Chapter 70: Shopping for the Day (2)
TL: looloo
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With footsteps as heavy as if shackled in iron chains, I followed Heena.
I wondered where it all began. Was it a mere coincidence, or something more? Why did I end up shopping like this with Heena again?
I pleaded for a different wish, but to no avail.
"No, it has to be this. I really want you to choose."
Her firm voice left no room for argument, and I realized there was no escaping this. With each step towards our destination, my heart grew twice as heavy.
When Heena finally stopped walking, I raised my head to see the store we had arrived at.
"......"
A women's lingerie brand store I had seen a few times while passing by caught my eye. It looked like a place no man should ever enter, exclusively occupied by female customers.
As we reached the entrance, my heart raced even more. Feeling a strong sense of this being absolutely wrong, I impulsively grabbed Heena's arm and kissed her.
I didn't care who saw us.
Initially surprised by my sudden action, Heena soon reciprocated the kiss. After a brief moment, I broke away and spoke.
"I love you, Heena. How about we go watch a movie instead?"
"I love you too~ Let's watch the movie later, okay?"
"Can't we watch it now?"
"No."
Heena was no longer swayed by mere physical affection. I liked it, but it wasn't enough to change her mind.
I missed the old Heena, who would have given in to a simple kiss.
Eventually, I was led into the store, holding her hand. As we entered, it felt like all eyes were on me.
I stuck close behind Heena, afraid of looking like a pervert if I strayed even slightly.
Heena casually walked to a section of the store and picked up a white bra and panty set, then pushed it in front of me for inspection. It felt like a familiar scene; last time it was a swimsuit, now real lingerie.
"How about this one?"
"It's pretty. That looks good. Should we buy it? Shall I buy it for you?"
I quickly replied as if everything was to my liking. But Heena wasn't having any of it.
"If you don't look properly, I'll spend the whole day choosing here."
How can someone be so merciless? Sighing, I turned back to look at the lingerie she was holding.
Compared to the other items around, it wasn't flashy but seemed extremely soft to the touch, almost like silk.
I imagined Heena wearing it in my mind.
"Uh..."
Ignoring the issue that suddenly arose in my lower half, I spoke again with sincerity.
"It seems to suit you. It would be pretty."
"You think so? Then this one and~"
She seemed to be pre-selecting several pieces to try on like clothes, turning her attention to other lingerie. Standing awkwardly beside her, I glanced around, looking for somewhere else to rest my eyes.
Everywhere I looked, there were only women.
However, amidst them, surprisingly, I saw another man standing with an awkward expression like mine. He appeared to be just a few years older than me.
I looked at him with a sense of pity, and our eyes met as he too glanced around. For a moment, we simply looked at each other.
-Nodding
Without exchanging a word, we shared a moment of mutual understanding. The store was quite large, so not all customers were visible; I had thought I was the only man there. Discovering a comrade in this situation brought some comfort.
"Yeonho! How about this one?"
Distracted by my surroundings, I was brought back to the moment as Heena stood in front of me with new lingerie. This time it was a black set with a bit of lace and a light purple one similar to the white she showed earlier.
Holding them in each hand, she placed them against her body, seeking my opinion.
"Both seem nice."
"But which one do you like more?"
"Uh... the black one?"
"So you like this style? Got it!"
"But shouldn't you buy what you like?"
I was happy she considered my preference, but ultimately, she would be the one wearing and changing it daily. Lingerie isn't something you see all the time.
At my question, Heena came closer. She tiptoed and whispered in my ear.
"I'm buying it to show you, so it should be something you like."
"......."
"You know, there are only 52 days left, right?"
With that, she moved away to look at other types of lingerie.
I covered my face with both hands, feeling blood rush to both my head and lower half.
What kind of reaction was I supposed to have? It was getting harder to bear day by day, and I tried not to think about it.
I, too, was counting down the days to Heena's birthday, crossing off each day. It was the deadline for the 'wait until then' promise I always regretted making.
Yet, hearing her words, the lingerie she was choosing started to appear in a new light. This lingerie we're buying today, I'll get to see it on her then, right? On Heena?
There's no choice. I have to be sincere.
With a sudden surge of determination, I started to approach Heena when I remembered the man I had made eye contact with earlier. Had he already left? I turned back to see, but he was still there.
However.
-Crack.
It felt like I heard the sound of his breaking spirit. If looks could kill, I might have died from the intense glare he was giving. He was glaring, not just at me, but in Heena's and my direction.
