Crossing Paths (1)
"Ah... Hngh." Baek Seol-ah let out a soft moan as a man's thick hand slipped beneath her skirt. Oh no, she thought. Han Taeyang is way angrier than I expected.
I-I mean, sure, my prank today went a bit too far, but still... To suddenly shove his hand under her skirt in such an open place was a bit much. Seol-ah quickly covered her mouth and frantically scanned her surroundings. She was terrified that a third party might witness this scandalous sight.
Was it because the cafe where they had gathered with Jeong Jae-ha was located on the far outskirts of the campus? Fortunately, there didn't seem to be anyone else in sight. Seol-ah breathed a sigh of relief, but that didn't mean her situation had actually improved. After all, Han Taeyang's hand was still busy kneading her rear.
"Hey, seriously... What do you think you're doing outside...?" But slapping his hand away, or even just pushing Han Taeyang back, was easier said than done. Under normal circumstances, she might have, but today she was undeniably the one in the wrong. Thus, Seol-ah could only freeze in an awkward posture and look up at him. Her face burned bright red with embarrassment, and her eyes trembled anxiously, but Han Taeyang didn't budge an inch.
"I don't think you're in any position to complain. Did you already forget what you pulled in the lecture hall today?"
"...Well, that was..." His retort was flawlessly logical, leaving her no room to argue. Indeed, using the fact that they were outdoors as an excuse was hypocritical of her, given her own actions. Ultimately, Seol-ah was left speechless, and Taeyang continued in a cool tone.
"I couldn't even focus on the lecture because of you. If I fail the class, are you going to take responsibility?"
"...I-I'll organize my notes and lend them to you later. Please forgive me with that."
"I don't need them."
"W-What...?" What happened to worrying about failing just a second ago? Dumbfounded, Seol-ah turned her head back, only to gasp softly as she realized Han Taeyang's face was much closer than she had anticipated. She quickly averted her eyes. As her face grew even hotter, she nervously fidgeted with her hands to dispel the awkwardness.
"Hey, see that?"
"...?" Han Taeyang naturally toyed with Seol-ah's snow-white hair with his other hand while gesturing toward a certain direction with his chin. Seol-ah followed his gaze and spotted a convenience store near the cafe.
"T-The convenience store? What about it?"
"..."
"Ah, do you want me to buy you something...? It's a bit warm today, so maybe some ice cream? Yeah?" She tried her best to strike a clever bargain, but Taeyang completely ignored her offer and got straight to the point.
"Go buy condoms. The same ones I used last time."
"...!"
"And tomorrow happens to be the weekend. Perfect, right?" A smirk loaded with undisguised lust accompanied his words. Seol-ah's expression instantly stiffened. Conversely, and entirely against her will, her thighs instinctively squeezed together.
"...N-No. I really can't today." Seol-ah covered her traitorously throbbing lower abdomen with her hands and shook her head vigorously. Even though Han Taeyang's smirk vanished, replaced by a cold stare, she refused to back down. With teary, pitiful eyes, she looked back at him over her shoulder, trying to appear as helpless as possible.
"I-I have a date with Hyun-seong today. We're going downtown."
"..."
"I-It's true...! I'm not lying." It had been a while since she last saw that terrifying expression on Han Taeyang, whose gaze had actually grown quite gentle lately. Flinching, Seol-ah hurriedly pulled out her smartphone to prove her innocence. She presented her calendar events and her chat history with Lee Hyun-seong as evidence. With a look of mild annoyance, Taeyang snatched her phone to verify the details.
"See...? It's true, right?" Seol-ah let out a sigh of relief as Han Taeyang's hand finally slid out from under her skirt. She awkwardly reached down to rub her hip, just as Taeyang clicked his tongue in blatant irritation.
"Tsk." He handed the phone back to her without a word. Fortunately, it seemed he accepted her explanation. It was likely his way of letting her go. In Seol-ah's eyes, Han Taeyang possessed a surprisingly considerate side that didn't match his rough exterior. If she had prior plans—especially a date with her boyfriend—he was the type to respect that.
"T-Then, I'll be going now...?"
"..."
