"Come on, the place to eat's just up ahead," Luke said, pointing at the Matsuya sign in the distance.
"Sweet, I'm actually starving. Been hungry all day," GAKKI-chan replied with a bright smile.
The two pushed through the restaurant's door and grabbed a cozy corner table.
"One beef bowl for me. You?" Luke didn't even glance at the menu before ordering.
"Same as you," GAKKI-chan said, sticking with her new boss's choice.
"You're still growing, so you need to eat more. Let's add two orders of tempura shrimp and a wagyu sukiyaki."
Luke wasn't about to let his newly recruited SSR talent end up short and scrawny. If she could hit 5'9" or taller, she'd have those model-level long legs, a walking clothes hanger. He knew GAKKI-chan had the potential—back in his past life, she'd only kept her height in check to fit Japan's beauty standards. Otherwise, she could've grown taller.
"Alright, I'll dig in!" she said cheerfully.
Her textbook Japanese politeness was kind of bland, but whatever.
Soon enough, two steaming beef bowls arrived at their table. Luke popped the lid off his, revealing a glistening bowl of beef and rice, the savory aroma hitting him right away. Thinly sliced beef, perfectly marbled with fat, was curled slightly at the edges and coated in a glossy, salty-sweet brown sauce. It looked mouthwatering.
He picked up a slice and popped it in his mouth. The rich beef flavor exploded across his taste buds—tender, not greasy, with a satisfying chew. The sweet-salty sauce made his appetite kick into overdrive. Paired with soft, sticky white rice, each bite was a burst of juicy, tender goodness. Pure deliciousness.
Luke shoveled down bite after bite, polishing off the entire bowl before slowing down. But when he looked up, he was stunned: GAKKI-chan, sitting across from him, had not only demolished her beef bowl but also wiped out the extra tempura shrimp and wagyu sukiyaki he'd ordered for her.
Guess she's got a hidden "food destroyer" trait, he thought. No wonder she grew so tall even in Japan.
"That was so good. Thanks for treating me!" GAKKI-chan said, flashing an embarrassed smile when she noticed Luke's surprised stare.
Was it good? Sure, it was tasty, but let's be real—it wasn't that amazing. Matsuya was just a fast-food joint, like Yoshinoya. Luke had picked it mostly for the nostalgia, to check off a box from his past life. With his current wealth, he could toss out kaiseki meals like they were nothing and not bat an eye.
But the meal was done, the nostalgia satisfied. Time to head out.
"You don't have a place to stay, right? Come back to the hotel with me," he said.
"Huh?!" GAKKI-chan's eyes widened.
Before Luke could clarify, a woman's sobbing cut through the air from a nearby table. They both looked over and saw a young woman with flawless makeup but average looks clinging to a man's shirt, begging him not to leave.
The guy she was holding onto was also pretty average—short, with sallow skin and a thick fringe of dyed yellow-brown hair. He had that low-class vibe, like he was trying way too hard to look cool.
Ugh, classic Japanese "killing-it" wannabe heartthrob, Luke thought. That kind of overstyled look on a guy who wasn't naturally handsome was just a disaster.
"You know how valuable my time is? I'm doing you a favor just by coming out here, and you treat me to this cheap junk?" the guy scoffed, his eyes dripping with disdain.
"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry… I don't have much money left. This was all I could afford. Next week, I swear I'll take you for kaiseki," the young woman pleaded through tears.
"If you're broke, go pick up more clients! Always complaining they smell bad or look ugly—how do you expect to make enough to see me?" the guy snapped.
"I get it. I'll do what you say. Please don't abandon me!" she begged.
"I'll be at the shop waiting. Bring enough cash next time, or I won't have a slot for you." The guy shook her off and strutted out.
The young woman wiped her tears, headed to the restroom to fix her makeup, probably gearing up for her next "shift."
"That's so messed up! How does stuff like this even happen?" GAKKI-chan said, clearly shaken. She'd never seen such a messy relationship dynamic before.
Luke, though, saw right through it. From the guy's style to his words, it was obvious: he was a host, the kind who leeched off women. And the young woman? She was likely one of his clients who'd fallen so deep she'd turned to street work to keep up.
Street girl—wild pheasant, as they call it here.
In Japan's male-dominated society, plenty of young women, lonely and seeking emotional connection, ended up in places like this. You think those guys are too unattractive to have fans? Think again. Don't underestimate the pros who make a living off this. They're masters at providing emotional value, doting on their clients with next-level care.
At first, the women just pay for basic services. But once they catch feelings, they start splurging on pricier packages, sinking deeper into the fantasy. They'll burn through all their cash to keep the relationship going. And when they're broke? The hosts nudge them toward "DDTS"—down to the sea, as it's called. A closed loop of exploitation, borderline magical in its absurdity. If you don't get it… well, you probably get the gist.
"You mad? Wanna help her out?" Luke asked.
Girls help girls, right?
GAKKI-chan shook her head. "I'm not mad at the guy. I'm mad at their whole mindset. That girl's in a bad spot, sure, but she chose this path herself."
Let go of the savior complex and respect other people's choices.
Luke was surprised. GAKKI-chan, who came off as this cute, airheaded type, was actually pretty sharp about some things.
"So, Japanese girls are into guys who style themselves like that?" Luke asked, mimicking the guy's over-the-top hairstyle with a dramatic "duang" gesture.
"No way!" GAKKI-chan laughed. "At least I'm not. I think guys look best when they keep it clean and sharp, like you."
"Thanks for the flattery. For that, I'm tossing you a job offer."
"It's not flattery! Wait—what job?" she asked, eyes lighting up.
Luke grinned. "I'm shooting a JNTO Japan tourism promo video. There's a sword-wielding maid role that'd suit you perfectly. You in?"
"No way! Seriously?!" GAKKI-chan couldn't believe it. Her first gig after latching onto this big shot was a role in a national tourism campaign. Sure, it was a supporting part, but the exposure would be huge.
"Yep. Come with me to Kyoto for the shoot," Luke said.
GAKKI-chan nodded like a bobblehead. "I went to Kyoto on a school trip once. After the shoot, I can show you around all the best spots!"
As Yui Aragaki agreed, golden system text flashed before Luke's eyes:
[Host has completed the task: Help Yui Aragaki escape her predicament. Reward: Choose one of two skills.]