abcnovels
Chapter 45: My Boyfriend Tries So Hard (2)
Chapter 45: My Boyfriend Tries So Hard (2)
Chapter 45: My Boyfriend Tries So Hard (2)
TL: looloo
Schedule: 4/Week Wed-Sat
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Yes, let’s not linger on yesterday’s failure.
With that determination, I stepped out of the house again today. Yesterday, at the last moment, her unique singing talent made me smile a bit, but the atmosphere wasn’t bad, after all.
But would she get angry if I say I want to hear it again?
Anyway, today I didn’t particularly focus on the location, but decided to try a concept, as per Heeseong hyung’s advice.
A real man’s style.
Honestly, both I and Heena know it’s a concept, but just being able to make Heena smile with my actions for today would be enough.
“I’m here! Where are we going today?”
As always, Heena, who arrived earlier than our promised time, asks about our destination with a light peck on my lips.
Maintaining a stern expression that almost softened in that moment, I opened my mouth firmly.
“Lee Heena!”
In preparation for the unfamiliar action I was about to take, I took a deep breath inside and firmly grabbed Heena's arm. But delicately, so as not to harm her slender arm, which seemed as if it might break if mishandled.
Then, pulling her toward me with force, I spoke, with her surprised face close to my nose.
“Let’s go. Just follow me today.”
Indifferently, yet chic.
Inside, I turned, thinking, "This is totally manly."
“Han Yeonho.”
Heena, who normally does not call me by my full name unless she’s upset, was resisting my grip as she said my name.
In that moment, I sensed it.
That it was completely ruined.
“Who taught you this?”
"...Heena, what to say to a boyfriend..."
I tried to maintain the concept without giving up.
"Yeonho. You’re kind, right? Hmm?"
Heena’s demeanor, as chilly as it was smiling, enough to make my recent indifferent chicness look insignificant, forced me to immediately back down.
"I'm sorry. I just thought maybe you'd like it, so I tried..."
"Uh-huh, no, it’s okay. I'm happy about your feelings. You wouldn’t do it without reason; you thought about our date, didn’t you?"
"Well, yeah, but..."
"I should apologize for reacting so sensitively. But it just doesn’t suit you to act like this, Yeonho."
As if comforting me, she continues, caressing my hand.
"You feel like a boyfriend when I see you doing that. But you change girlfriends quite often, even though I do like you somewhat."
Wait, wasn’t he just talking idly? Is he really like that?
To be fair. He did seem the type to lead, not be led. His personality was straightforward.
"So I’m happy that you thought of me, but I spoke a bit harshly. I’m sorry..."
"No, no! What are you sorry for! I'm the one who should apologize. I'm sorry, okay?"
When Heena visibly deflated, I hastily comforted her, bending slightly to meet her eyes.
When I stopped the unnecessary act and simply smiled at her as I usually would, thankfully, Heena’s mood seemed to lighten as she returned the smile.
Releasing a quiet sigh of relief within, I was thinking to myself that surely, engaging in an ill-fitting act was not the right thing after all.
"So."
"Yeah?"
"Why are you suddenly like this? Who taught you? A friend?"
If I had to say who, it was Heeseong hyung, but I wasn't keen on betraying him by name since I was the one who sought advice in the first place.
"I just thought about it myself."
"There's no way. Who is it? It can't be my brother, can it?"
What is this, this chillingly sharp intuition?
Stumbling over Heena’s questions, which delved like a pair of tweezers, her mood deflates once again.
"It's hard to tell me, isn’t it..."
"No..."
"It’s okay... It might be hard to say..."
What's going on? Clearly, I started with good intentions, so how did it come to this? Where did I go wrong?
Various thoughts flew through my mind, but that wasn’t the important thing right now.
We had just met for the day, and I didn’t want to start by consoling Heena, who was feeling so down.
Sorry, hyung!
"Heeseong hyung! It was Heeseong hyung. We talked a bit about dating yesterday, and he suggested trying out this style..."
Throwing conscience to the wind and dropping the name, Heena’s wilted demeanor from moments ago vanished, replaced by a sardonic smile beginning to flow.
"Heh heh...It's just like him, huh? Yeah, there's no one around you who would teach you that."
"...Is that so?"
I guess so? Well, someone like Heeseong hyung wasn't the type of person in my circle. He's someone who seems to know how to have a good time.
Ignoring my questioning, Heena continued mumbling to herself.
"Yeah... it hasn't even been a day or two, teaching weird things to Yeonho...? I was worried about you two getting too close in the first place!"
"......"
Hyung, I’m truly sorry.
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Raei Translations
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Silently apologizing to Heeseong, I led Heena, who was emitting a darker aura than usual, to our destination.
Today's date spot was a room café.
Famous for its cute interior that made it a perfect photo spot and renowned for its delicious cruffins, it was quite a place.
Honestly, I’m not the type to seek out such things, and I found its other appealing points on the internet without verifying if they were true, but once we entered, it didn’t feel too bad.
Furthermore, once the basic fee was paid, we could stay in the room for a long time as long as it wasn’t too crowded.
So today, instead of going to a study café, I planned for us to spend time here and then dive straight into studying.
Heena seemed to like it, looking around here and there, and after calling me to a nearby ornament, we took a photo together and entered.
We took off our shoes and flipped the sign at the entrance to 'In Use.' This way, unless someone deliberately peeked in, it was hard to see inside while passing by.
If we couldn’t venture far out anyway, I spent two hours searching for this place yesterday, thinking something like this might please Heena.
"This place is nice~"
Fortunately, Heena’s reaction was extremely positive.
More than positive, she nuzzled her entire body against me and clung to my waist in a form that looked the happiest she’s been recently.
Is this just Heena's way? Was finding a place for us to spend time together the answer instead of doing unnecessary things?
