Ch.180180. A Night That Still Makes My Heart Race

Night.

For some reason, we returned upstairs after having dinner late. After taking a quick shower in the bathroom attached to my room and drying my hair, I sat on the bed and realized it was already ten in the evening.

It feels like the day has ended without me doing much. I yawned lazily and massaged my neck. Usually, this would be when my day really begins, but after doing so much during the day, my body is too tired to even think about it.

“Hmm.”

I was thinking about turning off the lights and going to sleep as soon as Hwa Nabi came out when, coincidentally, I heard the bathroom door open.

“Siwoo, are you going to use the bathroom? If not, I’ll turn off the light.”

“Yeah, go ahead.”

Click. After turning off the bathroom light, Hwa Nabi came straight to my side and sat down. Perhaps because she just finished showering, her pink hair was slightly damp.

She was still wearing my dress shirt. The combination of her loose hair and the white shirt was quite striking.

“Are you going to sleep in that?”

“Yes. Why?”

“It’ll be uncomfortable to sleep in.”

My dress shirt isn’t made of a material that absorbs sweat, so it’s not suitable as sleepwear. Moreover, since it’s a winter shirt, it’s thick and would be uncomfortable, and most importantly, the collar would definitely irritate her neck while sleeping.

“Then what should I do?”

“You should wear your own clothes.”

“You mean those?”

Hwa Nabi pointed at her clothes. One was a neatly folded dress, and the other was a sleeveless shirt with a short skirt. Neither seemed appropriate as sleepwear.

The former would be uncomfortable for Hwa Nabi, and the latter would make me uncomfortable. The clothes are too short, revealing smooth thighs, armpits, and navel. I’m not confident I could maintain my composure seeing that.

“…That won’t work.”

“Right? You don’t think it’ll work either, do you?”

But I can’t make her sleep in the dress shirt either. As I was wondering if there was a better solution, I looked down.

That’s when I noticed the white t-shirt I was wearing.

“Then, would you like to wear this?”

“Your t-shirt? Hmm, I’m fine with it… but what will you wear to sleep?”

I moved most of my home clothes to the apartment near school. The clothes remaining at my family home are ones I rarely wear, so there aren’t really any suitable as sleepwear.

“I don’t mind sleeping without a shirt.”

“…You mean sleep without a top?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Won’t you be cold?”

I could hear concern in Hwa Nabi’s voice. Is she feeling sorry because I’d be sleeping shirtless because of her? I appreciate her thoughtfulness, but it’s unnecessary worry.

I’m restraining myself because someone else is here. I usually sleep without a top.

“Don’t worry. When I was at home, I always slept without a top.”

“Then why didn’t you take it off when you were with me?”

“What do you mean why? Obviously because I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable…?”

It would be awkward if the person you’re sleeping with is shirtless, right?

“No, I’m fine with it, so sleep without a shirt from now on. Got it?”

“Huh? But that’s a bit…”

If I were sleeping alone, that would be one thing, but having my girlfriend sleep next to me while I’m shirtless… that doesn’t seem right. As I hesitated, Hwa Nabi became serious and moved closer.

“Sleep without a shirt. Understand?”

“Uh… yeah, okay.”

It’s a bit scary when she suddenly gets serious after smiling. I don’t understand why she’s making such a big deal out of this, but I nodded reflexively, and she gently massaged my shoulders as if to say “good job.”

“Then, you should take it off now, right?”

“…”

So it wasn’t praise but a demand to undress. We’re about to sleep, and I offered my t-shirt as her pajamas, so I do need to take it off, but why do I feel so uneasy about it?

As I hesitated, clutching the hem of my shirt, Hwa Nabi pressed her fingers into my shoulders. It was silent pressure to hurry up and take it off.

“You’ll catch a cold at this rate.”

I can’t have that when I’m not alone. I quickly took off my t-shirt and handed it to her. Hwa Nabi held my t-shirt in her hands, staring at it blankly, then brought it close to her face and subtly sniffed it.

“It smells like you.”

“Well, of course it would…”

Since it’s a shirt I wear often, it naturally has my scent on it. When I muttered this, she seemed to like it even more and deliberately sniffed it, savoring the smell.

“It probably just smells like sweat. Why are you sniffing it like that?”

“Isn’t this what you wear at home? Why would it smell like sweat?”

“Because I exercised wearing it.”

“Hmm, I see. I thought…”

I’m not sure what she was expecting, but the way she glanced at me with a strange look and smiled was somewhat unsettling.

“I thought you were wearing this alone and doing—”

“Alone and doing what?”

“You know, something that would leave a smell.”

“What kind of activity is that?”

“Who knows? I wouldn’t know. I’m not a man.”

The smile on Hwa Nabi’s face made it clear she was just trying to tease me. I stared at her quietly for a moment, then suddenly pounced and grabbed her side.

Then I wiggled my fingers to tickle her, making her burst into uncontrollable laughter.

“Huh! Puhaha, ah, wait! Time out! Siwoo, I was wrong. So please stop—!”

Hwa Nabi in my dress shirt collapsed onto the bed. Even then, she didn’t let go of my t-shirt, as if it were some treasure.

