Can I Take a Look at Yours for a Second, Noona?

The weekend had finally arrived.

Waking up at the exact same hour as on weekdays, I went through my morning routine before settling down at my desk. Once again, I found myself marveling at just how extraordinary this body was. It was truly blessed—requiring very little sleep while effortlessly maintaining peak physical condition at all times. Though I lacked raw physical strength, my stamina was exceptional, which proved to be an immense help when studying.

Maintaining a high level of concentration throughout the entire morning, I easily surpassed my study goals.

Come to think of it, my memory seems even sharper than before.

As I ate lunch and got ready to head out, I mentally reviewed the material I had covered earlier. The concepts organized themselves smoothly and sequentially in my head. I couldn't say for sure about my abstract reasoning, creativity, or perceptual abilities, but my capacity for memorization had noticeably improved compared to just a few days ago.

The root cause was that I had become capable of feeling emotions more vividly. While there was no clear logical link between experiencing richer emotions and enhanced memory retention, I felt certain of it nonetheless.

Does having sex actually stimulate brain development?

Chuckling inwardly at a conclusion I could hardly voice to anyone else, I pulled open the wardrobe doors. The morning had started off quite warm, and now that midday had arrived, the weather was in full, glorious spring bloom. After selecting a light jacket, I pondered what to wear underneath.

Tap, tap.

I swiped through the saved images in my phone gallery. Whenever I came across male outfit inspirations online that looked like they might suit my frame, I made a habit of taking screenshots. Little by little, I was studying how to style myself.

Just as I picked an outfit from my still somewhat sparse wardrobe, a text message arrived from Ihyeon-noona. We had agreed to go on a date this afternoon, which was why I was taking such pains to get ready.

Even though it was Saturday, she had mentioned having an important medical conference to attend in the morning. Since it wrapped up before noon, we had scheduled our plans for the afternoon. Having learned that I had virtually zero sense of direction, she had insisted on coming to pick me up herself.

I cooked rice beforehand... Did I forget anything else?

After a quick final check, I slipped into my outerwear—the light spring windbreaker Ihyeon-noona had bought for me the other day—and stepped out of the house with time to spare.

Honk—

I was standing by the curb after walking out of the alleyway in front of my house when a short honk sounded from behind. Turning around, I saw a familiar face.

"Jeongseo! Over here!"

Ihyeon-noona rolled down the driver's side window and called out to me. It wasn't the car ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠she had driven last time.

Click.

I hurried over and hopped into the passenger seat, not forgetting to offer a polite bow to the car waiting patiently behind us before closing the door.

"Jeongseo! How have you been? It feels like it's been forever!"

"I've been good. How about you, Noona?"

Ihyeon-noona beamed warmly as she greeted me, putting the car into gear right away.

"I've been great too. Were you waiting outside long? I thought I was five minutes early."

"Not long at all."

"You're wearing the clothes I bought you! It looks so good on you. You're so pretty!"

Sneaking glances at me from the corner of her eye, she couldn't hide her radiant grin.

"You look really pretty today too, Noona."

"Huh? Really? Hehehe... Fortunately, the conference wrapped up a bit early, so I had time to run home and change."

While chatting with her, I took a curious look around the car's interior. It was immaculate—so spotless there didn't seem to be a single speck of dust anywhere.

"Um... It's a bit small, isn't it?"

Once we merged onto the main thoroughfare, Ihyeon-noona spoke up again. Her voice had grown noticeably hushed, her bright expression faltering into an anxious stiffness. For some reason, she seemed terrified of my reaction.

"I figured I'd need a car from now on, and I couldn't keep borrowing one every single day. It's not brand-new, but I thought I'd drive this for a while..."

She rambled on with various explanations, almost as if making excuses for the vehicle. Puzzled, I tried to figure out why she was acting this way. Granted, compared to the car she had driven last time, this one was indeed on the smaller side. Her father's car was a massive, full-sized executive sedan, after all. But that was only true by comparison; this hatchback didn't feel cramped in the slightest.

"Um... Jeongseo... Do you really dislike it?"

When I stayed quiet while lost in thought, she ended up blurting out her true worries.

"Next time, I can buy a much more expensive car! This one's practically brand-new too, so..."

It turned out she wasn't talking about the vehicle's literal dimensions or engine displacement at all. She was simply terrified that I might be disappointed in her choice of car. Why she would worry about such a thing was beyond me, but before her expression could wilt any further, I quickly spoke up.

"I really like this car."

"Huh? Oh... Thank you."

"I mean it. I genuinely like it. The seats are comfortable, the ride is quiet, and I especially love how symmetrical the center console is."

"Really? Phew. What a relief. I was so worried you might not like it."

