"Gyaaaaaahhh!!"
I tore down the forest path, lungs burning, legs moving as fast as they could. Behind me, a pack of male orcs gave chase, their voices echoing through the trees like some nightmare chant.
"Hey, hey, onii-chan~!" one of them called, his deep voice disturbingly playful.
"Don't run away! We're your friends!!"
"Like hell you are! Screw this! Someone!!! Anyone!!! HELP!!"
I leapt over roots and bushes, gasping for air, but their heavy footsteps pounded closer and closer.
"Why me?! Why now?!" I groaned. "This was supposed to be a fresh start! New world, magic powers, hero status!"
Instead, what did I get? Orcs. Horny, sweaty, musclebound orcs with zero sense of personal space.
"Damn it, damn it, damn it! I hate this stupid isekai!!"
One of them croaked out in a voice that was somehow both revolting and… suggestive.
"Come on~ once you try us, you'll never forget it~"
My stomach turned. "What the hell?!"
Panic jolted me forward even faster. No way in hell was I letting their disgusting 'experience' happen.
The forest blurred around me as I sprinted for my life.
"Don't worry, onii-chan~ we'll make you feel good~!" another one sang mockingly.
"Awww, don't be shy, young man. We'll 'treat' you right~~"
He actually licked his lips. My whole body crawled.
"Like hell you will!!! Damn it! I hate this isekai!!"
My voice cracked as I pushed harder, running from their freakish advances.
And if you're wondering how I ended up in this nightmare… fine. I'll tell you. Just don't laugh, alright?
(Back in Japan, before the chaos)
"Oi, Hazekaya! You coming or what?" one of my coworkers yelled across the office.
I groaned, hunched over my laptop. "Wait a sec! Just need to save this report!" My fingers flew across the keyboard, desperate to finish. Freedom was so close, but deadlines were merciless.
"If you're late, we're leaving without you," another coworker called, already halfway out the door.
I muttered under my breath. "Damn ikemen group…"
Seriously. With their perfect hair and easy smiles, these guys could charm anyone—colleagues, clients, even the boss. Meanwhile, I was just the plain, average guy stuck in their shadows.
"Oi! Don't leave me behind!" I shouted, slinging my bag over my shoulder and hurrying after them.
"Hahaha, slowpoke!" they laughed, deliberately walking just fast enough to make me jog.
"Slow? Hell no! You guys just have stupid long legs!"
By the time we reached the cafeteria, one of them suddenly said,
"Hey, let's ditch this place. Let's eat somewhere nicer."
"Oi!" I protested immediately.
"If we wander off and the boss notices I'm gone, I'll be her next target! You guys can flirt your way out of trouble,but not me!"
"Oh, Hazekaya," one of them smirked, clapping my back. "Don't be jealous just because the boss likes us."
"Jealous?! As if! Who the hell wants to be the boss's toy? I'm fine being ignored, thanks!"
"Then let's hit the family restaurant," one of them suggested.
"Yeah, good call," another agreed.
I frowned, feeling a knot of unease in my stomach.
"Oi, this isn't too far from the office, right?"
"Relax, Hazekaya," one of the ikemen waved me off with a grin. "You worry too much."
"Come on… just this once."
I glanced back at my desk, hesitating, then sighed.
"Fineeee," I muttered, scratching my head.
"That's the spirit! Alright, let's go!"
The group cheered and moved ahead, their excitement almost contagious. I shook my head but followed, half curious about this family restaurant they wouldn't stop hyping.
On the way there, the ikemen squad did what they did best. Show off.
"Feewiit! Hey, lady over there, ohhh, nice body!" one of them whistled loudly, flashing his trademark grin.
Another one, smoother than silk, blew a kiss at two passing girls. They actually giggled and waved back.
Feeling a spark of misplaced confidence, I tried too. I flashed what I thought was a friendly smile at the same girls.
…
They didn't even glance at me. Not a twitch. It was like I was invisible.
I sighed, shoulders slumping. Once again, the curse of being "that guy" struck.
One of the ikemen clapped my back, laughing. "Cheer up, Hazekaya! Not everyone can be as dazzling as us."
"Dazzling, my ass," I muttered, dragging my feet but keeping up.
We finally reached the family restaurant. The place had a cozy, cheerful vibe, bright lights, warm chatter, the clatter of dishes. Honestly, it looked nice.
But the moment we sat down, the atmosphere shifted.
A pretty waitress approached, her uniform hugging her just right. She leaned in slightly, her voice sweet as honey.
"Welcome, gentlemen~ What can I get for you today?"
