Chapter 166
There was a secret course, and despite appearances, I was pretty confident in my massage skills. For one thing, I had someone around me worthy of being called the God of Massage. ...Not that I had a ton of people around me to begin with, but obviously, that person was Park Harin.
I figured her physical education background played a big role, but there was a rumor that anyone who'd experienced her massages even once could never escape her grasp. Her skills were just on another level. To give you an idea, back in middle school, a fairly young female teacher got a massage from her and ended the class five minutes early. All while saying, "Harin could probably make eight figures just doing massages, right?"
And since I'd known Park Harin since we were little kids, I was naturally the one who'd received the most massages from her. Experiencing it firsthand really made all the day's fatigue melt away, so I'd picked up various techniques along the way. Lately, I'd even reached a level where she acknowledged my skills to some extent.
On top of that, I didn't have to massage like some ordinary person. I filled a small basin with a bit of lavender oil and started summoning water to dilute it.
"It might be a little cold—want me to warm it up?"
"Yeah."
The air mattress for massages even had a hole for the face. Baek Sion, face down and mumbling his reply, looked kinda cute, but his body was anything but. Sure, I saw his abs pretty often, but I rarely got a view of his back, and those back muscles hit every single one of my tastes right on the nose...
"...Warming it up?"
"O-of course. Just wait a sec. Can't make it too hot."
...No, his face was totally buried, so he couldn't see me. How was he so quick on the uptake? I started adjusting the oil's temperature so it wouldn't feel cold.
My expectations were off the mark. Treating the swimsuit as some kind of service, I'd realized Yoo Seol-ah was genuinely trying to give me a proper massage. Even the air mattress I was lying on was way higher quality than I'd imagined.
From behind, I started hearing a slick, splashing sound.
"...Ugh, so slippery."
"......"
No matter how you sliced it, Yoo Seol-ah had this knack for making her casual remarks sound just a tad suggestive. When she actually tried seducing me on purpose, she came off more cute than anything.
Once I'd gotten used to the oil, her voice came from behind again.
"Sir, I warmed it up, but if it's still cold, let me know."
"...Ah, sure."
I had no idea why we'd suddenly slipped into a massage parlor roleplay, but I played along with polite speech. She was great at getting into the mood, after all. Hearing her stifle a chuckle at my response, she seemed pretty excited about it.
"Oh, right. Hold on a sec..."
Even with my eyes closed, I could sense a mana barrier forming under the mattress. Was she finally about to start for real?
"Hoo..."
For some reason, she sounded more nervous than I did—a short sigh escaped her. Then...
"...Let's begin."
Was the roleplay just whenever the mood struck? The scent was familiar, but the oil seemed packed with lavender. Was it because I liked that fragrance? The thought crossed my mind briefly, but knowing Yoo Seol-ah, that was probably spot on. She never forgot the little things I mentioned.
As her small hands began spreading the oil smoothly, a calming sensation started washing over me already.
...This was a legit massage.
"This lavender oil's good for your skin and has a soothing effect. Oh, and it reduces stress too."
Her tone had softened into something more relaxed. She'd clearly done her research. When I'd heard she'd ordered it yesterday, I figured she'd been pretty pissed at me then. Had she been focusing on something else entirely?
"That's why I like lavender scents."
At my reply, she let out a little laugh. Probably her indirect way of saying that's why she'd chosen it.
It didn't take long to apply the oil to my upper body. Then, with a hint of unease in her voice, she spoke up.
"...I'll have to climb on top to really work the tension out. If it's too heavy, tell me."
"It's heavy."
A hollow laugh escaped her, followed by a light smack on my lower back.
"I haven't climbed on yet..."
Was it the lavender oil's effect? She sounded exasperated but calmer than usual—no real force behind the slap either.
Moments later, Yoo Seol-ah mounted my lower back and got serious.
"Let me know if it hurts, sir."
She kept switching between masseuse mode and her normal self, but since she was having fun, I didn't call her out.
Her massage exceeded my wildest expectations. With solid anatomical knowledge, she zeroed in on my fatigued muscles, kneading them just right. She even had a subtle body reinforcement active, dialing in the pressure to that perfect edge of pain and relief. It was right up my alley.
"...How's that? Feels good, right?"
"...You're good."
She let out a goofy "Hehe." She was working the whole area but focusing extra on the knots—definitely some secret technique at play. Mana flowed through her hands, and there was a barrier on the floor; pinpoint detection was fuzzy, but she was probably using another spell.
Three spells at once. No big deal for her, but I asked anyway.
"Doesn't juggling that much magic tire you out?"
"Nah, this is nothing. But how'd you know?"
"Felt like you were targeting the knots visually."
She used to have a spell for spotting weaknesses, often on big monsters, but sometimes on smaller targets thanks to her precise mana control. Probably something like that.
"...You're too sharp."
Her reaction confirmed it. Tough magic, too—this qualified as ultra-luxury.
Her hands nailed spots like the inner scapula or the shoulders that stiffened up from computer work. Pure bliss. Around the time the lavender scent made me drowsy, her voice snapped me back.
"...Back's done. Please roll over."
The thought of seeing her in that bikini again had me flipping fast.
She'd stepped off the mat briefly to prep more oil.
"...That eager to see?"
"......"
Guess I'd turned too quick—she'd noticed. But it was a limited-time offer; I wanted to savor it. Hard to see outside, and even at home, she rarely wore swimsuits.
I didn't hide my gaze, so her face flushed deeper. She folded a nearby towel and draped it over my eyes.
"...Sir, this isn't that kind of place...?"
...You're the one who showed up in a bikini. No matter how sharp my senses, without her magic, I couldn't see through a towel.
The quality was too good to complain, so I closed my eyes and waited.
"...D-don't get the wrong idea. I have to climb on for the proper technique."
Muttering excuses like she was convincing herself, she soon mounted my lower abdomen again.
I hadn't noticed much on my back, but face-up, the soft give of her body pressed right against me. Just a swimsuit between us now—
"...The front might hurt more."
She refocused. Kneading the shoulder muscles near my collarbone felt amazing. After Astasia, I barely registered normal pain anyway.
From pelvis to thighs to soles, she delivered the full course. I felt reborn. Guess I was more worn out than I thought. How'd she know?
"...All done for now... Fatigue eased up?"
"...Yeah."
Why hadn't the roleplay ended? Vitality surged through me. Maybe that's why—when she shifted slightly and her hip brushed my groin, blood rushed south in an instant.
"...Ah, sorry... um..."
What was with that half-assed acting tone? Only then did I realize she'd deliberately lowered herself onto my lower abs.
"...Lavender's famous for improving circulation..."
"......"
"...It's a natural reaction."
Where'd she pick up this doujin nonsense? Sounded scripted, but she pressed on. Towel still blocked my view, but I knew exactly where her eyes were glued.
"...We have a secret course at our shop. Interested?"
...Didn't you just say it wasn't that kind of place? Moments later, the towel lifted, revealing her face. She leaned in close, her chest pressing soft against me, her scent heating me up.
"...If you want it, just stamp here..."
She tapped her lips playfully. Great at moods but shy about skinship—she blushed hard, embarrassment mixing with boldness.
When she went all-out cute like this, resistance was futile. After all her efforts, there was only one choice.
"...Yeah. Mm..."
I lifted my head slightly and kissed her.