Chapter 109: Again, Deviation (1)

I opened my eyes to the streams of light forcing their way through my eyelids.

Through my blurry vision, I saw sunlight shining through the curtains.

So this was the culprit who ruined my long-awaited deep sleep. I’d been immersed in such a sweet dream. Part of me even wanted to complain and demand it back.

With these thoughts, as I glared at the sun beyond the curtains, I felt movement against my chest.

Looking down, I found my girlfriend soundly asleep, wearing my clothes.

So-yul, nestled completely in my arms, emitting gentle breathing sounds with a pure smile on her lips.

Well, a sweet reality was probably better than a sweet dream anyway.

I silently smiled and gently stroked So-yul’s back.

Perhaps tickled by the unexpected touch, So-yul grumbled, “Mmmm,” and clung even more tightly to my chest.

At the ticklish sensation of her nestling against me, the corners of my mouth couldn’t help but curl upward.

To think I’d finally become one with such a cute and adorable girlfriend.

The moment I realized this, a feeling resembling elation filled my chest. Courage welled up, making me feel like anything was possible, and I also felt determined to cherish her for a lifetime.

Of course, I felt a sense of responsibility that I was the only one who could protect such a small and fragile being.

The first step toward that would be resolving the issue with So-yul’s mother.

I glanced out the window again.

Beyond the curtains, bright morning sunlight was pouring down.

In other words… it had been exactly a day since So-yul came here.

After our blissful first kiss, when we slowly separated our lips, So-yul’s face was flushed bright red, and she was crying.

Those tears weren’t of sadness or regret, but of joy at finally releasing emotions she had suppressed so tightly.

So-yul, continuously emitting whimpering breaths as if she’d missed the timing to breathe.

Her slightly trembling lips seemed to demand the vanished sensation again. Her slightly unfocused eyes appeared almost seductive.

With her cheeks and ears completely flushed, sending me a moist gaze, my heart raced wildly as if it might explode.

“…So-yul.”

“…Uh.”

Even though I had only called her name, So-yul startled, her shoulders jumping.

I couldn’t tell if she was worried or anticipating what would follow.

“U-umm…”

Eventually, So-yul responded in a faint voice tinged with shallow breaths.

After embracing her suddenly, I kissed her ears, which had turned hot, and whispered:

“You’re so lovely I can’t stand it. What should I do?”

“…”

No verbal response came to this.

Only the heated breath nestling against my chest… conveyed So-yul’s feelings.

Afterward, we acted as our bodies and hearts directed.

The sorrowful, poignant emotions that had accumulated during our separation transformed into an urgent longing for each other.

Instinct, rather than reason, taught us what the other wanted, how to please each other.

When it was painful, we waited for the pain to subside. When there was joy, we savored that sensation over and over.

Every point of contact burned hot, melting endlessly, making us worry we might fly away together like this.

Each time the person I loved responded to my touch, my movements, an exhilarating joy filled my entire body enough to raise goosebumps.

Though we were clumsy and awkward… that made it an even happier and more loving time.

Even as I was intoxicated with this joy, my phone rang incessantly.

Friends who had seen the interview and learned about our situation. Teachers who contacted us after realizing So-yul was missing. Juho and that UNKNOWN person who knew our circumstances well. Contacts were pouring in from everywhere.

Though there were people I didn’t want to worry, I’m sorry to say that right now, I only wanted to look at So-yul.

Since they were all unwelcome guests anyway, I decided to turn off my phone completely after a while.

What happened after that is a blur in my memory.

Having released emotions we had held back for so long, we were exhausted and must have bathed together.

Since So-yul had secretly run away with no change of clothes, I told her to pick and wear whatever she wanted from mine after bathing.

For reference, So-yul’s chosen outfit was a thick hoodie and thin pajama bottoms.

As I always felt, there was something heart-stirring about a girlfriend wearing my clothes.

When I held So-yul and tried to sleep, it was only around evening. This meant we both slept for a full 12 hours straight.

I suppose both So-yul and I were completely drained to the point of exhaustion.

“Mmm…”

After a while, a voice resembling sleep talking leaked from within my arms.

Perhaps due to my caressing various parts of her body since earlier, So-yul seemed to be gradually waking from sleep.

Well, we couldn’t stay asleep like this forever, peacefully. It was probably better to wake up now.

Actually, wouldn’t So-yul’s mother arrive here soon?

It was strange that she hadn’t shown up yet. So-yul’s whereabouts were pretty much certain. If she had seen the interview, she could have easily deduced it.

Could it be that she truly didn’t think So-yul would actually abandon everything and come to meet me?

Or did she leave us this day, like an ultimatum, so So-yul could have a chance to change her mind and return?

Whichever was right… it seemed our timeout was approaching.

“…Hmm.”

Eventually, a sweet voice, as if still lingering with yesterday’s afterglow, escaped from my arms.

Looking down, So-yul was gazing up at me with half-open eyes.

