Chapter 176 – To Make More Money

Chapter 176 – To Make More Money

"Good work again today, ladies. Mio and Saeko, your numbers are up so I added a bonus. Here are this month's wages and don't forget to collect today's tips from Taira." Konomi, the manager of Isekai Gohan handed each of us an envelope of money and left for the day.

The exhilarating feeling of making money was going to die once I got home and paid the bills. We earned a lot more than the average wage worker, not quite salaried status but enough to be somewhat stable. However, cutting expenses to account for rent and tuition really hurt.

When I turned to Mio, she was giving me the heartwrenching, teeth-clenched, and quivering lower lip demeanor from thinking the same.

"This sucks," we said at the same time.

"Welcome to the 'working while in uni' life. Chin up. You guys got some juicy tips today. Looks like you two have some secret fans with stacked wallets." Taira handed us a roll of 10,000 Yen bills and our jaws dropped.

"Wait, huh? There's like ten bills in here!" Mio exclaimed while pulling the rubber band off.

"Are you sure they wanted to give us this much? It wasn't by mistake?" I asked

"No way. Saw the gents count the paper and drop 'em in earlier today. Guys from the tables you two waited no less. Must've gotten a raise, promotion, or something. Still running on hard times with this much?" She threw an arm around each of our shoulders and pulled us in. The usual Taira thing to do. It was always when we were down in the dumps, so it's been happening a lot lately.

We explained to Taira how my parents and I had a falling out that ended in me swearing to be independent. Even Taira stared at me like I was stupid. Tsukiji University was a private school. It wasn't an easy financial burden to carry even for well-off kids.

"So, yeah... It started off alright until our savings started dripping. Now we're eating cup ramen and sweeping under vending machines with our tails," I said.

"Hmm... Konomi's gone. Let's take a peek in his office, yeah?" Taira nudged us forward.

"What's in the boss' office? We gonna klep the safe?" Mio asked.

"No! Are you crazy? You guys know what compensated dating is?" she asked.

"Been there done that," we answered together.

Taira choked on her spit.

"Seriously? Damn, high schoolers these days are wilding." Taira pulled a bobby pin out of her hair and began picking the lock to the office.

A minute later, the door opened wide.

"What does compensated dating and sneaking into the manager's office have to do with anything?" I asked.

"Konomi likes to keep tabs on our regulars on his computer. Has their deepest darkest desires, knows the skeletons in their closets, and most of all... their contact information." Taira turned on the PC and browsed through a spreadsheet regarding a long list of names.

"Oh, I get it. We're gonna rob the sobs!" Mio planted a fist on her palm like she figured out the winning lotto numbers.

"Mio..." The both of us stared at her in disbelief.

"Though I guess it's about as legal as we can get when it comes to robbing. Guys like these will shell out to get some attention from you. Or in this case, to do some compensated dating. Imagine how much more they'll spend when you reach out to them," Taira explained.

"Why does it sound like you've done this before, too?" I asked.

"Hey, you gotta do what you gotta when falling on some rough times. No shame. Them's the hustle. You want in or nah?" She hovered the cursor over the x-button on the spreadsheet.

"One sec," I said, and pulled Mio to the other end of the room for some privacy.

We huddled up.

"Look, I like money. I also ain't afraid to spread my legs or charm someone for it, so I've made up my mind. You gotta make up yours," Mio said.

"I know we've done compensated dating before and screw strangers on the regular, but it feels wrong when money is involved. P-P-Prostituting myself is just... I mean, you really don't mind? At all?" I asked.

"Nope," she answered promptly.

I rolled my eyes. "Of course. Only because you're doing it, I will, too, and... see how it goes."

We returned to Taira, who was grinning from ear to ear having likely eavesdropped on the entire conversation.

"We're in. Sign me up with the richest, saddest fucker possible," Mio said.

"Uu... Me, too." I raised my hand.

Classes ended for the day, and I came out of the lecture hall having taken zero notes. Absentminded scribbles were all that I had drawn in my notebook. Today was the day I'd meet with my 'papa' as Taira called it.

I shuddered.

Just thinking that word left a weird taste on my mind and mouth. That innocent word had become downright filthy.

The guy I was to meet later in the afternoon was Gotoh Usui, a mid-40s man who worked in upper management for a marketing firm based in Osaka. Mio had her own man. Taira assured us, through her own vetting process we weren't privy to, that they were decent guys and not some psycho or lunatic.

Not that it mattered. Mio and I were more than capable of dealing with crazies. Not to mention...

"Queen Saeko, we have come to escort you."

Three succubi landed and kneeled before me, startling the students nearby but not everyone apparently.

"Hey, succubus!" Some dude brushed his hair and thought to try his luck with one of them. "Maybe I can give you a little something to drain—"

"Back, you insolent human!" The brunette succubus drew her sword with the point up to his throat.

"Oh, fuck— Sorry!" he cried, scrambling as he ran away.

The rest of the students gulped hard and went back to minding their own business.

"What did I say about pulling out weapons in public?" I folded my arms.

She quickly sheathed her sword. "Forgive me, my queen! It's just recent events have left us worried about you."

"I put my name down, but they said the wait is going to be two hours at this rate. Maybe we head somewhere else instead? Like for ramen," Gotoh said, not doing a very good job of hiding his disappointment.

"Hmm... Let's just wait a while. They'll probably clear up soon," I assured him.

As we headed to the back of the line, I quietly charmed everyone in front of us. One by one, people began to leave and considered going elsewhere to eat.

"What's going on? Why's everyone leaving?" Gotoh gawked.

"Table of three for Hinako— eh?" A waitstaff emerged from the restaurant, and her jaw dropped seeing no one else around. She only saw us. "I... I guess a table is ready for you two."

