Just Listen to Me, Noona

We had dinner at a quiet restaurant near my place. Perhaps because it had been nearly two weeks since we last saw each other, Leehyun was full of questions about how I had been doing.

"I’ve been shooting footage blindly, but I haven't been able to upload a single thing yet."

"Mm... why is that?"

"To upload a video, you have to edit it first, but I haven't quite gotten around to touching that part yet."

I was curious about the 'important talk' Leehyun had mentioned wanting to have with me, but I decided not to press her. My story was lighter, so I carried the conversation first.

"Just cutting and splicing clips together shouldn't take too long to learn."

"Yeah. I could learn a bit from Yeo-eun... It's doable."

We were talking about MeTube ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠now, our meal already winding down.

"The thing is, people usually add sound effects, do post-recording voiceovers, and all that. Everyone's so good at video editing these days."

"Ah, that's true."

"And the footage itself... well, what I filmed looks a bit amateurish."

To put it bluntly, the quality of what I shot was sorely lacking in just about every way imaginable.

"I don't watch much MeTube myself," Leehyun murmured apologetically. "And I don't really know anything about video production either."

"No, it's fine. I'm not asking for help or anything; I'm just telling you what's been on my mind lately."

Leehyun was the type of person who felt compelled to solve any problem placed in front of her. Even now, I could see the gears turning behind her eyes, searching for a way to fix my dilemma. I stepped in before she could overthink it, reassuring her that there was no need for her to worry on my behalf.

"Right. It's something you have to figure out on your own, Jeongseo."

"Yes."

"Still, there are things I can help you with. Equipment, for instance. If you need any gear, just tell me. Anything at all."

After a moment of quiet contemplation, she seemed to have arrived at her own solution. If she couldn't offer technical know-how, she could at least provide financial backing.

"Or if you need online lectures, or books to study from. Things like that are completely fine too."

"All right. If I need something later, I'll definitely let you know."

After a brief hesitation, I nodded. By now, accepting financial support from Leehyun didn't make me feel particularly uncomfortable anymore.

"In a similar vein... do you mind if I give you a piece of advice?"

"Sure. Please, speak freely."

A faint, gentle smile touched her lips, but her voice carried a grounded seriousness when she spoke.

"I'm... a bit of a perfectionist. Even back during my internship and residency, I pushed myself relentlessly to do everything flawlessly right from the start."

"Right."

"But going through life like that, there were times when it became genuinely exhausting. I'm not saying striving for excellence is a bad thing, but..."

She explained that she had grown up in an environment where she was expected to excel at everything—shouldering the heavy expectations of her parents, constantly being measured against her brilliant older sister. In that brief window, I was able to catch a glimpse into her personal history.

"I don't want you to go through that, Jeongseo."

"I like working hard and doing things properly, though."

"Working hard is great. That's not what I mean... Mm, what I'm trying to say is, don't put too much pressure on yourself."

Midway through our conversation, a server entered with dessert, placed the dishes down, and quietly slid the sliding door shut again as she left.

"What I meant was, you don't need to be perfect from the very beginning."

"I understand. To be honest, with this kind of work, I don't even know what 'perfect' is supposed to look like anyway. You just upload what you want to upload."

"Yes. You've completely made up your mind, right? You mentioned wanting to try MeTube, or that... Study With Me live stream thing?"

"Yes, I'm certain."

I had settled on that decision quite some time ago.

"Then just do whatever you want. In whatever way you want, at whatever pace feels right. I'll support you through all of it."

"Thank you, Noona."

"And don't be afraid to fail. You have a place to fall back on, Jeongseo."

"Pardon?"

The real point she wanted to make only surfaced now.

"Even if the broadcasts don't gain traction, or your MeTube channel doesn't bring in any revenue, it's completely fine. You don't have to stress over things like that."

"Ah..."

"When I say I'll support you, that's what I mean. You can treat it all as just a hobby. And if you get tired of it, you can simply quit."

And here she was, calling this advice along the same lines.

"I'm not telling you to be half-hearted about it," she added quickly. "I'm only saying this because I know that even if I tell you to take it easy, you'll still put your absolute best effort into it anyway."

"Is that so?"

"I mean it literally. Don't carry a heavy burden. You don't have to be brilliant right out of the gate. There are plenty of things you'll only learn by actually doing them."

