#56 - Accepted
“Oppa~”
Na-eun was waving her hand at me, flapping it wildly.
I walked over to her and clapped my hand against that flailing little paw of hers.
Clap!
“Had a good break?”
“I did~ How about you, oppa?”
“Me too.”
“Hehehe.”
Na-eun giggled happily, her face beaming, then declared in a bold, confident voice,
“Oppa, I’m buying lunch today!”
“What, did you get a big payout or something?”
“Yup!”
The moment I heard that, I lightly pinched her cheek.
Na-eun’s soft, squishy cheek was heavenly to the touch.
Streeetch~
“Eeeeeek…!”
She winced like it hurt, but I ignored her and just kept tugging.
Pop!
With a cute little sound, her cheek snapped back into place, and I immediately started lecturing her.
“Na-eun, get a grip.”
“Huh…?”
“I told you to save that money, remember?”
“But still…”
“Fine then, Dutch treat at most. No buying for me.”
“Why not! I wanna spoil you too, oppa!”
“Not yet. At least wait till you start your part-time job.”
“Hmph.”
She pouted like that, but she was the obedient type who listened anyway.
“So, oppa, we’re planning our trip today, right?”
“Yep, trip itinerary and all… but first, something else.”
“What?”
Na-eun tilted her head innocently, like she had no clue.
“Your university results come out today.”
“Oh yeah.”
For summing it up with an “oh yeah,” I decided on a light punishment.
Streeetch~
“Eeeeeeng… It’s a joke… just a joke…!”
She knew it was playful, but something about it just bugged me anyway.
Still cute, still lovable, though.
“Honestly, you know the answer already. With those scores, if Jinhan University rejects you, the world’s broken.”
Na-eun grumbled her response, but I really believed it.
Those grades were a lock for Jinhan, and even top Sky-tier schools would take her in the first round.
Putting scores like that into Jinhan? They’d have to roll out the red carpet.
“Café first?”
“No, not the café.”
“Not the café?”
“Yeah, today…”
Na-eun trailed off, then dropped the unexpected bombshell.
“Let’s go to my house.”
“Your place?”
“Yeah, today… um…”
Na-eun hesitated, then stood on tiptoe and whispered in my ear.
“…Mom and Dad aren’t home. Neither is oppa.”
…Looks like flirty Na-eun was at it again.
Could I really hold back?
I had to. Really had to.
*
Anyway, invitation accepted—no backing out now—so we grabbed two takeaway coffees from the café and headed to Na-eun’s house.
The second we arrived, I settled obediently in her room, waiting, while Na-eun brought me two cookies.
“Oppa, have these.”
“It’s been a while, Na-eun’s cookies.”
“Right? Feels like forever since I baked any.”
Last year, her hobby was baking.
But once gaming took over, baking got pushed to the back burner.
“How was it, baking after so long?”
“Still fun. I’ve always loved it, you know?”
She looked so pretty smiling softly that I planted a kiss on her forehead.
Mwah! Flinch!
Na-eun was great at teasing, but when I made a move, she got all shy like this.
My guess? She had zero resistance to it happening back to her.
What an adorable trait.
“Surprised?”
“A… a little…”
Watching her face turn red gave me this weird satisfaction, so I nibbled one of her cookies and asked,
“Where are your parents and Seung-min?”
“Mom and Dad went off with family, and oppa’s at his part-time job.”
“Part-time?”
“Yeah, at the PE entrance academy.”
Still doing that this late? No way—entrance season ended end of January.
I raised an eyebrow, and Na-eun giggled, explaining,
“He’s out celebrating with the accepted students, on the director’s card.”
“Ah…”
Couldn’t argue with that. Then it hit me—I’d messed up.
Her results were today, and if she passed (which everyone knew she would), what about a congratulatory gift?
Me, her, everyone who knew her—we all knew she’d ace it.
Yet I hadn’t prepared anything.
…Pocket money on the spot?
While I racked my brain, Na-eun booted up her computer and logged into the university site.
She checked slowly.
And there it was, just as expected: two letters on her screen.
The obvious two letters: Accepted.
“Accepted.”
“Yep. Congrats, underclassman.”
“Hehe, thanks.”
Na-eun thanked me and came closer…
Hug!
…throwing herself into my arms.
I hugged her back and decided to apologize honestly.
“Na-eun, sorry.”
“Sorry for what?”
“…Didn’t prepare a congrats gift.”
She squeezed me tighter at that.
“Why apologize?”
“I didn’t get you a gift?”
“You’re my gift, oppa.”
“What?”
“…You’re my gift.”
A rush of emotions—guilt, gratitude, adoration…
To hide them, I teased her lightly.
“…What, taking cringe line classes now?”
“Hmph… that’s how you respond?”
“Way too cringey.”
“I’ll sulk, you know?”
Mwah.
I kissed her forehead again while she was in my arms.
“That’s what makes you even cuter.”
“Hmpf… really now…”
Her grumpy aegyo was irresistible.
I stroked her hair, soothing her—or pretending to—while soaking it in.
And I made a vow.
Our first trip together in February—I’d make it perfect.
Give her memories she’d never forget.
* * *
After the acceptance notice and some light skinship with Seonwoo oppa, we finally started planning the trip.
I naturally plopped down on his lap.
Sounds weird, but oppa’s thighs were rock-solid. The thighs of a guy who actually worked out.
Made me think I should hit the gym too.
Anyway, perched on that sturdy lap, we started browsing spots together.
“Where’s good for a winter trip?”
“Hmm, Gangwon-do’s nice… or Chungcheong-do.”
“Gyeongsang-do?”
“That too—warmer there.”
“Hmmmmm… tough choice…”
Anywhere sounded great. Even a one-night, two-day in Seoul proper.
That’s how much I loved being with oppa.
Oppa gently stroked my long hair.
His touch made my whole body tingle. Honestly, these moments when he leisurely petted my hair were pure bliss.
I could get addicted.
“Na-eun, wanna search winter getaway spots first?”
“Yes! Sounds good!”
We googled “winter getaways,” and tons popped up.
One caught our eye.
“Oppa, they have an aquarium here!”
A spot in Gyeonggi-do with an aquarium.
Super urban, but I really wanted to go. Why?
“Otters! Otters!”
Because of the otters.
“Wanna see otters?”
“Yes!”
“Cool, then nearby… restaurants… hotels…”
Oppa searched for eats and stays around it, picking hotels near the food spots. Pro-level skills—not his first rodeo.
Probably honed from trips with that ex who dumped him.
Made me even madder. How dare she dump this kind, cool, sweet guy?
She’d get hers. And the ultimate punishment? Seeing me and oppa’s love.
I hoped she’d spot us strolling campus together.
Hope it makes her stomach ache till she drops.
“Na-eun, how’s this one?”
I looked at oppa asking so tenderly.
His face was full of care and love for me.
To repay it, I wanted to give him unforgettable memories too.
“Perfect.”
Perfect—as long as it’s with you, oppa.
And oppa likes it too.