Can I Take a Quick Look at Yours, Noona?
I wiggled the tips of my toes, flexing my foot back toward my body before stretching the arch out flat.
Does it smell? It shouldn't.
Every time my foot moved, Leehyun Noona's nose twitched along with it. Given the peculiarities of this body, there was no way it gave off any unpleasant odor. Even after walking or exercising all day, my hands and feet never broke into a sweat. Still, maybe there was some unique scent lingering there that my own nose couldn't detect.
She can't take her eyes off them.
Leehyun seemed utterly oblivious to the anime playing on the screen. Even though I was wearing socks, her gaze remained glued to my feet. She hadn't the faintest clue that I was busy observing her every move.
"Noona."
"H-huh?"
Turning my head toward the TV, I called out to her softly.
"The climax is coming up soon. How is it? Are you finding it fun too?"
"Uh... I'm not really sure."
Of course she wouldn't be. Still, I had to give her extra credit for not pretending to enjoy it. She hadn't resorted to empty flatteries or lies, even to humor me.
"Yeo-eun Noona told me the animation in this one is legendary."
"Mmh... true. Even to my eyes, the color palette is gorgeous."
Only now did she finally spare a glance at the screen.
"Right? Even the food looks way tastier than real life. My otaku devotion isn't very high yet, so I don't know much, but scenes like this really blow me away."
"Hehe. Otaku devotion? Do you even know what that means?"
"Sure. It means accumulating virtue by watching anime."
"Is that so...? Did Yeo-eun tell you that?"
"Yes. Simply put, it seems to be a measure of how many anime you've watched."
The Monk who raised me had used the term 'virtuous power' before, though what the Monk had in mind and what Yeo-eun meant by otaku devotion seemed to carry subtly different meanings.
"Noona. Am I making you uncomfortable?"
"No, no! I like it."
"Pardon? You like it?"
"Ah... I mean... it's fine. I just like seeing you make yourself comfortable, Jeongseo."
"Looking at it now, this posture feels a bit too disrespectful."
I made a subtle move to pull my feet away, but she swiftly caught hold of my ankle.
"I'm really okay with it."
"I don't mind either."
"No, just leave them up. I'm the one who suggested coming here, after all. Seeing you relaxed and enjoying yourself makes it all feel worthwhile...."
Only after I let the tension drain from my legs did she finally release her grip. Her eyes lingered with a faint trace of lingering disappointment.
What's she so disappointed about?
After murmuring a word of thanks, I returned my gaze to the TV. A few moments later, a quick glance from the corner of my eye confirmed that her attention was once again fixated entirely on my foot.
Ah. Is it my ankle?
When I rested my feet on her thighs, the hem of my pants shifted, exposing a pale strip of bare ankle. Watching the subtle darting of her pupils, she seemed to be painstakingly inspecting every contour of my foot and ankle joint.
"You can touch it if you want."
No response came. Perhaps because I had spoken while wiggling my toes, she had been so mesmerized by the movement that the words didn't register.
"Noona."
"Uh... y-yes?"
When I called her a little louder and fixed her with a direct, steady stare, she flustered instantly. She wore the exact expression of a young child caught red-handed in the middle of mischief.
"I said you're welcome to touch."
"Huh? Touch what...?"
"You've been staring at my ankle this whole time. Go ahead, touch it."
"N-no, it's fine."
I had expected her to eagerly pounce like she did back when we first met, so this sudden hesitation struck me as odd.
"Why? Didn't you want to touch it?"
"Well... I mean, I do, but... it feels like I'd be taking advantage."
Her subsequent explanation laid bare the real reason behind her shift in attitude.
"I'm much older than you, and I'm a woman. Right now, you're at an age full of innocent curiosity, Jeongseo...."
Leehyun knew full well that I hadn't had an ordinary upbringing. While I hadn't shared every painful detail of my past, I had mentioned that I never attended standard schooling, and I'd also told her that much of my worldly understanding came from navigating the internet.
"Even if I didn't know any better at first, I realize now that I shouldn't behave like that."
"Even when I say it's fine?"
"Yes. Even if you say you're okay with it, it's only because there are things you don't fully understand yet. If I just indulge my own desires and do whatever I want, I'd just be using you."
That couldn't be further from the truth.
While I appreciated her conscientious consideration, it wasn't the reaction I was aiming for. Being treated like some clueless, sheltered innocent rubbed me the wrong way too.
"I understand how relationships between men and women—I mean, women and men work. So you don't need to worry."
"Knowing things in theory from text isn't the same as reality. Slowly... I'll protect you. We can take our time, get closer first, and then...."
So this is it. This had to be the classic Sweet Han-nyeo mindset I'd read about online: walking on eggshells, agonizing over propriety, desperate not to corrupt an innocent young man.
"Noona, why did you ask me to come here then?"
"Huh? Well, to hang out together, just the two of us. To watch anime, play games...."
"Really? Was that all? Bringing me into a secluded, private room like this, you didn't have a single ulterior motive?"
"Of course I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel anything else... but as the older woman, I have to hold back. Yes, I do."
What an utterly contradictory woman. Frustration and mild annoyance bubbled up all at once, reminiscent of the headache I got whenever Yeo-eun caused a mess at home.
"Noona."
"Yes?"
"I'm thirsty."
"Oh, what would you like to drink? Juice? Soda?"
"Just water, please. Ice-cold."
"I'll go get it right away!"
She sprang to her feet immediately. Under normal circumstances, I would never order an elder around on an errand like this, but right now, I was in the mood to see who would break first.
