Chapter 94: Present

“Why did you want to meet out here in the cold?”

I approached her with a smile and asked.

“The snow and Christmas atmosphere feels nice, don’t you think? We’re even having a White Christmas this year.”

When Doah brought her hands together, the snowflakes that touched her skin melted into water in an instant.

“You remember where this is, right?”

White breaths leaked through the gaps in Doah’s scarf.

How could I not remember where this was?

This park was near our house and this was also the place where I confessed to Doah that I was Lucario, Luka’s number one devoted fan.

“Of course, you cried your ass out here.”

I replied playfully while brushing off the snow piling up on her head.

“That’s because you’re a bad guy, Oppa. You pretended not to know me.”

“I already apologized for that, didn’t I?”

Anyway, it didn’t seem like we’d be here for more apologies.

On the bench where we talked last time, there was a paper bag.

Obviously, it was something that she had brought with her.

The thing was quite large, so I had a hard time guessing what was inside.

“What’s that?”

When I pointed my chin at the bag slightly, Doah let out a bright smile.

“A present.”

“A present?”

Huh…? Wait, I didn’t bring any…

I mean, it wasn’t her birthday and I didn’t believe in Jesus Christ, so why the hell would I prepare something for him?

Also, Christmas wasn’t over yet, so I figured that if I wanted to get something, I’d do it during the day.

Or actually, maybe I shouldn’t? Wouldn’t it make it look like that I noticed it too late and only got her a present out of obligation?

Also, she shoulda just told me if she were going to get me something! That way, we could prepare and celebrate the occasion together!

Why did she make it a surprise?!

Although inwardly, I was upset, I still felt guilty over this…

“Um… I… didn’t prepare anything…”

When I made an apologetic face, full of remorse, Doah shook her head, as if saying that it was okay.

“It’s okay. This is something I’ve wanted to give you for a while.”

Huh? She wanted to give it to me for a while? What was it?

My curiosity was piqued now.

When I picked up the bag and asked if I could take a peek, she threw me a shy smile and told me to open it quickly.

The wrapping made it look like Santa had brought it himself for me.

The box, covered in green and red wrapping, was so pretty that it made me feel bad unwrapping it.

“Ah, I should take a picture later.”

Opening this outside in this kind of cold weather felt like a waste.

“Huh? You want to take a picture of it? Why?”

“No reason, but you know, this is kind of an anniversary, no?”

As I awkwardly smiled and put the box back in the bag, Doah took a step closer.

Then, she wrapped her arms around my waist.

“Oppa.”

“Huh?”

“Merry Christmas.”

That was when I realized that I hadn’t even said the common Christmas greeting to her.

No, that wasn’t it.

I did send Merry Christmas in the chat to CLOSER several times, though they might not even have seen it.

“Yeah, Merry Christmas.”

I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and pulled her tightly towards me.

“Anyway, why don’t we go in now?”

It was too cold to stay out for too long.

“Not yet.”

“Do you want to go somewhere then?”

At my question, Doah took a step away from me.

“Nope.”

“Then, do you have something else you want to do here?”

If she just wanted to talk, wouldn’t it be better to do it at each other’s houses?

“There’s something I want as a present.”

“Something you want?”

Honestly, I felt like I could grant any of her requests right now.

Because it was Christmas and I also felt bad that I didn’t prepare a gift for her.

“Tell me.”

When I replied with a very serious expression, Doah lowered her head.

She tormented the freshly fallen snow with her shoes.

“…please.”

“Huh?”

I walked closer toward her so that I could hear her muttering.

“Kiss me.”

But, when I heard those unexpected words, my whole body froze.

“…please.”

She glanced into my eyes briefly before looking down again.

I knew that she must have felt quite embarrassed to ask that, but I was confident that I wouldn’t lose to her in that regard.

S-She really was asking for me to kiss her…?

Memories of what happened that day popped up in my mind.

The day when I was dead drunk and ravished her lips so roughly.

The night when I didn’t hesitate to say awful things, to the point that it made me wonder if I had changed into a different person back then.

“U-Um…uh…”

Of course, I wanted to grant that request, but…

Seeing me hesitating, Doah grabbed my sleeve tightly.

