Festival (4)
"This isn't working. So annoying!"
"Calm down, Lucy...!"
Lucy was getting worked up in front of the claw machine, thanks to falling into the game club's elaborate scheme. The character from the trending Mafia game swung on the claw and unexpectedly dropped, heightening her irritation.
"Fine! Let's see who wins – you or me!" Lucy inserted more coins into the claw machine.
"Hey, take it easy. Aren't you spending too much?"
She had already spent more money on the machine than she would have spent ordering the character online. Is this why it's hard to quit gambling?
"I'll keep going until I get it. It's a matter of pride!"
"Okay, okay. I'll go get some fresh air, Lucy."
"Yeah, hurry back, Lumi."
Lucy pressed her face against the claw machine, engaging in a stare-down with the doll.
"Hmm..."
Lumi had said she was going for some fresh air but headed to the restroom instead.
What to do?
Watching Lucy wrestle with a claw machine for an hour is getting a bit dull. Sure, it's cute to be obsessed with these little dolls, but an hour is pushing it.
Ping!
My smartwatch chimed. It was a message from Lumi.
[Lumi: Hoyeon, please come to the restroom.]
"..."
Oh, right. Probably about our secret friend activity. Hopefully, it's not a discussion about Lucy spending an hour on the claw machine.
Glancing at Lucy, still deep in her doll battle, I left her to it. It seemed like she didn't even notice my smartwatch sound.
"I'll just use the restroom real quick."
"Yeah, yeah."
Leaving Lucy to her intense claw machine session, I headed towards the restroom. Lumi was waiting by the entrance while leaning against the wall.
"Hoyeon, um..."
"What's up, Lumi?"
I already knew, but just wanted to double-check.
"Um, we're secret friends... so..."
"...I'm fine with that, but what about Lucy? Is it okay?"
"Um, yeah, she'll be fine. When she's that focused, she doesn't notice her surroundings for about 30 minutes."
"Really?"
It's the Lucy expert talking, so it should be accurate.
With a bit of lingering worry, I took Lumi to the restroom. The outside booths and restroom facilities were clean, so it wasn't too shabby.
"It's been a while since we did secret friend activities."
"Yeah... Since the survival test."
"..."
Lumi was already licking her lips and eyeing my belt.
Alright. Do as you please.
She wasn't like this originally... How did she end up like this?
I dropped my pants and freed my buddy, who was already standing tall and seemingly oblivious to the situation.
"Hmm... Hoyeon..."
In the quiet restroom, Lumi's eager lips wrapped around my hard-on.
***
"I finally got it...!"
After a half-hour struggle, Lucy managed to wrap her arms around the doll. She splurged on the equivalent of buying 4-5 dolls, but there was no regret.
"Huh? Where did they disappear to?"
Only now did Lucy scan the surroundings. It felt like quite a while since the restroom was mentioned, but no sign of their return.
Despite deciding to lead an assertive life, life isn't that easy.
"Kyah! Ah, ah, hmm!"
If you can't avoid it, enjoy it. In pursuit of a joyful life, I embraced Liliana and threw my body onto the bed.
***
"This... What do you think?"
"Hmm, I'm not sure."
"Hmph... Then how about this...?!"
Alice lay on the massage bed, her upper body exposed while receiving a mana massage.
"It feels refreshing."
"That's right. Mana massage is originally about releasing tense muscles with mana. Those of us who have been in this industry for over 10 years have a different touch."
The masseur, encouraged by Alice's praise, diligently pressed on her back. Once this deal is finalized, she won't have to worry about money anymore. Especially considering the astronomical amount offered. However, Alice, the one receiving the massage, remained indifferent.
It felt the same as before.
To find a mana masseur for Alice, recruitment efforts were made worldwide. However, every massage she received so far felt the same. No pleasant pain as mana circuits expanded. And her body didn't warm up.
When Lee Hoyeon did it, it wasn't like this.
For a moment, blood rushed to Alice's lower body and created a slight moisture in her panties as she thought of Hoyeon's massage. The massage that made her whole body warm, especially with a pleasant sensation in her lower abdomen.
Alice cautiously swallowed saliva and focused on the massage, just in case concentration was the issue.
"You've done well. Sebastian will contact you."
Despite concentrating until the end of the massage, nothing changed.
"Yes, thank you! See you next time, Miss Alice!"
"Have a safe trip."
Watching the departing woman with a slight nod, Alice quietly spoke to Sebastian, who was waiting behind. "Um... Sebastian. Please ask someone else."
"Understood, miss."
Watching Sebastian operate the smartwatch, Alice stretched. "It feels refreshing. But... well, it's a bit... hmm, ambiguous."
"Male masseurs are still not acceptable?"
"Yeah, men are a bit... and if my father finds out, he won't stay quiet about it."
If she was going to allow a man's touch, there was no need to go through the trouble of finding a masseur like this, especially when validated by Hoyeon. The discomfort of a man's touch was the reason she was diligently searching for a female masseur.
"Oh, right. How's the investigation into Lee Hoyeon going?"
Alice had been keeping it in mind, but she brought up the topic of Hoyeon as if she had just remembered.
"Oh, I was going to inform you about that. Come in!"
Suddenly, the door opened, and a woman entered the room. A confidently looking woman with glamorous blond hair stood before Alice.
"Long time no see, Miss Alice."
"Scarlett...?"
A core executive from her homeland appeared in Korea. In the sudden situation of seeing the executive she had seen when she was young, Alice widened her eyes.
"I brought the hunter most specialized in concealment from the Iris Guild."
"No, is it necessary to go this far?"
Scarlett is an important asset even in the Iris Guild. It's regrettable to take even Sebastian away, but to bring her as well...
"Lee Hoyeon's defense is not easy. And filming is much more difficult than simple observation. I've prepared thoroughly to make sure."
Is his barrier really that hard to break...?
Alice had some doubt, but for now, she buried it in her heart. Sebastian must have done well.
"So... Scarlett, you're going to investigate Lee Hoyeon?"
"Yes. He's just an academy student, it'll be over soon. Leave it to me." Scarlett spoke while twirling the tip of her hair.
"Scarlett, be cautious. Don't underestimate him just because he's a student."
"Don't worry. I'm Scarlett."
"At least watch the sparring video during the festival this time."
"Yes, yes. I understand, miss."
Alice felt uneasy looking at Scarlett's overly confident face. People who rushed at Lee Hoyeon, including herself, always had such a face.
[Scarlett]