Episode 15
Episode 15
"Stay and sleep here tonight. I'll get you some pajamas."
Daeun, looking at me and telling me to sleep over.
"Uh...h..."
"You said you'd grant anything I asked. It's not that this is impossible... right?"
Because of Daeun's earnest expression and what I had promised, all I could do was nod my head.
"Hehe, it's been a while since you stayed over."
"...Yeah, it has."
When we were really young, we used to sleep over at each other's houses quite often.
When our parents had urgent matters, they'd sometimes leave Daeun or me with the other family.
"So, can I just make one phone call? I should probably get permission."
"Mm-hmm, go ahead and call comfortably."
Leaving Daeun waving her hand behind me, I stepped out of the living room for a moment, went to the entrance hall, and took out my phone.
I wonder what they'll say when they hear their fully-grown son wants to sleep over at the house of his female Childhood Friend.
Ring ring-
[Hello?]
"Hello, Mom?"
[Oh, son. What's up?]
"...I'm going to sleep over at Daeun's place tonight."
When I got straight to the point, a brief silence fell over the call.
Maybe I should have phrased it as a question instead of an announcement.
[Daeun said that's okay?]
"Uh, yes. She asked me to."
[Then it's fine.]
...Huh?
I didn't expect her to accept it so readily, beyond what I had thought, so I was a little flustered.
[I was worried you might be saying you're staying over unilaterally.]
"...Don't you trust your son too little?"
[On the contrary, I know you too well. Don't you remember when you were little? You'd always cling to Daeun's side and throw a tantrum crying and fussing when we said it was time to go home....]
"Ah, okay. I get it, so stop talking about it...!"
Digging up my embarrassing childhood incidents...
There's absolutely no way to win this.
[Anyway, whatever. Got it. Are you having dinner there too?]
While on the phone, I glanced at the clock and saw it was already 5 PM.
"Probably, yeah."
[Okay, got it. Let me know if you need anything.]
"Yes."
[Ah, and... if you're going to do it, make sure to bring a condom.]
"...What?"
I was momentarily speechless at the sudden single word.
A condom...?
"A-ah, no. We're not doing anything like that!!"
[You never know. A man and a woman under the same roof.]
"Even so, it's just the next-door house!?"
My flustered feelings melted directly into my voice, raising its pitch.
In contrast, there was no particular change in my mom's voice, I could only feel calmness.
[What if you cause an accident? What will you do then then?]
Jolt-
"A-ah, no.... Daeun and I, we're not that kind of relationship, okay?"
Instantly, various lewd things I'd been doing with Daeun over the past few days came to mind, and I felt guilty on many levels.
[Yeah, yeah, okay, but you never know. I'm just saying to be careful. I'm not telling you to go get one right now.]
"...Yes."
[Well, if it gets urgent, call Mom. I'll bring you one. Anyway, hanging up. Let me know if you need anything.]
Click-
The call ended unilaterally with that final remark.
I was a bit dizzy, but I collected myself and went back into the living room.
"Garim-ah, did you get permission?"
"Mm-hmm, she said do as you like."
It seemed the answer was to her liking, as Daeun's expression brightened.
...Of course, my mom's words kept coming to mind, and I felt like I was going crazy.
Why did she have to bring up condoms....
"We need to have dinner too. What do you want to eat?"
Fortunately, thanks to Daeun changing the subject, I felt a bit better.
"Hmm.... I don't know."
"Is there nothing you want to eat?"
"Uh...h..."
When asked to say what I wanted to eat, Daeun's chest suddenly came into view.
...It was really sweet and tasty.
'Ah, no. Am I crazy? Why am I like this?'
Daeun also seemed to feel my gaze, as she crossed her arms over her chest and turned her body away.
"...Pervert Garim-ah."
"...Sorry."
Since I had absolutely nothing to say, I apologized right away.
I wanted to blame my mom for bringing up condoms... but it seems my brain is the rotten one after all.
"Was it that delicious?"
"A-ah, no. Tha...t... Should we decide on our dinner menu again?"
"...Hmm."
Seeing mischief glint in Daeun's eyes, a sense of unease washed over me.
"If it was that delicious... do you want it for dinner? My chest...?"
"Khek...! Cough cough!"
Why does it feel like everyone is desperate to fluster me today of all days?
Startled, I swallowed my spit the wrong way and choked.
"You said it was sweet and tasty. If it's you, Garim-ah... it's okay if you have more."
"Kehk, keuh-huk..."
Daeun's relentless fierce attack, without a break.
I barely managed to block my ears, catch my breath, and stop choking.
"Phew..."
"Sorry, Garim-ah. It's fun teasing you..."
