Consultation
"You apologize for the strangest things. Let's stop by the restroom first. Both of you have your makeup wiped clean."
"Okay. I'll be quick."
"Take your time. Come here."
"Ah, I'll carry those."
Hwang Jiyoung reached in a hurry for the shopping bags in my hands, but I quietly slipped them out of her grasp and divided them between the two. She tried to take Hyunji's as well, yet Hyunji seemed to understand what I wanted and accepted hers at once.
"Here. This one's Hyunji's, and this one's yours, Jiyoung."
"I could carry them."
"No. I'll carry my own."
"Right. That way I can hold both your hands while we walk."
"Ah..."
Color rose in Jiyoung's face at my words, but when I offered my hand she took it with careful fingers. Hyunji hugged my other arm against her chest, and I walked slowly toward the restroom with her warmth along my side, keenly aware of the countless stares that followed us.
...There's definitely a difference.
I hadn't missed the sneers and amused looks back when I took Hyunji on that theater date, people smirking at the way she followed my lead. This was nothing like that. Now they looked at me in surprise, or with glances that meant more than they said, and most of the eyes that landed on Hyunji and Hwang Jiyoung were full of envy.
"Oppa."
Hyunji, who had been fidgeting with my hand, leaned in and whispered.
"Yeah. What is it?"
"Later, after we eat... would it be all right if I went somewhere with you for a little while...?"
"Where? Somewhere with a bed?"
"Ah, no..."
"Aww. That's a shame."
"...Then, um, would you rather go there next time and just head home...?"
"I'm kidding. Where do you want to go?"
"...It's a secret."
"Fine. Anywhere I go with my Hyunji is good."
"...Me too."
I gave her hand a firm squeeze at the whisper, then turned to Jiyoung.
"When are you moving your things?"
"Ah, after lunch is fine. No one will be home..."
"Think you can manage it alone?"
"Yes. I've already called the movers..."
"That isn't what I meant."
"...Ah..."
"Want me to help, if it's hard?"
I couldn't claim to understand, not completely, what it felt like to be driven out of the place that had been home until now, but I couldn't help worrying all the same. At my offer she waved her hands in a fluster, then met my eyes, flushed all over again, and dropped her gaze. What had happened in the fitting room still seemed to embarrass her deeply.
"Ah, no. I've already interrupted the two of you on your date more than enough..."
I studied her refusing eyes for a moment and turned it over. Leaving her on her own kept nagging at me. If I were in her place, I was sure I'd sink the moment I was alone. I didn't know whether she was the sort to endure sorrow by herself, but that was something I could find out by offering.
"Then call me after you've finished moving. You know the number, right?"
"...Ah."
"Don't stay by yourself. All right? I'll be with Hyunji all day, so if reaching me feels awkward, you can call her instead."
"...Ah, it doesn't feel awkward..."
"Or would you rather be with Seol-ah or Mi-ji?"
Jiyoung's lips parted, then closed again. She met Hyunji's eyes—Hyunji had been watching her quietly—and when Hyunji smiled, Jiyoung ducked her head and murmured in a voice so small I almost missed it.
"...I want to be with Oppa and Hyunji..."
"Then call me. And give me your number too."
"Yes..."
I saved the number she gave me and slipped the phone back into my pocket. I was starting to think I ought to buy a small bag. I didn't much like the way my pants bulged. Just then Hyunji fidgeted with my hand and whispered, and I had a fair idea what she was about to say. The phone in my pocket was pressing into her waist.
"Oppa."
"No. It's fine. I'll buy the bag."
"No. I was going to tell you I'd already picked them out..."
"...When, exactly?"
"While you were changing earlier. I chose three that were pretty enough—a sling bag, a pouch, and a backpack."
"...All right. I'll put them to good use..."
When I answered without much spirit, Hyunji broke into a pleased little smile, drew my arm deeper into her embrace, and started humming. I was glad she was happy, at least. Beside us, Hwang Jiyoung followed along, flushed with embarrassment. It might have been a little soon for her, but perhaps this was for the best. I'd take her to the gym today and introduce her alongside Hyunji. Hyunji wouldn't have anything else to do today anyway.
"Hyunji, you don't have anything tonight either, right?"
"No. I do."
"Huh? You've got plans?"
"No. I'm going to stick to you like glue."
She smiled as if she'd already caught what I was aiming at and hugged my arm even tighter. I let out a short laugh and turned back to Jiyoung.
"See? So don't stay alone. Make sure you call."
"...Yes. Thank you... for worrying about me too..."
"Don't mention it. From now on I'm going to think of you as mine, Jiyoung."
Her face went scarlet. She swallowed, fidgeted with my hand, and couldn't seem to get another word out, and I quietly enjoyed the sight. Hyunji watched the two of us with a contented look, listening in.
"And what about you, Jiyoung?"
"...I, I also... I like you too, Oppa..."
"Then it's all right to speak a little more comfortably now, isn't it?"
"As much as you like... You kept being so formal that I thought I was making you uncomfortable..."
"Not a chance. If I'd been uncomfortable, I wouldn't have gotten that worked up."
"...Yes. Thank you..."
"And Jiyoung, don't pile on the extreme honorifics either. These days I'm painfully aware of looking older than I am."
At that, Hyunji bumped her head lightly against my shoulder, as if to scold me, and spoke up.
"Since when do you look old? People would believe me if I said Jiyoung was your junior."
"...Why me?"
"Mm, because you and Oppa seem like friends?"
