Ch.150150. Giving a Measure, Receiving a Bushel

“Yes, I understand.”

What did I understand? I’m not even sure myself, but I answered first and thought about it later. Then I wondered. Was she serious about wanting a massage?

To see through the true meaning of her words, I gazed intently into Hwa Nabi’s eyes. She met my gaze for a moment, then responded bluntly.

“Is there something on my face?”

“No, nothing at all.”

“Then why are you staring at me with such deep eyes? Like someone who has something to say.”

It’s not that I have something to say, but something I want to do, which Hwa Nabi just prevented by grabbing my shoulder.

The strength coming from her delicate wrist isn’t much, and if I really wanted to, I could do whatever I pleased… but that wouldn’t be right. Acting on impulse would make me no different from an animal, and more importantly, I don’t want to do things that way.

What I want isn’t Hwa Nabi’s body, but to share a deep connection with her.

“……”

Having reached that conclusion, I swallowed hard. Since Hwa Nabi specifically mentioned a massage, it seems I really should give her one. But I wanted to engage in skinship—no, share a deep connection—right away.

I want to touch each other’s bodies here and there, spending more intimate time together. But Hwa Nabi is demanding I fulfill my promise.

Between my desire and Hwa Nabi’s words, there’s only one compromise.

Use the massage as an excuse to touch her everywhere.

“Why aren’t you answering?”

“…Nothing, shall we begin then?”

My mood, which had hit rock bottom, suddenly rose again. I looked Hwa Nabi up and down. As she said, partly to feast my eyes, but also to find where to massage her.

“Siwoo, your eyes look strange.”

“What’s wrong with my eyes?”

“They look like a chef eyeing ingredients. Like you’re contemplating what dish to make today.”

“Even when you make comparisons, you always do it like that.”

I denied it outwardly, but secretly I somewhat agreed. A chef facing ingredients. It’s not a perfect analogy, but aren’t I having similar thoughts?

How should I handle this fox-like woman before me who bewitches people? As I was pondering this, Hwa Nabi rested her chin on the top of my head.

“So, when are you going to give me that massage?”

“First, you need to get off my thighs.”

As I just mentioned, giving a massage in this position would be impossible even for a massage god. The only kind of massage possible with someone sitting on your thighs would be that kind of massage.

I gently stroked her back, signaling her to get off. Hwa Nabi giggled as if it tickled, then reluctantly climbed off.

“Ah, that was nice.”

“What was nice?”

“The feel of your thighs. Like a firm cushion, comfortable for my bottom.”

Isn’t it usually the opposite? And her gaze lingers on the ambiguous boundary between my thighs and waist—is she really talking about my thighs?

Her awkward gaze makes me wonder if she’s licking her lips while looking at my thighs, or if she’s imagining something else.

“You can enjoy that later. We have something to do now.”

“Right, you’re going to touch every part of my body with your thick fingers, correct?”

“If others heard that, they’d seriously misunderstand…”

“Heh, you know I’m joking, right?”

No matter how many times I tell her, she never stops making jokes that would shock people. Your father was like this too—genetics are truly frightening.

Lost in idle thoughts, I leaned forward. Then, tapping the center of the bed, I said:

“Anyway, come on. Lie down here.”

“What are you planning to do after I lie down?”

“…What else? Give you a massage.”

“Hmm, right. A massage, of course.”

The way she looks at me with narrowed eyes is unsettling. At times like this, her intuition is uncanny—she’s probably figured out what I’m thinking. It seems I’ve been half—actually fully—exposed before even starting, but I maintained a composed face.

“Well, what else would it be besides a massage?”

Seeing my brazenness, she seemed to give up, chuckling before lying down. She placed her hands neatly on her stomach and turned her head slightly to quietly gaze at me.

“Is this okay?”

“Ah, yes.”

Maybe it’s because her skin is so fair and smooth, but lying there quietly, she looks like a mannequin. If not for her blinking eyelids, I’d believe she was a doll.

Perhaps it’s because her figure and appearance are so unrealistic. Looking at her again, Hwa Nabi really does have an impressive chest…

“Are you planning to massage my breasts?”

“…Where did that come from?”

“You were only looking at my chest. I wondered if you start massages with the breasts.”

“No, when did I only look at your chest… I just glanced as I was looking around.”

With two large mountains right in front of you, only someone who isn’t human could ignore them. Justifying myself, I took her hand.

