Go Yewon
"I'm stepping into the office for a minute. I'm eating—want some?"
"I'm fine."
"Don't be like that. Eat first, then work."
"I can't eat anything in the middle of a workout."
"All right. Then I'll just be... going."
Go Yewon wrapped herself around my arm before the words were even finished. The press of her breasts against my forearm was anything but ordinary. They were as full as Ra-hee's, but the softness of them made me picture Yewon's chest whether I meant to or not. When I looked down at her, the smile on the face tipped up toward mine deepened. She'd done it on purpose.
"Hurry. I'm really confident about this."
"...All right. And I had something to tell you anyway."
The first thing I saw when I stepped into the office was Ra-hee's backside. She'd been setting salad out on the table; she glanced over, wiped her hands, and came toward me with a smile.
"Please, sit."
"Yeah. You're hungry too, right?"
"Yes. Please sit."
Ra-hee settled me on the sofa. Yewon, cheeks briefly puffed, took the seat across from us, smiled at me, and held out a salad bowl.
"Please try it. This dressing is the one I'm confident in."
"Yes. It's good."
At both of their urging I served myself some salad, drizzled the dressing over it, and put a bite in my mouth. My head nodded on its own. I'd thought salad was salad, but the dressing was genuinely good. Homemade, maybe.
"It is good. Bright and fresh."
"Right? Ra-hee, you eat too."
"Yeah. Thanks."
"I'm the one who should be thanking you..."
Her words trailed off, and I felt Yewon's eyes flick toward me. She was sending signals loud enough that there was no mistaking what she wanted. Business first, though.
"How much spare budget do we have?"
"...Budget?"
"Yeah. A van, a sign, banners, flyers. I wanted to ask whether we can cover that much."
"Ha, up to about thirty million won is fine."
"We won't need that much. I'll probably have to spend around ten million today, though. Chang-soo's good at that sort of thing, so we might save some."
"...All right."
"I'll have them bring receipts. You just look those over and pay them out."
"No. Let me know and I'll transfer it right away. If anything, this is my job."
I wondered if she trusted people a little too easily, but at least the work would move faster for it.
"Do you know how to look at a used car? What about signs?"
"Ah..."
"Don't go out there planning to get fleeced. Just stay put. You're the boss now."
"...Yes. Thank you..."
"Let's talk while we eat."
Over the meal I walked them through everything I'd discussed with Chang-soo, and both Ra-hee and Yewon listened closely. I had to unpack it a little so Yewon could follow, which took some time, but once she understood she smiled softly and nodded.
"...Thank you. Really—ever since you showed up, Shinwoo, things have actually started moving..."
"We still need to be careful, though."
We were just about finished eating when a knock sounded at the office door.
"Hyung. Got something to tell you."
"You can come in."
Chang-soo cracked the door and stuck only his head through before going on. His face looked so grave that I started up off the sofa without thinking, sure something had gone wrong.
"We got a consultation call. They're parking right now."
Then he held up two fingers in a V and flashed a smug little grin, and Ra-hee, Yewon, and I all let out a long sigh.
"You had to say it like the world was ending? It's good news."
"I told you. I said the response would be fast."
"...Let's clear this up. If they see us like this, we'll look way too amateur, won't we?"
"Yeah, yeah. Ra-hee."
"Yeah. I'll help."
"Chang-soo, show them around for a minute. I'll tell you when we're done clearing up."
"Okaaay."
We rushed to tidy the office, and Ra-hee carried the dishes out. I watched Yewon spraying air freshener, then quietly stepped in behind her.
"Ah, Shinwoo... kya—?!"
I pushed her, mid-turn, straight into the wall and met her eyes. A framed photo gave a small shake as she hit it. She still had the rag and the freshener in her hands and clearly had no idea what to do with them, but I didn't care. I just looked down at her. In an instant, tension threaded through the quiet office.
"...Congratulations. We're open."
"...Ah, no... It's all thanks to you, Shinwoo..."
"Why so shy? This is what you wanted."
"Ah..."
I tipped her chin up, and she swallowed hard, eyes darting everywhere as if she had no idea where to put them.
"Wasn't it?"
"...Ah..."
As my fingers traced the line of her jaw and the contour of her face, I could see the fine hairs rise on both her cheeks. Not knowing what to do with herself was cute, I'll give her that.
"You want to do it with me?"
"Th-that's..."
"Did you get Ra-hee's permission?"
I felt her body flinch at the question. Then my fingers slid down her neck again, and she was too busy swallowing to answer.
"You're trying to do something with me. It shows. All of it."
"...Ah, ah..."
Only then did her face flush in a rush. She couldn't meet my eyes and dropped her gaze. Where had all that bold advertising gone? I'd known she'd freeze the moment it actually happened. Of course, that very look was starting to make me like her.
"Ra-hee's permission. Did you get it?"
"...Yes..."
That was enough. She couldn't have gotten only permission. She'd have gotten hints, too. A grin pulled at my mouth before I knew it. That gave me one more thing to tease Ra-hee about. And this was exactly what I'd wanted from Hyunji and Ra-hee. When I wasn't around, or when it was only the women, those two were the ones who had to sort the traffic. Turning someone away was fine too. If that was their judgment, I welcomed it. I trusted the two of them now.
