Chapter 226
People’s dispositions vary greatly.
Some have personalities that love to wander through noisy places, while others prefer the quiet.
If I had to categorize myself, I’d likely fall into the latter. Excluding conditions where—like when my girlfriend suggested going out—I genuinely loved staying at home and relaxing.
Isn’t there quite a bit to do at home? You can watch movies or cartoons. I occasionally play games too, and there’s even space for some exercise.
However, it does get a bit tiring to always be at home.
Being an introverted person can be such a nuisance. Though I dread going out and dislike it, I sometimes can’t help but feel the urge to venture out.
Interestingly enough, there was someone like this around me.
“……”
“……”
Chae-yeon.
When at home, she would always be nestled in some corner, leisurely reading a book… well, she was a university student, so calling her a girl is a stretch, but she still had a hint of girliness about her—a quiet girl.
When reading, she usually sat at the table or quietly lounged in some corner of the living room. Occasionally, she’d proudly plop herself on my lap and dive into a book.
At those moments, she’d wrap her arms around me tightly, bury her nose in my neck, and sniff me. Thankfully, she did take care of herself, so she didn’t smell too bad.
By cuddling into me like that, Chae-yeon’s eyes would also freeze on the book’s words. Unable to concentrate, she would pretend to read while subtly leaning her body against me. And whenever I made her my plaything, she would just sit still, blushing, without even a sound.
Even with her passive approach to sexual appeal, after seeing me go on dates with other girls, she said she wanted to do the same.
With Jua, we somewhat planned our dates together, and with Yeon-woo, although we acted impulsively, she still had some kind of plan in her mind. But Chae-yeon didn’t seem to think about those things at all when she started to act up.
“……”
“……”
We walked in silence for a while.
Maybe because the weather was a bit chilly, Chae-yeon stuck close to my side, almost burrowing under my arm.
We hadn’t even left our neighborhood yet.
The streets of the suburban town during the weekday were busier than the subway, and aside from the distant sounds of children playing, there was hardly any other noise. Honestly, I was already a bit worried if the restaurants that were open would do any business.
“So, do you want to go somewhere?”
“…… I can’t think of anywhere in particular.”
Chae-yeon had made quite the troublesome remark.
She wasn’t a girl who expressed her emotions much, so with that monotonous tone, I wasn’t really sure how to interpret her words.
So, well, we just kept walking.
Interestingly enough, I didn’t think it was such a bad thing. Even though we walked in silence, the fact that we were so close together really reaffirmed that she was right next to me.
However, after a while, I could feel Chae-yeon shivering slightly.
“Cold?”
When I stopped to ask, Chae-yeon nodded shyly.
I released her and placed my hands in my coat pockets as I strolled around.
It wasn’t that cold for me. It was late autumn, so it wasn’t freezing like mid-winter. Although, for some people, it could certainly feel chilly.
“Here.”
I said playfully, and Chae-yeon hesitated for a moment. She glanced around but seemed unable to entirely reject my offer.
Carefully, Chae-yeon snuggled into the inside of my coat. She nestled her face against my chest, slipped her hands inside, and wrapped her arms around my waist.
I closed my coat around her like I was kidnapping her. Just like how I would seize her when she sat on my lap.
Her delicate body fit snugly into me. Her face, slightly embarrassed, was buried deep in my coat.
It was quite a cute couple’s action, but, um, it was also a bit thrilling. Although Chae-yeon was petite, her curves were definitely there, which made it feel even more so. The slenderness of her waist accentuated it even further.
I tightly embraced her, pulling her closer to me. In moments like this, I sometimes felt relieved to be the female in this situation. Otherwise, I would have definitely ended up exposed in front of Chae-yeon.
The inside of my coat became quite warm from both our body heats. It was a warmth that felt richer than just a hand warmer or ambient temperature.
“How’s this?”
“……”
After a brief hesitation, Chae-yeon finally answered.
“…… I like it.”
Hmm.
Warmth—that was an expression I liked even more.
*
But we couldn’t spend our alone time on the street.
