A Christmas Overflowing with Love (4)
We rode back to the dorm in the limousine, and Seona's mother bid us farewell with a gracious, "Please take good care of my daughter from now on."
"Ugh, it's freezing. Should we head inside now?"
"C-Coach!"
Seona lightly tugged at the hem of my coat.
"What's up?"
"W-Well, since we're out on Christmas anyway, how about we take a short walk outside before going in? Y'know, to... d-digest a bit!"
A guy and a girl wandering the streets alone at night on Christmas?
This is total couple territory...
Ding dong!
This fool's getting all worked up over Christmas and making ding-dong noises. Why on earth does Seona like me?
She's got a pretty face and a killer figure. Plus, as a chaebol daughter, she could snag a celebrity, an anchorwoman, or some rich heir. Why would she settle for a guy like me?
And even if it was an accident in a blackout state, who'd fall for a sexual harasser who groped her chest?
Beep! Beep!
What a clingy idiot. Obsessive guys aren't popular, you know.
Of course, I planned to accept Seona's suggestion.
She'd even provided the perfect excuse—digestion—and walking around pretending to be a couple with a girl like her, drawing some envious stares? Sign me up.
"You gonna go or not?"
Seona averted her gaze.
I placed my hand on her head and gently stroked her hair, tossing out a tease.
"Alright, let's take a stroll. If you wanted a date with me, you could've just said so straight up."
"Wh-Who said date!? You're still the same as ever!"
"Kidding, kidding. Sorry if that upset you."
"It didn't upset me or anything... Anyway, let's just walk!"
With that, Seona pushed my back. Afterward, we strolled the streets near the dorm together.
Carol songs drifting from every shop, couples arm-in-arm wandering in groups of twos and threes, Christmas limited-edition goods displayed on every corner, city lights illuminating everything...
In this unmistakably Christmassy scenery, Seona and I walked side by side—slightly more awkwardly than the other couples on the street.
Maybe because her coat hid her figure in the winter chill, fewer people stared at Seona than usual.
But with her face alone, she could still turn heads, and sure enough, I caught guys shooting jealous glances my way now and then.
We're not really like that.
Though if we were, that'd be great.
As we walked, Seona suddenly reached out and grabbed my hand tight.
I flinched and glanced sideways. She was lagging just a step behind, staring straight ahead as she said,
"You keep walking too fast by yourself, Coach! Show some consideration for a girl!"
...Hadn't I been matching her pace the whole time?
I didn't want to tease her and risk her actually getting mad, so I just said okay and slowed down a bit more.
My speed hadn't changed, but Seona kept holding my hand without letting go.
"Speed's about right now, huh?"
"...Yeah. But my hand's cold, so can we stay like this a little longer?"
We turned right from the main road into an alley packed with restaurants.
Every pub was jammed full, a sea of people, and it wasn't just pubs—restaurants, arcades, all the entertainment spots were the same.
Truly the peak season of the year: Christmas.
Passing a barbecue joint, I glimpsed a couple through the window feeding each other meat.
At the arcade, another pair clung so tight they could feel each other's warmth, locked in a tight embrace.
By a bar, a drunk couple made out lewdly, tongues tangling without a care for onlookers.
On the way back, in a back-alley motel district, a couple burning with youthful lust couldn't hold back anymore—they kissed hungrily while the guy groped her chest and she stroked his crotch, heading into a motel.
Seeing that, Seona slyly hooked her arm through mine and pressed even closer to my side.
Hey, after witnessing that, if you shove your chest against my arm like this, a certain part of me is gonna make a strong case for itself...
Damn! Till the East Sea dries up and Baekdu Mountain wears away...
Ding dong! Ding dong!
I'm barely walking straight as it is—don't rile me up!
"I-It's just... the street vibe feels kinda scary... L-Let's just keep going!"
Our eyes met, and Seona flustered through an excuse.
We pushed through the motel district and the throngs of couples on the street until we reached the practice room entrance. Standing there, we exchanged slightly awkward looks.
"Um... tell your mom the food was delicious and that we're really grateful."
"Yeah..."
"Today was fun in all sorts of ways. You tired? I'm gonna rest up, so you head to the dorm and relax—"
"Yuseong oppa."
Seona's voice turned serious. And just like the girls always did during breaks, she suddenly dropped the formal speech.
