Then Shall We Sleep Together?
I stared at Chae-yeon, still unable to process what I’d just heard.
If I’d heard correctly, she had just confessed to me…
Her eyes trembled as they met mine. Her gaze kept wavering, frantically trying to find its center again.
So I really had heard her right.
In our usual dynamic, where Chae-yeon always took the lead, I had wanted to be the one to confess. That was why Suho had helped me, and how we’d gotten this far.
Yet even the confession had been taken by her. Nothing was going according to plan.
“I… I figured you’d be shocked. It hasn’t even been a full year since we got close again. I know that. But this isn’t a joke or a prank. I’m serious.”
Chae-yeon sounded like she was desperately making excuses. She didn’t have to do that. I had planned to confess first.
I took the hand I had let go of earlier and held it again, properly this time, lacing our fingers together.
“Yeah. Let’s date.”
“Huh? R-really?!”
“Yeah, really. It’s not a joke or a prank. I’m serious.”
“F-for real?!”
“I said it’s real. Who jokes about something like this?”
“Kyaaa!! This is the best!!”
Chae-yeon stomped her feet on the spot before coming over and sitting right beside me. We were so close that not even a sheet of paper could fit between us—just like all the couples we’d seen wandering around the amusement park.
“Wow, I feel like I’m dreaming right now.”
“Were you that nervous?”
“Don’t even talk about it. I thought my heart was going to drop out of my chest.”
“Want me to tell you something? I was planning to confess to you today too.”
“What?! For real?”
“I kept wondering when I should do it, and this felt like the perfect moment.”
“So I confessed first?”
“If you’d been one second slower, I would’ve done it. Now that I think about it, I’m actually kind of disappointed.”
Chae-yeon planted both hands on her hips like she was the final victor and flashed a triumphant smile. She looked so adorable that I reached out, stroked her hair, and pulled her into my arms.
“Isn’t that a pretty fast attitude shift?”
“We’re dating now, so isn’t it allowed?”
“You wanted to do this?”
“Saying I didn’t would be a lie.”
“Actually… me too…”
I could feel Chae-yeon’s arms wrapping around me. The moment I had longed for so much had finally arrived. All the feelings I had kept locked inside could finally be expressed.
“Chae-yeon. Do you like me?”
“Would I have confessed if I didn’t?”
“Since when?”
“It’s been a while since I started liking you, but I realized it when I went to your house and ate that meal.”
“So that’s when it started. It hasn’t been that long.”
“Honestly, that back hug and the way I held you… you did that on purpose, didn’t you?”
“Would you believe me if I said I didn’t?”
“No way. How could I believe that?”
“Yeah, it was on purpose. I wanted to drop at least a little hint.”
Now that we were officially dating, I told her the behind-the-scenes stories of all the things I had done for her. There was a special kind of fun that came with dating someone you’d liked for a long time.
“Did you start liking me when you bought me that bracelet?”
“No, back then I didn’t have those kinds of feelings yet.”
“Then when did you start?”
“When we studied for the exam together and then went to karaoke. That’s when I knew.”
“Ah, is it because my singing was so pretty that you fell for me?”
“Yeah, exactly. That was it.”
“…Huh?”
The moment she heard me, she froze like a machine that had just crashed. Chae-yeon didn’t know what to do with herself and kept glancing around.
I wanted her to focus only on me now.
I gently cupped her face and turned it so she was looking into my eyes.
“Where are you looking? You should be looking here.”
“…This really doesn’t feel real.”
“I don’t want to hide anymore.”
“How much have you been hiding that you could flip like this?”
Even after the Ferris wheel stopped moving, our joined hands didn’t let go.
In a way, this was the moment I had dreamed of, but I wanted to do something even more special with Chae-yeon. The problem was, it was already too late. If I had confessed just a little sooner, we could have made so many new memories in this fresh relationship.
It really was a shame.
“What do you think our parents will say when we tell them we’re dating?”
“Hmm… they’ll probably be pretty shocked. My mom especially will lose her mind.”
“Yeah, mine too. My little sibling will probably be shocked too.”
“Should we tell them? Or keep it quiet for now?”
“Let’s not say anything yet. They’ll figure it out eventually.”
My mom had no idea I had ever dated anyone. It wasn’t that I was deliberately hiding it; back in middle school I barely talked to my parents, so I never had the chance to mention it. From her perspective, her son’s first relationship would be happening now… and if the other person was Chae-yeon…
She was going to be quite shocked.
Chae-yeon stared down at our clasped hands for a long time.
