Chapter 48
Chapter 48
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: Return to Korea - 4
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I wanted to tell Oppa the good news right away.
But just in case.
—What if I couldn't go back to Korea?
Like how Mom and Dad had told us about their return so late.
Even if it was excessive worrying, I couldn't even imagine how heartbroken Oppa would be if I told him and then it fell through.
So I decided to hold off until it was certain.
Before I knew it, it was February.
Jinhyuk Oppa had already told Sea a long time ago, and ever since that day Mom and Dad mentioned it, he'd been grinning from ear to ear all day long.
I asked those two separately.
To keep it a secret from Woojin Oppa until I said otherwise.
...Now I really had to tell him.
The thought of seeing Oppa soon had me a little excited too.
...What if I kept it a secret and surprised him instead?
Even I thought it was mischievous, but just imagining Oppa's reaction made my whole body tingle.
From that day on, I started planning.
………I shouldn't have done it.
Such a thing never should have happened, but I didn't know that then...
"I should have just told Oppa honestly." That thought kept circling in my head. If I had, I could clearly picture him hearing it and lighting up with joy.
Including the flight time to Korea, four days before school started, I lied to Oppa—a truthful lie—that I'd be busy for a while and might not be able to stay in touch. He said okay, but...
The guilt of lying to Oppa pricked at my conscience.
And because of it, Oppa was starting to feel stressed bit by bit. He tried to act like he wasn't, but I could see it.
...Idiot. Stupid Seo Yerim. What was so great about that damn surprise?
What if Oppa got mad when we met...?
I was starting to worry that much.
Still, the thought that I'd see Oppa soon made my heart race more and more as the first day of school approached.
And so.
The first day of school finally arrived.
Was it excitement?
My eyes snapped open before the alarm even went off in the morning.
I pulled on the school uniform—same as Oppa's now—and stepped out of my room. Jinhyuk Oppa was already gone to meet Sea.
I could understand that feeling. I wanted to see Oppa even a little sooner too.
So I left the house a bit earlier than usual.
...Nice.
The spring rain pattering softly on my umbrella like a whisper.
The cool morning air and the fresh grass scent tickling my nose.
Everything felt like it was making this path to Oppa feel special.
It was just... nice.
With every step,
as I got closer to Oppa, imaginings of our conversation kept bubbling up.
What should I say to greet Oppa?
What expression should I make when I face him?
What would Oppa's reaction be when he saw me?
"Have you been well, Oppa? I really, really... missed you so much."
Oppa, me.
I had so much I wanted to say.
As I walked through the rain, before I knew it,
I'd reached the familiar path where I'd once walked to school with Oppa.
If I waited here, Oppa would pass by, and when I saw him...
My heart kept pounding in time with the drizzling spring rain.
Just like that, for a moment.
Savoring the thrilled wait, a familiar silhouette soon came into view.
Even though his face was hidden by the umbrella, I knew it at a glance.
But even though it was so familiar.
Whether video calls or photos, I'd seen him every day, even in my dreams. But maybe the phone hadn't captured it right.
His body was much more solid than in the videos, his shoulders broader, his height drawing my gaze upward naturally.
At those vivid changes so different from before,
my heart, which couldn't stay still anyway, now pounded so hard I worried Oppa might hear it.
Creeping closer so he wouldn't notice, Oppa seemed lost in thought, head down, not seeing me.
Tap.
I lightly touched his shoulder from behind, but no reaction.
Once more.
Tap tap.
With joyful mischief, I tapped his shoulder again, and this time it clearly registered.
Oppa slowly turned his head.
"...Huh?"
His eyes widened as he turned.
"...Oppa."
Looking up at him, at how much more manly he'd become,
I unconsciously clasped my hands in front of my chest
and whispered carefully.
"...I missed you."
So, so much.
I couldn't make sense of it.
Was I so stressed lately, missing Yerim so much, that I'd hallucinated this?
Yerim, who should have been far away, standing right in front of me—it was unbelievable.
But.
It felt too vivid to be a dream.
My poor imagination couldn't conjure such beauty.
Those cherry blossom petal eyes, filled only with me, swaying just for her in this world.
I reached out without thinking and touched her cheek; the warm softness at my fingertips felt so real.
It was like proof this wasn't a dream.
"......When did you get back?"
"Four days ago..."
