The Beginning of Taboo (8)
Seonghwan's thoughts didn't get to continue.
"Auuuung."
The groan from behind him made Seonghwan whip his head around.
"Huh?"
"Ah! Yesul!"
Yesul was scratching her tousled hair, peering at Seonghwan and Yun-su with bleary eyes.
"Ughhh... what the hell is this situation...?"
She was still clearly hungover, rubbing her eyes nonstop as she alternated glances between the two of them, trying to make sense of Seonghwan right there in front of her.
"What a sight. You okay?"
Seonghwan couldn't help but laugh at how ridiculous yet adorable she looked.
Maybe his smile felt surreal to her, because Yesul rubbed her eyes harder, staring at him for a long moment before her eyes suddenly went wide.
"Huh? What are you doing here?"
"Pfft."
Yun-su burst out laughing at her reaction too, pointing at Seonghwan as he started explaining the situation to her.
"You called him, remember? Seonghwan came rushing over the second he got your call. He even shelled out for that pricey taxi fare. When did you even call him without me knowing? I was shocked as hell when I came in and saw him pacing in front of our door."
"......Me?"
Yesul looked like she genuinely had no memory of it, furrowing her brow and scratching her head.
"I called him?"
At her reaction, Seonghwan and Yun-su exchanged a meaningful glance.
She called while crying... better leave that buried.
No need to dig up old wounds.
In their silent agreement, they wrapped up the awkward traffic jam of conversation and nodded vigorously at each other.
Seonghwan turned back to Yesul.
"Yesul, if you're still not over the hangover, go crash in your room. Weather's still chilly out here—lie on the floor any longer and you'll catch a cold."
"Ugh... yeah, it is kinda cold."
Yesul glanced at the open bedroom door after hearing him, then got up from the sofa and shuffled over, plopping down right next to Seonghwan.
"Not freezing or anything, but my body's got no strength. Dunno if it's fatigue or the booze making me feel like jelly."
At her complaint, Yun-su stood up.
"Want me to whip up some ramen, Yesul? Or grill more meat? Warm up with some food and soup, and you'll feel better."
"Ah...."
Yesul seemed to think for a second, then turned to Yun-su with a request.
"Then kimchi stew for me. Throw in some pork, make it spicy—really spicy. Pretty please."
"Eek?"
Yun-su, who could barely boil water for ramen, had just gotten hit with a kimchi stew order.
"Oh, and if you can mince some garlic, that'd be great. Green chilies too. Tofu and green onions would be perfect."
"Eeeek?"
And not just any stew—a full recipe request to boot.
Tsk tsk. One-way street, that one. They say men are at women's mercy, but that's straight-up getting tamed. Poor bastard. Tsk tsk tsk.
Hand her a whip, and it'd be a hell of a show.
Seonghwan watched Yun-su flounder, then figured he had no choice and started to stand up to help.
"Forget it, man. You can't even get the water right for ramen—what makes you think you can handle pork kimchi stew? Let your big bro handle this...."
Thud.
As Seonghwan rose and rolled up his sleeves, Yesul—sitting next to him—pressed a hand on his thigh, stopping him from getting up.
'Huh?'
Seonghwan glanced down at the hand on his thigh, then looked at her.
Her long hair still damp, neatly framing her ears, and her eyes gleaming with a quiet intensity. A single strand of light sparkling over her pitch-black pupils.
'Huh?'
Something inexplicable washed over him, and he stared straight into her eyes. Yesul smiled and scolded him gently.
"You're a guest here. If you come all this way and end up cooking too, we'd feel bad. You're already beat from work and pushing yourself."
"Nah, it's not that big a deal...."
Seonghwan waved it off, but Yesul was firm.
"I'm tired—don't make me more tired. Kimchi stew's not that hard anyway. Right, Yun-su?"
"Huh? Oh...... yeah! Totally! Piece of cake!"
Emboldened by her gaze, Yun-su declared his resolve and grabbed the kimchi and some side dish containers before heading to the kitchen.
Seonghwan stared at the back of his head in disbelief.
That idiot... wonder if he'll ever man up properly.
He'd grown up pampered, never even touched a knife before. The sheer idiocy of plopping the kimchi straight on the sink without a cutting board left Seonghwan floored.
"Yesul, if you leave him like that...."
Thud.
"......he's gonna be okay, right?"
As he turned at the weight on his shoulder, a ticklish chill ran down his spine from her hair brushing his nose.
"............?"
