Popcorn Would've Been Perfect
The scene unfolding before my eyes was pure comedy—enough to make me regret not bringing popcorn. While Cha Yeri and Jeong Sua chatted, I loosened up my lips and tongue in advance. Watching my tongue move so skillfully, I could tell my condition today was excellent.
“Why did you suddenly start crying? That’s… a bit hard to talk about…”
“I understand it’s difficult to say. But it’s necessary information, so please gather your courage. I’ll make sure nothing discussed here leaks outside. I’ll stake my position as president on it if I have to.”
“Huh? No, you don’t need to go that far. It’s just…”
Jeong Sua glanced at me sideways. Her expression seemed to ask if it was okay to speak. Since the story involved me, she was probably seeking my permission. Cha Yeri, however, misinterpreted the look.
“Ah. I failed to consider Sua’s feelings. Of course you can’t tell the truth in front of the perpetrator. I’ll have him removed immediately.”
“Perpetrator? Why would Ijin-oppa be the perpetrator? Did Oppa hit someone?”
“Huh? Ijin… oppa…? Cha Yeri froze, eyes wide. The way they addressed each other made it hard to see them as perpetrator and victim.
“Weren’t you threatened or harassed by Kang Ijin at the bar?”
“Me? Ah, no, President. Actually, Ijin-oppa… he worried about me and scolded me.”
“Why did he scold you?”
“Because I followed Ijin-oppa into the bar without thinking…”
“Then the reason you cried…”
“Ugh, that’s… Actually, I’ve known Ijin-oppa since seven years ago… We grew distant recently because of personal matters… I just burst into tears.”
“Known each other since seven years ago… Ha. Hahaha…”
Jeong Sua looked embarrassed, probably remembering how she’d cried her eyes out at the bar yesterday. Cha Yeri let out a hollow laugh, realizing she’d completely misunderstood.
Man, I really should’ve brought that popcorn.
I was still just regretting not having any.
Jeong Sua left the student council office. Not before shooting me a glare, though. A silent demand that I show up on Saturday no matter what. Sua, you still don’t know me. I’m the classic strong-against-the-weak type. What kind of person is that? Someone who does whatever the hell he wants.
“Ugh…”
Jeong Sua was one thing, but right now I turned my gaze to Cha Yeri, slumped in her chair. Her expression looked like a pig being dragged to the slaughterhouse. I wanted to strip her down and see if even her flesh was a soft pink.
“See? I told you not to judge by appearances.”
“…If you’d behaved properly from the start, this misunderstanding wouldn’t have…”
“There you go again. What if the rumors about my bad behavior are just that—rumors, President?”
“That… could be possible… I suppose I did let my emotions get the better of me… I’m sorry, Vice President. Will you accept my apology?”
Cha Yeri looked ready to flare up again but managed to rein in her feelings and apologize. Sincerity was written all over her face. Normally I’d demand a naked dogeza for an apology, but since it was her, I’d let it slide.
“I don’t hold any grudges, so I’ll accept it. I’ve always firmly believed no one can be perfect.”
“Thank you. I must have misunderstood you quite a bit. It’s strange—whenever you’re involved, I become emotional.”
“I can see that too. You’re usually calm and rational, but you’re especially sharp with me, right, President?”
“Ugh! I’ll… try my best to fix that.”
“Please do. I’m the only one suffering because I have to put up with this side of you. If someone else were vice president, they’d have run away long ago.”
“Pfft. There you go being cheeky again.”
Cha Yeri gave a refined, princess-like smile at my shameless attitude. I stared at her with an exaggeratedly surprised expression.
“What’s wrong?”
“You… just smiled, didn’t you?”
Cha Yeri looked flustered for a moment, but it passed quickly. Instead, she answered calmly, trying to shake off the embarrassment.
“Is it really worth making such a fuss over a smile?”
“You hardly ever show it. It suits you. You should smile like that more often.”
“Why should I?”
Do you really not know?
“Because it’s pretty.”
“Wh-what?”
Why so surprised? Haven’t you heard people call you pretty your whole life? The air might have turned awkward from how visibly flustered she was, but I pushed through with my usual crude joke.
“Looking at you is always a feast for the eyes, President. If you’re going to smile anyway, how about smiling wider? I’d like to take a picture so I can look at it whenever I’m feeling down.”
With anyone else, that line would’ve earned me instant hatred. But because I’d always acted this way with her, it didn’t lower her favorability.
“That’s not happening, Vice President. And just so you know, if you try to take one without permission, I’ll report you for violating my portrait rights.”
“How strict. How much would it cost for permission?”
“Are you seriously trying to negotiate with money right now?”
“Ah… Never mind. On second thought, I probably couldn’t afford it anyway.”
“Hoo-hoo. Smart choice.”
“More importantly, President.”
I rose from the sofa and approached her leisurely. It was time to settle the bet. With a relaxed smile, I perched halfway on the desk where she handled official business.
“You remember the reward for the bet, right?”