More precisely, I placed her fingers on my right palm. She tapped my palm lightly, like playing piano keys.

“If you move, I can’t massage you properly. Could you stay still?”

“Oh, so that’s why you took my hand.”

“What did you think it was for?”

“I thought you just wanted to hold my hand.”

I can’t say that intention wasn’t there at all, but I wasn’t simply trying to hold her hand. I was planning to start with her fingers and gradually work my way up.

I decided not to express my true thoughts. Instead, I gently held the tip of her index finger and pressed it firmly to begin the massage.

“Mmm, that tickles.”

“That’s normal. Bear with it a little.”

Fingertips, middle joints, where fingers connect to the palm. I don’t know the exact terms, but I’ve heard there are many pressure points in the palm. I diligently pressed each of Hwa Nabi’s five fingers.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Just thinking you’re doing this more seriously than I expected.”

“Of course, I’m doing it for you.”

It’s not for someone else but for Hwa Nabi, so naturally I should do it properly. Besides, starting seriously like this gives me justification later. If I had to break it down, it’s half sincerity, half ulterior motives.

As distracting thoughts kept arising while I concentrated, I swallowed and continued the massage. After about five minutes, I looked up. I think I’ve done enough with the right hand.

“Nabi, give me your left hand.”

I think I heard somewhere that massaging the center-left area of the left palm is good for women. It’s been so long since I heard it that I’m not sure. I tried to recall the hazy memory as I turned to Hwa Nabi.

But her expression was quite peculiar. Despite the room being comfortably cool, her cheeks were flushed. Looking closely, her lips were slightly twitching, as if she was embarrassed.

I wondered why she was acting this way, but soon realized the reason. The finger massage can be a bit ticklish. She must have been holding back laughter, resulting in that expression.

Hwa Nabi exhaled a hot sigh and sat up. With a dreamy gaze, perhaps from the heat, she looked at me and spoke.

“Um, Siwoo.”

“Ah… sorry, was it ticklish?”

“…What? What do you mean?”

A confused look overlaid her flushed face. I gently took her left hand and continued.

“Finger massages can be ticklish. When I touch my own hands, it’s fine, but when someone else touches them, it’s strangely ticklish. Some say it’s due to a defense mechanism, though it hasn’t been definitively proven yet…”

I abruptly stopped mid-sentence. Hwa Nabi, who had been listening with blank eyes, placed her right hand on my thigh.

Not stopping there, she leaned her upper body forward, came very close, and said:

“Are you playing with me?”

I feel like I’ve heard that before. Is it my imagination? As I tried to recall, Hwa Nabi moved even closer.

At a distance where our lips would brush with the slightest movement, her rough breath tickled the bridge of my nose.

“I thought you’d gotten better lately, but here you are pretending to be clueless again… Are you doing this to get back at me?”

“…I think there’s some misunderstanding.”

Whatever happened in the past, this time I wasn’t deliberately pretending not to know. Her demeanor was so intimidating that I unconsciously responded formally, and then she pounced on me.

She pressed down on my thigh with her right hand to prevent me from escaping, firmly interlocked her left hand with mine, and brought our lips together.

“……”

It was a surprise kiss at an unexpected moment. Honestly, I was taken aback, but it would be impolite to just sit there. I patted her back with my free left hand as we continued the kiss.

She seemed to enjoy that, making a sweet nasal sound as she explored my lips more roughly. Just as I was about to adjust my position to properly respond, Hwa Nabi leaned into me, half-embracing me.

With a soft thud, our bodies naturally intertwined as we fell onto the bed. Hwa Nabi ended up on top of my upper body, her pupils dilated—it seems her switch has been flipped.

“…I want to do it.”

I gently wrapped my arms around Hwa Nabi’s waist. Taking this as some kind of signal, she brought her face closer.

I pulled my head back slightly. As a result, our foreheads lightly collided. She looked down at me with a dumbfounded expression.

‘What are you doing?’

Since she only asked with her eyes, I smiled and answered:

“It’s not time for this yet.”

“…?”

“I haven’t finished giving you a massage, have I?”

She seems confused now that I’m returning what she did to me. But soon, she changed tactics and looked at me with very pitiful, yearning eyes.

That gaze almost shook my resolve for a moment, but I pulled myself together. Then, patting her waist, I added:

“I won’t do it until we’re finished.”

Crash! Lightning struck Hwa Nabi’s face.