Just a Kiss on the Lips?
Blue-lit scenery. Manta rays glided overhead. A massive shark three times the size of a human swam by... It was like the giant aquariums I'd seen before the world ended. No, even before the apocalypse, I'd never seen one this huge. How the hell did they maintain the water? No matter how hard I thought about it, I couldn't wrap my head around this place. From one end to the other, it had to be at least 3 kilometers. So, Yura was using this as a fish farm.
My head throbbed. Was this what they meant by losing touch with reality? It felt like every physical law I knew was being invalidated. Yura, who seemed to sense my bewilderment, just grinned from behind me, her smile widening as if my reaction was delicious, the corners of her mouth practically reaching her ears.
"So, what do you want to eat? You pick."
To Yura, this aquarium was just a seafood market. Where in the world could you find a seafood market like this? The fish were incredibly diverse—parrotfish, yellowtail... Even sea urchins and king crabs dotted the aquarium floor. It was like they'd sliced out a perfect cross-section of the ocean and dropped it here. Damn...
Gurgle—
Even amid my awe, my stomach growled excitedly at the thought of eating.
"W-well then..."
What should I pick? Yellowtail? Red sea bream? Had fish ever looked this sexy before? I'd already marked the king crab. I pointed at a few swimming specimens.
Splash—
Drones immediately scooped them up with nets. In under ten minutes, they brought chairs and a table, presenting sashimi on a silver platter. The thick, fan-shaped slices on the white porcelain plate had such perfect bounce, it was hard to believe they were farmed.
I dipped one in soy sauce... Ohhh... Fuck... Insane. It melted in my mouth. As tender and chewy as peak-season yellowtail.
After one bite, I glanced at Yura. She nodded benevolently with a warm smile. Then liquor bottles appeared behind her.
Administrator-nim, steaming the king crab will take about 30 minutes.
"Yeah, take your time. I'll be playing with Seohan."
Understood.
With Yura's gracious dismissal, Noah quietly withdrew. The ambiance was perfect—watching fish while eating sashimi. Was it really okay to just receive all this? She'd insisted it was fine multiple times... Still, it felt overly generous. Not that I had any reason to refuse. We weren't seeing each other for just a day or two; living together, I'd have a chance to repay her eventually.
"Seohan~~"
"Yes, Yura-ssi..."
Was she drunk? We hadn't even started drinking yet, but she called me by my name for the first time, something she'd never done. Propping her chin on her hand, she shook the bottle lightly. Her gaze signaled me to sit beside her, pronto.
"You try pouring once."
"Y-yes!"
Maybe she'd enjoyed it last time. Yura straightened her back, acting like some old-school uncle. Clear liquid trickled into the glass.
"Come to think of it, how old are you again, Seohan?"
"Tw-twenty-four. Oh, and Yura-ssi, you..."
"I think I told you before... Don't you remember 'cause of the booze? Twenty-eight. I'm your unnie."
"Ah..."
"Shall we have a drink first?"
"Sure, sounds good!"
One glass, two... Not even a day since our last drinks, and here we were again... Bliss. Back in the day, downing some booze after work was the only way to properly end it. A pleasant buzz rose after a few glasses.
"Seohan..."
"Yes, Yura-ssi..."
"How long are you gonna keep talking formally to me?"
"Huh? But you're older than me... And respecting elders..."
"Respecting elders my ass... In a world that's all going to shit..."
"..."
True enough... What did hierarchy even mean anymore? No laws, no morals. But... Yura-ssi was the one who'd saved my life. No matter what, she was my benefactor... Switching to casual felt too presumptuous.
"So what should I call you? M-mistress...?"
"Pfft...!"
Heh heh... I knew she was weak to this stuff and teased her, but her reaction was gold. She even spat out her food. Look at that flushed face. She acted all stiff, but teasing her was fun.
"You doing that on purpose?"
"O-oh... But that reaction... Guess you like that kinda thing, Yura-ssi."
