She stared at him for a long moment then stood.
"I'm not giving you my number," she stated firmly.
West nodded. "That's fine."
She hesitated, clearly thrown by his lack of protest.
"…But," she added with a softer tone, "thanks. You made me smile."
The anger that had simmered in her eyes earlier was gone now and replaced by something warmer.
As she turned to leave, she glanced back.
Then again.
Her steps slowed.
West waited until she reached the door before speaking.
"Yet."
She stopped.
"What?" she asked, turning fully now.
"You're not giving me your number yet," West said calmly. "But you will. Eventually."
Aria stared at him.
Then her pretty lips parted as she let out a bright laugh that echoed softly through the empty café.
"We'll see," she stated before walking out while still smiling.
The door shut behind her and silence fell.
Then—
"WHAT. THE. HELL."
Jax lunged out from behind the counter and grabbed West from behind, nearly choking him in the process.
"Bro!" Jax hissed. "Do you have a death wish?!"
West laughed, prying his arm off. "Relax."
"RELAX?" Jax repeated incredulously. "You just flirted with an awakened gang dude's girlfriend like you had nine lives!"
West shrugged. "Eight, at least."
Jax stared at him. Then shook his head slowly.
"I leave you alone for a few days and you turn into a menace."
West wiped his hands on his apron, faking a calm expression. He let out the breath he'd been holding all this time. His palms were sweaty and his fingers were trembling.
The whole time, he was actually terrified of saying the wrong thing and pissing her off. But somehow, it had gone better than he expected. He didn't even know where got the nerve to say all that.
Nonetheless, he was still worried about the aftermath... what if her boyfriend came tomorrow to strangle him to death?
He quickly shook that notion off his head after recalling her smile when leaving the cafe. There was no doubt that his words got to her.
"She was stood up," he answered simply.
Jax paused.
"…Still wild," he muttered. "But damn."
They finished closing in silence with Jax throwing glances West's way like he was trying to figure out when exactly his friend had been replaced by a smoother version.
As West hung up his apron, his vision flickered.
Blue light bloomed.
> [Quest Complete: Flirt With Another Man's Girlfriend]
West paused in place.
> [Reward Granted]
+25 Cuck Points
Affinity Increased
System Feature Unlocked: Sub stats
West exhaled slowly with his heart pounding from excitement.
He had done it.
He had finally done it.
...
...
West Einstein got home that night with a spring in his step he hadn't felt in a long time.
The door to the apartment closed softly behind him and the familiar quiet wrapped around his shoulders like a blanket.
The lights were off—again. No shoes by the door that weren't his. No voices from the living room. No sign that his father had been home at all.
He didn't mind.
Tonight, the silence felt earned.
West dropped his bag onto the couch and leaned back against the door for a moment, letting out a slow breath. His reflection stared back at him faintly from the dark window with his jacket still unzipped, hair styled and posture relaxed.
He smiled because he had finally taken the first step.
West pushed himself off the door and headed to his room, kicking off his shoes along the way. As soon as he shut the door behind him, he focused inward.
> [Cuckhold System — Interface Active]
The blue glow blossomed into existence, brighter and more structured than before. Panels aligned themselves neatly, hovering in front of him like an organized dashboard rather than a chaotic apparition.
West nodded to himself.
"Alright," he murmured. "Let's see what changed."
---
[MAIN STATUS PANEL]
Host: West Einstein
Age: 17
Tier: 0 — Dormant
Awakening Status: Locked
Cuck Points (CP): 25
Affinity: 1.2%
Reputation: None
Available Menus:
SHOP
QUEST PANEL
INVENTORY
SKILLS
Below that, a new section shimmered into view.
---
[Sub Stats]
Strength: 2
Speed: 3
Agility: 2
Seduction: 1
Confidence: 4
Charm: 1
Aura: 1
Mental Resilience: 2
Stamina: 1
> Sub Stats can be increased using Cuck Points.
Cost: 5 CP per +1 point.
West stared at the list for a long moment.
"…Huh."
He flexed his hand experimentally.
