Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: Permission to Hug (4)
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The morning for an insomniac is rough.
But that's not even the half of it right now.
A loser's morning is way worse than any insomniac's.
I'd slept like a rock, my body felt light enough to float away, but that bitter taste in my mouth was seriously unpleasant.
'What the hell.'
Leaning against her back was all it took to knock me out? What am I, some drooling infant?
Last night, I'd laughed at Park Dahye when she barged in. Now, I was so embarrassed by myself I could hardly stand it.
Passing out in just two minutes flat.
Was I the weirdo here, or was it her?
Was she some kind of human sleeping pill or what?
That deep sleep last night had been insanely sweet—my pillow felt like a cloud.
It was 10 a.m. now.
Over seven solid hours.
And there, as always, was the back of Park Dahye's head right in front of my eyes.
I'd thought yesterday was the last time.
No, it should have been.
Damn it.
Her head shook, and an excited voice piped up.
"Seonghyeon, you're awake, aren't you?"
I wasn't answering.
Too embarrassing.
"Your breathing changed. Come on, say something!"
"..."
"Fine~ Suits me just fine if you don't."
Without a second's hesitation, Park Dahye spun around and burrowed straight into my arms.
Lavender scent wafted from the top of her head under my chin.
And against my stomach... formidable softness pressed in.
That sensation brought last night's memories flooding back.
In the dim room, the only things glowing were those two orbs.
Ugh, get out of my head.
But...
They are king-sized.
"H-hey, what're you doing? Get off."
"Heehee, so you are awake. But I'm just following the rules, you know? Got a problem with that, loser?"
"Did I get sold off or something? One win and you think you own me?"
"Own you? This is strictly party play. You were the one who suggested it to me first."
Yeah, I had said that.
Living together sounded awkward, so I'd phrased it like:
[You're gonna hate wasting rent money anyway, and I'll hate wasting veggies, so why not just keep doing party play like always?]
But I never imagined it'd turn into this kind of play.
I was dying of shame, but Park Dahye acted like this skinship was her god-given right—totally shameless.
"Seonghyeon, you lost, so admit it already. This is the rule now."
"Fine, I lost, no arguments here. But just one question. Why do you like hugging so much?"
"Don't you like it, Seonghyeon? It's warm and fluffy, smells great... it's amazing."
A wave of embarrassment shot up my spine, nearly piercing my brain.
I'd been thinking exactly the same thing, and now it felt like she'd read my mind. I wanted to crawl into a hole.
Whew, mortifying.
Alright, honestly? It feels great.
Sensorily speaking, this bed situation was incredible for me too.
Dahye was soft to the touch, pretty, smelled divine, and put me right to sleep.
Who wouldn't love that?
But mentally? No way.
Right now, it felt like sneaking peeks at pirated scanlations.
Stealing comics for free? Sensually thrilling and fun.
But the guilt never fades.
The fun's fleeting; eventually, only the guilt lingers.
That's Dahye for me.
This situation shouldn't be mine by rights—it's just her rough circumstances dropping her in my lap.
This isn't a joy I'm allowed to have.
Of course, she—
"If word gets out you're doing this, you'll never get married. You know that?"
"Marry? I'm a total gamer shut-in, no clue about that stuff. Gotta suck the honey while it's there, right?"
At least pretend to agonize over it.
Hearing that softened my resolve again as she nuzzled her face against my stomach.
Dahye was a rice-guzzling leech, scraping by day-to-day on game gold sales.
Treats like eating out, playing around, or bonding with people? Total luxuries for her.
So when chances like the cake I bought her at the cafe came up, gorging on them was just her style.
Especially since she knew this honey wouldn't last.
That's why she was sucking it dry with everything she had.
Her no-holds-barred attitude toward desire was starting to make sense.
To her, this moment, my arms—they're all temporary honey too.
Yeah, honey that won't last.
Thinking that way eased the guilt a bit.
Dahye would eventually become a fine upstanding citizen and leave this place.
So until then, maybe I'd play along with her honey-sucking.
No matter how much I indulged, it'd fade to nothing in her life story someday.
Just for now.
"Only in bed."
"Huh?"
"Having you here helps me sleep too, so hugging's fine. But keep it to the bed—otherwise, show some respect. No more rubbing up on me. And no stripping down like yesterday."
"Fine, you're pathetic enough, I'll allow it. But Seonghyeon."
"What?"
"Wanna see 'em again? Still got 'em on."
Damn it.
I'd just drawn a line, so why couldn't I answer right away?
My brain's shot.
But no, I wouldn't look even if I wanted to.
Couldn't anyway.
"No. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't."
"Why? Just say the word."
"Heard a massive rip last night. Wonder if that poor slip survived?"
"Huh?"
She lifted her pajama top to check, then her face crumpled instantly.
"Uwaaah! It's totally torn!"
"You killed it. Repent."
It lasted even once—that's a miracle.
Yesterday's spectacle was... questionable at best.
Against Dahye's overwhelming power, even sinful armor was just disposable.
If sin itself backed off, so should I. Time to forget yesterday and start the day.
Lots to do today.
"Dahye."
"Yeah...?"
"Let's move your stuff today."
"Oh right! Gotta grab it from the goshiwon. Guess we're heading out again."
"You up for it?"
"Of course?"
But her bold attempt to stand ended with her collapsing before she even straightened up.
Letting out a grandma-like groan.
"Owow...! Uwaa... Seonghyeon, it hurts..."
"Knew it."
A shut-in gamer dashing around and hauling a cart full of kilos? Bound to crash like that.
But honestly, this was better.
Seeing her unable to move actually relieved me.
It was just moving stuff, but I didn't want her stepping foot in that goshiwon for even a second.
I didn't want her feeling what I'd sensed in her room.
While sucking honey here, I hoped she'd only know happiness.
"Don't push it, rest. I'll handle it alone."
"N-no... can't..."
"No choice. Holidays end soon, no time later. Better knock it out today. Anything I shouldn't see?"
"Nah... just feel bad."
"Got help, don't worry. Goshiwon's small—one car trip should do it."
"Then Seonghyeon, take this first."
She pulled something from under the bed and handed it over.
Been prepping since last night, huh.
A white envelope of cash.
"What's this?"
"Rent. Living here now, gotta pay up. Please accept."
400,000 won inside.
Pokttal made about 450,000 a month selling gold—that was most of it.
Tiny against Seoul rents, but this envelope felt impossibly heavy.
"Too much. House was empty anyway—no need for this."
I took out 100,000 and gave the rest back.
Truth is, she'd live here free and I'd be thrilled.
No, ecstatic.
I started this cohabitation by twisting her arm.
But she'd pay rent.
Better she live proudly as a tenant than tiptoe like a freeloader.
File complaints, gripe a bit. That's normal life.
"Just 100,000? Too cheap?"
"It's plenty."
"Okay then. I'll buy something tasty with the rest."
"Sounds good."
"Well... please take care of me from now on. Landlord."
"You too. Tenant."
We bowed formally from the bed.
Lifted our heads and burst out laughing at each other's faces.
Hair a mess.
Pajamas crumpled to hell, pillow creases on our faces—total disaster.
The clueless girl and me, getting tossed around by her whims.
Could we really make this work?
But Dahye didn't have a speck of worry.
She clutched her stomach laughing at my face, then dove back into my arms, rubbing her cheek against me.
Yeah, if I just live in the moment, it feels this good.
I overthink—that's my problem.
Time to empty my head
and suck the honey dry right alongside her.
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