Ch.6565. Let’s Feed Each Other Dessert [Illustration]

And so, the long class finally ended.

Time passed, and before I knew it, it was after school.

“The final exams are in two weeks, right? Everyone prepare hard, and Hansol, stay behind for a moment to see me.”

With those routine words, the homeroom teacher’s closing remarks ended. After tidying up my desk, I spoke to my seatmate.

“Hwa Nabi, let’s go.”

“…”

When there was no response to my words, I tapped her shoulder. She turned to me with a startled look.

“Huh? Go where?”

“Where else? You said earlier that we should go to the dessert shop together.”

There had been some interruption while she was speaking, but I have good hearing, so I definitely heard her.

“Ah, I did say that. But I’m not sure if there will be seats. That place is always so crowded…”

As Hwa Nabi said, the dessert shop we had previously tried to visit together had now become a famous local eatery. It had become so popular that reservations were required at this time of day.

“You don’t need to worry about that. I made a reservation in advance.”

“What? You made a reservation? When did you do that?”

“Well, about that.”

As I was about to answer, I turned my head to look at the teacher’s desk. There, our class president, Im Hansol, was having a conversation with the homeroom teacher.

Perhaps sensing my gaze, Hansol turned to look at me just as there was a pause in their conversation.

Hansol looked back and forth between me and Hwa Nabi standing next to me, then grinned and mouthed the words, ‘Have a good time.’

“The class president helped me out. He knows someone who works there.”

I had just asked on the off chance it might work, thinking it would be fine if it didn’t. But surprisingly, Hansol readily helped with the reservation. According to him, it was only right to help since he’d gotten free food from me before, or something like that.

“I see. But how does he know them?”

“It’s a long story. Want to hear it on the way?”

“Oh, shall we?”

With those words, Hwa Nabi subtly extended her hand to me.

Well, there’s no need to explain what this gesture means. She wants to hold hands as we walk… But is this okay in front of everyone? I quickly glanced around the classroom.

Most of the students had left, but a few, including Hansol, were still in the room taking care of their business.

“Siwoo?”

“…Ah, sure.”

After already showing a kiss mark during our casual conversation, why should I care about this now? Pushing aside my hesitation, I took her hand.

“Let’s go.”

“Heh, yes, let’s go.”

Her smile seems meaningful somehow, which makes me a bit self-conscious, but let’s focus on keeping our promise first. After leaving the classroom while holding hands, I asked her as we walked.

“Hwa Nabi, can I ask you something?”

“Yes, what is it?”

“Is there anything you want to do later?”

“Something I want to do later? …Oh, are you asking about my dreams?”

“Yeah.”

Hwa Nabi thought for a moment before answering.

“Well, I did rhythmic gymnastics and ballet until I graduated from middle school. But if you ask whether I’d make a career out of it… I don’t think I could answer right away.”

…Rhythmic gymnastics and ballet? I was secretly surprised by this past that didn’t match her current image at all, but I maintained my composure and continued the conversation.

“You did it until graduation? So you don’t do it anymore?”

“No, I quit all my classes when I became independent. I don’t think I had much talent for it anyway.”

“Don’t you need to keep at it longer to know whether you have talent or not?”

Even though arts and physical education are fields where innate talent matters, if she had consistently practiced until high school, surely there must have been some potential?

When I asked this, Hwa Nabi gave me quite a shocking answer.

“That’s not wrong, but people with large breasts can’t do ballet or gymnastics. When wearing tight clothes, everyone’s attention would go there—who would see the dance? So dancers need to be born with the right physical conditions.”

“…Ah.”

After hearing her explanation, I nodded in understanding.

Indeed, as she said, if one has a large chest, attention would inevitably be drawn there. With the same physical conditions, a slimmer figure would relatively have an advantage in showcasing techniques.

Unlike in general situations, bigger isn’t always better. I’ve learned something new today.

“Then you should study harder.”

“…Huh? Why did the conversation go in that direction?”

“Why? Isn’t it obvious? If you’re not going into arts or sports, you need to study.”

It might be a sad story, but most companies care more about which university you graduated from than what kind of person you are.

So in Korea, academic performance during school years is most important… As I was about to launch into a lecture about this, Hwa Nabi looked at me with a pouty face.

“…Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Let’s stop talking about me. What about you?”

“Huh? What about me?”

“I shared my story, so it’s only fair you share yours too. What’s your dream?”

“Well, I haven’t really thought deeply about it.”

There have been various discussions at home, but my family isn’t that rigid.

As long as I don’t cause any major trouble, they’ll probably respect my opinion, but nothing has been decided for sure yet.

If I say I want to study business, they’ll push me in that direction, and if I want to do something else, they’ll support that too.

The engagement is… well, a separate issue from my career path.

“If nothing special happens, I’ll probably go to university based on my grades. After resolving the military service issue, I’ll return to school, graduate, and then…”

“Yes, and then?”

“And then… I guess I’ll get married.”

It only felt vague before, but as I lay it out step by step, it suddenly becomes real. If nothing unusual happens, things will likely go as I’ve described.

Feeling a bit embarrassed, I deliberately omitted the subject when I mumbled. At that, Hwa Nabi’s face turned bright red.

“…M-marriage.”

“Yeah, if you have nothing else to do later, you could just be my wife. No, just come work for me.”

A life where Hwa Nabi greets me wearing an apron when I return home from work… That doesn’t sound too bad either.

I couldn’t help but smile at the thought. Hwa Nabi, who had been glaring at me, tapped my shoulder.

“W-what are you suddenly saying? And that’s not even a proper job!”