This seductive bastard! Was it the alcohol? Or was this her true nature? She seemed so prim usually, but every now and then, this lewd side slipped out. Not that I minded... But it was hell on my heart. She wasn't some fox spirit seducing women. Keep this up, and I'd get the wrong idea.
"N-noona. Call me noona. 'Yura-ssi' feels too distant; I hate it."
"Hmm... Noona... Yura-noona?"
I figured that'd work and told him to call me noona, but hearing it from his lips was lethally charming. That low, masculine timbre tickling my ear... Damn it, spread those legs, you fucker!
Gulp gulp—
Damnation! Damnation! I knocked back the glass fast.
"Pour me more."
"Y-yeah, gotta do that first."
Trickle trickle—
Nice. Liquor poured by a man. Drinking alone always turned me into a moody idiot... but with a man here, it tasted entirely different. And that good scent wafting from beside me. Yep, my future husband... Those pink lips look so tempting.
"Hey, Seohan. Curious, but... you ever had a girlfriend? Bet you were popular out there... I'd guess at least two or three."
"Haha... Girlfriend? Yeah, I did. No idea if she's even alive now..."
Ah... Bad question. With that face, he'd be a hit anywhere, so I'd wondered... but the mood got heavy. I figured I should know the dating history of my future man. Of course he'd dated. Probably not just one woman. With that looks and personality... maybe even three or four at once. Women were everywhere, after all.
To comfort him, I patted his shoulder.
"What about you... Yura-noona?"
"H-huh? Me?"
"Noona never dated?"
W-wait... I hadn't expected that question back. No way, look at me—anyone could tell. Gloomy lab rat like me hugging a guy? I barely talked to people properly. Too much hassle. He couldn't be asking seriously...?
"Yura-noona?"
"You're the first guy I've ever really talked to..."
"Huh?"
"Virgin, you know?"
"Ah..."
Teasing? Over half the women out there were, so not much to rib... But Seohan looked up at me like he couldn't even imagine.
"No way. Noona's got it all—smart, rich. Guys must line up."
"Pfft... Who's teasing who? A blunt, gloomy bitch like me popular? Lucky not to get ignored."
"Weird. Someone like Yura-noona is super pretty..."
"What?"
Misheard? Who'd called me pretty?
"What'd you just say?"
"Someone like Yura-noona is pretty. Smooth skin, top-tier by my standards."
Empty flattery? No, guys don't say that lightly... Men are brutally honest about looks unless they really like you.
"For real? I'm pretty?"
"Totally. Why would I lie?"
Seohan shot me a gaze full of conviction, like he couldn't believe I doubted. Our noses were almost touching now.
"Then... what if I was your girlfriend?"
"G-girlfriend?! Huh? Suddenly? N-not that I'd hate it..."
He's embarrassed. He really likes it? Gotta push forward. Back off now, and who knows how long it'd drag our relationship.
I had to press him as far as he'd allow.
"I... like you, y'know? Not just platonically. You've noticed, right?"
"Yura-ssi... I need a sec..."
"Haa... whoo..."
I leaned in close. Zero distance except our lips. I could feel it—Seohan was aroused too.
"Just... lips? If you hate it, say so. Or... wanna drink first?"
"L-lips..."
Hot. Scorching heat enveloped us. Almost there. Just one more step, and it was over. Whew... whew... Deep breaths... Gotta stay calm. Can't explode yet...
"Haum!"
While Yura composed herself, our lips met in an instant. It wasn't her who moved first. Seohan grabbed my nape and claimed me. The man... the man took the woman's lips first.
Was I dreaming? Never expected him to be this aggressive. A scene straight out of porn or manga. Instinctively, he ravaged my mouth, our saliva mixing deeply. No escape now. We pressed so hard it was suffocating, beastly lip-locks. We parted just before blacking out.
"Can't hold back."
"Whoa!"
He scooped me up. Yura shoved the food aside and laid Seohan on the table. Right... neither of us was sane anymore. Too late for rational thought.