"Gyaaaaaahhh!!"
Hazuki bolts down the forest path. Lungs burning. Legs pumping. Behind him, a pack of male orcs in heat gives chase, their voices echoing through the trees like a bad dream.
"Hey, hey, pretty boy~" one calls out, voice playful. "Where do you think you're going?~"
"Yeah~ You don't to run! We just want to talk!"
"Like hell you do!" Hazuki leaps over roots, gasping. "Someone! Anyone! HELP!"
Heavy footsteps pound closer.
Why me?! Why now?! This was supposed to be a fresh start! New world, magic powers, hero status!
Instead? My fresh start with chase by orcs. Aggressive, territorial orcs who don't understand personal boundaries.
Damn it, damn it, damn it! I hate this stupid isekai!!
"You know you can't run forever, human~"
His stomach turns, glancing over his shoulder in panic.
What the hell?! No way I'm sticking around to find out what they want.
"Don't worry, onii-chan~ we'll catch you eventually~!"
"Yeaahhhh~ Might as well give up now, baby boy!"
His whole body shudders.
"Like hell I will! Damn it! I hate this isekai!"
His voice cracks as he pushes harder.
And if you're wondering how he ended up in this nightmare... fine. He'll tell you. Just don't laugh.
(Back in Japan. Before the chaos.)
"Oi, Hazuki! You coming or what?"
Hazuki hunches over his laptop. "Wait a sec! Just need to save this report!" His fingers fly across the keyboard. Freedom is close. Deadlines are merciless.
"If you're late, we're leaving without you," another coworker calls, already halfway out the door.
Damn popular guys...
Seriously. Perfect hair. Easy smiles. These guys can charm anyone! Colleagues, clients, even the boss. Meanwhile, Me? I'm just the plain, average guy stuck in their shadows.
"Oi! Don't leave me behind!" He slings his bag over his shoulder and hurries after them.
"Hahaha, slowpoke!" they laugh, walking just fast enough to make him jog.
"Slow? Hell no! You guys just have stupid long legs!"
By the time they reach the cafeteria, one of them says, "Hey, let's ditch this place. Let's eat somewhere nicer."
"Oi!" Hazuki protests immediately. "If we wander off and the boss notices I'm gone, I'll be her next target! You guys can flirt your way out of trouble. Not me."
"Oh, Hazuki." One of them smirks, clapping his back. "Don't be jealous just because the boss likes us~"
"Jealous?! As if! Who the hell wants to be the boss's toy? I'm fine being ignored, thank you very much!"
"Then let's hit the family restaurant."
"Yeah, good call."
Hazuki frowns. "Oi, this isn't too far from the office, right?"
"Relax, Hazuki." One of the ikemen waves him off with a grin. "You worry too much."
"Come on… just this once."
Hazuki glances back at his watch. Hesitates. Then sighs.
"Fineeee." He scratches his head.
"That's the spirit! Alright, let's go!"
The group cheers and moves ahead. Hazuki shakes his head but follows.
On the way there, his coworkers do what they do best. Show off.
"Feewiit! Hey, lady over there!" one of them says, flashing his trademark grin.
Another one, smoother than silk, blows a kiss at two girls nearby. They giggle and wave back.
Feeling a spark of confidence, Hazuki tries too. He flashes what he thinks is a friendly smile at the same girls.
…
Nothing. Not a twitch. Not even a glance. Just nothing. Like he's invisible.
He let out weary exhale, shoulders slumping.
Ugh! Once again, the curse of being 'that guy' strikes. This is what I get for being friends with this Ikemen.
One of them claps his back, laughing. "Cheer up, Hazuki! Not everyone can be as smooth as us."
"Smooth, my ass." Hazuki drags his feet but keeps up.
They finally reach the family restaurant. Cozy. Cheerful vibe. Bright lights, warm chatter, clatter of dishes.
Oh~ Honestly, This looks nice.
But the moment they sit down, the atmosphere shifts.
A pretty waitress approaches, uniform crisp and professional. She smiles warmly at their table.
"Welcome, gentlemen~ What can I get for you today?"