“…I want to do it with you while you’re sober.”

Her deep brown eyes were filled with her yearning for my affection.

Those emotions were too deep for me to just brush off and refuse.

So, I took a step closer to her.

Now, how should I start?

Without alcohol, I was just a shut-in, a hikikomori.

I reached out and lifted her chin.

Doah’s face peeked out from between her scarf.

Her small, light pink lips seized my attention.

U-Uh… Should I just press my lips here…?

I was an expert in theory, but…

In practice, I was a complete novice.

I was aware that my pose was quite awkward, but I closed my eyes and slowly lowered my head anyway.

Feeling how her body trembled, it seemed like Doah was also nervous.

I cupped her cheeks with both hands and put my lips on hers.

After two seconds passed, I was overwhelmed with the feeling that I couldn’t do anything more than this, so I retreated.

My ears felt hot because of the embarrassment I felt.

No, it was probably because of the cold…

After the kiss, we separated, keeping a slight distance from each other.

The gently falling snow filled the silence between us.

“…Thank you.”

Still staring blankly at the ground, Doah said that in a quiet voice.

“U-Um, it was nothing? N-No, I mean, you don’t have to thank me! T-This much is…y-you know… W-We’re a couple! Haha!”

My words came pouring out, laced in some kind of awkward and forced enthusiasm.

I swear, I was at my mental limit…

It felt like fireworks were exploding in my head.

The moment her lips touched mine, my thoughts completely shut off and I could only feel my entire body stiffening.

“…Shall we go now?”

At the long-awaited suggestion to go home, I nodded vigorously.

“A-Ah, yes! I-It’s too cold out here anyway! W-We’ll catch a cold like this!”

I picked up the bag and tried to grab Doah’s hand and leave this place right away, but for some reason, she stood her ground.

“…Doah?”

I tried to pull her again, using more force than before, but she refused to budge.

“Can we do it…just one more time…?”

At those words, I turned my body around.

One thing that I knew for sure…

Was that her face was several times redder than mine.

“I-I mean…t-that one earlier…felt too short…”

And here I thought that kiss lasted for too long.

Well, if her point of reference was the drunk Han Taemin, it was incomparable, yeah…

“U-Um…okay…”

I put down the bag and gulped.

This time, I wrapped my arms around Doah’s waist instead of her cheeks and looked down at her.

She silently closed her eyes before raising her head towards me.

Then, I placed my lips on her lips again.

Since her complaint was that it was too short, I’d do it for a bit longer this time.

I could vividly feel Doah’s lips moving across my own.

So, I moved mine, matching her movements.

As if each other’s lips were like sweet candy that we were about to devour.

“Haa… Haaa…”

That continued for a few seconds.

No, actually, it might have been a few minutes.

When we parted, what came into my view was Doah’s glistening, moist lips.

Honestly, I didn’t have much lewd thoughts about her before, but…

In this moment, my girlfriend looked very sexy.

“Alright, shall we go now?”

When I suggested that to her first, Doah accepted.

We walked up the hill all the way home without saying a single word.

“The present… I want us to open it together before we part ways…”

When I subtly suggested that we should go to my place, Doah agreed and followed me.

“Whew, it’s warm here, isn’t it?”

Warm my ass, my whole body was boiling…

I had been feeling this way ever since the first kiss. Maybe the back of my shirt was filled with sweat by now.

“Yeah.”

Sitting on the bed, Doah hugged the gift bag close to her chest.

“So, what is this?”

“This is…”

She let out a sweet smile.

Instead of answering, she handed the box back to me.

So, I placed it on the desk, took a picture, and then opened it.

After unwrapping about half of it, I could already guess what was inside.

“Hey… you… this is…”

I knew this item.

It was something that I had tried on before.

A VR headset that looked exactly like the one I had borrowed from Doah.

The thing that I couldn’t buy because I didn’t have enough money.

Even now, this thing must have still cost hundreds of thousands of won.

As I stood there, dumbfounded by such an expensive gift, Doah cast her blessing on me once more.

“Merry Christmas.”

Doah winked at me.

“Oppa.”

Ah. Why didn’t I prepare a present for her?

At that moment, I was kicking myself for my utter lack of foresight.