Chapter 23
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Slippery Mishaps and Titanic Poses
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Hey, get out of the way!"
I reflexively reached out.
I planned to shove her shoulder and force her off me, no matter what.
But Sea twisted her upper body to dodge my hand.
And just like that, the hand that should've hit her shoulder slammed into a spot I never expected.
Squish.
"...!"
Right through her thin t-shirt, soaked with water.
A heavy, full weight filled my palm completely.
It was insanely soft.
Every knuckle on my fingers sank deep into that plush flesh.
"Ngh... Ahh...!"
Sea swallowed a gasp and buried her face in my shoulder.
I was so shocked I couldn't breathe.
I knew I had to pull my hand away right now.
But instead...
Squeeze.
"H-Hii...!"
My grip tightened even more on her breast, refusing to let go.
Her body jolted in my arms like she'd been shocked.
The sensation at my fingertips was so vivid it sent tingles up my spine.
Was this a dream? No way.
I could feel the round wire of her bra pressing into my palm.
And my other five fingers gripped her overflowing soft skin without a gap.
Her tender flesh squeezed out between my fingers.
Every twitch from her body traveled straight through my hand.
"W-Wait... Hey."
My voice cracked against my will.
"T-This isn't... what it looks like..."
My lips trembled as I tried to make excuses.
But my hand stayed clamped on her breast, showing no signs of releasing.
"Haa... Nghh..."
Hot, ragged breaths tickled my ear.
And in that instant, Sea's body suddenly went limp and collapsed downward.
Her knees buckled, throwing her full weight onto me.
"H-Hey!"
Only then did I finally wrench my hand free from her chest.
I desperately grabbed her waist as she started to slide to the floor.
Her drenched body poured into my arms.
Sea trembled against my shoulder, her head buried there.
The soft sensation that had filled my palm moments ago still lingered vividly.
Humiliation burned through me—I'd done something insane.
But the dead weight of her in my arms yanked me back to reality.
My arms shook from holding her up.
"Hey, careful! You okay? Not hurt?"
"Ow..."
Sea mumbled softly, her forehead pressed to the nape of my neck.
"My legs... won't hold me."
It wasn't the teasing, confident voice from before.
This was weak, laced with a strange wetness.
I gripped her waist tightly and asked urgently.
"Did you slip? Twist your ankle?"
"Dunno."
Sea’s arms wrapped around my waist, clutching hard.
Her hot breath seeped into my bare skin.
"You squeezed so hard..."
Her mumble left me speechless.
Pop-!
A sharp crackle rang out, and my vision flashed bright.
Fluorescent light flooded the pitch-black bathroom.
"Argh, too bright!"
"H-Hey!"
The sudden glare made us squint instinctively.
We blinked hard, eyes squeezed shut then open.
As my blurry vision cleared, the first thing I saw was the huge bathroom mirror.
"..."
"..."
The sight staring back was a disaster.
Sea, soaked like a drowned rat, her wet clothes clinging transparently.
And me, half-naked, holding her tight.
It looked straight out of a disaster movie.
The moment I processed it, embarrassment hit like a truck, blanking my mind.
"Uwaaaah!"
We shoved each other away like we'd been electrocuted.
Sea spun around, arms over her chest, while I scrambled for the towel on the floor.
"Y-You, get out quick!"
"I wanna get out too! Don't block the door—move!"
We bolted from the bathroom without even looking at each other.
'Yoon Dojin, you dumb idiot.'
I left the dazed Dojin behind and bolted to my room like I was fleeing.
Click.
I slammed the door shut and locked it the second I got inside.
Leaning against it, my held breath finally burst out.
"Haa..."
My heart felt like it would leap out of my chest.
I slid down to the floor and buried my face in my knees.
The moment the power went out, I'd thought 'Jackpot.'
I'd dumped the water from the sink over my head and clothes and charged in.
"...But damn, it really hurts."
My breast throbbed hotly.
I carefully lifted the hem of my soaked t-shirt.
Staring at my reflection, I couldn't believe it.
Five red finger marks were imprinted on my pale skin.
"Whoa, Yoon Dojin. Is your grip strength for real?"
I gently prodded the reddened marks with my fingers.
A sharp sting brought back the vivid feel of his rough hand.
Big, calloused, and scorching hot.
"...This is gonna bruise, isn't it?"
My face in the mirror was flushed red.
It was my plan, so why did it feel like I got played?
After yesterday's chaos, we'd fled to our rooms.
