episode_0032

“Would you like to watch a movie with me?”

“What kind of movie do you want to watch?”

“Ro, romance…?”

There’s that kind of thing.

In romance movies, when they kiss, the viewers also feel it together.

It’s romantic, isn’t it?

Actually, I haven’t even been to Jeju Island yet, but I’m already tasting something new.

Just driving around in Seoul is fun.

“The second first love, two people.”

“Are you a couple?”

“Yes!”

Why does hearing someone else call us a couple make me feel so good?

I was almost about to proudly embrace and say it out loud.

“Uh, oppa, I’ll pay.”

“This is something the guy usually—”

“No.”

I rejected him with a tap on his hand.

The aquarium was quite expensive.

It was fun to visit, but it cost as much as an amusement park. Expensive is expensive, after all.

I was about to get off, but he came out saying, “The guy usually—” and blocked my way.

It’s cool, but… I still don’t like the mindset that the guy has to pay no matter what.

You give as much as you like.

Who would ask someone they like to pay for everything?

“Um, should I buy popcorn too? I like original flavor. What about you, oppa? For cola, two large ones are enough, right?”

“Uh, I’ll go with something simple too.”

I quickly grabbed the card he was about to use and paid with my card.

“Oh.”

“Why are you paying? Shouldn’t we split the bill? But you keep trying to pay alone.”

I entered holding the popcorn.

I’m interested in movies, but going to the theater is a whole different level, so it feels like my first time at the movies.

“Hm…”

“Jihye, I said I’d pay attention this time, right?”

“Right…?”

“But why are you trying to get off, Jihye?”

Did things get mixed up? I don’t understand properly.

“What… do you mean?”

“I’m going to marry Jihye. It’s our money, after all.”

“Hm…”

“So there’s no splitting the bill. Just let me take care of it.”

Oppa was much more mature than he appeared.

Maybe I’m the naive one after all.

“Ah… I see…”

As he lightly patted my head, the pre-movie ads started playing.

Watching on a big screen like this after always seeing it on TV made me realize why people come to theaters to watch movies.

Even the ads were entertaining on the big screen.

[Oh… oh!?]

[Oh!]

– End of page

The movie seemed familiar, but unfamiliar situations kept unfolding.

They kissed too quickly, leaving the soda untouched.

“It’s okay… it’s okay… you can forget. You have to forget. That way, you won’t be trapped in pain.”

Midway through, a line that seemed familiar but slightly altered flowed.

“But then… you’ll be lonely, won’t you? Why bear the pain alone?”

The first love of the male and female leads. However, the male lead fell ill with an unknown disease.

Their engagement promise, honeymoon plans, everything fell apart.

Even as her hair fell out in the hospital, the female lead still didn’t let go of the male lead.

She still loved him.

“Go away. I don’t need someone like you. I hate it. I hope you stop this obsession. Please leave.”

With words she didn’t mean, she hurt her.

She knew it was a lie, but she wouldn’t back down, tears silently streaming down her face.

“[…fool.]”

The door of the hospital room closed loudly.

A light shone on the male lead’s face as he looked out the window.

He appeared more fragile and full of loneliness than anyone else.

“Sigh… sigh…”

It’s a romance movie, they said.

“Why is it so sad? This is clearly a confirmed bad ending.

People, having confirmed that a few have come in, carefully wipe away the tears that have spilled.

The runny nose was quietly taken care of with tissues always carried in the handbag.

“Sigh….”

Oh. Oppa is crying too.

I lightly tapped oppa’s arm and tore off a few tissues.

I wanted to speak, but since we were in a movie theater, I gently took his hand and wrote a note.

[Thank you]

*

“Phew… I’m relieved.”

“Yeah. I was really happy when you came back after treatment.”

“You were sobbing so much. Were you that sad?”

“Well, you cried too.”

“I’m a woman. We’re emotional, you know.”

Haven’t they said that a woman’s weapon is her tears?

“Ugh… I can’t stand sad things….”

“I’m kidding. It’s okay to cry. You’re a cute crybaby, oppa.”

“Ah….”

In the end, there was no kiss.

