…Have You Been Doing This on Purpose?

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*

The rain stopped.

The sky that had been soaking the ground until just now had cleared up bright and sunny as if it had never rained.

How would our first kiss happen? Since we were dating, it would happen eventually.

Since we had plenty of knowledge(?) but virtually no experience between us,

I couldn’t help but imagine countless scenarios like GPT during our time apart.

One day while on a date, in a place with a good atmosphere?

Or after finishing a date, after walking her to her house, under a streetlight before saying goodbye?

The end of those happy imaginations was always Ye-rin gently closing her eyes and entrusting herself to me, and I…

That’s exactly where it ended.

Why?

Because there was no data after that. Damn it.

But.

ㅡ On the way to school?

I never imagined I would collect data like this.

…Ye-rin’s lips tempted me. I’m innocent.

Making excuses that sounded like something a sex offender would say, we who had ended up having our glorious first kiss unexpectedly are now.

“Ye-rin.”

“…Yes?”

“Brighten up your expression.”

“…But still.”

Ye-rin, who had just been wearing a dreamy expression when we kissed.

Had been pouting her lips since earlier, as if dissatisfied that she had to (?) forcibly lead a wholesome life because of school.

…What is she, a sexually frustrated male student? Shouldn’t I be the one acting like this?

It’s not like I didn’t want to continue…

Just after learning somewhat what a kiss feels like, with Ye-rin even pushing out her lips.

I couldn’t help but keep looking.

I couldn’t help but keep thinking about it.

Honestly, school or whatever, I should just…

But if I acted like that from the first day, one time would become two times. And two times would lead to a future where I’d become a repeater student, whoosh~

So.

“Later.”

“…?”

“…We can do it again later. So, okay?”

Was that natural?

I held out my hand to Ye-rin, promising next time.

Even as I spoke, I felt my face turning bright red, so I unconsciously turned my head slightly.

“We’ll continue later…?”

“…Yes.”

“When…?”

“…Huh?”

Is it by appointment?

I hadn’t thought that far?

I was about to answer that we could do it whenever we wanted, but

ㅡ Hmm, if I say that, we might not make it to school?

The rosy cheeks that were immediately visible if I just lowered my head a little, the pink eyes that still contained me.

I had barely managed to hold back once, but the moment I kissed Ye-rin a second time, I knew I wouldn’t be able to restrain myself, so that answer didn’t seem possible.

“…Later.”

“So when…?”

“…We can do it anytime now.”

“…Tsk.”

Even while making a disgruntled sound at my cowardly answer.

The corners of her mouth, slightly raised, clearly contained satisfaction.

By the way, my outstretched hand from earlier was still without a destination, so.

Just as I was about to withdraw it thinking she wouldn’t take it~

Huh?

Huh???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Soft.

No.

Squishy.

Something, something incredibly soft and squishy touched my arm.

ㅡ Wa…look?

With the size and sensation that involuntarily reminded me of a certain foreign teacher.

When I looked to the side with trembling eyes, Ye-rin was shyly wrapping her arms around mine.

…What do I do.

It’s a natural progression for couples to walk hand in hand.

I was only thinking about holding hands.

Like a vine coiling, wrapping around my arm.

Skipping a step, the overwhelmingly shocking sensation made my heart, close to the source of that sensation, pound as if begging for help.

It wasn’t just me who was embarrassed; Ye-rin, who had linked arms with me, had her earlobes reddened as if she were embarrassed too.

It feels good.

It really, really, really feels good…!

Wondering if we were too close, I tried to slightly pull my arm away, but Ye-rin, as if saying “where do you think you’re going,”

Squeeze-

Pulled my arm, causing it to be buried even deeper than before.

…This is crazy. It’s crazy.

Wondering if I could be this happy from the morning walk to school, I looked at Ye-rin, and found that even she was embarrassed, with her head bowed and shrunk up.

…She’s trying.

I thought we were moving fast, but that wasn’t it.

Just as I had many things I wanted to do during our time apart,

I newly realized that Ye-rin also had many things she wanted to do.

“…This is nice.”

“You like it…?”

“Yes.”

“Then that’s good…”

Ye-rin smiled brightly with satisfaction and wrapped her arms around mine even more.

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she looked up at me and said,

“Come to think of it, oppa, you’ve gotten so much bigger than before…”

“…You too.”

“…I was talking about height.”

“…Me too.”

Damn, did she catch me?

But what can I do when my gaze keeps going down…?

As soon as I heard the word “big,” my eyes unconsciously went toward that place making an incredible presence felt on my arm.

I thought she wouldn’t have noticed since I raised my gaze at the speed of light.

Ye-rin’s glare, as if telling me not to lie, made me break out in a cold sweat.

…Is it really true that women know where their boyfriends’ gazes are directed?

