Chapter 82: How to Appease Your Girlfriend

“I’m scheduled to perform a charity concert with the orchestra club members at the end of November.”

Saturday morning. One of the few times of freedom granted to us.

So-yul, seated on the piano room chair, turned to me with this announcement.

Outside, autumn was in full swing. In a few days, midterm exams would arrive too. For an event scheduled in November, it was indeed time to start preparations.

But a charity concert? What exactly was this event?

“A charity concert?”

“Yes. We’ll invite children from the area, perform for them, and collect donations from guests for a good cause.”

Ah, that kind of event.

This school received substantial government funding. Though it was unclear where all that money went, the school certainly had an obligation to at least pretend to give back to the nation.

In fact, the academic track often held events teaching children. They were 100% for show, one-time affairs, but still.

“That’s a good thing you’re doing.”

When I complimented her with a smile, So-yul smiled shyly and said:

“Participating in a good cause is part of it… but actually, since I grew up with piano from childhood, I want to show these kids how joyful an instrument piano can be.”

“Really?”

“Yes. So I’m going to give it my all. I want them to think ‘I want to be a pianist too!’ when they see me.”

So-yul smiled brightly as she confirmed her determination.

Her elongated eye corners showed genuine delight. It was heartwarming just watching her.

She became this happy just talking about piano.

She even wanted to share the excellence of piano with others.

Yet even her parents, who should be closest to her, were desperately trying to break her will. What an irony.

So-yul continued her explanation.

“The orchestra club teacher suggested it. Plus, they’re preparing big this time. A broadcasting station will be covering it, and they’ll even film a short interview with me.”

Oh. This was something I couldn’t easily dismiss.

“I don’t know. I’d rather you didn’t do a TV interview.”

“Huh? Why?”

Perhaps surprised by my unexpected opposition, So-yul opened her mouth in a round O and tilted her head.

She looked genuinely puzzled. Her blinking eyes conveyed her bewilderment as she stared at me.

Of course, as her boyfriend, I had reservations.

I answered with my complicated feelings.

“Naturally. If my girlfriend becomes nationally popular, it’ll be harder for me to protect you.”

“…Really, I thought you were serious for a moment.”

When I made this joke in the midst of our serious conversation, So-yul burst into laughter as if she found it ridiculous.

Well, it wasn’t entirely a joke. It would be troublesome if So-yul became more popular than she already was. After all, there was no guarantee that I was the most charming man in the world.

Even at our school, I was already constantly worried about all the guys who liked her. If her charm became known nationwide, I might not be able to sleep at all.

But So-yul’s thinking seemed a bit different.

“You don’t need to worry about that… because there’s no man in this world as wonderful as you.”

She blushed while saying this, delivering each word with sincerity despite her shyness.

Though her face held a hint of a smile, she didn’t seem to be saying something she didn’t mean.

“Really?”

“Yes. Really.”

When I briefly questioned her, So-yul nodded vigorously and said:

“You play along when I’m bored and teasing you. You say sweet things in romantic moments. And when I’m struggling, you stand firm and support me. How could there be a man more wonderful than you?”

She let out an embarrassed laugh along with these adorable words.

A sincere expression of affection from the girlfriend I loved.

Warmth spread through my chest. My heart pounded wildly. My blood felt hot, spreading throughout my body.

How could my girlfriend be this lovable?

My whole body tingled from the excitement. My lips curved upward involuntarily from the joy that was hard to contain.

I wanted to say something, but I didn’t even know how to express my current emotions.

And in moments like these… I always ended up making unnecessary jokes.

Whenever I heard sweet talk, I had a habit of deflecting with humor. I knew it wasn’t good, but I couldn’t help it because I felt embarrassed.

“What if the kids see you perform and think, ‘She looks like me but plays piano well’?”

“What?”

So-yul froze at the joke I made to hide my fluttering heart.

The glance she shot me revealed slight discomfort.

Then she narrowed her eyes and confronted me:

“Really, I just told you what a good boyfriend you are. Are you teasing me about being small again?”

“Well, objectively speaking, you are small.”

I didn’t want to specify exactly which part of her was small.

When I answered with a light laugh, So-yul puffed her cheeks in displeasure.

“Look carefully… I’m not that small.”

As if telling me to check for myself, she displayed her chest proudly.

I had never once mentioned that area being small. Moreover, even that part she was subtly asserting would only intensify my pity the more I looked at it… I replied with a bitter expression:

“…It’ll grow eventually, so don’t worry too much.”

“…How annoying.”

Predictably, So-yul’s voice came back thoroughly sulky.

She was fine bringing up our height difference, but when I honestly said she was small, she got upset like this. They say a woman’s heart is unfathomable, and it seems that’s true.

Regardless of the reason, I couldn’t just leave my girlfriend pouting.

I stood up and approached behind So-yul. She acted like she didn’t notice my movement and started pressing the piano keys.

She must have been quite displeased, as her playing seemed much more forceful than usual.

