Actually, I was quite worried.
After meeting my wives, how should I react?
Should I push my one-sided feelings onto them, who have forgotten all memories of me?
But when I faced Alice…
"Yo-you are…?"
"...."
'What's with that outfit…?'
My worries were blown away by an overwhelming fashion disaster.
A denim skirt so blue it would fade in the wash, paired with a bright red beret. The kind of outfit you'd expect to see in a video game, ready to smash blocks...
Where did she even find such red and blue clothes? You wouldn't find something like that even in Dongmyo.'
I thought she was late in the first round because she was changing clothes after being scolded by them.
'I realized the truth.
She was the one who interrupted the entrance exam, both in the game and in the first round, saying she was sorry for being late and asking not to be disqualified.
I had thought it was a typical fixed event until now…
I didn't know there was this kind of backstory.
Her taste in clothes left me dizzy.
'...Well, I should respect her taste. Alice respected me, after all.'
No matter how Mario-like her outfit was, Alice was still Alice. She forgave me after the hypnosis was broken and shared her life with me.
I pulled myself together and opened my mouth. It was our first meeting in the second round. I had to make a good impression.
"You two there. Are you freshmen too?"
"Huh? Oh, uh, yeah."
"What are you doing surrounding a scared person like this in such a deserted place?"
I scolded them first. If I used force, Alice would think I was a violent person. Leaving that kind of first impression on someone as timid as her would be a bad move.
Of course, if it was just talking, it would be the nagging of a 35-year-old man. And with a gentle tone so as not to scare Alice. It had no effect.
-Mumble mumble.
"Should we ask if she's dating someone?"
"Are you crazy? You have a boyfriend!! If you're going to do it, I'll…."
'They're ignoring me.'
Maybe because they looked like delinquents, they were good at ignoring. In the early stages of the first round, I would have been flustered and stammering.
But,
"Hey. If someone speaks, shouldn't you listen?"
-Swoosh.I approached them instead, so close our noses could touch.
"You guys…."
"...!!!? Wa-wait…."
"———Don't bully innocent people."
[Skill 'Complete Hypnosis' activated.]
At the same time, hypnosis. I was sure they couldn't resist. How would rookies who just awakened know how to put up a mental barrier?
'Well, even if they knew about my hypnosis, they couldn't stop it.'
[Judgment successful. The targets fall under 'complete' hypnosis.]
"Wow, wow…."
"This is insane…."
Their pupils rapidly dilated. Their cheeks flushed, and they wore a blissful smile.
The word 'instantaneous fall' fit them perfectly.
Why does even normal hypnosis always get that kind of reaction, especially from women? Maybe it's because it's a skill specialized for erotic games.
'Anyway. This should make Alice less scared.'
"Got it?"
"Y-yes…♡"
"But we were just trying to introduce her to a clothing store..."
"Never mind, just go."
I waved them off. I wanted to comfort the scared Alice immediately.
"Th-then can we at least get your number…."
"You look like you have 'a lot' of urgent matters to attend to. Like, you might burst any moment."
-Ding!
[Judgment successful. The targets fall under 'complete' hypnosis.]
"Come to think of it…!!"
"See you next time!! Definitely!!"
They were a bit clingy, but hypnosis sorted it out easily. The potential lemon dispensers fled in a hurry.
After the commotion, Alice, who had been watching me closely, remained.
My wife from the first round.
-Mumble mumble.
"Getting so close…."
'What, did it look like I was intimidating them?'
Alice was frowning at me.
Considering her timid nature, that expression meant she was very displeased.
It was the kind of face she made when I teasingly called her 'aunt' when she turned 30 before me....I ruined the first impression, it seems.
'Can I win her over without hypnosis, really….'
"Ahem. Sorry for butting in. You looked troubled, so…"
I tried to recover.
I'm not a dangerous person. I'm just a very kind hypnosis breeder who adores you.
With an expression like that.
It had little effect.
"Yes. Thank you for your help, Mr. Lecher."
"...."
'What a choice of words.'