Cha Yeri flinched, then placed both hands neatly on her knees and stared straight ahead.
“…I remember.”
“Regretting it?”
“I do regret it… but a loss is a loss. I’m not running away.”
“That’s just like you, President.”
I gently cupped her chin as if handling a fragile glass doll. Maybe because it was a bet, she accepted my touch without resistance. I turned her face toward me.
“This is your first time, isn’t it?”
“Do I have any reason to answer that?”
“It would be better if you did. If you don’t tell me, I’ll just do whatever I want. But if it’s your first time, I should be gentle. I’m not a rapist, after all.”
Cha Yeri hesitated briefly, then answered in a small, shrinking voice.
“It’s… my first time.”
Nice. Jackpot. The untouched lips of a beauty like Cha Yeri. The thought of leaving the first mark already had me thrilled.
The longer we held eye contact, the more color rose in Cha Yeri’s cheeks, spreading all the way to her ears. She was clearly embarrassed, yet she continued to gaze at me with that elegant face. Her posture for a kiss was completely wrong.
With a sigh, I spoke.
“Want me to teach you step by step?”
“T-teach what?”
“How to kiss. You look like you’re just going to sit there with your face stuck out doing nothing. How am I supposed to kiss you like that?”
“Isn’t just doing this enough?”
“Are you joking? How old are you, President? Does a man have to do everything in a kiss? That’s not a kiss—that’s just making out with an onahole. What I want is a kiss. A real kiss! A hot, passionate kiss between a grown man and woman.”
I slammed the desk in frustration. Startled, she tried to say something, but after seeing the serious look on my face, she shut her mouth.
“…Just tell me what to do… I’ll try.”
“Good. First, close your eyes. You wouldn’t want to kiss while staring at my face, would you?”
“Okay… And then?”
“Part your lips a little and tilt your chin up slightly.”
“L-like this?”
She followed my instructions while watching my reaction, like a child learning to walk from a parent. Damn, this is seriously hot.
“Could you stand up for a moment?”
Once she was on her feet, I lifted her and sat her on the desk.
“Wh-what are you doing?!”
“I need to match our heights. If you get a slipped disc from kissing, you’ll be the one responsible, President.”
“I meant you didn’t have to sit me down like this just to tell me.”
“Who does it doesn’t matter. Now, since I’m not going to force you this time, wrap your arms around my neck yourself.”
“There’s no need to go that far…”
“If you’re going to do it, you might as well do it properly. It’ll be better for you too, President. Unless you want complaints coming out of my mouth later. Or are you still refusing to accept the result of the bet?”
“That’s absolutely not the case… Hoo… I just need to put my arms around you?”
“Yes. That’s all the preparation needed.”
Though her face was full of reluctance, she steeled herself and wrapped her arms around my neck. Cha Yeri was proud and meticulous by nature. I knew she wouldn’t complain twice about something she disliked. She would want to pay the price of the bet perfectly to atone for her misunderstanding.
Because of our height difference, her face was now right in front of mine.
“I can hear every breath you take, President.”
“Is that necessary for kissing?”
“No. I just wanted to say it.”
“Then hurry up. I’m… ready…”
“Since it’s your first time, I’ll be gentle. You should try to enjoy it too, President. I’ll make sure your first kiss doesn’t become a terrible memory.”
“Such pointless talk…”
Her voice was barely louder than a mosquito’s. Following my instructions, Cha Yeri closed her eyes and parted her lips slightly, signaling she was ready.
Tap.
I lowered my head toward her. My lips met her soft, moist ones. I stayed like that for a while without using my tongue, giving her time to get used to it. Since it was her first kiss, I wanted her to feel that kissing could be happy rather than scary.
“Mm…”
When our lips touched, a warm breath escaped her nose and brushed against my philtrum. She was starting to relax a little. True to her perfectionist nature, she kept her mouth open exactly as I’d told her. I slipped my tongue out and into her mouth, slowly licking her tongue as if savoring an expensive piece of food.
“Mmph!”
Cha Yeri flinched, but she didn’t bite down. Her patience was stronger than I’d expected. She had probably opened her eyes in surprise, but since she wasn’t pushing me away, she didn’t want to stop. Being gentle had helped. Her mouth opened even wider than before, making it easier to deepen the kiss.
“Hnn… Mm…”
Her soft moans reached my ears more frequently as her tension melted away. It was a shame her tongue didn’t entwine with mine—she clearly didn’t know what to do on her first kiss—but I decided this was enough. I’d already claimed her mouth as mine. Part of me wanted to bite and suck roughly, but I wanted to give her a good impression of kissing. Instead, I lightly nipped her lower lip with my teeth as a promise of a deeper kiss next time, then ended it.
A silver thread stretched between our lips. I licked it into my mouth, and her face boiled over like a kettle.
“Good work. As expected of you, President.”
I playfully tapped her head with a smile.
“Don’t…”
Despite her words, Cha Yeri didn’t swat my hand away.