Chapter 32: This Woman Is My Girlfriend
Chae-ah stared at me with an expression of utter disbelief.
That look struck me as somehow dumb yet endearingly cute, and I couldn't help but let out a chuckle.
"Pfft, what's with that face?"
"Unnie... you just confessed to me?"
"Yeah, that's right. So, what's your answer?"
"Why confess all of a sudden...?"
Before giving me her response to my confession, Chae-ah voiced her doubts first.
I figured it was just too sudden for her.
"I don't want to run away anymore."
"Run away?"
"Rejecting you and pushing you away because of my past—that's all just running away, I realized."
"You thought of it as running away? When?"
"Just a little while ago. While we were kissing."
Maintaining this close distance any longer felt like it might pressure her, so I started to step back a bit.
That's when Chae-ah grabbed my jacket with both hands.
"Stay... like this a little longer."
"Okay, got it."
I kept our breaths mingling so intimately, just as she wanted.
"Can you tell me a bit more about why?"
"I was scared."
"Scared?"
"Scared of the moment when you'd get hurt someday. I didn't think I could handle it if that happened."
"I'll be fine. Even if you reject me a hundred times, I'll keep liking you, unnie..."
She expressed her intent with a voice full of conviction, but I shook my head, denying it.
"Chae-ah, you never know with people. You might feel that way now, but things could change later."
It was a lesson learned from my past.
Even after years, it lingered in my mind, unchanging, or so I'd convinced myself.
"And because I like you."
"Huh?"
In the flow of our conversation, I realized I'd skipped the most important part.
A little late, sure, but I said it carefully now.
"You... like me?"
"Confessing without liking you would make me a total jerk. I confessed because I like you."
"Since when?"
"Good question. Who knows? Maybe it'll come back to me once we're dating."
Chae-ah, who had been gazing up at me blankly, suddenly wrapped her arms tightly around my waist and burrowed into my embrace.
"This isn't a dream, right?"
"No, it's not."
To soothe her, who couldn't quite accept this as reality, I gently stroked her hair.
"We're really dating now, unnie?"
"You haven't given me your answer yet."
"...I wanna date. I wanna date you, unnie!"
"Yeah, let's date."
Finally, she flashed that familiar smile and nodded enthusiastically.
Even after my confession, it had taken so long for her to accept—guess I'd pushed her away too much all this time.
"Makes me reflect on myself."
"I'm so happy, unnie...!"
"I might fall short sometimes. I'll fill in those gaps little by little."
"Even if you do, it's fine. Everything's okay because it's you, unnie!"
Chae-ah, basking in my strokes, stood on tiptoe and pressed her lips to mine.
"You're such an idiot."
Her smiling face looked so adorably dumb that the words slipped out.
"Ugh... what's that supposed to mean? You don't say that to your girlfriend."
"I meant it's cute."
"For real?"
"Yeah, idiotically cute."
"Hmm, if that's what you mean, then I like it! Hehe."
I couldn't be sure if I could be the perfect girlfriend for Chae-ah.
There'd definitely be shortcomings.
Still, I didn't regret this choice or think it rash.
The new time I'd spend with Chae-ah would fill those gaps.
"By the way... getting confessed to looking all grimy like this? Kinda hate that part."
"You're pretty right now. Cute, too."
"Gasp...! Uh, unnie... you into this type usually?"
"What type?"
"You just hit me with it out of nowhere..."
"I've thought it before. Just never said it out loud."
To convince myself I wasn't lacking, I decided not to hide my feelings or words for her anymore.
I'd thought she was cute and pretty countless times while watching her, so it didn't feel sudden to me.
But Chae-ah seemed to take it completely differently.
"If you say so... then I'm glad."
"You should get ready to open up, so wanna go wash up?"
"Yeah, unnie. Be right back!"
With that, Chae-ah waved brightly and left the store for a bit.
She'd cleaned spotless the night before, so there wasn't much "opening prep" left.
"Even filled the display shelves."
Still, I looked around for any spots needing touch-up and found the product displays perfectly arranged.
She'd handled sales and tidied the whole store alone—made me want to reward her even more.
"Come to think of it, when's her birthday?"
