Hooked

I was currently carrying Ayeon on my back, Hye-ji in my arms, and trudging forward. Seeing me like that, Caersi opened her mouth.

"Are we heading straight to the Academy now, nya?"

"No. There's somewhere I need to stop first."

The place I quickly headed toward was none other than a convenience store. I had two reasons for visiting.

The first was to prevent the heroines' great vomiting disaster. Even though they hadn't thrown up yet, there was no telling when it might happen. This was a goddamn time bomb. So I had to eliminate the possibility in advance.

My vision kept blurring and proper judgment was getting difficult. Then suddenly, I remembered something I'd read on Namu Wiki about a certain drink being insanely effective for hangovers.

While I was at it, I bought some for myself too, then woke up Hye-ji and Ayeon so we could all chug it down together in one go.

And then.

We gathered cozily against the outside wall and started hurling. With a wet splat, something between liquid and solid exploded across the ground like growing snowballs.

Watching this, Piece roared in fury.

'Because I feel like I'm about to die, so shut up and don't talk to me.'

After vomiting for a long while until nothing more would come out, Hye-ji and Ayeon finally came to their senses and grabbed me by the collar.

"You fucking bastard, what the hell did you make us drink?"

"Did you seriously try to kill this lady, you son of a bitch?"

"No, I'm telling you, Namu Wiki definitely said this was good for hangovers."

The drink I'd bought was none other than Zico. There was a rumor that coconut water was really effective against hangovers, and it had definitely worked. Of course it had—when it makes you puke up everything, there's nothing left to get drunk on.

Caersi chimed in next.

"Everyone here has such pathetic alcohol tolerance, nya~."

This was a bit unfair. After receiving a buff straight from the God of Wine himself, she had the nerve to talk like her own drinking capacity was that impressive. It was like doping before competing in the Olympics.

"You damn cat, say that again when you don't have the buff."

"You crazy bitch, if you keep acting up I'll mix chocolate into your booze next time."

"This lady will mix in soggy wet cat food as well."

"Yeah. I won't drink with pathetic lightweights like you guys, nya."

Caersi shrugged her shoulders arrogantly as she spoke. Then she flashed a condescending smile.

"Well, if you pathetic idiots beg me nicely, I might consider it~."

Caersi even had the audacity to demand that we beg her. But she clearly didn't understand just how far gone we really were. It was laughable.

So I decided to teach her this time.

"Kids! Then from now on, let's never call Caersi again!"

"Good idea! What's the fun in drinking with someone who can hold their liquor better than us anyway!"

"Should we just drop her off at the stray cat shelter?"

"Fuck! I'm sorry nya! Please just forgive me once nya! Please don't abandon me nya!"

In an instant, Caersi had nearly ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠become a stray cat. Seeing her desperately cling to us was incredibly satisfying.

After reestablishing the hierarchy, Caersi looked at me with a question.

"Are you done with your business at the convenience store now, nya?"

"There's still one thing left."

The second reason I'd come to the convenience store. It was, of course, Pokémon bread.

The Pokémon bread inside the Academy was impossible to buy because the crazy students had even put down reservation deposits. I'd figured they wouldn't have reached the outside convenience stores yet, so I'd come here.

Of course,

"Fuck, all the Pokémon bread is sold out."

It wasn't here either. Even though this was a fairly large convenience store, the one spot where that bread should have been was completely empty.

A sense of emptiness washed over me, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and I let out a deep sigh without realizing it.

At that moment, Hye-ji, who had overheard me, approached and spoke in an unusually gentle voice.

"Shin-woo, I have Pokémon in my room. Wanna come see?"

"For real? Pokémon? Not Pokémon bread?"

"Yeah."

Nintendo's lawsuits were scary, but that wasn't my problem to deal with. After all, this novel had the mindset of 'whatever comes, comes.' Besides, real Pokémon instead of Pokémon bread? Not ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠going would make me a total idiot.

'Shut up. What the hell use is being a hunter? This is my chance to become a Pokémon Master!'

First, we took a taxi to the Academy. Once we got out, even though Hye-ji and Ayeon had sobered up, they demanded to cling to me again.

"Carry me."

"Please give me a piggyback ride one more time."

"It's a bit tough..."

At my words, the two of them narrowed their eyes fiercely.

"I said carry me, you fucking bastard."

"Was I heavy? Do you really want to experience ten thousand pounds of weight?"

"Fuck."

In the end, I gave up and carried Ayeon on my back and held Hye-ji in my arms just like before. That's how we slowly made our way toward the dormitory.

Caersi looked at me with pity in her eyes.

"You look like you're struggling, nya."

In her own way, it was consideration born from worry for me. However, Hye-ji and Ayeon seemed to take it differently as they glared at me with axe-like eyes and snapped fiercely.

"Are we heavy? Are we heavy?"

"Shall we start with a thousand pounds of weight, then?"

