A Stroke of Luck
"Don't do that."
Through the rearview mirror, I spotted Karin messing around with Mikoto in some weird way. It didn't look good to prank someone who was already upset, but since I was the one who'd made her that way, I had no room to complain.
"Got it, got it!" Karin let go of Mikoto with a disappointed sigh.
"By the way, Mikoto. You've been to amusement parks a lot, right?"
Maybe bored just sitting there doing nothing, Karin struck up a conversation with her.
"I-I have... a few times with coworkers or family..."
Karin nodded. "This is my first time since the war..."
She wasn't the only one. There were probably very few people in Japan who could enjoy themselves after the war. Some symbolic facilities had been preserved as tourist resources, but entrance fees weren't exactly affordable for ordinary folks.
"That's surprising. I figured you'd know all about this stuff, Mikoto. I thought you were the type who hangs out with friends all the time."
"I was busy..."
Karin nodded again and shifted her target. "Yukiko, how much longer?"
"Twenty more minutes."
Come to think of it, last time I'd looked for places to go on my own, nothing seemed normal. A strange unease crept in, but I trusted Yukiko had handled it well.
The women's outfits were lighter than the weather called for. It was getting chilly, but these were summer clothes. Yukiko wore her usual black pants that accentuated her hips. I worried if Karin's crop top was cold, but given her vitality, she'd probably be fine even in winter. 'Cold? Then run around to warm up!' She'd probably just get even more energetic.
But Mikoto's outfit was a bit unexpected. The frilly white dress with short denim shorts was cute, but it didn't quite suit her. Her breasts were too large. The top, which should have draped lightly with frills, clung like a white bra, barely covering them. The short shorts felt more cute than sexy thanks to her adorably plump thighs.
"Aren't you cold?"
"N-No, I'm fine!"
Looking around, her outfit was actually pretty modest. Others I could overlook, but the ones with exposed hips worried me. Riding rides like that could chafe badly.
Exposure itself made sense. Amusement parks pushed it further, but women's clothes had gotten much lighter everywhere since before the war. It was natural. If the desire 'I want handsome, capable men to see my body' drove exposure back then, now the pool of "handsome, capable" men had grown. No need to fear 'What if ugly, incompetent guys get turned on by me?'
Places like amusement parks or water parks were among the few where women could meet men. Every man had computers or consoles at home, and bathhouses were universal. But no one could monopolize a massive roller coaster or giant pool. You had to line up and wait your turn, fairly with the women. Even men you rarely saw became accessible.
"Is there a woman you like, Master?"
"N-No."
I'd just been lost in thought, but my gaze was causing misunderstandings. Karin grinned mischievously, while Mikoto stared at me pale-faced.
"If not, why not wear sunglasses to hide your eyes? Misunderstandings could lead to bad outcomes for everyone."
Yukiko pulled out a pair of black sunglasses from somewhere and handed them to me.
"It's fine. Let's line up. Come on!"
I tried to awkwardly change the subject, but Yukiko didn't budge.
"I've already made reservations. We can go right in."
It felt embarrassing to cut ahead of all these waiting people.
"O-Okay!"
As I entered the amusement park, the three women followed behind me.
"Hmm... kind of a shame."
Karin muttered from behind in a playful tone.
"Hey, doesn't it feel like Master's gaze is a bit... lecherous toward those hippy girls? Right?"
She nudged Mikoto lightly, seeking agreement. Mikoto jumped and shook her head.
"I-I like whatever Seongha oppa does..."
"Karin, I can't overlook your opinion. Have you forgotten your place? You're a slave."
Even Yukiko joined in, and the mood turned tense. I wanted to say it was fine, but standing up to Yukiko felt impossible emotionally.
"If you're trying to control Master's gaze too, we need to have a deep conversation right now."
"No, it doesn't have to be that serious. We're all out together—wouldn't it be better if we looked at each other?"
"...I'll hold back one last time and hear you out. What do you want?"
The two had slipped into their own world. I held Mikoto's hand tightly, trembling beside them.
"Honestly, it's not like I can control where my eyes go..."
"Yeah! Seongha oppa did nothing wrong!"
While Mikoto and I whispered, Yukiko fixed Karin with her cold, sharp glare.
"Yukiko, why don't you take the lead?"
"What do you mean?"
Catching Yukiko off guard, she hesitated, unsure how to react.
"Just literally that. You've probably researched everything thoroughly with your personality. Just lead the way."
"Master should choose freely as the leader..."
"Nah, Seongha's not the type to decide easily on where to go or what to do. It'll be faster if you lead."
Yukiko tilted her head suspiciously.
"But how is that related to Master's gaze?"
"Ah, just try it and see. You agree, right, Seongha?"
"Well, I'm curious what Yukiko wants to do too..."
"Understood."
The moment I spoke, Yukiko took the lead. Watching her back, I understood why Karin had said that.
Yukiko's black pants were thinner than her usual outings. Similar color and material, but they revealed her shape more clearly. Each step emphasized her violently wide hips, drawing eyes. Even though I'd held her many times, seeing her sexy form like this outside after so long was fresh. Without any intent to seduce or greed, just walking indifferently exuded that much sex appeal. It was amazing.
After about ten steps, Yukiko glanced back, noticing the lack of footsteps.
"Master? Was I walking too fast?"
Realizing we weren't following, she asked me.
"Ah, coming! Wait a sec!"
As I jogged forward, I glanced at Karin. She flashed a playful grin and gave a thumbs-up. I smirked back lewdly, then hurried after Yukiko.
Hyun-ah had been in line for thirty minutes, waiting for her turn.
"Haa..."
She'd packed her lunchbox just in time and left at dawn, but missed the bus by a hair and lost twenty minutes.
"This is tough..."
There were countless women in provocative outfits, ready to be taken right there. No matter how she thought about it, her own clothes felt too plain. But they weren't in a position to luxuriously seduce anyone either. They all had to wait in line just like her.
'Better to stand out a little than force something sexy.' She tried to encourage herself, but shrank whenever she saw women with bigger breasts or taller frames.
"Make way, make way!"
Several guards appeared, controlling the area. Their sharp edges suggested military.
"What? A man? Another guy's coming?"
"Whoa, they cleared space? The girls who skipped today saying it's too hard must be fuming."
The women jostled but tried to create space. Falling out of favor with those guards meant giving up on meeting a man.
In the chaotic square, a clean space opened. Soon, a massive black car pulled in.
Hyun-ah thought of someone she knew, but he wouldn't call guards to clear a spot like this. The man who stepped out was older but handsome and strong-looking. His wife-like woman followed with a boy and girl. A happy family. The father was strict yet indulgent with his son's antics, and the kids seemed blissfully content. An ideal family, rare in modern times. It was amazing she'd borne two children.
"I want that too..."
Hyun-ah steeled her resolve. Somehow, she'd seduce Seongha today—and one day build a family like that.