Not long ago, Yeo-eun had warned me to be extremely cautious and meticulous. Now, Leehyun was telling me to simply do whatever my heart desired. She was telling me that because I had someone solid to lean on, I didn't need to treat this as a life-or-death gamble.

Considering their individual personalities, it felt as though their advice had been swapped. Not that either of them was right or wrong, of course.

"Understood. That really is a comforting form of support."

"Hm? Did I offend you by any chance? I didn't mean to trivialize MeTube or anything like that..."

"Not at all. I'm not speaking in circles; I genuinely mean it gives me strength."

A reliable backer. Someone in my corner to catch me if I fell—a luxury I never had in my past life, yet here I was with several dependable allies already standing by my side.

"Good. Don't misunderstand me. All I meant was that if push comes to shove, I can just provide for you, Jeongseo."

"Heh. Is that right?"

Because Leehyun had spent her whole life under the suffocating pressure of having to excel at everything, she seemed determined to spare me that same fate.

"I can just work hard and earn the money. You can focus on doing only what you enjoy..."

"And in exchange, do I have to obey your every word and live like your little doll?"

"N-No! Absolutely not! It's not like that at all. I'm not trying to control you with money or anything!"

"I know. I'm just teasing."

Leehyun hurriedly set down her dessert teacup, waving her hands in flustered denial.

"Noona. So if I move into your house, lounge around all day doing nothing, and order you around telling you to bring me food and buy me stuff... that's fine with you?"

"Huh? Ah... yes. That's fine."

"Come on, really? What if I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠gain a ton of weight, get super fat, and leave a mess everywhere every single day? Even then?"

Her flustered reaction was amusing, so I leaned into the exaggeration on purpose.

"Weight? Like... chubby?"

"Yeah. Really round and fat. And all the while, I just boss you around."

Leehyun narrowed her eyes, seemingly picturing a chubby version of me in her head.

"A chubby Jeongseo... cute... Wouldn't you be really cute, actually?"

"Haha. What are you even saying? How would that be cute?"

She hadn't changed in the slightest. Just as I had confirmed earlier, her essential nature remained completely intact.

"Speaking of which... I don't think this is something we should just brush past lightly anymore."

"What? What are we brushing past?"

"Us... our relationship. Remember when I said I had something important to tell you?"

"Ah, yes."

Our lighthearted banter faded away. For the first time tonight, the easy smile vanished from Leehyun's face, replaced by an earnest, sober expression. She was finally ready to bring up the 'important matter' she had kept under wraps.

Leehyun reached down, her hand tentatively brushing against her own chest over her blouse.

"You said you didn't mind, Jeongseo... but I want to become a woman who suits you better."

I listened quietly, keeping my eyes fixed on her.

"I told you before that I'm thinking about the distant future. Given my age..."

I made a conscious effort not to interrupt her flow.

"Eventually, I'll need to greet your parents properly. And who knows how many spouses you might end up taking in the future, Jeongseo..."

"Wait... ah. Never mind. Please continue."

"That's why I wanted to prepare everything I possibly could in advance."

She was treating the prospect of me having multiple spouses as an absolute, foregone conclusion. The casual certainty in her voice made me part my lips to object, but I caught myself and held back.

"And this sort of thing is best done while one is even a year younger."

She was circling around the core subject, leaving out the most crucial detail. A swell of frustration rose in my chest; I was nearly on the verge of demanding she just spit out what she was talking about. Right then, she reached into her bag, pulled out a tablet, and handed it across the table to me.

"I put together a summary. Could you take a look at this?"

Displayed on the screen was a meticulously organized presentation dossier. I slowly swiped through the slides.

"Breast Reduction Surgery and Nipple Reconstruction and Aesthetics. Potential complications and..."

I read through the document to the very last page. The contents were surprisingly easy to digest, complete with high-resolution clinical photographs and extensive comparative statistics. But when my eyes took in the final summary slide, a wave of dizzying disbelief crashed over my mind.

"Don't tell me... Is this why you've been so busy lately?"

"Yes. I was looking for a hospital equipped with the latest surgical methods and specialized equipment. It's a novel technique devised by a renowned medical center in the States, and..."

"Wait... Noona, hold on a second."

My gaze dropped involuntarily toward her chest. Obviously, staring through fabric wasn't going to tell me anything concrete, but my heart spiked anyway.

