Chapter 108: Small Hobbies, Part 2

Hayoon recalled the soft sensation that had touched her lips.

After searching online, she found that cheek kisses were quite common in graduation selfies between girls, so she put it into action.

Of course, a slight touch of lips on the cheek wouldn’t evoke any pleasure.

However…

“Look at that delicious reaction.”

Choi Arin, collapsing with weak knees from a mere touch of lips on her cheek, was quite cute.

Hayoon decided to tease her like this more often, chuckling as she ran up the stairs.

After Choi Arin, it was naturally Hong Seo-hyun’s turn.

It would be difficult to take selfies with each of them individually if they were together, so Hayoon asked Hong Seo-hyun to wait for her at the entrance of the auditorium.

In short, after Hayoon thoroughly teased Choi Arin in the gym, she would naturally be in position to approach Hong Seo-hyun from behind.

“Gotcha.”

“Wh-Who is it…?”

“Who do you think?”

Hayoon grinned and hugged Hong Seo-hyun from behind.

Then, she presented the bouquet of lilies in front of Hong Seo-hyun’s chest.

“Wh-What… Did you really buy flowers?”

“Did you think I’d buy fake flowers? I even got asked to buy them, how could I not?”

“Hehe… Thank you…”

Even though she was expecting it, Hong Seo-hyun hadn’t expected Hayoon to actually bring a bouquet, and her face flushed bright red as she received the gift.

Her eyes softened as if filled with happiness, and Hayoon…

–Click.

Captured that moment with her camera.

“Why, why did you take a picture like that?”

“You seemed happy, so I took it.”

“Come to the side, to the side.”

Apparently, Hong Seo-hyun didn’t like the awkward pose and gestured for Hayoon to move to her side.

Hayoon complied.

“V.”

“V.”

They made V signs.

“Poke.”

“Eek…”

Hayoon poked Hong Seo-hyun’s cheek playfully as they took pictures, showcasing their feminine charm.

After about ten minutes of taking pictures in a cheerful atmosphere, the moment arrived.

There were hardly any people around, and no one was looking their way.

Taking this opportunity, Hayoon lightly…

Touched her lips to Hong Seo-hyun’s cheek.

–Click.

And took a picture.

“Huh…?”

Hong Seo-hyun stared blankly at Hayoon.

It was a different reaction from Choi Arin, whose legs gave way immediately.

She seemed to feel a slight embarrassment, as if something inappropriate had happened, but beyond that embarrassment, there seemed to be a strange flutter…

‘Ah, the reaction is delicious.’

This reaction was delicious in its own way.

While Choi Arin’s reaction was flustered and helpless, Hong Seo-hyun’s reaction was more contemplative, as if she was wondering how to reciprocate, yet not entirely displeased, preventing any urge to retaliate.

To retaliate, she would have to kiss Hayoon’s cheek in return, but she probably didn’t have the courage to do so.

Anyway…

“Y-You…”

“A present. Hehe.”

Hong Seo-hyun just pointed at Hayoon, speechless.

“What? Do you want me to bite it?”

“Of course not!”

Hayoon playfully pretended to bite Hong Seo-hyun’s finger, and Hong Seo-hyun carefully pulled her finger away, making sure Hayoon didn’t hurt her teeth.

“Y-You, really…”

They were so close that their lips would touch if either of them took a step closer…

“Don’t do this, what if someone sees us…!”

“So, if no one sees us, it’s okay?”

“Eek…”

Hong Seo-hyun felt her temperature rising as she looked at Hayoon, who retorted tit for tat.

She couldn’t tell Hayoon to stop, as she didn’t entirely dislike their occasional skinship…

If she told Hayoon to stop completely, this subtle closeness might disappear…

While she was at a loss for words…

“Let’s stop by the club room one last time before going home. It’s really the last time. I’ll go ahead.”

“Hey, wait…!”

Hayoon left first, taking away Hong Seo-hyun’s chance to speak.

“Ugh…”

Well, what else could she do?

She had to go to the club room.

It was the last time, after all…

However, as a small act of defiance against Hayoon, she decided to follow a bit slowly.

Choi Arin exited through the rarely used gym entrance and went to the club room.

“Hmm… Hmm…”

Tap.

Tap.

She hummed, raising and lowering her heels in front of the full-length mirror attached to the club room wall.

‘I’ll go give Hong Seo-hyun her flowers now. See you later in the club room.’

She also recalled Hayoon’s words.

