Twenty. And the Long-Awaited Moment...
From afar, it looked short. Up close, it was longer than I'd imagined. My high school days—a fleeting slice of youth—flew by in the blink of an eye.
After that summer vacation camping trip with Harang unnie during my sophomore year, we didn't go on dates or hang out as endlessly as I might've thought. I wanted to at least give college a real shot, and she supported me in that, focusing even more on her own studies. Of course, that didn't mean we never saw each other. I'd been getting tutoring from her since the second semester of my second year anyway. And in the process, we'd help each other out with our urges now and then—servicing one another to keep things in check.
She'd even planned some bold cosplay events for Valentine's, Christmas, and our birthdays, but I begged her to save it until I was in college, so we kept things light with simple dates instead.
"Hey, Sena sent over a list of recommended workbooks on KakaoTalk."
"Oh, I just saw that."
"She picked 'em out carefully, so check it out."
"Was planning to grab some on the way anyway."
As I buckled down more seriously with my studies, even Seobin—who'd been whining about giving up alongside me—started cheering me on. Sena helped me out indirectly through him. We still hung out sometimes, but the days we spent together had dropped off sharply compared to before. I was grateful they made the effort to keep our friendship going.
Time rolled on like that. Thanks to my own hard work and the support around me, my grades climbed steadily. They plateaued a bit early in senior year, but once you're up that high, massive jumps get harder anyway—I just kept grinding. By the final mock exam of senior year, I'd hit the best rank of my life. Not top-tier, but solidly upper-middle.
Riding that momentum, CSAT day arrived.
"Don't get nervous. You took the meds I gave you, right? Don't stuff yourself at lunch—eat just enough to feel a little hungry still. If a problem's not clicking, skip it quick and don't force it. And…"
"You're more tense than I am, unnie. Relax. Thanks for worrying—yeah, I took the meds."
"Gyeol, fighting. Whatever the results, I know better than anyone how hard you worked."
"Thanks. I'll do my best."
"Ace that test, Kang Gyeol."
"You're taking it too, you maniac."
With cheers from Yeoreum unnie, Harang unnie, and even Min Seobin—who was heading into the same testing center—I sat for the CSAT. It didn't feel like a total breeze, but it wasn't brutally hard either. That crucial exam.
"How'd it go? I just guessed and napped."
"Eh… decent?"
It was fine. About on par with my last mock. I'd secretly hoped for a bit better, but holding steady wasn't a bad outcome at all.
The unnies hyped me up way more than I deserved. Even Yeoreum unnie, who'd nagged endlessly during my senior year, treated me nothing but sweet that whole time.
"You killed it. You know that's worlds apart from when you first started studying last year, right? Good job sticking with it."
"Yeah, your scores shot up so much. You really earned it—starting late and pushing this far is impressive."
It was partly to console my disappointment, sure, but they weren't wrong. Compared to sophomore year, it'd skyrocketed. From barely scraping into a lower Seoul uni to comfortably aiming for most except the absolute elites.
Still, humans gonna human—you pour in the effort and can't help but wonder what if luck had smiled a little brighter too. That lasted exactly one day.
Then came the flood of relief from the CSAT being over, joy at unis nearby, and above all—
Smack…
"Mm… chu…"
—overflowing anticipation for getting naughty with Harang unnie, who still loved our skinship as much as ever. Since that sophomore camping trip, the only line we hadn't crossed was the final one—no holds barred otherwise.
Even while kissing—
Squeeze.
One of my hands was on her chest. Kneading her bra- and sweater-clad breasts like dough over her clothes as our lips met.
"Haa…"
Her eyes, when our lips parted, burned with desire. We'd been handling this another way until now.
But no more. After the CSAT. After hanging out hard with Yeoreum unnie or Seobin. Today.
Starting at midnight on January 1st.
We'd been sneaking heavy skinship behind Yeoreum unnie's back when she came back from calling our parents, forcing Harang unnie and me apart. Even if I was legally an adult today, it felt too guilty flirting like that in front of her when we were all together.