“Hey, Siwoo.”

“What?”

I thought she was going to apologize for her mischief, but what came out of Hwa Nabi’s mouth was something completely different.

“Can I have this t-shirt?”

“What for?”

“Umm, baby education…?”

Does she think that makes sense? When I just stared at her silently, Hwa Nabi gradually averted her gaze like someone who felt guilty.

Then, as if she decided to try a different approach, she buried her face in the t-shirt, peeking out with just her eyes to look at me.

“…Please?”

“…”

My heart suddenly raced at her puppy-eyed aegyo. I was seized by an impulse to give her not just the t-shirt but my liver, gallbladder, anything I could offer, before I finally came to my senses.

“Or…”

Flushed cheeks, sparkling eyes. Hwa Nabi, who had been smiling lovingly, shyly lowered her gaze.

Setting aside the t-shirt that had been between us, she carefully began to unbutton her shirt with her slender fingertips.

“…should I trade with my clothes?”

Pop, as the last button came undone, her fair chest was revealed. Hwa Nabi, facing me, grabbed my wrist.

Then slowly, gently pulled it toward her chest to place it softly—

“Hiyaang—!”

…before I could, I tickled her side to prevent her from doing so.

“What are you doing?”

“What do you mean? Wasn’t this just now a really good mood?”

“What good mood? Why are you taking off your clothes? And why aren’t you wearing underwear?”

“How can I sleep with underwear on? We’ve been together for how many years and you don’t know that… Hyaang!”

I tickled her again because she kept talking back. With red cheeks, Hwa Nabi glared at me with an extremely wronged expression, but I pretended not to notice and lay down beside her.

“Besides, both the t-shirt and shirt are mine. What are you trying to trade?”

“That’s… true.”

Hwa Nabi seemed at a loss for words and just glared at me. I waved my hand in the air to turn off the light, then grabbed her waist to pull her close so she could lean against me.

“…You think I’ll just let this go?”

“Let’s sleep early today. We have a lot to do tomorrow.”

We need to do homework and look into wedding vendors. Although my brother said he’d help, it’s our wedding, so I can’t just sit back and do nothing.

It would be fastest to ask someone who’s already married, but since we don’t know anyone like that, we’ll have to do a lot of legwork, which will be quite a hassle.

“Really… when I think about it, you’re quite stubborn.”

For Hwa Nabi, who was grumbling, I lay facing her and kissed her forehead. She immediately quieted down as if she had never complained.

“Siwoo, can you let go of my waist?”

“Why? Uncomfortable?”

“No. It’s not that, I want to change clothes.”

I released her waist as requested, and she began to wriggle. Wriggle, wriggle, like a caterpillar in the darkness for quite some time, until she somehow managed to find the t-shirt and successfully change into it.

“Phew, done.”

“Good job.”

“Just words?”

What else does she need? I reached out to stroke the back of her head, but at the same time, something soft gently tickled my abs.

“Is it okay if I touch a little?”

“Yeah, that much is fine…”

As long as it doesn’t go further, this much is okay.

…No sooner had I thought that than her fingers invaded the waistband of my pants.

“Didn’t you say we should sleep early today…?”

“Who said I was going to do anything? I just want to take a quick look.”

How is that different from doing something? It wasn’t a joke—she really grabbed my underwear and started to pull it down gently. I tried to stop her by grabbing her wrist, but then decided to let her do as she pleased.

Ah… whatever. Five times or six times, it’s all the same. With a sense of resignation, I stayed still, and Hwa Nabi paused in the middle of removing my underwear to look at me.

“Oh, Siwoo. Are you free next Friday?”

“Friday is my day off, so I don’t mind… Why, do you want to go somewhere?”

“No, I want to make an appointment with my dad.”

“…An appointment with your father?”

“Yes. Since we’ve already met your parents and told them in person, now I should tell my dad too.”

Indeed, it’s only natural to inform both sets of parents about such news. I nodded in agreement.

“Okay, should I call him tomorrow?”

“I want to hear my dad’s voice after a long time, so I’ll call him myself.”

“…”

“After a long time”? Is it really okay to leave my girlfriend’s relationship with her father like this? As I was seriously contemplating this, soft fingers slipped in and touched my groin.

“Wait, hold on. Didn’t you say you just wanted to look? Why are you putting your hand there?”

“Hey, stay still! Let me touch it a bit!”

Not content with just putting her fingers inside my pants, she reached out with her other hand and roughly caressed my abs. I twisted my body in resistance, but I couldn’t respond too forcefully for fear of hurting Hwa Nabi.

In the meantime, Hwa Nabi hopped onto my body.

“That’s right, good boy. Now… Siwoo?”

“…What?”

“What do you think?”

She retorted sharply, taking my hands in hers. As if to prevent me from escaping, she intertwined our fingers tightly, then naturally leaned in and kissed my lips.

“Mmm… I like it.”

I held Hwa Nabi’s waist so she wouldn’t slip and patted her back while thinking.

“…”

Looks like we won’t be sleeping early tonight either.