"One takoyaki and a cold beer, please," Jun ordered in a calm, low voice in the cramped izakaya. It was his usual spot, a place he always stopped by on his way home from work. Ōkura Jun, 23 years old. He worked for a game development company, where he was in charge of writing event scenarios.
Apparently, Reina-san had not yet arrived. Was work holding her up, perhaps? He craned his neck toward the entrance like a giraffe and loosened his tie a little with both hands.
Just then, the beer and appetizer he had ordered arrived on the counter. "Take your time," the middle-aged owner said with a pleasant smile before walking away with a relaxed air.
Jun stared intently at the food before him, his eyes like ice cubes left out in the sun. So another day was over. He pulled the beer mug closer, savoring the sweet aroma of the foam and the biting cold that seeped into his palm.
As if afraid to spill it, Jun sipped slowly from the rim of the glass. The bitter alcohol slid down his throat, creating a complex sweetness. Unable to resist, he took another large, satisfying gulp.
Letting out a groan of contentment, he speared a piece of takoyaki with a toothpick and popped it into his mouth. He chewed quickly and swallowed. His expression was one of more than mere satisfaction.
With the click of the opening door, life suddenly flooded back into Jun's eyes. He was about to speak, but the other party beat him to it.
"Hey, Ōkura-kun. Have you been waiting long? I had to check some documents. Sorry about that." The woman, who appeared older than him, gave a quick bow, gesturing to the seat beside him.
Minato Reina. It was hard to believe she was a married woman. Reina-san was the project leader for the game Jun was currently working on. She stood about 165 centimeters tall, with a face as lovely as a painting and lustrous, raven-black hair that flowed past her shoulders, framing a characteristically broad forehead. Today, she was dressed in a simple yet elegant outfit: a green floral blouse that gracefully accentuated her figure, paired with a soft, flowing skirt.
She looked at Jun through her thick-framed glasses, her dark brown eyes sparkling with vigor. "It's always like this. Work just pops up out of nowhere. Hey, Ōkura-kun, I'm really sorry, but it looks like you're going to have to get involved in this one."
Jun listened intently, then gave a smile as if to gently cut her off. "Reina-san, let's discuss the details later. You must be hungry right now."
Reina nodded in agreement, then turned to place her own order for a drink and some appetizers at the counter.
An indeterminate amount of time passed, long enough that Jun had to shift his position. Reina, for her part, was beginning to look a little drunk.
"Hey, Jun-kun. Did you know that the marketing department projects our company will grow threefold this year?" Reina slurred, her face starting to flush. Jun had to focus even harder to understand her.
"Is that so? That's great news, isn't it?" Jun said with a dry smile.
"Hah, a good thing? My bonus will definitely be bigger this year. So why am I not the least bit happy about it?" She propped her chin on her hand, squinting at Jun. He detected a melancholic tone in her voice and tried hard not to stare at the collarbone peeking out from the neckline of her blouse.
"Why don't you take a proper long vacation this year? Go to the beach, charter a yacht, maybe go mountain climbing," Jun attempted to console her.
Reina lifted her beer mug and took a drink. "The beach? No thanks. If I tried to compete with the young girls there, my popularity would plummet. Ugh, who wants to see an old lady showing off her cellulite? Besides, I'm not a fan of bugs, so mountain climbing is out."
"That's not true, Reina-san. You could easily hold your own against them," Jun said, striving to make his voice sound as sincere as possible.
"Hmph. What do you know? If I could still compete with the girls, then why doesn't *he* show the slightest bit of interest in me?"
Jun's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Huh?! What do you mean? Did you catch him red-handed?"
"What else could it be? All the men in the office stare at me like they want to devour me whole. What other reason could there be for a man like that old geezer to ignore me?"
"I don't think any man in the world would ignore you. He must have his reasons, something he doesn't want to trouble you with," Jun tried to persuade her. But Reina-san just laughed… a laugh tinged with self-pity.
"You really are an optimist, aren't you? But sometimes, there are worlds you just don't understand." Her eyes seemed to say, *You poor, clueless boy*.
"Alright... let's talk about something else. Come to think of it, I've never heard you talk about anything besides work, Reina-san. Like your hobbies. Since you don't want to travel, you must have other plans, right?"
Reina's world seemed to stop. She seemed to be lost in thought for a moment before replying flatly.
"Eh... a hobby? What is that? Ever since I got married, I can't even remember what that feels like."
"Oh? What about you, Ōkura-kun? What do you usually do?" Reina stared hard at Jun, as if trying to force an answer out of him.
Jun immediately chose to be evasive. "Just the usual stuff. Watch TV, read books. I'm trying to save up a lot of money right now, so I don't really go out much either."
Reina's expression seemed slightly disappointed. Jun decided to excuse himself for a moment. "Uhm, Reina-san, I'm just going to go wash my face."
Once seated on the toilet lid in the restroom, he pulled out his phone. Reina-san is such a beautiful woman. Tonight, she will be mine. Jun's hands trembled with excitement as he looked at the app icon—a cartoon girl with shōjo manga-style blonde hair, labeled 'fix her'.
Jun had this app to thank for creating this moment with Reina-san. The app, "fix her," had appeared on his smartphone one day out of the blue. At first, Jun didn't understand what it was, assuming it was a new game from his company. He started to follow the app's instructions.
Things like masturbating while looking at a picture of Reina-san would result in a mysterious transfer of 20,000 yen into his account. What was even crazier was that Jun could enter the profile pages of different women and modify their personalities, though the process was rather tedious.
The time had finally come. Jun's heart hammered against his ribs. He clicked on Reina-san's page. The relationship bar was already maxed out. Jun now had access to the next stage of unlocks. He didn't hesitate. After completing all the steps, new functions appeared.
"Sex Status" and "New Quest." Various numbers and descriptions popped up. The one that most captured Jun's interest was the status: "Sexual Readiness: Ready."
By now, every cell in her body must be burning hot, as if she were standing before a blast furnace. Jun unconsciously swallowed hard. Reina-san's body, in her mid-thirties, must be as fragrant as a piquant spice. Jun looked over at Reina-san, who was propping up her vacant-looking face with one hand. The dim lighting of the shop made the frame of her glasses glint.
"Reina-san, have I kept you waiting?" Jun asked, feigning concern as he returned to his seat. Reina turned slowly, as if just snapping back to reality.
"Hey, Ōkura-kun… I think I'll have to book a hotel around here tonight. I'm feeling dizzy, for some reason." It seems the app's effects are kicking in, Jun noted, glancing at the beer still in her glass. He knew she wasn't that drunk. It must be her feminine instincts crying out for something. And he would happily take on the role of cherishing her.
"You seem especially fragile tonight, Reina-san. Would you like me to escort you to your hotel?" Jun offered, his voice full of feigned, heartfelt concern.
But in Reina's eyes, there was a clear look of refusal. She read his intentions and replied gently, "Oh, you don't need to trouble yourself. I've booked a room nearby. But thank you for your concern."
Reina made a move to stand up abruptly but swayed on her feet. Jun immediately rushed to her side, wrapping an arm around her shoulder to support her. The instant he touched her, he could feel the heat radiating from her body and hear her ragged, shaky breaths close to his ear. When Reina looked back at him, her eyes were filled with a mix of confusion and pleading. Beneath the bulge of his neatly pressed slacks, Jun's erection came to life.
Jun was overcome by the impulse to smash a fierce kiss onto Reina-san's glossy red lips, but he had to hold back for now… there were other customers in the restaurant.
"Reina-san, are you all right? Shall we step outside for some fresh air?"
"Mmm…" Reina moaned in response from deep in her throat.