"Did you do this without saying a single word to me?!"

"Huh? Ah... I wanted to prepare everything thoroughly before bringing it up. That's why I'm telling you now."

"If it's something this massive, you should have discussed it with me first!"

I was so utterly dumbfounded that I couldn't even summon proper anger. The clinical photographs attached to the slides showed breasts so voluminous they could barely be cupped with two hands, reduced drastically down to a modest, compact size.

"Are you insane...? You can't even reverse this once it's done!"

"Well, once the tissue is excised... that's true, but..."

"Ugh. Let me see. How much did they take off?!"

I drew a sharp, trembling breath. I never dreamed Leehyun would pull a stunt of this magnitude. How many times had I explicitly told her that her breasts were perfectly fine as they were?

"Wait... what took off? My breasts?"

"Yes!"

"Ah... giggle. Jeongseo, I haven't had the surgery yet."

"What? Then what on earth are these photos?!"

"Those are just pre- and post-op photos of another female patient..."

A curse nearly tore its way out of my throat.

"Why the hell did you scare me like that?!"

"I didn't mean to scare you. I'm sorry... I wanted to consult with you first..."

Shrinking back under my outburst, Leehyun cautiously watched my expression like a chastised puppy. A long, shuddering sigh escaped me. Thank God.

For a terrifying second, I thought she had gone under the knife behind my back and showed up here post-op. In reality, she had merely spent all her free time gathering exhaustive research so she could explain the procedure to me in detail—even taking the trouble to draft an absurdly high-quality presentation dossier.

"You're still young, Jeongseo, so I thought having this kind of conversation might be a bit premature..."

Breast surgery wasn't merely an individual cosmetic choice. If she were to have children down the line, it directly affected lactation and child-rearing. Leehyun explained that she couldn't simply force a surgical procedure solely for aesthetic vanity. She envisioned a bright future together with me, and she hadn't given up hope of having children either.

"I wouldn't recklessly handle something this important all by myself. But I felt like I was skipping too many steps."

"What steps?"

"I haven't even confessed my feelings to you properly like a proper woman should. But I got so impatient... I'm sorry."

"Whew... That's fine. We've already talked about this plenty of times. We can just let things develop naturally."

"No... A woman ought to step up and make a formal declaration first. But because of my own selfish insecurities..."

Her voice trailed off into a tiny, self-conscious whisper. I sat quietly, waiting to hear what had truly been weighing on her mind.

"You're practically perfect, Jeongseo. If I'm standing by your side carrying around these absurdly large breasts, what will people say? They'll gossip behind your back, sneering that you're only with an older woman because she has piles of money."

Regardless of the truth, she couldn't bear the thought of my reputation being dragged through the mud. She was factoring in far more variables than I had ever anticipated. On top of that, it sounded like she was even planning some grandiose, romantic proposal so she could formally ask to be my partner.

"Could you wait just a little longer for me? If you'll permit it, I want to present myself in a way that truly suits you before I confess properly."

"Forget it. Don't do any of that."

"Pardon? The proposal?"

"No! Well, that too—there's no need for any grand proposal. It's not like we're getting married tomorrow."

"We're not getting married right away, but... men usually harbor romantic expectations for those kinds of things..."

Just what kind of romantic nonsense had she been looking up online? I stared intently at Leehyun's face. Here was a woman in her thirties who had been single her entire life. At this point, was this elaborate proposal something she thought I wanted, or was it just something she secretly yearned to do herself?

"I already know how you feel, Noona. We talked through this last time. That's more than enough."

"Still... there's a proper time and place for everything..."

"Noona. Just listen to me. Didn't you say you belong to me now? From here on out, ask me and discuss everything with me first. Don't go making elaborate plans and executing them all by yourself."

I had no intention of micromanaging every facet of her life. But when it came to Leehyun, this assertive approach was clearly the only language that worked.

"There's no reason for you to get breast surgery either. I prefer them large. You looked all this up for nothing. Do you understand?"

"I know you're just saying that to make me feel better, but..."

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"No, that is my genuine preference! How many times do I have to tell you?"

"You can be completely honest with me, you know..."

"Good grief. Just believe what I tell you!"

I shoved my chair back and stood up abruptly. Leehyun blinked, startled by the sudden movement.

Stepping around the table, I reached down and firmly cupped her breast right over her blouse.

