The hallway was quiet, the soft hum of the building's heating system the only sound.
Mia stood in front of Alex's door, holding a container of steaming stew. For a moment, she hesitated, her hand hovering over the doorbell.
Recalling her husband's remarks, Mia had grown somewhat intrigued by Alex's circumstances, which is how she found herself here after her husband had left and she had gone to her friend's house for a little fun.
Taking a deep breath, she pressed the doorbell. The chime echoed faintly, and she waited, her heart beating slightly faster than usual.
After a few moments, the door opened just a crack, revealing Alex's face. His eyes widened briefly in surprise before settling into a neutral expression.
"Miss Mia." He was about to test something and had nearly finished configuring his application, so he felt a little uncomfortable, but he never imagined that she would arrive at such an awkward time.
"That's me. I hope I'm not bothering you. I just... thought you might like some homemade stew." She held up the container, her smile warm but tentative.
Alex's gaze flickered to the container and back to her, his expression a bit restrained.
As he smiled after seeing her friendly expression, he could not help but ask her to come in. After all, just shooing her off from the gate when she was kind enough to bring some nice food was not something he could do.
"... That's very kind of you. You didn't have to do that." Walking inside along with her, he spoke.
"I know. But we had extra, and it's always nice to share. Besides, I figured it's a good excuse to get to know a neighbour better." Mia could not help but chuckle at Alex's reply and walked inside.
"Well, I won't say no to homemade stew. Come on in." Alex chuckled softly and stepped aside, motioning for her to come in. Mia stepped inside, glancing around.
The apartment was simple but comfortable, with a couch, a coffee table scattered with a few magazines, and a flat-screen TV.
The faint scent of cologne lingered in the air, mixing with the warmth of the stew she carried.
Mia realized how Alex was quite well maintained for a boy living alone; plus, with a look, she could tell from the Alex picture with his mother that he was not living here alone.
It was on a small side table by the couch; a framed photo caught her eye—a younger Alex, smiling with a woman who had his same striking eyes. She quickly glanced away, not wanting to seem nosy.
"You keep the place nice. It's... cozy." Alex nodded in response to her startled remarks because he liked his former host as well and thought he was a nice guy, which is why he was upset about the boy's choice.
"Thanks. It's nothing fancy, but it works for me." He took the container from her, his fingers brushing hers briefly.
The light contact sent a small, unexpected shiver up Mia's spine, catching her off guard. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, shifting her weight slightly as Alex placed the stew on the counter.
"I hope you like it. It's a family recipe—my husband swears by it." The mention of Kian felt like a grounding moment for Mia, though her heart was beating just a little faster than usual.
Alex, on the other hand, looked at the cooked stew and turned to look at the lady on the side, with his body supported by the counter.
Target: Mia
Status: Married. Emotional Barriers Present.
Emotional Affinity: Moderate.
Compatibility: High.
Trust Level: [Moderate]
Attraction Level: [Dormant]
Loyalty: [Locked]
Emotional Vulnerability: [Analyzed...]
Trust Level
Increase Trust [Cost: 1 VEP]
Decrease Trust [Cost: 1 VEP]
Current Level: [Moderate]
Affection
Increase Affection [Cost: 2 VEP]
Decrease Affection [Cost: 5 VEP]
Current Level: [Low]
Sexual Interest
Awaken Sexual Interest [Cost: 3 VEP]
Decrease Sexual Interest [Cost: 5 VEP]
Current Level: [Low]
Attraction
Increase Attraction [Cost: 2 VEP]
Decrease Attraction [Cost: 1 VEP]
Current Level: [Low]
Rejection
Increase Rejection [Cost: 1 VEP]
Decrease Rejection [Cost: 2 VEP]
Current Level: [Low]
Loyalty
Unlock Loyalty [Cost: 10 VEP]
Decrease Loyalty [Cost: 0 VEP]
Current Level: [Locked]
Emotional Vulnerability
Increase Vulnerability [Cost: 1 VEP]
Decrease Vulnerability [Cost: 2 VEP]
Current Level: [Mild]
Current [VEP: 5]
Current Emotional State: Toward Host.
Trust Level: [Moderate]
Affection: [Moderate]
Sexual Interest: [Moderate]
Attraction: [Moderate]
Rejection: [Low]
Loyalty: [Locked]
Emotional Vulnerability: [Mild]
» Husband: Kian (Mia's partner)
Status: Married to Mia. Emotional Barriers Present.
Trust Level: [Moderate]
Affection: [Moderate]
Sexual Interest: [Moderate]
Alex's mind buzzed looking at the moderate sexual interest. It clearly stated that he could increase it once using 3 VEP and might be able to get his way with her.
'Maybe she thinks that I might make a move on her to keep it down about the thing I had seen. Things like this are rather common in webtoons, I guess.'
Alex thought as he felt his little guy reacting a bit.
He knew that his only option was to level up and gain strength through the application because, after all, he was a total virgin in his previous world and had family here, including "his mother," whom he wanted to save.
Host: Alex
Current Level: [0]
Experience Points (XP): [0/100]
Status Panel:
Strength: [1]
Vitality: [1]
Agility: [0.8]
Charisma: [1]
Sexual Prowess: (1)↦ [2]
Emotional Control: [2]
Luck: [5]
(Back to the scene)
"I hope you like it. It's a family recipe—my husband swears by it."
"I'm sure I will. It smells amazing. And you went out of your way to bring it over. That's not something I'm used to." "Anyway, thank you." Even though Alex was a bit distracted, he did pay attention to the lady's words, and at the thought of the webtoon and this situation, his little brother was already starting to show reaction.
Mia felt her cheeks warm under his gaze, though she never displayed it on her expression.
Although there was nothing overtly suggestive in his words, his presence had a quiet intensity and something different that made her feel a little self-conscious.
"Well, I just thought… Everyone deserves a warm meal now and then. Besides, it's nice to meet neighbours properly." Alex grinned at the idea because, up until now, his previous host had travelled a lot and had not made many friends, which had made him a recluse like this.
However, he had no memory of any neighbour who was as demanding as her, even though he appreciated her kind temperament...