Haruto sighed deeply as he leaned on the broom, gazing out at the temple grounds.
The golden rays of the late afternoon sun filtered through the trees, painting the world in warm hues, yet the turmoil in his chest felt cold and unresolved.
He was confused about his own feelings, especially about the video of him having sex with Asuka.
At first, he got so excited once he got those videos. However, the more he think about it the more he realize that everyone will see Asuka's body.
He didn't know why, but he felt... Jealousy.
"Haahhh... I should have just sent it to Kota." he sighed again, this time deeper.
"Ah, forget it, let's just check the system."
Trying to distract himself, Haruto activated his system, a familiar golden screen materializing before him.
The interface glowed softly. He tapped on the new feature that had appeared recently.
"EXP Lover?" he murmured, his curiosity piqued. He opened the explanation tab.
[EXP Lover: A feature allowing the host to gain EXP through specific interactions.].
[A list of actions and their respective EXP rewards followed:]
[Holding hands: 10 EXP]
[Hugging and kissing: 25 EXP]
[Oral Sex: 50 EXP]
[Sex (per climax): 100 EXP]
[Increasing Deprivation Matrix: 150 EXP]
Haruto raised a brow, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "So, not every interaction will give EXP? Only certain ones... Still, this is way better than waiting for quests to pop up," he murmured.
He swiped to check his status, something he rarely did. The moment his stats appeared, his eyes widened.
[Name: Haruto Hayase.]
[Age: 18 years old.]
[Target: 5]
[Target Completed: 0]
—
[Status:]
[Level: 30]
[Vitality (VIT): 750]
[Eros (ERS): 215]
—
[Attribute:]
[Charisma (CHA): 550, Influence (INF): 320, Resolve (RES): 305, Seduction (SDC): 435.]
—
[Special Attribute:]
[Corruption (CRP): 115, Depravity (DPR):105.]
"Whoa..." he exhaled, scrolling through the details again.
"Vitality and charisma are off the charts. Guess all those fights and the system's buffs are paying off."
He paused, his lips pressing into a thin line. "But what's the point if I can't even complete a single target?"
He slumped onto the temple steps, running a hand through his hair in frustration.
The emotional bond and obsession meters were proving to be his biggest obstacles. No matter how hard he tried to build connections, progress felt slow and fleeting.
The slightest mistake would set him back, undoing hours of work. It was maddening.
"Maybe it's not just about sex," a rueful smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"I've been too focused on the physical stuff, but if I don't change my approach, I'll never finish even one target."
"I know what you know, Haruto. If you're asking about the details of why you were sent there, I don't have those answers."
"Figures," Haruto muttered, his frustration evident.
"I've been trying to piece it together, but it's like hitting a brick wall every time."
"Well," Jin said thoughtfully, "people usually end up in places like that for things like psychotic breaks or harming themselves or others."
"You're saying I might've hallucinated something? Or hurt someone?"
"Possibly." Jin shrugged.
"Or maybe one of your hallucinations is still with you, like a shadow you can't shake."
The first thing that came to Haruto's mind was the system. But everything from the system—its items, its effects—was tangible, real.
The Pocket Pussy, the Obsession Bracelet... they worked. They weren't hallucinations.
Jin's voice cut through his thoughts. "See? We suffer more often in imagination than reality."
Haruto clenched his fists, annoyed at how Jin seemed to toy with him yet again.
"You're infuriating, you know that?"
Jin chuckled, unfazed. "Maybe. But think about it—if you really were that far gone, you wouldn't be here now, would you?"
"And honestly, aside from your little revenge obsession, you're mostly normal."
Haruto exhaled a long breath, some of the tension easing from his shoulders. Chiyo has been saying the same thing and now Jin too. It makes him believe that was indeed 'normal'.
"Maybe I'm just being paranoid."
"Paranoia can be a sign of mental illness too," Jin teased lightly, earning a glare from Haruto.
"Shut up."
They both laughed, the tension between them dissipating as the conversation came to a close.
Haruto leaned back, letting the cool evening breeze wash over him, feeling lighter than he had in days.
***
Haruto handed over the small memory card to Kota, whose hand darted out to snatch it roughly. The impatience on Kota's face was palpable as he examined the card.
"What took you so damn long? And what's on this thing?" Kota muttered, already inserting the card into his phone.
Haruto crossed his arms, watching as Kota's expression shifted. The moment the video began playing, Kota's eyes widened in disbelief.
"This..." His voice trailed off as he stared at the screen, the faint sounds from the video barely audible.
The man in the footage had his face blurred, but his black hair and build were recognizable.
The woman's features were similarly obscured, but her long brown hair and the distinctive dove tattoo on her thigh stood out.
Her curvaceous figure, paired with her D-cup breasts, was undeniably alluring.
Kota's breath hitched as he looked away from the screen, his face flushing.
"This... This'll get me in the gang for sure?"
Haruto smirked, leaning slightly toward Kota. "Of course. A little something like this? They'll take you in without question."
Kota tensed, his grip on the phone tightening. Haruto, noticing his discomfort, leaned closer and whispered, "If you're getting hard just watching it, no shame. Find a corner and handle it. Nobody's gonna judge you."
"Shut the hell up!" Kota snapped, his face turning red as he quickly locked his phone.
"I don't have time for your crap. Let's go!" He stomped ahead, his gait awkward as he tried to compose himself.
Haruto chuckled softly, trailing a few steps behind. His grin widened as he thought,
'In the past, you used Haruka video to get into this gang. But now, it's my turn. And this time, it's 'your mother's' sex tape that'll open the door.'
Kota led them to the school's abandoned building, his nervous energy increasing with every step.
As they approached the decrepit structure, Kota tugged at his tie and cleared his throat.
"Uh... You go in first. Show me the way," he said, his voice cracking slightly as he gestured toward the entrance.
Haruto smirked, placing a hand on Kota's shoulder and leaning in with a confident grin.
"Relax, Kota. You're the one bringing the goods. Just follow my lead."
With that, Haruto pushed open the creaking door, stepping inside as Kota hesitated, nerves etched across his face.