Translator: Elisia
Editor/Proofreader: Wojo
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In the end, the long discussion concluded with Soo-ah and I kissing one more time.
There was no point in discussing things like dignity, and they said it was cumbersome to check each time.
I’m not sure how many times they plan on kissing me if they find checking each time cumbersome.
Well, they’ll probably keep aiming for it.
They might even come up with reasons somehow.
…Have I misunderstood these guys all along?
“Ah, wait a second.”
Just as Soo-ah, with a flushed face, was approaching me, Ha-neul stopped her.
“But the most important thing is Sara’s feelings, right?”
After all that talk in front of me, she had the nerve to say that.
I held back a sigh and spoke.
“Aren’t you guys okay with this?”
“What do you mean ‘okay’?”
So-hee asked back.
I scratched my head for a moment.
“No, I mean, you say you like me. Do you want to see me kiss someone else?”
Is that your thing?
…Well, judging by their reactions, it didn’t seem like that was the case.
Only after I said that did Ha-neul and So-hee blink and start thinking.
“…Ah.”
It seemed like they had been so focused on their chance to kiss me that they had forgotten someone else could kiss me too.
At first, their faces turned pale, then gradually red.
And then, as if realizing for the first time that I had been listening to everything they said, they buried their faces in their hands.
Both of them, at the same time.
“….”
No, seriously, if it’s such an embarrassing topic, why say it so boldly?
On top of that, we weren’t alone in the room; Son A-reum, a third party, was there too.
Son A-reum, who had been silent all this time, had her hands covering her mouth, wide-eyed, looking between me and the others.
Usually, she’d call me shameless for hanging out with the kids like this, but now that she’s seeing it up close, she seems quite intrigued.
…Well, I guess this is an age when everything is interesting.
In fact, the one who should be the most pleased by this situation should be none other than me, but…
I had already let go of my rationality halfway through, and my mind was as calm as a still lake.
To be honest, considering they were minors, I couldn’t exactly mess with them.
They were cute and kind, but who knows if these feelings will last until they graduate high school?
In a dating sim, you could stay with the person you dated in high school forever, but this world, while similar to a dating sim, was still reality in the end.
Unlike in games, where only the sweet parts of the story are shown, there’s no time skip or staged scenes here.
I can only see the world through my eyes and feel it with my body.
So… rather than living carefreely thinking this is a game world, it’s wiser to be aware that this is reality and prepare myself mentally.
“…So, what are you going to do? Are you going to stay here, or will you cover your eyes while Soo-ah and I kiss?”
“…No.”
Ha-neul shook her head.
“Still, I have to watch properly. No one’s officially dating you yet, so I can’t just let someone break the rules and let it slide.”
She insisted stubbornly.
“…Fine, then.”
I let out a long sigh.
“…Um….”
Soo-ah, who had been hesitating beside me, finally spoke.
“Then… is it okay to do it now?”
“….”
I didn’t bother answering and just nodded.
Sara had been quiet for a while.
She might have stopped watching.
After all, if she was seeing the world through my perspective, she’d be watching me kiss Soo-ah in first person.
‘…There’s no need to explain this out loud.’
Is this okay?
‘Of course not.’
Sara responded, filled with irritation in her voice, to my silent question.
‘But do I have a choice? You and they are friends, but I’m also friends with them. I’m not about to end friendships that just started being genuine, not even a year in.’
…Right. That was true.
The reason things ended up this way was because we were all cowards in the end.
Kids who want to date the person they like but are afraid of ruining friendships.
And me, who is scared that if I pick someone, my relationship with the others will fall apart.
This situation was created because none of us had the courage to move forward.
Before I knew it, Soo-ah had come closer to me.
“…It’s really okay, right?”
Soo-ah’s face filled my vision.
With her face bright red and a slightly anxious look as she gazed up at me, Soo-ah was, no matter what anyone said, the definition of a beautiful girl.
Well, none of the girls I became close with after coming to this world weren’t beautiful.
Should I feel proud of that?
As I had a thought that would’ve astonished my past self, I closed my eyes.
“Then… I’ll do it?”
After hearing that embarrassingly direct question, something soft pressed against my lips.
I heard someone next to me gulp.
“….”
“….”
Neither Soo-ah nor I crossed the line.
We just pressed our lips together without opening our mouths or using our tongues.
It felt like we both naturally agreed that doing more would be wrong.
Our lips, which had been touching for a while, slowly separated.
It wasn’t just a light touch but a proper kiss, so there was a slight sticky feeling when we parted.
I could faintly smell the cosmetic products Soo-ah had on her lips.
“….”
I slowly opened my eyes and looked around.
The reactions of the others who had watched our kiss varied.
First was Son A-reum, whose reaction I could already picture without even looking at her.
She had her hands covering her mouth, her eyes wide open as she stared at us.
It seemed she was at a loss for words.
She looked like someone seeing a kiss for the first time in her life.
…Well, I guess it’s rare to witness a kiss up close like this.
Unless you accidentally run into a couple making out on the street, you’d only see kisses in dramas or movies.
And even more so if the people kissing are two of her friends.
Though she did see So-hee and me kiss earlier.
Well, I knew she’d react like this, so let’s move on.
Next, I looked at So-hee.
The confidence she had just moments ago had vanished, and she couldn’t even look in our direction.
Was it out of jealousy?
That might be part of it, but…
Her face was bright red, and her breathing was slightly uneven.
She stood still, legs pressed together, unable to move, trembling slightly.
And then I remembered that So-hee was the only “lesbian” among us.
Is it a bit different for bisexuals and lesbians?
Well, even if a bisexual person loves someone of the same sex, they might not like both men and women equally.
They might prefer men but have a higher standard for liking women, meaning they don’t get excited about just any gender.
But lesbians…
Of course, there are differences from straight men, but they generally like someone “because they’re a woman.”
If the person were a man, they wouldn’t like them, but if it’s a woman, they’re naturally attracted.
Especially if the person is a pretty woman.
…Sure, a woman who likes women might feel jealous if the woman she likes loves someone else, but… well, don’t guys sometimes think about it too?
Like having two girlfriends or… being with two beautiful women at the same time.
The more, the better.
I’m not saying she’s thinking that, but it seems like she was definitely a little excited.
Well, I’ll leave her alone for now.
If I mention it and she tries to kiss me again, things will get complicated.
As for Ha-neul… she was showing the classic signs of a jealous lover.
She seemed incredibly irritated, and while she had a lot to say, since this was all done with consent, it looked like she couldn’t complain.
She was probably staying silent because she was afraid she’d snap or throw a fit if she said anything.
“…Is it over now?”
Only after I said that did the others come back to their senses.
“I’ve been tense since the party earlier, and I’m really exhausted. How about we stop talking about this for now? At least for today?”
At my words, the others nodded, faces still red.
I nodded back at them.
Well, okay.
It’s good if they understood.
‘I didn’t even get a kiss today…’
You kiss me all the time, though.
Were you planning on sneaking one in today, or were you thinking of skipping today?
‘Ugh… Ugh…’
You even groan like that in my head.
“…Anyway, let’s finish the rest of the cake first.”
I sighed deeply as I said that.