The Parade (1)

Thump.

Thump.

The sound of Hanna's heartbeat, as she lay nestled in my arms, lingered in my ears. It felt like ages had passed since we'd spoken the words in our hearts, and yet I couldn't bring myself to do a thing. I didn't want to let go of her. I didn't want to leave.

But the sounds carrying over from around us meant we couldn't stay like this forever. That fact set my head, which knew I had to do something, at war with my heart, which wanted none of it. Please, you two, stop fighting and come up with a solution already. I really needed one. It was urgent. I was going out of my mind.

"Ahhn, nngh..."

Because of that. These lunatics. They all had hotel rooms booked, so why the hell were they doing it outside? Every time those sounds drifted over, I could feel Hanna's body tense, and that made me tense too.

This wouldn't do. If we just sat here, we'd get swept up in the atmosphere and things would get strange between us as well. I slowly stroked her back, easing the tightness out of her, then opened my mouth.

"...We came in during the night hours anyway. Want to go take a look around for a bit?"

Please.

"There's a parade, too."

"....."

Let's go.

"Hm?"

I could see her head give a slight nod. That little gesture made me tense up all over again. My throat burned and my mouth went dry. So I deliberately patted her a little longer before we stood up together — and instead of taking my hand, she wrapped her arm around mine, more forward than before.

It was a small thing, if you wanted to call it that, but the force of it was enormous, and it made me even more nervous. I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was going crazy. This was the result of my own prompting, and yet she looked so beautiful. I liked her so much. Every little thing about her was so lovable I couldn't handle it.

Beneath the brilliantly shining lights, I looked up at the sky. The light fractured and scattered in every direction, dizzying my vision — and my head felt the same way. Normally I would have hated that kind of dizziness... but the fact that it felt good meant something in me was broken, didn't it? A smile formed on my face, unbidden.

We walked past a pond that looked like some dreamlike lake, where you could see the roller coaster this theme park was most famous for glittering in a dozen colors against the dark night sky, and headed toward the place where people were gathering to watch the parade. We might have been a little late — every good viewing spot already had an owner. I stood there for a moment, wondering where to go, when an announcement came over the speakers.

Huh. There was one more ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠option I hadn't thought of.

"What do you think? It might be nice to try something like this. Want to join in?"

"Yes... I'd like that. I think it'd be really pretty."

"Alright. Let's go."

With more eyes on us now, she seemed to get shy again. She unlinked her arm from mine and took my hand instead as she spoke. How cute.

We followed the people moving off after the announcement, found a staff member, and managed to sign up just in time. Then, as they went over the guidelines, we were given the masks we'd wear in the parade.

"I didn't know it was a masked parade. Did you?"

"You didn't know? I thought you did. Still, isn't it cute? Meow~."

The mask we'd been given wasn't particularly high quality — just an ordinary one — but the white cat mask went perfectly with her white dress. It really was a universal truth: a beautiful person looks good in anything.

"Pretty cute. Meow."

It probably wouldn't suit me...

"They said it starts soon. We should hurry!"

She grabbed my hand and ran, and nothing else entered my eyes except the sight of Hanna's back swaying as she went. That innocent smile again ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠— the way she looked so happy just doing this with me. Watching her like that felt good. It felt wondrous.

We arrived just in time, and after weaving through the crowded people at a run, the gentle hands that straightened my crooked mask made me feel even better than I already did. These happy, wonderful feelings filled my chest so completely I couldn't say a word. All I could do was stand there beside her in a daze, watching her.

I was still standing there blankly when, a moment later, every light in the theme park went out, and the night that should have been there all along finally settled over the park. In that brief span of darkness, we stood gripping each other's hands tightly. Then, with a swell of music, every light came on at once, and the parade began.

The parade wound once through the park's main streets and open plazas before ending at the entrance. This was obviously going to be the last scene of today's shoot, but I didn't think about any of that. I just walked with Hanna. Whether Jeong Sujin saw this footage, or Park Yujin, or even my mother — whom I barely called and who only ever worried about me — what did it matter? This fantastical experience with this woman was simply too good.