I was insulted. By a word that even a native Korean like me rarely hears.…Well. Alice had just arrived in Korea. Learning Korean from webtoons and dramas, her vocabulary was bound to be strange.
Calling me a lecher was probably a mix-up with delinquent.
'I am a lecher, but I didn't do anything just now. She must have misspoken.'
"Haha… Anyway. Are you a freshman too?"
"Yes. Alice Littenwood. I came from England. Hello."
-Polite bow.
See? She's actually very polite.
There's no way this Alice would call me a lecher. No way.
We belatedly introduced ourselves.
"Yeah. I'm Seo Yoo-jin. A freshman like you."
"Seo Yoo-jin…."
Alice repeated my name.
It wasn't hard to guess the meaning behind it.
She was probably thinking not to get close to me because I seemed violent.
I felt a bit bitter inside.
'Now I realize. I'm the only one who regressed. All our memories are gone.
'To be unremembered by someone you love.
To be unloved by them. This is what it feels like.
Regression isn't all good, after all.
To soothe my bitter mouth, I headed to a vending machine.
'Cola and… This one for Alice. As always.'
-Clunk, clunk.
The sound of two drinks dropping. Alice, who had been repeating my name, finally approached.
"...Yoo-jin?"
"Take it. It's a coincidence, but let me buy you one."
-Toss.
I tossed her a drink.
It was her favorite from before regression.
"This is…."
'I want to do more, but we're strangers in this second round. Anything more would be burdensome.'
"Nice to meet you, Alice."
I turned without hesitation.
Since it was our first meeting. This seemed like the best approach.
For some reason, even the cola tasted a bit bitter today.Alice Littenwood stared at the drink Yoo-jin gave her.
Thinking about the man named Seo Yoo-jin.
'He seemed familiar.'
At first sight, she instinctively covered her mouth.
He was a stranger, yet… He felt somehow nostalgic. Like they had been together for decades.
Maybe that's why,
'I even called him a lecher… Why did I do that?'
When he approached those women who criticized her clothes, she felt an inexplicable displeasure.
Why was he so close to other women? It didn't feel right- she thought.
For some reason, she got so upset that she called him a lecher.
'A stranger who helped me and even gave me a drink.'
It was strange.
She considered herself timid.
Not the kind to hurl such words at a good person she just met.
Her feelings towards Yoo-jin were equally strange.
'But… He was cool.'
Feelings she couldn't understand.
She defined them as 'goodwill.'
Goodwill towards a man who helped her when she was distressed.
Goodwill towards Yoo-jin, who didn't criticize her outfit.
'And we even share a preference for this drink. Sol-leaf Tea.'
A polarizing drink, but one she loved. Sol-leaf Tea.
A man who gave her that without hesitation, sharing her taste.
-Chss. Gulp.
'Maybe because I met a good person? It tastes sweeter today.'
The drink Yoo-jin gave her tasted like honey.Sweeter than anything she'd ever tasted.
'Yoo-jin… I should get along with him. Just like he said, it's fate.'
-Gulp, gulp.
One sip. Two sips.
Sweet memories, sweet feelings.Flowing down her throat.
Her heart beat faster with each sip, steadily speeding up.
By the time she finished the last sip, it was pounding hard enough to echo in her temples.
-Gulp.
"...Haa♡"
When she finally finished the drink, her expression was no different from those girls.
Eyes slightly unfocused, cheeks tinged pink.
That kind of expression.
'I should head to the exam room now….'
-Stop.
'…Is this outfit really that bad? I wore it to represent Korea.'
The outfit she liked until a moment ago suddenly seemed unappealing.
It looked nice to her…
But Yoo-jin avoided looking at it.
If he thought it was pretty, he wouldn't have reacted like that.
'I need to change quickly. Not for Yoo-jin, though.'
-Dash!
She hurried to change her clothes.
Convincing herself it was to make a good impression on her classmates, not for Yoo-jin.
'Where is that outfit I saw in dramas….'
-Clench.
Instead of throwing away the empty drink can, she held it tightly in her hand.