Instinctively, he glanced at the mirror, like someone might be standing behind him, judging him. No one.
Just his own tired, miserable reflection. He leaned closer to the sink, lowering his voice even more.
Messy hair. Tired eyes. Fired. He remembered where he heard it. SSS system ultimate Eros. It was the game he beat.
He played it for three years. Albeit it's official name for the gamestore was SSS sign in syste, it's real, raw name was just that—
SSS-Eros system.
"…Tch."
"What will happen once I bind with you?"
"SSS Eros.." He blushed even thinking about it, and the way it functioned in the game. Still he wanted to confirm it.
"Can you tell me… About yourself? What will happen once I bind with you?"
[ Absolutely, host. After binding with the system you will receive missed sign up rewards–since you began playing the game SSS Eros. The rewards will be accumulated into multiple smaller, or cash gifts. ]
[ After binding with the system you will receive daily, monthly and yearly sign in bonuses. Through them you will receive various rewards ranging from cash to real estate assets or even exotic pets! Oh skills and physical improvements are also included. ]
"Are pets more important??" He muttered in a flustered state, while thinking of the NPC cosplaying as a cat girl in the game, "Is that what you mean by exotic pets…?"
[ The system also has other functions. Detailed explanation will be available after binding. ]
[ The system's goal is to make you the wealthiest, sexiest, and the most powerful man in the world. ]
Furuhiya, reading through the system, was embarrassed for the system on its behalf.
[ Would you like to bind with the system? ]
He thought for a short while, looking behind the translucent blue window he saw the exhausted image of himself in the toilet's mirror.
Short black un-kept hair falling over his brown eyes darkened with underbags. He worked to the bone night and day like a dog just to sustain himself and his younger sister.
What was there to lose… Or was there?
"Before I bind… The cash I receive.." His voice trailed off, almost shy, scared to ask.
[ Would you like to bind with the system? ]
The system didn't change, it asked the same question.
He stepped back, worried about the sight. "In that case n-no-"
[ There is not a reason for the host to worry about the legality of system's rewards, monetary or otherwise. ]
[ If anything its up to the host how will he use the system's rewards and whether he'll step into the shady/gray zone of the business world. ]
"I-I see… In that case."
With the system's re-assurance, there was no reason to hesitate.
He instinctively reached for the serving tray beside him, fingers curling around its edge—then paused.
Slowly, he let go.
"Begin binding."
He finally got something, a way to end this misery of work, to stop serving people younger than him, to those who would mock him and complain over the smallest things—and legal on top of it?
He had no reason to not accept it.
And even if there was a risk attached to it, maybe even then he'd accept it.
[ Congratulations, host, on successfully binding! ]
[ Would you like to sign-in? ]
"Yes, please."
[ Congratulations, host! You have successfully accumulated over 777.000 worth of Zen to $777.000. ]
Zen. That was the official currency the game used, his eyes read that once again.
"S-S- SEVEN WHAT?!"
The last time he checked his Zen in the game, he had indeed accumulated around a million of it. But that much, in real life currency?
[ Congratulations, host! You have successfully obtained a condo apartment in Greenberry residential complex, porsche cayman gts 4.0, decent vehicular operational skills. ]
"N-No way right?" The next second Furuhiya's phone buzzed in his pocket.
[ Host. The money has been wired to your account. The apartment's documents, keys including the car's are in the system's inventory. As for the car itself, it has been parked in front of your current residential building. ]
[ Host. To learn the system, please let me know. ]
Just as the system had said, Furuhiya picked up his phone and there, miraculously on his bank account from the depressing $19.20 he had, increased to the crazy amount of $777.000!
He refreshed the dashboard multiple times on his painfully slow and old samsung with a cracked screen, each time his smile was brightening as the amount didn't change no matter how many times he refreshed.
Furuhiya's fingers trembled slightly as he locked his phone, staring at his own reflection again.
Same messy hair. Same tired eyes.
But now… $777,000 richer.
"…This has to be a joke," he muttered under his breath, though the grin tugging at his lips said otherwise.
The translucent screen still floated there, quietly waiting.
He exhaled once more, steadier this time, then turned off the tap completely. The faint dripping sound stopped, leaving only the low hum of the restaurant outside the restroom.
Right. He was just fired. He almost forgot.
Furuhiya adjusted his uniform, smoothing out the creases of his shirt out of habit. The fabric felt the same as always, cheap, slightly rough trying to appear elitist, but somehow lighter now.
Everything felt lighter.
"Other rewards…" he mumbled, remembering what the system had said.
Apartment. Car. Skills.
His heart picked up again.
He pushed the restroom door open and stepped out into the narrow hallway, the smell of food and noise immediately returning, plates clinking, low chatter, someone laughing too loudly.
Same place. Same job. But not for long.
Furuhiya started walking, his pace a bit quicker than usual, one hand slipping into his pocket as if he could somehow feel the money sitting in his account.
"I should check…" he whispered to himself, already imagining it, the apartment, the car, something actually his.
Through the restaurant multiple uniformed men rushed from table to table, Furuhiya almost felt sorry for them.
"W-Wait—Furuya~!"
Furuhiya turned.
A guy with light green dyed hair hurried toward him, strands bouncing as they fell across his face.
It didn't hide much, if anything, it made his looks stand out more.
Clean features, relaxed expressions… the kind of face that fits right into one of those characters from the SSS-Ultimate eros game Furuhiya played.
"Seriously, you're fast," he said, catching up, like nothing was wrong.
Furuhiya looked at him, almost annoyed by how handsome he was. Then started walking slowly again.
"Kaito? What's up, weren't you on the second floor?"
Kaito followed after him, "I heard," he started, scratching the back of his head. "If you're leaving… I'm not staying either."
He turned his head slowly, eye twitching slightly.
"…Dude," he said flatly. "Don't say it like that. People are gonna get the wrong idea."
Kaito blinked. "Huh? No, I mean."
He paused, then let out a small breath, more serious this time.
"…You remember that thing we talked about?"
Furuhiya frowned slightly. "What thing?"
"The bar," Kaito said. "Or… well, not just a bar."
Furuhiya didn't respond.
Oh. He did talk about that.
Kaito glanced at him, then continued.
"A place where guys like me," he pointed at himself with a small grin, "talk, drink with clients and make them feel special."
"…You mean a host club?" Furuhiya said flatly.
Makes it sound special… I swear.
"Yeah. Something like that."
Silence for a second.
"I was gonna do it eventually," Kaito added. "But if you're out now… we can start earlier."
He scratched his cheek, a bit awkward now.
Furuhiya stared at him.
"…You're serious?"