"Then I ought to call you unni, Hyunji."
"Ah! Seriously!"
Hyunji, who had meant to tease and gotten it straight back, flared up, and Jiyoung and I were still giggling when we found ourselves in front of the restroom.
"Go on, then. I'll wait here. Hand over the bags."
"Ah, no. I'll hold on to them. You don't need to be carrying things like this."
"She's right. We'll be right back, so wait just a little, Oppa."
The two of them clutched the bags to their chests as if I might snatch them away and disappeared into the restroom. I lowered myself onto the chair outside. A sigh slipped out of me before I knew it. Shin Mirae's text had left my head in a tangle for a while, but the two of them had eased it some.
I really do need to be careful from now on.
It would be all right, in any case. From here on, whenever that kind of impulse hit, there would be plenty of people I could go to. I was still turning over what to do about Shin Mirae when I picked up my phone. The moment I sent Kim Do-hoon a message saying I'd decided, a reply came straight back.
I thanked him, and I had just answered his message about getting along well from here on when Jiyoung came out of the restroom. I put the phone away.
"Already done?"
"Yes. Hyunji said she's taking all her makeup off and doing it over."
"Guess she didn't much care for Seol-ah's style. I thought it looked fine."
"Honestly, I think Hyunji is prettier when she looks more innocent."
She glanced at me, then went on in a murmur, almost a whisper.
"She... she looks good with you, too, Oppa..."
"But the truth is, she looks pretty no matter what she does."
"That's true. A pure look doesn't suit me very well."
"That includes you, Jiyoung."
"Ah..."
Her face washed clean, Jiyoung sat carefully beside me. I took the hand that fidgeted atop her neatly gathered knees. I wanted to stroke her thigh, but I held back for now. There was too much we needed to talk through first. She must have put on hand cream; her skin was a little moister, softer, and pleasant to the touch. I thought I caught a faint scent of butter, too.
"...You really do seem kind. And warm."
"My hand?"
"...Your hand, too. But also the way you keep looking out for me. I can feel you trying to treat me the same as Hyunji..."
"Actually, there is a little favoritism."
"Th-there is?"
"Mm. We haven't slept together yet."
She drew in a breath, and color flooded her face.
"Embarrassed?"
"No... Y-your hand feels good, too... and the things you say are so nice... it's hard to breathe..."
"Your hand is soft, Jiyoung. I want to keep touching it."
"Thank you..."
"Was today too much?"
The moment I brought up the fitting room, a flush began to climb her cheeks.
"No... It was very intense. But... I'm so glad I got to know you, Oppa."
"Next time, being alone together won't be empty words. I'm sorry your first kiss happened in a place like that."
"S-sorry for what... It was such a gentle kiss..."
"Want another?"
She had been touching her own lips. At my words her eyes went round, and she stared at me. I let out a small laugh at how cute she looked and, without another word, slowly tilted my face toward hers.
"Ah... mmph..."
"Breathe while you do it."
"Ah—hah, mm..."
The fingers wrapped around my hand tightened hard. Even so, I savored the way she tried to breathe as I'd told her, and the small restless movement of her lips, before I slowly drew away.
"...If you want to, say so. I'll do it whenever."
"...Yes... haa, haa..."
"Still difficult?"
"A, a little... My head feels blank..."
"Did it feel good?"
"...Yes... Like I'm floating... like I've turned into a fool..."
I looked quietly at her dazed face, toyed with her hand, and whispered.
"Let's get along well from now on. All right?"
"Yes..."
"Don't worry so much. Think of us as family now."
As if something had just come clear to her, she couldn't answer. She only looked flustered, and a thin shine of tears gathered at the corners of her eyes.
"...Thank you."
"Don't. And you really do have to call later, understand? It's so I can introduce you to the others. You'll say hello, won't you?"
"Yes... I want to greet them."
"Good."
I watched her a moment longer, and saw her swallow as her lips moved.
"Something you want to say?"
"...Please do it one more time..."
"All right."
Lately, kiss anyone once and they all asked for another. I wasn't actually that good at it. Still, if they liked it, it somehow felt as though I were, and that was a pleasant feeling. I gave her one more light kiss and quietly watched her face as she let out a hot breath.
"...Oppa."
"Yeah."
"...Ah, from now on... please take care of me..."
"Yeah. You too."
"Yes..."
Whether she was only saying the words or truly accepting the situation she was in was something I could learn in time. Things were moving fast enough already. There was no need to rush.
"Then shall we talk a little?"
"About what...?"
"What are you thinking of doing from here?"
"...I have thought about it... but there hasn't been much time."
"I figured. Staying in school is going to be hard, isn't it?"
"Probably. That professor is stricter than she looks."
"Stricter than that?"
At my sigh she smiled softly and took my hand in return.
"Yes. I won't even be able to get into her lectures. And her connections run wide. I probably won't be able to join a domestic dance company, either. I'm not in a position to study abroad the way Hyunji is, and my skill isn't enough. I'm too tall for a lead, too..."
That wretched old woman's face rose in my mind, and I clicked my tongue before I could stop myself. Startled, Jiyoung hurried on.
"Ah, should we talk about something else...?"
"No. I just thought of that professor's face. So what do you want to do?"
"...Ever since high school, I've worked part-time at an academy every vacation. So today I was thinking of contacting the director there first."
She really was something. Even from a family that rich, she had gone out and worked. Hyunji had said something similar. It was hard to write off as nothing more than career-building. Working part-time in high school, especially, belonged to a world entirely different from mine.