84. End of Entrance Exams, Start of Cohabitation. And a Trip to Japan. (1)

December 31st.

The day I move into my own place, and the day Aki and I decided to go on a trip to Japan.

…Well, sort of.

Truth be told, there wasn’t much to do for the move. Because we’re taking the 2 PM flight to Japan with Aki today, I called a moving company yesterday evening and had them move most of our belongings.

So, all that’s left is a single travel bag. And even that will be brought to the new place by Dad, who’s driving.

‘Go there, unpack, clean the house, take a quick shower, and then have lunch before heading to the airport…’

I should be able to leave on time.

After making a plausible plan, I slowly unzipped the travel bag. I finished packing everything last night, but just in case, I’m double-checking to make sure I didn’t forget anything or leave anything behind. Buying it over there will cost money.

“Let’s see.”

I exchanged the currency the day before yesterday, I have my passport, clothes to change into, a charger, a SIM card.

“…Ah.”

I need to pack the plug adapter for the charger, right.

Japan has a different standard voltage than our country, so I can’t use it as is. I hurriedly got up and packed the adapter I bought from Daiso last night into my bag.

“Hmm, is that all…?”

─Son, are you done packing~?

“Ah, yes. I’m all done!”

─Okay? Then come down quickly, Dad’s about to leave~!

“Yes!”

I answered in a loud voice, springing to my feet.

Gripping the handle of my travel suitcase, I dragged it down to the first-floor living room, where Mom and Dad were waiting.

Dad was dressed for going out, Mom in her usual casual clothes. They stood side-by-side near the entrance, patiently awaiting my arrival.

“Is that all your luggage?”

Dad glanced at the suitcase in my hand as he spoke.

“That’s all I’m taking with me now. The rest is in moving boxes.”

“Did you double-check to make sure you haven’t forgotten anything?”

“I checked last night and again this morning. It’s perfect.”

“Let’s go, then.”

“Yes. Mom, I’ll be back….”

Ah, not ‘I’ll be back.’ anymore, is it?

Once I leave this house, I’ll be living in my own place with Aki for a while, so saying ‘I’ll be back’ feels… strange.

But then, what should I say? Goodbye? I’ll visit again? Or maybe, see you later…?

I hesitated mid-sentence, and Mom gave a soft chuckle. She must have figured out what was troubling me.

“Woojoo, at times like these, you just say you love us, that you’ll visit often. Understand?”

“…I love you. Mom, I’ll visit often.”

“That’s right, I love you too. And next time you come, be sure to bring a grandchild who looks just like you~?”

“……”

If only she didn’t make jokes like that, she’d be just perfect.

I countered with, “I’ll try my best. But don’t get your hopes up too high,” and embraced her.

Mom hugged me back, seeming reluctant to let go, holding me for a little longer than usual before giving my bottom a light pat as we parted.

“Just because you’re living away from home doesn’t mean you can skip calling. At least once a week, and separately from that, you have to call during holidays, understand?”

“Yes, I know. I’ll call regularly.”

“Make sure you’re eating properly, and don’t get so caught up in living together that you only hang out as a couple. Your classmates are all valuable connections for the future, so you need to take care of those relationships. When I was your age, I didn’t realize that, and I only hung out with your dad, so it was a struggle to fill the wedding hall with guests. You need to be careful…”

“Here she goes again… Okay, that’s enough. Let’s just go, Woojoo.”

“Ah, yes.”

“Huh? Wait a minute, I haven’t finished my story yet…. Joo Siwon! …Joo Siwooon!”

“Joo Siwon is so annoying, honestly…!” Mom shouted after us.

Dad and I were already heading out the door, our eyes met.

At the same time, I let out a small laugh.

Mom really tries to stay young, doesn’t she…

* * *

*Ding, ding, ding-*

“Let’s get out, Woo-joo.”

Dad, having parked the car in the ground-level parking lot, unbuckled his seatbelt.

I quickly hopped out, opened the trunk, retrieved my suitcase that I’d loaded earlier, and closed the trunk.

*Thump-*!

“Looks like Sumimoto-ssi isn’t here yet?”

Fujiwara Sumimoto. That’s Akine’s father’s name.

I craned my neck, looking out toward the main road and said,

“I texted him, and he said he’s just around the corner, so I think he’ll be here soon?”

“Really? Ah, is that him?”

Dad pointed at something. Turning my gaze that way, I saw a black, full-size sedan approaching in the direction of Dad and me.

*Zzzzwing-*

The passenger side window of the black sedan rolled down. And from inside, peeking out, was a shock of bright pink hair.

“Oh? It’s Aki. …Aki, over here!”

