242. Trip (12)

After the noisy high school girls dispersed, I handed the camera over to Hinami, and after eating lunch, the sunlight sparkled so brightly it hurt my eyes.

I quickly bought a cheap pair of sunglasses on the street, and now, without the camera to hide behind, I aimlessly wandered the streets, fiddling with my neck that I couldn’t cover anymore.

…I didn’t come all the way to Japan just to waste time like this.

Not that I wanted to go back to the hotel, but even though it’s September, the relentless sunlight kept beating down, and I couldn’t help but break out in a sweat, along with some choice curses.

“Jia-ya, you’re showing through.”

“What?”

“Your clothes got wet from sweat, so they’ve become a bit see-through?”

Unlike before, Hinami, who was filming me, said this, startling me. I looked down, and sure enough, my black blouse was damp.

Maybe because I’d tucked my blouse into my jeans, thinking she might lift it up again to expose my lower stomach, the fabric clung tightly, making the sweat stains even more prominent.

The way my bra was barely visible looked quite risky, but I couldn’t possibly button up my cardigan in this hot weather.

…Besides, it’s a black top with a black bra.

If it got too risky, I could just ask them to tweak the colors during editing. Deciding to just roll with it, I ignored the situation, pulled the white cardigan draped over my shoulder down to my forearms, and took a long gulp of water before sighing deeply.

“Is it okay not to button it up?”

“It doesn’t really matter.”

“Hmm…”

Hinami was dressed similarly to me, but she was bundled up tightly in her cardigan, as if she wasn’t hot at all, so her underwear wasn’t showing through.

While envying her apparent immunity to the heat, I momentarily pushed my sunglasses up onto my forehead to wipe away sweat when…

“…?”

Click.

A faint camera shutter sound came from not too far away, and I instinctively scanned my surroundings.

Then, I spotted one of the girls I’d encountered earlier, who quickly scurried away after our eyes met.

…Hah, shit. If you want to take pictures, just ask me to pose.

Getting secretly photographed triggers my trauma, it’s unpleasant.

But I didn’t have the energy to chase after someone running full tilt. So, I fiddled with the choker I’d reluctantly put around my neck and took out a handkerchief to wipe away the sweat pooling inside it.

“You really sweat a lot.”

“It’s you who’s weird, you….”

I didn’t even want to respond to Hinami’s constant chatter, but since this was a shoot, not a vacation, I couldn’t just stay silent.

I could edit out any annoyance, but if I said nothing, there’d be no content.

It was incredibly annoying to be doing all this just for a vlog, and the fact that the vlog itself was just an excuse made me even hotter under the collar.

…If only I’d refused back then, at least my body would be comfortable.

Feeling pathetic for suffering in a place that was familiar yet unfamiliar, I ignored the stares of passersby and plopped down onto the pavement.

“What are you doing? Get up. Aren’t we going to the shrine?”

“…Just a sec.”

“Are you that tired?”

As I stared at the ground, letting out silent laments and sinking deep into complex self-loathing…

“…Looks like Oppa really did a number on you yesterday. Did he crush your uterus so hard your stomach hurts?”

“Hey…!”

“Hehehe, just kidding, just kidding. …This kind of talk won’t even make it onto the camera.”

That snow-white devil was spewing bullshit into my ear, grating on my already frayed nerves.

…Seriously, I’m so annoyed.

If she weren’t my friend, I’d have punched her.

“Anyway, get up quickly. We have a packed schedule today, you know?”

“…Alright.”

But before being a friend, she was a colleague, and I couldn’t just lay hands on her. Pulled along by her hand, though she was a month older and much shorter than me, I continued down the crowded street.

Fewer people recognized me here than in Korea.

Still, navigating streets where roughly eight out of ten people glanced our way…

…occasionally stopping to take pictures with fans who approached us…

…as I walked around soaking up unwanted popularity…

…the choker around my neck became just as damp as it was yesterday.

…Even that guy wouldn’t try to do it with something smelling this sweaty around his neck.

I felt a brief moment of relief thinking that, but then…

…I realized how strange it was to even be thinking that, and plunged back into endless self-loathing.

…Even the popularity I felt today…

…served as a stark reminder that it was just another tempting dessert for him.

**

After dropping off the young girls, I drove a bit further and settled into a nice, cool cafe with Haeun for a lazy afternoon.

We weren’t chatting excitedly, nor were we doing anything lewd.

It was just a comfortable time, simply being together.

“What are you looking at?”

“….”

“…If you like Ye-eun that much, why didn’t you go with her?”

“It’s not like that.”

Of course, even that comfortable time could shatter in an instant just from looking up one wrong thing.

I mean, I wasn’t intentionally looking for it either.

I just searched out of habit, and unfortunately, it popped up at the worst possible time.

