Chapter 44
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Yoo Jo-eun (3)
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"Maeng-ho, are you okay?"
"Haa, I feel like I'm gonna die. My legs won't even move."
The aftermath of that reckless run was finally kicking in.
"Then I'll head in quick."
*Beep beep beep.* Jo-eun quickly punched in the apartment code. With her supporting me, I made my way into her place.
"Ah, I haven't cleaned, so it's a bit messy. Hold on."
"Whoa!"
Jo-eun's face suddenly flushed red as she let go of me and hurried into the living room. I was fine, though...
"Don't come in!"
At her words, I sat on the shoe rack and slowly took off my shoes.
"Haa, all done. Come on in."
She'd tidied up the place and even taken off her cardigan as she came back to the entryway. Hmm... nice outfit.
"My legs won't move."
"Ah! Right."
Truth be told, I could move now, but I preferred her helping me, so I waited for her to come over.
"I'm so sorry about this. What if your injury flares up because of me?"
"I'm fine. Really. I've got a tough body."
"Ah, but what if an important client like you gets hurt because of me..."
She fussed over me anxiously as she sat me down on the sofa.
"I'll grab you something to drink."
"Ah, sure. But your place is bigger than I thought. You live alone?"
"Ah, actually, my parents moved back to their hometown. Technically, this is their house, not mine. Hehe. Ah, drinks... Oh no! Maeng-ho, what do we do? No sodas, just water and canned beer."
Water or canned beer. If I had to pick, obviously beer.
"Beer, please. Haa."
"But you're an athlete..."
"It's fine. Tomorrow's a rest day."
"Really? Okay, beer it is. Beer really hits the spot when it's cold, right?"
Jo-eun brought the beer over and sat beside me.
"Maeng-ho, how's your thigh?"
"Hah, it stings a bit after pushing it so hard. Probably from the game today too? Ah, I'm not usually this weak. Don't get the wrong idea."
"Yeah, yeah. Here, beer."
*Pssht.* The cold beer hissed invitingly. I didn't love alcohol usually, but skipping beer after sweating on a hot day like this? Criminal! I took the can from Jo-eun.
"Kkuh, been a while, but it's so refreshing."
"You don't drink often?"
"Nah, athlete life and school don't mix well with it."
"Ah, right. You're a high schooler. Is this illegal then?"
"Come on, you know I got held back."
"Kidding, kidding. Ah, let me see your thigh."
"Huh? What, I'm a high schooler, you know."
She jumped back at my dirty joke, waving her hands frantically.
"Ow! No joking! People with big muscles like yours need to loosen up right away after overdoing it. What if you get hurt because of me? I could get fired!"
She seemed genuinely worried about me. To ease her mind a bit, I spoke up.
"I'm fine. Told you, my body's tough."
"Still... Ah! Let me give you a massage. I have a sports massage certification. Muscles need to be worked out quick!"
Massage? The word brought back memories of the first time with Hye-jin noona—that massage leading to sex. Yeah, it started with a massage back then. Thinking of that intense first time made my dick twitch.
*Smack!* I slapped my twitching dick down! Not now!
"Maeng-ho...?"
"Ah, just trying to loosen the muscle."
If it got hard here, I'd be out the door 100%. Not the time!
"It really hurts, huh. What do we do? Because of me... I'll finish my beer and massage you right away! But you gotta drink too! Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
I clinked cans with her on reflex at her toast.
"Kyaa!"
She downed it like she was filming a beer ad—deliciously.
'Guess I will too.'
*Gulp gulp.* The cold beer slid down my throat again. Kkuh. This is the stuff.
"Your face is pretty red."
"I'm a lightweight. Eheh. But one beer won't get me drunk! I can still massage!"
"For a lightweight, there's a ton of beer in the fridge."
"Urgh... That stalker creep's been keeping me up at night lately."
"If I'd known he had a knife, I'd have beaten him so bad he wouldn't wake up."
She probably didn't know it was me who left the flower, right? I tested the waters.
"Huh?! That's too dangerous! A real knife?! I'm reporting him tomorrow!"
Nice! She doesn't know?
"And really, because of me... I'm sorry... If I'd known about the knife, I wouldn't have asked you to come..."
She came close, looking like she might cry as she apologized. Her breath carried the scent of alcohol. Drunk?
"It's fine. If it weren't for me, you could've been in real danger today. I'm grateful you called me. I didn't want to lose such a great instructor."
"Ah... Uh... Yeah. Hehe. Shall we start the massage then?"
