Sitting side by side on the service bus, with Jess leaning on his shoulder, breathing softly in her sleep, Jeff tried to recall everything he could remember about what happened during their vacation trip in his previous timeline—before his regression.
First, it was a three-day vacation, with East Coast City as their destination.
Secondly—and annoyingly—Trud, Jess's supposed good-for-nothing boyfriend, also arrived and forced himself to join their vacation.
Thirdly, and most importantly, Trud did something to Jess during that trip. And Jeff already had an idea of what it was.
He hadn't noticed it before, having tried to avoid and ignore Jess back then—but he wouldn't let it happen again. Even if it meant dirtying his hands... or staining them with blood.
---
[RETURNER FANTASY SYSTEM]
[Quest 4 – Interference]
[Reward – Returner Curse]
[Objective – Delay Trud's Arrival at East Coast City]
[Countdown – 2 hours]
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The distance from Central City, where Jess and Jeff lived, to East Coast City was about three hours by bus.
After traveling for more than an hour, the bus stopped at a service station along the mountain road, giving Jeff the opportunity to execute his plan and complete the fourth quest of the Returner Fantasy System.
Seeing Jess enjoying her time with her friends, browsing the different stores at the service station, Jeff took a moment to speak with his own friends.
"Hey… Enjoying your time, you two bastards?"
In front of him, sitting across the table while eating, were his two closest friends—Tris and Marc.
The two "bastards," as Jeff fondly called them, had been his friends since high school. The three of them now attended the same university, even taking the same major.
To Tris and Marc, those four years of friendship were everything. But to Jeff, they were among the few friends he could count on one hand—those who had stayed by his side when he fell ill in his past timeline.
To Jeff, Tris and Marc were like brothers.
"That smile is kinda creepy, so knock it off," Tris said, uncomfortable at Jeff's nostalgic expression.
"And if we're talking about someone enjoying himself, that's definitely you," Marc added, still teasing Jeff about the overly dramatic welcome they had orchestrated earlier.
"I'll make sure to thank you properly for that," Jeff replied, understanding Marc's teasing and hinting that his gratitude held more weight than words.
Setting aside their usual banter, Jeff got straight to the point.
"I need you two to look after Jess for a while. Make sure no other bastards try anything with her."
Though Jeff's tone made it clear how serious he was, Marc—ever the jokester—couldn't help but play along.
"Of course. We'd gladly look after her."
"Do that, and Jess will tear them for you."
At that, Marc instinctively winced, worried about the safety of his manhood.
"And where exactly are you going, Jeff?" Tris asked, more curious and concerned.
"Just on a little side quest, I guess."
Ending the conversation in a way that left both Tris and Marc confused and curious, Jeff went to get Jess's permission to step away.
"Just do what you want, idiot." Despite her words, her feelings were clearly the opposite.
As her childhood friend—and fake twin—Jeff easily understood Jess's brooding. He stepped closer and embraced her, knowing that a tight hug usually calmed her mood.
"What are you doing, idiot? Everyone will see us." she whispered, but didn't resist. Instead, she buried her face in his chest, hiding from the stares around them.
"Don't just stay silent... Say something, you perv."
"I'll only be gone for a bit. So wait for me, Jess."
I've been waiting for you for four years, Jess wanted to say. But the words caught in her throat as Jeff kissed her forehead. Her face turned red with embarrassment as the nearby onlookers burst into cheers at their romantic display.
With Jess's silent approval, Jeff took his leave. He told their instructor that his mother had asked him to buy something from a nearby place. But in truth, he was heading to Trud's current location.
How did he know where Trud was? Simple—he checked Trud's Archive on the holographic interface of the Returner Fantasy System.
And Trud's location? Just thirty minutes away by car: a place called Mountain Nest Hotel.
"Guess that shit bastard got tired of fucking himself," Jeff muttered, forcing himself to read more from Trud's Archive while riding a taxi toward the destination.
Trud—the shit bastard, as Jeff called him—was the same age as him and Jess, and the only legal son of Central City's current mayor. He was rich—well, his parents were. A spoiled punk who believed he could buy anything with the money they threw at him.
As for how he became acquainted to Jess, it was because his family owned the apartment where Jess and her mother lived.
Shaking off the stress, Jeff stopped reading once the taxi arrived in front of the Mountain Nest Hotel.
But he didn't head there right away.
Across from the hotel was a gas station. A little further down the road was a convenience store.
Wearing a black cap and gray hoodie to blend into the crowd, Jeff purchased a lighter, a pack of butane gas canisters, a gallon of mineral water, and a few other items that made the convenience store clerk think he was shopping for a camping trip.
He put everything in his bag—except for the gallon, which he emptied in the gas station's restroom.
Then he approached the gas station clerk, pretending to buy a gallon of gasoline for a motorcycle he claimed was parked down the road. Without suspicion, the clerk accepted his payment.
In the parking lot in front of the Mountain Nest Hotel, Jeff found his target: a luxury sports car. He didn't recognize the brand—but he didn't need to. Luckily, the shit owner had even paid for the two adjacent parking spots to avoid scratches.
"Well, a few scratches wouldn't be enough to delay that Turd anyway."
Without hesitation, Jeff kicked the pack of butane canisters under the car's engine, placed the gasoline-filled gallon on top, removed the cap to let the fuel pour down—and casually tossed the lit lighter as he walked away.
The gasoline ignited instantly, engulfing the car in flames and tearing through the engine.
As bystanders screamed and ran, the fire reached the butane canisters. The explosion rocked the parking lot, amplifying the chaos and panic—buying Jeff just enough time to vanish into the crowd, leaving behind only his discarded disguise.
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[RETURNER FANTASY SYSTEM]
[Quest 4 – Interference (Complete)]
[Reward – Returner Curse]