Chapter 18
Chapter 18
"Haaahmm...."
Sunlight streams through the window.
...I feel like I barely tossed and turned at all, yet it's already morning.
"Aww..."
Maybe it's because I couldn't get a wink of sleep, but my body feels all crumpled.
Or maybe it's because my stamina was completely drained by the things Daeun did right before falling asleep last night...
Sweuk-
I lifted my lying body and stretched lightly.
In my heart, I just want to stay lying down and sleep, but I have things to do today, so I can't.
'...Sleeping soundly, completely unaware of the world.'
It seems Daeun has no clue about what's going on inside me.
Having thrown the dress shirt she was wearing far away, she's still sleeping with only the blanket ambiguously covering her.
"...For some reason, she looks annoying."
I'm dying of sleepiness, yet after saying all that last night and falling asleep, she's sleeping this soundly?
'Should I play a little prank?'
The mischievous spirit inside me suddenly rose up and tempted me.
Should I just let her sleep comfortably like this? No, let's play a little prank.
Of course, I accepted that mischievous spirit without any particular resistance.
While pondering briefly what kind of prank to play, her bare chest, swaying with her breath, came into my view.
Gulp-
Since usually I'm the one being swept away, wouldn't it be okay if I did it once too?
All sorts of self-justifications swept through my head.
'...What kind of prank is this? It's not a prank.'
Contrary to that thought, my body gradually approached her side.
Sitting gently on the bed, I pulled down the ambiguously draped blanket and
Poke-
Immediately moved my finger to touch her breast.
Flinch-
"Huuu...."
It seems even while sleeping, her body reacts to stimulation as if it's completely separate.
In some ways, it feels somewhat erotic but also kind of fun...
Poke poke-
Not stopping my finger, I touched her breast several times.
Just as I was thinking maybe I could do it a little harder, Daeun's eyes drowsily opened.
"Huuuum... Garim-ah...?"
"...You're awake?"
"Mmng... Why did you wake me...?"
At Daeun's one remark, I couldn't say anything.
There wasn't any particular reason, so what should I explain?
I couldn't possibly say, 'I had trouble sleeping, and seeing you sleep alone so well made you look annoying.'
"...I was thinking of having breakfast. I was hungry."
I brought up the most common and plausible excuse.
Since I was planning to suggest we eat breakfast if she woke up, it wasn't exactly a lie...
"Is it morning already...?"
"Looks like you slept really well."
"Uwoong... After doing that last night and sleeping, I somehow feel refreshed...."
It seems the actions right before sleeping had only positive effects on Daeun, unlike on me.
Even though I did them together, I couldn't get a wink of sleep...
"Well, that's good then..."
"Hehe... We should, have breakfast..."
Daeun tried to sit up right then, but
Slurrrk-
As she took a sitting-up position, all the remaining blankets draped over her slid down.
Because of that, only her sun-reflected, pure-white nude body was reflected before my eyes.
"...I'll prepare breakfast, so at least put on some clothes."
As I averted my eyes and spoke, Daeun also belatedly realized she was in a nude state, her dress shirt having come off.
"Huuu... I was definitely wearing it... Garim-ah, you didn't take it off, right...?"
"...I didn't do anything? You threw it off yourself."
"...Me?"
"Yeah."
Does she not know her own sleeping habits at all?
Well, it's natural not to know until someone tells you.
After all, I'm not really sure if I have any sleeping habits either.
"When I saw it this morning, the dress shirt was thrown over there."
"Really...?"
"Yeah, yeah."
Whether she believed my words or not, Daeun soon nodded.
"Then, I'll get dressed, so can I ask you to make a simple breakfast?"
"Yeah, sure."
Thud-
I left the room and headed to the kitchen, and as soon as I arrived, I opened the entire refrigerator.
I need to know what ingredients we have to decide what to prepare.
'Hmm... Looks like we only have bread, eggs, and milk.'
With these ingredients, I can probably make French toast.
Tap-
Swish swish-
'Even though I'm making it after a long time, I still haven't forgotten how.'
It was a food I often packed for breakfast when I was going to school...
Maybe because I got sick of it after graduating high school, I didn't even think about it anymore.
"Sniff sniff... Garim-ah, it smells good, what are you making?"
While I was lost in thought for a moment, Daeun, having dressed appropriately, came looking for me in the kitchen.
"Wow, French toast? It's been a while..."
"It really has been a while."
After smelling it, her ears and tail quickly swished sallang sallang.
Seeing her like a puppy in front of a delicious meal is cute.
"How much longer? It smells so good, I'm hungry..."
"It's almost done."
"Mmng."