Before he knew it, Yesul had leaned her face against his shoulder, breathing softly.
"Uh...... Yesul?"
"Mmm.... I'm tired. Just a bit...."
He couldn't bring himself to push away her head as she leaned in claiming fatigue, but the unexpected situation left Seonghwan reeling.
Come to think of it, how'd she end up sitting right next to me?
His spot was closer to where she'd been lying on the sofa than Yun-su's, sure. But it was only two steps away.
One step, two steps...
Those two steps led to this?
Even in the bizarre moment, Seonghwan felt his heart pounding. He clenched his fists, gritting his teeth.
Fuck, if Yesul notices how fast my heart's racing...
It'd be awkward beyond salvation.
Huuu. Calm down.
As he forced himself to relax and steady his heart—
Squish.
'Ugh?!'
Yesul, leaning on his shoulder, seemed to lose strength and tilt toward him more, until her breast pressed fully against his arm.
'Uwooooh. Fuck, no. I'm standing up. Trying to, anyway.'
Caught between a rock and a hard place. He couldn't shove her face away or pull back himself.
And in that mess, his dick was stirring, feeling the soft sensation of her breast all too vividly through his pants.
Nooooooo. What the actual fuck.
If she tilted any further, it might even brush her arm. It was already bulging noticeably through his pants.
Huuuuup. Huuuu. Huuuuup.
Seonghwan held his breath deep, inhaling only when he hit his limit, repeating to stave off disaster.
He was desperate—anything to avoid the humiliating scenario he didn't even want to imagine.
Huuuu. Good.... huuuu.
As it started to calm, he straightened up from his hunched position.
Squish. Thud.
'Wha?!'
Under the blanket, Yesul's head dipped deeper, her arm now draped across his thigh.
Worried she'd noticed his state, Seonghwan cautiously looked down at her leaning on his shoulder.
'Gasp? Yesul... she's been hiding these weapons?'
Peering down to check her expression, his eyes locked onto the paradoxical sight: the plump pair of breasts barely contained in her swimsuit.
From above, they were right there in full view—something he'd missed at first glance.
Seonghwan forgot his own predicament, staring blankly.
Ha, of all things, a swimsuit... but damn, they're bigger than I thought? And that skin—so white and...
Plump.
'Ooooh?!'
He felt "it" surging in his pants and could only shrink back, wailing internally.
Thud.
Lee Hyun bolted out at the sound of the front door closing.
Her older sister, Lee Yeon, stared at her with wide eyes, amused.
"Here to greet me? Or were you waiting?"
"Huh? No........... just."
Hyun mumbled an excuse but sneaked peeks at Yeon's outfit and what she carried. A big bag of candies. A large shopping bag. Even the oversized shoulder bag she always took out.
Hyun scanned her sister head to toe, not missing a thing.
"What?"
"Huh? What what?"
"You've been staring at me nonstop."
"No, just. What's with the stuff in your hands? Gifts?"
"Ah.... this."
Yeon followed her gaze and lifted the candy and shopping bag.
"Nothing special."
"Nothing special? Isn't that White Day candy?"
"Yeah, it is."
"Who gave it to you?"
At Hyun's probing tone, Yeon gave her an exasperated look before chuckling softly.
"You know, so why ask? You already guessed."
".........."
Yeon smiled at her silent sister and lightly tapped her forehead with the back of her hand.
"Minhwan oppa gave it to me. I said it was fine, but he waited till my shift ended—told me to meet him at the playground nearby. Even though I kept saying I had to work late."
"That...... shopping bag?"
"This? No idea. Can't you see it's unopened?"
".. You said it's nothing special."
"Huh? Oh. Yeah."
"How do you know without even opening it?"
"I just know."
"What...?"
Hyun stared straight at Yeon's face. Her sister, who always wore a smile like blooming apricot flowers, now evoked a winter snowflake.
Yeon just gazed back silently. Her eyes curved like crescent moons in a smile, but her lips stayed firmly shut.
In the end, Hyun turned away first.
She walked to her room without a word, slamming the door behind her.
Bang.
".........."
Yeon sighed as she watched her sister's retreating back and the closing door.
"Huuuuw."
Her little sister was straightforward in thought and action, wearing her feelings on her sleeve with that roughness. A considerate kid wouldn't act out when her mind got tangled.
So she said nothing more.
If Seonghwan's staying out tonight... Hyun probably didn't sleep a wink.
With a bittersweet glance at Hyun's door, Yeon turned and headed to her own room.