After being slightly touched by all sorts of sad scenes and nearing the final climax, the only feeling left was that it was nice that the male and female leads met.

It was applause, not a kiss.

“So… what do you want to eat for dinner?”

After the movie ended, I quickly went to the restroom and suddenly the evening glow arrived with a gentle breeze.

“How about sushi then?”

“Isn’t it expensive?”

“After having fish cutlet, I became curious about the taste of sushi.”

So, I turned on the navigation towards the sushi restaurant recommended by my colleague.

“Okay. But are you still sulking? Your tone has become quite difficult.”

“Oh, no, it’s not like that.”

Though he’s not saying anything, a sense of melancholy seeps through his words.

But, in reality, he seemed like the type who would cry.

He’s so gentle that he even gets scared of cockroaches and lets me handle them.

Seeing this, one can distinctly feel the difference between being innocent and being gentle.

“So… do you want to touch my chest?”

“…What?”

“Or… would you like to touch my leg? The stockings feel nice.”

Whether he’s gentle or bold, oppa wouldn’t refuse, but anyway, to soothe a man’s feelings, just touching the chest should do the trick.

By the way, it refers to the physical chest, not the heart.

I’ve heard some people also like thighs, so it’s a bonus.

“Ugh….”

“Don’t hold back. It’s hard for me.”

Why is he looking at me with such agony? What’s so difficult about touching once?

“Ah….”

I pulled his hand towards my chest.

“Hah….”

“Ah….!”

Taking advantage of the moment when his strength waned due to the strong sensation on my chest, like a water strider, oppa’s hand slipped away.

Although I tried to press his hand against areas other than my hand indirectly, it didn’t work out.

Experiencing a new sensation, a strange tingling feeling on my chest made me flinch.

“Phew….”

“If you’re embarrassed, why are you teasing me?”

“…I’m not?”

“Your cheeks are very red.”

“It’s because I’m cold.”

“Not because it’s hot?”

This oppa doesn’t let go once he catches onto something.

“Okay. Let’s say that’s true. How did it feel?”

“Oh… it was soft. Do you want to touch again? This time, I’ll let you touch the leg you like.”

“Shall we go straight to the sushi place? It’s already 6 o’clock. Ah, I’m hungry.”

Awkwardly pulling my skirt down, we walked out onto the street.

“It’s a shame… because there’s still tonight.”

Oppa’s body trembled for a moment, but I decided to pretend not to notice.

“Phew… I guess I need to sleep early today….”

“What are you talking about! I’ve been waiting for this moment.”

I had everything prepared.

Of course, condoms were a given, and just in case lubrication was needed, I bought gel too.”

“I’ve never comforted myself, so I don’t know my body well, but I’m preparing myself firmly.

When I was a man, of course, I did it naturally.

After becoming a woman… honestly, it was scary to do it alone in front of the mirror.

Although it was sticky and wet with sweat, I just changed my panties.

“Anyway, let’s prepare ourselves today. We’ll find a room nearby.”

“We… haven’t even been dating for a month yet…?”

“Some people do it before dating, but we’re on the slower side.”

Words that felt like ‘first sex, then love’ might exist after all.

“Well… isn’t that… taking things slowly and steadily as we progress further…?”

“We’re living together and even made a promise to marry.”

“Umm…”

Without anything else to say, I focus back on driving.

I reserve a room at a hotel that looks decent enough around.

“Oh, just one room.”

“Ugh….”

“What’s wrong? Don’t you like it?”

“Oh… no, not at all.”

“If you couldn’t get a room… we could have done it in the car.”

“Uh….”

Brother shivered, startled, and something like a sigh of relief seemed to come out.

“If we put a waterproof sheet in the car, we can use it cleanly!”

“Oh… Do you want to? In the car…?”

“If that’s what you want, brother.”

Whether he didn’t realize his mouth was open or not, he kept it that way as we suddenly arrived at a sushi restaurant.

“Wow… Is it really okay?”

“That’s why you have money, to spend it at times like this. Saving it up just to hoard it leads to nothing but anxiety. What’s the point of valuing money and not using it?”

To some extent, I accepted the plausible answer.