It seemed I had given the right answer. The gloom vanished from Ihyeon-noona's face in an instant, her bright smile returning as she began chattering excitedly about the vehicle.

"The car last time was nice too, but I think this one has a much cuter design."

"Really? Right? I loved the design too! I'm so glad it fits your taste, Jeongseo."

"Yes. And Noona, you must have worked so hard on it. The interior is so clean that I honestly assumed it was straight off the showroom floor."

"Hehe. I put in quite a bit of effort knowing I'd be driving you around!"

I showered the car with enthusiastic praise. It wasn't empty flattery; every corner showed clear evidence of her meticulous care and attention. Still, there was one thing that nagged at me.

"Noona, but you shouldn't rush into buying a car."

"Oh. Right?"

"You mentioned your hospital and home are close by anyway. I was just worried you might have bought it too hastily."

When we met last time, she had been trembling from head to toe just gripping the steering wheel. That was why I assumed she had rushed into the purchase.

"Ah, no, I didn't rush it. I'd been looking into it for a while."

"Well, that's a relief then."

"Yeah. A great opportunity just happened to come along."

Now that I looked closely, her driving today seemed remarkably composed. What could have happened over the past two weeks?

"Thank you for worrying about me. Hehe. Haaah... This is so nice."

"You don't seem nearly as nervous as before."

"Mm. I'm still a little tense, but it's much better now. I took professional driving lessons, and whenever I had free time, I went out on practice runs by myself."

Ihyeon-noona's mood swayed entirely with every word I uttered. She was utterly incapable of disguising her feelings. Until we reached our destination, she chatted away in high spirits, looking for all the world like a child eager for praise. It felt as though she were silently asking me to acknowledge just how much effort she had poured into bringing this car to our date today.

Recognizing that unspoken longing, I spoke far more than usual, generously indulging her need for validation.

Today, we had traveled to a bustling commercial district farther from home than our previous outing—a lively area packed with popular eateries and frequented by college students.

"It gets pretty congested further inside. I think it might be better to park around here and walk."

"Sure, that sounds great to me."

This destination hadn't been chosen on a whim; she had clearly scouted out the parking options well in advance.

"We're here."

"Good work driving us. Would it be okay if I took a few photos of the car?"

"Huh? Oh, of course! Take as many as you want. But why?"

"I wanted to practice taking photos, and besides, it's your very first car, Noona."

Before stepping out, I snapped a quick selfie in the passenger seat. Once outside, I began taking pictures of the exterior. The sleek black paint was polished to such an immaculate gleam that it reflected the sunlight like a mirror, a testament to how vigorously she had washed it.

"Want me to take some for you? Why don't you stand next to it?"

"Sure. Can I lean against it?"

"Of course! Do whatever you like, Jeongseo."

Remembering a pictorial I had seen while browsing fashion references, I tried striking a pose like the male model in the magazine. However, with my petite height, I couldn't quite pull off the same silhouette.

"Giggle... That pose is adorable on you, though."

"Hmm. I think this car's ride height is just a little high."

"Pfft. Yeah, totally."

Watching me struggle, Ihyeon-noona couldn't hold back a burst of laughter. Flustered, I offered that ridiculous excuse and quickly led the way out of the parking lot.

"By the way, Noona, did you have lunch?"

"Huh? Oh... sort of?"

"You're hungry, aren't you?"

"Yeah. To be honest, a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠little."

Having eaten a proper meal before leaving the house, I gave it some thought and suggested heading to a cafe first.

"I was actually craving coffee anyway. They have sandwiches, and... Jeongseo, what would you like? They have sliced cakes too."

"Do you think this one is good?"

"Yeah, this brand is famous for its strawberry shortcake."

Once we settled on our order, I swiftly stepped up to the counter. This time, I was determined to pay.

"Jeongseo, I get a card discount here."

"Oh. What percentage...?"

"Thirty percent."

I stepped back without another word.

After waiting for the drinks and food, we carried our trays up to the second floor and took a table by the window.

"So lately, I've been working hard on practicing photography."

"Ah, is that so? The lighting here looks pretty nice. Want me to take some photos of you after we finish eating?"

"Yes, I'd love that."

It was entirely possible to take great photos with a smartphone. Between third-party apps and the adjustments available in the default camera settings, there was plenty of control. That was precisely why getting good shots required both study and constant practice.

"Jeongseo, in that case... could I take some pictures of you too?"

"Of course. Ah, should I send you the ones I took earlier as well?"

"Yes! I'd love that so much."

Having finished her meal, Ihyeon-noona slid over to my side of the table. We sat shoulder-to-shoulder on the two-seater fabric sofa, the gentle, comforting scent of baby powder drifting from her.