“Saying she’s going to give flowers to Hong Seo-hyun is a matter of fairness…”

Wasn’t ‘See you later in the club room’ a kind of signal?

“Well, if you think about it…”

Hayoon enjoyed touching and playing with Choi Arin’s body, perhaps a bit too much.

Still, it was just barely acceptable.

Choi Arin herself had tried to touch Hayoon’s body before, so she’d let it slide, but…

Usually, there’s a motive behind actions.

So, let’s assume the skinship so far was a kind of tactile play…

She could somehow tolerate that…

“But the cheek is a bit different, isn’t it?”

It wasn’t just a lighthearted prank like calling from behind and poking with a finger. It was lips.

Lips.

The contact between lips and cheek.

So, putting aside the fact that two women were involved in this Confucian Korean society, two unmarried virgins touching cheeks and lips… that meant…

“There has to be… affection… right?”

Not just platonic affection, but romantic affection.

Otherwise, there would be no reason to attempt such skinship.

“Hmm, hmm…”

Tap.

Tap.

She hummed meaninglessly, bouncing on her heels.

“Besides, she gave me flowers on graduation day, she gave a cheek kiss to the person she gave flowers to, and she even asked me to wait in the club room…”

Her imagination ran wild.

She hadn’t dated before, but Hayoon was pretty, affectionate, rich, cute like a school junior, yet also assertive like a company president…

“Even if it’s between girls… it’s okay…?”

For now, she thought so.

Well, she could refuse depending on the confession, unless it was incredibly insensitive.

“Starting a relationship on graduation day is kind of romantic… Yes, yes.”

She would accept a confession, even if it was just because of the mood!

A relationship starting today!

Something like that.

“Hmm, hehe…”

The corners of her lips twitched.

She had received confessions in middle and high school, but she rejected them all because the boys only seemed interested in her face and chest.

But to be confessed to on her high school graduation day, not by a boy, but by a girl…

“It means I’m attractive to both men and women, right? Nice…”

It felt like validation.

Choi Arin craved validation.

And she achieved a double crown, being acknowledged by both genders…

“Heheh, hihi…”

Her twitching lips gradually turned into a clear smile.

Oh dear.

She shouldn’t show that she was ready to accept even before the confession.

She couldn’t control her expression, what should she do?

As Choi Arin was thinking this…

“Oh, you’re here. I was wondering if you were inside.”

Hayoon entered the club room, her usual cheerful self.

“Hayooon!”

In the end, Choi Arin gave up on acting composed.

Instead, she embraced Hayoon with a bright smile and acted coyly.

“I was waiting.”

The sweet, almost saccharine tone in her voice was an added bonus.

Of course, Hayoon was just bewildered.

Today…

Since it was truly the last time, she had planned to take pictures in the club room, calling Do Jin-ho and Hong Seo-hyun to take group selfies…

‘What’s wrong with her…?’

Hayoon, habitually flirting, didn’t realize her actions today could be seen as leading up to a confession. She was simply confused by Choi Arin, who had her arm around Hayoon’s neck, subtly hinting at a kiss.

‘Well, I don’t mind…’

She didn’t dislike physical contact with girls.

So, she hugged Choi Arin back and patted her.

Of course, what Choi Arin wanted wasn’t a hug, but a sweet, relationship-declaring kiss.

‘Hmm… is she shy because she’s about to do it? Well, it’s not like we do relationship-declaring kisses often, and we’re both girls, so maybe she’s not sure… Yeah, let’s just hug like usual, talk a bit, and build up the mood…’

Choi Arin was a bit flustered because she wasn’t getting what she wanted.

This, this wasn’t right…

Why was this happening?

Such thoughts filled her mind, and as she was feeling a strange mix of emotions…

“Oh, the door’s open. Are you in here?”

Suddenly, the voice of an uninvited guest rang out.

“Ah…!”

As if realizing something…

Choi Arin pulled away from Hayoon.

And the very next moment…

“Hey, hi. Long time no see.”

Do Jin-ho entered…

“Hng…”

Choi Arin collapsed onto the floor of the club room.

She was disappointed.

She thought it was the perfect moment for a confession…

She even thought of what to say after accepting…

She didn’t expect it to turn out like this…

“Hmm… Ah…”

Hong Seo-hyun, who had been harboring similar thoughts, entered, fiddling with her bangs, wondering if there might be a chance, even though it was unlikely.

Upon seeing Do Jin-ho and Choi Arin, her body froze stiff.

“Wow, everyone’s here. Let’s take a picture!”

Hayoon’s karmic debt was accumulating.