She practically purred the words, batting her eyelashes at the ikemen squad.
"Oh, miss, you're too kind," one of them replied, flashing his perfect smile.
The waitress giggled, cheeks turning pink like she'd just been confessed to.
Another ikemen placed his order, and she answered with syrupy enthusiasm. "Of course~ Take your time. If you need anything else, just call me, okay?"
Then… it was my turn.
Her smile vanished faster than my chances of being treated like a normal human. She stared at me with a look that screamed annoyed.
"What do you want?" she asked, her tone so flat it could've ironed my shirt.
I blinked, caught off guard. "Uh… I'll just have the..."
"Yeah, yeah, I got it," she cut me off, scribbling something on her notepad like she was writing me a parking ticket. No smile, no sweetness, just pure get this over with energy.
"What the hell…?" I muttered, glancing at my friends. Of course, they were too busy soaking in their special treatment to notice.
When the food came, it was like royalty had been served. The waitress floated back gracefully, balancing their plates with a smile so sweet it could give you cavities.
"Here you go, gentlemen~ Enjoy your meal!" she cooed, placing dishes in front of them that looked like they belonged in a gourmet magazine.
"Wow, this looks amazing!" one of them grinned. The others nodded eagerly, already digging in like kings.
Then came my turn.
Clunk.
She dropped my plate in front of me like she was tossing out trash. I stared at it in horror. The eggs were half-burnt, the toast soggy, and the sausage… had a greenish tint.
"Ugh… can this even be eaten?" I whispered, poking it with my fork like it might bite back.
I raised my hand timidly. "Umm… excuse me, but this isn't what I..."
Before I could finish, the waitress shot me a glare so sharp it nearly froze my soul. Her eyes clearly said: You dare question me?!
I swallowed hard. "Oh… umm… nothing."
She huffed and stormed off, leaving me with my sad excuse for a meal.
The ikemen squad took one look at my plate and burst into laughter.
"Hazekaya, did you make her mad or something?" one teased, chewing his perfectly cooked steak.
"I didn't even say anything!!" I shot back, but that only made them laugh harder.
As I poked at the disaster on my plate, I sighed.
"Why the hell am I even friends with these ikemen idiots?"
It wasn't like we had much in common. They were the golden boys, blessed with good looks, natural charm, and a way of making life look effortless. And me? I was just the unlucky guy stuck in their shadow.
Then it clicked. Yeah… I remember how this all started.
Back in college, I wasn't exactly "popular." More like the guy people avoided because of my face. Not that I was ugly, but my sharp eyes and permanent scowl made me look like a thug. People would see me coming and cross the street.
That day, though, I saw one of those perfect ikemen cornered by some delinquents in an alley.
"Hey, pretty boy," one of them sneered. "Hand over your wallet, and maybe we won't mess up that pretty face."
The ikemen looked terrified, frozen like a lost puppy. For some reason, I couldn't just walk away. Maybe it was pity. Or maybe I just wanted an excuse to hit something.
Before I knew it, I stepped forward. "Oi. You got a problem?" I growled, cracking my knuckles.
The delinquents went pale the second they saw me. With my face, they probably thought I was some gang boss.
"N-No problem, man!" one stammered. They bolted, leaving the ikemen trembling in the corner.
He looked up at me with wide eyes, torn between fear and gratitude.
"Th-Thanks, man. You really saved me."
And just like that, I was stuck with them. Saving that one ikemen somehow landed me in their group. I still don't know if I regret it or not… but moments like this, staring at my half-burnt eggs and green sausage, definitely make me question my life choices.
After that incident, they started talking to me, inviting me to hang out, even buying me food now and then. At first, I thought, Hey, maybe this isn't so bad. Free food, good company… could be worse.
But then reality hit. Hard.
We hung out more often, but one thing became painfully clear: whenever girls were around, guess who ended up with zero attention? Yeah. Me.
The ikemen didn't just attract women, they sucked them in like human magnets. I watched helplessly as girl after girl melted at their charming smiles and smooth lines. Meanwhile, I sat in the background, chewing on a toothpick like some unimportant NPC.
Sometimes I wondered… just how many girls had they been with since college? Judging by their bragging (which they shared way too casually), it was probably enough to populate a small country.
And now? Things had only gotten worse.
Even our boss, our strict, no-nonsense boss had fallen for them. And not just one of them. Nope. All of them.
From what I overheard, they'd been "spending time" at her big, fancy house.
My ikemen friends were basically a harem protagonist support group.
Meanwhile, me? Still single, still ignored by women, still wondering what horrible life choices had landed me here.
( End Of Chapter )