Chapter 5
Chapter 5
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: Kang Hye-eun (1)
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I hurried down to the first-floor kitchen, and sure enough, there was Kang Hye-eun, looking like she'd just finished her hunter work for the day.
She was putting away what I assumed were groceries from the mart in the fridge when she suddenly locked eyes with me and gave a soft smile.
"You're up? I figured you'd be lying in bed all day again, not moving a muscle."
"Ah, yeah..."
It was the same old Kang Hye-eun I knew. Except for the red heart symbol floating to the right of her face and the number 80 written inside it.
It had to be a side effect of my awakening ability. I'd confirmed it earlier with the Nearby Hunters Search function.
In other words, the mysterious bundle of lust worth an estimated 80 points was really Kang Hye-eun.
...Hard to believe, but it was undeniably true.
"You know my mom and I have been really worried about you lately, right? It's a shame you failed to awaken as a hunter, but life's not over yet, so how about you stop holing up in your room and giving up already?"
"Ah, yeah..."
"Well, I know you don't need me telling you this—you'll overcome it and get back on your feet eventually—but I just can't help worrying..."
I could sense a faint affection for me in Hye-eun's voice as she sorted the groceries, but unfortunately, her words weren't registering with me at all right now.
My mind was reeling from the shock that Hye-eun had 80 points' worth of pent-up lust, and I was piecing together how it had built up to that.
I'd already picked up on her affection for me. Honestly, with my mental age in the mid-20s, it wasn't hard to spot the feelings a grade-school or middle-school girl had for me.
Still, I'd kept my distance from her after that betrayal of trust—and because having her around made me feel pathetic for struggling without awakening.
If the estimated points rose with the target's affection toward me, then it made sense for Hye-eun's to be that high. Of course, a number two or three times anyone else's meant her lust was proportionally backed up.
As I'd mentioned before, Hye-eun was pretty attractive compared to girls her age. And with her outstanding hunter skills, she couldn't help but be popular with guys.
Yet she'd never dated anyone, and her lust was piled up like this... Honestly, only one reason came to mind.
'She figured I'd never awaken, but her feelings for me stayed the same from the start.'
If that was the case, things were working out perfectly. It meant I could use this awakening ability by relieving her lust.
Above all, better her—someone I'd known forever—than some stranger whose face I didn't even know, just for awakening points. Even if her feelings weren't full-blown love, I could always play it off as helping a childhood friend lose her virginity out of friendship.
"Sorry, does me sticking around the house too much make you uncomfortable? I'll finish sorting this and head out right away."
"Uh, what?"
No, that wouldn't do.
If I let this 80-point childhood friend roll right out the door, who knew when I'd get another chance like this? Sure, even if not today, something similar might come up in a few days, but I didn't want to miss this rare opportunity to test my new awakening ability.
And worst case, if I passed now, her needs might get taken care of before we met again. Hye-eun was pretty, and she was already working as an A-Rank Hunter in a solid guild.
If she got seduced by some random guy, I'd lose my shot at those 80 points for nothing. The smartest move was to seal the deal today.
"If you're bored alone, come over to our place for meals sometimes. Or, y'know, you could even move in with us! I just got promoted to A-Rank Hunter, so I've got more than enough to support you..."
"Hye-eun."
"S-Sorry! Talking like this must hurt your pride...? Pretend you didn't hear that..."
"Wanna stay for dinner here tonight? It's been a while."
"...H-Huh?!"
It was a lame-as-hell seduction tactic, but I didn't have the luxury to care right now.
I had to sleep with her before the night was over, somehow.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "...Uh, yeah, Mom. I'm at Tae-kyung's house right now."
As I prepared dinner with Kang Hye-eun for the first time in ages, I overheard her talking on the phone from the living room.
Since she said "Mom," it was probably Hye-eun's mother. Like I'd mentioned before, she'd helped me out a ton back in my childhood.
"Yeah, yeah. So don't worry about dinner for me tonight. I'm eating here at Tae-kyung's."
Calling ahead so Hye-eun's mom wouldn't worry showed her polite nature.
Having awakened early and started her apprentice hunter life ahead of her peers, Hye-eun had solid social manners ingrained in her. This was my second time in my 20s, but I'd never really had a proper job, so she was way better at etiquette than me.
Truth be told, coming over to stock my kitchen like this wasn't even her responsibility.
To be precise, it was part of her kindness as my childhood friend. She'd stop by the mart on her way back from hunter work to check if I was eating properly.
