Chapter Two: Netorare
She gapes blankly at me, pointing her index finger, but before she can speak, I make myself clear to avoid potential misunderstandings.
"In theory, if I happen to find a missing undergarment, I wouldn't know it was yours unless you told me what it looked like, unless we went through the details. You aren't the only girl in this school; there's a possibility it's the same brand and characteristics but not your undergarment. I assume you already prepared it before issuing this commission—that's a basic thing, unless you're an idiot," I said bluntly.
What bothers me is that she's more concerned about her underwear than the thief himself.
I realized it when the system issued a quest: "Find the missing underwear and punish the thief." The quest title should be Punish the Thief, but it was different.
Although it might be confirmed by the system, and she's genuinely looking for it, how can I explain to her how I found it? That's an obvious trail. I couldn't help but suspect she's setting me up, but I've gone through a lot compared to them; this is just stupid.
However... It's interesting. If that's really the case, you're playing with fire, girl. I'd like to watch you burn.
She wanted to argue, but perhaps finding it reasonable, she kept her mouth shut. "O-okay..." she said, her face blushing.
"Turn around, and don't look back unless I tell you! "
"Huh?" I frowned. Realizing her intention, I immediately retorted, "Are you an idiot? Why would you take off your underwear in front of me? Just go find a place and come back here with the goods. Besides, I only need characteristics, even photos—not the actual underwear."
Realization hit her hard. "Why would she strip in front of him? " Feeling ashamed, her face now looked like a ripe tomato compared to earlier. But considering her personality, she gritted her teeth and endured the embarrassing moment.
"I was right; she's way too extreme. But I understand it—having communication problems like myself, she will likely choose the most practical and efficient method available, or something she could think of at the moment."
I shook my head and sighed again.
Anyway, after a series of events, she finally gave me the information I needed—not the actual goods.
"It's not hard to distinguish it since she said it was customized."
"All right, we're almost done here. I just need you to sign this." I pulled a folded document from my blazer pocket and placed it on the table.
"It's a non-disclosure agreement. Standard procedure."
Without a word, she snatched it, signed it without reading, and handed it back before leaving.
I watched her go while my brows furrowed.
"She didn't even hesitate… well, if I were in her shoes, I would do the same; the only difference is I'd strip without a care in the world." I shook my head and glanced at the door where she disappeared. "I should head out now…"
As for where I'm heading?
Where else?
To the crime scene.
I couldn't just barge into the girls' locker room—unless I wanted to sleep behind bars. Some say that's not too bad: free rent, free food. But that's far from reality.
Prison is overcrowded. You don't get a bed—you sleep on hell's floor. Assuming you can sleep at all. The heat is unbearable; you sweat nonstop, and the stench? So vile it'll make you vomit. As for the food? Don't even think about it.
Unless you're fully ready to face those consequences, barging in isn't even an option.
So why did I come here? Well, it's illegal—unless you don't get caught.
It's been a week since the underwear was stolen. Any traces would've been wiped clean. Still, I came. I have some proficiency in locksmithing, so I can at least open the locker.
Before barging in on her at night, I already made preparations: which locker room it was and where. The chances of finding the goods in the culprit's locker are slim, but even if it's 0.1, as long as there's a possibility, I could pull it.
There's only one motive in stealing... voyeurism. Whoever took it was probably fantasizing about her. I'm thinking of her classmates and teacher. I'm clinging to their possessive trait. As a fellow pervert—well, as a fellow man—I understand one.
Illogical?
Not really; I'm putting myself in their position. Some might argue not all men are the same. Yes, there are two types: non-pervert and pervert. I belong to the latter, and now I'm also a former. The only thing that differentiates us perverts is our method. But my investigation isn't limited to men.
I took out a piece of paper with names written on it.
"Now then, let me open your secrets…" I said and inspected their lockers one by one.
I carefully searched through their things and found something unexpected—a couple's photo. Normally, I could have simply ignored it. However, this wasn't just any ordinary photo.
My eyes were captivated by it—perhaps by a twist of fate? Or because the woman in it was someone I knew. Yes, she is my girl friend.
My hands trembled as I tried to reach it, but for some reason I couldn't lift it. It's only a photo, still heavier than feathers. My fingers gently touched the hard surface, feeling a little bit of sadness inside my chest. I didn't feel suffocated, but I was a little bit at a loss.
"No wonder she's been acting strangely these past few weeks." I let out a deep sigh and didn't dwell on the photo any longer.
Although I caught her cheating, it didn't affect me—or so I thought. I have an in-depth understanding of relationships.
In youth, it shouldn't be taken seriously—after all, it's unstable. Both parties can easily fall for someone else; even while in a relationship, they might love each other today, but what about tomorrow? Commitment is hard to find; even a simple conflict can sever the bond. Instead of being a path to marriage, it's more like a trial run.
Well, considering how often divorce happens, maybe it's just an endless series of trials.
If both people pass, the bond will remain strong. But if either one fails, it will crumble to dust. Once you're in a relationship, conflict will either hone your love or destroy it.
Some people claim happiness is the priority—that as long as you make your partner feel loved and happy, that's enough. Although it might work, it doesn't work all the time. In my opinion, that's a naive belief. A relationship built only on happiness can be easily shattered. All you need is one simple conflict.
Just because you can make your girlfriend smile doesn't mean no other man can. Why do you think they choose to cheat?
Why do they let another man f*ck them? It's to satisfy themselves—after all, who wouldn't want something better?
If my girlfriend chooses another man over me, it simply means that, in her eyes, I'm not enough. She wants something more—something that satisfies her desires. Something I don't have and will never have.
Am I supposed to hate her for that?
Nope. In fact, I think her actions are reasonable. After all, love doesn't pay the rent or put food on the table. So if there's a chance for them to live a better life, and they choose to take it, I don't blame them. If anything, I just feel envious that such an opportunity came to them.
Wanting her to stay is just being selfish. The same goes for her—she's also being selfish—but at least her actions are justified and aim for something better.
Demanding that she stay in the relationship is still selfishness. If both people act selfishly, they'll simply choose what benefits them most.
So, either you accept being cuckolded or break up with her. But if the bond is strong, it'll be painful. You'll suffer from the loss—especially if you caught them in the act. It might even give you PTSD or trigger schizophrenia.
While I was pondering this, the system issued another quest.
Ding!
[Quest:]
[Description:]
You have found evidence of cheating. Let her get backshot by another man while you watch from the shadows.
[Reward:]
+1 Strength
"Let her get f*cked by another man while I'm watching from behind? " I was hit by a series of wild imaginations, making my blood boil in excitement. Feeling aroused, I couldn't help but chuckle.
"Hehehehehe…"
I couldn't help but let out an evil laugh while clutching my face.
"Interesting."
"This is truly interesting..."
I subconsciously accepted the quest, but that could wait—I had more important matters to deal with at the moment.
I silently left the room, still contemplating my next move. I searched through all their locker rooms but found nothing. I forgot to mention—she also sent a photo of her underwear, along with a disturbingly detailed description. It was so elaborate, I almost mistook it for an essay.
I narrowed down my suspects to her classmates, but my findings led nowhere. Which forced me to use... unconventional means.
I dialed a certain someone and asked if she was available to meet.