the owner's permission, and with human rights revoked, she no longer qualified to even use one.
Specifically, no ID verification.
Her parents had always covered the bill, but even if they paid, she couldn't use it.
"Heard there's a slave plan..."
But she couldn't look it up. Data was gone.
House had WiFi, seemingly, but the owner didn't seem to use it. And she didn't know the password.
"Aaaaaah..."
If she'd known, she'd have downloaded tons of offline games beforehand.
Plus, no way to charge the phone.
Couldn't say buy me a charger 'cause I wanna use my phone. All she had was a power bank.
"Still... I wanna use the internet..."
Felt totally cut off from the world. Wanted to talk to her parents, even briefly.
Ask to use the phone... maybe?
But even she doubted it. No reason to let a slave do anything that cost even pennies. No need to isolate her from the world or drill in that she's not human—owners just wouldn't bother.
WiFi, though... if I sneak...
Arin crept out, cracking the door.
Owner moves more at night than day...
His schedule was erratic. Matching it would've been tough, but he didn't care about her at all.
...That look in his eyes.
Recalling his gaze—void of affection, lust, or interest—made her shiver.
If he catches me nitpicking, who knows what he'll do.
Whatever it was, worse than the "ravishment" she'd braced for.
Super careful, don't get caught...
Way riskier than sneaking snacks. Meals were the owner's duty; WiFi wasn't.
She eased into the living room.
Usually near the TV...
Owners rarely changed default passwords. Probably still the factory one.
Where is it...
She rummaged slowly under the TV drawer, spotting what looked like a router.
The number here is...
"WiFi password? Changed it. 1234567A."
"Heek!"
Arin yelped and tumbled backward again.
He strode over.
"I messed up... I was so bored... Forgive me just once..."
She flattened herself on the floor reflexively, trembling as she begged.
"What, you doing this on purpose?"
He smirked faintly, mocking her.
Shouldn't have... Should've endured the boredom! Battery was low anyway, but I couldn't wait...
"Not on purpose..."
"What're you doing. Floor's hard on your forehead. Get up. And didn't we agree to drop the formal talk?"
"Sorry..."
Arin couldn't meet his eyes, peeking up from under lowered lashes.
He stepped closer.
"Get up."
For a split second, she hesitated. Standing might mean not sorry enough?—whack. Staying down: ignoring me?—stomp.
Stomp hurts more...
Eyes squeezed shut, cheeks puffed, she rose cautiously.
"Bored?"
"N-no! Not at all!"
"Really? Didn't you just say 'too bored'?"
Interrogation mode. Any lie, and it'd be why lie?—punishment.
Arin nodded reluctantly.
The owner stood still, pondering quietly.
"Come to think of it, you said you game, right?"
"Y-yeah, but can't anymore. It's fine..."
"Not bored?"
"Huh?"
He scratched his head.
"Y'know, I was gonna buy a new computer anyway. I'll get one for you too."
"Really?"
Joy overpowered fear. Her parents never bought her a PC, even when she wrecked her old one gaming. No justification—she had none.
No reason she deserved a good computer. At her age, she should've earned her own.
But she wasn't diligent with jobs, blew savings on delivery food and in-app purchases.
"Ah."
Realizing her face lit up too much, Arin clamped her mouth shut. Might nitpick.
Computer for a slave? Ridiculous.
She didn't know him yet. No motive for unearned kindness.
Huh?
Then, an unbelievable sight.
He was smiling.