Her face redder than before, she set the empty can on the table and pulled out a yoga mat from somewhere.
"Lie down. I'll do a good job. I have the sports massage cert. Ah, did I say that already?"
Yeah, she's drunk.
"Thanks then."
I lay down on the mat she'd spread out.
"I'll roll up your pants a bit. Need to see the muscles properly."
Jo-eun placed her hands on my loose shorts. Her cold hands—still chilly from the beer can—touched my thigh as she started rolling them up. Slowly, the fabric rose.
Wait. Huh?! That's too high! Hold on!
"Ahh! Sorry! Ah! This, wow. Why here. No, not that. I'm sorry!"
My loose shorts rolled nearly to the top of my thigh, exposing my glans. Sensing her gaze, it started perking up.
"Ah! It's not like I can control it. Don't just stare—pull the pants down!"
"Ah! Y-Yes, uh, sorry!!!"
"Urk."
She yanked them down quick, but her hurried hand brushed my dick. Now beyond my control, it stood straight up, proudly showing off its impressive size to her.
"Wow..."
I'd wanted to show her my dick someday, but not like this, today. I wanted a moodier atmosphere...
"Don't just gawk."
"Ah, sorry. First time seeing one like this... Ah, are all guys this big?"
"Ahem."
"Ah. Sorry."
"I'll roll the pants up. How high?"
"As much as possible to see the muscles... Please."
Haa... What's done is done. I rolled them right to the top. Fuck it, whatever.
"Uh... when will it go down?"
"Just wait, it'll settle. Takes a bit, so massage first..."
"Ah. Got it. But you can't sue me for sexual harassment! It was an accident!"
"Shouldn't I be the one worried about that?"
"Ehehe, true? Anyway, accident. We forget it ever happened. Okay?"
"Okay."
"Oh! As expected of an athlete—thighs are seriously thick."
Jo-eun leaned in close to inspect my thigh, trying to shake off the awkwardness. Oblivious to how her gaze only stimulated my dick more.
"Starting now."
"Urk."
Her cold yet soft hands kneaded my thigh muscles. Both hands enveloped it, working the tensions between.
"Urk."
But it hurt a little!
"It's fine! It's supposed to hurt a bit! Your muscles are knotted up!"
She started methodically on the left thigh, then the right. Her hands, now warmed by the massage, pressed into me. Her certification wasn't just talk—she was good.
"Urk. Your thighs are really tight."
"Pushed too hard today, huh?"
"Aigoo, if I'd left it and the injury flared up... That would've been bad. Seriously."
She dove back into the massage. She looked beautiful, focused like that. But twenty-three? Pretty young. Pilates instructor and sports massage cert at that age...
"Why'd you get the sports massage cert? On top of being a Pilates instructor..."
"Hng. Actually, I was a gymnast when I was young. Not rings or anything—rhythmic gymnastics. You know, with the clubs and ribbon? But injury led to rehab, so I learned Pilates and sports massage. No real talent, and the injury ended gymnastics anyway. Left me stuck. All I knew was sports."
"Ah... That's rough. Injuries are brutal. Especially for people like us."
That explained her sensitivity to injuries.
"After high school, no path in sight. But my rehab Pilates instructor—our center director—recommended it. Felt right, so I started working at twenty. Got the massage cert just in case back then. Worked out, huh? Can do this now. Been running nonstop since twenty. If I'd known stalkers were coming, I'd have gotten a hot boyfriend."
"Turned out well."
"You mean getting injured?"
"No, not that..."
"Hehe. Kidding."
Drip. A warm droplet hit my thigh. I lifted my head slightly— a tear from her eye. Shit, did I mess up? She kept kneading, tears flowing.
"Hic. This. Ah, I don't usually... The beer?"
She noticed my gaze, wiped her tears, and forced an awkward smile. Even crying, she didn't stop massaging. She looked even more beautiful. I wanted to wipe those tears.
"Hic?"
I sat up and gently wiped her eye with my hand. Soft cheek, warm tear.
"Don't cry. Sorry. Shouldn't have brought it up..."
"No. It's not that. It's if you get hurt like me because of..."
She looked up at me with teary eyes.
'Haa, fuck, can't hold back.'
I lowered my hand from her face and drew closer. Our eyes met. Eye contact. One second stretched like a minute as I leaned in, and her eyes slowly closed.
The soft touch of Jo-eun's lips met mine. A light brush ended, and we both looked at each other.
"Say something if you don't like it."
"...If I didn't like it, I wouldn't have asked you to come with me..."