Chapter 33
Chapter 33
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: Mine and Yours
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#121
Chirrr—
In the quiet space where only the soft chirping of crickets could be heard all around, the only sound that could be called truly loud was their mutual sobbing.
As time passed, it gradually faded until only the occasional small sniffle remained.
We had just poured out our hearts intensely, tears streaming and chests heaving, confirming each other's true feelings.
Once we'd calmed down a bit, we stayed frozen in our embrace.
What expression should I make? What should I say?
I'd succeeded in turning our long-dreamed-of relationship into reality, but I'd never imagined what came after.
Now that you were no longer just my childhood friend but my girlfriend, I had no idea how to treat you.
As I held your soft, warm body even tighter, racking my brain for words, a small voice whispered in my ear.
"...Mine."
I strained to listen to your muffled words, head buried in my chest, but couldn't quite catch them.
"What'd you say?"
"Ha-ut…"
Whispering into Han Seo-ah's adorable little ear—so close that just lowering my head a bit would bring our lips together—I felt her twitch cutely in my arms with that sweet little sound.
"Now..."
"Yeah?"
"You're mine."
Claiming ownership of Lee Jun-woo like you wouldn't allow even a sliver of space between us, wriggling cutely to burrow deeper into my embrace.
I couldn't help but smile, curving my lips, and made even more room for you.
"Yeah, I'm yours. And..."
As I trailed off, you peeked your head out curiously from my chest, our eyes met, and you quickly averted yours—probably not wanting me to see your post-crying face.
But maybe the desire not to show your messy side lost out to the pull of looking at me.
Soon, you cautiously met my gaze again, and I saw your eyes still glistening, tears not fully dried.
"You're mine too."
I asked with a smile, as if seeking confirmation.
"...Yeah! Of course."
Your pale cheeks flushed deep red as you beamed up at me happily, and before I knew it,
Mwah—
I'd pressed my lips to your smooth, white forehead.
—Huh.
That wasn't in the plan.
Detective, my forehead just assaulted me—
No, that's not it.
Savoring the soft, thrilling sensation on my lips, I panicked inwardly but played it cool on the outside as I pulled away. Your eyes, which had been damp just moments ago, were now wide with surprise.
As I searched for words while gazing into those starry, sparkling eyes on your cute face, I felt your hands release from around my back.
...Was that too soon?
I shouldn't have done that. Right as that regret hit me,
Your slender arms wrapped around my neck.
As if standing on tiptoe, the already-close distance between our faces shrank even further—now so near that a slight tilt would bring our lips together.
"Jun-woo-ya."
"Yeah...?"
As I opened my mouth, her sweet scent brushed my lips and cheek from that intimate range.
"Can I do it too?"
Your words, paired with that sly smile, needed no explanation.
Our eyes held only each other's lips.
"If you wa—"
Before I could finish, your soft lips pressed onto mine, as if you couldn't wait another second.
To keep you from stumbling on tiptoe, I pulled your slim waist closer, pressing our bodies fully together.
Starting from our touching lips, a jolt like electricity coursed through me, followed by dizzying pleasure.
Or was it really an illusion? How could every part of you be so plush?
It felt like a lifetime loss that I'd gone this long without knowing this sensation.
We'd allow only each other this feeling forever.
In this hazy bliss, I wondered if this was reality or just a dream.
"Ha-up…"
We explored each other's lips so desperately, clumsily forgetting even to breathe.
"Puh-ha…."
Like Altair and Vega, lips parting as if we'd never touch again.
We held out until we couldn't, then separated at once. A thin thread of saliva stretched like a fragile bridge between us before snapping and vanishing into our embrace.
"Haa…"
Capturing the sight of our glossy, saliva-slicked lips, we gulped down the breaths we'd denied ourselves. Our hot exhales mingled on each other's skin.
"How was it...?"
Your cheeks pink with shyness, you asked for my thoughts on our first kiss.
"...Gotta do it more to know."
Once wasn't enough.