"Um, by any chance... could we take a picture together?"

"Sure. Let's use my phone. The camera on it is really good."

"Chuckle. All right. I'll hold it."

We snapped several photos together. At first, we kept a modest distance, but gradually I leaned in, pressing close against her side.

"Here..."

For the final shot, I wound my arms around one of her arms, clinging to her as we posed. Her face flushed a vivid, burning red as she handed the phone back to me. Looking at her, I noticed the corners of her mouth twitching upward, her nostrils flaring slightly with barely contained excitement.

"Noona, let's look at them together."

"Ah! Yes! Can I look too?"

"Of course."

Placing the phone on the table, I opened the gallery. Unable to suppress her delight, she leaned her body in close.

"How do these look? Do you think they turned out well?"

"Yeah. You look great in every single one, Jeongseo... I look like a total squid next to you."

"You don't look like a squid at all. It's just because you smiled so broadly."

Ihyeon-noona hadn't managed her facial expressions very well while posing with me. Although she was naturally gorgeous, she had ended up grinning with such goofy, pure-hearted radiance that it looked endearingly silly.

"Huh? Who's this guy?"

While showing her the photos from today, a saved magazine editorial slipped into view. I had a separate folder for fashion references, but it seemed I had accidentally saved this one in my personal album.

"Just a magazine model."

Right before her eyes, I began organizing my gallery, creating a brand-new folder specifically for the pictures I had taken with her.

"Those editorials... you have quite a lot of photos like that, don't you?"

"Yes. I've been studying fashion so I can buy some clothes once my paycheck comes in."

"Ah, I see. You really study all sorts of things, don't you, Jeongseo?"

Fashion and photography—everything was research to help me take better pictures of myself. Looking further ahead, it was also preparation for the MeTube videos I intended to film later on.

While I couldn't explain the full details regarding my emotional awakening to her, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I did share that I had started uploading photos to Eun Yeoeun's official fan cafe, and that I might eventually start MeTube down the line.

"People seem to like it, which makes me happy too."

"Yeah, I can see that. Wait... now that you mention it, shouldn't you be covering your face? What if someone recognizes you?"

"I don't think I'm anywhere near that level yet."

Suddenly, Ihyeon-noona glanced around the cafe, her gaze sharpening into guarded suspicion. While there were quite a few patrons inside, most were preoccupied with their own conversations.

"Or maybe I am? Why does it feel like a few people made eye contact with me just now?"

"They definitely did... Those bitches..."

"I don't think they were staring because they recognized me, though."

Ihyeon-noona muttered under her breath in a low, vicious tone. I hadn't imagined she was capable of making a voice like that.

"Noona!"

"Huh? Oh, yes?"

"The photos finished sending."

"Right. Thank you!"

Looking visibly vexed just a second ago, she turned back to me and instantly melted into a bright, sunny smile. Marveling inwardly at her lightning-fast change of expression, I brought up another question before she could start glaring daggers at the other women again.

"I've been thinking about starting a social media account."

"Uh... social media too?"

"Do you remember the picture I sent you yesterday, Noona?"

"Mhm, of course."

"You weren't the only one I sent it to. I always take pictures and send them to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Mom too, but instead of doing that every single time..."

Uploading photos to social media would eliminate that repetitive chore. While texting pictures wasn't an unbearable burden, it was always possible the recipients might find it bothersome.

"I wouldn't mind at all if you sent me photos whenever you wanted, no matter how often..."

"I'm glad to hear that, but you get what I mean, right?"

"Yeah, I understand. That does sound more convenient."

"Which platform do you think would be best? Right now, I'm leaning toward Inbyeol."

"If it's just for uploading photos, Inbyeol is the safest bet. It has the largest user base, after all."

Checking the photos I had sent her, Ihyeon-noona nodded in agreement. I had never used social media even in my past life, so I decided to pick her brain a little more.

"Do you use Inbyeol, Noona?"

"No. I don't upload anything; I just have an account."

"You don't post? Then what do you have an account for?"

"Just to look at other people's posts, I guess? When I'm bored, I check out Stories and things like that."

Having finished looking through the pictures, she looked up. With the Inbyeol app downloading in the background on my phone, I made a casual request.

"Could I take a quick look at yours then?"

"Huh? There's really nothing to see on mine."

"No, I mean, could you show me how it works?"

"Ah... well... that's... um..."

Was asking for a demonstration really such a difficult request? Strangely enough, she couldn't seem to look me in the eye.

"Noona?"

"Huh?"

Only when I called out to her a second time did she finally turn to face me. Her pupils were quivering in sheer, undisguised panic.