Walking that beautiful path that felt like another world entirely, we reached the end before we knew it. We were at the entrance. It felt like such a shame...

"It ended a lot faster than I thought. Right?"

"Yes... It feels like we barely did anything and it's already over."

"How long are you going to keep talking so formally? We're barely even apart in age."

About two years, wasn't it?

"I can't, it's embarrassing... So don't even think about making me. Okay?"

"Alright. Then... shall we head back?"

That time had come now. The time that, even as we'd been walking, had been sitting in a corner of my heart, filling it with something like tension and trembling.

"Okay...."

Maybe she'd decided there was nothing left to hide. She linked her arm through mine again, and we went back to the hotel. When we arrived, a member of the hotel staff explained at the lobby that the room I'd been using and the one Hanna had been using had been combined into one, and handed us a key card.

After hearing that, why had the elevator ride up — and the hallway lit only by dim ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠orange light — been so quiet? The truth was, we already knew the answer.

We went into the room, and Hanna said she'd wash first and disappeared into the bathroom. In the meantime, wanting to find even a sliver of composure, I turned on the mood lighting and just drank some water. But the sound of water from next door, and the shadows cast by the soft lighting, shattered all of that. I'd turned my back so I wouldn't look, and yet the various sounds that came with the running water were somehow so stimulating... A creak — and the imaginings that started in my head with that sound smashed my efforts to stay calm to pieces.

After some time, the water stopped. A rustling followed, then the sound of the door opening. And there she was, wet hair, wearing the hotel robe she'd taken in with her, telling me to go wash — and it was insanely erotic. Desire I didn't want to hold back surged up, but I didn't want to ruin today, the day she'd said she'd been looking forward to. So I pretended to be unfazed, picked up what I'd prepared in advance, and went into the bathroom.

First thing I did was crank the valve all the way to cold and dunk my head under it. And then it occurred to me that, just as I'd been able to see her, she could see my silhouette from outside. I washed myself carefully, conscious of every single movement.

Calm down. You've already done this once. Just like then. Take it easy, the way you did then.

Thinking all of this, with the help of the cold water running down my body, I spent a long time collecting myself, then stepped out of the bathroom.

I towel-dried my short hair and looked around. The room was darker than when I'd gone in, and on the king-size bed, just like last time, there was a white shape. That unchanged sight melted away whatever tension I had left. I dried my hair well enough, then climbed onto the bed.

Just like last time, she was wrapped up tight — but it wasn't a firm guard. If I pulled with any force, the blanket would come undone, but I didn't. That would be too rough. So I lay down beside her the same way as before, and did the same things. I patted her. I stroked her. And when it felt like even the lightest touch would make it all come undone, I made room for her to climb on top of me.

She didn't resist my hands. She twisted this way and that, then climbed on top of me in a position that was comfortable for her.

Thump.

Thump-thump.

Our bodies overlapped, chests pressed together, in a position where we could hear each other's heartbeats even more clearly than before. I could feel those heartbeats picking up, little by little. After a little time passed, I wanted to see the damp face I'd glimpsed earlier, so I gently drew the blanket back a little. And there was Hanna, looking up at me with those big eyes, her hair still slightly damp. That sight kept bringing back the way she'd confessed to me just a few hours ago, and it was nothing but precious.

As if she'd read my heart, she slowly leaned in and kissed me. A kiss that was light, and yet full of sincerity. When it ended, her eyes slowly drew away. I couldn't hold back anymore. I rolled us over on the bed, switching positions, and kissed her again. Beyond that light, brief kiss, I kissed her deeply, pouring in everything overflowing in me so we could confirm each other's love.

And there was my girl, wrapping her arms around my neck, responding clumsily. Remembering, from the experience she'd only ever had with me, what I'd liked, she did it exactly the same way as then. What a lovable woman.

When the kiss ended and I looked at this kind, innocent girl, her eyes were no longer innocent. She was looking up at me with wanton eyes, heavy with desire.