The Narrow Gate (10)
"Wow..."
Shin So-hye couldn't help letting out a gasp of admiration at the bathroom that came into view the moment she opened the door.
Lily Hall already had a clean, refined interior that felt plenty luxurious, but the bathroom in Acacia Hall was on an entirely different level. It was so overwhelmingly spacious that even with two full bathtubs installed, there was still room to spare. At this point, calling it a dorm room felt almost embarrassing. As expected, the upper class really was different in every way.
"Ugh... I never thought I'd end up coming back here again..."
While Shin So-hye was thinking that, Yu Ha-eun, who had followed her in, muttered in a grumbling tone. Just as she had feared, the instant her feet touched the bathroom floor, memories of what Yoon Seo-a had done to her came flooding back, and her mood plummeted. The brief rest she had managed to snatch earlier had banished her fatigue—only for it to come crashing down even heavier than before.
"A-Are you all right? You don't look so well..."
"Ah, yes. I think it's just because I just woke up."
At Shin So-hye's worried question, Yu Ha-eun quickly rearranged her expression and answered. Still, with Shin So-hye here, even Yoon Seo-a wouldn't dare pull any nonsense while they were bathing.
But perhaps because she was only worried about Yoon Seo-a, she failed to notice that Shin So-hye was holding a small camera in her hand. If she had paid close attention to the unnaturally clenched fist and the slight gap between the fingers, she might have spotted the lens pointed at her body—but for Yu Ha-eun, who had been feeling a sharp, stabbing sensation in her head from the moment she stepped into the bathroom, it was impossible.
Instead, her attention was drawn to the large mounds right in front of her eyes.
"...I didn't notice when you were dressed, but Miss Shin So-hye, you have quite a nice figure."
"W-What?!"
Shin So-hye jumped in surprise at Yu Ha-eun's sudden remark, her cheeks flushing red. Paying her no mind, Ha-eun looked at the large breasts that even the bath towel couldn't fully cover, then lowered her gaze to her own body. She was covered by a towel as well, but unlike Shin So-hye, whose towel floated away from her body because of her chest, Ha-eun's clung perfectly flat against her.
First the wealth gap between their families, and now a wealth gap in chests? Of course she had known Shin So-hye's breasts were impressive even when clothed, but seeing her like this made it hit even harder. When she was dressed, it felt like she was only showing about sixty percent of her full power. She always slouched, and the uniform itself was a bit loose and thick, so it wasn't a fabric that showed off her figure well. Even in that state, Shin So-hye had always made her presence known, so of course they were big—but looking now, they were even larger than expected. To exaggerate a little, each breast seemed about the size of Ha-eun's own head.
...Is something really wrong with my head?
Why do I keep thinking things like this? Yu Ha-eun tapped her forehead with her clenched fist. As her mood worsened and her physical condition declined, the desires she had been suppressing seemed to be bursting out unchecked. Maybe all the recent touching from Yoon Seo-a had only strengthened those kinds of urges. Either way, it was definitely the worst.
Yu Ha-eun let out a sigh and continued.
"No, that was a rude thing to say. More importantly, let's wash up first."
"Huh? B-But Miss Yoon Seo-a still hasn't..."
"She'll be here soon enough anyway."
After the previous two had finished their turn, the three of them—including Yu Ha-eun—had come down to bathe. Then, while they were undressing in the changing room, Yoon Seo-a had said she'd come up with a good idea, told them to go in first, and disappeared—which brought them to the present.
Of course, Yu Ha-eun hoped she wouldn't come back at all. Then she could leisurely deepen her belated friendship with Shin So-hye while bathing.
No. Whether she comes or not, I can just go ahead and do it, right?
She didn't know when Yoon Seo-a would return, but at least while Shin So-hye was here, she definitely wouldn't pull any stupid stunts. Unlike when they were studying, in the bath they would be sitting almost right next to each other. If that happened, no matter how much she tried to hide it, it would become impossible to conceal, and getting caught by Shin So-hye would only be a matter of time. Yoon Seo-a might say she didn't care if she got caught as a matter of habit, but she wouldn't actually want things to spiral into catastrophe if she really was discovered. So whether Yoon Seo-a was there or not, all she had to do was deepen her friendship with Shin So-hye.
Besides...
The other two are already calling Shin So-hye by her first name, but I'm still stuck using her full name. It makes me feel left out...
Who could have predicted that in the short time she spent pulling herself together in the restroom, they would already have reached the point of calling each other by first names? Of course, Yoon Seo-a was still calling her by her full name as well, but since everyone except Ha-eun herself was already doing it, she was the only one still unable to call Shin So-hye by name.
All right. With a determined look, Yu Ha-eun spoke to Shin So-hye.
"Miss Shin So-hye. Let's wash each other's backs."
"W-Whaaat?!"
Shin So-hye, who had been secretly filming, cried out in shock at her words. But Yu Ha-eun paid it no mind and continued.
"In the island nation next door, there's a term called 'bathing friendship.' It means deepening your relationship by washing together."
"S-So...?"
"To be honest, I met you first, Miss Shin So-hye, right? But the ones who reached the point of calling you by name first were Miss Su-ryeon and Miss Chae-rin. So once this bath is over, we'll call each other by our first names!"