Once we were seated, Gotoh ordered katsu curry right away without so much as looking at the menu. I ordered the same because why not? It was all on his Yen. When the food came, he dined so happily that he looked like a child discovering candy for the first time.

"Mmm! You really can't beat freshly-cooked katsu curry!" Gotoh sighed delightfully.

My phone vibrated with another message from Mio. This time, it was of her flashing a fan of ten-thousand yen bills next to her cum-dripping pussy.

The text read, EZ $$$.

"Say, how long have you been going to Isekai Gohan? I really appreciate the big tips you leave, but don't you have anyone else to spend it on?" I asked.

"Truth be told? No. My job crushes my soul on a daily basis. I only stick with it because it pays well. Even then, I don't really have anyone or anything to spend it on. I'm also too busy for a hobby. Only reason I'm out here on a Friday workday is because my boss finally caved in for my time off request," Gotoh said.

"What about family?"

"Erm... Hey, I'm feeling full. How about we talk it off? Check, please!" He waved to a waitress.

The conversation ended there. Gotoh paid for our dinner, and we strolled through Tsukiji as the sun finally began setting.

Nothing's happened all night. It had just been a regular date. Was this really the same guy who tipped tens of thousands of Yen at Isekai Gohan to me? We were about to pass by one of the love hotels that Hana runs. The neon signs and listed prices on the front door beckoned to us.

I grabbed Gotoh's hand and pulled him in.

"W-What's going on?" Gotoh asked.

Inside the love hotel lobby, Hana was gaming on the TV behind the counter and perked up as soon as she saw me.

"Yo, Saeko! What can I do for ya?" Hana asked.

"Give me a room. We'll pay later," I said.

"Er, hold on... can we slow down? Talk about this—"

Hana tossed me a key, and I dragged Gotoh down the corridor and into a room. While ignoring his pleas, I opened the door and pushed him onto the bed. In the privacy of a room, I began to strip and let my succubus form show.

"Come on! Take your clothes off and fuck me, you coward! It's like you've been stringing me on the entire night. I'm the one getting frustrated now. Ten for a blowjob. A hundred to creampie me. It's what you came for, right?" I asked while naked and clawing at his clothes.

"Wait, you're a succubus?! I guess that explains some of the things that happened tonight... Please, I don't want to cheat on my wife!" Gotoh cried.

The mood died in an instant. Not that there was one to begin with anyway. I came back to my senses and got off him.

"You're married? But you don't have a ring," I said, pointing out the empty ring finger, but upon closer inspection there was a visible imprint of one.

Gotoh moved to sit at the edge of the bed with his head down. "I... I took it off before coming. I only did this because my family doesn't care about me anymore! Every single day, I work from eight in the morning to ten at night. I lose an extra hour commuting by train. The only day I get off is Sunday. My daughter and I used to have movie dates every month, but now she cares more about her phone and computer. My wife is asleep by the time I get home. My only source of comfort is the katsu curry I eat from the convenience store every night. The clerk microwaves it for me, but the machine must be malfunctioning because some parts of the curry are cold! Even still... I can't bring myself to cheat on my wife. I just want them to hug me. Is that so much to ask?"

I sat next to him and patted his back.

"No, it's not." I sighed. "Then... this whole date was...?"

"To do things I used to enjoy with my family. Maiko, my daughter, she likes to dress in streetwear. Guess she's in that rebellious phase I hear so much about. You look a little like her. Mostly just the hair. That's why I've been coming to Isekai Gohan and agreed to do this. I'm so sorry for dragging you into my troubles!" Gotoh stood up and bowed deeply, a perfect 90 degree apologetic bow.

"Don't you think you've been going about this all wrong?" I asked.

"Huh?" He lifted his head up.

"You've been working non-stop. You only managed to get a day off today, so couldn't you have spent today with your wife and daughter instead?"

The gears in Gotoh's head went into overdrive for a few seconds before everything finally clicked. He dropped to his knees and groaned aloud.

"You're right. Arrggghhh! Why am I so stupid?" Gotoh collapsed to the ground completely in the fetal position.

While he was berating himself, I picked up my clothes and got dressed.

I helped Gotoh up and made him face me. "You aren't stupid. You're working yourself to the bone to support your family. Stress has a way of making us act irrationally. I was kind of a little shit to my parents. They deserved it. We worked things out in the end, but only because we finally decided to sit down and talk. Fight your boss for another day off. Plan a day with your wife and another day with Maiko. And hey, if things don't work out, you can always grow a pair of balls and fuck me like this was originally supposed to go down."

Gotoh blankly and stiffly rose to his feet, then slapped himself across the face.

"You're right. Thanks for that, and thank you for going along with my whims. I really did have fun today! Here, it's not much but please take this... I was going to spend it at a pachinko parlor anyway." Gotoh stuffed a stack of five-hundred thousand in ten-thousand Yen bills into my hands.

"This is a lot! A-Are you sure?" I gaped at the amount.

"It's chump change, since I'll be promoted to executive management soon. My boss might be an asshole working me to the bone, but it was all to make sure I had what it takes. Once I'm my own boss, I don't have to take abuse from anyone anymore!" he exclaimed in triumph.

Must be nice having a lot of money... I stared at the stack in complete envy. Part of me wanted his family life to fail and be my sugar daddy.

Gotoh went for the door but paused after opening it.

"You can expect bigger tips at Isekai Gohan, too." He grinned before taking off and leaving me high and dry.

"Well, I got the money. So why do I feel frustrated?" I stuffed the money into my bag just as Hana poked her head in.

"Your man just bolted. I'm, uh... still getting paid, right?" Hana asked.

"You know what? Get me in contact with some prostitutes. I need to vent," I told Hana.