"Then I understand. Come here."
"Ah... hnn—?!"
The moment my lips covered hers, Yewon drew both arms in and went rigid all over. It wasn't even a deep kiss—closer to a peck—but her face was already flushed deep with excitement. Just her cheeks, red as a peach.
"Ah..."
"I'll take it that I'm allowed to touch you, Yewon."
"...Yes, yes... Um, um..."
"Hm?"
"...A k-kiss... just one more..."
"You know we don't have time."
"...Even so... I-it was my first kiss, and I don't want to remember I was holding a rag... okay?"
When I smiled and nodded at her rushed plea, she flung the rag and the air freshener to the floor as if she'd been waiting for it and threw her arms around my neck.
"Haa, h-how am I supposed to..."
She had her arms around me, but she didn't know what to do and bit her lip. At that innocent look, I covered the lower lip she was biting with my own. The instant she felt my mouth she stopped breathing, let her lip go, and locked her whole body stiff.
"Mm—nnh... I—I can't... breathe... mmph..."
"You have to breathe while you do it."
"Yes, yes... haah... mm... hnn..."
As I began to move my lips and brought my tongue out, Yewon's body jerked like a fish on a line, and I held her gently. I couldn't feel her fingers around my neck. The tension was all in her wrists. She was trying not to let the hand that had held the rag touch me. Even in the middle of getting worked up, she was thinking of me. Considerate to the bone.
"Ah... mm, haah, nnh..."
When I stroked the firm, soft line of her waist and back, the tension wound through her slowly drained away. Then her lips parted, careful. And the moment that tongue pushed my lips open and came in, even I was a little startled.
"Haah... mm, nn..."
Yewon's tongue was remarkably long. It wound around mine like a snake as it came in, and then she started copying exactly what I'd shown her. When I licked her teeth, she licked mine. When I scraped her palate and her tongue, she trembled for a second, then scraped mine right back. And the sharp point of her tongue was intensely stimulating.
"Haa, haa..."
"You've got a talent for kissing."
"Hnn, haa, hnn..."
I asked it while looking into her flushed, hazily unfocused eyes, and she answered in a shaking voice.
"Th-thank you... It f-felt so good..."
"Compared to the salad. I wonder if it was a letdown."
"...No, no... It was... so good..."
I looked quietly at her face, slick with spit. One kiss, and she looked ready to give me everything—dazed, undone. It was almost too much. Maybe it was just the stress piled up in her. Or maybe this had worked out for the better.
"I'm counting on you from here on."
"...Yes, yes... Really... It was so much better than what I'd heard..."
"Let's wipe up. We're about out of time."
"...Yes. Um, Sh-Shinwoo."
As I drew away from her, she stopped me, catching my forearm with careful fingers.
"Yes?"
"...Ah, anytime. Anytime is fine... I'll do whatever you tell me to... so..."
I understood how she felt. She was craving it the way someone tastes sugar for the first time—but where was the fun in giving it to her that easily?
"Shh. I told you, didn't I? Don't worry."
"Ah..."
"Besides, you're only saying that because you're worked up. What are you planning to do with me later?"
"...Yes... Thank you... for leading me so gently..."
"Think that covers up the memory of holding the rag?"
"...Yes. It was... really good."
She stayed hazy and unfocused, saying only that it was good. She must like kissing more than most. Maybe her lips were where she felt it. I scratched my cheek and leaned in to whisper.
"I'll do it again."
"...Yes..."
"Oh, and wear a bra. You'll stretch the ligaments like that. And it looks like a pretty chest."
"P-pretty... And i-it's not that bad."
"I'm telling you to take care of it from now on. It's not just your chest anymore, is it?"
"...Ah..."
She flushed and dropped her eyes. I waited for an answer, and she gave a small nod.
"Yes..."
"Just so you know, the things I hate most are neglecting your body and lying."
"...Yes. I c-can't lie... I get caught anyway..."
She seemed a little low on self-esteem too, but there was no need to judge that too quickly. There was time. Coming to the gym had just gained one more pleasure.
"You haven't forgotten, right? We're a brand-new gym that's just opening. So you have to tell them we're still a little underprepared."
"...Yes, yes..."
I watched her fan her face with her hand, still unable to hide how worked up she was, and gave her a quiet nod. That should be enough for her to handle the rest. I wiped the spit from the corner of my mouth with the hem of my T-shirt and stepped out of the office.
"Oh, you're out?"
Ra-hee, just then coming toward the office, spoke to me. Behind her stood a middle-aged woman staring at me with round eyes, and a little kid looking up at me like I was something strange. I met their eyes, smiled gently, gave them a small nod of greeting, and answered Ra-hee.
"Yes, Instructor."
"...Th-then rest a little and start with jump rope. Over by the mirrors, all right?"
"Yes. Understood."
"I'll just do the consultation and come see you right after."
"Yes."
The moment I called her Instructor, Ra-hee caught on. Her face went bright red, she answered in a trembling voice, and she slipped past me. She got embarrassed over something I couldn't quite place. I had a feeling, though.
Should I try it? Later, for now.
But I turned to meet the curious stares of the woman and child still watching me, put on a business smile, and hurried through the scan.