Ch.131131. No Matter How Much You Run, You’re Still in the Palm of My Hand

After resolving breakfast with room service and taking a light shower, we sat quietly leaning against each other without saying a word.

Usually, this would be the timing for various conversations to emerge, but we just remained still. With eyes closed, I felt her body temperature transmitted through our touching shoulders.

Unlike our usual pattern—where touching led to kissing, kissing led to intimate activities, and afterward we desperately wanted each other—staying quietly like this felt calming.

“Now… about twenty-three hours left.”

“What’s left for twenty-three hours?”

“Your wish coupon.”

“Hmm, is that so?”

I casually threw that out to test her reaction, but Hwa Nabi seemed rather indifferent. I couldn’t tell if she thought twenty-three hours was plenty of time, or if she had already used all her wishes and didn’t care.

Leisurely examining her nails, Hwa Nabi suddenly rested her head on my shoulder. I gently fixed her disheveled bangs and asked lightly.

“We have to go home tomorrow. Is there anything you want to do?”

Since we have classes on Tuesday, we need to catch a flight around Monday noon to unpack and recover from travel fatigue. That’s how I made the reservation.

So today is essentially the last day of our trip.

“Let me see… Make a baby with you, Siwoo?”

Hwa Nabi was just throwing out such comments. I almost choked at her explicit words but managed to stop myself.

After clearing my throat once, I tried to speak as calmly as possible.

“Not that kind of thing. You know, something more… everyday?”

Starting from early morning would be too much to handle. I’m only human after all.

So at the very least, it’s better to initiate things at lunch, or preferably late evening.

“I don’t like conversations with just words…”

Despite my efforts, Hwa Nabi gently took my hand and murmured in a subtle voice.

…This flow feels familiar. Feeling a chill on my nape, I turned my gaze sideways. What caught my eye was a carelessly tossed phone.

Thinking this was perfect timing, I reached out and grabbed the phone.

“…Want to look at the photos we took again? We need to select some for the report too.”

Seemingly noticing my attempt to change the subject, Hwa Nabi glared at me with a pouty face. But I pretended not to notice and quickly unlocked the phone.

I don’t remember, but I must have fallen asleep while checking the album yesterday, as the gallery app appeared immediately.

“This one and this one, they’re photos from the shrine we visited yesterday. Remember?”

We took quite a lot of photos on Friday and Saturday. Even at a glance, there are dozens of new pictures. I tapped on one to enlarge it.

“Ah… the one on the stone steps? Of course I remember.”

“Yeah, the surrounding forest made the photos turn out quite well…”

“You mean the place where you left me behind to take cozy photos with another woman?”

“……”

So she was holding onto that. I think that child shouldn’t be categorized as a woman, but expressing this opinion would be like pouring oil on a fire. With that thought, I kept my mouth shut.

While flipping through the screen looking for good photos, I suddenly heard a notification sound from the phone.

It was a message alert. When I checked, it was from my brother.

[Everything okay? You’re still leaving tomorrow, right?]

Since he was asking how I was, I replied that everything was fine and confirmed that I was leaving tomorrow. Hwa Nabi, who had been watching me, glanced at the phone screen.

“…Who is it?”

“My brother, just asking if everything’s okay.”

Though she was pretending not to care, I could tell she was curious, so I answered more than she asked. Hwa Nabi’s cheeks subtly relaxed. She seemed pleased that I volunteered the information.

She’s complicated yet so easy to read at times. Quietly smiling, I pressed the home button on the phone. The screen changed to show my wallpaper, revealing a backup photo I had secretly kept of Hwa Nabi in a sleeveless outfit…

“…Huh?”

Why is this set as my wallpaper? Startled, I hurriedly covered the phone screen.

But Hwa Nabi beside me had already seen everything. She looked at me with an expression as surprised as mine, then quickly grasped the situation and laughed.

“Hmm, I wonder why this photo is on Siwoo’s phone?”

“No, that’s… well.”

“You refused when I asked you to use our couple photo as your profile picture, but why is your wallpaper set to this? Hmm? Tell me.”

“…Why are you looking at other people’s phones?”

I muttered a complaint, but she completely ignored it. Hwa Nabi wore a mischievous smile, looking like she had caught me red-handed.

“Hmm, I see. So Siwoo likes the concept of visible armpits. How have you been holding back all this time? You should have said something earlier. Showing my armpits isn’t difficult, I would have shown you if you had honestly asked.”

People have all sorts of preferences, and some might like armpits, but that’s not me. My sexual preferences are perfectly normal, and I don’t get particularly excited about specific body parts.

But would she believe me if I said this? Honestly, if I were in her position, I probably wouldn’t believe it either.

“Siwoo, why are you silent? Don’t tell me you got excited looking at my armpit photos?”

“What are you talking about… It’s not like that.”

“Here are the armpits you like so much, Siwoo. Want to see them directly?”

Hwa Nabi placed her right hand on the nape of her neck. With a rustling sound, her yukata shifted slightly, fully exposing her fair armpit.

Her milky skin without a single blemish looked so soft that fingers would slide right off if touched.

“Uh… um.”

I swear I don’t have a fetish for armpits. Then why did my Adam’s apple just bob?

I was unconsciously staring blankly when Hwa Nabi lowered her arm and fixed her clothes.

“Wow… look at you gaping in delight. Are you really a pervert, Siwoo?”

“No, that’s not it…”

Feeling I needed to properly explain, I grabbed Hwa Nabi’s wrist. As I was about to start explaining slowly, she spoke first.

