My Adorable Puppy-Eared Girlfriend
I gazed at Na-eun, her face flushed red under the puppy headband.
She looked utterly lovable, but honestly, pretty hilarious too.
"How do you even come up with such a brilliant idea?"
"Eek... don't tease me...."
"I'm serious, though?"
Pat pat.
As I stroked her head and praised her, Na-eun, who had been pouting at first, soon started to enjoy it.
"How on earth did you think of this event?"
Na-eun basked in my petting, answering in an excited, flushed voice.
"You said I look like that puppy. Like Goldie. So I prepared it."
"Goldie's more of a golden retriever, but this headband's brown?"
"It was the only one I could grab right away."
I gently pressed her puffed-up cheeks and chuckled softly.
"Golden retrievers are kinda brown if you look closely."
"Yeah, true."
Seeing her beam and nod in agreement made her look even more like a puppy. The way her mood flipped so quickly? Total dog vibes.
"What if you dyed your hair brown? It'd suit you even better."
"Should I?"
"Just kidding. Joke's on me."
It was a joke, but I was kinda curious. How cute would Na-eun look with dyed hair? Smiling faintly, I looked at her and spoke up.
"Thanks, for real."
When I thanked her from the heart, she lunged at me instead.
"Thanks to you too, for taking my aegyo so well."
"For aegyo this cute, I'd take it a hundred times."
"Hehehehe."
Her adorable giggle rang in my ears as I lightly rubbed her cheek and glanced around her room.
It was neatly tidied, the layout a bit different from what I remembered, but still a pretty space. Maybe studying here helped her scores improve. Or maybe not—but that's how it felt to me.
"Na-eun, had lunch yet?"
"Oh, no. Somehow I skipped it."
"Wanna order something?"
"I want Chinese today!"
"Chinese? Okay~"
I pulled out my phone and started ordering.
"Black bean noodles? Spicy seafood?"
"Black bean!"
"Then same for me."
Two black bean noodles, plus some sweet-and-sour pork.
"Sweet-and-sour too, cool?"
"Won't it be too pricey?"
"Nah, it's fine."
"But... it'll be a lot."
"True? Half-and-half then?"
Na-eun nodded eagerly, so I switched to two half-and-half bowls.
A bit later, two half-and-halfs arrived with complimentary fried dumplings. Na-eun eyed them, practically drooling.
"Love Chinese?"
"Yup~ I love all tasty food."
"Can't argue there. Good food's always the best."
I agreed, handing her a bowl, then grabbing mine.
"Dumplings on the house—gonna stuff ourselves."
"Right? Oh, oppa, I sent the money!"
"You didn't have to."
"Come on, I should! It's just 9,000 won!"
Hard to argue with that.
"Got it, thanks."
"Let's eat~"
I echoed her beaming words as she unwrapped hers.
"Let's eat."
The slurps of black bean noodles and sweet-and-sour pork filled the air as we dove into a slightly touchy topic.
"...Oppa."
"Yeah, Na-eun?"
"That girl... Suhyun Kang. You okay after meeting her?"
I answered flat-out.
"Of course."
Of course I was. No reason not to be.
"Freaked me out at first, but now? Totally fine."
Watching her devour her noodles, I spoke with fresh conviction.
"With you by my side, I'm good."
"Heeheeheehee."
Her bright laugh said it all— so lovable, so familiar.
This feeling? Only because it's Na-eun, the adorable kid I've known forever.
"Na-eun, try this."
"Yum!"
She munched a dumpling happily. Staring at it sparked a joke.
"Na-eun, dumplings good?"
"Yes! Super tasty!"
"Then you'd make a great slave—dumpling-eaters always do."
Thought it was a clever movie nod, but she just gave me a puzzled look, question mark practically floating over her head.
"...Don't know Oldboy?"
"Nope. What's that?"
...Wait, she felt so familiar a second ago, and now it's awkward?
Is this the generation gap thing?
As I gauged her reaction, she burst out laughing.
"Puhahaha, I know it, oppa. Just messing with you."
Only then did I realize she'd got me good.
"Teasing me now?"
"You tease me plenty. Fair's fair?"
She stuck out her tongue—'nyeh~'—and she was so cheeky and cute, I couldn't stop laughing.
"True, you get me back a lot."
"Yup. Oppa flustered? Super cute."
"How's a four-years-older boyfriend cute?"
"He's got that cute charm?"
I wiped her sauce-smeared mouth with a tissue as she giggled through the last of her noodles.
"How good does it taste to get black bean all over your face."
Tap tap tap. I dabbed carefully, and her cheeks turned pink.
Seeing her shy like that gave me a smug little victory rush.
Na-eun, I'm still one step ahead.
Seonwoo oppa packed away the leftover dumplings, washed all the dishes, and even set them out front for pickup.
Every time I tried to help, he wouldn't let me.
"Just relax~ I'm faster."
I can do that stuff well too. I know how to clean up.
Grumbling inwardly, I hovered behind him, ready to jump in.
But he was way better at it than expected. Even the organizing.
Seeing him so perfect made him shine... but also kinda frustrating.
How much harder do I need to try to be a real pillar for him?
So unfair. If I were older, I could've taken the lead.
"Hey, oppa."
"Yeah?"
He turned with that bright, kind smile, melting my gripes away like snow.
That generous, gentle grin? Pure Seonwoo magic.
A younger Seonwoo oppa would be more playful, boyish.
Thinking that, I figured staying younger suited us better.
"Just... you're too cool."
He chuckled bashfully, ruffling my hair.
"You're cooler."
"Pffft...."
I took it without retort, but no way. Cooler than Seonwoo oppa? Impossible. At least to me.
So how does that girl casually approach my flawless Seonwoo oppa like it's nothing?
Ridiculous.
Still, it made me a bit happy.
I could show her.
Just how amazing Seonwoo oppa is. How the guy she dumped is this incredible. What she threw away.
So I was looking forward to it. Her showing up again.
Next time, no awkwardness like yesterday.
I'd cling to his arm, aegyo overload, stare her down.
This man's mine—so back off. The one you ditched? He's perfect.
Prove it with actions.
It'd be a gift for my hurt oppa, punishment for her.
But first things first.
"Oppa, I love you."
Love him more. Deepen our bond till she writhes in regret. That's my top priority.