Someone Like You Wouldn't Like Half Half Island (5)
Do Ha-min's two arms wrapped around my waist. The guy had some decent arm strength, so my slender waist gave in without any resistance, closing the distance in an instant to follow his touch. I could feel the subtle trembling in his arms, the twitching of his muscles, and the texture of the veins faintly bulging on his forearms, all transmitted through the thin layer of my T-shirt.
He was shaking because he knew this was something he'd never done before—something the old Do Ha-min could never even imagine. When people do things they're not used to, their whole body tenses up naturally. There was worry that he might hurt me if he squeezed too hard, but also this desperate desire not to fail no matter what, all mixed into those arms that were desperately hiding the tension.
And above all, his face came into my view—like a kid who'd squeezed his eyes shut tight as if staring at something he shouldn't see. This wasn't a face for kissing. It was more like a kid crying because he was scared of shots, or one closing his eyes and opening his mouth wide because Mom said not to be picky with food.
Given the height difference between Do Ha-min and me, if I just tilted my head back a little, no matter how hard he pulled me in, our lips wouldn't meet. But I didn't tilt my head back. Why? 'I'm smiling.'
I could see my reflection in the glasses of Do Ha-min as he leaned in to kiss me, grinning like I was perfectly satisfied. 'April Fool's under moonlit cherry blossoms. What a ridiculously pure youth romance.'
I dipped my chin slightly, tilting my head downward. Before the distance closed any further—before his head could reach me and risk brushing more sensitive spots. For now, I'd give him my lips and protect my virginity. I pulled my arms back, entrusting my waist to his hands as I leaned in gently.
—Smack. A soft sensation touched the corner of my mouth. The familiar scent of half-boiled egg.
This was our second kiss, but it felt like the first. I'd decided in my mind that only skinship initiated by Do Ha-min counted.
A month since possessing the body of the main heroine, Ban Do-young. Took a whole month to get here. You too, Do Ha-min. And me too.
—Click.
"...Huh?"
"Kyaa, the photo came out great."
Modern cameras are seriously impressive. Even hastily turned on in this late night, it captured that one-second moment crystal clear without any shake. Maybe the auto-beautify helped. It looked super photogenic, and I loved it. Of course, Ban Do-young had a natural filter in everyone's eyes even without edits.
"Wh-when did you even grab your phone camera...!"
"Who doesn't screenshot on achievement unlock day?"
The moment he called my name, thinking we'd tied again through the kiss—right at the peak—Do Ha-min snapped back to his usual self with a single camera flash from the side. Not even ten seconds after he'd resolved to be my equal and gone for the kiss.
"D-delete it, quick! If that ends up on your phone and people misunderstand...!"
"It's fine. You're the one who has to clear up that misunderstanding, not me. If anyone asks about the photo, I'll just cry. You explain it."
"Th-that's not fair...! You're so sneaky, Ban Do-young!"
"Ah, heh heh. Called my name again...? Kinda nice, actually? Say it one more time?"
"D-delete it, Ban Do-young!"
"You're too much, you! Are you telling me to delete this precious fruit of our labor...!"
"I-I'm saying delete the photo before it causes weird misunderstandings!"
Do Ha-min stretched out the arms that had been around my waist to snatch my phone, but now free from his hold, I immediately backpedaled, putting distance between us. In a cramped room where we'd bump noses if we fell, maybe, but on this wide-open walkway, my long legs gave me the advantage—even a short guy like him reaching out couldn't catch up with just a few steps from me.
"Stop! Delete the photo!"
"Heh heh, no way! Why should I? What're you gonna pay me?"
"Seriously... why does it always end up like this!"
Sensing the destructive power of this photo—way beyond that Magical Girl Marina★Harina pic—Do Ha-min didn't give up even as I ran away, launching himself toward me.
—Thud.
But after just a few steps, he hadn't even gone a few meters from where he'd stood before crashing onto the walkway pavement with a loud bang.
"H-hey! Do Ha-min, what's wrong?"
Startled by the louder-than-expected noise, I whipped around mid-run and hurried back to him.
"M-my legs... gave out..."
His body, tensed to the max from doing something so unfamiliar, collapsed right there in the middle of the walkway the moment the tension released.
....
It was a five-minute walk back home, but his legs trembled uselessly, refusing to support him on their own. No choice—I helped him up and sat him on a nearby bench.
Normally, he'd have instinctively protected himself while falling, but with the tension gone and his balance shot, he ended up with minor scrapes on his right knee and forehead. Luckily, his glasses were fine. The optician had said they were sturdy but ugly and unpopular—turns out that was true. Blood trickled faintly from his forehead, but not a scratch on the glasses.
"You okay?"
"Th-thanks. My legs just... gave out without warning."
"That's what happens when you do stuff you're not used to. You were dead tired and dozing off earlier too."
His white bare legs flopped down like a paper doll crumpling. For a 16-year-old guy who'd lived that long, they were surprisingly hairless and soft.
'This guy's... still in puberty?' Wonder if the rest was safe. 'Well, he pushed himself hard today.'
Maybe it was backlash from his whole body being on high alert. Or perhaps because he'd finally been reborn as the protagonist of Half Half Island. His legs flailed like a newborn foal, unable to control their strength. Fair enough— he'd already squeezed out 100% of his energy today, from what I'd seen. He'd been exhausted from all-nighters, face-planting on the table until just before.
He'd tried acting fine to not worry me on the way home, but the fatigue had built up, and his body finally hit its limit at the end.
"Your arms are stronger than before, but your legs are still weak."
I crouched down, balled my right fist, and lightly tapped his thigh. It felt firm at first, but more like it just sank in softly rather than bouncing back. I'd figured he'd have some muscle from walking 4-5 km round-trip to school every day. But thinking back, last time I'd pressed his thigh, he couldn't even twitch.
His big hands didn't match his small frame, but after just a few weeks of kendo, they'd gotten strong enough to grab and pin my hand. Was it the height holding him back?
"Heh, softer than I thought? These legs."
"I-it's just 'cause my strength's gone..."
Offended at the idea his legs were weak, Do Ha-min denied it desperately. Guy pride, huh.
"Even without strength, no muscle to speak of, and no fat either. You're such a weakling."
"W-well... I only started walking that much in high school. Middle school, the school wasn't far. N-no real walking needed."
"You probably just read novels and watched anime all day, no exercise. Never even played soccer properly with the kids, right?"
"I-I did until elementary."
"So not in middle school."
"...After one accidental handling, they said we'd lose if I joined, so they refused first."
"Ah, relatable. Been there. Buncha petty jerks."
"G-girls play soccer too? You did handling, Do-young?"
"Yeah, practicing Ganymede Proton in playground games with friends. They wouldn't let me play soccer for a whole month after that one. Petty asses."
"G-Ganymede Proton...?"
Thinking back, it still pissed me off. They laughed off Fire Tornado and God Hand, but Ganymede Proton? No mercy.
"Legs are shot, and now your knee's scraped—walking properly's gonna be tough... Ah. Hehe."
"Wh-why are you suddenly laughing like that...?"
I lowered myself in front of Do Ha-min on the bench and offered my back.
"Just this once."
"Wh-what are you—"
"Hop on."
"P-piggyback...? That's ridiculous...!"
"Hey, you fell because of me, so I'll take responsibility. Hop on."
"I-I'm fine...! Just need a bit to rest and I can walk... So—"
"Wanna see that photo blasted in the class group chat?"
"..."
I dangled my phone in front of him, and soon enough, his weight settled on my shoulders.
"Whoa, just touched Do Ha-min's butt."
"...I'm getting off."
I didn't let him.