Chapter 3: It's Because of You, Oppa

<(Cute dog emoji breaking through a window and jumping out)>

<Don't look for me.>

[Why?]

[Are you trying to have fun alone again?]

Even though it was just text, I could practically hear the teasing lilt in her voice. The "^^" earlier had been the same—she was definitely messing with me. I sent back a reply, half-serious, half-joking.

<🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕>

'At least I'll be able to talk to her when we meet. I'll just have to endure the teasing for a while...'

What else could I do? It was already too late to take it back. It was my fault for not locking the door. But it wasn't all bad.

[Ju Ha-rin]

[Scent Fetish, Ticklish]

This was the first time I'd seen different words appear on the window. I even jotted them down in my notes so I wouldn't forget.

'Why is hers different?'

I couldn't help but wonder what set her apart from the others.

'Does it only show up if you're close?'

Like some kind of system where reaching a certain affection level unlocks new episodes. It was the most plausible theory, but I had no way to test it right now.

'I'll leave it for now. Scent fetish... Is that for real? I know she's ticklish, but...'

Back when Ha-rin was a college freshman, she'd come home from her first part-time job completely exhausted. I'd given her a shoulder rub as a way of saying she'd worked hard, and that's how I found out.

The moment my fingers moved even slightly, she burst into giggles—"Kyahahaha!"

'I know she has a good sense of smell, but...'

It was hard to believe. It just didn't match her image.

'No idea.'

Knowing this didn't seem like it'd do me any good. Teasing her outright would be awkward.

'If she were older, maybe it'd be different.'

Just then, the screen lit up with a vibration.

[Package delivered: 1 box left in front of your door.]

'Did I order something? Oh...'

I remembered the package I'd forgotten about. Stepping outside, I found a single box placed right next to the door. I brought it in and quickly tore open the tape to check the contents.

"Finally."

It was the self-install CCTV I'd ordered a few days ago.

"I was so shocked..."

The day before I'd placed the order, I'd come home from work and gone up to the rooftop—only to find some drunk stranger passed out on the bench, reeking of alcohol.

I'd called the police immediately, and the next day, they told me the guy had mistaken my place for his own.

The landlady had promised to reinforce the security of the shared entrance, but I'd already made up my mind. I'm installing my own camera.

'Especially since Ha-rin keeps coming up here too.'

After reading the manual, I grabbed the camera and headed outside. I'd already scoped out the best spot while waiting for it to arrive. I climbed onto a chair and mounted it.

"This isn't hard at all."

Following the instructions step by step, I didn't run into any issues.

"Think that's it."

It looked about right. I went back inside—I needed the monitor to check if it was working properly. After connecting the recorder, the screen flickered before displaying the feed.

"Looks good."

The rooftop came into view—the bench, the folding table, the plastic chairs, everything.

"Check out the quality. 4K for a reason. Oh, right—I can check it on my phone too."

I finished setting up the phone app. The rooftop feed appeared there as well.

'The UI looks like something you wouldn't want to stare at for long.'

To put it nicely, it was a no-nonsense surveillance UI. To put it bluntly, it looked like they hadn't spent a single won on design.

'I'll use it when I'm on business trips.'

It'd be handy for trips lasting more than two nights. Grrroowl. My stomach growled—now that the tension had faded, hunger hit. Checking the time, it was already evening.

"I'll clean up and grab dinner."

Half of my precious weekend was already gone.

'Oppa must be at work.'

It was Monday, after all. He'd be at the office, working hard.

'I want to tease him.'

How long had it been since he reacted this well? This was the first time my fingers itched to mess with him. But I couldn't go all out.

Work and personal life—right now, he needed to focus on his job.

"Did something good happen over the weekend?"

I looked up at the voice beside me. Seo-eun, my high school classmate and college friend, was staring at me.

"Huh? No."

"Liar. Look at that smirk."

"Nothing happened."

"Who are you trying to fool? Was it something with that oppa?"

Here, that oppa meant Dae-hoon. She'd met him back in high school, and then again after we started college.

"Why do you think something happened?"

"Our Ha-rin, who barely ever smiles, is grinning like this—it's obviously that oppa."

Seo-eun knew. That I liked Dae-hoon oppa. I'd talked about him enough. I quickly wiped the smile off my face.

"It's not like that..."

"So, any progress?"

Could what happened over the weekend be called progress?

"Not yet. But maybe soon...?"

"So something did happen. What was it? Tell me."

"No way. I can't."

Was I insane? If I told anyone, it'd ruin oppa's reputation. I'd take this secret to the grave.

"Oh really?"

Seo-eun reached out, inching closer.

"Wait—?!"

Instinctively, I flinched back—but it was too late. Her fingers were already at my ribs.

The moment I felt the movement, laughter burst out uncontrollably.

"Eehee! Hahaha—wait—hah! No fair!"

"What happened?"

I squirmed, trying to escape, but it was useless.

"N-no—hahaha—I can't!"

Laughter spilled out against my will. I held on. No matter how unbearable the tickling got, if I waited it out, the sensation would fade.

"Tell me. Now."

'Now.'

I reached for Seo-eun's ribs. She flinched, curling in on herself—despite having just tickled me mercilessly. Not surprising.

She couldn't handle being tickled either.

"Hahaha—I surrender! I surren—hahaha!"

"Who said you could?"

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Seo-eun was completely defenseless. I tickled her for a good ten seconds before pulling away—people were starting to file into the lecture hall.

"Seriously. I'm tearing up."

"Serves you right. Who started it?"

"I didn't know you'd fight back."

"Then you should've expected it."

Time flew by. Sitting in the back, half-listening to the professor, half-thinking about oppa, and half-messing around.

"Heading home now?"

"Yeah. Let's go."

