#51. Gift
#51. Gift
"...Why are you here?"
Na-eun, squinting her eyes as if interrogating me.
"...What about you?"
But I had my own retort.
Na-eun was supposed to be out buying my gift, so what the hell was she doing in the 19+ Section?
"I was just here picking out a gift for Oppa..."
"...What kind of gift do you pick out here."
Luckily, we were the only two in this section right now—otherwise, if there were other customers around, they probably would've gotten awkward hearing our conversation.
"We said we'd give each other books, didn't we?"
"...Let me revise that. Let's pick from the all-ages section."
"But I've already made up my mind."
Na-eun clutched the book tightly with both hands, like she was afraid I'd snatch it away.
Peeking through her arms was the cover, featuring a drawing of a man and woman.
And it was ridiculously obscene, beyond words.
"Hey. Girlfriend. Who gives their boyfriend a book like that as a gift."
"...I thought about it carefully and picked it out."
Na-eun looked all crestfallen, like a sad puppy.
...Cute.
Cute, sure... but still, no.
With a deep sigh, I reached out toward her.
"Hand it over. Let me see what the big deal is."
"No way! It's a surprise!"
"Then you're seriously giving that to me?"
Na-eun looked up at me with an expression like, Why would you even ask that?
"What, you think I picked something lame? I'm not some kid."
"Huh..."
Her gesture screamed no way you're taking this from me, leaving me speechless.
"If you really wanna give it, I can't stop you, Na-eun. But I wish you'd picked something wholesome that you thought would actually help me out."
My tone was like a caring, enlightened boyfriend.
Now that we were officially dating, maybe it'd work?
"I did pick it thinking of you. Just leave me alone."
Her response was straight out of a sulky teen daughter.
Na-eun brushed past me, hugging the book to her chest as she left the 19+ Section.
And I silently followed her out.
"Oppa."
She stopped walking, her strides suddenly wider and stompier, like she was pissed.
"Yeah."
"But why were you there earlier?"
...I thought I'd dodged that, but she caught on?
"Oh~ I was just looking for you~"
"The guy who told me to get something wholesome is the one searching for me there?"
"I had a feeling you might be there... Haha..."
Na-eun smirked and hit me with one word.
"Pervert."
Fuck.
You knew all along and asked on purpose, didn't you.
My girlfriend was way too much of a prankster.
We lined up side by side at the checkout counter, waiting our turn.
"Would you like me to ring these up together?"
"No. Separately."
Na-eun shot back sharply, grabbing my collar.
"Turn your head, Oppa."
"Why."
"If you peek at what's inside now, it'll ruin the surprise. Just listen."
It was a book from the 19+ Section anyway.
Probably jerk-off material, right?
"Fine."
I turned around, crossed my arms, and waited for her transaction to finish.
"Next customer."
I handed my book to the employee, and Na-eun watched the whole thing up close.
"...Only you get a surprise?"
No, she'd been all death before showing me hers, but now she was staring at mine openly.
I turned to protest, but Na-eun's face...
It was like she'd spotted a massive bug.
"...Oppa."
"Yeah."
"Is that my gift?"
"Who else would it be for, another girlfriend?"
Na-eun staggered a bit, like she was in shock.
"...No way."
"That's 12,800 won."
I handed over my card at the employee's words.
"Thank you."
Once the employee finished, I took my card and bolted from there.
Na-eun trailed after me with weak, listless steps.
We left the bookstore and settled into a nearby café.
A weird tension hung between us.
For a first date, the vibe was a bit heavy.
"...You open yours first."
"No, you first."
I rejected her offer while she chewed on her paper straw with her teeth.
"You already saw what I got anyway."
"You sure you can... handle it?"
Her face screamed Ten years too early, rookie.
Bring it, Han Na-eun.
I nodded and held out my hand.
Na-eun peeled off the tape from the bag with agonizing slowness.
Then, the so-called Grimoire—my presumed gift—slowly emerged from inside.
I'd deliberately picked a secluded corner where no one's eyes could reach.
Double-checking my surroundings, I took the book she offered.
And the title of my first gift was...
[69 Positions for Pleasurable Sex]
I'd expected something like doujinshi or a dirty magazine, so this caught me off guard.
Meanwhile, Na-eun fidgeted with her fingers, sneaking glances at me.
"Uh... What do you think?"
Some might think an Erotic Novelist just spews trashy writing without needing study, but it wasn't that simple.
Build-up was key, but for those steamy sex scenes, research on various positions was essential too.
It could actually help with my work...
"Thanks."
Maybe she could give me this because she knew my job.
Her claim of careful selection might not be a lie.
"Phew... I appreciate it, but no more work-related gifts in the future, okay?"
I had no plans to get yaoi games or doujinshi as "reference material" anytime soon.
But Na-eun's reaction went completely off-script from what I'd expected.
"What are you talking about? How's this related to your work?"
"Huh? Isn't this because I write that kind of novel?"
"No? This is my Bucket List."
Na-eun slurped her white yogurt smoothie with a squish.
White liquid smeared on her lips.
Instead of wiping it with a napkin, she pushed it into her mouth with her pale finger.
I knew that move.
Because Na-eun had done it with my cum...
That memory kept flashing back, and my precious one was sending signals.
Like a sunflower turning toward the sun, my dick was turning full Na-eun-o-saur.
"This is your Bucket List?"
"I wanna try all of them with Oppa."
Dude, anyone overhearing would think it was a couples' Bucket List book.
There were books like 100 Dates to Try with Your Lover.
But positions?
I flipped open the book and skimmed the contents.
Starting with popular ones like missionary or doggy...
Oof. Airlift's in here too.
Seeing the airlift illustration, I glanced at my girlfriend.
Me lifting Na-eun's petite frame... with my rod...
If this kept up, I'd get hard, so I slapped my own cheek hard.
"...You okay?"
Na-eun looked startled by my sudden move.
"Yeah. Fine."
"Then let's read this in more detail back at your place. Now show me your gift, Oppa."
Her words were calm, but tension was all over her face.
Wait, didn't you already see my book title earlier?
I pulled out the book I'd gotten for her from my bag.
[101 Reasons Why I Love You]
Who wouldn't see this and think lovey-dovey couple? Why the nerves?
"Whew..."
Na-eun took a deep breath.
Dude. Why are you tensing up over this?
She took the book with shaky eyes and started flipping through page by page.
And with each turn, her face twisted into something grotesque.
"...Oppa."
"Yeah?"
"Is this really... why you love me?"
The line on the page she showed me.
[The reason I love you isn't your appearance.]
[It's just because your very existence is so lovable.]
Ugh. Cringe overload.
I bought it, but my anti-cringe stats are lacking.
Still, love... huh...
We'd become lovers, but we'd never once said "I love you."
I did like her—a lot—but was it love?
Spilling it too easily felt wrong.
"Yeah. I suck at expressing it, but this book has all the things I wanna say to you, so I got it."
If this got Na-eun used to affection like this, maybe she'd express it back that way?
But against my hopes, she grew more teary-eyed...
"Oppa."
Her face went from sad to utterly devastated.
...I had zero clue what triggered that reaction.
"You're dating me not because you find me super hot, but for these reasons?"
...If you put it like that, what does that make me, Na-eun?