39. We went to the carnival (1)
39. We went to the carnival (1)
"You may begin the exam now."
At the teaching assistant's words, papers flipped over with a rustle and ballpoint pens began moving with a clatter.
In the midst of that explosion of compressed silence was Han So-jeong. Not far away would be Ryu Baek-seol and Choi Ha-na as well.
The final exam that wrapped up everything learned over one semester. In law school exams, prolonged thinking isn't necessary. Most exams simply require quickly and accurately writing down the knowledge stuffed into your head over four months onto paper.
So-jeong also flipped her paper, circled the key contentious keywords from the given passage with her pen, and rapidly wrote down her answers.
Fortunately, a question she had practiced writing answers for during final exam preparation appeared, so So-jeong filled out her answer sheet almost unconsciously without much difficulty.
"......"
And as often happens when doing unconscious tasks, So-jeong's thoughts gradually began to drift away from the exam paper and the exam hall, skimming through the depths of memory.
When had it started? Unlike dramas or novels, life often makes it difficult to pinpoint the exact moment of change.
For instance, when did Dad stop coming home, and when did Mom stop smiling at me?
For instance, when did I become the target of bullying in high school?
Maybe when it started wasn't actually important. What mattered was only the result - that at home I became an unwelcome presence, and at school I became just a toy to be bullied.
But while there are vague memories like that, there are also clearly remembered events, like photographs in a camera.
For example, the day Baek-seol first transferred to my class.
So-jeong had vaguely thought back then that such sculpturally beautiful women actually existed outside of television.
For example, the moment Baek-seol shattered what had become a terrible daily routine of bullying and reached out her hand to me.
From that moment on, So-jeong's eyes had always followed Baek-seol.
But thinking about it now, when exactly the look in So-jeong's eyes watching Baek-seol changed from admiration to a deeper, more complex emotion was something she couldn't pinpoint either.
Scratch scratch scratch......
Before she knew it, the round tip of her pen had reached the edge of the large answer sheet.
As So-jeong flipped the answer sheet and began writing the remaining answers on the back, her eyes still alternated between the answer sheet and exam paper while one corner of her mind traced through past, present, and the planned future.
In just a few hours, So-jeong and Baek-seol would leave school and be at the place So-jeong had planned.
She was certain she would be several times more nervous there than before taking this exam. If she had to choose which was more significant between the exam and today's trip, So-jeong would choose the latter without a moment's hesitation.
But being nervous wouldn't change anything. Just like being anxious doesn't stop exam time from approaching.
"......Hoo."
So-jeong composed herself and let out a short sigh.
In her relationship with Baek-seol, all So-jeong had to do now was hold onto her composed heart and prepared words to greet the coming time.
Just like the final exam she was taking now, which would tie up everything and welcome a new beginning.
***
"Ex. Am. Oooovveeerrr!!"
After the 75 minutes that felt like 3 hours passed, Ha-na, who emerged from the classroom, raised both fists triumphantly toward the sky like a mountaineer who had conquered Everest and shouted energetically.
"Good work, Ha-na."
So-jeong and Baek-seol followed Ha-na out. At So-jeong's greeting, Ha-na spun around to look at the two and stomped her feet excitedly.
"Unnies! I was so surprised because the exact parts you told me to focus on last time came out on the exam! How did you know? Future prediction?"
"More like experience."
Baek-seol answered casually beside So-jeong.
"That professor always gives tells when he's covering something that'll be on the exam."
"Whoa......I couldn't tell any of that at all. Seniors really are different."
Ha-na looked up at So-jeong and Baek-seol with awe-filled eyes for a moment.
"Ah, unnies. Do you have more exams ahead?"
"No. We've already taken exams for our other classes."
"Gasp, so you're done with the semester?!"
"That's right?"
At So-jeong's words, Ha-na jumped up as if she would fly away and cheered.
"Wow! Then aren't you unnies going somewhere to play todaaay......"
"Ah, sorry Ha-na. We already have prior plans today."
"Ah."
Ha-na's flight didn't last long.
"Prior plans......?"
Ha-na asked in a deflated voice.
"Yeah. Baek-seol and I are going on a trip......"
At those words, Ha-na's ears perked up this time.
"With Baek-seol unnie? Just the two of you?"
"Ah, yeah......Sorry, we can't include y......"
"No!"
Ha-na sprang up like a spring and shouted with blazing eyes.
"I'm com.plete.ly fine! Don't worry about me and have fun! Understood? Hehe, well then I'll be going first~ Unnies, you both worked hard this semester!"
Firing off words like a machine gun, Ha-na dashed down the hallway before So-jeong or Baek-seol could say anything. But before turning the corner, she didn't forget to look at So-jeong, mouth "Fighting!" and clench her fist tightly.
"......Did you say something weird to her by any chance?"
Baek-seol, who had been watching Ha-na's behavior, raised one eyebrow slightly and asked.
"Hmm? No."
But So-jeong, who still firmly believed she had completely fooled Ha-na, just shook her head with innocent eyes.
"......Really?"