The moment Leehyun stepped out of the room, I adjusted the wall-mounted lighting controls, brightening the dim glow she had meticulously lowered earlier. Then, I pulled off my knit sweater, leaving only the fitted white short-sleeve undershirt beneath. It hugged my frame snugly.
Click.
"Jeongseo, here's your wa—oh?"
Having swiftly smoothed down my hair, I sat casually on the sofa just as she returned. Catching sight of me, her eyes widened in startled shock, and she reflexively snapped the door shut behind her.
"Jeongseo... why are your clothes...?"
"It felt a little warm in here. Aren't you hot, Noona?"
"Uh... now that you mention it, it is pretty warm. Why did they turn the heat up so high?"
Her cheeks flared crimson, and she found herself unable to look at me straight on.
"Noona? Can I have the water?"
"Ah... here."
As she handed me the glass, her eyes darted frantically. Her gaze traced a hasty path from my face down toward my lap before jerking back up, briefly decelerating as it lingered across the expanse of my chest.
"Haa. That's so refreshing."
Did she honestly think I hadn't noticed her staring while I drank? Watching her feign innocence by staring rigidly ahead was almost comical.
"Noona? Aren't you going to sit down?"
"Ah, yes. Of course."
Standing before me like an anxious waitress, she finally sank onto the cushion beside me. Naturally, I hoisted my feet back up onto her lap.
"Would you like some water too, Noona?"
"I already drank—actually, never mind. I'll take a sip."
She accepted the glass and brought it to her lips. Feigning a careless slip, I nudged the tip of my toe right against her breast.
"Ghk! Cough!"
"Noona! Are you all right?"
She choked, spraying water forward. While I had aimed for it on purpose, I hadn't expected it to work so spectacularly.
"Ah... yeah. I'm fine."
"I'm so sorry."
"No, really, it's okay."
Pulling a handkerchief from my pocket, I shifted closer, leaning over to blot the spilled water myself.
"I can do it—"
"Don't worry about it. Just stay still."
With our faces drawn so close together, Leehyun froze stiff as a statue. There was hardly any need to tell her to stay still; she was already incapable of moving.
I gently dabbed at her lips and chin first. A few stray droplets clung to the soft swell of her chest. Pressing the cloth against the curve of her bosom, I carefully soaked up the dampness.
"All dry, right?"
"Y-yes. Thank you."
"Don't mention it. It was my fault anyway."
As soon as I finished, she hastily whipped out a lip tint to touch up her lips. In the meantime, I stripped off my socks. Barefoot now.
"Ah... I got a little wet too."
Using the same handkerchief, I wiped down my own feet. Mid-stroke with her lip tint, Leehyun paused, staring blankly at the sight. Once dried, I smiled softly and settled my bare soles back across her thighs.
"Does it smell bad? If it bothers you, I can—"
"No! Not at all! I lik—there's no smell whatsoever!"
My deliberate smile softened into a genuine chuckle. Finally, she was giving me the reaction I wanted: a face flushed far deeper than before, a subtle tension tightening her brow, and the restless shifting of her hips against the cushion.
Acting all gentlemanly... or should I say ladylike?
Leaving my feet right where they were, I hit resume on the video. Both of us were far too preoccupied to care about the anime now.
"Jeongseo... could I borrow that handkerchief for a second...?"
"Huh? Why?"
"Ah, there's a little bit of water on my leg here."
"Sure. Here you go."
Taking the handkerchief, she lightly grazed it against her inner thigh. It could hardly even be called a wipe—more like a tentative brush. Then, she tucked the cloth neatly beside her hip. Assuming she would return it later, I paid it no further mind and looked away.
I made a show of focusing on the screen while subtly shifting my toes against her lap. Reassured, Leehyun feasted on the sight of my bare feet with unchecked visual gluttony.
Time trickled past in silence.
"It's almost over now."
"Huh? Already?"
"What do you mean 'already'? It's been nearly fifty minutes."
I had to hand it to her: she possessed formidable endurance. Even when I lightly dragged my heel along her inner thigh, rubbed the top of my foot against her stomach, or wriggled my toes to tease her, she never once laid a hand on me. She only watched with burning eyes.
Though her thighs quivered constantly under my weight, and though she had lost all track of time enraptured by my bare skin, she had faithfully kept her word. It felt like I had lost this round.
"Ah, that was fun. Shall we head out now?"
"Huh? But we still have some time left on the room...."
"Really? In that case, I'll hit the restroom first. I want to wash my hands and grab some snacks."
As I drew my legs back, a shadow of profound reluctance passed over her face. I pulled my socks back on; walking around in shared public slippers with bare feet felt somewhat unhygienic.
"Jeongseo, are you going out dressed like that?"
"Yes. Is something wrong?"
"Well, your top is a bit...."
"Oh, right. I'll put my coat on. Aren't you going to the restroom too, Noona?"
She looked strangely conflicted.
"Come with me. I want to check out what snacks and drinks they have out there."
"S-sure. Let's go together."
Even though I could have easily gone alone, I intentionally coaxed her to stand up.
"I'll wait outside the restroom door for you."
"Okay."
She rose with an awkward, waddling gait and glued herself tightly to my side. The posture was unnaturally stiff, almost as if she were desperately attempting to block my line of sight.
"Oh, that's right!"
Pretending to step out obediently, I whipped around at the threshold.
"I almost forgot my sweater."
"Huh? Ah, right. I forgot about it too, even after mentioning it."
She scrambled in a panic to obscure my vision again, but my eyes had already caught it: the dark, glistening patch of damp moisture left behind on the leather sofa where she had been sitting.
The contest wasn't over yet.