"......That 'busy' thing was because you were coming back?"
"Yeah, that's right..."
"......You could have at least told me."
"Sorry... At first it wasn't certain, and later I wanted to surprise you..."
"...Don't do it again."
"Okay..."
I pinched her cheek lightly to emphasize, and because her skin was so fair, it reddened at once.
I hadn't expected to scold her the moment we met.
I knew Yerim had always loved surprises, but I never imagined she'd surprise me with her return.
I'd imagined our reunion countless times, but never this scenario, so I couldn't help laughing.
The mood had turned out like this somehow.
But this much I had to say.
"Yerim."
"Yeah..."
I kept stroking her rain-damp hair or her dewy cheek,
and like everything about her was mine,
far from annoyed, she nuzzled into my hand like she wanted more.
"...You got back sooner than I thought."
"...Liar."
"...Actually, it took a bit."
We smiled at each other.
Now, we could joke about it.
"Not a day went by I didn't miss you. Really."
"......Yeah, sorry. For making you wait."
"We've barely reunited, and you're saying sorry twice already?"
"No faaair..."
To Yerim, who still looked apologetic, I pinched her soft cheek once more.
"Then, thank you... for waiting."
"Much better. Thank you too. For coming back."
"What even is that..."
Even as she chided me,
leaning her cheek into my hand with a beaming smile, I smiled too.
"So soft."
"And...?"
"Super squishy. Makes me want to touch it all day."
"Yeah, now you can..."
Like a cat wagging its tail at its owner.
Watching Yerim purring in my hand made my heart itch,
so without thinking, I slowly leaned down and
smack—
pressed my lips to the pale forehead peeking through her damp, rain-kissed hair.
"......Huh?"
What? A hack?
Like someone was controlling me, my body moved on its own.
The thrill when my lips touched, the lingering moisture now—they
felt like proof that what just happened wasn't a dream.
If I, one of the parties, was this shocked, the victim Yerim
was frozen solid, her once-pale skin flushed red from face to ears, still leaning into my hand.
Sh-should I say sorry...?
No, but we're basically a four-year couple now...?
After agonizing, what came out of my mouth was.
"S-so, so soft..."
...That wasn't it? What am I, some pervert uncle?
"......And...?"
...She's okay with this?
"Super, uh, squishy..."
"That's all...?"
"...Huh?"
At Yerim's words, clutching my clothes shyly, my brain lagged for a second.
"Uh, earlier you said more..."
What had I said earlier?
As I recalled,
it hit me.
I'd said I wanted to touch it all day.
But that was her cheek? I didn't say it. Might make the cherry blossom petals wilt.
Better to drown in them instead.
"...All day long, I want to."
"Yeah, I like that..."
Approval? Yerim kissed the hand that had been cupping her cheek.
I leaned down again slowly, starting from her forehead.
Brows, nose, cheek. Finally... her neck.
One by one, slowly, clumsily but earnestly.
Wherever I pressed my lips, soft and yielding Yerim took my mark.
Growing a bit more used to it as I went lower from her forehead.
On her cheek, I even poked my tongue once. On her neck at the end, I nipped lightly, and
"Hyah...!"
Yerim twitched with an erotic moan, startling both her and me, but
we had no time to care.
Gulp.
What was left last.
We both felt our gazes locked on each other's lips.
No asking if it was okay.
She was mine, and I was hers.
Slowly overlaying my lips on hers, from the touching lips
"Haah...!"
it was like electricity coursed through my body.
And while other parts were soft,
I realized lips were incomparable.
The heat and breath at the moment of contact, the strawberry scent filling my mouth.
None of it could compare.
When we parted after a moment, Yerim's eyes were glazed.
Probably mine too.
Just lips touching did this— what if I went inside?
Yerim seemed to think the same; her deep pink, thirsty eyes stared at my lips.
"...Yerim."
"Haa... Yeah...?"
"I really hate saying this right now...?"
"...?"
"But if we don't hurry, we'll be late..."
But I wasn't sure I'd stop at once.
A glance at my watch screamed 100% tardy.
...Not that I don't want to do more.
Alone it'd be one thing, but her first day transferring... So I cautiously mentioned the watch,
"................................................................................................Yes, first day... we should go................."
Yerim said, eyes squeezed shut, after tremendous internal struggle.