In other words, she had secured a legitimate escape from Han Taeyang. Seol-ah cautiously gauged his reaction as she took a few tentative steps backward. As expected, Taeyang didn't try to stop her. Of course, he didn't look happy about it either. His deep blue eyes flickered with clear dissatisfaction as he stared at her, causing Seol-ah to hesitate and halt her steps just as she was about to turn around.
"...Hey, don't pout like that. Okay?" For some reason, she couldn't bring herself to leave with a light heart after seeing that look on his face.
"Who the hell is pouting...?" Seol-ah tried to soothe him with a touch of aegyo, but Taeyang merely snorted and turned his head away. He looked visibly annoyed to anyone watching. Given her personality and her conscience, Seol-ah couldn't help but feel restless.
Is he... really mad? ...Besides, leaving like this after doing something she felt guilty about sat wrong with her. She didn't even find it strange anymore that she was walking on eggshells around Han Taeyang—something that would have been unthinkable in the past.
"H-Hey, come here. Han Taeyang."
"?" Han Taeyang was rubbing the back of his neck with irritation, clearly expressing his mounting annoyance. Summoning her courage, Seol-ah called out to him. She beckoned him closer with a small, delicate wave of her fingertips.
"What is it? I thought you had to go." Despite his raised eyebrow, Taeyang obediently stepped right up to her.
"Just a second..."
"...?" Seol-ah didn't hesitate for a single second to execute the plan she had devised to soothe his anger, even if only a little. As soon as Taeyang stood before her, she rose on her tiptoes and tilted her head up. And then—closing her eyes with a shy expression, she pressed her lips against Han Taeyang's cheek. *Smooch.*
"...?!" Han Taeyang's eyes widened in sheer shock. For a brief moment, her lips remained pressed against his cheek. At the right moment, Seol-ah slowly lowered her heels and stepped back. Caught completely off guard by the sudden kiss, Taeyang couldn't even blink. For a moment, their gazes locked, thick with a tangle of contrasting emotions. It was Seol-ah who broke the awkward, ticklish silence first.
"...I'll do something even better for you next time, so let it go for today. I was in the wrong."
"..."
"A-And keep this a secret from Hyun-seong, okay...?" Clearly embarrassed herself, her face flushed as red as a ripe apple as she quickly looked away. Seol-ah pursed her lips for a brief moment before turning around to flee.
"I-I'm really leaving now. See you next time, Han Taeyang..."
"..." Han Taeyang remained silent until the very end, simply staring at her with a dazed expression. That in itself was deeply embarrassing for Seol-ah, but she didn't have the courage to ask him what he thought. Stealing one last glance at where he stood, she quickly scurried away.
Cheonun Academy was situated on a vast, sprawling plain on the outskirts of Gyeonggi Province and Seoul. Long ago, it had been a desolate region with nothing but a towering mountain... but following the Great Awakening, an institution for training Awakeners was established, giving birth to a brand-new metropolitan area. Known as Cheonun City, it boasted more than enough recreational facilities to keep the academy students entertained.
From cafe streets, bowling alleys, and pool halls to board game cafes, arcade centers, and karaoke rooms. It even featured a massive shopping mall perfect for dates, as well as a waterfront park surrounding Lake Palgang.
"Whew, sorry, Hyun-seong. Am I late?"
"No, I just got here myself."
Seol-ah had rushed back to her dormitory, changed out of her school uniform, and taken a bus downtown. She wore an innocent frilled blouse that perfectly complemented her snow-white hair, paired with light-wash jeans. Lee Hyun-seong welcomed her with a natural smile, always captivated by his girlfriend's breathtaking beauty.
And Seol-ah also approached him with a bright expression and slipped her arm through his. To any onlooker, they were a picture-perfect academy couple, radiating a sweet, heartwarming chemistry.
"Shall we go, Seol-ah?"
"Yeah, let's go."
With that, the two set off to grab an early dinner. Their date was just beginning—but Lee Hyun-seong had no idea. He remained blissfully unaware that, just an hour ago, his incredibly lovely girlfriend's lips had been pressed against another man's cheek.
What would have happened if he knew? Would he have fallen into despair, as any normal boyfriend would? Or... true to his nature, would he have been thrilled?
"Seol-ah, did you submit your overnight pass?"
"...Yeah, of course. Obviously." There was simply no telling.