“I never understood why couples held hands even in the middle of summer. I thought, ‘It’s so hot, why are they doing that?’”
“Really? Has that changed now?”
“I think I get it now. It feels so good. Just holding hands like this.”
“Yeah. It’s been so long since I felt this.”
“So long? Wait, this isn’t your first relationship?”
…Uh. Did I just slip up?
Looking at Chae-yeon’s expression, she didn’t seem angry. But if I lied now, that face would probably change in an instant.
“This is my second one.”
“Then when was the first?”
“B-back in middle school.”
“Are you still in touch with that person?”
“No. We broke up badly because of something I did wrong, so I haven’t contacted her once since.”
“How many girls do you know?”
“There are two in my contacts, but I only talk to one of them.”
“The friend’s little sister you mentioned before?”
“Y-yeah…?”
Even though I was telling the truth, Chae-yeon’s expression gradually filled with murderous intent. Seeing that look, I finally understood why she had always gotten so sharp whenever I brought up Yu-hwa.
She had been jealous.
“I won’t bring up Yu-hwa anymore.”
“You’re answering well on your own.”
“Back then… I only saw her as a friend.”
“You won’t do that anymore, right?”
“I really won’t. I was thoughtless back then. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. It’s all in the past, and you didn’t have feelings for her then anyway.”
I didn’t know why, but this suddenly felt like confession time. Normally confession meant admitting your sins, but the moment I said anything that might irritate her, it felt like a cross was about to slam down on my head.
“Now that I think about it, we didn’t take a single photo today.”
“We were too focused on just having fun.”
“It’s a shame. All that’s left are memories, but we have no pictures.”
“Want to take one now?”
“Now? Is there a good spot…”
You didn’t need a special location for a photo to become a memory. Where you took it mattered, but who you took it with mattered just as much.
I pulled Chae-yeon’s hand so she leaned into my chest, then rested my chin on her shoulder.
-Click!!
“Aren’t you a little too good at this?”
“Uh… was it bad?”
“Well, I didn’t hate it. Let’s get on the train now.”
It was the same train we had taken to Seoul. But even though it was the same one, everything that caught my eye felt strangely new. It must have been because of Chae-yeon.
Feeling playful, I tapped her on the shoulder.
“Chae-yeon.”
“Yeah? Oh, what?”
“Your cheeks are so squishy.”
“Is that fun for you?”
“Yeah, they’re so soft I keep wanting to poke them.”
“I’ll bite you.”
“My finger will be faster than your—oww!!”
“Grrrr!!”
“Wait, why did you suddenly turn into a dog? Stop biting!!”
I pushed her away and finally pulled my finger free. Deep teeth marks were clearly visible on it. Had she been a dog in her past life? How could her jaw strength be this strong?
“Try messing with me again. I’ll just bite you and swallow you whole.”
“I’m going to tell everyone my girlfriend bit my finger off…”
Suddenly Chae-yeon whipped her head away and hid her face behind her own hair. Wondering what was wrong, I peeked at her face. She had turned into a perfectly ripe tomato.
“Miss Chae-yeon. Miss Chae-yeon.”
“What?”
“Your face is all red.”
“N-no it’s not?!”
“Is the word ‘girlfriend’ awkward for you?”
“…Would you be used to it? If I suddenly started calling you that?!”
“Hmm, then maybe I should keep calling you that until you get used to it.”
“I-it’s not that I don’t like it…”
I stroked the head of a flustered Chae-yeon who couldn’t even speak properly and let her lean against my shoulder. She flinched for a moment, trying to put some distance between us, but eventually settled completely against me.
“Are you tired?”
“A little. But I don’t want to sleep.”
“If you’re too tired, you can sleep. I’ll wake you up.”
“If I’m tired, you’re tired too. You’re weaker than me, yet you’re trying to take care of me.”
“Then shall we sleep together?”
“And if we miss the train, can you take responsibility for that?”
I kept running my fingers through her silky hair. The strands slipping between my fingers felt so good that my hand wouldn’t stop no matter what I wanted. Chae-yeon must have liked the touch too; she had her eyes gently closed and was smiling softly.
“Chae-yeon.”
“Yeah?”
“I love you.”
“Eh?! W-what did you say?”
“I love you, Chae-yeon.”
“W-wait a second. Let’s put some distance between us. No matter what, that word feels way too much.”
“You’re supposed to keep doing it until the person gets used to it, right? I’ll keep going.”
“Uh… shouldn’t time take care of that?”
“I love you.”
“Kyaa!! Stop it! I said stop!!”