“What are you talking about? Do you know how lonely it is to live alone? When you come home exhausted from work and there’s no one there, it feels like there’s a hole in your heart.”

“…Why do you sound like you’ve lived alone before? Have you ever lived by yourself?”

“…Ah, we’re here. This is the place, right?”

“Siwoo, you’re not answering me?”

“It’s not that important. Just let it go.”

“No, how is this not important!”

*

We entered the dessert shop while still bickering.

“Welcome. Do you have a reservation?”

When I mentioned that I had a reservation for 5:30 under the name Han Siwoo, the part-timer checked the list and guided us to our seats.

Hwa Nabi sat with her back to the terrace, and I took a seat facing her.

“…Ah. Siwoo, what would you like to eat?”

Hwa Nabi, who had been looking at the sweet foods filling the display case, asked me. Just a moment ago she had been sulking and nagging, but now her expression was completely relaxed. She seemed to be in a good mood at the sight of sweet foods.

“Don’t worry about me, eat whatever you want.”

“Um… is that really okay?”

“Yeah, I’m full. I’ll just eat a little bit.”

After I said that, Hwa Nabi excitedly stood up and approached the display case. I watched her pick up tongs and a tray, then turned my gaze to survey the interior of the dessert shop.

Perhaps because it’s near our school, I can see several students wearing Chungha Highschool uniforms. Judging by their unfamiliar faces, they seem to be students from other classes. Besides them, there are a few young couples.

Indeed, dessert shops are places for couples or groups of women? As I was thinking about this and looking around again… at that moment, my eyes met with a familiar face.

“…Oh.”

“…”

…Why is she here? Jinhee seemed to have the same thought, as she also had an “Oh?” expression on her face.

Judging by the fact that all her companions were female, it seems she came with her friends, which makes it a bit awkward to acknowledge each other.

Feeling uncomfortable, I turned my gaze to the side and saw Hwa Nabi walking back with a tray full of sweet foods.

-Thud.

The tray made a heavy sound as she set it down. Just looking at the cake slices alone, there were five or six pieces. Just seeing it all makes my head spin.

“Are you going to eat all this by yourself?”

“Of course not, you’ll eat with me.”

“…I can’t eat this much.”

“C-come on, stop complaining. Try it quickly.”

When she offers it with such a happy face, I can’t refuse, but what should I do? If I eat it, I’ll probably get a headache, but if I don’t, it would be disrespectful to her sincerity.

As I hesitated to pick up the fork, Hwa Nabi nodded knowingly and pierced a piece of cake with her fork.

“Ah, I get it. You want me to do that, right?”

And then.

“Here you go, Siwoo. Aaahn.”

With a slight blush on her cheeks, she leaned her upper body toward me and extended the fork with the piece of cake.

“…What are you doing?”

“What do you mean? I’m feeding you directly. Isn’t this what you wanted?”

I didn’t want this… but her face looked too happy to say so.

“…”

At a loss for words, I just stared at her fingers. She was literally holding the fork to my mouth, trying to feed me directly.

At this point, refusing would be harder.

“Siwoo, my arm is getting tired. Hurry up and say aaahn!”

Ah… whatever. I closed my eyes tight and opened my mouth to accept the cake she was offering.

“Heh, how is it? Delicious, right?”

“…Well, it is tasty.”

The problem is that my head will start hurting soon. Satisfied with my response, Hwa Nabi pierced another piece of cake with her fork and brought it to her own mouth.

One piece, two pieces.

After four pieces of cake disappeared into Hwa Nabi’s mouth, a happy smile appeared on her face.

“Wow… this is really delicious. Siwoo, would you like some more?”

“No thanks, you eat it.”

Does she like sweet foods that much? Seeing her happy makes me feel good too.

After giving a casual response, I rested my chin on my hand and looked at Hwa Nabi. Perhaps because she was so focused on eating, she had something like whipped cream stuck to her left cheek.

“Are you saving what’s on your cheek for dinner?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Here, you have whipped cream on your cheek.”

Since she seemed completely unaware, I reached out and wiped it off myself.

She seems to know it’s embarrassing, as her cheeks turned slightly red.

“Oh… oh, you’re right. Just a moment, let me get you a tissue.”

“It’s fine.”

Getting a tissue would mean going all the way to the counter, and that’s too much trouble. I put my finger with the whipped cream into my mouth.

“S-Siwoo! Why are you eating that?!”

“Why are you so surprised?”

It’s indeed stimulating how sweet it is. I smacked my lips to get rid of the sweetness lingering on the tip of my tongue. Watching me, Hwa Nabi’s cheeks turned even redder.

“You could have just wiped it off. W-why did you eat it?!”

“It’s not dirty or anything, so I might as well eat it. Why bother wiping it off?”

“…Argh. Don’t ever do that again. Understood?”

“I can’t promise that.”

“Siwoo… are you deliberately being mischievous now?”

“Why would I be mischievous to you? It’s not like that, so eat this and calm down.”

I picked up a fork and pierced one of the remaining pieces of cake that was my share. Then I held it out to her mouth.

“Here, say ah.”

“Y-you want me to eat it?”

“Yeah. You did it for me, so this is only fair, right?”

“Y-you don’t have to do this…”

“My arm is getting tired. Come on, say ah.”

“…Alright.”

After my insistence, she finally opened her mouth obediently and ate it.

Munch, munch. Unlike just before when she wasn’t conscious of me at all, this time she covers her mouth and eats the cake with the most proper gestures.

“Now you look cute.”

“…Y-you’re doing it again. Could you please not say such things when someone is eating?”

“What can I do if you’re cute? Then be less cute.”

“…This guy, really!”