Ch.260260. Is Secrecy Necessary Even Between Spouses?

In truth, if I’m being honest, we’ve done all sorts of things while wearing our school uniforms. From kissing to all kinds of intense skinship. But there was just one thing we hadn’t done. That is, going all the way.

You know how it is. A strange sense of guilt, or should I call it uneasiness? Maybe it’s because I’ve had to deal with students a lot. Whenever I engaged in skinship with Hwa Nabi in her school uniform, something in the back of my mind felt uncomfortable, preventing me from being too bold.

It somehow felt like I was doing something I shouldn’t. Whether due to professional ethics or not, until now, I had listened more to my conscience than to any fantasies that school uniforms might inspire.

Yes, that’s definitely how it was. But at this moment, wouldn’t it be okay to follow my instinctual desires? It’s not like we were both students back then, and we’re already married, so we could enjoy this kind of outfit. Hwa Nabi isn’t actually a high school student; she just looks a bit like one.

“Yeah, I am curious.”

While pretending to be nonchalant and maintaining my composure on the outside, I was secretly looking forward to it. To be honest, I was hoping she’d be generous and give permission right away.

With that hope, I secretly moved my fingers against her bare skin, slowly pushing them downward. But contrary to my expectations, Hwa Nabi noticed with uncanny perception and backed away slightly.

“Where is your hand going?”

“…Your butt?”

When I answered honestly, Hwa Nabi opened her palm and lightly tapped my chest. It didn’t hurt at all since there was no force behind it, but I could tell she was scolding me.

“Really, way to kill the mood. Isn’t that too obvious?”

“Then… what, should I have called it your posterior?”

“Wow… husband, are you doing this on purpose? Are you trying to tease me?”

Hmm, was that not it? I was just making a joke, but Hwa Nabi narrowed her eyes and stared at me.

“I was just trying to be funny.”

“If you made jokes like that to other women outside, they’d all run away.”

“It’s fine if other women run away. I only need you.”

“…Ugh, what are you saying? That’s so cringeworthy.”

Though she pretended to dislike it and scolded me, the corners of her mouth were turned upward. Despite the somewhat cheesy line, she secretly enjoyed it.

Something I’ve learned from spending a long time with her is that she doesn’t dislike this kind of talk. Not just that—if you watch carefully, Hwa Nabi actually enjoys it a bit. That’s why I’ve increased the frequency of my open displays of affection.

“For that cringeworthy line, I’m deducting ten points.”

“Huh? What’s suddenly being deducted?”

“If you collect a hundred points, I’ll service you while wearing my school uniform.”

“…Wasn’t that going to happen anyway?”

When she asked about my intentions with what seemed like an imminent suggestion, I firmly believed that was the case. In response to my question, Hwa Nabi lightly shook her head.

“I was going to, but your lines are so cringeworthy that I can’t. I should take this opportunity to reform you.”

…Didn’t she like this kind of talk? Honestly, I was shocked. Is my sense for lines so serious that it requires changing my expression style? As I was seriously contemplating this, Hwa Nabi handed me her phone. The screen showed that balance game again.

“Here you go, husband. Choose.”

“I just pressed one, though?”

“Yes, I know. So instead, if you choose an option I like, I’ll give you twenty points. How about that?”

“Just this once?”

“We can do it multiple times if you want.”

Given the nature of the balance game, which only features unusual questions, she was essentially asking me to take all the blame. It was an obvious ploy.

But I couldn’t help but play along with her intentions. Right? If I just collect a hundred points, none other than Hwa Nabi will do all sorts of things for me in her school uniform.

As a man, it was an offer I simply couldn’t refuse. Without a moment’s hesitation, I nodded in agreement.

“Okay, here’s the choice. If you had to choose one of these two: First, re-enlisting in the military, or second, spending three years single without a girlfriend.”

“…Spending three years single without a girlfriend.”

I reflexively chose the latter as soon as I heard the question. It’s better to spend three years without a girlfriend than to go back to the military, right?

If I were to enlist again, it would be my second time, and if I enlisted once more after that, I’d be going to the military three times. I’m not a non-commissioned officer who applied for a military career; I can’t spend five years in the military.

“What? What did you say? Spending three years single? Husband! Are you saying you’d give me up?”

“I’m not saying I’d give you up; I’m saying if I had to choose between the two, the latter would be better.”

“You agreed to the terms before starting the game. If you choose an option here, you really have to keep it, you know?”

It’s not like it has any legal effect, and isn’t she overreacting about a game? I wanted to retort, but it would just be making trouble where there was none. Rather than planting seeds of discord, it seemed better to just concede, so I nodded and corrected myself.

“Ah, okay. Then I’ll go with re-enlisting in the military. But in return, you can’t leave me and remarry, okay?”

“Don’t worry about that. It’ll never happen. Besides, you’re exempt from military service anyway, right?”

“…Who says that? I’m completely healthy. If I took a physical examination, I’d be classified as Grade 1.”

