episode_0120

Thanks to Seo, my older friend, pushing so actively, I managed a solo outing with the housewife.

I was ready to make up for what I hadn’t managed in the hot springs last night, tense with resolve, but once I was actually outside, I didn’t have time to be nervous.

The housewife who’d come out with me was even *more* nervous, and I figured I couldn’t afford to be stiff too.

Luckily, my efforts to create a comfortable atmosphere weren’t wasted.

Maybe it was thanks to the sunglasses I’d bought her, but the housewife seemed less concerned with the eyes around her, and her expression was lighter.

“Wow. Look. They’re doing things like this here?”

“Oh my, really.”

On a street that was ordinary yesterday, there was a *samulnori* percussion performance like I’d only seen on YouTube.

Besides that, there were so many things to see and do around us that I didn’t feel bored at all, even though it was my second visit.

After seeing several sights and finishing lunch with food that showed the area’s unique characteristics, we decided to spend the rest of the afternoon visiting places we hadn’t been to yesterday.

After some thought about where to go, we decided on the sea, which was a short taxi ride away.

As soon as we arrived, we were greeted by a refreshing sea breeze that pleasantly cooled our bodies and sunlight that sparkled brilliantly on the surface of the water.

“The wind is so refreshing. Don’t you think?”

“Yeah. It’s been so long since I’ve been to the sea.”

“How long has it been? Did you go with Seo, my older friend?”

“Seo and I are both so busy that we haven’t been able to go anywhere to play. I think the last time was before Seo was born, when I went with my family, so this is my first time in a while.”

The housewife had an unwanted pregnancy when she was in middle school and had lived a different life than ordinary students ever since.

She said she was able to juggle childcare and academics thanks to her parents’ help, but at some point, she was busy taking care of Seo and working as a counselor, so I fully understood why she hadn’t been to the sea much.

“I wish I’d taken Seo here and there a lot when she was little…”

The housewife trailed off, hanging her sunglasses on her forehead as she looked out at the sea.

Her eyes, unable to take their gaze off the endless horizon, were as beautiful as jewels sparkling in the sunlight.

“I’ll take you often from now on, so don’t worry. Let’s go often, just the two of us.”

“Okay. Thank you, Jihoon. Sorry, I made the atmosphere heavy for no reason.”

“No, it’s okay. Don’t worry about it and let’s just relax and look around since we’re here. Oh? What’s that?”

“Hm?”

The housewife’s gaze turned to where I was pointing.

“A cable car…?”

“Shall we go?”

When we went closer to check it out, we found out it was a cable car made for tourism, and you could enjoy the sea and mountains during the 30-minute ride.

Seeing this wide area from the sky would be a special experience, and it seemed like a good place for just the two of us to be alone together.

“That sounds fun. Shall we ride it?”

“I’ve wanted to ride it at least once, but I’m a little scared of heights…”

“It’ll be okay since it’ll just be the two of us. I think you have to stand in line over there.”

We smoothly finished waiting in line and paying, and got on the cable car.

‘This will be fun. It’s my first time on a cable car too, so I’m nervous for no reason.’

I should properly capture the scenery that will unfold beneath my feet in my eyes and in my head.

That’s what I thought to myself, but before long, my plan ended up being just a plan.

As soon as the cable car started and rattled, the housewife screamed in surprise.

“Eek! Jihooooon!”

She, who had been sitting across from me, jumped up and came over to me.

She squeezed into the space that was too small for two people to hug, grabbed my arm, and trembled as if she’d seen a ghost.

“What do I do? It’s shaking more than I thought! Aren’t we going to fall?!”

“It’s okay, housewife. The people in front of us are doing fine.”

“Aaaah! It shook again! Jihoon, I feel like I’m going to die, I’m so scared!”

I could see that she was nervous from when we were waiting in line and when we got on the cable car, but I never thought she’d be this scared.

But maybe it was because it was the first time I was seeing this side of her.

I was embarrassed by the situation, but I couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of her clinging to me like a child.

“I’m telling you, it’s really okay. Look. You won’t fall even if you step hard.”

Thump, thump!

“Eeeeek! Jihoon, please don’t! I was wrong!”

Her usual maturity was nowhere to be found, and she was just sobbing, which only made her look cute.

Thanks to her tightly hugging my arm, I could feel the softness of her chest, but I didn’t feel anything lewd at all.

But the person in question was genuinely scared, so I couldn’t just watch.

I took the arm the housewife was holding and put it around her shoulder, hugging her tightly.

“You don’t have to be so scared because you’re with me.”

“Ugh, Jihoon…”

Her hands, still trembling with fear, didn’t seem to be calming down, so I grabbed them with my other hand.

“If we fall into the sea, I’ll save you no matter what.”

If we really fall, can you take responsibility for that statement?

Well, I hadn’t thought that far.

It’s not like I don’t know how to swim, and I’ve been working out, so wouldn’t it work out somehow?

“Haa… Haa…”

Maybe it was because she could properly feel my warmth, or maybe it was because of what I’d said about saving her no matter what, but the housewife regained some composure.

Of course, her fear wouldn’t magically disappear, so her two hands, covered by mine, were still trembling.

“Are you feeling a little better?”

“Yeah… I think I’m okay…”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you’d be this scared.”

“Ah, no. I was the one who said I wanted to ride it. I’m sorry, I’m just needlessly scared…”

“If you’re still scared, you can close your eyes until it’s over. It might be a little better if you don’t look directly.”

The housewife shook her head at my words.