"I told you, I like them big. If you dare get surgery, you're going to get thoroughly scolded."

I tightened my grip slightly, kneading the plush, heavy mound resting beneath my palm.

"Ah... y-yes."

Frozen by my sudden touch, she let out a breathless whimper before bowing her head in submission. In the span of a single heartbeat, blood rushed violently into her cheeks, turning her entire face crimson enough to burst.

Her blush was excessive. Blushing this furiously just from having her breast grabbed over her clothes was strange—especially in this world, where women were conditioned to be bold and assertive. This wasn't the past life.

"What's with you? Why is your face so red?"

"Huh? It's not... ah."

"Is it because I'm touching your chest?"

When I gently squeezed the fullness under my palm once more, she ducked her head even lower. Could feeling her through her blouse really feel that pleasurable to her?

"It's just... you looked so cool."

"What? What did?"

"It was so forceful... The way you kicked your chair back just now and marched right up to me... mnh."

Leehyun really was different from ordinary women in this world.

"I know it looks strange for a woman to act like this... but I just love it when you take the lead like that, Jeongseo."

"Heh. Really?"

It seemed her scent fetish wasn't her only kink. Though I couldn't gauge the exact depth of it, she clearly possessed strong submissive inclinations. The kind of person who derived intense arousal from being dominated and led by a partner.

She probably wasn't fully aware of it herself; it was just an educated guess on my part.

"I told you clearly before. Your breasts are fine as they are."

"I'm sorry... I honestly thought you were just being polite."

"Guess I need to make sure you understand completely."

I lifted my hand from the outside of her blouse and slid my fingers beneath the hem of her buttoned shirt, aiming straight inside.

Her hands snapped up, intercepting my wrist.

"Uh... Jeongseo."

"Ha, seriously? Let go."

She had done this last time, too.

"I'm sorry. But... it's not just that my breasts are huge. My nipples look strange, too."

"I don't care. Even if you have three nipples, I won't flinch, so let go."

"I don't have three... but you might genuinely be disgusted."

Setting my face into ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a firm, unreadable expression, I pulled my hand back, walked around the table, and sat back down in my chair. Leehyun watched me nervously, fidgeting under my silence.

"What if... what if I leave the breasts alone and just get the nipple reconstruction...?"

"....."

"And then, once I'm properly prepared, I can confess to you properly, and then we could..."

I crossed my arms and rested one leg over the other, staring at her coldly. I weighed how to handle this woman who had suddenly turned so impossibly stubborn. But my posture seemed to exert immense psychological pressure on her; the longer I held her gaze in silence, the smaller her voice became.

"Prepare properly and confess? What are you going to do, set up a candlelit pathway?"

"Huh? How did you know? I did consider that... or renting out an entire restaurant. You... you don't like crowded places, right?"

She answered with complete sincerity. It was frustrating, but at the same time, somewhat endearing.

"Noona. Just do as I say. Forget about surgery."

"I really have no confidence... I'm terrified that you'll look at me and feel disgusted."

No matter how I pressed her to at least describe what her nipples looked like, she dodged the question entirely. It truly seemed to be an agonizing complex for her. In that case, I had to play a decisive trump card.

"Noona. In that case, make a choice."

"A choice? About what?"

"I am completely opposed to you getting surgery."

"Mm... I'll think about it a little more."

It was time for a bold gamble to see her chest tonight, once and for all.

"I'm not telling you to choose regarding the surgery. I am entirely confident that no matter what your breasts look like, I won't be shocked in the least."

"Okay..."

"And I don't have to go home tonight. I can stay out."

"What?"

Her voice, which had shriveled to a meek whisper, suddenly spiked. She had naturally assumed we would part ways after dinner.

"So make your choice. Are you going to spend the night with me right now, or are we parting ways here?"

A few extreme ultimatums crossed my mind—threats that could force her compliance instantly. But I refused to let those words pass my lips. When you casually throw around threats you don't mean, treating the relationship lightly becomes far too easy.

"You understand what both options mean, right?"

Instead, I held out an irresistible carrot. Leehyun stared at me with an intensely conflicted expression, her thoughts visibly racing behind her wide eyes.

"Answer quickly. Don't overthink it, just follow your desire. Right now."

I pressed her without mercy. After all, wasn't the answer already decided from the start?