The conversation about Nubia's invitation for Jess to work for her as a model at PoruMerc Company was postponed until Jeff could set a meeting for Nubia and Jess.
For now, Jess had different things for Jeff to work on.
"Don't you dare drop those boxes, doofus," Jess said in a serious, threatening tone as she followed Jeff up the staircase toward his room.
"Then wouldn't it be better to carry all these one by one?" Jeff replied—not that he was complaining about the task Jess had given him, but just to ensure the safety of the four large boxes stacked together that he was carrying with both hands.
"What's all that muscle for if you're not gonna use it, idiot?"
It was just Jess's usual harsh remark as she looked at Jeff's muscular arms and wide back, still wondering how her childhood friend had grown so tall—around 190 cm, even taller than her at 170 cm—and so muscular in the four years that he had been ignoring her. Or more accurately, not showing his presence to her.
However, the reply Jeff gave her made Jess feel a bit flustered—and somehow aroused as well.
"Well... it's for you, Jess. Don't you like muscular guys?"
Jess couldn't argue with that. A muscular, slender body was indeed her preference when it came to a man, something she had mentioned to Jeff when they were still close.
But it wasn't as if she wouldn't love Jeff regardless of whether he had that kind of body or not. Still, her preference was her preference. And now that Jess had already experienced how it felt to be ravished and dominated by such a body in bed, she preferred Jeff to stay that way. Or perhaps get a little bit bigger—
"—My body, right?"
"Eh?—"
Unknown to Jess, she had started mumbling the latter part of her thoughts.
"Or are you talking about something else getting a little bit bigger, Jess?"
With her face and ears as bright as a red maple leaf, Jess understood exactly what Jeff was referring to—and remembered how big it was.
As thick and as large as her forearm. If he got any bigger than that, she wasn't sure she could take everything—
"I'm sure you can, Jess."
"Pervert!"
After Jess kicked Jeff in the butt hard enough to almost make him drop the boxes, he went on another trip down to the guest room to carry more large boxes.
When Jeff returned to his room carrying the last box, he found Jess leaning on the window, silently looking across the street in front of the house.
Jeff immediately realized not only what Jess was looking at, but also what was on her mind—and how she felt.
Putting down the box, Jeff moved behind Jess, wrapped his arms around her waist in a gentle embrace, and whispered in a deep, soft voice into her ear.
"Don't worry, Jess... I promise to get that house back for you."
The house across the street from Jeff's family home was the one Jess's family used to own—until she started middle school, before her dad, a soldier serving in the military, died on a mission, and before it was taken by the bank due to unpaid loans.
The nostalgic feeling of seeing her old house hadn't hit Jess when she saw it a few days ago—with everything happening on Jeff's 20th birthday and the attention he was giving her. But now, left alone to look at it, memories of her deceased father returned.
"As if you have money to pay the bank, idiot!" Jess retorted harshly, hiding her loneliness and her tears.
Jeff, on the other hand, only tightened his embrace, leaning his head against hers as if to reassure her. And Jess understood what he meant without words.
"Wait—" Jess paused, turning around to look at Jeff before continuing, "—don't tell me you actually have enough money to buy the house from the bank?"
"Of course not... not yet," Jeff replied, still keeping her in his arms.
"Then how are you planning to get the money—"
Seeing what she called the "idiot smile" spread across Jeff's face, a sudden, alarming thought struck her.
"You're not planning to rob a bank, are you?"
"Do I really look like a guy who would rob a bank?"
"Says the kid who robbed the candy store at the end of the street."
"It was just a childish prank... But please don't remind me of my dark history, Jess."
After a few more recaps of Jeff's mischief as a child, he and Jess finally finished unboxing all the boxes he had carried into his room. To his surprise, the contents included Jess's gaming PC setup—complete with built-in table and gaming chair.
"I can't install it in our room or I might bother Mom when she's resting after work, so your room is my only choice," Jess said, hiding her true intention of simply wanting to play games together with Jeff.
But Jeff easily picked up on her intention just by looking at her flustered face.
"Wouldn't it be easier to just stay in my room, Jess?"
"I'm not gonna stay in your room and do lewd things, perv."
It took some time for Jess and Jeff to assemble the table, setting it up right beside Jeff's study desk. Just as they were about to start assembling Jess's gaming PC, Jeff received a message on his smartphone.
Seeing him read it, Jess couldn't help feeling curious—or rather, possessive. When she gave him a threatening glare, Jeff quickly explained.
"It's my part-time job… they're asking if I can take a shift this afternoon—as soon as possible. Seems they're short-staffed today."
They had just finished their internship, and now there was another part-time job?
With that thought, Jess asked another question.
"So where is this part-time job?"
"At one of the gyms in the town center... I'm going, so let's continue the setup tonight, Jess."
So that's how he got so muscular, Jess thought—finally answering her earlier question.
"Eh?—"
But then, a sudden realization hit her.
Working at a gym in the town center, Jeff's connection with the PoruMerc fashion company, and his involvement with Nubia's side.
With all that information, Jess reached one conclusion.
"Wait a second, you bastard!"
—BAM!—
"Ouch!"
As Jeff stood to leave, Jess grabbed his foot and yanked him to the floor.
Before Jeff could get back on his feet, Jess had already jumped on top of him, sitting on his stomach and strangling him with both hands—her nails slowly digging into his neck.
Although Jeff was obviously enjoying the thrill and pain—to the point where Jess could already feel something hard and erect poking her bottom—her murderous glare was too intense for him to ignore.
"What was that for, Jess?"
"Your part-time job... You're working at PoruMerc women's gym, right?"
Oh—shit! Jeff thought, now remembering exactly what kind of place that gym was, along with memories from his timeline.
"Answer me, Jeff... Have you done it—the rumor about that gym?"