Chapter 31: First Trip with My Girlfriend (6) (feat. Heena)

    TL: looloo

    Schedule: 4/Week Wed-Sat

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    My upcoming sea trip with Yeonho is just around the corner. Or, at least, I thought.

    "If things improve, let''s head to the sea together next year."

    "A swimsuit? I mean, I''d like to see it, but surely we wouldn’t go just because of that?"

    "Why not just enjoy the winter sea then? The real charm of the sea... it comes with swimming."

    "I apologize... I actually just wanted to see you in a swimsuit."

    In the end, we softly let go of yet another past moment we couldn''t share together.

    I won’t forget you from back then.

    Still, I''ll shower the present you with even more love.

    Because to me, you are everything, my precious.

    ---

    Raei Translations

    ---

    Dressed in blue jeans and a white tee, I slipped into comfy sneakers and topped off the look with a hat I had never worn before.

    The suitcase I pulled along was packed with new clothes I had bought while shopping with my mom, aiming to showcase various sides of myself during the trip.

    The hat felt somewhat out of place and I was tempted to remove it right away, but I resisted the urge, wanting to coordinate my look with Yeonho.

    On this early summer morning, I basked in the surprisingly warm sunlight, eagerly awaiting his arrival.

    The time spent waiting for him was always a blend of hopeful anticipation and underlying anxiety, especially when he was traveling by bus or car.

    Though I tried to shake off my concerns, I couldn''t help but worry about what I''d do if, for some reason, he didn''t show up.

    Consequently, my gaze was fixed intently on the bus stop, hoping to spot the bus he was on.

    After a brief wait, seeing him disembark from the rear door of a stopped bus filled me with an inward sigh of relief.

    The moment he descended, he spotted me and quickly approached.

    "Have you been waiting long? It''s quite warm out, isn''t it?"

    "I just got here as well."

    We exchanged the usual pleasantries.

    It was heartwarming to see him dressed similarly to me, donning the same hat and even wearing the glasses we had bought together previously.

    Though this time we''d merely coordinated our outfits, next time, I wanted us to wear identical clothing. After all, I wanted to mark him as mine.

    Thus, even before our adventure began, we started with a photo session.

    Our dates always kicked off this way, a tradition I dearly cherished.

    Perhaps it was a counteraction to the realization that we had fewer shared photos than I had initially thought.

    Snap. We effortlessly struck a pose and, upon reviewing the photo, both Yeonho and I broke into simultaneous laughter.

    Was it the excitement of the journey or the joy of being in the presence of my beloved? I couldn''t tell.

    However, the elation filling my heart seemed to manifest itself in our shared laughter.

    ---

    Raei Translations

    ---

    Traveling alone by bus made me a bit uncomfortable, so I decided to journey by train.

    Even though it made the trip more cumbersome, I was grateful to Yeonho for saying it felt more adventurous that way.

    The moments of playful banter with Yeonho while waiting for the train were pure joy.

    "Am I heavy?"

    "Not at all. I hardly noticed."

    Recently, I began putting in more effort into my appearance, hoping to present a more beautiful side of myself.

    Not that he answered because he knew this, of course.

    As usual, we spent our time taking photos until we boarded the train.

    With Yeonho''s assistance, I settled our luggage. As soon as I sat down, I reached into my pocket.

    Rustling - I took out a snack I''d bought in advance online, knowing Yeonho''s love for such treats.

    "Yeonho, say ''ah~''"

    "Ah~"

    Without any hesitation, I fed him one piece at a time.

    I remembered this snack because Yeonho used to brag about buying and eating them daily during college.

    Back then, I''d scold him, warning that such snacks were bad for health.

    Watching him enjoy the snacks I offered always brought a smile to my face.

    However,

    "......"

    I felt a hint of irritation seeing him focused in his phone instead of engaging with me.

    Although I knew he was updating his mother, my feelings of possessiveness seemed to grow by the day.

    Trying to suppress my mood, I stopped giving him the snacks.

    His attention quickly shifted back to me, perhaps missing the treats.

    Feeling a sense of satisfaction, I playfully teased him further.

    "Want more?"

    "Yes."

    "Sir, from now on, these snacks come at a price."

    "Oh... what should I offer in exchange?"

    I pointed subtly to my cheek.

    "You have to pay if you want more."

    "......"

    Both of us seemed to be lost in the tranquil ambiance of the night sea, allowing a moment of silence to pass between us.

    When our eyes met, I whispered to him, "I''m sorry."

    It was not just an apology; I wanted to convey the happiness that overwhelmed me.