Couldn't we just start doing that from now, then? Shin So-hye had that question, but there was nothing she could do about it. Yu Ha-eun had a somewhat conservative side when it came to human relationships. She believed that to reach the point of calling someone by their first name, either the other person had to propose it first, or there needed to be a special occasion. Or, failing that, enough time had to pass naturally for them to become comfortable with each other. Even starting to call Han Seo-hee, Hong Su-ryeon, and Yeon Chae-rin by their first names had all been because they had proposed it first. That was why, now that she was proposing for the first time that they become close enough to use first names, Yu Ha-eun thought her reasoning was quite solid.
There's no way Shin So-hye won't agree to this.
She was someone who already held favorable feelings toward her, after all. If Ha-eun reached out first, she would definitely accept the proposal. Of course, even without all that, if Ha-eun had simply said "Let's be friends!" and suggested using first names, Shin So-hye would have gone along with it.
"O-Okay...!"
It was a bit of a roundabout way, but since it was an opportunity to become friends with Yu Ha-eun just as she had longed for, Shin So-hye nodded her head vigorously.
"Oh my, then won't you let me join in as well?"
"Ugh, Miss Seo-a..."
Yoon Seo-a appeared out of nowhere holding a bucket, and Yu Ha-eun made a face of pure disgust.
"Even from you, Miss Ha-eun, that kind of expression hurts, you know?"
"Hmph. As if."
"M-More importantly, Miss Yoon Seo-a. That bucket you're holding... what is it?"
"They're flower petals that have been specially processed and dried. If you float them in the bath, they give off a wonderful fragrance that soothes the mind and body."
So that "good idea" was just this? As Yu Ha-eun looked at the bucket filled to the brim with red flower petals with indifferent eyes, Yoon Seo-a smiled sweetly and said,
"I'm sure you'll like it too, Miss Ha-eun. It'll be a delight for both the nose and the eyes."
"That remains to be seen."
At that bold claim, Yu Ha-eun deliberately replied in a curt tone. Of course, she knew in her head. She only disliked them because Yoon Seo-a was the one tormenting her—generally speaking, most of the things she brought were so luxurious that it was hard to say you didn't like them. Honestly speaking, she was the kind of person it would be good to be friends with. At the very least, when it came to doing something, she never held back on anything—to the point where you could say she spared nothing at all.
But her personality was rotten, and more than anything, she was a piece of human trash who treated people like toys. Steeling her resolve, Yu Ha-eun whipped her head around, grabbed Shin So-hye's wrist, and pulled her along.
"Eek?!"
"Miss Shin So-hye. Let's leave Miss Seo-a behind and go first."
Of all places, the hand she grabbed was the one hiding the camera, and Shin So-hye felt as if her heart had dropped—but fortunately, it didn't seem like she had grabbed it knowingly. It just felt like she had found an excuse to get away from Yoon Seo-a.
More than that... Miss Ha-eun's hand is so soft...
Once she realized she hadn't been caught, all her senses focused on the feel of Yu Ha-eun's hand gripping her wrist. Realizing that a soft palm without a single callus was wrapping around her skin, a silly grin threatened to break out on its own. If she actually laughed out loud, she might get a puzzled look from Yu Ha-eun, so she barely managed to hold it down to just a smile.
And so Yu Ha-eun led Shin So-hye away, fleeing from Yoon Seo-a—but in such a limited space, running away only got you so far, and in the end the three of them had no choice but to sit side by side and wash each other's backs.
"This is... no joke."
After finishing a quick shower, it was time to get into the bathtub—but the flower petals floating thickly on the water's surface made it hard to see beneath. On top of that, the fragrance they gave off was so intense, matching their sheer quantity, that for a moment it felt as if her nose had gone numb. Once she got a little used to it, it just felt like a nice scent. As Yu Ha-eun said that in a fed-up voice, Yoon Seo-a chuckled and dipped her feet into the bath first.
At her movement, the petals were pushed aside, then came crowding back in. When she sank her body in up to her chest, it looked less like she was in a bathtub and more like she was buried among the flower petals.
"You come in too, Miss Ha-eun. It feels quite nice, you know?"
"I was going to get in even without you rushing me."
Yu Ha-eun replied like that and carefully lowered her body in starting from her toes. The water warmly enveloping her slightly cooled skin, and the ticklish sensation of the gathering petals, drew an involuntary breath from her. But that only lasted a moment. Once she had submerged most of her body as well, only warm comfort dominated her. The fatigue from studying nonstop for hours, and the tension in her body from being thoroughly stimulated by Yoon Seo-a, seemed to gradually melt away.
As Yu Ha-eun let out a soft sigh with half-lidded eyes, ripples stirred right beside her. Turning her head, she saw Shin So-hye belatedly sinking her body in.
"Uh, um. C-Can I sit here...?"
When their eyes met, she still clutched her bath towel tightly, looking a little embarrassed.
"Of course."
In reality it was to keep from revealing the camera in her hand, but not knowing that, Yu Ha-eun answered with a kind smile. In her heart she wanted to seat her between herself and Yoon Seo-a, but even so, doing that much would definitely make Yoon Seo-a angry.
And so the three of them sat side by side, enjoying the bath with only their heads sticking out from the flower petals, when—
...Huh?
Yu Ha-eun realized that something was groping her thigh underwater. The feeling of puzzlement passed in a brief moment and soon turned to shock. She whipped her head around to look at Yoon Seo-a, who was sitting there with an innocent expression.
Perhaps sensing the silent glare, the girl who had been looking straight ahead rolled only her eyes toward her, then pressed a raised index finger to her own lips and smiled mischievously.
"Shhh."
That's not a "shhh," damn it, not a "shhh." Yu Ha-eun turned an incredulous look on her.