"What are you doing, perv?... Why are you getting so clingy?"
"Hmm?... I'm just letting everyone know that I'm your boyfriend."
"You're not my... yet, idiot..."
Before heading back to the hotel and returning to his room, Jeff and Jess stopped by the nearest convenience store to buy food, drinks, and a few other things—mainly because Jeff hadn't eaten anything since breakfast and they needed something for lunch as well.
As for why Jeff was clinging to Jess—wrapping his arms around her waist and hugging her from behind every time she paused to look at something—it was simply because more guys had started ogling her.
They were staring with lecherous eyes and clearly fantasizing about her. Or at least, that's how Jeff saw it.
Still, even Jeff couldn't help but have lewd thoughts about Jess right now.
His lustful desire surged just from seeing her in a tight white slip dress that hugged her slender, attractive figure—the very figure he was obsessed with.
Of course, Jess was wearing her new white swimsuit under the dress, which only made her current outfit look even more erotic—not just for Jeff, but for the other guys around them as well.
Her pristine white skin was more than visible—from the nape of her neck down her back, her shoulders, and through the cleavage of her ample breasts. Then there was her slender waist, the curve of her bottom, and her long, exposed legs.
Watching her walk ahead of him, Jeff could barely restrain himself, especially with what he was planning to do with her later today.
And with those thoughts in mind, Jeff decided to tease Jess a little.
"Eek~!"
A surprised, girlish squeal escaped Jess as she stood in line at the counter with Jeff right behind her. Or rather, embracing her from behind—pressing his erect rod against her back.
"You perv..."
Jess hissed in a sharp, quiet voice. Despite the harsh tone, she didn't move away from him, nor did she resist his embrace or the firm pressure against her trembling back.
Why? Simply because she didn't want the people around them to realize the reason behind her sudden outburst.
Still, to any onlookers, even as Jess stood frozen with her head lowered—trying to hide her blushing face and ears beneath her long, silky black hair and summer hat—there was no way they didn't notice Jeff's erect rod pressed between them.
In response to the awkward stares silently suggesting "go get a room," Jeff smiled cheerfully, as if to say, "we're already on our way."
---
"You disgusting pervert! Didn't you say you wouldn't do anything I dislike?!"
"I was just teasing you, Jess."
In Jeff's defense, it was just a harmless prank. No one at the convenience store knew them anyway. But for Jess, it was still incredibly embarrassing—whether she liked it or not.
"Don't do anything like that when there are people around, idiot!"
"So it's fine if no one's around?... Like right now?"
"Pervert!"
By "right now," Jeff was referring to the fact that the two of them were alone inside the hotel elevator, heading to his room on the fifth floor—or so Jess thought.
Pretending to be mad about his little prank, Jess ignored him. Meanwhile, Jeff continued clinging to her.
To distract herself, Jess looked through the convenience store items they'd bought.
A thought suddenly crossed her mind.
Huh?... Did I forget to buy something important?
Still leaning against Jeff's embrace, her mind elsewhere, the elevator doors opened as they reached the third floor.
Three hotel staff entered, looking at them curiously as the doors slowly closed.
Whether or not they truly recognized Jeff, their silent, intent gazes made Jess panic. She feared they might've recognized him from the viral video of his assault on Trud.
Without hesitation, Jess spun around and looked at Jeff. Then she leaned forward and kissed him under his embrace—effectively hiding his face from view.
The hotel staff awkwardly turned away, seeing what they assumed was just a passionate couple on their way to a private room for some... alone time.
Meanwhile, Jeff grinned as Jess pulled away from the kiss.
"Isn't this exactly what I did earlier?" he teased.
"Shut up, idiot..." Jess muttered with her usual harshness, but her blushing face and ears only made her reaction more delightful to Jeff.
Still leaning into Jeff, the elevator doors opened at the fifth floor. The hotel staff exited.
Jess was about to follow, dragging Jeff toward his room by the hand—but he stopped her until the elevator doors closed again.
"Aren't we... going to your room... Jeff?"
"Of course we are, Jess."
---
The elevator stopped at the ninth floor. Jeff led Jess to a room he'd asked Kris and Marc to book earlier while he was waiting for her at the beach—planning how to complete Quest 8 of the Returner Fantasy System.
It was a fairly expensive room, but thanks to his senpai, Nubia, giving him the ring he wanted to buy for Jess for free—or rather, in exchange for a favor—Jeff had extra money to spend.
The moment they entered, Jess realized this was no ordinary vacation room like the one they'd been staying in for their internship trip.
A king-sized bed sat at the center. A large sofa and low table were placed beside a wide wall-to-wall window that offered a breathtaking view of the beach and ocean beyond.
One look was all it took for Jess to understand: this was a private couple's room—the kind meant not just for enjoying the view, but for spending intimate time together—
—Click!—
Her train of thought was cut off as Jeff locked the door behind them.
Jess's body trembled—not just from nervousness, but from excitement. She knew what this meant: Jeff was seriously planning to cross the line with her.
Yet, as Jeff wrapped his arms around her from behind, as if refusing to let her escape, anxiety crept into her thoughts.
Of course, she wanted this. She had always been hopelessly in love with him—dreaming, fantasizing, waiting for him to return and finally stop ignoring her.
But what if he started ignoring her again after she gave him everything?
That single question made it feel like she couldn't breathe.
Noticing her trembling and rapid breaths—almost like a panic attack—Jeff tightened his embrace to calm her.
"Should I give you CPR, Jess?" he joked gently, trying to ease the tension.
"Pervert... You just want to kiss me... don't you?" she mumbled. Though she'd calmed a little, her body still trembled, and her breath remained unsteady.
Jeff wasn't entirely sure why Jess was acting this way, but he had an idea.
He knew she loved him—but he also knew she still resented him for ignoring her for the past four years.
With that in mind, Jeff whispered into her ear.
"I'm never leaving you again. Even if you push me away, even if you don't want me by your side... because I want you to be mine, Jess."
Hearing those words, Jess finally stopped trembling. Her breathing steadied.
She turned to face him, still within his embrace.
Then she wrapped her arms around his neck, looked him in the eyes, and gave her response.
"I think you're the one who's misunderstanding something... You're the one who's mine—and mine alone, Jeff."
She pulled him down for a kiss. But just as their lips met—
—GRUMBLE!!!—
A long, loud rumble echoed from Jeff's stomach.
"Well... I haven't eaten anything since last night..."
"Don't ruin the mood and make it awkward, idiot!"