Ch.5656. Fireworks

Day 2 of the school trip, late afternoon.

When we returned to our lodging after lazing around at the beach, the sun had already set.

I parked at the pre-arranged spot and organized my thoughts.

The schedule from here on is simple. Tonight we’ll enjoy the recreation prepared by the hotel, tomorrow morning we’ll do some light sightseeing, and then take a plane at lunch to arrive at Incheon Airport.

“It won’t be too hectic, I guess.”

“Hmm? What won’t be hectic?”

As I muttered while putting the key in the key box and closing it, Hwa Nabi approached me from the side. Curious eyes and a curved smile—she seems to be enjoying herself for whatever reason.

“No, it’s nothing. Shall we go now?”

“Heh, shall we?”

After her brief response, she reached out her hand toward me. I know what that means without her having to say it. She wants me to hold it. I cleared my throat unnecessarily and carefully took her outstretched hand.

“By the way, Nabi. Can I ask you something?”

“Yes? What is it?”

“It might sound strange to ask now, but are you really okay with this?”

“…What do you mean?”

“If we walk like this, everyone will see us. I’m asking if you’re okay with that.”

Even without mentioning how boys and girls are kept separate, teenagers will imagine all sorts of things just by seeing a boy and girl holding hands.

If we walk hand in hand like this, wouldn’t they think we’re in that kind of relationship? That’s why I asked, just in case.

“Are you saying you don’t want to be like this with me?”

Nabi’s eyebrows suddenly shot up. I’m not sure what misunderstanding occurred, but my words had upset her.

She looked at me with a pouty face. With her lips jutting out, I gently told her:

“How could I not want to hold hands with such a pretty girl?”

“…P-pretty?”

As I pulled her closer while interlocking our fingers, she became visibly flustered. Her cheeks turned red from embarrassment, and her gaze wandered everywhere but at me. It’s quite cute seeing her like this.

I added one more comment to her clearly bewildered state.

“I’d like to stay like this forever, but we can’t, can we? I can’t take you to my room after all.”

“Th-that’s true. But why do you keep getting closer?”

That’s because you keep trying to back away. I held her hand tighter as she tried to escape from me, and bent slightly to meet her eye level.

“You seem to not understand.”

“…What don’t I understand?”

“Well, for example…”

I deliberately dragged out the end of my sentence and leisurely admired Nabi’s face. Skin as white as paper, lips with a tempting red hue. I slowly moved my gaze, intending to take in every detail.

Our eyes met in midair.

-Gulp.

I heard Nabi’s throat swallow carefully.

She seems to be trying hard not to show her nervousness, but I can see right through it.

“…”

A moment of silence.

After enjoying that silence with a relaxed attitude… I whispered in her ear.

“…That I’m holding back tremendously.”

“Uh…”

Everything is difficult only the first time; psychological resistance tends to decrease significantly from the second time onward. And I was no exception to this…

Though I wasn’t saying it explicitly, I was actually exercising considerable patience and restraint right now. Without knowing my inner struggle, she asked if I disliked holding hands—wouldn’t that make me feel a bit hurt? If I followed my feelings, I’d want to do all sorts of things right away.

I conveyed these complex feelings to her, compressed tightly. The medium was my breath; her ear twitched as my hot sigh touched it.

“…O-okay. I won’t say that anymore.”

“What did you understand?”

I asked while neatly fixing her disheveled bangs. She twitched her eyebrows but managed to respond to my question.

“Y-your feelings, Siwoo. I understand what kind of feelings you have. So… please, stop now.”

After saying that, Nabi gently pushed my chest with her delicate hand, as if telling me not to come any closer. With such a slender wrist and a girl’s strength, I could easily resist if I wanted to.

But she genuinely seems embarrassed, and we’re not completely out of others’ sight, so I should stop here.

Having made up my mind, I moved my body back from its close proximity. Only then did Nabi let out a deep sigh. She must have been holding her breath.

As I watched her take a big breath, a small curiosity suddenly arose.

“By the way, what kind of feelings do you think I have?”

Was she speaking from genuine understanding, or just saying anything to escape the situation? I had a vague idea but asked anyway. Nabi responded as if asking why I would question something so obvious.

“Well, obviously, you want to ki…”

“Ki?”

She stopped speaking right there. I reflexively questioned her, and she glared at me with a reddened face and muttered.

“Are you asking while already knowing?”

“I’m asking because I don’t know.”

“…Then why are you asking with a smile?”

“I naturally have a smiling face.”

“…What nonsense. Do you take me for a fool? You’re asking while knowing everything. Do you think I don’t know?”

“Oh, you’re much sharper than I thought… Ouch, that hurts!”

*

After soothing the slightly upset Nabi, we moved into the hotel and successfully reported our arrival by meeting the homeroom teacher face to face.

In front of the hotel,

After briefly stopping by our respective rooms, we gathered again outside the hotel, more precisely, in front of the beach.

The reason we gathered again at this time, despite having been together until just now…

—Bang!

It was to watch the fireworks, the last official event of the school trip. A fairly large-scale fireworks display taking place on the beach right in front of the hotel, which they had rented entirely. It was the perfect event to mark the climax of our trip.

Colorful fireworks painted the clear April night sky. Some people were mesmerized by the beautiful scene, while others excitedly shouted at the top of their lungs.

The beach had become quite noisy. As we watched the crowds, we looked at each other without anyone needing to suggest it first.