Perhaps slow to grasp the situation due to sleepiness, So-yul simply stared blankly at me for a long time even after our eyes met.

It took quite a while before So-yul’s beautiful eyes opened wide.

“…You, why are you, here.”

Mumbling unintelligible words as if not fully awake, So-yul soon bit her lip with an “Umph.”

As she curled up her body tightly, she looked considerably uncomfortable.

Though it wasn’t due to cold, there was only one thing I could do right now.

I carefully embraced So-yul’s fragile body and simply stroked her back slowly.

So-yul, who had been trembling, gradually regained composure with each touch of my hand.

Gently kissing her soft cheek, I asked quietly:

“Are you okay?”

To my question, So-yul replied in a somewhat cracked voice:

“…Do I look okay?”

Seeing her respond so directly, she seemed to be alright.

“I’m sorry. I was wrong.”

“Hmm, what did you do wrong?”

“I heard that’s the number one question women hate hearing from their boyfriends.”

“The number one answer men hate hearing is probably what you just said.”

I suppose that’s true. I closed my mouth in a show of repentance, and So-yul burst into playful laughter.

“I’m joking. Why are you suddenly apologizing? …It’s not like you did it all on your own anyway.”

“Then you must have secretly wanted it too, ow ow ow.”

I was just trying to tease her slightly, but my side was immediately pinched.

Her puffed-up cheeks as she looked up at me seemed quite upset.

Nothing to be done about it. This time, I held So-yul’s entire body tightly to convey my sincere apology.

True to being a girlfriend who enjoyed being embraced, a relaxed smile soon appeared on So-yul’s lips.

Just hearing her tone, she didn’t seem particularly welcoming. This made me feel like I was dealing with an aloof cat that approaches and withdraws as it pleases.

Though it would certainly be happy to just roll around like this…

“So-yul.”

“What?”

When I called her name, So-yul tilted her head and responded.

Her voice still carried traces of laughter. Her rose-tinted cheeks seemed to reveal great joy.

To confess reality to a girlfriend so immersed in happiness—what a cruel world this was.

“Soon, won’t your mother come looking for you?”

I blurted out the words abruptly and deliberately avoided her gaze.

This was So-yul, who didn’t know what to do with the joy of being with me. I thought the fall would be that much greater.

I even worried she might get angry, asking why I had to bring up such unnecessary things.

But So-yul:

“Yes. So?”

She immediately questioned back as if not particularly concerned.

Her tone was so nonchalant it made me, the one who had asked, feel perplexed.

“No, when your mother comes, she’ll try to take you away. Wouldn’t that make everything the same again? I don’t want us to break up again…”

“Pft, what? My boyfriend suddenly became so honest and cute.”

“I was always honest. As for being cute, that’s secondary.”

I rarely lied to So-yul unless the situation absolutely required it. Even if I wasn’t cute, at least I had been honest.

…But So-yul completely ignored this rebuttal and:

“That’s right, that’s right. You’re cute, so cute.”

She stretched out her arms, patted my head lightly, and smiled brightly.

Though it felt good to receive the same actions I usually gave her, our temperature difference seemed extreme no matter how I looked at it.

Detecting this dissatisfaction, So-yul let out a “hihi” laugh and nestled her face against my chest again.

Then, with her lips placed near my heart, she whispered very softly:

“Right. So… shouldn’t we spend our time happily together, just the two of us, at least until my mother comes?”

The words So-yul offered next were truly irrefutable.

Indeed, that was true.

There was no point in worrying now. I had known since suggesting we escape school that we couldn’t run forever. It was only a matter of time until So-yul’s mother showed up.

So at the very least, until then, it would be better to set aside unnecessary worries and focus only on each other.

This was our time of deviation, granted to me and So-yul.

We couldn’t allow anyone to intrude carelessly.

“Okay.”

Agreeing with So-yul’s words, I nodded gently.

To this, So-yul also smiled with a satisfied expression.

After a moment, So-yul leaned her body closer to me and:

“Then… please let me sleep a little longer like this.”

Whispering these words faintly, she gently kissed my neck.

Well, considering So-yul’s physical condition, it would be difficult to do anything special.

Besides, just holding her like this made my chest tingle so much it was hard to endure. Who knew when we’d have another chance to spend such a leisurely time together.

There could be nothing happier in the world than savoring this feeling right now.

I’m not sure why she suddenly used formal speech, but, well, this also had its own unique charm, so I decided not to question it.

“Alright. Sleep well, So-yul.”

I said this while gently stroking her hair and smiling softly.

Then So-yul, in an extremely shy voice:

“…Yes. Sleep well too, boyfriend.”

With these words, she gently closed her eyelids.

The smile that bloomed on her lips clearly revealed So-yul’s joyful heart.

In this way, early in the morning, we once again embarked on a journey to dreamland.

The sweet dream… seemed to want to continue a little longer.

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That’s it guys! Thanks for reading. Hope to see you guys soon. Join the discord if you can and say hi!

– raei (￣ー￣)ゞ