Strictly speaking, she'd been taking care of me for months now so I wouldn't starve. My money hadn't run out completely yet, but the helplessness of wasting my teens and early 20s without awakening as a hunter had lingered for months.
"Yeah, yeah. I'll just eat dinner and come straight home. For real. Yeah,"
"......"
Quietly watching Hye-eun talk to her mom, I suddenly took in her looks.
I'd known she was a beauty like her mother, but now in her 20s, her figure was seriously alluring too.
Up through elementary school, we'd even bathed together, and I'd watched her grow up close, so I hadn't really noticed her body's changes much.
But thinking about holding her in bed later made her body stand out in ways it never had before.
Her chest had never been small to begin with, and her waist had slimmed down even more from hunter work, accentuating her bust and hips.
"I-I'm telling you, it's not like that! What kinda weird stuff are you saying, Mom?!"
-Clang!
"...Ah."
Startled by her sudden yell, I dropped the tongs I was holding. They hit the floor with a loud clatter while I was stir-frying the pasta.
Hye-eun, mid-conversation with her mom, glanced at the tongs and then at me before shyly avoiding my eyes, like I'd overheard something private.
"A-Anyway, I'm hanging up! We'll talk when I get home!"
I watched her hurriedly end the call while avoiding my gaze, then transferred the creamy pasta from the pan to plates.
...An awkward vibe started flowing between us even before the meal.
"S-Sorry. Was that too loud?"
"Nah, no big deal. Food's ready—let's eat."
I plated the pasta, carefully twirling it with the tongs and topping each with an egg yolk.
Then I set the two plates on the table, one at my spot and one at Hye-eun's.
"Thanks for the food."
"Thanks for the food."
Right away, Hye-eun burst the yolk with her fork, mixed it into the spaghetti, took a bite, and smiled in satisfaction.
I lost myself for a second in her cute expression, and her quiet response followed.
"It's been forever since I had your cooking, Tae-kyung. You're still amazing at it."
"I don't go out much, so all I do is housework."
"Yeah. The place looked spotless earlier."
"If it's not enough, let me know. I can toast some bread to dip in the sauce."
"N-No, this is plenty."
After that, Hye-eun and I chatted casually over the meal, easing the awkwardness naturally. ...Of course, we were still at our usual distance, so it wasn't the vibe to bring up sex yet.
It couldn't be helped. Since middle school, I'd been dead set on becoming a hunter to win her back. Sleeping with her was a step toward that goal, but I still wasn't a hunter.
Plus, as I'd said, my looks were average in this world, while my childhood friend Hye-eun was objectively hot. Even if women had stronger sex drives here, it was intimidating to act bold in front of her as a non-hunter.
'Normally, the girl would make the move in a situation like this.'
From the current mood, Hye-eun wasn't gonna say anything first.
I considered just pouncing, but gave up quick. If I rushed and got rejected, we'd be stuck in awkward hell forever.
Besides, even if I tried, she'd overpower me. I'd been stronger as a guy before she awakened, but since middle school, I'd never beaten her in a strength contest.
And there was the risk of the "unsatisfied desire" clause from the Hunter Lust Manager description. I didn't know her kinks yet, but I needed to build an atmosphere where she'd naturally accept sex with me.
"Thanks for the food."
"...Thanks for the food."
While I dithered, our meals quietly ended, and the awkwardness crept back in.
The silver lining: Hye-eun was definitely backed up bad.
Having started hunting young, her lust had to be at least double anyone else's—and that 80-point estimate proved it.
And her affection for me seemed genuine, so if I could just kick things off sexually, it'd all fall into place.
"I-I'll do the dishes! You fed me, so as a guest, that's the least I can do!"
"...Alright. Thanks."
Her offer bought me thinking time, and I racked my brain watching her head to the sink.
A world where chastity norms were reversed from my original one.
Meaning acts guys liked there would appeal to women here.
So, what could naturally heat things up now? I pondered deeply, eyeing her back while she washed dishes.
'Man, even her back view is gorgeous.'
What was a girl this pretty still hung up on me for? Must be the childhood friend bond after over ten years.
Lost in that thought, my gaze naturally swept her from bottom to top.
'Smooth-curved hips. Toned, narrow waist. Those decently large breasts poking out from the sides of her back... Ah.'
The moment my eyes hit her breast spilling from the side, middle school memories flooded back—especially one that could seduce her right now.