"...Huh?"
"Thanks."
"For what?"
"Just... everything. For picking me, coaching me, standing up to my dad for me, jumping in to help when I fought with Hayoung, and... walking with me today. I've always been grateful."
As she spoke, Seona drew closer. Before I knew it, our chests were almost touching.
Was her breathing unusually loud because of the mood, or the quiet emptiness of the practice room?
Seona's face came into sharp focus: her pupils trembling ever so slightly, her tiny nose, cheeks flushed from the cold, moist lips...
She placed her hand over mine. Then, on tiptoes, her face began rising toward me.
Her eyes slowly, very slowly closed, full of expectation.
Walking the streets together on Christmas night and coming back to exchange that longing gaze before closing her eyes...
It's on.
The status window had the good sense to stay quiet this time.
Come on, Seona!
My position as coach kept me from making the first move, but I wouldn't stop her if she came!
As her eyes fully closed and her face lifted higher, mine began to close too, my lips ready to meet hers.
Big one's coming, big one's coming...
The moment I'd imagined didn't arrive.
The capsule room door burst open, startling both Seona and me into jumping apart.
We whipped our heads toward it. No one should be here on vacation...
But there was someone.
A girl with long black hair stared straight at us from inside the capsule room.
Our faces had pulled apart, but our bodies hadn't fully separated yet.
Seona's chest was still pressed against my torso.
"...Unnie Seona, Coach. What're you doing there."
Sera's voice was ice-cold, sharp enough to stab.
"Huh? Oh? W-We just stepped out for a bit! Ahahaha... It's, uh, hot in here with the coat on! I'm gonna head to the dorm first!"
With that, Seona bolted like she was fleeing.
Left behind were me and a glaring Sera with eyes wide in fury.
"...What were you two just doing."
"Uh, huh? N-Nothing!"
"...Then why were you stuck together like that."
Sera's rationality snapped—she switched straight to casual speech.
###
Sera had told her aunt and returned from vacation early.
Yuseong had said he'd just stay at the practice room during the break, so he'd probably be there if she went back.
She wanted to spend Christmas with the Yuseong she loved. She didn't need to do anything special—just being with him would be enough.
But when she arrived, the practice room lights were off, and it was empty.
"...He's not here."
It was vacation, so of course it was empty, but she'd come hoping to at least see his face since he'd said he'd stick around.
She'd wanted to be with the person she loved on Christmas.
"Shouldn't have come."
Muttering that, Sera had no choice but to enter the empty capsule room and boot up a game.
After a few solo ranked matches, she stepped out for a break and heard voices outside.
'It's Coach!'
Thrilled, Sera flung open the door to see Yuseong. But what entered her eyes was Yuseong and Seona unnie plastered together, faces inches from a kiss.
They sprang apart at the sound of the door, but Sera had seen it clearly. If she hadn't shown up, they definitely would've kissed.
Her head exploded with rage. Seona unnie fled to the dorm, but Sera was too furious—she stomped over to Yuseong and started grilling him.
I'd flirted so hard, but he ignored my feelings completely, and now he's about to kiss Seona unnie?
"...What were you two just doing."
"Uh, huh? N-Nothing!"
"...Then why were you stuck together like that."
Her anger boiled over, casual speech slipping out automatically. Regret hit her instantly, but the jealousy and fury wouldn't fade—without even hearing Yuseong out, she stomped on his foot and stormed out of the practice room.
She felt him hopping in pain, but right now, she didn't want to see the face of the Yuseong she loved so much.
Back at the dorm, she spotted Seona unnie peeking nervously, but Sera didn't say a word—she went straight to her room and slammed the door.
Then, in the room without Eunjae, she pounded her pillow to vent her anger.
Suddenly, a thought struck her.
'I'm not even officially his girlfriend... If I just throw tantrums like this, won't everyone think I'm weird?'
Yuseong ignoring her bold advances? Fair enough.
But Seona unnie?
From Seona's perspective, it'd be totally out of nowhere. She probably didn't even know Sera liked Yuseong.
Yeah, this is all because I haven't made my feelings clear.
If the other unnies knew how I felt, this wouldn't happen.
Resolved to settle it once and for all, Sera fired off a message in the group chat.
The 17-year-old Sera, head over heels in love, was a naive girl who believed confessing her feelings would solve everything.