"...It's fine if you're sorry. Let's just decide on dinner."
"Mm-hmm."
"Is there any food in the fridge?"
"...No, it just so happens everything ran out today."
"Then we have no choice but to order delivery."
Finally, some progress was made in the conversation about deciding the dinner menu.
Now we just need to decide among delivery food options.
"Hmm... ah, Daeun-ah. You still don't really like greasy food, right?"
"Mm-hmm, I don't like it. But you still remember that?"
"Yeah, talking about delivery food made me think of it."
Having always spent time together since we were little, we knew each other's tastes quite well.
Chicken and pizza, the steady sellers that come with every delivery order.
Daeun, in particular, couldn't eat these two well.
To be precise, she'd put them down after just a few bites.
"You only eat a few pieces of chicken, and with pizza, even if you're hungry, you put it down after one or two slices."
"...Mm-hmm, that's right."
The fact that I remembered seemed to really surprise Daeun.
Well, it's been a long time, so it's natural she might have thought I'd forgotten.
I had forgotten about it too until it suddenly came to mind, so...
"Then let's pick something else, excluding those. Or do you want to eat grilled chicken? That doesn't have much grease, it's mild, so it should be fine."
"...Mm-hmm, then let's eat that."
"I order from that place often, so I'll place the order."
I took out my phone and skillfully ordered one whole grilled chicken from the place we often ate from.
Since it's nearby, it should arrive quickly.
Tap-
Just as I was about to say the order was placed, Daeun suddenly pushed her head forward and bumped into my chest.
"Daeun-ah?"
"...Thanks, for paying attention."
"Huh? It's nothing to thank me for."
"Still... I feel good that you remember."
"That much?"
"Mm-hmm."
Daeun's fox tail wagged surangsurang.
As she said, she really must be in a good mood.
"Hehe, I hope it comes quickly."
I had wondered if ordering just one might not be enough....
Contrary to my thoughts, as we ate, we started feeling full, and the two of us barely managed to finish one whole chicken.
"Next time we eat, one should be enough like this too."
"Yeah.... Garim-ah, I didn't know you couldn't eat that much."
"I didn't know I'd get this full either. I used to easily eat a whole one before."
Having finished our meal feeling full, the two of us, as if we had promised, started cleaning up together.
We were perfectly in sync, gathering chicken bones, sorting trash, and so on.
"Since it's all cleaned up, do you want me to wash up first, then Garim-ah? I'll get you a new toothbrush."
"Yeah, I'd appreciate that."
"While you brush your teeth, I'll get your pajamas out, so get changed and come out?"
"Got it."
Accepting Daeun's consideration, I started brushing my teeth and washing my face.
The faint trace of her water left behind felt a bit icky, but washing my face felt refreshing.
'...This must be her father's clothes.'
A surprisingly large pajama set made of black and white stripes.
I didn't get her father's permission, but it should be okay to borrow it...?
"Daeun-ah, I'm all changed."
After changing, I came out of the bathroom and looked around the living room, but Daeun wasn't there.
She washed up first, so did she go to change her clothes?
I went straight to Daeun's room door and knocked.
Knock knock-
"Daeun-ah, are you changing?"
"Mm-hmm? I'm all changed."
Hearing Daeun's answer, I carefully opened the door and entered the room.
I thought since she said she was dressed, there shouldn't be a problem, but....
Daeun was lying on the bed wearing nothing but an oversized shirt, with no underwear on.
Even though the shirt seemed big, it still didn't cover her butt area, making it look incredibly suggestive.
"You're dressed, Garim-ah...? Does it fit okay?"
"Uh-huh, it's fine... Is that all you're wearing?"
"Mm-hmm."
She calls this all dressed, wearing just a shirt...?
It's not like she doesn't have pajamas.
"Sleeping completely naked feels a little weird, but wearing all my clothes to bed feels too stuffy. So I usually just sleep in a shirt."
"...Oh, really?"
"This shirt, the material is really good and soft. It's the best for sleeping in."
"I, I see."
Well, as long as she's comfortable, it should be fine.
Except for the fact that I have nowhere to look....
"Anyway, Daeun-ah, where should I sleep? Your parents' room?"
I was pretty tired in many ways today, so I asked about the sleeping arrangements right away.
I just wanted to lie down and rest immediately....
"Hmm..."
She thought it over seriously for a moment, then gave me that mischievous look again.
Don't tell me she's going to say something weird here....
"Garim-ah."
"Yeah?"
"...Wanna sleep here?"
Tap, tap.
Daeun called out to me while patting the empty space next to her on her bed.
Surely she couldn't be talking about the bed itself.
"...You mean on the floor?"
"No, here. Next to me.... Wanna sleep together?"