She directs most of her attention toward Hazuki's coworkers. Voice sweet. Attentive. Graceful.
"Oh, thank you." One of them flashes his perfect smile.
The waitress's cheeks turn slightly pink. "Of course~ Take your time. If you need anything else, just let me know, okay?"
Then… it's Hazuki's turn.
Her smile vanishes faster than his chances of being treated like a normal human. She stares at him like he's the reason her shift sucks.
"And for you, sir?"
He blinks. "Uh… I'll just have the lunch combo."
"Yeah, yeah, I got it." She scribbles on her notepad without interest. No warmth. No sweetness. Just pure get this over with energy.
What the hell…?
Hazuki glances at his friends. They're too busy enjoying their special treatment to notice.
When the food comes, the waitress returns with a bright smile, carefully placing dishes in front of his coworkers.
"Here you go, gentlemen. Enjoy your meal!"
"Wow, this looks amazing!" one of them grins.
Then comes Hazuki's turn.
She drops his plate in front of him like she's tossing out trash. He stares at it. Eggs overcooked. Toast soggy. The sausage... well, it's seen better days.
"Ugh… is this really what I ordered?" He pokes it with his fork.
He raises his hand hesitantly. "Umm… excuse me, but I think there might be..."
The waitress turns back with an expression that clearly says don't you dare complain.
"Is there a problem?"
He swallows hard. "Oh… umm… never mind."
She nods curtly and walks away.
His coworkers glance at his plate and chuckle.
"Hazuki, did you make her mad or something?" one teases, cutting into his perfectly cooked steak.
"I didn't do anything!!" Hazuki shoots back. That only makes them laugh more.
He pokes at the disaster on his plate.
Why the hell am I even friends with these popular idiots?
It wasn't like we had much in common. They were the golden boys, blessed with good looks, natural charm, and a way of making life look effortless.
And me? I was just the unlucky guy stuck in their shadow.
I wonder how did i be friends with this guys.
Back in college, I wasn't exactly popular. More like the guy people avoided because of my face. Not that I was ugly. But perhaps my sharp eyes and permanent scowl made me look intimidating. People would see me coming and give him a wide berth.
That day, though, I saw one of those perfect guys cornered by some delinquents in an alley.
"Hey, pretty boy." One of them sneers. "Hand over your wallet, and maybe we won't mess up that face."
The guy looks terrified. Frozen like a deer in headlights. For some reason, I can't just walk away. Maybe it's a sense of justice. Or maybe I just wants an excuse to hit something.
Before I knows it, I steps forward. "Oi. You got a problem?"
Yeah. That was a stupid decision i ever made.
The delinquents went pale the second they saw me. With my face, they probably thought I was some gang boss.
"N-No problem, man!" one stammered. They bolted, leaving the guy trembling against the wall.
He looked up at me with wide eyes, torn between fear and gratitude.
"Th-Thanks, man. You really saved me."
And just like that, I was stuck with them. Saving that one guy somehow landed me in their group. I still don't know if I regret it or not… but moments like this, staring at my overcooked eggs and questionable sausage, definitely make me question my life choices.
After that incident, they started talking to me, inviting me to hang out, even buying me food now and then. At first, I thought, Hey, maybe this isn't so bad. Free food, good company… could be worse.
But then reality hit. Hard.
We hung out more often, but one thing became painfully clear: whenever women were around, guess who ended up with zero attention? Yeah. Me.
My coworkers didn't just attract women, they were like magnets. I watched as girl after girl responded to their charming smiles and smooth conversation. Meanwhile, I sat in the background, practically invisible.
Sometimes I wondered just how popular they really were. Judging by the stories they'd occasionally share, it was impressive.
And now? Things had only gotten more complicated.
Even our boss, our strict, no-nonsense boss had fallen for them. And not just one of them. Nope. All of them.
From what I overheard, She'd invite them to company events at her place, always making sure they were included in important projects.
My coworkers were basically living the dream.
Meanwhile, me? Still single, still overlooked, still wondering what series of decisions had landed me here.
(End of Chapter)