“…Huh?”

Until I searched where this place was.

“Let’s eat. Why are you surprised?”

“Brother, how much do you think it will cost when we eat tonkatsu?”

What is this binary thinking of being sharp about money but clueless about living expenses?

“Um… around 30,000 to 40,000 won? Wouldn’t it be about that much?”

“It’s about 7,000 won. Frozen ones are… around 3,000 won?”

“Oh… a bit less than expected?”

When researching tonkatsu, the cost was also included as a key factor.

The spirit of thriftiness is always active 24/7.

Thinking back to the past, questioning why I bought such trashy products back then while tucking in the blanket is also a passive skill of thriftiness… Anyway, now is good.

“This price… wow… a bit.”

“Hehe. Let’s just eat. Trying something once can also help with cooking skills.”

It was as exclusive as its price.

Why suggest it like going to a rice soup restaurant and then insist if rejected?

“Sigh… Okay.”

I should have quickly gotten a certification in Japanese cuisine.

Such experiences are easily achievable at home too.

“Do you… dislike sushi?”

“No, not at all. Just… keep it simple.”

I like it.

I lean towards seafood.

Dad loves fishing.

Whenever he has time off, he goes fishing and comes back.

But he doesn’t seem obsessed with fishing; he still manages his fishing rod well, handling it carefully with a towel. Hyuk-opa told me there was a fishing rod even before I was born.

Following him, well… what I learned wasn’t fishing but how to prepare fish and make spicy stew.

He said horses don’t go there, Mom didn’t go either. They had fun going out together.

After that, we went every year.

So, have I become good at making spicy stew…?

I feel like my talent for cooking didn’t come from Dad.

As I walk down memory lane, I remember that Dad’s skill in preparing fish was quite impressive.

Quietly being a point of reference, there was also a vibe of being a Japanese culinary chef among the silent types.

“…Let’s go inside. It’s cold.”

“Umm.”

“Ugh, seriously. Don’t freeze to death.”

…”

“I might have been too harsh at times.

Honestly, that’s true. It might be a bit shocking for someone as gentle as you, oppa.

Maybe I should change this deep sigh that’s killing the mood.

[I’m sorry. Let’s lighten up. Oppa? Hello~!]

“Ah, no.”

[I’m sorry. I think I was too harsh.]

“No, really. I… just don’t know how to handle things. I must be so clueless.”

She hugged her self-blaming oppa tightly.

[I’m sorry. Let’s understand each other. I made a mistake, and you did too.]

“That’s too much… those mistakes.”

“Even if you make a mistake a hundred times, succeeding once has its significance. Make as many mistakes as you want. I’ll accept them all.”

Despite his large stature, his heart was tender, so she knew she had to take care of her future husband well.

“Let’s go. It’s really getting cold.”

“Mm… thank you.”

Within the limits of what I could do, I comforted him greatly.

There’s no sound of patting.

Sushi… it was delicious as expected for the price.

Honestly, I want to go again.

I feel like I want to slap myself hard enough for ‘Damn it, are you crazy?’ to come out involuntarily.

Throwing a tantrum all the way until the end, with oil perfectly glistening on the lips.

“You go first, oppa.”

“Uh… yeah… okay.”

A hotel… it’s my first time coming in as an adult.

They say being an adult means having experiences before becoming an adult.

Interestingly, at the school I attended, playing around wasn’t fun, but they always booked hotels that were 3-star or higher.

Sleeping was surprisingly comfortable.

The teachers must have slept comfortably too.

*Sigh*

My body remained on the bed, surrendering to gravity.

The bed. It’s so spacious and nice.

I want to sell the bed and buy a bigger one to sleep together. Oppa would probably agree to this.

But we have to use something like plastic on it.

You have to wash it all the time… and since this is a hotel, you have to ask for it.

If blood comes out…

“Ouch.”

To act immediately, she opened the suitcase and took out a condom in advance.

Or should she leave it there?

…Just keep it in your mouth?

“Phew… I’m done… huh?”

*Swallow*

“Uh… got it.”

Could he believe that she was actually holding a vitamin in her mouth?

It’s really embarrassing.”