"Yeah. I didn't say anything particularly weird? More importantly, let's hurry and catch the bus. If we go now, there might be fewer people."
"Okay."
Walking through the campus mixed with the joy of semester's end and the remaining tension of finals, Baek-seol opened her mouth.
"But where are we going for this trip? I still haven't heard what the destination is."
"Hmm......"
So-jeong put her hand to her lips and thought for a moment before saying,
"It's a secret."
She said this while raising the corner of her mouth in a smirk.
"What's that supposed to mean."
Baek-seol chuckled but didn't ask further about the destination.
But instead, while waiting for the bus, and even while riding the bus, Baek-seol poured out other questions in a worried voice.
"Did you definitely make reservations? You said we were planning for one night and two days - what about accommodations?"
"Hey, I've got everything set up properly."
"Ah......okay."
When So-jeong laughed and answered as if asking the obvious to Baek-seol's barrage of questions, Baek-seol leaned back in her seat with a slightly shrinking voice.
"Sorry. It's not that I don't trust you."
"Yeah, I know."
So-jeong nodded and showed a bashful smile.
"Actually, it was a bit of work. Finding reservation sites, finding good accommodations. I realized again how much I usually rely on you."
"Rely......So what's the reason for suddenly planning a trip while going through all that trouble?"
"Hoho, that's a secret too. I'll tell you when we arrive at our destination."
"I'm getting more and more curious."
After that, their conversation moved to topics of school and vacation.
"So-jeong, what are you planning to do during this break?"
"Ah, I'm thinking of doing some part-time work during break this time. While also preparing for law school in my spare time."
"Have you decided what kind of part-time work?"
"Hmm, not yet."
"I hope you can find a good place. Let me know if you need any help."
"Thanks. Baek-seol, what will you do during break?"
"Hmm......well. Nothing's decided yet."
"But you'll stay at the officetel, right?"
"Of course."
Most college students who didn't commute from home would pack up and return home after finishing finals.
But since graduating high school and coming to this university, neither So-jeong nor Baek-seol had ever returned to their family homes during breaks.
Because both of them were not particularly welcome there.
"If your part-time work isn't too busy, maybe we can go on a few more trips after today."
"Yeah......maybe."
When the topic of the future came up, So-jeong nodded with a somewhat self-deprecating smile.
"......"
The conversation paused there for a moment.
The bus's rough engine sounds, and the sounds and scenery passing by outside the window filled the gaps in their conversation.
While lost in their respective thoughts, Baek-seol suddenly spoke up. Though there were hardly any people on the bus since it was a morning bus, her voice was still small and careful.
"So-jeong-ah. Hey...are you okay since that day?"
"Huh? Ah......"
So-jeong immediately understood what Baek-seol meant and answered with a slightly flushed face.
"Yeah, I'm fine......I've been too busy with exams recently to even have time to think about it."
Actually, saying she was fine was a bit problematic.
The first experience with Baek-seol had imprinted on So-jeong a dimension of pleasure she had never felt before.
So-jeong would get hard several times a day remembering that time, to the point where she studied with mostly one hand while in her studio apartment.
If Baek-seol had come to So-jeong's place during exam period, she might have been shocked by the piles of tissues filling the room and the distinct thick scent of futanari semen.
Still, the reason So-jeong hadn't asked Baek-seol for help was partly because she wasn't yet sure how to view Baek-seol after that day, but also because So-jeong had become accustomed to her futanari dick and sexual desires.
'Though I say I've gotten used to it, the pleasure of masturbating hasn't decreased......Actually, it seems to feel better and become more unbearable each time.'
Perhaps such worries-not-worries showed on her face, as Baek-seol looked at So-jeong's face and asked again.
"Aren't you worried? Anxious or anything."
"About what?"
"That thing. Until now it was so unrealistic that I didn't have any thoughts about it, but we don't know why it suddenly appeared or when it might disappear."
"Hmm......"
This wasn't an issue So-jeong hadn't thought about either.
"It would be a lie to say I'm not anxious...but I think I'm okay for now. It's not so inconvenient that I can't live my daily life,"
So-jeong looked at Baek-seol's eyes and smiled slightly.
"And because you've been by my side......m-mentally, I mean. Mentally."
"......Is that so?"
Baek-seol said with a blunt expression while facing forward.
But So-jeong didn't miss how the tips of her ears were slightly red.
"If I can be of help to you, that's good."
"Hoho, you've always been a great help to me, Baek-seol."
"......"
At So-jeong's continued honest words, Baek-seol just remained silent and looked out the window as if she didn't know how to respond anymore. So-jeong quietly looked at Baek-seol's profile with warm eyes.
The bus ran for about 2 hours.
Following So-jeong who pressed the stop button, Baek-seol got off at the destination and looked around, giving familiar-looking glances here and there.
"This place......"
"Do you remember?"
So-jeong pointed to the gondolas rising high in the distance and the medieval-style buildings.
Baek-seol of course remembered. It was a memory she couldn't forget.
L Amusement Park.
The place where Baek-seol and So-jeong had gone on their first trip together.