“No… I came all the way here, so I have to see it with you, Jihoon. I’ll try to be brave.”

She turned her head, which she’d barely moved, to look out the window.

Her eyes were still trembling with anxiety, but she didn’t avoid the scene in front of her.

“Th-the sea is so pretty…”

“Right? Doesn’t it feel different seeing it from above?”

“Yeah… I almost passed by without seeing any of it…”

The housewife’s voice and breathing were much more comfortable.

She was still holding my hand tightly, but I didn’t feel uncomfortable at all, and I only felt good about the situation where she was relying on me and finding the courage to do so.

‘I really didn’t know she was this scared.’

Recently, I’ve been seeing a lot of unexpected sides of the housewife.

Her human sides hidden inside her always mature and perfect exterior.

If I can, I want to be by her side and protect her in the future too.

I wonder if my thoughts were conveyed to her.

This time, the housewife grabbed my hand herself.

In front of us, diverse and wonderful landscapes continued to unfold.

While admiring them, I didn’t hear the housewife scream anymore.

Except for when the cable car rattled and shook from time to time.

===

I safely finished my date with the housewife and returned to the traditional Japanese inn.

Several hours had passed and it was now nighttime. I was sitting alone on the large bed in the room, waiting for the mother and daughter to come back from the hot springs.

“…”

When the housewife and I came back here, Seo, my older friend, surprisingly didn’t ask much about the date.

She said we could talk about the details later and we ate dinner together. Now, as I just said, the mother and daughter were enjoying the open-air bath.

‘Maybe they’re talking about me…?’

I wasn’t sure, but I had a feeling.

I had a feeling that Seo, my older friend, would ask the housewife about her impressions of today’s date and about me.

Maybe that’s why this moment of being quietly in bed felt as anxious as a job seeker waiting for the results of an interview.

“Haa. The hot springs are really well-done.”

The two people returned from the open-air bath after I’d waited.

Seo, my older friend, had a refreshed expression, and the housewife avoided my eyes as soon as she met them, for some reason.

“We’re back. Were you bored by yourself?”

“Huh? Ah, no. I was on my phone, so it was okay. How was it, older friend? The hot springs were good, right?”

“Yeah. I should’ve gone in yesterday if I knew it would be like this.”

“Y-yeah, you’re right. Haha…”

I was strangely aware because I didn’t know the results of today’s date.

Why was the housewife avoiding my eyes?

Could it be that the date wasn’t enough to change her mind?

I was getting anxious at the growing negative thoughts, and I was trying to maintain a smile without showing it, when.

“…Hey.”

“Hm?”

“If I fall into the sea, will you save me no matter what too?”

“What are you saying all of a sudden?”

“You said that to Mom in the cable car, right?”

I understood the question late and nodded.

“Oh, yeah. I did. She was too scared.”

“Mom said she decided then. She said she’ll accept your feelings.”

“Really?!”

Without realizing it, I jumped up and looked at the housewife.

Only then did I realize that the reason she’d been avoiding my eyes wasn’t anything other than embarrassment.

“She said you were so manly and dependable that she thought she could overcome anything in society, even if people were pointing fingers at her, if she was with you. And she said it was the first time she’d ever wanted to rely on someone as a woman.”

“Hey! Why are you saying all that!”

Looking at the housewife’s reaction of being flustered with a reddened face, I didn’t need to suspect a hidden camera.

“Thank you, housewife. Thank you for accepting my feelings.”

“I’m sorry for dragging things out when this was what was going to happen in the end, Jihoon… I wasn’t confident in myself, and I was scared that you and Seo would get hurt…”

She paused for a moment as if she was thinking about several things.

It didn’t take long for me to hear the words that followed.

“But after being with Jihoon today, I got greedy. I got greedy to be with you no matter what other people said. So will you be with me too from now on?”

At the joy that I’d finally done it, my hand reached out on its own and grabbed the housewife’s hand.

“Of course! I’ll really do well from now on!”

“Jihoon just has to keep being the way he is… I’ll do better.”

“Yes! Older friend. I’m really grateful to you too.”

“You know that connecting Mom and your boyfriend is honestly crazy, right? Make sure I have no regrets.”

I answered the older friend, who said that with a cool expression, without a single second of hesitation.

“Of course! I’ll really do well from now on, and I’ll repay you for what you did today!”

“Really? Then repay me right now.”

“Hm?”

Suddenly, the older friend took off the towel she had wrapped around her body.

Her nude body, warmed by the hot springs water, was revealed without anything covering it.

“Older friend?”

“You and Mom were the only ones who did it yesterday. I wanted to do it too, but I held it in until now, so do it for me starting now. We can’t leave Mom alone, so Mom too.”

“…Together?”

I turned my gaze toward the housewife once again.

I thought she’d be embarrassed like me, but she had a face tinged with shyness and was reaching for her towel.

She took off her towel as is, revealing a body that wasn’t wearing a single thread, like her daughter.

“T-the truth is, one time yesterday wasn’t enough for me either…”

Ah. So they’d already come to an agreement.

When I came to my senses, the housewife had finally accepted my feelings, and I was about to have a relationship with two people who were a couple and a mother and daughter.

Still, is it okay to do this so soon?

“Are you just going to keep looking? I’m embarrassed if it’s just us who are naked…”

Seo, my older friend, who had been especially assertive today, had cheeks that were already flushed red with anticipation.

Seeing that, my groin started to gather blood even faster.

Soon, my question changed into a desire to become one with them, and I hurriedly threw off the clothes I was wearing in order to become naked like them.