As she immersed herself in playing, I reached out my hand… and gently brushed the milky-white nape of her neck that peeked through her golden-brown hair.

“Heeek…?!”

The reaction was immediate.

The moment my touch landed, So-yul’s performance came to a swift end. And that wasn’t all. Her eyes were wide with surprise as she turned to look at me.

After a moment, So-yul stammered with trembling lips:

“W-what are you doing?”

“I touched your nape?”

“I know that’s why I asked. Dummy…”

So-yul grumbled with furrowed brows. Her cheeks had turned crimson, perhaps embarrassed by the strange sound she’d made. Tears even seemed to glisten in her eyes.

It seemed she still wasn’t used to unexpected physical contact. Patting her head had become routine, and occasionally I embraced her and stroked her back. We clearly had a long way to go.

I answered with a chuckle:

“You just seemed upset. I thought tickling might make you laugh.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

So-yul muttered while firmly biting her lower lip as if she’d grown horns.

Ridiculous, she says. Well, even though I had caressed her nape, So-yul hadn’t laughed at all. Far from laughing, she’d only given me a disapproving look, which meant my action had the opposite effect.

Then how about this?

Curious, I moved my hand from her nape and… slowly began rubbing So-yul’s side.

“Hee, ha, stooop, huuh…”

The effect was impressive.

As soon as I tickled her side, So-yul began wriggling left and right, trying to escape from me. This time she really seemed ticklish, as her face was full of smiles. It was a completely different reaction compared to when I touched her nape.

“Are you ticklish?”

“O-of course, it’s ticklish, huuh, really…”

So-yul inserted words between the laughter she couldn’t hold back.

She was even breathing heavily from constantly wriggling her body. All the while, the smile never left her face.

“Huu, if you, keep, heh, doing this, I’ll, retaliate…”

Eventually, So-yul whispered while poking a finger at my side.

She seemed to be planning revenge, but… what could I do? I wasn’t very ticklish.

Rather, the touch of So-yul’s outstretched fingers actually felt nice. I almost wanted to let her touch me however she wanted.

Still, if I kept tickling her like this, she’d end up hating me.

I gently removed my hand from So-yul’s side.

When the prolonged stimulation disappeared, So-yul began breathing heavily. Her skin had flushed red with heat. She still trembled occasionally as if the sensation lingered.

…How should I put it? There was something slightly sensual about it.

After regaining her composure, So-yul stared at me intently.

Her sharp gaze. A few drops of tears at the corners of her eyes. Protruding lips and bright red cheeks signaling to stop. She looked infinitely cute.

To such a So-yul, I asked in a low voice:

“Are you feeling better now?”

“You fool. Do you think I would be?”

So-yul replied with puffy cheeks.

Well. They say smiling makes you happy. Thanks to my tickling, she’d laughed a lot, so maybe she’d become somewhat happier.

…But the timing to brush it off with such a joke had already passed.

“You always treat me like a child when we meet. And now you suddenly come and tickle me… I really wonder if you even see me as your girlfriend.”

Soon after, So-yul cast her gaze to some corner and whispered this.

I guess my teasing had gone a bit too far.

Hiding my sincerity because I’m embarrassed. Always deflecting with jokes.

Through this process, So-yul had apparently started to worry whether I was treating her as a proper girlfriend.

Even though I had just realized that expressing sincere affection, despite being shy, makes the other person happy.

Foolish me had only teased So-yul without understanding her feelings. I truly was a pathetic boyfriend.

How could I make So-yul forgive me?

After brief consideration, I could think of only one thing.

I reached out to So-yul again.

Thinking I might tickle her again, So-yul momentarily stiffened, but… my palm headed for the top of So-yul’s head.

I gently stroked her soft hair.

The sweet scent from her hair, which slipped through my fingertips, tickled my nose.

The smooth texture I always felt could make even me, who wasn’t easily ticklish, smile right away.

“I’m sorry. You’re so lovable that I feel like I need to pretend not to notice just to endure it. I deliberately tried to brush it off with jokes.”

“…Really?”

“Yes. Otherwise, I might not be able to hold back at all. Or my heart might burst. Or my body might burn up from getting too hot.”

“You’re joking again.”

“This is sincere.”

I continued with a faint smile:

“The truth is, everything about you is lovable. I want to cherish you and embrace you forever. I was just trying to hide it because I was embarrassed.”

This was my true feelings without even a hint of falsehood.

I was just a bit clumsy in expressing it. But I was confident that my feelings for her were no less than hers for me.

Would So-yul accept my apology?

Could I appease my girlfriend’s anger with the sincerity I finally conveyed?

“…Dummy.”

Despite me honestly sharing my feelings, So-yul still grumbled as if upset.

Then she looked at me and asked, “Do you think this makes it all better?”

She also tried to escape from my arms, shaking her reddened face vigorously.

I felt like asking why, then, did a subtle smile tug at the corners of her lips?