Night Play (1)
I distinctly remembered Lee Hyunwoo telling me over lunch about a rumor making the rounds: a curiously kind schoolgirl wandering the halls, said to appear before those wrestling with deep heartache. I had told him she was welcome to drop by if she pleased, but I never expected her to actually show up.
To be completely honest, she was the spitting image of a dream girl plucked straight from fantasy—downright gorgeous, and an absolute feast for the eyes. The gyaru was dressed in a school uniform, though it looked distinctly different from the ones at Baekya Academy.
"How did you even get in here? You don't look like a student from Baekya Academy."
"Mmh… does that really matter?" The gyaru tilted her head in innocent confusion.
Fair point. It didn't particularly matter. An honest-to-god gyaru stepped straight out of a manga was standing right in front of me, and it was getting me strangely worked up.
"So, what's your business with me?" I asked, feigning indifference to mask my agitation.
Just a guy and a girl, alone together in an empty classroom… The golden sunset filtering through the windows felt as though it were gently teasing the two of us.
"Geez, I told you just a second ago! I asked if something's bothering you~" She chided me like an elder sister scolding an errant child.
Damn it. She came equipped with the big sister maternal trait too? Looking closer, she possessed a truly magnificent Gyaru Pouch. Just how overpowered was this girl supposed to be?
"Nothing's wrong. Thanks for asking, though."
Visuals were one thing, but reality was another. This wasn't something to spill to an outsider who wasn't even a lifelong friend like Lee Hyunwoo. Getting swept up by a girl I'd just met and blurting out my personal baggage would be downright pathetic. Regardless of who was to blame, this was an issue I needed to settle within myself. Who knew when I'd ever talk to Lee Gayeon again, but I had no intention of pawning off this burden for some cheap sympathy.
"Really? Hmm… that's a bit of a problem, then…" Her voice trailed off.
Seeing her troubled expression did make my resolve waver. She stirred a protective instinct in me, making me want to help her out somehow. But when all was said and done, some lines couldn't be crossed.
"Tough crowd, huh? This one's stubborn…"
Wait, did I just hear something strange? Must've imagined it.
"Ah! I've got a great idea! Hey, are you really not going to tell me anything?" The gyaru girl clapped her hands together.
Like I said, you could ask a hundred times and my answer wouldn't change.
"Is that so~? If you heard me out, I was thinking of letting you touch my boobs. What a shame. Guess I'll just head back."
"Wait."
Right after that, I shamelessly spilled every last detail.
· · ·
"Aww, you must've been so hurt. Big sis will give you headpats, okay?"
The gyaru stroked my hair as my head rested in her lap. The cool, soft touch of her fingers brushing through my hair felt heavenly. Beautiful girls really did have amazing skin.
"Hehe, you think so?" A shy blush dusted her cheeks.
I couldn't help but feel a strange wave of bliss wash over me.
"A bit late to ask, but what's your name?" Better late than never. If we were sitting here sharing our hearts, exchanging names was basic human decency.
"Han Yurin! My name is Han Yurin. Who are you?" She beamed, looking thrilled that I had asked first.
"Ha Seojin."
"Seojin… Ha Seojin…" Yurin rolled the name over her tongue a few times before nodding enthusiastically. "Yeah, that's a lovely name!"
Man. That was totally unfair.
Just think about it. Having that massive Gyaru Pouch swaying right before your eyes while she flashed you such an innocent, brilliant smile—anyone on earth would fall under her spell. It was practically an act of visual violence.
"Are you going to stay here forever?" I couldn't endure the sheer embarrassment any longer. Reluctant as I was to leave her warmth, I steered the conversation away.
"Mmh… I don't really mind either way… Is there something you want to do?"
Honestly, nothing immediately came to mind. But escaping this compromising position took top priority.
"Then come on! Let's go out for some Night Play together!"
Our destination was decided. Loath as I was to pull away, I climbed off Han Yurin's lap and rose to my feet. Yurin instantly hooked her arm through mine. The supple, bouncy pressure pressing against my right forearm sent an electric jolt of pleasure straight through me.
Quite assertive, aren't they? Seeing it with your eyes was one thing, but touch was infinitely more vivid. Leaving the school behind, we headed out into the streets.
The streets in the evening were noticeably deserted. Part of it was the sharp drop in population caused by The Great Disaster ten years ago, but the primary reason was that children around here rarely stepped outside once darkness fell. Given that the curfew itself was also a lingering shadow of the Great Disaster, you could say both reasons boiled down to the same tragic event.
Streetlights flickered on sparsely along the sidewalks. Faint mewls of stray cats echoed from between the alleyways. Walking through these empty streets with only the two of us fostered a strange illusion, as if egging me on toward some self-destructive delinquency. Even if I pulled off some ridiculous, erratic stunt right here, there wasn't a soul around to witness it.
"Seojin! I wanna check that out!"
Fortunately, there were still places open to have fun. No matter how much people avoided going out at night, the embers of civilization never truly went dark. A brightly lit arcade sign caught my eye. It was a familiar place—I had visited it often with Lee Gayeon when we were younger. At first, she had acted totally uninterested, but the moment she lost to me, she had pouted cutely, eagerly asking when we could come back. I was never exceptionally good at arcade games either, but my pride wouldn't let me lose to a sheltered little rich girl.
…There I go again, drifting back to thoughts of her. It wasn't right to keep obsessing over Gayeon when Yurin was right beside me. I shook off the complicated feelings and decided to just enjoy the present.
"Ever been here before?"
"Of course! I'm a regular, you know!"
Her eyes sparkled way too brightly for a supposedly seasoned regular.
"Take that!"
"Too easy."
"Meanie!"
