Interlocking Gears (2)
Same day, semi-basement villa.
“Haaahhhmm.”
Han Mina woke up a bit earlier than usual, slowly rising from the bedding spread out on the floor. Truth be told, the point when she started waking up without any morning grogginess wasn't that recent anymore. About a week ago, she'd begun waking up feeling refreshed every morning.
Exactly after she'd shared intense lovemaking with Sung Taekyung, her friend from school days and first love.
Since then, her physical condition had maintained this peak state constantly. At first, she'd thought it was just the natural resolution of her heat cycle. But even after several days, the heightened condition showed no signs of fading.
And she'd recently learned that this was completely different from the effects of mere heat-cycle relief sex, as described by the other seniors.
Naturally, the face of the man she suspected as the cause came to mind.
‘Some hunters can't perform at their best when their sexual desire builds up, but regain their original prowess once it's relieved.’
“Mmgh…”
Chewing over the words he'd left her after their sex, she pondered quietly. Hunters who regained their original abilities once their lust was sated. She'd thought his example of Yuri-unnie from the same party was just a special case.
But now, that same clear change seemed to be happening to her. His words were starting to gain credibility.
Of course, she couldn't fully buy into it yet—there were plenty of counterexamples that contradicted him.
‘Mina, marriage is reality.’
‘Huh? What's that supposed to mean all of a sudden, unnie?’
‘I'm warning you because of your animal awakening ability like mine. Don't just pick any guy during heat and sleep with him for one night—make sure to take your suppressants.’
‘Of course I'm doing that. Did something happen last night?’
‘This is serious advice. That's why animal awakeners retire early from stress. You go home, and your husband doesn't lift a finger for chores. You can't even remember the last time he ate the meals you cooked. And then he nags you nonstop, comparing you to other hunters: “Is this all you can earn?” Even if it's the limit of animal awakeners, he acts like he can't understand...’
‘H-hey, hang in there, unnie!’
‘So you, Mina—never forget your suppressants on schedule. And judge your partner after meeting him outside of heat too. During heat, you mistake sexual excitement for love and get life-fucked by some ragtag slut you don't even know where he rolled in from. Sigh, fucking life...’
‘……’
As she folded her bedding and changed into her work clothes, Han Mina recalled the past. The advice from that senior, given not long after she started hunting, still resonated more deeply in her heart.
The senior had retired two years ago now, but back then, she was a rare A-rank animal awakener whom Mina admired. She'd heard the woman had amassed a decent fortune at her peak as an A-rank hunter.
But now, rumors said she was still working some new job without rest even after retirement.
Like her, most animal awakeners made poor judgments during heat, leading to disastrous marriages. Betraying a long-term partner for a one-night stand with some sleazy guy and marrying him on the spot. Or pouncing on a random man in severe heat, paying massive settlements, and drowning in debt.
Marrying just to relieve lust, only for the husband to refuse sex for years. Those were the unhappy ends of the animal awakener seniors she knew.
With responsibilities piling up, Mina had no choice but to be cautious—extra cautious.
Animal awakeners typically had their first sex about half a year into serious activity. More like enduring nearly half a year of heat.
Facing life-threatening dungeon threats multiple times, body worn down, naturally craving a man's embrace—that was their physiology.
Mina's case of holding out nearly two years instead of half was unusual. She dosed herself steadily with pricey suppressants—not cheap at a couple bucks a pill—and drowned her body in daily fatigue so lust never surfaced.
Among humanity's three great desires, lust always ranked third after hunger and sleep for her. Constantly sleep-deprived, it stayed backseat.
That let her avoid getting hooked by mediocre men and endure her heats unscathed.
...Up until now, anyway.
“If my first partner was Sung Taekyung, then yeah, I'm damn lucky…”
What if the guy she'd lost control and jumped hadn't been him, but someone else? High chance she'd have followed her seniors' footsteps.
With one semester left for her sisters' tuition, and just scraping by to pay down the interest on their parents' debts— no room for extra costs like settlements or weddings. She was grateful nothing like that happened.
And he'd even offered to help with future heats if she contacted him.
No matter how she sliced it, it was an offer too good for her. Sure, in exchange, he'd asked for a job recommendation letter if he hit B-rank and switched companies.
But that felt like a promise for an impossible future, making it even sweeter.
...Though, one-in-a-million chance.
If he did reach B-rank as claimed. And transferred to her company, partying up for raids a few times.
She quietly pictured that impossible future in her head.
‘Orc village nearby. About ten strong.’
‘Yeah? Just you and me should handle it fine.’
‘You sure? Each orc is B-rank, you know? Freshly promoted B-rank you versus a pack might be tough.’
‘Real man special: Ten orcs? Piece of cake.’
‘Sigh, just don't drag me down.’
...Hmm.
Not bad, actually? Even at B-rank, if he tanked the front line she struggled with, her hit-and-run tactics could handle most monsters.
A two-person party with him didn't sound half bad.
‘What am I even thinking?’
Even if he joined the company, no guarantee they'd party together. Plus, she was already in a solid A-rank party, Sky Blue Shield.
Shaking off the foolish fancy, she dismissed the thought.
Still, if they ended up as a male-female hunter duo...
After some raids, coming home...
‘Mina, you in heat today?’
‘Huh? H-how'd you know?’
‘'Cause I'm your boyfriend. Gotta know my girlfriend's heat.’
‘W-what?! Why the hell are you my boyfriend?! We just raided together a few times...’
‘So what. Let's wrap up early today, swing by your place. Relieve that heat while we're at it...’
“Uwaaaah! Ahh! Uwaaaack!!”
The fantasy seamlessly linked to the intense memory of their recent sex.
Han Mina rolled wildly in front of the front door.
Just one or two romps, and already imagining them as lovers. Her face burned at the impudent thought.
As she squirmed against the door, a girl's face appeared above her.
“Unnie, not going to work?”
“...Huh?”
Han Jina's face blocked her view of the ceiling as she lay on the floor, snapping Mina back to reality.
“W-what time is it?!”
“8:10.”
“H-how'd it get this late?!”
“You were just loitering by the door for over 30 minutes, unnie. Why're your ears and tail out already?”
“W-wha, really?!”
Rushing hands to her head and butt, Mina confirmed her cat ears and tail had emerged.
“In heat since morning?”
“H-heat my ass!”
“Seeing big unnie mumbling Taekyung-oppa's name with ears and tail out, looks like the heat suppression treatment from him last time really hit the spot. Glad you liked it.”
“W-what're you saying?! It was nothing!”
Caught in her embarrassment by her sisters, she hurriedly retracted her ears and tail.
Just days ago, she was the respectable big sister footing the family bills.
But her sisters had overheard her sex with Sung Taekyung. She'd told them—and herself—not to contact him to avoid bothering him.
Yet she'd done it at home, and they knew every detail. No wonder their gazes had cooled a bit.
“No more pricey suppressants? You always bitched about how expensive they were.”
“W-what nonsense! That was just him being nice once! To not burden him, I obviously can't!”
“Is that so? But Taekyung-oppa told us: if big unnie seems in heat again, contact him.”
“Uwaaak! Ignore that! If you tell him, you're dead!!”
Realizing she had no allies at home, Han Mina hurriedly finished prepping and bolted out the door.
Clueless about what mood her party leader might be in while waiting for her at the office.