Common Sense Hijack System-Chapter 142: Mocking

Karl groaned, rubbing his temple. "Look, it’s not mine."

Jane gave him a long, knowing stare before slowly pushing her glasses up her nose. "Mhm. Sure."

Layla, still slightly confused, looked between them. "So... is it bad or not?"

Karl pinched the bridge of his nose. "It’s—just—don’t worry about it."

Jane, of course, had no intention of letting this go. She bent down, grabbed the doujin from the box before Karl could react, and flipped through the pages with an expression of pure amusement.

She didn’t even need to say anything.

The smirk on her face said it all.

"Oh," she mused, tapping a page. "So this is your thing, huh?"

Karl snatched the book out of her hands, stuffing it back into the box like it was radioactive. "Shut up."

Layla tilted her head. "Is it really that embarrassing?"

Karl looked at her, then at Jane, who was looking far too entertained. He knew Jane would find a way to weaponize this against him for months if he didn’t get ahead of it.

He took a deep breath. "Layla, do you trust me?"

Layla nodded without hesitation. "Of course."

"Good." Karl picked up the box, gripping the edges tightly. "Then trust me when I say you don’t need to know."

Layla pouted slightly, but let it go.

Jane, on the other hand, was absolutely not letting it go.

She leaned forward, resting her chin on her palm. "But Karl... I have so many questions."

Karl gave her a deadpan look. "No, you don’t."

Jane grinned. "Oh, but I do. Like—how long have you been into this? Do you prefer emotionally devastating Netori or the kind where the husband’s a complete loser?"

Karl clenched his jaw. "Jane."

"Or," she continued, clearly enjoying his suffering, "are you more into the reluctant wife trope? Y’know, the one where she tells herself she’d never betray her husband but then—"

Karl slapped his hand over her mouth. "Enough."

Jane’s eyes twinkled with pure mischief.

Layla, still not fully understanding, looked between them before shrugging. "Well, if it’s something Karl likes, I’m sure it’s not that weird."

Karl closed his eyes. Layla, please stop helping.

Jane let out a muffled laugh before Karl finally pulled his hand away. She took a deep breath, stretching like she’d just won a long-fought battle. "Fine, fine. I’ll drop it. For now."

Karl didn’t trust that for a second.

Jane leaned back in her seat, clearly still amused. "You’re lucky I’m feeling generous today."

Karl exhaled, shaking his head. "You are the worst."

Jane smirked. "And yet, you still hang out with me."

Layla perked up. "That’s true! You guys have been spending more time together lately."

Karl ignored her and began unpacking the rest of the supplies, desperate to change the subject.

Layla clapped her hands together. "Oh! That reminds me—I found something earlier that I think you’ll like!"

Karl glanced at her. "Huh?"

Layla ran to her room and returned a few moments later, holding something behind her back. She rocked on her heels excitedly before revealing what she had. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com

A sealed box of premium instant coffee.

Karl’s eyes widened slightly.

Layla beamed. "I know you’ve been complaining about the cheap stuff running out, so when I saw this in the supply trade, I grabbed it for you!"

Karl took the box, staring at it for a moment.

It was... a really nice gesture.

Even Jane looked mildly surprised. "Damn, Layla. You went all out."

Layla giggled. "Well, Karl does a lot for us, so I thought he deserved something nice!"

Karl exhaled, shaking his head with a small smile. "Thanks, Layla."

Layla beamed. "Of course!"

Jane smirked. "Wow, Karl. First you get a thoughtful gift, and now you get outed as a degener—what a productive day for you."

Karl shot her a glare. "You’re really enjoying this, huh?"

Jane grinned. "Absolutely."

Karl sighed, grabbing the coffee box and heading to the kitchen. "I’m making coffee. Do either of you want some, or are you just going to keep bullying me?"

Layla raised her hand. "Ooh, yes, please!"

Jane smirked. "I’ll take a cup. But only if you tell me your second favorite tag."

Karl slammed the cabinet shut.

Jane laughed.

Karl took a deep breath, gripping the edge of the counter. He could already hear Jane shifting in her seat, no doubt preparing another round of relentless teasing.

"So, Karl," she began, her voice dripping with amusement, "since you won’t tell me your second favorite tag, can I at least assume your third favorite is something equally... sophisticated?"

Karl didn’t respond. He simply turned on the kettle and pretended she didn’t exist.

Jane leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. "I mean, come on. Netori is already pretty spicy. What’s next? Mind Break? Hypnosis? Maybe a little bit of Oy—"

Karl spun around so fast Jane actually flinched. "Jane."

Jane grinned, entirely unrepentant. "What? I’m just curious. We’re all friends here."

Layla, who had been quiet up until now, finally spoke up. "Wait... so Netori is... what exactly?"

Jane’s smirk widened like a predator sensing fresh prey. "Oh? You don’t know?"

Layla shook her head. "I mean, I get that it’s a type of comic, but why is Karl so embarrassed about it?"

Karl immediately turned back around, pretending to focus on the coffee. This was not a conversation he wanted to have.

