Chapter 95: How to Persuade a Lover (2)

Eun & Ok Co., Ltd., Gangdong District Branch.

The four-person party, centered around the black-haired shield user, finished their day’s work as usual.

They exchanged final goodbyes at the intersection in front of the company before parting ways.

“Good work today, everyone.”

“…Good work.”

“Good work, Jihee Unnie, and Yuri Unnie!”

“Heh heh, you all worked hard.”

With their own expressions, they bid farewell to their party members after finishing their dungeon exploration, and the Sky Blue Shield concluded the day’s work.

“Today must have been especially tough for our Hye-eun. Aigoo~.”

“Who had it tougher or not? We all went through the same hardships.”

“But Hye-eun, you were the only one covered in the giant slime’s goo again today…

Seeing our Hye-eun struggle like that every time makes this Unnie’s heart ache so much~.”

“It’s a familiar routine. And thanks to my defensive gear ability, I don’t really get hurt.”

“Hmph~. Still~.”

Seeing Cheon Jihee hugging her from behind and comforting her, Kang Hye-eun felt a moderate sense of gratitude.

…For some reason, she vaguely felt that lately, Jihee had been unusually clingy and friendly towards her, but…

‘It’s just my imagination.’

Thinking it was nothing serious, she didn’t pay much mind to Cheon Jihee’s slightly excessive physical contact.

More importantly, with the situation already public knowledge within the party that she had a lover, she never thought a person of the same sex, let alone the opposite, would harbor strange feelings for her.

“See you tomorrow, Unnies~!”

“Okay, you two get home safe too~.”

“……”

At the intersection where the four always parted ways, the Sky Blue Shield split into three paths.

Among them, Han Min-ah, one of the two who took the left fork, spoke to her.

“Hey, Kang Hye-eun.”

“What?”

“Are you really not going to tell me? What exactly is that Sung Taekyung guy’s awakened ability?”

“I told you to ask Taekyung directly next time?”

“Aish! You really!!”

This was the tenth time she’d asked, following yesterday, but Kang Hye-eun’s lips wouldn’t open.

Han Min-ah playfully punched her arm, expressing her protest.

Kang Hye-eun, however, felt a considerable sense of satisfaction from Han Min-ah’s attitude.

The details of the awakened ability that her friend and lover, Sung Taekyung, had told her but not Han Min-ah.

The fact that, besides him, she was still the only one who knew about his awakening and ability was one of the things bringing her the most joy these days.

Because she wanted to maintain that period for even a little longer, if possible.

“I gave you permission. Whether Taekyung meets you without me or has sex, I don’t really care.”

“That’s why I don’t understand! What the hell is his awakened ability that makes you say that so nonchalantly?!”

“I told you to hear it directly from him?”

“Aish, Kang Hye-eun, you really!!”

Han Min-ah’s punches, which didn’t hurt at all, allowed Kang Hye-eun to savor her psychological superiority to the fullest.

Since the feeling would end anyway once Sung Taekyung met Han Min-ah next week.

For now, she intended to savor the advantage she held.

Because it was one of the few rights she could enjoy as his ‘first lover’.

“…But you really are something else.”

“Huh?”

“How can you so easily allow your boyfriend to go around meeting any woman? I don’t think I could ever do that…”

“I didn’t exactly allow it easily. Nor am I condoning him meeting just any woman.”

“Huh?”

To Han Min-ah, who was looking at her with a dumbfounded expression, she replied.

“It’s just that Taekyung trusted me and told me his awakened ability, so I agreed.

And I have no intention of allowing him to meet just any woman. I’ll meet the women he’s seeing, and if they seem like truly unsuitable women, I’ll make sure he can’t see them again.”

“R-really?”

She hadn’t dared to ask who he had met or slept with so far, fearing she might seem overly possessive, but…

If she ever encountered a woman Sung Taekyung was seeing later on and didn’t approve of her, Kang Hye-eun intended to cut off that meeting at any time.

‘Even with this kind of awakened ability, he doesn’t just sleep around with anyone. He only has sex with people he feels he can truly love.’

She had her own way of trusting her childhood friend’s judgment when he declared that to her, but…

Still, she felt she needed to see it with her own eyes at least once to feel somewhat reassured.

She intended to meet the women he was seeing, at least once each.

…And if he didn’t make it easy for her to meet them, she even considered using slightly drastic measures.

“……”

“W-why are you looking at me so seriously all of a sudden?”

“…Huh? Was I?”

“A-are you perhaps displeased? Because I had sex with Taekyung, which you really don’t like…?”

To Han Min-ah, who asked back with an anxious expression, she responded with a smile.

“No, Min-ah, you’re fine.”

“Uh, yeah…”

“Min-ah, you were one of the few who didn’t bully Taekyung back in school, right?

In fact, among the beast-type Awakeners, you were probably the only one he didn’t lay a hand on?”