The next morning, we could barely look at each other without awkwardness.
The drive to the pier was suffocating silence.
If our eyes met by accident, we'd whip our heads away.
Even walking from the car into the sea breeze, no words passed.
I kept thinking I should apologize, but the timing never felt right.
Finally, we stopped right before the massive yacht bobbing on the white-capped sea.
Sea broke the tension first.
"You're wearing it?"
"What."
"The linen shirt I got you."
She slid her sunglasses down her nose with a smirk.
"Figured it'd suit the yacht vibe."
I dropped the hand scratching my head, avoiding her gaze.
After yesterday, wearing the outfit she'd picked felt weird.
"Looks good on you. But undo a couple more buttons."
She nodded at my chest with her chin.
"Why."
"You look stuffy."
I grumbled but popped the top button anyway.
The sea breeze felt nice flowing through.
Soon, the white yacht sliced through the waves toward the open sea off Jeju.
Drained from yesterday, we lay side by side on the net at the bow.
Sunglasses on, staring at the endless blue sky.
White waves crashed endlessly below our feet.
Each time the yacht crested a wave, the rocking jolted through our bodies.
This silence wasn't awkward anymore.
With just the wind and waves roaring, it felt peaceful.
"Hey, this is pretty nice."
She murmured softly, almost lost in the wind.
"Yeah. It is."
I nodded, eyes closed, whispering back.
Bzzz.
A loud buzz shattered the calm from my wrist.
Recreate the 'Titanic' movie pose at the yacht's bow.
📍 Condition: Press chests and backs completely together to feel each other's heartbeats.
I stared at the screen in disbelief.
"What the hell. Titanic? I think I saw my parents doing that on their honeymoon."
Sea sat up, frowning hard at my complaint.
"Hey, there's other couples around. This is embarrassing."
She glanced at the tourists nearby.
"Now it's straight-up telling us to humiliate ourselves?"
In the end, we stood at the yacht's edge, sneaking peeks around.
I placed a hand awkwardly on Sea's waist, keeping distance, but my wrist buzzed again.
Warning: insufficient closeness.
"Ugh, so annoying. Let's just get it over with."
Sea yanked my arm, forcing it firm across her stomach.
Then she pressed her back tight against me.
Her small frame and warmth pressed fully into me.
Her hair tickled my chin, making my neck itch like crazy.
"Oh? Look over there. Those people are doing Titanic."
A woman's voice nearby made my neck burn.
Sidelong glance: another couple at the railing, watching us curiously.
"Hey, let's do it too. It'll look cute."
"No way, embarrassing."
"They're doing it. Come on."
The onlookers got hyped to try it themselves.
Dozens of eyes stabbed into my back.
I wanted to jump overboard, my face exploding.
Sea stiffened rigidly in my arms, shoulders twitching.
We barely breathed until the completion alert buzzed.
Stepping off the yacht onto solid ground, we were totally spent.
But the hellish skinship course had only just begun.
We tackled missions nonstop after that.
And somehow, the originally tame mission list had been rewritten into pervy ones.
At a restaurant, it demanded I steal food from her mouth with my lips.
In the dark aquarium tunnel, it made us wrap arms around waists in blind spots.
At the beach cafe, we sat facing each other on one's lap, sharing a drink from the same straw.
We barely survived those humiliations and paused at the cafe to catch our breath.
"Ugh, gonna hurl."
I sprawled across the cafe terrace chair, mumbling.
"But the pics came out great. Check these."
Sea shoved her phone screen across the table.
We looked like a perfect couple in them.
Smiling at each other, wiping cream from lips with fingers.
Even as fake fiancés, the vibe was eerily real.
"...Yeah, they turned out good."
"Right?"
Sea swiped through, pausing at one.
The Titanic pose from the yacht bow.
Not a photo mission, but we'd snapped it anyway.
Sea beaming in my arms like she owned the world.
My face behind her: stiff, blood drained.
"This one."
She stared at it, murmuring.
"Don't I look pretty good here?"
"Huh? Uh... Yeah. Not bad."
"But why's your face like that? Lose your country or something?"
"Hey, I nearly died of shame. Hard to pose pretty."
Then—
Bzzz.
A short, heavy buzz from my wrist on the table.
The brief relaxation snapped taut again.
Sea stopped fidgeting and looked at my watch screen.
A blue alert popped up.
Find the best stargazing spot in Jeju and certify 'Cosmic Romance'.
"This is really the last one."
Sea propped her chin, speaking softly.