I yanked your slender waist hard, claiming those plush lips again. Your eyes flashed in surprise as you gasped,
But only for a moment—you slowly closed your eyes and hugged my neck tighter, pulling me in.
"He-up... Chup…"
Far from pushing away the intruder in your mouth, you welcomed it gladly.
Our teeth bumped now and then from inexperience, but we moved a bit more skillfully than our first kiss.
We swallowed the tangled saliva—whose was whose, impossible to tell—like it was sweet honey.
As I probed deeper, our breaths mixed hot and sticky, over and over.
In the quiet forest where the crickets chirped softly again after our sobs faded, a small noise resumed for a long time.
#122
Thud—
I couldn't believe it.
Han Seo-ah—no, Seo-ah now?—right beside me.
The reason I'd always called her Han Seo-ah, aloud or in my head,
Was a self-imposed limit to see her only as a childhood friend. No need for that anymore.
The fact that we'd confessed, become lovers, and even shared our first kiss felt like a dream.
—So, us
"Today's our first day together...?"
I never thought I'd say that to Seo-ah.
Looking at her clutching my arm to her trembling chest, she tilted her head bashfully and grinned wide.
"Take good care of me, honey?"
"Ho...ney...!"
[The pet name "honey" packed a devastating punch!]
My heart fluttered at her cuteness when she tugged my arm, demanding my gaze.
"Or what? After kissing me so intensely... you gonna say it's not our first day, Jun-woo-ya?"
She already knew my heart, narrowing her eyes playfully with a mischievous smile. Right as I was about to surrender, something caught my eye in my peripheral vision.
"Seo-ah, your lips..."
"Yeah?"
"Aren't they smudged? Kinda messy."
Your neatly pink lips from before now looked blotchy, so I pointed it out. Suddenly, her face flushed bright red.
"...Jun-woo-ya."
"Yeah?"
"It's your fault..."
Why my fault...?
Oh.
Oh...!
"You wouldn't let go, so it got all smeared..."
"Sorry..."
I didn't know 'cause it was my first time....
From her perspective, how ridiculous must it have felt for the culprit to point it out?
I quickly admitted fault, and she seemed to recall the moment too.
"...Strawberry flavor."
"...?"
"Tasted good."
I mumbled it casually and looked away. Moments later, realizing what I'd said, my girlfriend pinched my side.
Too embarrassed to face you, I kept my head turned, enduring your increasingly firm fingers until I couldn't and turned back.
"...Want more?"
Flushed yourself, your cat-like mewling eyes and those sparkling lips—whose softness I now knew—drew me in.
Like a fish before a cat, I had only one choice.
"...Just a little."
The walk from there to the restaurant for our late dinner took much longer than the distance to the trail.
#123
The place we'd picked for dinner was a famous shellfish barbecue spot in this travel destination.
We'd run later than planned somehow, but luckily they were still open, so we got seats.
We'd loosely decided on orders beforehand, but checking the menu for extras, I spotted Seo-ah coming back from the restroom.
(She'd gone to reapply her smudged lip tint, for reference.)
(Why it got even messier? No idea.)
"Back?"
"Yeah, restroom wasn't crowded, luckily. But, Jun-woo-ya..."
"Yeah?"
She stared intently at my face—or precisely, my lips—making me wonder if she wanted to here too.
They say late bloomers fear romance.
Ever since, I'd only been thinking the same whenever I glanced at her lips.
—If Seo-ah wants...!
It's not like I desperately wanted to; we both did...!
As I steeled myself mentally—
"Jun-woo, you should hit the restroom too."
"...Me? Why?"
"Didn't notice outside, but in this bright light..."
Seo-ah blushed, hesitant to say it outright, and handed me her compact mirror.
There,
"Oof..."
Was the crime scene where her missing tint had evidently migrated.
"I'll go wipe it off..."
"Y-yeah..."
We'd walked in here like this...?
—Everyone in town will know.
We both hung our heads in embarrassment. Only after I went alone to clean the traces from my lips could we finally order.