The apartment smelled like chamomile, fabric softener, and something... maternal.
Ms. Seo walked ahead of me, her soft house slippers whispering against the floor as she led me through the narrow corridor. The robe swayed with each step, hugging her hips like it was in a committed relationship.
I followed behind, trying to maintain eye contact with the back of her head.
Not her swaying butt.
Not the side of her thigh that peeked with every step.
Not the faint, hypnotic bounce of—
Focus, Min-jae. You're here to cultivate—
Wait.No.That sounded wrong.
I was here to live. Rent a room. Rebuild my life. Not die again with a nosebleed and a smile on my face.
We reached the small common kitchen.
She turned to face me, brushing her hair behind one ear. Her cleavage remained fully committed to testing my willpower.
"Would you like some tea?" she asked, already reaching for a ceramic teapot.
I blinked. "Sure. That'd be great."
[SYSTEM ALERT]
YIN ENERGY LEVEL: 63% SATURATION
PHYSICAL PROXIMITY DETECTED.ENCOURAGE LONGER INTERACTION FOR OPTIMAL CULTIVATION OPPORTUNITY.
"You know, Ms. Seo," I said, desperately trying to sound normal,"this apartment's really nice. Like, old-school cozy. Vintage, but not haunted."
She smiled at that.
"It's cheap, and I try to keep it clean. Most young men your age prefer flashy places now."
"I'm not like most young men."
Wow. That sounded way more seductive than I meant.Even the System chimed in like a hype man.
[CHARM LEVEL +1]
[NEW DIALOGUE UNLOCKED: TEASING FLIRTS]
She poured tea into two cups, her hand elegant and deliberate.As she bent slightly forward to set my cup down…
...the robe slipped.Just a bit.
Not much. Just enough to see a flash of lacy black bra and soft, pale skin that could have been forged by angels.
I swallowed hard enough to damage my spine.
She blinked, noticed, and calmly adjusted the robe—smiling as if she hadn't just nearly ended my soul.
"Oops," she said softly.
[SYSTEM PANIC DETECTED]
HOST BLOOD PRESSURE SPIKING.
YIN COMPATIBILITY: 96% — DANGEROUSLY HIGH.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: EXCUSE YOURSELF OR ENGAGE IN PRELIMINARY TOUCH.
I grabbed my cup and sipped the tea.
Burned my tongue.Nodded like an idiot.
"Tastes great."
"It's just chamomile," she said, eyes softening.
"Still… amazing. Like… world-class."
We sat there for a moment.Steam rose between us, swirling with things unsaid
And then—like a scene scripted by the gods of awkward timing—the front door opened.
"Seo-ya~! You home?"
A sultry voice.Mature. Confident.The kind of tone that could even turn a "Good morning" into a confession.
Ms. Seo called back, "In the kitchen!"
In walked a woman who looked like she belonged on the cover of a wine magazine called Drunk and Dangerous.High heels. Tight jeans. Sunglasses indoors. A curvy silhouette that practically had its own gravitational pull.
She stopped when she saw me, raised a single brow over her shades, and smirked.
"Oh? Who's this?"
"My new tenant," Ms. Seo said casually.
"Hmm. He's cute. Bit scrawny. Good skin though."She leaned forward to inspect me."Nice eyes too. Has he signed the soul—I mean, the lease yet?"
[SYSTEM WARNING]
NEW YIN SIGNATURE DETECTED: COMPATIBILITY 81%
TARGET CLASS: MILF – EXTROVERTED WINE ELEMENTAL
NAME: HYE-RA. STATUS: SINGLE.
I just wanted affordable housing, I thought. Why is this turning into a reverse harem with me as the prize?
"He hasn't signed yet," Ms. Seo said. "He just arrived. Be nice."
"Oh, I'm always nice," Hye-Ra purred. She winked at me."Welcome to the building, cutie."
After an uncomfortable amount of time in which I was 80% sure I was being mentally undressed, Hye-Ra excused herself and headed upstairs to her unit.
Ms. Seo turned to me with an apologetic look.
"Sorry about her. She's just… friendly."
"She seems nice."
"She drinks too much wine."
"Wine has antioxidants."
[SYSTEM UPDATE]
QUEST UNLOCKED: "YIN SAMPLER SET – MEET THE FRIENDS"
OBJECTIVE: INTERACT WITH 3 YIN-RICH WOMEN IN THE BUILDING.
PROGRESS: 2/3 COMPLETE.
I stared at the system window as Ms. Seo sipped her tea.
The universe had given me a second chance.With a body, a bed, and a busty landlady who served tea with sideboob.
And now her friends were fair game?
This life… was dangerous.Horny.But dangerous.
Still.
I wasn't about to waste it.