Fighting games were no place for rookies—which was precisely why the entire genre had gone belly up in the first place.
Our next stop was a coin karaoke booth. Even for me, it was my first time in one.
"Just you watch this time! I am definitely not losing!"
"♪♪♪~"
"#$#%#%@@!#"
The microphone was snatched from my hands in seconds. The karaoke booth became Yurin's solo stage.
Next up was a convenience store.
"Slurrrp— Mmm, this is so good! It's my first time having this!"
"…Eat slower, or you'll choke."
"Say ahh~"
We grabbed two cups of instant ramen to tide us over. Honestly, cup ramen wasn't usually my thing, but sharing it like this made the experience surprisingly nice.
"Seojin! Let's take that!"
"Take what?"
"A photo! To remember today!"
Click—!
The photo strip that dispensed from the booth was covered in all sorts of cute digital stamps and borders. It had been agonizing trying to strike poses on command, and looking at the finished strip made my face burn a little. Yurin, on the other hand, tucked the photo tenderly into her chest with a dreamy, relaxed grin.
Before we knew it, the night had slipped into the dead of midnight. We took a leisurely stroll through a nearby park. Aside from the pale moonlight softly illuminating the sky, there was not a trace of human presence.
"Today was so much fun," Yurin murmured softly.
A fluffy, tingling warmth bloomed in my chest. Unable to look her in the eye, I kept my gaze fixed on the pavement as we walked.
"We hit the arcade, sang our hearts out, had ramen, and even took pictures."
Even in my own opinion, it had been a remarkably packed outing. The fighting game in particular had felt fantastic to play—crushing a complete newbie really was the peak of human entertainment.
"How about you…? Did it help take your mind off things?" Yurin brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, asking with gentle care.
"Thanks. Honestly, it helped a lot."
She really had saved me. If I hadn't crossed paths with Han Yurin today, I probably would've spent the next few weeks wallowing like garbage, which would have accomplished absolutely nothing.
"Hehe, I'm glad."
Right. How could such a sweet, gorgeous, kind-hearted gyaru overflowing with maternal warmth ever intend to harm anyone? Sure, there were a few questionable things about her, but if I got conned by a girl like this, I'd just have to accept it as an act of God.
"Should we call it a night, then?"
As enjoyable as this was, the hour had gotten late. Leaving a girl to walk the deserted streets alone was out of the question, and lingering any longer wasn't a good idea.
"Where do you live? If you don't mind, I can walk you home."
Yurin seemed a bit taken aback by my offer. Was asking for her address crossing a line? Come to think of it, we weren't quite at that stage yet. We hadn't even known each other for twenty-four hours. A wave of embarrassment crept up on me, realizing I had gotten ahead of myself.
"No, it's not that. More importantly… Seojin, didn't you forget something? I'm pretty sure you have a favor to claim from big sis."
A favor…? Did I have something like that? Nothing came to mind.
"Don't you think we still have unfinished business?"
Her eyes curled into a playful crescent. It was the exact same smile she had worn earlier, yet
Yurin tucked the photo carefully into her arms with a beaming smile.
Before we knew it, it was late at night.
We were taking a leisurely stroll through a nearby park.
In the late-night park, there wasn’t a soul in sight—only the moonlight quietly illuminating the night sky.
“Today was fun.”
Yurin said softly.
I felt a warm, fuzzy sensation in my chest.
Unable to look ahead, I walked while staring at the ground.
“We went to the arcade, sang our hearts out, and even had ramen and took photos.”
Even I have to admit we really made the most of it.
The fighting game, in particular, had such great controls—it was absolutely awesome.
As expected, taking down newbies is the most fun.
“So…? Did it help take your mind off things a little?”
Yurin asked cautiously, sweeping her hair back with one hand.
“Thanks. You really helped me relax.”
It really helped a lot.
If I hadn’t met Han Yurin today, I might have spent the next few weeks feeling like a total mess.
That would have been truly pointless.
“Hehe, I’m glad to hear it.”
Yeah, there’s no way a girl like this—kind, pretty, friendly, and overflowing with maternal warmth—would ever do anything harmful.
It’s not like there aren’t some suspicious aspects, but if something were to happen, that would just be an act of God.
“Well then, should we head inside for the night?”
I’m having a great time right now, but it’s definitely getting pretty late.
It’s not safe for a girl to be walking alone on the streets late at night, and it’s not a good idea to linger any longer.
“Where do you live? If it’s not too much trouble, I’ll walk you home.”
Yurin seemed a little surprised when she heard that.
Was asking about her home the problem after all?
Come to think of it, it’s not quite that serious yet.
We haven’t even known each other for a full day.
I feel a bit embarrassed—it seems my heart got ahead of me.
“Uh, no, it’s not that. More importantly… Seo-jin, haven’t you forgotten something? I thought you had a favor to ask of me.”
A favor…?
Was there something like that?
Nothing comes to mind.
“Don’t you think there’s still something left to do?”
A small, playful smile.
It was clearly the same smile as before, but there was a subtle hint of sensuality to it.
“I told you. I’d let you touch my breasts.”
Ah.
Yurin held out her hand to me.
As if to say, “Come over here, quick.”
Her posture was quite sensual.
Strangely, at that moment, I thought of an ancient snake.
The air felt sweet and sticky.
What would happen if I took that hand?
Yurin was seducing me.
My heart was pounding.
My body reacted instinctively to the intense stimulation I was experiencing for the first time.
My head kept getting hotter and hotter, making it impossible to think straight.
It’s not like I’m inexperienced, but this kind of blatant seduction is definitely a first for me.
“No one comes here. Let’s… have some fun together?”
Yurin whispered softly.
As if spellbound, I surrendered myself to her.