Truth be told, since Christmas a few days back—around my birthday—Harang unnie was all that filled my head. I'd secretly stocked up supplies and devoured the internet for tips. I'd already studied how to please her from all our prior servicing sessions. Now it was the real deal prep.
Hell, I studied harder than for the CSAT. For a guy, this could be bigger.
"Kang Gyeol, you called your parents already?"
"Yeah. They said to visit sometime."
"Let's go this summer if schedules line up."
"Sure~"
It'd been three years apart from our parents. We video-called often enough, but they were swamped. As kids, we hadn't bothered visiting early freshman year; by mid-sophomore, I was buried in studies. Once they heard, they upped my allowance and cheered me on. They praised my CSAT results too.
Anyway, we gathered in our living room for a family New Year's bash—just us.
Honestly, I wanted to pin Harang unnie down right then, and her glances screamed the same. But it was my first day as an adult; couldn't exclude Yeoreum unnie.
The table overflowed with chicken, pizza, snacks, drinks—and a bit of booze.
Midnight struck.
"Unnies!! Happy New Year!!"
"Happy New Year. Congrats on adulthood, Gyeol."
"You too. And tone it down in front of me from now on."
Clink!
We toasted with soda glasses to ring in the new year. I downed my cola in one go, only to catch the unnies' sharp stares.
"Why're you looking at me like that?"
"Time to see how you handle booze. Gotta check your drunk side too."
"Yeah, we'll be right here—no worries."
Curious if they just wanted to see me wasted, they shoved drinks my way.
"Here!"
No reason to refuse. I was curious about the taste—and half-worried, half-excited about my tolerance.
Pour.
First up: a shot of soju from Yeoreum unnie.
"Ugh…! Tastes awful!"
"Now you get why I skip it?"
"Fair. Why drink this crap?"
"Try this next."
Pour.
Then a beer from Harang unnie.
"Hmm… better than soju, but still kinda meh…"
"Kang Gyeol, you know you gotta finish opened ones, right?"
"No leftovers."
"……."
They didn't care if I liked it—they were set on getting me smashed. And so began the endless boozefest.
"…Kang Gyeol."
"Yeah."
"Why aren't you drunk?"
"Dunno. I'm stuffed to bursting… more?"
"Haa… fine. Guess you take after Mom's tolerance."
I wasn't even buzzed much. First time drinking, and turns out I'm a natural. No biggie otherwise, but the taste sucked—I wasn't about to become a drinker. Maybe with Seobin later.
"…Just… one more…?"
Harang unnie kept pushing, bummed I wasn't tipsy. What was my girlfriend planning if she got me drunk?
New Year's Day passed uneventfully like that. We tested my limit, snacked, chatted like always. Stayed up late yapping, then crashed on living room bedding watching a late-night flick.
Morning: showered, headed out together. Ate out, shopped—making up for the past year's study grind with wild enthusiasm.
"……."
Yeoreum unnie seemed to enjoy our trio time but looked a tad wistful too.
Evening fun wound down, and she made her exit.
"…You're adults now, Kang Gyeol. I won't meddle anymore. Do whatever—even if you move into Harang's place."
"Nah~ where would I go without you? I'll be back after lunch tomorrow. Harang unnie has family stuff too."
"Yeah. I'll send him back on time."
"Do that. I'm heading out."
Her retreating figure looked a little lonely. But I had no plans to shack up with Harang unnie right away. Leaving Yeoreum unnie alone in that big house bugged me, and honestly, we'd probably just bone nonstop and neglect real life. No way I'd slack on studies post-admission.
Anyway, from then on, it was just me and Harang unnie.
Legally clear, with Yeoreum unnie's blessing. Two proud adults, alone at last.
"Shall we?"
"Yeah… let's go."
We headed to her officetel, buzzing with anticipation for the no-kids-allowed deed ahead.
Steps quickened in silence. Into the familiar building—
Click.
Door unlocked, inside at last.
"Hah…! Chu, slurp…"
A passionate kiss ignited, and we became one. The moment we'd craved for so long—finally here.