5 days to live.

  Ben was gazing down at the one ring.

  Well, the one ring he now owned. It was matte black metallic. He spent 1000 points on a Mid Level Mystery Box to get it.

  [Black Tungsten Ring(Item, Uncommon) x1 - Increases wearer’s manliness by 1 up to a maximum of 6]

  "Uncommon……" It wasn’t a very good tier for a drop, but this was the first item that improved his stats, which made him hopeful for stronger ones. As he tried it on, he discovered that besides for the stat boost, it possessed another magical property. On any finger he wore it, it would adjust its size. After wearing it on a few different fingers, he settled on his left middle finger.

  With the stat boost, Ben’s manliness became 4. He tried to feel how he differed with the ring on and off. With the boost, it was hard to pinpoint, but it was as if there was a stronger urge to be assertive or aggressive, a need to take control of his environment. Ben felt less risk-averse and more courageous. There was even a higher s.e.x drive……

  "I’ll take it." Every extra stat was helpful. With that out of the way, he prepared for today’s main event.

  ***

  *Knock* *Knock*

  Ben knocked on Miyuki’s door while exhaling, trying to relieve his anxiety. It was his big day, their date.

  Since they lived on the same floor, he set it up so he would pick her up in her room and they’d leave together. She saw it as gentleman-like. He saw it as minimizing flaking……

  "One minute!" Miyuki yelled from inside.

  ’She’s getting ready. That’s fine. It’ll give me a minute to prepare.’


  Except Miyuki wasn’t getting ready. She was standing at the door, watching Ben through the peephole. Ninjas originated in Japan for a reason……

  There he was, the man who she would date tonight. The man who charmed her and piqued her curiosity. The man who now held his arm around the shoulders of a ghost while pretending to tell a funny joke……

  The teenager……who breathed into his hand, smelled it, coughed, and wafted the air away from him……

  The boy……who closed his eyes and held his fingers in a V in front of his mouth……

  The f*ckbag who licked those fingers making alphabet shapes with his tongue!

  ’I fear I’ve made a grave mistake……’ Miyuki stood with her back facing the door. She didn’t need to see anymore. ’Should I cancel?’


  She looked back through the peephole as she considered her options. This time, Ben was standing there like a gentleman, waiting for her. Her face became more gentle. ’No. I have not yet dated Americans. This may be a cultural difference. I should be more open-minded. Besides, I gave my word of honor……’


  Ben stood still. Yet, below the visual range of the peephole, his hand was shifting his pork-sword around, trying to position it for maximum visual coverage. He understood the importance of pork marketing. ’Success in any industry is 1% talent, 99% marketing……’


  *Creak* The door opened at last. Miyuki appeared in a conservative long black dress, wearing light make-up, beautiful and traditional as always. She showed a pleasant smile. "Hello, Benjamin-san……"

  Ben held himself back from telling her, "You’re looking kawaii as f*ck……"

  Instead, he returned the smile. "Hey, Miyuki. Shall we go?"

  She nodded. "Sure. Where to?"

  Ben was aware she knew his age and wouldn’t like him drinking, so he didn’t dare take her to a bar. "There is a nice tea house nearby or we can go to my dorm room where there’s Lipton’s—"

  "Tea house!"

  Ben shrugged, then led her outside as the two chatted. One thing bothered Ben since he saw Miyuki.

  [Target’s current attraction level: curious]

  When they last met, her attraction level was at attracted. Now, in a mere few days, it dropped two levels. ’Hmm……I remember Beluga mentioned that attraction and comfort decay over time, especially if they’re raised with seduction skills. Attraction drops off particularly quickly, which is also the downside of it being easier to increase than comfort.’ He frowned. ’So it looks like to a degree, I’ll have to rebuild them every time I meet the same girl.’


  Ben felt like his VIP level was reduced due to inactivity……but he shook it off. It made things more challenging, but it was only one more thing he needed to deal with. In reality, Ben was only half right. Miyuki’s attraction dropped one level from time decay and another from the earlier peep show.

  They walked and talked on the way to the tea house. Ben knew he needed to raise attraction before working on comfort.

  Jokes.

  [Target’s current attraction level: interested (+1)]

  Teasing.

  [Target’s current attraction level: attracted (+1)]

  An accidental insult.

  [Target’s current attraction level: interested (-1)]

  Recovering with more jokes.

  [Target’s current attraction level: attracted (+1)]

  Soon they were sitting down at a table in the western style tea house. They both drank tea while talking more about each other. Miyuki told Ben about her family and background. She was studying for her Master’s in Communicative Sciences, only having moved to New York from Japan last semester.

  As a studious person who didn’t go out much, she lacked friends here. Ben found her to be sweet, shy, and classically feminine, rare traits in modern western society, which valued the blurring of gender roles and feminism, which ironically made the women more masculine.

  Ben also shared his strong points. "I beat all the Dark Souls games……"

  [Target’s current attraction level: interested (-1)]

  ’.……So she’s not into it. That’s all right. I’ve heard opposites attract." He went back to his usual tactics, working on developing trust with Miyuki.

  An hour later, he’d made progress.

  [Target’s current attraction level: attracted (+1)]

  [Target’s current comfort level: acquaintance (+1)]

  They left the tea house and walked through Washington Square Park, where many NYU faculty and students frequented.

  "What kind of men do you like?" Ben asked.

  Miyuki thought about it as she looked at the sky. "Kind……filial……knows how to treat a woman……"

  Ben was nodding.

  She continued, "Honest……hard-working……pulls my hair……"

  Ben was nodding.

  Ben stopped nodding. ’What did she just say?!?’


  Miyuki kept going, "Likes animals……respectful……chokes me……"