“W-well, it just kind of happened that way…”

“Then that’s fine. Someone like you, Min-ah, isn’t bad.

…As one of Taekyung’s secondary consorts (女妾).”

Han Min-ah bristled at her friend’s meaningful words directed at her and retorted.

“W-who’s a secondary consort!!”

“…Huh? Are you perhaps saying you’re not satisfied with being a consort and intend to push ahead of me?”

“I-it’s not like that… Anyway, I’m not a consort! I have my pride as a woman!”

“Then, if you get another lover later, do you plan to stop seeing Taekyung? I don’t really mind since it’ll be good for me if Taekyung’s competitors decrease.”

“……”

There was no way this clueless friend would have the courage to date another man.

Thinking so, Kang Hye-eun continued, as if informing her.

“Well, that’s something to think about later. While you’re meeting him, tell him to properly relieve his rut.

It’s good for you too, isn’t it? You earn money for aphrodisiacs, and it helps Taekyung with his awakened ability. Right?”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

“And honestly, I feel more at ease with you, Min-ah, or Yuri-ssi, than Taekyung getting involved with some random woman.

I know that they wouldn’t do anything inappropriate to Taekyung.”

“…What, you know about Yuri Unnie too?”

“If you and Yuri Unnie are often with Taekyung, it’ll reduce the frequency of Taekyung meeting women I don’t know.

So, for now, let’s consider ourselves in a cooperative relationship. Got it?”

“…Okay.”

“Anyway, I’m heading off here. Taekyung already texted asking to meet today.”

“Yeah, well…”

Kang Hye-eun, who always sent Han Min-ah off at the parting crossroads, smiled quietly to herself.

Even though they had shared such passionate love just a few days ago, he was already trying to call her home again today.

Although he was seeing multiple women due to his awakened ability, he undoubtedly loved her the most.

Because his attitude was enough to make her think so.

She hadn’t yet figured out the identity of one of the other three women he was seeing.

She felt somewhat reassured that two of them were people close to her and trustworthy.

Although they were currently sharing him out of necessity, she vowed to make him entirely hers someday.

Thinking so, she headed towards Sung Taekyung’s house with a buoyant step.

Never imagining that the man she would meet would bring up the need to have sex with someone closest to her.

---

“…Are you talking sanity?”

This was the first response from her lips as soon as she brought up the topic of Eunyoung Noona after meeting Hye-eun.

“Hye-eun, calm down and listen first. My intention to have sex with Eunyoung Noona isn’t just because of my awakened ability, but…”

“Ugh, Eunyoung Noona? You’re really not sane?

Even if she’s my mom, why are you calling a 40-something ahjumma ‘Noona’? Anyone would think you’re dating my mom!”

“Hye-eun, please just listen to my explanation…”

Honestly speaking, she felt like she had committed a sin so great that ten mouths wouldn’t be enough to apologize, but…

She absolutely had to explain that this was not an act carried out solely by her own will.

Calming her down, who wasn’t ready to hear the story, was the priority.

“A-and your mother looks young, so calling her Eunyoung Noona doesn’t really look like you’re dating her or anything…”

“…What?”

“N-nothing! I just misspoke for a moment!”

“Seriously, I’m so dumbfounded…”

It was the first time.

Her childhood friend, whom she had known for over ten years, had ever shown her such a cynical expression.

Of course, if the situation were reversed, she would have felt similarly.

If her lover, who took her virginity, started dating other men citing unavoidable reasons, and later even brought up dating her father.

Even her past self would likely have ended the relationship as quickly as possible before things turned ugly between them.

In essence, she was asking Kang Hye-eun, her current lover, to do something she herself couldn’t, so she was acutely aware that she had no right to lecture her right now.

『Remaining Time: 147:32:42』

The remaining time, only about 6 days, forced her lips open even in this situation.

If, if Hye-eun absolutely refused, saying she could never accept it, she would ultimately have to sleep with Eunyoung Noona to save her life.

As someone who wanted to maintain her relationship with Hye-eun even after having sex with her, she had no choice but to beg with utmost humility.

Even if people called her selfish and disgusting, she didn’t want to lose anything within her grasp.

Her relationship with Hye-eun, and her awakened ability as a Hunter’s Lust Manager.

And the life of Eunyoung Noona, who had raised her all this time.

The painful experience of losing her parents powerlessly without being able to do anything was enough just once.

“I can truly, properly explain it, Hye-eun.”

“……”

“If you’re still angry after hearing my story, feel free to hit me or slam me against the wall!

But this is really important for you too, Hye-eun, so you absolutely must listen.”

“……”

Perhaps it was worth kneeling before her and pleading several times.

Her expression, which had been as cold as ice, began to soften ever so slightly.

“…Just make sure it’s a reason I can understand.”

It was the moment she was given another chance to persuade her somehow.