Ch.7171. This is Why Games are Dangerous

# One Week Before the Festival

After classes, during after-school hours.

I became part of the festival operations team because I actively shared my opinions, and Hwa Nabi, who followed me, was walking with me down the fourth-floor corridor.

The reason was simple. We needed to check the inventory and traffic flow of an empty classroom at the end of the hall. Since we’d be using that space during the festival, we were doing preliminary inspections.

“It’s really noisy.”

The sounds of excited first-years using the second floor reached all the way up here, two floors above. Kids were always loud, but during festival preparation time, it was practically at screaming levels.

“Maybe they’re enjoying the festival preparations?”

Hwa Nabi, walking close beside me, offered a comment. I was scanning through the list of items we needed to check and responded casually.

“What’s enjoyable about it? It’s a total hassle.”

The operations team’s main job was behind-the-scenes festival work. More specifically, personnel distribution, traffic flow checks, and procuring missing supplies.

We might be called the operations team, but we were essentially the odd-jobs team. Still, this work was surprisingly important—things would fall apart without it.

“For someone who claims it’s a hassle, you’ve been working really hard.”

“Well, that’s just natural.”

Something being annoying and doing my job are two different things. Would it be right to abandon my responsibilities just because they’re bothersome? Even if it wasn’t my intention to take on this role, since I’ve been assigned to it, I should give it my all.

With that mindset, we arrived at our destination. Standing at the back door of an unused classroom on the fourth floor, I opened the door without hesitation.

*Slide*

“Wow.”

As I pushed the sliding door open and stepped inside, I couldn’t help but exclaim.

Not from admiration, but from irritation.

“Why is it so filthy in here?”

My brow furrowed automatically at the sight of various supplies scattered everywhere, out of place. Even for an unused classroom, this seemed excessive.

“Looks like we’ll need to clean the classroom first if we’re going to use it for the festival.”

“I guess so.”

To think the classroom we were assigned to use freely would be this dirty. Just thinking about cleaning it all made me sigh deeply.

“Well, don’t get too upset. I’ll help you.”

“I appreciate the thought, but doesn’t the kitchen team need preparation too?”

I asked because, being on the operations team, I wasn’t familiar with how other teams functioned. Hwa Nabi dismissed my concern lightly.

“Oh, the kitchen team’s preparations were finished ages ago. So don’t worry about it.”

“Huh? The preparations are already done?”

“Yes, the kitchen team doesn’t really have much to prepare, right? Whatever we do, we just need to cook well on the day.”

“Ah… that’s true.”

It would be a problem if she couldn’t cook well, but Hwa Nabi was a good cook, so there was no need to worry about that.

“Then, if you don’t mind, could I get some help? I think it’ll be too much for me to clean alone.”

“Heh, alright. I’ll help you.”

Hwa Nabi grinned and patted my shoulder. It was a gesture that seemed to say “just rely on me,” and it was reassuring to have such a dependable girl in situations like this.

“Great, let’s start by organizing things.”

Even daunting cleaning tasks have their techniques. My preferred method is to clear away the larger items first, then bundle the smaller things together. This reduces cleaning paths and saves energy.

Unusable items go in the general trash, and necessary supplies go back in their proper places. Organizing things this way quickly made the classroom look neat.

“Just need to throw this away.”

All that remained was disposing of the last garbage bag. As I was tying it up, eager to finish and rest, Hwa Nabi, who had been watching from the side, asked me:

“Siwoo, do you remember that?”

“Remember what?”

Wondering what she meant, I turned around to find her gaze shifting from my face to somewhere else.

Her eyes were fixed on the bookshelf attached to the classroom wall.

After looking at it briefly, I suddenly realized.

“…Ah.”

Could this classroom be the one we cleaned before? She nodded when I silently questioned with my eyes.

“Yes, this is the classroom you and I cleaned together. Remember?”

“Ah, right. Now that you mention it, I do remember.”

The slightly broken edge of the bookshelf confirmed it was indeed that place. You know, the classroom where Hwa Nabi almost caused a big problem with her mischief.

But I thought it was supposed to be used for practical classes back then, so why was it abandoned like this? Well, the details weren’t really my business.

*Tight*, I finished tying the garbage bag and stood up. As I approached the sink to wash my hands, I noticed her looking at me strangely.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

Saying it’s nothing only makes me more curious. After drying my hands with a towel, I walked over and sat down beside her.

She was sitting on the desk and, as if she’d been waiting for this moment, leaned her body against my shoulder.

“What were you thinking about?”

“Hmm… about you?”

“Well, I figured that much.”

Since she was looking at me, naturally her thoughts would be related to me. I gently stroked the back of her hand on her knee with my index finger and asked:

“So specifically, what kind of thoughts about me?”

“…Why do you keep asking? I said it’s nothing.”

“If it’s nothing, then you should be able to tell me, right?”

“It’s because it’s nothing that I can’t tell you.”

That’s the complete opposite of my way of thinking. I gently tickled the back of her hand while pondering.

Once I knew she was thinking about me, it was impossible to just let it go. I’m quite curious by nature.

But if I asked directly, she probably wouldn’t answer. So I chose a flanking approach—start a conversation on a different topic, then casually slip in my question.

“What’s that in your pocket?”

But I was genuinely curious about this. Throughout our cleaning, I’d been distracted by something in Hwa Nabi’s skirt pocket. Judging by its rectangular shape, it wasn’t an ordinary item.

Maybe a wallet? In response to my question, Hwa Nabi reached into her pocket.

