Second Round at My Place
"Want to do the second round at my place?"
"Huh? Sure, I'd love that!"
"Ugh... what's with that creepy look in your eyes. I'm not giving it to you!"
"Please give it. I want to take it. I really want it."
"No way. Not giving it~ Nope!"
"Then shall I give it to you instead? Will you take it?"
"Hmm? Well~ should I take it or not~? Heh. Heh."
What exactly the senior was refusing to give, and what I was insisting on receiving—our conversation left the subjects completely omitted.
Whatever it turned out to be, it was surely different from what I was imagining.
Because the senior would never admit it.
The moment I put a name to it, she would tell me, What kind of stupid thoughts are you having?
She would definitely deny it that way.
So I matched her pace and kept the subjects omitted right to the end.
In a lightly playful atmosphere, trading lewd jokes without ever naming the thing itself, we somehow arrived near the senior's place.
After dinner and a light bottle of soju, we stopped by a convenience store on the way in and grabbed canned beer and a few bags of snacks.
The plan was to drink while watching a movie, though I doubted whether any of the plot would actually stick in our heads.
Well, it wasn't that important.
Tuesday night.
Both the senior and I had work tomorrow.
So even if the mood turned sweet and heavy, the odds were high she would be the one to shut it down first.
I walked into her place with that fully in mind, feeling relaxed about it.
Honestly, this was the kind of meeting I'd been craving lately.
A meeting where I didn't have to pull any cheap tricks trying to make something happen.
Just being together felt good, easy on the heart, conversation flowing without effort.
I was deeply satisfied right now, sitting beside a woman who understood me even when I didn't bother acting mature.
But my instincts seemed to have other ideas—they kept trying to bare the wolf's fangs.
"Senior. Should I wash first? Or shall we go in together?"
"What. You still can't wash yourself unless someone does it for you? Such a baby. A total baby. Do I not even need to change your diaper?"
The senior dodged it skillfully.
I still couldn't read her heart.
Had she invited me over treating me like a little brother, or was she seeing me as a man and simply not showing it?
Not wanting to break the sweet, comfortable atmosphere we had going, I kept tossing out every lewd joke I could think of while never once laying a single finger on her body.
Would it be okay to push a little further today?
Since that drinking party last week—the Thursday night I collapsed—we had been in contact every single day.
Phone calls every day, texts flying back and forth like we were already a couple.
And just last night we had met late and shared soju at a street stall.
Yet here she was, contacting me again today after only one day, wanting to meet once more!
From my current single status, getting a little fluttery was only natural.
Talking every day and meeting every day—how could anyone not misunderstand?
Well, the actual meetings were only two days in a row.
But when a woman living alone invites you into her place like this, from my side it really is irresistible. Senior.
Are you prepared?
"What. You already washed?"
"Hands, feet, and face too. Or should I go back in, strip completely naked, shower properly, and come out again?"
"No, that's not what I meant..."
"Do you happen to have any clothes I could change into?"
"What are you even saying! I just meant you only got yourself wet without washing properly."
"Then a little later when you go in to wash, I'll just go in with you and wash again."
"Who said you could?"
"I did!"
"You're being cheeky."
Every time our eyes met, a tingling heat spread through my chest.
I only just realized it—am I the type more drawn to older women?
Shin Haneul had been the same age, yet she always felt older, and Yoo Dajeong had given off that same vibe too.
Well, whatever.
I still had no idea whether the senior even wanted to date me.
Don't get ahead of yourself.
While I wiped the water from my face with a towel, the senior busied herself in the kitchen.
Though "kitchen" was generous—this was a tiny two-room place, so she was right under my nose.
The snacks and canned beer from the convenience store would have been plenty, but seeing her like that, it seemed she still intended to treat her guest properly.
I didn't bother with false humility. I settled in and started watching TV at a leisurely pace, waiting for whatever she was making.
My only job was to be ready to eat it deliciously when she brought it over.
"Just snacks and beer would have been fine—why go to all this trouble? Now dishwashing's going to be a pain... wait, this isn't ramen?"
"You say that after I've already made it and set it right in front of you. If you want ramen, why don't you put the water on yourself and boil it?"
"Really? I can just eat whatever I want and leave?"
"Yeah."
Our eyes met through her glasses.
This time neither of us looked away. The moment stretched a little longer.
I wasn't even that hungry these days, so why did I keep heating up every time I looked at her?
My honest wish right now was for the senior to just jump me first.
A personal fantasy I wanted to experience at least once.
"Can I eat it right now without putting any water on?"
"No!"
"Then I'll wait until Senior gives it to me. I'm scared I might burn my hand."
"What are you, a kid?"
This was getting confusing.
At this point her words were starting to scramble my head.
Could I take it as her wanting me to take the lead like a man and jump her first?
All this talk about ramen and whatever—who even invented these roundabout phrases.
Couldn't we just be direct?
I still hadn't touched the gambas she had made.
Eat a little first.
Once more alcohol went in, I could get bolder.
"This is delicious. Have you always been this good at cooking, Senior? The stuff we ate in the dungeon wasn't that great."
"Liar. You were going crazy saying it was delicious back then too."
"Haha, did I? Anyway, this is seriously amazing."
"...Yeah."
The senior suddenly adjusted her glasses.
Embarrassed from the praise?
Then I should praise her more.
I let out a little sound of pure admiration with every bite.
At this rate she wouldn't get a single mouthful and I'd finish the whole thing myself.