He didn't feel stronger or really any different... but then again, he hadn't spent anything yet.
"So these are… baseline?" he muttered.
The system didn't respond, but he didn't need it to.
Confidence: 4.
That stood out.
West huffed softly. "Guess that explains a few things."
He shifted his focus to Strength.
"If I put five points into this," he mused, "would I actually get stronger?"
The idea tempted him.
Five points for a tangible increase. It sounded reasonable. Sensible, even.
But then his eyes flicked upward.
Cuck Points: 25
Not even close.
West opened the SHOP.
---
[CUCKHOLD SHOP — BASIC ACCESS]
Mental Enhancements
Physical Enhancements
Social Abilities
Tier Advancement (Locked)
At the bottom, almost taunting him, sat the option he couldn't afford.
> Awakening Voucher (Tier 1)
Cost: 100 CP
West exhaled slowly.
"Seventy-five more," he said quietly.
That number echoed in his mind.
Awakening wasn't just a stat boost. It wasn't just power.
It was legitimacy.
Tier 1 awakeners were treated differently. They were respected, feared and accommodated. Teachers listened to them. Gangs recruited them. The city bent revered them.
If he reached Tier 1… things would change.
West shook his head...
Spending CP now would be shortsighted.
Increasing Strength by one or two points might feel good, but it would delay the real goal.
Power that mattered.
He closed the shop.
Next he checked the QUEST PANEL.
West's brows knit together.
[ Quests ]
•None
No blinking objective.
No ticking timer.
No immediate path forward.
"…That's it?" he asked.
The system remained silent.
West frowned.
He didn't like that.
He liked direction and structure. He liked having a clear path.
All of a sudden, he recalled something the system had mentioned earlier...
Cuck Points can be obtained by undermining another man's romantic claim.
West leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing thoughtfully.
"So I don't need permission," he murmured. "I don't need to wait for a Quest to acquire cuckpoints."
A slow smile appeared on his face as he realized that flirting with anyone's girlfriend or wife would automatically grant him Cuck Points.
"I can grind."
The realization sent a thrill through his chest.
Flirting.
Conversation.
Making women feel seen.
It wasn't limited.
The only limit was risk.
West closed the interface and stood, heading toward the kitchen. He threw together a simple dinner—rice, eggs, something quick—and ate while standing by the counter with his thoughts spinning.
He flicked on the TV afterward, more out of habit than interest.
The news anchor's voice filled the apartment.
> "—a violent clash erupted earlier today at a newly discovered ruin on the outskirts of the city—"
West paused with his fork in mid-air.
The screen showed blurred footage of damaged streets, scorched pavement and police barricades. Men in jackets marked with different gang insignias shouted at one another while authorities stood back, helpless.
> "The ruin has been classified as a three-layered structure, making it highly valuable. Multiple gangs have laid claim, leading to several injuries and twelve confirmed fatality."
West swallowed.
Three layers meant the ruins was deeper than usual, having two other bottom floors beneath.
Rewards multiplied with each layer.
That was why they fought.
> "Authorities advise civilians to stay away. Gang presence has increased dramatically in the surrounding districts."
West shook his head.
"Figures."
The anchor continued.
> "In related news, Affinity Stones are now selling at a record price of ten million dollars per pound following increased demand."
West blinked. "Ten million…?"
The segment cut to a graphic displaying a glowing crystal embedded with branching lines of light.
> "Affinity Stones are known to accelerate the cultivation of awakened individuals by enhancing the growth of internal branches—an essential process for tier advancement."
West leaned closer.
He'd heard of branches before.
Every awakened person had them. Usually it was one but sometimes it was two or more. They represented potential, paths of power.
As an awakened cultivated, energy flowed through these branches, lighting them from base to tip.
Only when a branch was fully illuminated could someone advance to the next tier.
More branches meant more versatility, potential and power.
Fewer branches meant faster growth.
Affinity Stones sped that process up.
West whistled softly. "No wonder they're expensive."
He leaned back just as the segment shifted.
> "Lastly, two promising young awakeners from one of the city's major mafia families have officially awakened—"