“Do you like big things too, oppa…?”

ㅡ Of course.

“…Are you talking about height?”

“Are you going to keep doing that…?”

Ye-rin squeezed my arm as if scolding me for pretending not to know. …Thank you.

“…I just like everything about you, Ye-rin.”

“So you do like big things?”

To the detective’s conclusion based on sound confidence.

I couldn’t refute it.

“…I suppose you could say that?”

“Yes, I’m glad…”

“…Why?”

Ye-rin smiled brightly, stood on her tiptoes, and whispered in my ear.

“The pajamas you bought me before… they’ve gotten a bit small now…”

“…Already?”

G-reat size has gotten small already? I almost looked down again but barely held back.

However, I did tense my arm a bit.

“Yes, they’re a bit small now…”

“…I’ll have to buy new ones. I’ll get them for you along with other gifts for your next birthday.”

“Hee, I’ll look forward to it…”

…Absolutely. It’s absolutely not because I want to know her size. It just so happens that Ye-rin’s birthday is in two weeks, and it’s ‘common sense’ for a boyfriend to buy pajamas for his girlfriend, right? Mm-hmm.

H…? I…? As I was making private guesses in my head based on the sensation against my arm, Ye-rin spoke as if amazed,

“It’s gotten really firm…?”

“Huh?”

ㅡ How did she know?

I unconsciously squeezed my legs together.

“It wasn’t like this before…”

“Wait. Wait, wait, Ye-rin. That’s not right. Though it is true that it’s firmer now, even before it was this…”

“You can really tell you’ve been working out now…”

Ye-rin made an “oh” sound, her mouth forming a circle, and poked my bicep.

“…Have you been doing this on purpose?”

I unconsciously rubbed my face.

“…? Doing what…?”

Ah.

I was the crazy one.

Trash belongs in the trash can.

When Ye-rin tilted her head and looked at me with innocent eyes, I wanted to disappear into a trash can right away.

“…Nothing. I’ve been consistently working out, if nothing else. I’m glad it shows.”

“Yes, it’s cool…”

“Do you prefer that I’ve worked out?”

Ye-rin smiled playfully.

“I like everything about oppa too…”

“…So you prefer the worked-out look.”

“Yes, that’s right…”

So this is how it feels?

Being in the detective’s position, I understood why Ye-rin had spoken so confidently earlier.

It’s a feeling. Today’s routine was supposed to be light exercise, but I decided to completely destroy my muscles.

“Oppa.”

“Yes?”

“Um…”

Ye-rin seemed hesitant to speak, opening and closing her mouth repeatedly.

…What is it?

Rather than something serious to continue with, her flustered behavior seemed like a reaction when she’s embarrassed.

Soon, Ye-rin fluttered her eyelashes and opened her mouth.

“Then do you… have abs too…?”

“…Abs?”

“Y-yes…”

“You’re asking if I have a 王 on my stomach?”

“…”

Seeing Ye-rin nodding shyly, I couldn’t help it.

I couldn’t hold back from bursting into laughter.

“Why, why are you laughing…!”

“Hehe, ah, sorry, sorry… ahem. Ah, I really didn’t think you’d ask that. Do you like that kind of thing too?”

“W-what do you mean ‘that kind of thing’… I can just be curious…”

Ye-rin’s eyes had now deepened beyond what could be called cherry blossom petals.

She threw light punches at my arm as if telling me to stop teasing her, but.

That only made the smile on my face more intense.

“Would you like it if I had them?”

“…”

Once again, Ye-rin nodded.

Even though she was embarrassed like this, she didn’t hide her feelings. That was just like Ye-rin.

“Of course I have them. Very clearly.”

“…”

Though she didn’t say anything, her eyes looking at my stomach were filled with anticipation.

“Want to touch them?”

Ah, Se-ah, how many moves ahead did you see…!

If it were now, I could bring water to Han Se-ah, who encouraged me to exercise when I was young, multiple times at the mere utterance of “water.”

Thanks to that, I was confident about my body if nothing else, so I spoke confidently.

Contrary to my expectation, Ye-rin shook her head.

“Why?”

What’s this? Is it enough just to have them?

I thought she would definitely want to touch them.

As I stood still, confused, Ye-rin gestured for me to come closer, so I lowered my head.

Then, Ye-rin whispered softly in my ear.

“Not here…”

“Huh?”

“There are too many people now… later when we’re alone…”

After saying “Okay…?” Ye-rin left a cute kiss on my ear with a chu- sound.

Then she quickly moved away from my ear. Of course, still keeping her arm linked with mine, just her head away.

But even with her head turned away, her bright red ear visible through her soft hair told me how she felt.

…So it wasn’t that she didn’t want to touch.

My girlfriend.

She didn’t want to ‘just’ touch.