“Ah, Woo-joo~chan~!”

Aki, spotting me, beamed a bright smile.

Her expression was utterly endearing, but regardless, just her head sticking out of the car like that was kind of funny and seemed a little dangerous.

So, I waved her inside, but Aki must have thought I was waving *hello*, because she made a heart with her fingers and showed it to me. And as an extra, she even winked, blink-blink.

“…*Pfft*.”

Ah, so cute…

Without realizing it, I chuckled. Dad followed suit, letting out a hearty laugh.

“Whatever else, it won’t be boring living with her.”

“Um, I guess so…”

*Screech-*

While we were laughing and chatting, the black sedan came to a stop.

As soon as the car’s engine was cut off, Aki opened the door and leaped out, flashing a smile brighter than the midsummer sun as she hurried to where I was standing.

“Woo-joo~chan~!”

“Yeah, Akiya. I’m her—”

*Thwack.*

Before the words could fully form, Aki launched herself, arms outstretched, and embraced me tightly.

My dad was right beside us, and her dad was by the sedan, yet she didn’t hesitate for even a moment.

I was a little fl*stered by it.

‘…Well, we’re going to be living together now, after all.’

A hug is just a light greeting. I patted Aki gently, putting my ‘glad to be here’ feeling into it.

“Did you sleep well last night, Woo-joo~chan?”

“Yeah, I slept fine. You?”

“A-tashi couldn’t sleep properly. …I got a little excited thinking about the trip. Hehe.”

“Ah, is that so…?”

She couldn’t sleep because she was excited about the trip, huh.

I wasn’t sure exactly *why* she was so excited. Well, actually I did know, but it wasn’t exactly a topic to discuss in front of our parents, so I cleared my throat and slowly pulled away.

“Sumimoto-san, thank you for your trouble. This area can get a bit congested, can’t it?”

“Not at all. It’s no trouble. It was a bit crowded due to the weekend, but we arrived quickly enough.”

“It’s good to hear you arrived quickly. …By the way, did you get a new car? Is that a Toyota Century?”

My dad was glancing at Aki’s father’s car.

Aki’s father, who had taken her suitcase to bring it over, shrugged his shoulders once.

“Yes, that’s correct. The new SUV model.”

“Oh my, really? I knew it, as soon as I saw it coming from over there, the l*ster was different….”

“Dad. What’s a Toyota Century?”

“It’s a car made by Toyota, but it’s incredibly expensive. A Century SUV…. Even the base model will be over 200 million won, you know?”

“……200 million won?”

“Yeah, 200 million. But saying it’s 200 million is just a number, it’s actually more expensive than that. Adding one option can cost hundreds, and expensive options can cost thousands.”

“…….”

So, when Aki said, ‘My family has a lot of money,’ it wasn’t just a casual remark.

Two hundred million won for just one car. As someone who didn’t even have the 20 million won deposit for an apartment and had to rely on her parents’ help, it was an absolutely jaw-dropping amount.

Two hundred million.

How could a car cost 200 million….

“Akiya, should Dad carry your luggage up to the house?”

“U-uh, I’m alright! I don’t have much luggage anyway. You can head back now.”

“……Ah, is that so?”

Aki’s father withdrew his hand, looking rather sheepish.

He seemed quite disappointed that Aki refused his help, gazing at her with lingering eyes before glancing this way.

“Then…. Mr. Siwon, how about we go grab a cup of coffee somewhere?”

“Ah, I’d love to. Wooju, you don’t need my help with anything, do you? You two can manage everything just fine, right?”

“Yes. We can handle it ourselves. You can go.”

“Alright. Then I’ll be off. Let’s go, Mr. Sumimoto.”

“Papa, see you later~!”

“Yeah, see you later…”

Aki’s father accepted the farewell a bit awkwardly.

He handed Aki her suitcase and, receiving her sweet send-off, headed towards the nearby coffee shop with my dad.

…And then, there was us, left behind.

“He’s gone…?”

“Yeah, he’s gone…”

“……”

“……”

For some reason, we became a little awkward, subtly checking each other’s expressions.

When our respective fathers were here, it was fine. But now that it was just the two of us, the feeling of starting to live together was heavy.

Aki was probably feeling the same as me.

“……Shall we go unpack our things, for now?”

“U-uh, let’s do that…”

* * *

Two hours later.

“……Haa, shall we take a break?”

I thought it would be over quickly since we were just unpacking, but it was taking longer than expected.

Aki, as if she had only been waiting for my words, nodded weakly, halting her unboxing of a carton.

“Yeah, I want to rest…”

“Are you tired? Shall I get you some water?”

