Kaito shrugged. "Why not? I managed to save enough anyway."
They entered the dressing room, still tossing ideas back and forth about the business.
Furuhiya pulled off his uniform vest, tossing it onto the bench a bit harder than necessary.
"You're talking like it's easy. Rent, licenses, staff… and what, you think clients just magically show up?"
Kaito didn't look bothered. If anything, he looked more excited.
"They don't 'magically' show up," he said, leaning against the locker with a grin. "They come for people."
Furuhiya paused mid-motion, one sleeve halfway off.
"…People."
"Yeah," Kaito nodded, pointing at him. "Guys who know how to talk. Read the mood. Make someone feel like they matter, even if it's just for a night."
Furuhiya finished changing, running a hand through his messy hair as he glanced at the mirror.
"That sounds kinda…" He trailed off, frowning, then exhaled.
"…And you think I can do that?"
Kaito didn't even hesitate.
"Yeah."
That made him pause.
"You're way too confident. In both of us, but especially in me." He narrowed his eyes slightly. "What's the catch?"
"Because I've seen you," Kaito said simply. "You just don't notice it."
Furuhiya clicked his tongue, grabbing his bag.
"…You're weird."
***
Furuhiya and Kaito stepped out of the restaurant.
"Sorry, but no can do." Furuhiya said, stopping in front of the building.
"Hah, why not? At least think about it!" Kaito whined, bouncing slightly on his heels.
"No. Can't. Do. Seriously, I've got no time for that…" Furuhiya crossed his arms, sighing as Kaito pouted up at him.
"Please~?"
Wanting to shake him off and just go home, Furuhiya exhaled and nodded reluctantly. "Fine. I'll think about it. For now, go home, get some sleep, and… think it through yourself."
"Alrighttt~!" Kaito cheered.
Beep.
Kaito walked to his green BMW M7 and unlocked it, heading toward the driver's side. "Ah, right. I'd offer a ride, but we live in opposite directions, so… see ya."
He paused, glancing back over his shoulder with a grin. "And don't think I'm joking about what I said earlier. I've been planning this for a while. You'll see soon enough."
Furuhiya raised an eyebrow, that familiar mix of curiosity and annoyance creeping in. "Yeah, yeah… we'll see."
Kaito waved once before sliding into the car. The engine purred to life, and moments later, he was gone, leaving Furuhiya standing there, half-smiling, half-sighing.
Something told him this wasn't over.
"Seriously… I get the ero system, and my first meaningful interaction is with a dude? Talk about luck."
Furuhiya groaned, pulling out his phone to check the time.
[ 8:00 ]
"An hour has already passed? Seriously?"
Excitement bubbled up again. The money was one thing, but the car?
He had to see it.
He started jogging home.
The streets changed as he ran. Neon signs flickered overhead. Sidewalks cracked beneath his feet, littered with stray papers and broken glass.
Graffiti crawled up the walls of abandoned shops. The distant hum of traffic mixed with the occasional bark of a stray dog.
His neighborhood had always been like this—run-down, quiet… a little unsettling at night.
He pulled out his phone mid-run, fingers moving quickly over the cracked screen. "Let's see…"
Bank app. Refresh.
$777,000.
Still there.
Furuhiya grinned despite the sweat running down his face.
Then—
He slowed.
A green Porsche Cayman GTS sat under the dim streetlights, parked cleanly in front of his building.
His heart skipped.
"…No way."
He came to a full stop, staring like it might disappear if he blinked.
It didn't.
A slow grin spread across his face as he stepped closer, reaching out to brush his fingers over the hood. He lingered on the logo, almost reverently.
"…It's actually real."
A couple of girls nearby were already eyeing the car.
Even the same old granny from the balcony, who hadn't missed a single evening in the last ten years, was leaning forward a little more than usual.
Furuhiya smirked.
Then paused.
"…Later."
Reluctantly, he turned away from the car and headed into his building instead. Picking up some envelopes on the way.
The stairwell greeted him with its usual dim lighting and worn steps. Each one creaked softly under his weight.
Same place.
Same smell.
Dust. Age. Cheap paint. Nothing had changed since he first moved in.
Reaching his floor, he unlocked the door and stepped inside.
"Hina," he called out.
No response. He nodded slightly. "Already at school, huh. Good."
He tossed the stack of envelopes onto the table before heading to the fridge.
Empty. Except for a couple of bottles of water. He grabbed one, twisted the cap, and took a sip.
Then he dropped onto the old couch. A small cloud of dust puffed up on impact.
He froze mid-motion, eyes narrowing slightly as his nose twitched, breath hitching for a second before he forced it back down.
The envelopes sat untouched.
He didn't need to open them to know what they were, bills, rent, taxes. The usual.
He leaned back, staring at the ceiling.
If not for the system, he'd already be drowning. The boss had promised severance pay, sure, but that would've barely made a dent.
First priority—Pay everything off.
No hesitation.
Still…
His curiosity lingered on the last reward.
He grabbed his phone again, opening the browser and waiting through the painfully slow loading.
"What was it… Green… Berri…?"
Search suggestions popped up.
"Ah. Berry.. Greenberry residential complex."
He tapped it.
The images that filled the screen felt unreal.
Wide, quiet streets curved through perfectly maintained greenery. Elegant villas lined the roads, some hidden behind tall hedges, others behind ornate gates.
Every house looked intentional.
Designed to look rich.
Not just built.
Further in, sleek low-rise buildings appeared—private balconies, spacious layouts… more like luxury residences than apartments.
It didn't feel like a real place.
More like an ad.
Furuhiya stared, the grin on his face slowly fading into disbelief.
He scrolled.
Then stopped.
"...No way."
Greenberry Residential Complex.
Located in Valcrest Ville Estate, one of the most upscale neighborhoods in the city.
He already knew the name. A place where business moguls and celebrities lived.
He read further.
Apartments weren't sold. Only rented.
And the cheapest one… Started at $12,000 per month.
"…Excuse me?"
Furuhiya stared at the number for a long moment.
"…I used to worry about instant noodles."
"…Yeah."
He stood up.