In the end, we would end up at a hotel, but wouldn’t it be better to spend some time lounging around somewhere cozy and warm before that?
Thinking that over, I decided to take Chae-yeon to a manga café.
Somehow, it felt like Chae-yeon would read just about any kind of book without concern.
Well, there was also another reason for choosing that spot.
As soon as we went in, the peculiar smell typical of a place brimming with books filled the air. If poorly managed, it could smell damp and rotten, but this place didn’t have that. The heater inside was moderately cozy too.
There were recliners and small tables for one to sit comfortably alone, but I was thinking of another spot.
This manga café had private rooms.
Although they were called private rooms, you could lie down and read within a confined space similar to a jjimjilbang sleeping area.
The space was quite ample, even enough for two people to fit comfortably. Plus, you could draw the curtains to keep the inside hidden from view.
We lightly ordered drinks and fruit juices and grabbed random books before stepping inside.
Curiously enough, as soon as Chae-yeon entered with her book, she genuinely opened it. Unlike me, who picked a trendy manga, she had chosen a novel—an old martial arts story.
“You read stuff like that?”
“It’s my first time.”
That would make sense, right? Because the books she usually read were usually not novels at all.
But seeing her really read a book, I felt a strange thrill.
So, Chae-yeon perched my legs on her lap.
“……”
Chae-yeon looked a bit surprised and lowered her book to look at me.
Didn’t she come here to read? Seeing her face, I couldn’t help but laugh again in disbelief.
Crawling towards her, since it was impossible to stand up completely, Chae-yeon blushed and gradually shifted to evade me.
But even so, this was a narrow space with just a few mattresses. Unless she actually left the room, she couldn’t escape.
I caught her like a predator would, pulling her into an embrace as if I were cuddling a dakimakura.
Chae-yeon seemed to stop thinking for a moment, or perhaps she was just trying to read even in that situation, as she kept her eyes glued to the book.
With my chest snugly pressing against her, I felt a rush.
So I leaned forward, puffing into Chae-yeon’s ear.
Shiver.
Chae-yeon trembled. We were so close that I could feel it resonate through my body.
I playfully nipped at her earlobe.
“Hmm…….”
I heard Chae-yeon’s muffled moan.
Ah, I almost lost it there.
She was so cute that I nearly tackled her. Of course, I knew I shouldn’t do that here. In fact, if this were a space where anyone could see, merely being in this position would be a death sentence.
Lifting Chae-yeon’s light body onto mine, I leaned back against the wall as I held her from behind.
“……”
Chae-yeon’s hand, still clutching the book, slowly moved up toward her face.
And then, as if to hide her face, she pressed the book closely against it.
I sank my nose into her neck as I snugly held her from behind. She smelled really nice. It seemed like she’d genuinely bathed well today.
Why? Well, the reason came to mind immediately.
Though she was slim, her belly was a tad soft. She didn’t have a lot of muscle after all. Her waistline was quite indented, which made her pelvis appear even more pronounced than I’d figured.
Chae-yeon, with her face disguised behind a book, was trembling without making any resistance or sound.
“Chae-yeon, did you know?”
I whispered softly in her ear. From beyond the curtains, I could hear people moving about quietly, and the clinking of teacups. The gentle music playing in the café as well.
“You’re really cute.”
As soon as I said that, Chae-yeon’s legs flicked slightly. There was something wonderfully joyful about that movement.
I chuckled.
Then, I fondly ruffled Chae-yeon’s hair and pulled out my smartphone.
Peep.
Somehow, Chae-yeon noticed, peeking over her book.
Her eyes sparkled like a cooing cat.
I leaned my face in close to hers and took a picture.
Click.
Ah. That sounded a bit loud. Did someone hear?
Well, it doesn’t matter. We had been whispering and chatting together all this time, so I doubt anyone would’ve heard us.
Thus, we spent our time quietly together.
Even without rushing to energetic or noisy places, simply taking our time together like this was incredibly enjoyable.
Eventually, Chae-yeon mustered some courage and began sniffing my smell.
…Well, it felt nice.
I smiled contentedly as I thought that.