I remembered her telling me via KakaoTalk once, so I checked our chat history. There it was—a notification that her birthday was in two days.
"Soon, huh."
First things first, cake. I called Aunt right away.
"Aunt, it's me."
"What's up? You calling first."
"Chae-ah's birthday's in two days, so... can you make a Dubai chewy cookie cake?"
"Sure, no problem."
"Thanks, then."
"Yui, you and Chae-ah dating now?"
Nothing in my words hinted at our new relationship, so it caught me off guard hearing it.
"N-no, that's not..."
"Pfft, you are."
I denied it hastily, but of course that wouldn't fly with Aunt.
"How'd you know?"
"You're different from last time."
"Different how?"
"Your voice when you talk about Chae-ah—it's not the same as before. I noticed."
She'd spent so much time with me, she claimed to know me better than Mom did.
This proved it.
"Guess I gotta prepare properly, then."
"How much? Sending payment now."
"Nah. Can't charge my niece for starting to date again. Consider it an auntie gift."
"You don't have to..."
"Got an order coming in—gotta go."
The call ended before I could say more.
I stared blankly at my phone for a moment, then thought of Chae-ah's name in my contacts.
"Saving my girlfriend with her full name feels too cold, huh?"
If I saw how she'd saved mine, she'd probably complain, so I pondered a fitting name.
"Heart emoji's too cringy... Hmm, tough."
It'd been ages since I'd agonized over something like this; nothing came easily.
In the end, I changed "Chae-ah Shin" to just "Chae-ah."
She might nag about it, but it was the best I could do right now.
Time passed, and the shop door opened.
Naturally, it was Chae-ah who walked in.
I moved to greet her casually, but her transformed look stopped me dead.
"Boss, I'm back~."
Hard to believe this was the same girl griping about being grimy moments ago—a perfect makeover.
A crisp white collared shirt layered under a cozy gray V-neck knit looked more prim and innocent than ever.
Below, a white pleated skirt swayed lightly with each step, amplifying her signature lovable, bubbly energy.
It wasn't just a wardrobe swap.
A black choker hugged her slender neck, a sparkling cross pendant gleamed, and a ribbon adorned her neatly half-up hair, just like mine.
I could picture her fussing in front of the mirror, wanting to look pretty for me—my chest tickled warmly at the thought.
Bathed in sunlight streaming through the door, cheeks flushed pink, beaming that radiant smile.
This dazzlingly cute, pure girl was now my girlfriend—it felt so surreal.
A moment of deep realization: my confession, my resolve to stop running, had returned to my life as such an undeserved, beautiful gift.
"Boss?"
"Oh, no... you're just... so pretty."
"Really?! I put in effort to look good for you—glad it worked!"
Even as she clapped and approached, she was breathtaking; I still couldn't believe this was real.
"Did half-up like you, boss."
"Oh, yeah. Saw that."
"Looks good on me?"
"Yeah, suits you great. You really put thought into this outfit."
"Of course. We're going on a date after closing."
"A date today?"
"Yeah, why not? Isn't dating right away on day one the rule?"
As I wondered if such a rule existed, Chae-ah sidled up and hooked her arm in mine.
Pointless thought, really.
Dating your girlfriend wasn't anything special.
"Let's do it. I'll plan the course."
"Yes, boss! Oh, but boss, you..."
Chae-ah tapped her cheek with a finger, eyeing my outfit closely.
It wasn't sloppy, so her scrutiny flustered me a bit.
"Seriously..."
"Weird?"
"No. You look like a total lesbian."
"Pfft! What kinda talk is that."
I hadn't expected that take, and laughter burst out.
"All black? Straight-up lesbian demon vibe."
"Never heard that one before."
"Try Hongdae or Hapjeong like this. You'd get so much 'butch' flak."
"Not weird, though?"
"No! Super cool!"
Chae-ah set down her handbag and put on a mask.
Seeing it was nearly opening time, I followed suit.
"Please take care of me today too, boss."
"Yeah. Let's hustle."
I suddenly looked forward to what changes our new relationship might bring.
For some reason, I was sure they wouldn't be negative—and smiled behind my mask.