New Year
New Year
Today was December 31st.
The final day of 2017, the Year of the Red Rooster.
Even on the last day of the year, people's daily routines didn't change much.
The only minor difference was that companies might let employees leave a little early at their discretion—maybe that much?
Of course, for an idol like A-ra and a mere student like me, it was largely irrelevant.
Probably, only Jeong Hwan-yi, who had to go to work, would have a hard time.
To me, December 31st was just the last day of the year and the day to hear the bells at midnight.
No.
It used to be just that.
Up until three years ago, before I met A-ra.
Now, things like the New Year's Eve bell and the first sunrise had become special times we could spend intimately together.
So, like every year, we were busily deciding which of the two to go see today.
Honestly, if we tried hard enough, we could probably do both,
but A-ra didn't want to live life so hectically.
A life that aims to do even one thing perfectly...
Some might think we're just complaining with a full stomach, but for us, it was a natural way of life in a sense.
"Seong-hwan-a, should we go hear the New Year's Eve bell or go see the first sunrise?"
"Wouldn't it naturally be the new year?"
Rather than wrapping up the old year, I wanted to make greeting the new year the priority.
Because I'm a man who leaves the past in the past and looks toward the future.
Also, to hear the New Year's Eve bell, you have to go to a specific location.
It's an event with such huge crowds that it's not exactly a good idea for us to attend in person.
"Thought so. But we might not be able to go to the spot we've gone to every year."
"Huh? Why is that?"
"I heard they're restricting access there because of a fatal fall accident that happened last time."
Curious about what happened, I searched the location name online.
I clicked the news article at the very top and checked it.
Sadly, a fatal accident had occurred due to a fall, and the person who owned the nearby land
apparently blocked access to the hotspot location.
"It's private property, so it can't be helped."
"Still, it's a bit disappointing. That spot had few people and the sunrise was great to watch."
It was truly a place you'd only see in a fantasy game, so I let out a sigh when I heard we probably couldn't enter.
If it were up to me, I'd even buy the land just to get in.
"It can't be helped, right? Noona will look for an even better place."
"Noona..."
"Eigu... our husband is feeling disappointed over something like this, is he?"
"Because I really liked that place too."
A-ra said she'd find a better place than that one, but
I wasn't sure if she could.
A-ra herself must be quite disappointed...
"I'll look for a good spot too."
"Huh? Do you know a place on the east coast?"
"No, I was going to ask around on SNS and online communities."
Just like we have places only we know about,
a few other people must have places only they know about too.
If I ask them to let me know secretly via direct message or something,
it won't get publicly exposed, so wouldn't that be a decent method?
"Hmm... it's not a bad method, but even if they have fan loyalty, would they just tell you about a spot like that?"
"If not, couldn't I just give them some of those rare goods that Director told me to hand out as gifts?"
There are many limited-edition items that even money can't buy.
That's because not long ago, Director said, 'The goods are selling well thanks to Seong-hwan-ssi,'
and gave me a lot of non-saleable, limited edition official goods.
"Is it okay to just hand those out like that?"
"She said I could hand them out as I please, so wouldn't it be fine?"
"Hmm... why is the Director unnie so soft on you alone, Seong-hwan..."
Just seeing that she gave things to only me that she didn't even give to others,
I could tell the Director was incredibly lenient with me.
She's probably just taking good care of me because I'm the husband of a close younger sister.
***
"Is it around here?"
The place we arrived at after driving since dawn was a quiet spot on the east coast.
Maybe because it was a fishing village, I could see the harbor, and it looked like a perfect place for fishing.
"Hehe..."
As expected, A-ra, who had researched well before coming,
had even prepared several fishing rods.
She was probably looking forward to fishing more than the sunrise.
"Isn't sea fishing difficult?"
"Not at all! You just do it exactly like we did at the fishing cafe. Except for the casting."
Casting was apparently the act of baiting the hook and throwing it far out.
Unless you go out to sea on a boat, how well you cast from the shore is quite important.
Anyway, the fishing was to be done after watching the sunrise.
We packed the sandwiches, side dishes, and coffee prepared for breakfast, and got out of the car.
"Hoo... as expected, the dawn air is a bit cold. Seong-hwan-a, are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
Because A-ra had made thorough preparations before we left home, I wasn't cold.
Inside my padded jacket, six hand warmers were attached, one hand warmer was in each pocket,
and I was perfectly equipped with a scarf and a mask.