"Wish I'd gotten into online classes too..."

Seo-eun's face was full of regret. Understandable.

"If only I hadn't overslept."

"Ugh... Just kill me."

She'd missed signing up for the classes she'd had in her cart because she'd slept in.

"Anyway, see you tomorrow."

"Yeah... See you..."

I left the lecture hall and headed for the back gate. Walking past it, I reached the street lined with studio apartments. Three more minutes, and I'd be home.

'Living close is nice.'

The easy commute was great, but more than that—

'I wouldn't have met oppa if I didn't live here.'

Back in my first year of high school, during winter break, I'd met him at the entrance after cram school. The stairs felt different now, worn by time.

'Back then, I thought I'd only live here for a year.'

Most people moved out after a year. I'd assumed oppa would too. Well, honestly, I hadn't cared ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠at the time. I was more interested in people my own age.

'Somehow, I'm now the same age oppa was when he moved in. Ah... I was going home, but...'

Lost in thought, I found myself on the rooftop. I could've turned back, but since I was already here, I sat on the bench.

'Hope he gets off work soon.'

So I can tease him. Absently, I looked around. My gaze landed on the laundry rack against the wall. Normally, I'd have glanced at it and moved on.

'...?'

But this time, my eyes locked onto a single pair of underwear hanging there. Memories of Saturday flooded back—oppa pulling his boxers down to his knees, sitting on the chair, eyes glued to the monitor as his hand moved furiously.

And the thick, unmistakable scent of him.

'No. No way. I'm not a pervert.'

I shook my head and looked away. Or tried to. My eyes kept drifting back to the underwear on the rack.

"?!"

A sudden gust of wind. The underwear swayed dangerously—it hadn't been clipped properly and looked ready to fly off.

"Seriously, he's not a kid. How can he not secure this?"

I had no choice. I had to help. It wasn't like re-clipping it took any effort. I walked over and grabbed the underwear.

Sun-dried and fluffy. I swallowed hard.

'It'll still smell like him.'

It definitely would. The groin was where body odor was strongest.

'Honestly, this is oppa's fault.'

If I hadn't seen him masturbating, I wouldn't even be thinking about this. Rationalizing it led to one thought:

'If I use it quickly and put it back before he gets home, he'll never know.'

He wouldn't be off work for a while anyway. I glanced around. The other rooftops were empty. I didn't hesitate long. Snatching the underwear, I hurried back downstairs. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Unlocking the door, I slipped inside quietly. If my mom caught me, it'd be a disaster.

"Mom?"

"......"

No answer. She must've gone out. This was my chance. I rushed to my room faster than ever.

Locking the door behind me, the tension finally eased.

"I thought I was gonna die."

I looked down at the underwear in my hand.

'Just a little sniff...'

I brought it to my nose. Inhaling deeply, the fresh scent of fabric softener mixed with oppa's musk. A tingling warmth spread between my legs.

Without thinking, I squeezed my thighs together. The sensation didn't fade—it only grew stronger. There was only one way to deal with it.

'Need a towel first...'

After washing my hands, I grabbed a towel and spread it on the bed. Sitting down, I pulled off my panties—already slightly damp. Thank god they were white, so it wasn't obvious. I pushed them down to my ankles.

"Haa..."

My hand slid down my stomach, lower, lower—

"Ngh...♥"

Even though I'd braced myself, the moment my fingers brushed my clit, a moan escaped.

'Oppa...♥ It's all your fault, oppa...♥'

I rubbed slowly, but the excitement from Saturday was nothing compared to now. My whole body trembled.

"Hnn...♥ Ah...♥"

My other hand brought the underwear back to my nose. Oppa's scent filled my lungs with each breath.

"Hah—!♥"

The pleasure hit like a shockwave.

'This is dangerous...♥'

But I couldn't stop inhaling.

'Oppa...♥'

Instead, the memory of him pleasuring himself resurfaced. The more I smelled him, the clearer the image became. A vicious cycle.

My fingers moved faster.

"Oppa—ah!♥"

Squelch. Squish.

"Hah...♥ Haah...♥"

I came even faster than on Saturday. And the post-orgasm clarity hit harder too. Especially since I'd stolen his underwear and masturbated with it.

'Gotta put it back quick.'

I barely had time to savor the afterglow before—

"Ha-rin, are you home?"

My mom's voice, faint through the door, made my hair stand on end.

'M-Mom?!'

"Ha-rin."

She called again, clearer this time. I moved fast—shoving the underwear and damp towel under the bed, yanking my panties back up.

I cracked the window open, then grabbed a pair of knee-length shorts from the closet and pulled them on.

"Ha-rin?"

"Yeah? What?"

I opened the door, acting natural.

"Back from school?"

"Yeah. Were you out?"

"Just met with Chae-yun's mom."

"Oh... That's why you weren't here."

"You busy?"

"No? Why?"

Mom pulled out a 10,000-won bill.

"I'm making stew for dinner, but we're out of tofu. Can you buy some? Keep the change."

"Tofu?"

Even the expensive kind ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wouldn't cost more than 5,000 won. So at least 5,000 for me.

"If you're busy, I can go."

"No, I'll go."

I was back in no time.

"Got it."

"That was fast."

"It's close."

"Should we give some to Dae-hoon too?"

"I'll take it to him when he gets off work."

"Sure."

'Come to think of it, wasn't I supposed to do something...?'

I'd completely forgotten. By evening—

"Sweetie, Dae-hoon's back."

"Really? I'll go."

I grabbed the portion of stew I'd set aside and headed upstairs.

"What're you doing?"

"Ah, nothing. Just... my underwear went missing."

I found oppa searching the rooftop, looking around.

'Ah... Right...!'

The underwear. I still hadn't returned it.