I’ve heard countless times that love changes people. Because people don’t change easily, if you think about it, love must be one of the very rare means of changing a person. The reason I don’t say it’s the only means is perhaps because I myself am using hypnosis as a means to change people.
The Boss had truly many lovers, but if you were to ask whether there was anyone among them he truly loved, I would honestly have to say, “I hope not.”
It’s not out of jealousy.
It’s something I can say because I’ve seen how Ruben treats his lovers.
Even while dating someone, Ruben constantly met other people, and while I’m not entirely sure what he does in private places, I’ve never seen him particularly considerate of his lovers in public spaces.
No, I don’t think there was. I’ve seen or heard him obsessing over lovers terrifyingly, confiscating their phones, or screaming at them not to contact other men. According to rumors, he apparently once took someone to a club he runs and engaged in obscene acts publicly. Is that an attitude you’d have toward someone you love? If that’s Ruben’s style of love, then Ruben really would be a hopeless human being.
That’s why I hoped Ruben had never experienced true love until now.
With hypnosis, I can change a person’s behavior. I can also interfere with their cognitive abilities. However, aside from indirectly influencing them through behavioral and cognitive correction, I cannot completely change that person’s personality and individuality. That’s why I hoped Ruben had never loved anyone until now.
The reason Ruben’s lovers changed frequently was because his personality itself was so difficult and absolutely fucking unbearable that his face and status couldn’t make up for it.
It was fortunate that being by his side as Ruben’s secretary allowed me to monitor all the women he came into contact with. It wasn’t just fortunate for me, but for them as well. After all, it would reduce unnecessary damage.
“How did you say you came to be here?”
“Saint Sophia Island is really hot these days. I heard it’s a great island to visit near Liverpool… I came while traveling, and it’s even better than I expected?”
“Haha, I’m glad to hear that. We’ve been continuously working hard to make this place livable.”
I fashioned a gentle smile and watched Ruben leaning casually against the bar. While at work, I could monitor his every move, but once work was over, I had no justification to be by Ruben’s side. He seemed unnecessarily cheerful these past few days, so I tailed him today, and sure enough, Ruben was happily chatting with a woman who was unmistakably a tourist.
“You said you came from California, Vivian-ssi. The weather here isn’t as good as there…”
“It’s good enough to make up for that. I even met a good friend like you, Ruben-ssi.”
“If I’d known you were coming, Vivian-ssi, I would’ve changed the weather too.”
Watching the two laugh face to face made my insides twist. Ruben was always like this. Pretending to be affectionate, pretending to be gentle, pretending to be a good person, and once you gave him your heart, he didn’t hide that it had all been a momentary act. Most people tried not to believe it, but eventually realized it and fell into despair. And until now, everyone except me had wisely left Ruben. Whether long or short, Ruben’s relationships always ended the same way.
“By the way… Vivian-ssi, is your accommodation perhaps cold?”
“Ah, it’s not particularly cold… Ah,”
“Our pool uses heated water even in this kind of weather…”
Seeing Ruben’s hand lightly touch hers, I sprang up from my seat like lightning. When the advances of a handsome man with a slightly tipsy air and a voice sweet as honey mix together, there are few who don’t fall for it. But today, Ruben’s relationship—which always ends the same way—won’t even get to start. Because I, and no one else, will make it so.
“Oh, who are you…?”
“Ah, hello…”
I had planned to place a suggestion as soon as our eyes met, but when the woman greeted me as I approached, I reflexively greeted her back.
“What…?”
When Ruben turned to look at me, fierce murderous intent emanated from his eyes. His mouth, which had opened to bark some rebuke, soon closed tightly, perhaps remembering that the woman was present. If I didn’t have hypnotic abilities, tomorrow I would be found as a corpse on a nearby shore. The murderous intent lasted only a fleeting moment. Watching Ruben immediately put on a gentle expression and turn his head toward the woman, I felt a kind of awe in a certain sense.
“This is a colleague from work. My secretary. He must have come because of important business.”
“Oh my… Your secretary is very… tall…”
I hadn’t noticed from afar, but she seemed to have drunk more than I thought, as her face suddenly flushed. I inwardly rejoiced. I knew that people who were drunk were even more susceptible to suggestion.