When we were young, there were many cases where I made something for her or we ate together like this.
Maybe because Daeun tends to sleep a lot in the morning, I was the one who took care of her.
Thinking about it now, they're all memories.
Clack-
As I placed the finished French toast on a plate in front of her, Daeun's hand moved in an instant.
I was about to hand her a fork to eat conveniently, but Daeun was much faster than me.
Munch-
"Mmh...! It's delicious!"
As if her words about it being delicious weren't a lie, her ears and tail shook vigorously.
Her expression looks good too; it's a rewarding reaction that makes the effort worthwhile.
Except for the fact that I'm sleepy...
Munch munch-
Daeun, filling her mouth full and chewing like a hamster.
After placing a glass of milk for her, who was eating non-stop, I also picked one up and ate.
'Hmm... Not bad.'
Regardless of being extremely tired, maybe because my hunger has subsided? Once I start eating, I keep going.
I clearly used over ten slices of bread to make this, so why does it seem like it won't be enough...
"Oowm, Garim-ah. Wha ar u donig odau?" (What are you doing today?)
"I can understand what you're saying, but talk after you finish eating..."
Nod nod-
Daeun, nodding her head and swallowing the toast filling her mouth while gulping down milk.
"Puhah... It was so delicious I couldn't help myself, hehe. So Garim-ah, do you have plans today?"
Plans...
During the week, I work part-time on Mon, Wed, Fri, and the remaining days...
"I have to prepare for retaking the exams."
"Mmng?"
It's very lacking, but I'm gradually preparing for retakes and self-development.
However, because I'm studying various things I want to try, it's a bit haphazard.
After answering, I hurriedly picked up and ate the remaining toast.
The toast that was clearly plentiful now has less than five slices left.
"Hmm... Garim-ah, can I study with you too?"
"Huh?"
"You know I'm also preparing for retakes and studying, right?"
"Ah."
I forgot that Daeun, like me, is also in the middle of preparing for retakes.
...Unlike me, who messed up the CSAT, she got a slightly disappointing result, which is her big reason for retaking, but still.
"Studying together is better than studying alone, right?"
"Well, yeah, that's true?"
"If there's something you don't know, I can teach you!"
...There's no particular point to refute in that statement.
Originally, Daeun was better at studying than me, so unlike me who played in the upper-middle ranks, she only played in the upper ranks.
If she says she'll help, it would definitely be a big help for me.
"But then, wouldn't it only benefit my studies?"
While it's good for me, I didn't want to unnecessarily interfere with Daeun's retake preparation.
Daeun shook her head jeolre jeolre and said,
"It's okay, for me, doing it also secretly serves as review."
She left an incredibly model student-like reply.
To think that teaching someone else serves as review for her... I'm gradually feeling a wall.
"...If you're okay with it, shall we study together today? I often go to the neighborhood library to study since it's big."
"Mmng, let's do it together."
Daeun, chewing again and answering as clearly as possible.
...All the remaining toast is gone now.
It's a bit disappointing that my stomach isn't completely full, but... well, it probably doesn't matter.
"I'll go change clothes, get ready, and wait outside! Garim-ah, get ready quickly and come out too!"
After finishing eating, Daeun hurriedly returned to her room.
What's the rush, honestly...
I also quickly finished the dishes and hurriedly returned home.
It's good that we're next-door neighbors.
Swing-
"What, you're back early?"
As soon as I opened the front door, my mother in the living room was eating with a surprised expression.
"Ah, yes. I just had breakfast. I'm planning to go study now. Daeun said she'll go with me too."
"Really? When you go, study hard and don't disturb Daeun's studies."
"...I won't disturb her."
Just what kind of image does Mom have of her son?
A sigh leaked out inside, but I soon swallowed it and hurriedly packed my things.
"I'm leaving now."
Quickly opening the front door, I went outside the building and looked for Daeun.
I thought she'd be out first, but where is she...
[This is part 2/2].
"Garim-ah, over here, over here!"
Looking toward the source of the voice, I saw Da-eun had turned her body slightly to look at me.
"Maybe because I've been seeing your ears and tail for a while, but this feels a bit weird."
"...Is it bad? Does it not suit me?"
Seeing her pouty expression, it was as if I'd said something mean.
I only said it felt weird because I was used to seeing one version of her for so long, and now a part was missing....
"No, you're pretty."
"Hehe, thanks."
As soon as I complimented her, her expression immediately brightened and Da-eun broke into a wide grin.
...In many ways, she's so easy to please.
"Alright then, let's go study now!"
With Da-eun's lively remark, the two of us headed to the library together.
'Ugh, I'm sleepy....'