As far as I know, I have no grounds for exemption. I don’t have any particular chronic illnesses, so to avoid military service, I’d need something special, like maybe if I had a direct family member who was a national merit recipient. In my current situation, it’s only natural that I’d be classified as active duty.

“Well, you look perfectly healthy on the outside, so that makes sense. But you could get exemption for other reasons.”

I wonder what she’s staring at while muttering. I was about to say something but stopped. I was more concerned about what she said next.

“Other reasons? Like what?”

“Supporting multiple children. Your brother said that by next year or the year after, men with two or more children might be exempt…”

Hwa Nabi, who had been speaking continuously, suddenly closed her mouth. She frowned and had a look of realization on her face, the kind of expression someone would make after a slip of the tongue.

“My brother said what?”

“…He might have said that, or maybe not. I’m not sure.”

It was obvious to anyone that she was trying to hastily gloss over it. I sat quietly, narrowing my eyes and staring intently at Hwa Nabi.

She seemed to have something to hide, as she couldn’t look me directly in the eyes and gradually averted her gaze.

“Ah, is that so? My brother said that? That you could get exemption if you have two children?”

“I don’t know? I’m not sure… Is that story true?”

Why are you asking me when you’re the one who said it? It’s obvious you’ve been caught, yet you’re still pretending not to know. It seems like she plans to continue being brazen like this. Feeling somewhat indignant and also jealous, I grabbed Hwa Nabi’s wrist.

After all… despite having me as her man, she shared a secret with my brother of all people. In fact, that was more important than whether it was about multiple children military exemption or whatever.

Why did she have such a secret conversation with my brother instead of me?

“Nabi.”

“…Yes?”

“You know, I believe that there should be no secrets between a married couple. If there’s nothing to hide, there should be no secrets. Right?”

“Even if there’s nothing to hide, there can still be secrets… can’t there?”

“Then we’re strangers, not a married couple. Why get married if you can’t even share secrets?”

“Um… husband. Are you angry?”

***

“I’m not angry. Why?”

“…”

You are angry… I was about to say, but I swallowed my words. Confirming someone’s anger when they’re already angry is like pouring oil on a burning house.

Oh no, this is bad. What should I do? I definitely didn’t intend for this to happen, but it seems he’s upset about a topic that came up accidentally… I want to smooth things over, but I don’t know how. The most effective approach would be to pinpoint what upset him and apologize, but the problem is I don’t know which part triggered him.

I have no choice. I’ll have to carefully go through it step by step. After watching his reaction, I cautiously began.

“I’m sorry. For not telling you about something so important beforehand. But I wasn’t deliberately keeping it from you. Actually, I was planning to tell you on your birthday, but it just came out while we were talking.”

“Why are you being so cautious around me?”

“What? No, I’m not being cautious…”

“Ah… no. Sigh… I’m sorry, I got a bit excited.”

After taking a deep breath, he rubbed his face and returned with a somewhat calmer expression. Then, after tapping his cheeks a couple of times with his hand, he looked straight into my eyes and said:

“I’m sorry for making you feel uncomfortable. I didn’t really mean to get angry, but I guess something just bothered me.”

“Something bothered you…?”

I wonder what it was. I should hear it to prevent it from happening again. When I cautiously asked, he hesitated for a moment. Somehow, he seemed reluctant to say it.

After a while, he looked at me nervously and just kept clenching and unclenching his palm.

“Um, promise you won’t laugh?”

He asked again as if seeking reassurance. I nodded, and he covered his mouth slightly with his hand and mumbled.

“Well, in a way, you shared a secret with my brother, right?”

“Yes, I suppose I did.”

“And I didn’t like that.”

“You didn’t like that I shared a secret with your brother?”

“Yeah, that’s… I mean, honestly, right? Why are you having such conversations with another man instead of me? Shouldn’t you only share secrets with me? I’m your husband, and you’re my wife. That’s how it should be.”

As he spoke, his voice gradually rose as if he was getting heated. Then, looking straight into my eyes, he spoke forcefully as if demanding an answer.

…From my perspective, it was honestly a bit funny, and I almost laughed despite myself.

I thought he’d be angry about why I didn’t tell him something so important beforehand… but the point that upset him is strange. It’s not like I did something inappropriate with a stranger; I just had a secret conversation with his brother.

“So what you’re saying is, you’re upset because I had a secret conversation with your brother. Is that it?”

“If we sum it up, yes. But it’s not something to be simplified like that; this is a somewhat serious issue…”

“…Pfft.”

In the end, he was jealous because I didn’t talk to him. When I put it that way, it seemed so trivial, and I felt foolish for taking it so seriously, so I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“Nabi, why are you laughing?”

“Heh, because it’s funny.”

“What’s funny…?”

“Um, your face?”

I wasn’t trying to mock him; I genuinely found it funny and answered honestly, but he seemed to misunderstand my words and twisted the corners of his mouth. Seeing them turn upward, he’s not really upset, and it seems like he has something up his sleeve.

Noticing this, I smiled back at him as if to say “bring it on” and looked him in the eye. He suddenly grabbed my waist and, without saying anything, kissed me.

…Round 2 begins.