episode_0049

Episode 48: Date, Date (3)

In the narrow space, a clear voice rang out.

The gentle waves of music subsided.

The karaoke machine, waiting for the reserved song, only made a quiet sound.

“Are you not going to sing?”

“Uh, um… I should sing.”

Jeong A-yeong’s brain seemed to have malfunctioned.

Her thought circuits, which usually excelled in the technical field of coding, came to a halt.

She selected a song she somewhat knew from the popular charts.

Even though the prelude was playing.

She couldn’t focus on the warmth she felt beside her.

Han Se-in’s body getting closer.

Despite the music playing and her singing, he didn’t show any special actions.

….

He simply leaned his head on Jeong A-yeong’s shoulder.

Listening quietly to the singing.

He didn’t respond or even applaud, just exhaled quietly.

But Jeong A-yeong’s cheeks seemed to be getting warmer.

As the first verse ended.

And the second verse ended.

When the gentle outro began to fade away.

Jeong A-yeong flinched.

“Uh.”

“Hmm.”

The whispering sound tickled her ear.

The sensation on her right shoulder.

The head she was simply leaning on slowly moved.

The term “snuggling” was accurate.

Like a cat showing affection to its owner by gently rubbing against them.

Due to Han Se-in’s subtle skinship that felt like at least a sign of being in a good mood, Jeong A-yeong couldn’t regain her composure.

“Your voice is nice.”

“Uh…”

Two songs left.

Since it was a coin karaoke and they didn’t need to reserve immediately, but she found it hard to just sit still.

Should she sing another song?

Or should she tell Han Se-in something?

As various words and actions came to mind.

Through the gap between their heads facing forward.

One outstretched hand pointed to a certain place.

“Look at that.”

“Huh?”

Under the machine.

A direction that others didn’t usually check, but there was a barely visible sign.

“Affectionate behavior prohibited! Kissing, exposure. If caught, expulsion!! CCTV in place.”

The meaning was simple.

Actions that any socially aware and sensible person wouldn’t do.

Yet, there were always people who went beyond common sense.

Regardless of what thoughts and emotions they had.

There were precedents, so rules were made, right?

A small silence fell.

It was a difficult topic to bring up.

They had only been dating for less than a week.

In the midst of an immature and confusing first love.

“It seems like people kiss here.”

“Well, that’s…”

It was Han Se-in’s voice that broke the silence.

With his head resting on Jeong A-yeong’s shoulder.

The faint scent of cologne began to envelop her.

Whispering in her ear as if it was a secret.

Sticky.

Restraining her and making her even more nervous.

It was a sweet and enticing voice.

“Exposure? What’s exposure?”

“Weird people. There are… people like that.”

“I see…”

His voice softened.

Jeong A-yeong’s ears burned hot, and amidst her heightened sensitivity, Han Se-in’s suggestive words continued.

Her eyes couldn’t escape his gaze.

Her tense body couldn’t even move her head, and the quiet karaoke booth was filled with a heated atmosphere.

The sticky atmosphere ignited a fire in her heart.

The burning passion injected steam into her heart.

Her pounding heart danced within the trembling emotions.

The fast-flowing blood made her body even hotter.

In the tense situation,

Amidst the heightened sensitivity, a sound pierced through her senses.

Rustle.

Rustle, rustle.

The sound of fabric brushing.

In other words, it meant that the shoulder Han Se-in leaned on had changed.

Her tightly attached head had not been detached.

However, only the position had changed.

The sensation of leaning on the shoulder had shifted to a pressing sensation.

It was new and brought curiosity.

It was enough to make Jeong Ah-young move.

Through the pounding heart, the sound of fabric brushing reached her ears.

Jeong Ah-young’s head slowly turned.

The visual that entered her gaze was truly devastating.

Her heart was racing like crazy, to the point of paralysis.

Her unconscious breathing almost stopped.

The chin pressing against her shoulder.

Han Se-in’s expression, which had completely risen above her shoulder, was calm.

It was a subtle and serene expression.

However,

In the distance that had become so close that only a finger could fit between them,

There was clearly love in the gaze that met Jeong Ah-young’s.

Full of affection, full of warmth.

Such love.

“Kissing is prohibited.”

“Ah…”

A light sigh.

Han Se-in, who she met from a distance, was cute and lovely.