“Oh, this? It’s a snack our homeroom teacher gave us for working hard on festival preparations.”

“A snack?”

Looking closely, it really was a snack. The object in Hwa Nabi’s hand was a rectangular snack box. More specifically, it was that famous snack people exchange every November 11th.

…But that’s not important. While I was lost in unnecessary thoughts, Hwa Nabi opened the snack package.

The stick-shaped snacks were coated with chocolate on all sides except the handle, looking incredibly sweet even from just a glance. Hwa Nabi picked up one piece with her hand.

“Seems like something you’d really like.”

“Yes, doesn’t it look delicious?”

“Sure, go ahead and eat. We’re done cleaning.”

“Come on, how could I eat alone? I should share with you.”

“I’m fine…”

Obviously, to speak, one must open their mouth. And Hwa Nabi took that opportunity to pop a chocolate stick into my mouth.

*Snap*, a crisp breaking sound accompanied the sweet taste spreading in my mouth.

“…wha are you doing?”

“How is it? Delicious, right?”

*Gulp*, after chewing just a few times, I swallowed and responded.

“Well, it is tasty.”

As long as it’s not too sweet, I don’t mind having one or two. After putting one in my mouth, she put one in her own mouth and made a crunching sound as she chewed.

“Shiwoo, thish ish a new flavor that came out yeshterday.”

“No one’s going to take it from you, so finish eating before you talk.”

*Gulp*, after swallowing the chocolate stick, Hwa Nabi suddenly turned the box around and started reading the description. Glancing from the side, it seemed the confectionery company was running some kind of event.

Couple, Pepero game, proof shot…. While I was skimming these keywords, Hwa Nabi suddenly tapped my shoulder.

“Siwoo, shall we play a game?”

“I don’t mind, but why a game all of a sudden?”

Was she suggesting we play a mobile game or something? When I asked without much thought, Hwa Nabi took out another chocolate stick and gently bit the end of it.

Then she looked at me with a somewhat shy expression.

“…”

Um… is this what I think it is?

You know, that famous game associated with chocolate sticks. The one where both people bite each end of the stick and move forward bit by bit, and whoever pulls away first loses.

“Yesh, Shiwoo. Hurry.”

I couldn’t quite understand what she was mumbling with something in her mouth, but judging by her expression, my guess seemed correct. Realizing what “game” she was referring to, I gulped.

Well… it’s after school, and there doesn’t seem to be anyone passing by, so I guess I can play along to some extent. Despite feeling awkward, I moved my face closer and bit the other end of the stick.

With the snack in our mouths, we exchanged glances.

Trembling pupils, flushed cheeks. Showing adorable shyness, she took a bite of the snack with a crunching sound.

Since Hwa Nabi advanced one step, I followed suit. Seeing me advance, she also took another step forward…

Taking turns like this and eating the snack, soon only about two finger-widths of length remained.

“…”

One more advance from each of us, and our lips would touch. But this turn was hers—we hadn’t explicitly agreed on it, but that was the implicit rule.

*Snap*,

Hwa Nabi advanced without hesitation. Now only one finger-width remained; if we moved any further, our lips would definitely touch regardless of the remaining length of the snack.

According to the game’s purpose, I should give up at this point.

But did I really need to forfeit? We’ve already kissed several times. There’s no reason to be embarrassed about our lips touching slightly now.

With that thought, I wrapped my arm around her waist to prevent her from escaping. Surprised by my sudden approach, Hwa Nabi tried to pull back by moving her hips backward.

But that wasn’t possible. With my arm firmly securing her, I took a tiny bite of the snack, about a span’s worth. Naturally, our lips touched in the process.

Hwa Nabi’s cheeks turned bright red.

“S-Shiwoo?!”

Judging by her reaction, she hadn’t expected me to do this, but it’s impressive that she didn’t drop the snack and still held it with her mouth.

I can’t help but smile even while holding the snack with the tip of my front teeth. Is it because Hwa Nabi glaring at me is so cute? Actually, it doesn’t matter. What I was waiting for was her next move.

If she gives up now, it’s my victory, which is fine; if she doesn’t give up and takes another bite, that’s fine too. I suppressed my pounding heart and waited for her turn.

“Hurry up, my mouth hurts.”

Our faces were so close that our lips brushed slightly as she spoke. Every time our lips touched at the edges, her shoulders twitched. This was cute in its own way.

Finding it difficult to keep her eyes open, Hwa Nabi squeezed them shut. But erasing me from her sight wouldn’t undo what had happened up to that point.

“If you don’t go, I’ll go again.”

My patience was reaching its limit. How could anyone resist when such a lovable girl was waiting with her eyes tightly closed? The game was already secondary. I ate up all the remaining snack and pressed my lips against hers.

“…!”

Hwa Nabi’s waist twitched. With one hand around her waist and the other brushing her hair behind her ear, I soothed her. I could feel her irregular breathing stabilizing.

Mixing increasingly rough breaths, I tasted Hwa Nabi’s lips. The more I savored them, the sweeter they became. The reason her lips were so sweet wasn’t just because of the snack we had just eaten.

“Whew….”

It was quite an effort to continue kissing with the snack in our mouths. After tasting her adequately, I separated our lips and swallowed the rest of the snack.

The way she looked at my Adam’s apple was somewhat concerning.

With dilated pupils and a dazed gaze fixed on me, Hwa Nabi took out another stick snack.

“Um, Siwoo.”

“Yes?”

“…Shall we do one more?”

“…”

…It seems our festival preparations will take a bit longer.