As he descended the stairs and stepped outside, the midday sun greeted him with a warm embrace, casting long shadows on the pavement. A gentle breeze carried the mixed scents of fresh bread from a nearby bakery, exhaust fumes from passing cars, and the faint trace of someone's floral perfume. He squinted slightly against the brightness, adjusting to the lively energy of the city before pulling out his phone.
"I need to find the store where the MC works. That'll make things much easier." His thumb scrolled across the screen, the soft glow of the map reflecting in his eyes.
"The only issue is that most of the girls here are already infatuated with him." He exhaled sharply. "That might make things... tricky."
From what he remembered, the women in this world weren't shy about their desires. They practically flocked to the protagonist, eager for his attention. That kind of devotion could be a roadblock for his own plans—but no challenge was impossible. He would find a way.
The map showed that the convenience store was only a few minutes away. Smirking, he slipped his phone back into his pocket and started walking, taking in his surroundings as he went. The city was a maze of modern buildings, small alleyways, and bustling sidewalks filled with people going about their day. He made a mental note of key landmarks—just in case he ever got lost without his phone.
As he walked, he couldn't help but notice the women around him. The city was full of them—some casually dressed in summer skirts and tank tops, others in work attire, moving with purpose. A few of them stole glances at him, their eyes lingering just a little too long.
One woman, in particular, caught his attention. She was coming straight toward him, her gaze locked onto his as if testing him. Intrigued, he held her stare, turning his head slightly as they passed. To his amusement, she did the same, a small smile playing at her lips before she looked ahead and continued on her way.
"Never thought I'd get attention from women, honestly," he mused. He didn't remember much about his past life, but something told him that back then, his luck with women had been... nonexistent. "I probably averaged zero girls my whole life. Funny how things change."
With a smirk, he kept walking, his destination growing closer with every step.
He finally arrived at the convenience store, its glass doors sliding open with a soft chime as he stepped inside. The cool air from the store's AC provided an immediate contrast to the warmth outside. The faint scent of instant noodles, freshly brewed coffee, and plastic-wrapped snacks lingered in the air.
As his eyes adjusted to the bright fluorescent lights, he immediately spotted the protagonist, Nam Juho, standing behind the counter. His gaze was locked onto someone further inside the store, his expression tense, his face slightly flushed.
Curious, Travis followed his line of sight and saw her.
Lee Ruri.
One of the heroines of this story. She was crouched down, checking the stock on the lower shelves, completely unaware of the attention she was receiving. Her short, vibrant orange hair framed her face perfectly, the strands catching the artificial light in a way that made them almost glow. Her blue eyes, sharp and lively, could probably stop anyone in their tracks if she chose to look up. And then there was her body—slim, toned, yet carrying just the right curves to make her presence impossible to ignore.
Travis smirked before shifting his focus back to Nam Juho, whose face was practically burning red.
' Of course. Another clueless protagonist who thinks with his dick instead of his brain, ' Travis thought, shaking his head. ' I swear, if these guys actually strategized, they'd have all the girls by the end of the series. '
He made his way through the aisles, grabbing a random selection of snacks and a bottled drink from the fridge. By the time he returned to the counter, Lee Ruri had straightened up and was now teasing Nam Juho, her voice playful, her expression amused. Juho, on the other hand, looked like he was about to combust.
As Travis approached, Lee Ruri's eyes flickered toward him. For the briefest moment, her confident demeanor wavered—her gaze hesitating as she took him in. But just as quickly as it happened, she recovered, her expression returning to its usual cool indifference.
Travis smiled slightly. Guess it won't be that easy. He exhaled through his nose and prepared to pay.
Then, something in his peripheral vision caught his attention.
Love: 0
Interest: 2
His eyebrow twitched. ' Oh. That's convenient.'
Placing his items on the counter, he pulled out his card and made his payment without another glance at her.
Lee Ruri, still standing nearby, watched him carefully. Her arms were folded, her fingers tapping lightly against her elbow.
Nam Juho was trying his best to work professionally, but Travis could see his fingers fumbling slightly as he bagged the items.
Once the transaction was done, Travis gave a curt nod. "Thanks."
With that, he turned and left the store without so much as a backward glance.
Lee Ruri watched him go, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"He didn't even glance at me." A pause. Then, a frown. "Is he gay?"
Travis sighed as he popped open the can of Coke, the carbonation hissing softly before he took a long sip. The cold, fizzy liquid ran down his throat, providing a refreshing contrast to the lingering heat of the day.
'Well, time to buy this store before the beautiful MILF does,' he thought, pulling out his phone. His fingers moved swiftly across the screen as he searched for the store's ownership details, quickly locating the manager's contact information.
He smirked.
'Let's hope this gets me to meet her before the protagonist.'
With the kind of wealth he had, buying this entire country wouldn't be an issue—he'd still have change left over. So why not use that advantage whenever he could?
As he arrived back at the apartment complex, he noticed a familiar figure walking ahead of him. It was the woman he had seen earlier. She was dressed in a pair of tight shorts and an oversized black hoodie, her toned legs fully on display. She carried herself with casual confidence, moving up the stairs without sparing him a glance.
Travis slid his phone back into his pocket and picked up his pace, closing the distance between them before lightly tapping her shoulder.
She turned, blinking in confusion. "Uh, hello?"
Her eyes flickered over him, briefly scanning his face. He could already tell what she was thinking—she assumed he was about to hit on her and was likely preparing to reject him immediately.
"Hey, my name is Travis. It's nice to meet you. I just moved into this apartment. May I have your name?"
She hesitated for a moment.
'I mean, it wouldn't hurt to tell him my name. Plus, he's so respectful,' she thought.
"It's nice to meet you too. I'm Yeo Juyeon. I live on the third floor, room 24. But I'm a little busy, so could we talk later?" She adjusted her hoodie slightly, already shifting to leave.
"Wait, please listen to my request," Travis said, raising a hand. "I think you're really beautiful, and I'd like to—"
"Sorry, I'm not interested," she cut in, turning away without hesitation.
"—have you model for a webtoon I'm making."
She froze mid-step.
'Did he just say webtoon?'
Slowly, she turned back to face him, her cheeks warming as realization hit her.
'This is so embarrassing.'
Travis smiled. "Since you're busy, could I give you my number? If you're interested, feel free to contact me later."
Still flustered, Juyeon nodded and quickly accepted his number without a second thought.
Travis walked up the stairs, and she followed closely behind, her eyes locked on the floor as if trying to process everything. When they reached the third floor, he stopped in front of room 23 while she hurriedly unlocked room 24.
The moment she stepped inside, she shut the door behind her and pressed her back against it. Her face was beet red. Slowly, she slid down to the floor, burying her face in her hands.
'Even worse, he's my neighbor.'
TO BE CONTINUED
[ A/N : Check the patreon if you want extra chapters. You can also choose which pornhwa Travis will go to next. As long as it's completed ]