Jane tapped her chin, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Well, dear Layla, Netori is a very, very special genre. It’s all about—"

"Jane, I swear to god—"

"—a certain kind of relationship dynamic."

Karl groaned.

Layla tilted her head. "What kind of dynamic?"

Jane clasped her hands together, looking far too entertained. "It’s about a strong, dominant male protagonist who ends up stealing—"

Karl turned around, holding up a hand. "Jane, don’t."

"—someone else’s girl."

Silence.

Layla blinked.

Karl pinched the bridge of his nose. Here we go.

Layla furrowed her brows. "Wait... what?"

Jane leaned forward, her grin widening. "Oh yeah. It’s all about a guy taking another man’s girl. Sometimes the girl resists at first, sometimes she’s secretly into it the whole time. Either way, the poor original boyfriend? Husband? Fiance? Gone. Completely irrelevant."

Layla’s eyes widened slightly. "That’s... um."

Karl turned back to the kettle, hoping this would be the end of it.

It wasn’t.

Layla frowned. "Wait, Karl, you like that kind of thing?"

Karl froze.

Jane cackled.

Karl inhaled deeply, staring at the boiling water as if it could physically remove him from this situation. "It’s not— Look, I’m not into— It’s just a genre, alright?"

Jane smirked. "Oh sure. Just a genre. Like how some people just casually read about, I don’t know, war crimes for fun."

Karl shot her a glare. "Not the same thing."

Jane waved a hand. "I mean, it kind of is. It’s about betrayal, manipulation, and ruining relationships beyond repair. Pretty dark stuff, Karl."

Layla, who had been processing all of this in real time, slowly narrowed her eyes. "So... it’s like... someone cheating?"

Jane nodded. "Oh, absolutely."

Layla’s expression turned conflicted. "But... cheating is bad."

Karl wanted to die.

Jane clapped her hands together. "Yes! Exactly, Layla!" She turned back to Karl with a devilish grin. "So, Karl, care to explain why you, a self-proclaimed logical man, have a favorite genre that revolves around absolute degeneracy?"

Karl exhaled sharply. "I hate you."

Jane leaned back, looking smug. "Hate me all you want. I’m just pointing out facts."

Layla, now looking genuinely concerned, tapped her fingers together. "Karl... you wouldn’t actually, you know... do that kind of thing, right?"

Karl turned around, rubbing his face. "Layla. No. Of course not."

Layla still looked skeptical. "But if you like that kind of story..."

Karl ran a hand through his hair. "It’s fiction. People like all kinds of weird genres, but that doesn’t mean they’d do any of it in real life."

Layla crossed her arms, clearly still processing. "I guess... but it’s still kinda weird."

Karl gritted his teeth. "Jane, I blame you for this."

Jane snickered. "Oh, I’m well aware."

Layla frowned slightly, her previous excitement over Karl’s coffee gift now mixed with confusion. "I mean, I just thought you liked normal romance stories."

Jane gasped. "Layla, no. Karl is far beyond normal romance."

Karl glared at her. "Will you shut up?"

Jane ignored him completely. "Karl doesn’t want happy endings. He doesn’t want wholesome love stories. He wants chaos. He wants to watch as a guy slowly loses his grip on reality while his beloved girlfriend falls into another man’s arms."

Layla’s face scrunched up. "...That’s awful."

Karl groaned.

Jane nodded sagely. "Yes. Yes, it is."

Layla turned to Karl. "Karl, you seriously like that kind of thing?"

Karl rubbed his face. "For the last time—it’s just a genre."

Jane leaned on the table, grinning. "I dunno, Karl. Layla looks pretty disturbed right now. You might need to explain why you resonate with the idea of absolute relationship destruction."

Layla hesitated. "It’s not... I mean, I get that people like different things, but..."

Karl sighed, looking at her more seriously. "Layla, listen. I don’t actually think cheating is good. I don’t support it, and I definitely wouldn’t do it myself. It’s just a genre I happen to find interesting because of the storytelling elements. That’s all."

Layla studied his face carefully, then slowly nodded. "Okay... I think I understand."

Jane smirked. "Do you, though?"

Layla frowned. "I mean... it still seems weird, but I guess people like different things."

Karl let out a breath. Thank god.

Then Jane ruined it.

"Yeah, and Karl just happens to like stealing wives."

Layla gasped. "Karl!"

Karl slammed his hands on the counter. "JANE."

Jane lost it. She was dying laughing, gripping her stomach as Karl glared absolute daggers at her.

Layla, meanwhile, looked like she didn’t know whether to be horrified or amused.

Karl sighed, pouring coffee into three mugs. "I should have left you both outside to die."

Jane wiped a fake tear from her eye. "Oh, but then who would be here to keep you humble?"

Karl slid her coffee across the table. "Drink. And choke on it."

Jane picked up her mug, still grinning. "Gladly."

Layla took hers as well, though she kept sneaking glances at Karl, like she was still reconsidering what kind of person he truly was.

Karl pinched the bridge of his nose. Curtis, I swear to god, I’m coming for you.