My girlfriend, who seems complicated yet incredibly simple, strangely makes my heart feel entwined.
But that feeling was temporary. Sensing the faint cherry scent coming from Heena, I too leaned in slightly to get closer to her.
"Thank you, Yeonho."
"For what?"
"I did overreact earlier, but I'm really happy that you thought so much about me. Really, really happy."
"Well, I'm just a bit disappointed because I thought it out yesterday and thought I failed."
In our space, in our time, we slowly revealed our inner thoughts amidst the cozy atmosphere.
"What did you think about?"
"Um, about what might make you a bit happier?"
"Heeheeheehee-"
At Heena’s uniquely sly chuckle, I realized I had achieved today's quota.
"Ah, quota for today achieved?"
"Sweet words? Passed!"
Even without directly praising, as long as my honest thoughts reach Heena, that's enough.
I nodded at the pass line of the surprisingly easy daily quest. Watching me, Heena stopped her laughter and spoke slowly.
"You don’t have to rush."
"Huh?"
"I’m happy with the sentiment, that you want to do something for me... but I'm more than content with just the usual you."
"Yeah..."
"I'm already happy knowing that you think about me."
"I understand."
With that, I nodded in agreement.
Of course.
Until now, I had been incapable of reciprocating, and attempting to suddenly make amends was undeniably absurd. These matters of the heart couldn’t be dealt with all at once, like a quest in a game.
However, what I'd thought and realized might not have been entirely misguided.
My fumbling efforts of the past couple of days, ultimately, managed to peek into Heena’s heart, so it was somewhat successful in its own way.
"And, you know already, don’t you?"
"Know what?"
"One of the things I love the most about you."
"Um—"
I did know, but still.
A brief, pondering groan escapes me, and just like that other time, Heena’s hand rises to my face.
Tap tap. At that gentle motion of her tapping my lips, despite it having been a while since we visited the zoo, my body reflexively reacts.
Whether it’s her perfume or today’s lip balm, as I draw closer to Heena’s lips, the scent of cherries gradually intensifies.
Due to that, I felt as if even the kiss would carry that flavor, and simultaneously with our lips meeting, I unwittingly drew her lips, her tongue, into my mouth. Naturally, her saliva did not taste like cherries.
Of course, it was a very brief moment, and when I hurriedly pull away, she immediately begins to pout.
"Yeonho-yah... just a bit more..."
At that seemingly sullen appearance, I wondered if this was really okay.
Yeah.
Although I knew this was the answer, I also pondered because we couldn’t just live embracing and kissing each other every day.
Considering other methods was tough because Heena was such an easygoing girlfriend. Anything could be resolved with just a kiss, and she'd be happy with just a single spontaneous kiss.
I knew this, but it's quite a complicated emotion.
In the end, I kissed Heena until she was satisfied.
Only after a while when our lips part does she, her cheeks tinted, articulate her words.
"And... you also know what words I love the most, right?"
Considering she loved skinship and expressions of affection, I didn’t hesitate and immediately told her.
"I love you, Heena."
"You did so well~"
Then, as if praising a child, she caresses my head and pulls it towards her chest.
There, the cherry scent that had been pricking at my nose.
Her body scent.
It was so overpowering that I couldn’t think of anything else.
Thanks to that, as I merely lean into her, stunned, Heena murmurs as if whispering into my ear.
"I checked on the way here, and there was no one in the room next door."
As if enticing me, she speaks while not loosening the arm holding me.
Though I wasn’t without the thought that it would be fine to stay like this forever, and I felt my hand wanting to venture down to her lower waist.
Eventually, I grasp Heena’s arm that was encircling my head and gently pull it away. As the pressure on my head lifts, I decide to put an end to this blissful moment.
Looking into Heena's eyes, where a subtle heat seemed to linger, I spoke.
"You know, the croffles here look really good. I’ll go and buy some."
"...What?"
Leaving Heena, who was baffled by my abrupt words, I put on the flip-flops that were available and left the room.
To be honest...
If it wasn't for Heena’s parents and also Heeseong hyung, I might have genuinely crossed a line.
However, in this situation where all of Heena’s family members were praising my actions and trusting me, I couldn't succumb to a moment of temptation like this.
At the very least, until graduation, I would showcase a resolve as strong as steel.
A little while later.
When I returned with the croffles and drinks in hand, Heena, thankfully, struck up a casual conversation as if nothing had happened.
We amiably shared the croffle, exchanging stories, and after focusing on studying for about 4 hours that day, we parted ways.
All the while, thinking that it's best not to engage in ill-fitting actions, and instead, take things slow, doing them well, one at a time.
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Raei Translations
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[ Heeseong hyung: Hey, you little jerk!! You're pinning all of this on me?! ]
[ Han Yeonho: I shall... atone... ]
[ Heeseong hyung: You’re really in for it next time I see you!! ]
[ Han Yeonho: Ah, then I should show this chat to Heena ]
[ Heeseong hyung: Whoa.................you...ugh...]
[ Han Yeonho: Hehe;; sorry.. keke!! ]
Author's Note:
I want to gently flick a cat's tail... Thank you always for your abundant attention, comments, and recommendations!!
If you wish to see Yeonho’s appearance and illustration... Yeonho has slightly downward-turning eyes and the corners of his mouth curve upward, giving us a bright-skinned, kindly smiling, and heartwarming type of boy.
His height increases bit by bit, ultimately envisioning around 178cm, and since he’s quite fond of basketball and soccer, he’s not exactly muscular but isn’t very fleshy either.
His hairstyle features an asymmetrical part with a see-through perm! During his high school days, maybe a see-through dandy cut with shorter side hair?
About the illustration....umm...uh...perhaps it will appear someday?