"It's fine, so everyone just shut the fuck up."

Before I knew it, we'd arrived in front of the dormitory. Caersi gave us her farewell.

"Then see you next time, nya!"

"Oh, right. Take this with you."

I handed Caersi the coin purse containing the card fragments. The moment she received it, her anger flared up again as she poured her rage onto me.

"Fuck, seeing it again pisses me off. You son of a bitch."

"Sorry."

"Ha... See you later, nya."

But with no other choice, Caersi sighed and trudged back to the dormitory.

Soon after, Ayeon got down from my back as well.

"I'll head in first."

"Yeah. Get home safe."

"Go on."

"Oh, and."

Suddenly Ayeon approached me. With a subtle expression mixed with envy, worry, and regret.

"Please come back alive."

"Huh? What? I'm not drinking any more alcohol though."

"...You'll find out soon enough."

After patting my shoulder twice, Ayeon left those meaningful words and departed.

And so, just Hye-ji and I headed to her dormitory.

"I'll open the door. Wait here."

Hye-ji got down from me and started opening the door. A moment later, there was a click and the dormitory door opened, revealing the interior.

It was definitely quite far from an ordinary girl's room. Blueprints were scattered everywhere. Various weapons were densely lined up against the walls. On the desk were traces of something half-finished. At first glance, it looked like a weapons warehouse.

It was a completely different world from the room I'd seen at Hye-ji's house. The only thing that barely proved this was a dormitory room was the bed tucked away in the corner.

Hye-ji scratched her head awkwardly.

"It's a bit much, right?"

"It's fine. Not bad at all?"

Of course, that wasn't what was important to me right now. I'd come to see the Pokémon.

"More importantly, Hye-ji, where's the Pokémon?"

I was curious what kind it would be. I was thinking it would be nice if it was Charmander when—

- Click.

Suddenly Hye-ji locked the dormitory door. A chill ran down my spine.

"...Hye-ji?"

Hye-ji slowly started walking toward me. Then she suddenly pointed at herself with her thumb and said,

"It's right here."

"What the fuck are you talking about, you're not a Pokémon. Where's my Charmander?"

When I protested, Hye-ji put on a confident expression and placed her hand on her waist.

"It's Scizor."

"...What part of you looks like that?"

Hye-ji's sudden statement. But she continued as if it were obvious.

"Scizor is red. My hair is red too."

"Well, seeing how flat your chest is, the Steel type does seem to fit."

"Die."

"Fuck."

Hye-ji quickly closed in and grabbed my collar hard before throwing me. The place I landed was on top of Hye-ji's bed. Lying on the bed, I looked at her and said,

"Besides, I came to see a first-generation Pokémon. Not second-generation."

"Shut up. Second generation is the greatest masterpiece."

"I can't even argue with that."

'For fuck's sake, get back to your roots, you Game Freak bastards!'

But anyway, since there was no Pokémon, I had no more business here. The moment I tried to get up from the bed—

- Bang!

Suddenly a gunshot rang out. Hye-ji had shot at me. The bullet that grazed right beside my head made my blood run cold.

"...What the hell is this?"

"Bullet Punch."

Hye-ji answered my question calmly. At some point, a rifle had appeared in her hands.

"The word 'bullet' is only half right here, isn't it?"

"Priority attack. Steel type. Physical attack. And finally, a forty-round magazine."

Hye-ji shouldered the rifle again and aimed it at me. It felt like she was pressuring me to agree with her.

- Click.

"Is this not Bullet Punch now?"

"...It's Bullet Punch, alright."

In the face of overwhelming violence, one naturally had to submit. When I reluctantly agreed with Hye-ji's words, she smiled with satisfaction.

And immediately—

- Thud!

"Oof, my god!"

She kicked my body as I tried to get up from the bed. Naturally, I ended up lying on Hye-ji's bed once again. Then Hye-ji slowly climbed on top of me as I lay there.

Her eyes writhed with thick, sticky desire that she wasn't even trying to hide. Her face was quite flushed. I wasn't sure if it was from the alcohol or for some other reason. The way the corners of her mouth trembled looked like she was desperately holding back a happy laugh.

That sight scared me, so I tried to speak to Hye-ji, but—

"...Hye-ji?"

"Open your ears and listen carefully."

Hye-ji began speaking one-sidedly. Her face was now so red it couldn't even be compared to her hair. As if trying to hide her embarrassment, Hye-ji shouted loudly.

"Commencing combat sex right now!!!"

She bit her tongue a little from the tension, though.

I asked Hye-ji one last question.

"...What about my opinion?"

"I already told you."

Hye-ji gripped my shoulder so hard it felt like she would crush it. Then she looked straight into my eyes and said menacingly,

"Only the strong get to make choices, darling."

"......"

When I didn't answer, Hye-ji suddenly shoved the gun barrel at me and demanded a response.

"Answer me, you son of a bitch."

"C-commencing!"