Dinner had ended, and now the real discussion began: whether to let Glen Johnson move into the apartment.Sera Sky and Lola Bernthal, already won over by a single plate of greens, naturally had no objections. Lola, the devoted foodie, was practically ready to vote with both hands and feet raised in favor of letting Glen stay. But Alison Page remained unmoved, her expression stubborn.Seeing Alison's stone-cold resolve, Lola couldn't help but protest. "Alison, can you please stop thinking the worst of everyone? Look at him! Does he seem like a bad person to you? And most importantly, he can cook..." Her voice grew plaintive. "If you really kick him out, who's going to cook for me? Am I supposed to survive on instant noodles for the rest of my life? I might as well just die!"Alison shot Lola a withering glare, exasperated. "Could you have a little self-respect? I'm not saying Mr. Johnson is definitely a bad person. But three girls living here, and now adding a ma

The apartment had finally settled into silence after the uneasy dinner. For Glen, however, the quiet offered little comfort. He still felt like a guest who had to measure every movement, and even an ordinary trip to the bathroom now carried the risk of another embarrassing misunderstanding. He waited until the girls had disappeared before moving, hoping to avoid drawing attention to himself.Glen Johnson finally breathed a sigh of relief when Lola Bernthal and Alison Page finished washing up and returned to their rooms. He slipped out quietly and hurried to the bathroom to take care of his own needs. Naturally, remembering the earlier mishap, he made absolutely certain to lock the door behind him.After relieving himself and washing his hands, he turned around and froze. Hanging from the drying rack was a freshly washed piece of underwear, still dripping with water. The fabric was printed with a cartoon fairy pattern.Glen stared at it, momentarily stunned. If h

"Tell me, tell me!" Lola clutched Glen Johnson's arm and shook it with playful insistence. Her eyes were wide with desperation. "What are these dishes made of? How can they possibly smell this good and taste even better?"The praise pouring from Lola Bernthal and Sera Sky was utterly shameless in its enthusiasm, and as Lola continued to shake his arm back and forth, Glen felt like his soul might just float right out of his body. The warmth of her grip and the genuine delight in her voice sent a pleasant buzz through his chest.But reality cut through the moment quickly enough. Only two people had acknowledged his cooking so far, and even though he'd complimented himself several times already, that clearly didn't count toward anything. At this rate, completing his task would be impossible. Glen shot Lola a meaningful look and said with deliberate casualness, "I could tell you what they are, sure. But here's the thing... these are dishes I just developed, and I honestly

Glen Johnson sat on his bed that evening, staring at the Upgrade Chest hovering in the air before him. His finger jabbed repeatedly at the icon marked "cash," but no actual bills materialized. He let out a groan of frustration.What the hell? The money won't come out. Are you kidding me right now?Earlier that day, Lola Bernthal had wavered for ages before finally resisting the temptation of good food and declining his offer. As for Claire Shaw, well, Glen barely knew her. How awkward would it be to go grab skewers with her alone? So he'd politely turned her down too, which had left Claire visibly disappointed.The truth was, Glen had been dying to check his quest rewards, specifically whether this cash was real or not. After paying this month's rent, he was practically broke enough to spit blood. He'd spent what little he had left on groceries the past couple of days, and now his pockets were scraped clean.He'd hoped that completing quests might earn hi

Glen Johnson stepped out onto the street after leaving the apartment where he lived with several beautiful women. He began wandering aimlessly through the city, hands in his pockets, his mind churning over his limited options. The major he'd studied in college was practically useless when it came to finding relevant work. Even if he managed to land something at a construction company, he'd probably end up hauling bricks on a job site, nothing more.At least now he had his cooking skills. That one stroke of luck finally gave him a shred of confidence about employment.He deliberately stuck to the quieter, more run-down streets as he walked. He knew his current level wasn't enough to land a position at any upscale restaurant, so his best bet was to target small establishments, mom-and-pop places that might be desperate enough to take a chance. If he got lucky, maybe one of those little diners would be short a cook and willing to give him a shot.And wouldn't you k