“Is just looking not enough? Do you want to touch them?”

“…I’m telling you it’s not like that?”

Why does she keep making me out to be a pervert excited by armpits? Honestly, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t attracted to the armpit she just showed, but I definitely don’t have a particular fondness for armpits.

But Hwa Nabi seemed uninterested in my explanation and raised her left arm to show her armpit again.

“Well, how about this one?”

“……”

Annoyed by her constant teasing, I quickly put my hand in her armpit and wiggled my fingertips to tickle her mercilessly.

“Haha! Hehe, you’re a pervert who likes armpits…!”

I was going to go easy on her, but that won’t do. I changed my position to put my hands in both her armpits and tickled her.

In an instant, she was pinned beneath me, almost screaming with laughter. I stopped tickling when a tear formed at the corner of her eye.

“Heh, haaah…”

Her heated breathing and flushed cheeks were incredibly lovely. As our eyes met, I kissed her on the cheek.

“Sorry, I got carried away too. Couldn’t find the right timing to stop.”

“Heh, sure. You were so engrossed with your hands in my armpits that you love, you lost track of time, right?”

She’s at it again. Is tickling not enough punishment? Furrowing my brow, I looked directly into Hwa Nabi’s eyes.

“You’ll be in big trouble if you keep this up.”

“If I keep it up, what are you going to do?”

“Why, curious?”

I sent her a look implying she would regret it, but Hwa Nabi stared back as if challenging me to try.

…Well then, fine. I’ll give her what she wants. I placed my hand on the waist tie of her yukata and slowly untied the knot. Then, maintaining eye contact with Hwa Nabi, I coldly declared:

“I won’t stop even if you ask me to.”

“Can you really do that? …Huh.”

*

After the gentle heat subsided, time had already turned to late night. After resolving dinner with room service and finishing our showers, we entered the bedroom.

“Siwoo, shall we sleep now?”

Since our flight is at noon tomorrow, we should go to sleep soon to be on time. I nodded in agreement.

“Should I turn off the light?”

“No, just lie down.”

Here, the lights turn off with just a wave of the hand. Lying down, I reached up and waved in the air. The bedroom lights dimmed and then completely turned off.

“Siwoo, can I have a pillow?”

“A pillow? …Ah.”

I know what that means now. I stretched my right arm out to the side for Hwa Nabi. She stared at me for a moment, then with a coy expression, used my arm as a pillow.

“You understand without me saying it now?”

“We’ve spent so much time together, of course I know.”

“…Heh. Good night.”

A goodnight kiss with our lips barely touching, Hwa Nabi smiled prettily, looking very pleased. Moved by her expression, I kissed her lips as well.

“Yeah, you too, good night.”

Embracing like this, there’s such a nice scent. It’s a bit different from the typical feminine body scent—more like a floral fragrance unique to Hwa Nabi’s body.

The reason for this scent is probably because she is a flower.

“……”

Maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration. I’m glad I didn’t say it out loud. While I was holding her back and having these idle thoughts, Hwa Nabi suddenly fidgeted.

“Uncomfortable?”

“No, that’s not it.”

“Then what?”

“I want to look at Siwoo’s face while falling asleep.”

“…Well, go ahead and look at this handsome face while you sleep.”

“Why? To me, Siwoo is the most handsome person in the world.”

I know it’s just empty flattery to make me feel good, but I appreciate her thoughtfulness. I gently stroked Hwa Nabi’s back and kissed her forehead.

“Thank you, you’re the most beautiful in the world too.”

That’s my honest truth without any exaggeration. After expressing my inner thoughts while gazing deeply into her eyes, Hwa Nabi giggled softly.

“Yes, that line just now was good. Keep doing that.”

“…Heh, sure.”

After this brief exchange, we looked at each other and simultaneously moved closer for a kiss. A physical conversation full of affection and love for each other. Though I desperately wanted to get closer, Hwa Nabi seemed tired, so I shouldn’t.

Restraining myself was harder than expected, and I let out a low sigh. But Hwa Nabi noticed it with uncanny perception and poked my cheek.

“Why are you sighing?”

“Oh… you heard that?”

“You sighed so loudly, how could I not hear it?”

I thought I had muffled the sound, but I guess she heard it because we were so close. Seeing no point in making excuses, I nodded in admission.

“Do you want to do more with me?”

“Well, you know…”

“If you answer now… I might do whatever you want.”

“…I want to.”

I answered without hesitation. Hwa Nabi made a strange sound and then looked at me with an expression that said I was adorable.

“Ah, you’re really cute… Siwoo is like a big puppy with just a large body.”

Is this a roundabout way of saying I’m like a dog in heat? At a loss for words, I lowered my gaze to avoid her eyes.

…Through the loosened front of her bathrobe, I could see a glimpse of her chest.

“Then… my insatiable Siwoo. Shall we do it one more time before sleeping?”

Hwa Nabi smiled prettily and reached her hand toward my abdomen. Then slowly, her fingers traced my skin, gradually moving downward.

My reason was saying we shouldn’t, that we should rest now after doing so much… but my instinct said the opposite. I wanted to be closer to her.

I’m such a fool for not being able to reject her hand. With that thought, I also reached out to her.

“I wonder if we’ll really end up making a baby at this rate…”

“Then we’ll just get married.”

Responding instinctively, I covered her lips with mine. Despite the sudden attack, she calmly closed her eyes and accepted me.

…It was a quiet yet passionate final night of our trip.