It was a prank she'd pulled on me back then, so maybe it'd naturally lead to sex. The idea hit me as I approached her from behind, rubber gloves on as she scrubbed a plate, and softly called her name.
"Hye-eun."
"Yeah? What's up, Tae-kyung?"
"Your boobs seem bigger lately."
"R-Really? Must be from hunter work. You think so?"
"Yeah."
"Thanks, Tae-kyung."
In this world, complimenting bigger boobs was like praising a guy's muscle gains back home. Women's chests did grow with chest muscles, after all.
Hye-eun blushed happily at my sudden praise, and instinct told me this was working.
"But what's with you, Tae-kyung? You used to get all red and shy whenever boobs came up."
"Can I touch 'em to see how much bigger?"
"Uh, y-yeah?"
"I wanna compare properly. You let me before."
"O-Okay. If you're curious, after I'm done..."
A little more push, and I could make it steamy.
With a feel for how to approach her, I went bolder.
"Can't right now?"
"R-Right now? I'm doing dishes?"
"You're not washing with your boobs. My hands aren't either."
"......"
"...No?"
"N-No, go ahead. Do whatever, yeah."
With clear permission, I slipped my arms under hers without hesitation, cupping her two fatty mounds.
Even over her clothes, the thick, soft flesh felt amazing. Touching her naughty boobs after so long stirred my male instincts.
-Squelch.
"Whoa, feels even bigger after all this time."
"R-Right? I've been working hard on chest exercises!"
"I like big-boobed girls. Lucky me, having a childhood friend like you."
"I see... So big boobs are your type..."
"Can I keep going?"
"Y-Yeah... As much as you want..."
Second permission secured. I dropped my hands from kneading over her clothes.
"...Tae-kyung? I said you could keep going?"
She sounded puzzled as my hands left, but I silently lifted her top, pulling out those huge breasts.
-Jiggle.
"Eek?!"
"Can't feel much over clothes."
"Y-You're going straight for it like this?"
"I'll lift the bra too."
"Wh-What?!"
I peeled off the bra with its rare letter size, and Hye-eun's bare breasts spilled out over the sink. Her nipples reflected in the kitchen window revved my lust.
"Can I touch again?"
"...D-Do whatever."
No more obstacles. I palmed her bare breasts again, the softness and warmth way better than over clothes flooding my hands.
And her lewd little moans fueled my desire more.
-Squelch!
"Ah, eek?!"
"We always did it over clothes before. Bare like this is pretty much first, right?"
"Y-Yeah... Th-This might look kinda naughty..."
"True. But it's fine between childhood friends, yeah?"
"Y-Yeah... You really love boobs, Tae-kyung..."
For reference, only strength gaps and chastity views were reversed here—erogenous zones were the same as my old world.
Letting a childhood friend grope your boobs was okay, but moaning lewdly from it was inevitable.
"Hah?!"
I could tease her zones while pretending to just fondle.
Like lightly pinching her perky central nipples.
-Pinch.
"T-Tae-kyung... Eek!"
-Squeeze, squeeze.
"W-Wait! Stop a sec..."
-Tickle, tickle.
"Not the nipples! That's... Hng?!"
I pinched and twisted her cute nips, pressed two fingers deep into her breasts, and tickled the tips—tormenting her body.
Hye-eun froze mid-scrub, surrendering to the pleasure from my fingers. I tormented her nipples more, pressing my clothed erection against her ass.
"...Hmph?!"
In my old world, it'd be like a girl rubbing wet thighs on a guy.
Rubbing a hard dick on her body was obvious sex appeal. Hye-eun seemed to catch on that things were heading that way.
"T-Tae-kyung... Keep this up, and I might not hold back..."
"Hold back on what?"
"...Y-You. ...G-Getting that intimate."
Finally, the reaction I'd craved. Time for direct talk.
"What kinda intimate?"
"You know... S-So stop now. I've barely held out this long..."
"Held out on what? The lust piled up from hunter life since you were young?"
"......"
"Hye-eun?"
"Y-Yeah, that... So let's end the teasing here..."
Under my persistent questions, she finally admitted her backed-up lust. With confirmation, my next line was set.
"If you're okay with it, Hye-eun, want me to take care of that lust for you?"
"...What?"
Hye-eun turned slowly, eyes meeting mine, shaking like an earthquake—as if asking if I meant it.
"I'll handle your pent-up lust, Hye-eun. We're childhood friends, right?"
'Help me awaken for once, Hye-eun. We're childhood friends, right?'