“Th-this place is qu-quite no-noisy.”
“…Pardon?”
“It would be sad if your special trip got ruined by a hangover.”
“W-wait, what are you doing?”
Ruben protested sharply, but I could tell just from her eyes. The suggestion had taken hold.
“…You’re right… I prepared for this trip… for so long…”
“T-today, let’s st-stop drinking here… and go back to your accommodation. Tomorrow, go see the ocean. The old cathedral ruins by the coast are quite worth seeing.”
“Elbek, you…!”
Ruben shouted and stood up, but the woman was nodding and rising from her seat. Ruben looked back and forth between me and the woman with confused eyes.
“When you go back, f-forget… all of this. Understand?”
“Yes…”
“Ruben, sit down for a moment. You’re just going to sleep briefly.”
“…?!”
Ruben couldn’t even protest and sat down. After confirming that Ruben sat motionless, half-closing his eyes in a daze, I followed the woman who would have been Ruben’s lover candidate as she headed outside. The security on the streets had noticeably improved. Now, even if someone collapsed sleeping on the street, the neighborhood residents would just cover them with a blanket and leave it at that. After seeing her safely exit the club, I returned to Ruben.
“…Haah…”
No matter how drunk and unable to move he might appear, there’s no one on this street who would touch Ruben. I sat in the seat next to Ruben, who was leaning against the bar. Even in the dim club, the bar shone with a cold light that illuminated Ruben’s face. So this is where he was trying to pick up women. Ruben knew well that his greatest asset was his face.
“…A pool that uses heated water, haah…”
I knew well what Ruben would do. After enjoying himself appropriately with the woman in the heated pool, he would lead her to a room, saying let’s go somewhere warmer. And after that? Was he planning to call me again saying he couldn’t sleep? Then I would know all about it? The thought was horrifying.
‘He never even mentioned that pool stuff to me…’
In the first place, if he just said he couldn’t sleep, I would rush over. Whatever he wanted, as long as it was something I could do, I would have granted it all.
Honestly, I don’t know how Ruben behaves toward his lovers in private places. Ruben might be domineering in front of lovers, or uncharacteristically affectionate, or—though it’s hard to imagine—he might be someone who acts spoiled like a child.
I have no idea whatsoever about how Ruben conducts his relationships. But regardless of all those countless possibilities, I like Ruben. No matter what kind of lover he is, I was confident I could adapt to his style.
Thinking that far, suddenly, something I could try came to mind.
Being able to change cognition isn’t limited to just actions.
Couldn’t I also make him see me as a different person…?
Why didn’t I think of this in the first place? Rather than agonizing alone over whether love was possible or not, wouldn’t it work if I first made him think of me as his lover?
No matter how I thought about it, it was a good plan. Feeling my heart churning wildly with excitement, I looked at Ruben.
“R-Ruben…”
“…”
“I-I found a way… for both of us… to be ha-happy…!”
I clutched my chest and looked at Ruben with his dazed eyes. Steadying my trembling voice, I spoke.
“R-Ruben… From now on… you will think of me… E-Elbek Tenjis… as your lover…”
*
“How is it, do you like it?”
“Y-yes…! It’s wa-warmer than I expected…!”
I was finally able to immerse my whole body in the pool I’d never even dipped my feet in while working. Even calling it a pool, it wasn’t a long lane made for exercise, but rather a round shape. However, the scale was quite large—enough to swim freely. Around the pool, luxurious lights emitting soft illumination were lit, and lights were also installed in the pool, gently illuminating the rippling water surface. There was even a speaker system, and when I put my head underwater, I could hear classical music.
“R-Ruben, come in too…!”
“Shall I?”
Ruben, who had been lying on a sun bed drinking something, entered the pool at my call. Ruben’s flawlessly beautiful body looked somehow more bewitching when wet with pool water.
“Uwah?!”
“Hahaha!”
As I stood there entranced by that sight, Ruben splashed water at me and I made a stupid sound. Ruben laughed as if he found it amusing. The smile I could never see no matter what I did—Ruben showed it so readily to his lover.