Plus, I was a little surprised when I saw her picture.

“I looked it up, and saw a tweet saying she was hanging out around here.”

“Really?”

“But wow, she’s really wearing a choker.”

“…I’m wearing one too?”

“No, I figured your sister would take it off when she thought no one was looking.”

Actually, for someone like Seo Jia, it wasn’t strange for there to be a few sightings and photos popping up online as she walked around.

What surprised me was that she was neatly wearing the choker I’d given her as a gift before she left.

I thought she’d definitely take it off… but she was wearing it quite casually.

Sure, an idol might wear a choker, but still, wouldn’t she feel uncomfortable wearing an accessory she’d worn during sex with a guy out in public?

Thinking I could raise the stakes next time, I gently wiped Haeun’s lips as she pouted and idly tapped her fork against her glass.

“Huh? Is something on my lips?”

“Yeah.”

My thumb, which had casually wiped her lips, actually had nothing on it.

At most, just the faint scent of coffee.

But perhaps the gesture itself was effective. She stopped looking at me askance, adjusted her posture, put down her fork, got up, stuck close to my side, and snatched my phone.

“By the way, what does this say? I can’t read any Japanese.”

“I don’t know either.”

“I don’t understand a single character except for maybe one kanji. Does it mean ‘I’m going to kill you’?”

“No way.”

Haeun, now sitting right beside me, chattered on about trivial things, pressing her chest against my torso. Then, she nudged her head sideways, drawing my gaze further away.

Where my gaze landed, a rather scruffy-looking man was glancing over at us repeatedly.

“…Should I go to the restroom for a bit?”

“What? Does my Master want to see his girlfriend get hit on?”

“I don’t want to see that, but I do want to see her reject him harshly.”

“What if I don’t reject him?”

“Then you’ll just get scolded when we get back, I guess.”

“…I’m really not going to reject him?”

“I said I’d scold you, not that I’d reward you.”

While exchanging glances with the man who looked like he’d approach to ask for my number the second I left, I made sure he didn’t get any false hopes.

If I openly wrapped my arm around Haeun’s waist and slipped my fingers slightly under her top, anyone with half a brain would get the message.

Of course, even while doing that, I kind of wanted to see her get hit on, just like I’d said.

I was curious about how harshly she’d reject him,

and I was also interested in how she’d cling to me when I returned.

“Okay… Just don’t go. Stay next to me.”

“Why are you acting so tame today?”

“I’m always tame? …At home, and in bed too.”

But thanks to Haeun’s overwhelming affection, far exceeding my expectations, the chance to satisfy my curiosity seemed unlikely to arise.

Maybe it was because we were abroad, where no one knew us.

Speaking in a slightly louder voice than usual, confidently enough for those around us to hear.

Melting into her sweetness as she uttered slightly risqué words, praising me…

“…Wait a second, Master. You didn’t tell me to massage your thighs.”

“You were acting so tame today.”

“Hngh…”

I moved the hand wrapped around her waist, slipping it under her skirt in a direction hidden from others.

Grasping the firm yet soft flesh of her thighs tightly, I endured the playful ‘nya-nya punches’ of my pet Haeun, who let out cute noises while scratching me wildly.

“Hey, everyone’s staring.”

“Whose fault is that?”

Thanks to that, the attention intensified, so I quickly pulled my hand away just before we became that annoying foreign couple causing a scene.

While stroking Haeun’s head as she continued to playfully grumble at me, I picked up my phone, which she’d temporarily confiscated, and leaned back.

“Phone confiscated. Unless you want to see my pictures.”

“Okay… Ta-da. It’s your picture, right?”

This time, I wondered if Hinami might have any candid shots too, and tried to look, but…

Haeun kept reaching out and bothering me, so I had no choice but to close Twitter and open the ‘Seo Haeun’ folder in my gallery instead.

Every time I swiped the screen, Haeun saw her own dazzling outfits (including the see-through ones) pouring down like a waterfall.

“Crazy… …Cover it up when you look.”

She half-spoke a curse word, then swallowed it, making a makeshift screen with her palm over my phone.

She glanced around, confirming that no one was looking at us anymore,

then placed her remaining hand on my thigh, which was pressed tightly against hers. She subtly pulled up her skirt, hidden from view, and showed me her dangerously skimpy thong.

…For a moment, the urge to tug on that string surged through my fingertips, but…

…just then, I heard the sound of orders being taken at the counter, allowing me to barely suppress that dangerous desire.

Of course, I interlaced my fingers with hers where she held up her skirt and placed our hands firmly on the table,

…sweetly enjoying the renewed attention focused on us.

In the evening, unlike the thrilling taste derived from those who were widely recognized,

…even though no one recognized us, it was clear just by looking that this was sweet.

It was a simple yet beautiful dessert that could only be found here.