“Instead of water, I’d like some grape juice, Wooju~chan…”

“Grape juice, alas, we are without…. But I can fetch you water just as chilled, instead.”

From the water purifier, I collected ice, then water atop it.

Two glasses, one for myself, one for Aki, brimming with cool water, I carried them to her.

“Here, this should be refreshing.”

“…Glug.”

Aki drained her glass in a single gulp.

“Glug, glug…. Haa, pffhaaa…!”

“How is it? Cool enough?”

“Yeah, super cool. Thanks, Uju~chan….”

Aki wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

A single drop, clinging there, traced a path down her jawline and onto her neck.

My gaze followed, tracing that bead of water to Aki’s neck, to the upper curve of her chest, to the white t-shirt clinging with sweat, faintly translucent.

I shifted my eyes away, fearing I shouldn’t look any longer.

Thankfully, Aki didn’t seem to notice my gaze.

“Ah, that’s revitalizing…. Say, Uju~chan, what time is it now?”

“Eleven. Three more hours yet.”

“Hmm, really? Eleven already…”

“Why?”

“Just calculating. Factoring in washing up, check-in, a browse at the duty-free shop… I’m trying to figure out when we need to wrap things up.”

“Right. We have to go through boarding procedures when we get to the airport, too, don’t we?”

“Yeah, yeah, we do. But it’ll probably be surprisingly quick. I’m Japanese by nationality, and you’re Korean, Uju~chan. I bet the waiting time inside the plane will be longer.”

“Ah, I guess so….”

A furtive glance.

Even as I answered, my eyes wandered, taking in the shape of Aki’s body.

I’d been trying so hard not to look, trying to resist, but with the t-shirt clinging so revealingly with sweat, my gaze kept being drawn, against my will, down to her neckline.

“……”

Contours, so clear, so exquisite, that it felt almost forbidden.

Even at a glance, Aki’s chest seemed far larger than the span of my palm. And it’s not as if my hands are small either. They’re big and long and slender, calloused though they are.

“Ah, but I still have to pack away the things we took out…. I definitely can’t get it all done in under thirty minutes, can I?”

“……Huh? Yeah, that’s right.”

“Hmm, right? Can’t clean it all up, huh? …Eh, let’s just finish the rest after the trip. We’ve got plenty of time anyway.”

“Yeah, okay. Let’s do that…”

I answered mechanically, rubbing at the corner of my mouth.

I must be crazy. To have lewd thoughts while looking at Aki’s underwear, of all things.

“…….”

No, that’s not right.

Isn’t it precisely because it’s Aki’s underwear that I’m allowed to have such thoughts?

It would be more of a problem if I were having those thoughts about some other woman’s.

“I wanna take a shower and change, Uju~chan. Wanna go first?”

“Huh? Ah, um. Should I?”

“……Heh. Why are you so fl*stered? Were you having some strange fantasies or something?”

“No, it’s not that…”

I was. Like, seriously.

I started to say that, but then I clamped my mouth shut.

Aki stared at my fl*stered expression, then, giving me a playful, smiling glance, she said,

“Ah, I get it. Uju~chan, you want to shower with me, right…?”

“…….”

“Don’t worry. I’ll do it later…”

“……Later when?”

I blurted out before I could stop myself.

“Huh, um?”

“You just said later. When is ‘later’?”

“……Huh?”

Pause.

Aki trailed off, fl*stered.

“Tomorrow, the day after? Or three days from now?”

A chance to shower together with Aki, whose br*easts were so much bigger than my hands.

Not wanting to let that golden opportunity slip away, I took a step closer to Aki.

“When is later?”

“……Ah.”

Aki’s face flushed crimson.

I gripped Aki’s shoulder firmly.

“If you don’t tell me right now, shall we go in together?”

“……Eh?!”

“Tell me quickly if you don’t want that. When is ‘later’?”

“Ah…. Th-that, uh, uh….”

“5, 4, 3, 2….”

“L-later…?! …Hah.”

Aki reflexively covered her mouth.

Judging by her expression, it seemed she hadn’t originally intended to say “later,” but something else entirely. I didn’t give Aki a chance to correct her mistake and immediately nodded.

“Understood. We’re doing it together later, right? I’ll remember that?”

“Huh? N-no….”

“Alright, go wash up now. I’ll be waiting outside.”

“Wa-wait a minute. Uju~chan. That’s not what I meant…!”

“Ah, so you want to shower together now? Understood, then….”

I grabbed the hem of my shirt and pretended to take it off.

Aki’s face then turned a vibrant red. Unable to say a word, she twitched and dashed towards the bathroom.

“U-Uju~chan is weird! P-pervert! Pervert, perveeeert…!”