    This time, Yeonho spoke his truth.

    He confessed his feelings.

    He thanked me.

    For my confession, for coming closer. All the things I had thought were forced from my side, he cherished them.

    Tears threatened to spill from my eyes, but I held them back, not wanting to ruin the moment.

    Then he said, "Our parents trust us enough to let us travel together, right? They might not reprimand us if we decide on something now, but if we seriously think about our future..."

    "To be honest, I really want to... but I want to wait until we graduate."

    "Until we can take some responsibility for ourselves, at least a little."

    "I hope you can wait until then. Is that okay?"

    He softly pleaded.

    He wasn''t just thinking about this moment, but about our shared future. Despite the uneasiness lurking in the back of my mind, pushing me to give in to the present, he was asking me to consider our future together.

    The fact that he saw our relationship as a given even in the future brought tears to my eyes.

    I was overjoyed. I was happy. Yeonho was so lovable.

    I love him. He is irreplaceably precious to me.

    And Yeonho, in turn, said, "I love you too, Heena."

    It was his first time saying he loved me. Not just liking, but truly loving.

    Overwhelmed by the depth of his feelings, and my own, I cried heartily. Only after my tearful episode did I look up at him with a messy face. Realizing how disheveled I looked, I quickly looked away, embarrassed. Yet, the way he held my gaze made me feel there was more he wanted to say.

    I slowly closed my eyes, waiting.

    In my darkened vision, after what felt like an eternity but was only a few seconds, I felt the soft touch of his lips.

    A fleeting, incredibly brief kiss.

    Yearning for more, I immediately opened her eyes, only to see his face, wearing a gentle smile.

    While he seemed content with just that, I wasn''t. This overwhelming feeling wasn''t quelled by such a brief encounter.

    I understood his wish to wait until after graduation for intimacy and accepted it. There was even a certain joy in knowing he was thinking of our distant future.

    But aside from that, everything else was fine, wasn''t it?

    Without hesitation, I wrapped my arms around his neck.

    "Is this okay?"

    All reason left me. Pulling him close, I kissed him again, more passionately this time.

    I gently sucked on his soft upper lip, teasing his teeth with my tongue. Sensing his response, a gap appeared between our lips.

    I seized the moment, exploring the depths of his mouth. For a brief instant, I caressed his tense tongue, promising more.

    Reluctantly, we parted.

    To be honest, even that wasn''t enough for me.

    I didn''t want to be perceived as someone solely focused on intimacy, so I smiled at him.

    "Take care of me from now on, Yeonho."

    What they hadn''t done now would be spread out over a lifetime.

    Got it?

    ---

    Raei Translations

    ---

    Upon returning to the hotel room, nothing out of the ordinary occurred. At first, I had anticipated something special to unfold in that setting, but my heart was already satisfied.

    I wondered if Yeonho felt the same. We lay on our separate beds, looking at each other, engaged in conversation until he eventually succumbed to sleep.

    I discreetly moved closer to gaze at his charming face, tenderly brushing it to ensure he didn''t wake.

    Resisting the rising flush of desire, I returned to my bed and contemplated the day''s events.

    Yeonho''s birthday was on January 29th, while mine fell on February 13th.

    Checking the date on my phone, I realized that my birthday, two years from now and a day before Valentine''s Day, would be on a Saturday.

    I immediately marked it as D-day.

    As I pondered the days ahead, I slipped into sleep.

    585 days to go until that day.

    ---

    Raei Translations

    ---

    I woke up almost simultaneously with Yeonho.

    Seeing each other''s freshly woken faces, we laughed. But, realizing that we had no idea how disheveled we might look, I playfully scolded him.

    I was surprised at myself for feeling even more at ease with him, just like our college days.

    Yeonho, too, treated me just as he did back then. Not exactly the same, but almost as close.

    Thrilled by this realization, I playfully teased him all morning, darting around like a child.

    It was hard to contain my emotions even after leaving the hotel.

    "Of course. Now, tell me, do I look pretty? By the way, I''ll only accept ''yes'' as an answer."

    I proudly showed off my dress in front of him, as if fishing for compliments.

    "Name tag? Didn''t you put one yesterday?"

    I said, feigning innocence, and gave him a peck on the lips.

    "So, what wish will you make?"

    "I''ll save it for later!"

    I playfully caught his minor slips in conversation and earned a "wish" from him.

    Seeing me acting so youthful and carefree, Yeonho watched with a smile.

    His smile, with the corners of his eyes crinkled and the edge of his lips gently raised, was the same one that brought me peace in both joyous and painful times,