"Jeff... Do you mind if I ask you about that?"
One of Jeff's co-workers, a female staff member, called out to him as they sat behind the reception counter together.
"About what, Olivia-senpai?"
Though Jeff already had an idea about what his co-worker was about to ask, he still wanted to hear it from her, just in case his assumption was wrong.
Either way, he was definitely right as the woman, Olivia, asked her question.
"What happened to your neck?... Those are fresh nail marks, right? And below, aren't those still fading bite marks?"
To explain the reason behind the almost-bleeding nail marks on his neck—aside from the fading bite marks Jess had left behind when they did it at the beach resort hotel—Jeff simply said that his girlfriend found out he was working at the PoruMerc women's gym.
"Right, I heard the news a few days ago that you finally got a girlfriend. Congratulations, Jeff," Olivia said in a cheerful tone, accompanied by a round of applause.
Jess hadn't yet officially said that he was her boyfriend, but Jeff didn't see any problem calling himself her boyfriend or telling other people she was his girlfriend, considering that was his plan in the first place. And it's not like Jess disliked it when he called her his girlfriend—at least not from how Jeff interpreted her reactions.
But that wasn't what their conversation should be focused on.
"I think you're missing the point, Olivia-senpai," Jeff said, feeling awkward about Olivia's cheerful reaction.
Understanding what Jeff meant, Olivia dropped her playful act and decided to get a bit more serious about the problem at hand.
"Well, if you don't explain it properly, I'm sure your girlfriend will be mad when she hears the current rumor about our gym."
The PoruMerc women's gym, as its name implies, was reserved for women members only. However, the same didn't apply to its staff, as they included a few men like Jeff and his friends, Kris and Marc.
As for the rumor currently going around, it involved the male staff of the gym allegedly offering more services to women members beyond just exercise.
That rumor not only ruined the image of the gym but also harmed the reputation of its regular women members and cut short any potential new memberships.
And as for the validity of that rumor—
"Damnit, who the heck among us is the snitch? Is it one of the staff or one of the regulars?"
Like Olivia said, the rumor was indeed true.
Regular women members who wanted to exhaust themselves with more than just exercise—or simply release their pent-up stress—could request such services from not only the male staff but also some of the female staff.
However, it wasn't like all staff offered such services. Some, like Jeff, preferred to leave that to his harem-lord friends.
As for how that information was leaked—whether there's a snitch or none—Jeff could only think of one group who could benefit from spreading the rumor: Nubia's ex-boyfriend, the one in charge of PoruMerc's men's division.
Regardless, Jeff had to explain all of that to Jess just to free himself from her hands strangling his neck and her nails boring into his flesh.
Only after half an hour of explaining did Jess finally decide to believe him—on the condition that Jeff would help her become not just a member but a regular at PoruMerc women's gym, so she could verify Jeff's alibi herself.
"If it's your girlfriend, then sure, I can register her as a regular member right away," Olivia said as Jeff told her about Jess.
Although she was sitting at the reception counter with Jeff—who was on standby, watching the women do their regular workout routines—Olivia was actually the manager of PoruMerc women's gym in Central City.
She was young, only twenty-six, with an attractive face and a seductive, slender figure. She was approachable, easy to get along with, and most importantly, she cared for her employees—maybe a little too much. After all—
"Under one condition—" Olivia paused, moving to sit on Jeff's lap and leaning toward him before continuing, "—how about the two of us celebrate you having a girlfriend?"
Even though he was loyal to Jess, feeling the warmth and softness of Olivia's body through her tight gym clothes, inhaling her intoxicating scent, and seeing her alluring nape beneath her shoulder-length blonde hair, Jeff couldn't help but get an erection.
"See?... I know you like this stuff. So why not just accept the deal like your friends?"
Olivia's deal didn't include any emotional attachment—or, more accurately, any love or affection toward Jeff. It was simply an offer for him to become part of the staff who provided such services to regular members and, occasionally, to co-workers like Olivia.
After all, many regulars had been eyeing Jeff since he started working at PoruMerc women's gym two years ago—including those currently eavesdropping on his conversation with Olivia.
...Just let me eat you already!...
Thought every woman eavesdropping.
In his previous timeline, before his regression, Jeff had never participated in offering such services, even though he worked at the gym until graduating college. That was because of the guilt he carried over what he had learned had happened—not just to Jess but to other girls he had been close to.
And even now, with a second chance to change everything he regretted, he still refused to do it with just any woman he had no feelings for.
However, he was still a man—a handsome, muscular man—who wouldn't dare to push away a woman and hurt her pride as she made a move on him, rubbing her crotch against his thigh and pressing her beautiful ass against his erect 9-inch-plus rod.
Obviously, it felt good. But that wasn't enough to rob him of his reason and judgment, or to make him fall for Olivia's seduction.
"Just have a look at these nail marks... Jess would definitely kill me if I did that."
...She won't! So just accept the deal!...
"Then just get her permission, like your friends Kris and Marc—and like me, Jeff."
...Right! Just get her permission so we get a taste too!...
Regardless of the envious glares from the women observing the intimacy between Jeff and Olivia, their conversation continued—growing more intense, both physically and in topic.
"Don't be a tease, Jeff. If you accept the deal, then I can finally do it with you three."
Of course she had done it with Kris and Marc.
Or so Jeff thought—until he realized he might have misunderstood.
When Olivia noticed his lack of reaction, she decided to be more specific. She leaned back, pressing herself harder against him, then reached up so she could whisper in his ear.
"I mean foursome."
...Wait, I can have that kind of service?...
Thought every woman who could read Olivia's lips.
Jeff, meanwhile—
"What the heck did those two bastards do?"
"Want to hear about it, Jeff? About how your friends tag-teamed me here at the gym?"