But Han Se-in, whom she met up close, was even more lovely.

More than the song playing right now.

More than anyone she had met before.

The mischievous smile that lifted at the corners of his mouth.

The playful glint in his eyes filled with love and affection.

Han Se-in slowly raised his head towards her, getting closer.

It was more fatal than anything else in the world.

“Wait, I need to use the restroom!”

Jeong Ah-young’s voice echoed in the karaoke room.

As urgent as her voice was, her actions were swift.

She got up as if sliding and, with an excuse on her lips, opened the door of the karaoke room.

-Clang!!

There was no time to spare to face Han Se-in’s remaining expression.

Her heart was beating so fast it hurt.

The karaoke room door, closed with a strong force, made a creaking sound.

Whether she liked it or not,

Jeong Ah-young, with the excuse of needing to use the restroom,

Had not taken a step, with the door still closed.

Sinking back into her seat, she crumbled.

Her deep breaths echoed in the deserted karaoke room corridor.

“Haah…”

Her trembling sigh was interrupted and flowed out.

Her trembling hand formed a fist shape and then relaxed again.

Under her relentlessly pounding heart,

Countless thoughts swirled in her head.

“Ah…”

Why did she do that?

She was supposed to look like a cool girl.

It was their first date, so she had to show a charming and confident side.

Like she had seen on YouTube.

She had to dress up nicely and show a confident demeanor…

She failed.

Jeong Ah-young failed.

She had planned the perfect date course and prepared with a heart full of excitement.

But all her plans went up in smoke.

Not because of the situation itself, but because of her own actions, behavior, and emotions.

Love blossomed in her self-blaming emotions.

Excitement blossomed.

As she recalled the past, the face that had come closer to her mind.

From the first meeting where they were just sitting next to each other,

To the tightly attached seats in the karaoke room now.

The close face and the warm breath that felt so close.

The lips that seemed within reach and his lovely eyes.

In a situation where a woman should not only reject but should also like him.

Jeong Ah-young ran away.

First experiences are always clumsy and full of mistakes.

At the very least, she didn’t want that.

She hadn’t even seen the man’s face.

But at least she wanted to look like the wannabe she had dreamed of.

It was ironic.

Even as regrets flooded in.

Her heart was still pounding.

Her restless heart once again raised its head.

Amid self-blame and confusion.

A tingling sensation flowed through her body.

The thought of almost kissing made her lower abdomen gradually warm up.

Like electricity flickering.

A tingling sensation repeated itself.

– Knock, knock, knock.

“Ah, ouch!”

“What are you doing there.”

Jeong Ah-young fell, and through the carefully opened door, Han Se-in’s laughter rang out.

“Hehehe.”

“Ah…”

Delayed worries rushed in, but soon subsided.

Han Se-in’s bright expression.

It was the face of a typical lover, looking at the man’s face.

Always envious, jealous, and trying to ignore the faces seen in the media.

That kind of face.

So, Jeong Ah-young clenched her lips shut.

“…Are you embarrassed?”

“Ah, no!”

Half false, half true.

Jeong Ah-young’s denial rang out, but.

The already blooming blush represented her precious place.

It wasn’t a lie, but it was wet.

“I need to buy a new outfit~”

“No way…!!”

Of course.

Han Se-in’s teasing continued.

To the point where her heart felt at ease.

It was the same as the one seen at school.

Should she be grateful?

Jeong Ah-young, as if to say when did that happen, began to show a faint smile like Han Se-in.

Meanwhile.

In this place where the tinkling sound resounded.

It was a hair salon in Seoul.

“Welcome…”

A man who looked like a hairdresser clenched his lips shut.

Kang Hyeon-ah, who came in with a blank expression, was attractive even to the average man.

He was like the typical alpha male who speaks his mind.

“Do you want to dye your hair?”

“Yes, yes! Of course. Of course!”

A smile bloomed on the man’s lips.

It was a beauty he hadn’t seen in a long time.

Handling such a woman’s hair felt like happiness in the midst of a weary daily life.

“What color would you like?”

“Yellow…”

“It’s safe, but these days violet or blue shades are popular too.”

“Please make it blonde.”

Kang Hyeon-ah sat in the designated seat.

Even in the face of the man’s appeal, her firm voice subtly rang out.