“Want to go somewhere quieter?”

“Yes, I think that would be better.”

I already had a place in mind. The corner of the beach where we had played yesterday afternoon, a spot where people rarely ventured. We held hands and walked quietly.

“But there’s nowhere to sit here.”

It’s nice that there are no people, but there are no chairs or anything. If we want to sit, we’d have to sit on the sandy beach, which is fine for me since I’m wearing pants, but not for Nabi.

We can’t keep standing, so as I was trying to figure out what to do, Nabi pointed at my feet.

“Siwoo, sit down there.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Don’t ask, just sit down first.”

Since she quietly insisted, I had no choice but to sit down. But what is she planning? Just as I was thinking that…

Nabi cleared her throat unnecessarily and modestly held the hem of her skirt. And then…

“Oof.”

Thud, she settled right on my lap.

…She sat on my knees, I mean. More precisely, she sat on my thighs, but that doesn’t really matter.

As I froze in surprise at the sudden skinship, Nabi made an even more demanding request.

“Siwoo, spread your legs a bit more.”

“…”

Perhaps because I was flustered, even though I knew it was an absurd request, my body spread my legs apart as she asked. Then, as if she had been waiting for it, she pressed her bottom and back against me.

“Siwoo.”

“Y-yes?”

“I’m slipping.”

“…So?”

“What do you mean ‘so’? I’m asking you to hold me from behind.”

I’m not a safety belt on an amusement park ride—is this really okay? Such doubts suddenly arose, but Nabi’s face remained calm.

Meanwhile, my heart was racing…

Whether from nervousness, my Adam’s apple naturally bobbed.

…Let’s stay calm first. We’ve already kissed, so why am I overreacting about a back hug? It’s just like embracing. This is nothing.

“Siwoo, hurry up.”

“…Alright.”

While I was busy collecting myself, she urged me with a prim tone. With no other choice, I carefully extended my arms and wrapped them around Nabi’s waist.

“Tell me if you’re uncomfortable.”

“…No, I’m fine.”

—Bang!

At that moment, the fireworks, which had been in a lull, resumed. Nabi tilted her head slightly to look at the sky adorned with fireworks.

“…”

I gazed at her profile in a half-dazed state. In this situation, with our bodies pressed together, mere fireworks could hardly catch my attention.

Without realizing it, I rested my chin on Nabi’s right shoulder.

It was because of my desire to see her beautiful figure even closer.

I tightened my arms to bring our bodies together without any gap, and whispered in her ear.

“Nabi.”

Just calling her name made Nabi’s shoulders and neck area tremble. Though she knew I was staring at her, she still looked straight ahead as she answered.

“Yes, Siwoo.”

Deep in my heart, a feeling of resentment arose that she wouldn’t look at me. I was surprised by the fact that such an emotion was dominating my body.

“Can I kiss you?”

…I was even more surprised by the words I had impulsively blurted out. But it was already spilled water that couldn’t be taken back. I held my breath and waited for Nabi’s answer.

Was my request too sudden? What if she refuses? All sorts of delusions arose and disappeared in that short time.

Nabi opened her mouth.

“…Do you want to?”

“Yes, very much.”

Only then did Nabi’s gaze turn to me.

Her emerald eyes just looking at me without saying anything.

“…”

I impulsively moved closer.

She doesn’t avoid my face.

She just quietly, gently closes her eyelids.

And then, naturally.

Our lips met.

—BANG!!

The highlight of the festival. A firework bigger than any that had exploded so far went off, but we didn’t look in that direction.

We just shared our warmth, intoxicated by the warmth the other gave, with a wish to get even closer.

“…Satisfied now?”

Only after our lips had been pressed together for quite some time did Nabi finally pull away and murmur. If I had my way, I’d want to stay like this forever, eternally. But that wouldn’t be right.

Swallowing my regret, I responded.

“Yes.”

“Now stay still. Understood?”

Nabi spoke in a tone like she was coaxing a pet, patted my head, and then turned her gaze forward again.

Somehow feeling disappointed by that, I forgot her admonition and brought my face to the side of her neck.

“Ah… S-Siwoo?”

A sweet scent wafted from her as she was startled. I closed my eyes and took in that scent.

A fragrance so captivating it could break down all of a person’s resolve; it felt so sweet that my head was momentarily dizzy.

I think I now understand why so many vampires have coveted the napes of beautiful women. How could one resist such an enchanting silhouette right before their eyes?

“W-why are you smelling me? I didn’t even shower before coming out…”

Ignoring her cute complaint, I whispered quietly in her ear.

“Nabi.”

“…What?”

“Next time, shall we come just the two of us?”

“J-just the two of us?”

“Yes. Just us two, quietly. What do you think?”

“What are you planning to do when we’re alone?”

“Well… I can’t promise anything.”

“You know that what you just said sounded completely beastly, right?”

“Men are all like that, so it can’t be helped.”

“Siwoo, if you keep saying such beastly things… why would I agree to come with you?”

“So, you don’t want to?”

“That… I’ll have to think about it.”

“Alright, think about it positively.”

It was disappointing not to get an immediate answer, but it wasn’t something to rush. I kissed Nabi’s cheek, conveying my hope for her favorable consideration.

“S-Siwoo.”

“Yes, what is it?”

“…C-can you do that one more time?”

“…As many times as you want.”

If that’s your wish.