It wasn't forced either.
It really was that good.
Perfect beer food too.
I casually dropped a serious question.
Alcohol had gone in enough—if I didn't ask now, when would I?
"Are you satisfied with the work you're doing now, Senior?"
"No. But as a former Supporter for the Awoken, there aren't many jobs open to me. So I just do it."
"No thoughts of going back into dungeons?"
"Yeah... hey... you know. Want to sleep over tonight?"
"Huh? Suddenly?"
"I'm not saying it in a weird way... actually, I haven't been sleeping well lately. Would it bother you if I tossed and groaned next to you while you slept?"
"Wouldn't my getting hard be more of a problem for you? Are you sure you're okay with that? What I said last week wasn't a joke."
"What... I'm being serious."
"I'm serious too. It wasn't something I brought up just to laugh off. But if you don't want it, Senior, I have zero intention of forcing anything, so don't worry."
Something about the alcohol—my already filterless mouth just kept letting these things spill out.
Before she could misunderstand, there was one more thing I needed to ask.
She looked ready to speak, so I rushed ahead first.
"Um, Senior—what if you suddenly became an Awoken tomorrow morning? Would you still be too scared to ever set foot in a dungeon again?"
"What's with that out of nowhere. What kind of childish make-believe question is that. How old are you."
"Just tell me. If you could choose right this second—live as an Awoken, or live as an ordinary person."
"Idiot. Do you have any idea how hard it is to live ordinarily."
"Then do you think living as an Awoken would be hard too?"
"No. I'm envious. What's hard about it. You make money easily. You don't get hurt easily. Well, having to go into dungeons is a downside, but even as a civilian I did that life for years. If it's a place where your life hangs by a thread, being Awoken is obviously better."
"Did I ask something too obvious?"
"No. I said it was obvious, but honestly I don't know either. This might sound manly, but there was a time when my dream was to become a superwoman-type Awoken. But now... haah... I don't know. The revenge that used to burn against the monsters that took my family disappeared a long time ago. Lately it feels like I only went into dungeons because I had no choice—to make money."
"It's okay. Don't blame yourself. Everyone's like that. You just got used to this life. Besides, we're not Awoken—we're only Supporters."
"Yeah. So if you ask whether I'd go into a dungeon if I became Awoken tomorrow, honestly I don't know. Maybe it's because I've only ever dealt with trash Awoken? Especially our company—full of those types. Ah, it's not our company anymore... well, anyway, if I became Awoken I'd be fine dying tomorrow as long as I was on the front line of a raid team... yeah, if it was someone like Jang Ahra who shows up on TV all the time, then maybe I don't know. Hehe... even I don't know what I'm saying. It's because you asked weird things!"
I gave no answer to the senior pouring out her honest story.
I simply met her eyes and offered a gentle smile.
I understood her heart completely.
It was far too similar to my own past self.
Of course, I had thrashed around a little harder, insisting I would become Awoken no matter what.
Before long the table held only empty beer cans and shrimp shells swimming in oil. I stood to help her clean up.
Then she spoke.
"Go wash first. While I clean."
I was no longer curious what it meant.
I had decided.
I would make the senior into an Awoken.
Without even worrying about change of clothes, I finished my shower.
She had pulled out the largest of her T-shirts and elastic pants and was waiting right outside the bathroom door.
It felt like she had glanced at my naked body, and also like she had turned her head away without looking...
I couldn't tell.
I put on the clothes she had prepared—clothes that carried her scent, her clothes.
They were a bit small on me, but not uncomfortable.
Seeing my underwear, which I had carelessly tossed by the door, now neatly folded, I thought of old times for a second.
But only for a second.
The sound of her shower beyond the door made my heart start pounding harder and harder.
Can I just do it? She won't refuse... right?
I regretted not buying more alcohol, but well—it would work out somehow.
I lay down on the bed that smelled of her and waited for the water to stop.
A little later, the senior finally finished her shower and appeared in front of me.
The overhead light was off. Soft lighting filled the room.
I lay on my side on the small bed, facing her.
She lay on her side facing me as well.
We talked while looking into each other's eyes.
Nothing special.
Just work talk, old stories of the dungeons we had entered together, and...
"Why did you say that to me? I won't get angry, so tell me honestly."
"Say what?"
"When you asked me to have sex."
I never expected that senior to ask so directly.
A sharp pain hit me, like someone had grabbed my heart and yanked.
I decided to be honest.
"Um... there were a few reasons, but when I gathered them all up, they turned into just one."
"One? What is it?"
"Because I like you, Senior?"
The soft darkness hid the full details, but she wasn't hiding the expression on her face at all.
An expression that didn't dislike it.
"Liar."
"Then why did you invite me to your place, Senior. Honestly."
"I don't know."
"Mean. Only you get to keep your real feelings hidden."
"Pfft. Is that so?"
"Doesn't matter. I'm drunk, so from now on I'm going to jump you. You're the one who called a man into your house and poured alcohol into him, so if you don't want it, say so fast."
"Will this count as an answer?"
She slipped her hand inside the elastic half-pants of hers that I was wearing and started massaging my cock.
The slightly cool touch sent a clean, electric sensation through the fully hard length.
Ah—the feel of her small hand climbed my entire body so vividly I didn't even need to look.
I stared at her face with mild surprise.
Senior... have you wanted this with me all along too?
"My answer was late, wasn't it? Yeah. I'm going to have sex with you. Starting now."