“What is your goal!?” Zane had only ever seen it from afar, but to suddenly be pushed against a tree and pinned was certainly something he’d never expected to experience.
The nearby sound of the waterfall and the refreshing smell were too tempting for him to stand here and waste time dealing with this nonsense.
His ultimate goal was the river a little further down, but the waterfall was too beautiful not to explore.
All he could do was look down at the pretty face twisted in anger.
He hadn’t expected Oliver to pull him aside the moment he was dismissed from the research team.
What is up with the protagonist?
He had to give it to the protagonist for having such a beautiful, feminine face.
His eyes were large and his lashes long, fluttering with every blink of an eye like the wings of a butterfly.
[The protagonist is suspicious of your intentions.]
Thanks.
You’re always so good at telling me exactly what I already know.
“What are you looking so dumb for!?”
Once…let me slap him just once!
“This posture is too disgusting.” Zane’s brow twitched as he nudged Oliver off him.
“Did you just call this disgusting?” Oliver could barely believe his ears.
Here he was, going out of his way to make contact and talk to someone aside from Clyde and Michael.
But this ungrateful person dared to call his attempt disgusting.
“What am I supposed to say?” Zane didn’t really feel like he owed Oliver an explanation of anything.
[TARGET Michael is listening in on the conversation.]
He’s here, too?
“If you’re just going after my men for money, then I’ll give you some.” Zane suddenly felt disrespected.
It was true that he wanted money, but would he really sleep with someone just to gain it?
“You’re just whoring your way through life anyway, so stop getting in my way!”
The nonchalant and uncaring attitude suddenly shifted.
Zane hadn’t minded Oliver’s cursing up until he decided to disrespect the original Zane’s struggles.
This wasn’t his body, nor was it his life.
He wasn’t about to let some pipsqueak discredit the hard and honest work of original Zane.
“Don’t offer something without having an understanding of the need for it.” Zane hadn’t shown much anger or true frustration on his face.
So when Oliver saw those emotions plastered on his handsome face, his mind suddenly went blank for a couple of seconds.
So..so handsome…
The thought flashed in Oliver’s mind before being quickly replaced with an indescribable hatred.
If it weren’t for the uncomfortable feeling Zane’s presence gave him, he wouldn’t have minded trying to conquer the other.
Oliver had this nagging feeling in his heart that this person was here to ruin his destiny, a threat to his existence.
He needed to get rid of him.
“I’m warning you, Zane!
Or I’ll ruin your future for good!” After the threat, he dashed off to some place, leaving Zane rooted and baffled.
Zane felt as if the protagonist were talking to himself at this point.
One moment, he’ll pop in and say something crazy, and before a real conversation can begin, he’ll storm off, and the cycle repeats.
I hope he stubs his toes. New chapters come out on g.com first.
Or slip and fall.
He hadn’t even moved an inch when someone approached him and pinned him against the tree again.
“Did he kiss you?” Michael grabbed his face, turning it left and right to inspect him closely.
“What kind of gross imagination do you have?”
“Good.
I worried a little since he likes good-looking people.” From the angle that Michael saw them, it looked to him like Oliver was forcing a kiss upon Zane.
Who doesn’t like good-looking people?
“My back hurts.” The tree bark had been scraping his back through his t-shirt for a while now.
“Let me see.” Michael immediately pulled him away to check on his back.
He lifted the shirt to reveal some irritated skin beneath it.
“No broken skin…”
A sigh of relief escaped his lips.
Ever since the kiss this morning, Michael had been anxiously waiting for Zane to return after learning of where he went from Clyde.
He tried to talk to Oliver about stopping the ambiguous relationship they had, but the other didn’t seem interested in hearing him out.
It wasn’t that he disliked Oliver, but their relationship was built on a drunken mistake and needed to be corrected now that he had become interested in Zane.
If I go the route of dating the targets, do I have to fill their goodwill meter?
[Answering: Human emotions are unstable.
There is no such thing as liking someone 100% of the time.
It is not required as long as the TARGETS never get together with the protagonist.]
Any tips for getting the last 20%?
[Answering: TARGET Michael is still undecided.
Please make him cut ties with the protagonist.]
“You’re doing that again.” Michael pinched Zane’s cheeks to bring his attention back to himself.
“I was thinking…”
“Of what?”
“Ways to earn money.”
“Should I give you some?” He was reminded of the conversation he had overheard earlier.
His eyes lingered on Zane’s face, watching as the thick brows raised with confusion at his offer.
Is he asking me to be his sugar baby?
[…] The system wondered if it should buy books to help increase its host’s emotional intelligence.
The suspicion in Zane’s eyes nearly made him laugh.
Michael leaned in close.
His nose picked up on the lingering scent of something…cold.
“What did you find in the ruins?” He immediately thought of the ancient ruins Zane had been dragged off to, and that it must have been cold inside.
Michael’s eyes widen at the surprising reaction.
“Some jades and stuff…” Zane sighed and waved his memories off.
“Not important.”
“Where are you going?” Seeing Zane attempting his escape, Michael quickly followed.
“To cool down.” His body burned at the plaguing thoughts of this morning’s pleasure, making it hot and uncomfortable.
This is your fault.
He scowled at the system, so it tripped him into the clear knee-length water.
Zane clearly felt the invisible foot knock into his ankles, sending him face-first into the pool.
“AH!” His aching knee took the brunt of the fall, making him wince in pain as he silently cursed Silas.
“Zane!?” Michael quickly followed, wanting to pull him out of the water, but was instead pulled into it by Zane.
“It’s good that I don’t have my phone with me…”
He mumbled, soaking in the cool water beside Zane.
Michael didn’t forget to check Zane’s knees and palms, checking for any scrapes from sharp rocks.
Zane stared at Michael in wonder, thinking that every time they met, the man was always checking his body for injuries.
The water only came up to their chest, making it easy for them to sit and relax now that they were both wet.
The thundering sound of water against rock made it hard for them to hear one another unless they shouted.
My ears are ringing.
“…hurt?”
“Huh?” Michael had said something, but Zane couldn’t hear clearly.
Michael seemed to understand this, so he scooted in closer until their body touched.
“The knee.” His hot breath tickled Zane’s ear as his lips pressed against it.
“Does it hurt a lot?” It was beginning to bruise, with the earlier pale red now a dark cherry.
[The default setting has been activated.
This is a good chance to enjoy outdoor sex.]
All of a sudden!?
Michael waited for Zane’s answer, but instead, he saw Zane bite his lower lip, while his ears turned bright red.
A thought crossed his mind, causing Michael to raise a brow.
“What’s wrong?” This time, he leaned in until his chest pressed against Zane’s arm, all the while whispering into his ear.
His gaze didn’t leave Zane’s face for even a moment, watching every shift in expression to prove that he thought correctly.
Zane moved his head to the side, trying to get away from the other person as his body now felt a bit more sensitive than usual.
[TARGET Michael’s current goodwill towards Master is 60%.]
Really!?
The kiss this morning didn’t raise his goodwill, but this did?
“What are you—!?” Frustrated at the randomness of this man’s emotion, Zane whipped his head around and nudged his arm against Michael’s chest.
“That’s a cute reaction.” His grin made it clear that Zane’s antsy response was well-liked.
“Do you like it outdoors?”
Damn you, Silas!
He thinks I’m a perverted fuck.