Anyone watching would think I looked like a sickly younger brother being cared for by his older sister.
"If anything, Noona, aren't you the one who's going to be cold?"
"Girls don't get cold from just this much."
She was wearing a coat, but her clothes inside were a bit thin,
so I was worried she might catch a cold or something.
Still, because she's the woman, she wasn't showing signs of being cold in front of me,
but there was no way she wasn't cold in this weather.
I took out the two hand warmers I had in my pockets and put them inside A-ra's coat.
"Noona said she's fine, didn't she?"
"A woman should quietly accept it when her husband gives her something."
"Hmm..."
With a face that seemed to ask, 'Isn't it the other way around?', she tilted her head quizzically,
but she put her hands on the warm hand warmers I gave her, blushed, and nodded her head.
*
"I think this is the place."
Had we walked about 5 minutes?
There was a railing clearly built for watching the sunrise.
There was even a deck prepared, the kind you'd only see at a campsite.
This was a place introduced by an anonymous user on a community site,
who told us it was her own private property, so others couldn't enter.
I wondered what kind of rich person owned private land in a spot so perfect for watching the sunrise,
but apparently, since it was located on a rural road, it wasn't as expensive as I thought.
"....I want it."
"Huh?"
"It's so nice you could even fish from here."
Though there was a railing, the water level difference from the sea wasn't large.
At most, 3 meters?
But more than that, she said she wanted it...
Did she mean she wanted this land?
Well, owning land like this indeed seemed a bit enviable.
She said she was too busy to come this year, but seeing the deck set up and the fact that you could plug in an outlet,
it seemed like she had enjoyed camping here...
Enjoying camping while watching the morning sun rise in a place like this?
That must be a truly enviable life, with nothing lacking.
"Should we fish here later too?"
"The railing makes it inconvenient, so let's go toward the village to fish."
I stroked A-ra's head, as she was already excited just thinking about fishing.
The sun hadn't even risen yet and she was already thinking about fishing...
Had I unnecessarily awakened A-ra's fishing instincts by going to that fishing cafe?
"From now on, I'll go with you when you go fishing."
"Really!?"
"Uh... you don't hate it, do you?"
"As if anyone would hate it! It means I can go around together with Seong-hwan!"
Men generally don't like fishing...
No, it depends on the person, but I'd heard some even detest it.
I often see posts on male-dominated communities lamenting
that their wives like fishing so much they never think about staying home.
Similarly, women don't really like bringing men along when they fish.
Not only can they not focus on fishing, but the number of things they have to do for them increases.
From what I heard, some men refuse to bait the hook themselves,
so they apparently go fishing alone whenever possible.
"Hoo..."
"Here, have a cup of this."
I handed A-ra the hot coffee I'd brought in a thermos.
We, who had spread out a mat the moment we saw the deck,
thawed our frozen bodies while looking at the still-dark sea,
the sun not yet risen.
"What time does the sun rise today?"
"They said it'll rise around 7:30."
"There's still a little time left."
Confirming there was still a bit of time left by looking at the clock, A-ra
leaned her head on my shoulder.
No, to be precise, she leaned in a slightly strange posture.
It was a posture where she had pressed her cheek against my cheek.
"Seong-hwan-a."
"Yeah."
"Can I suck on your cheek?"
"If you do that again and leave a kiss mark, I'll be too embarrassed to walk around."
Even now, my lower body, neck, and below my chest were still covered in kiss marks.
The amount was a bit much, to the point it stung and ached.
"Oh, Noona! I think the sun is about to rise?"
"Woah..."
When I pointed a finger at the sea in front of us, the sun was softly rising, just like a scene from a movie.
Was this what they called emotion?
Looking at the new year's sun, memories of the last eventful year flashed through my mind like a revolving lantern.
Entering university, opening a Qtube channel...
Getting my license, buying a car... a lot of things happened.
All of these were things I would never have experienced if not for A-ra.
"Noona."
"Yeah."
"Please take good care of me this year too."
"It's me who should be asking you to take good care of me, Seong-hwan-a."
A-ra lifted her head from my shoulder and smiled brightly.
I also smiled softly, and then kissed her lips.
I believed that a new year's kiss would serve as a spice of life for married couples greeting the new year.
And that was all; I just fervently prayed in my heart that A-ra Noona and I wouldn't get seriously hurt or seriously ill over the next year.