Overwhelmed by the stark contrast in the atmosphere from just moments before, I sensed a mix of envy and murderous intent in the man's gaze.
I decided to focus on Heena instead of enduring any more eye contact. I wondered why he looked at me that way, even though he was with his girlfriend.
And in that short time.
Heena brought another piece of lingerie. It was a type so thin that the hand could be seen through the back. A dress-style that went down to the thighs, with the panties separate, but clearly visible through it.
"Look at this~ Everything will show through this. Right?"
"......."
"Do you like it?"
"Isn't it? I didn't say anything yet?"
"Really~?"
I couldn't take my eyes off the lingerie that looked extremely provocative through the white dress. A see-through slip? Whatever its name, it was undoubtedly desirable.
I thought it might be more suitable for older women, but the piece Heena held looked incredibly cute. Or it would look cute on Heena.
Pretending not to be interested while still peeking, Heena chuckled and pressed her body close to me, asking.
"Should we buy this too?"
"That... If you want to."
"You have to be clear. Remember?"
"...Let's buy it."
"Okay! I'll try this on next time~"
I still felt paranoid, as if everyone around was watching us, and felt embarrassed to be in that place.
But I was glad I came. It was almost maddening.
I just wish those 52 days would pass quickly.
After browsing and exploring for nearly an hour, we finally completed the purchase. Thankfully, this time, I wasnt subjected to seeing her try them on. The store had fitting rooms, and naturally, being a lingerie store, other women would be trying on items too. It felt inappropriate for me to be nearby.
Of course, I wanted to see, but the anticipation for the future and the fear of getting overly excited held me back.
We bought two items: one black lace lingerie and the next, a provocative white one, then stepped outside. Feeling the outside air in my lungs brought a sense of liberation.
Finally, I escaped!
"Hehe, we did our Christmas shopping already."
"It's okay, but it was quite expensive."
"Good things tend to be pricey. But there are cheaper ones too."
I was a bit surprised by the price, it was similar to what Id spend on clothes.
"I'll buy us dinner."
"Huh? But this was for your lingerie?"
"Well, it was for both of us, technically."
With my indirect adult joke, I felt a bit awkward and scratched my neck. Heena looked surprised at my words, then soon smiled with her eyes and linked her arm with mine.
"Then, shall we go eat something delicious that Yeonho is treating?"
"How about pasta?"
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Raei Translations
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Afterwards.
We waited for 30 minutes to have pasta and then dropped by a movie theater, as we had nowhere else to go. Unfortunately, all the movies worth watching were fully booked, and we didnt want to waste time on just any movie, so we quickly left.
Wandering here and there, we realized that it's impossible to do anything special on Christmas without a reservation. I had thought we would find someplace to go as we walked.
But I wasnt particularly disappointed. After all, both Heena and I value just being together. Still, with cafes being hard to enter under the current situation, we ended up buying a cake and going to Heena's house.
"Should I make some room for you?"
Mrs. Lee, who was alone at home, said this when we arrived unexpectedly. I stopped her from going out hastily.
It didnt feel right to make her leave because of us, and if Mrs. Lee left, I was afraid the atmosphere might become too hard for me to resist.
So, the three of us ended up eating cake and watching TV. It was a Christmas tradition to watch certain shows on TV. Despite having seen them several times, watching them with Heena made it more fun.
In the evening, Mr. Lee, who had been out since morning for work, returned home. So, we ended up having dinner together.
This year, I often studied with Heena and had meals at her place before going home. It had become quite natural to have meals with Mr. and Mrs. Lee.
"Did you hear about the trip we're planning next week?"
"Yes, Dad is really looking forward to it."
"Hmm, right. As your brother-in-law said, you two should find out how much you can drink before going out for drinks. I wish we had done that with Heeseong."
Mr. Lee seemed quite excited about having a drink with Heena and me. He kept bringing it up with a smile.
After finishing dinner and having some more conversation, we prepared to leave. There was no need to stay late since it wasn't a sleepover and it was just Christmas. We see each other every day anyway.
Of course, Heena had one last thing to say before we parted.
"Next year, from Christmas Eve to the 26th, were together, no exceptions. Just the two of us. Got it?"
"Yes."
So it was decided.
Christmas was over, and the day after tomorrow was the end of the semester ceremony. And after that, it would be the new year.
Heena and I, turning twenty.
Author's Note:
The day is getting closer. My keyboard arrived safely in one day, so today Im typing well.
Also, its a known fact that underwear is more exciting when worn. No objections, or I'll shove you in a drawer.
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