Chapter 40

Back when we were wild high schoolers, one summer after extra classes, I was walking home with you.

The path between the apartment buildings was lined with big and small trees, their leaves thick and lush. Sunlight peeked through the branches, casting glowing beams.

The light sometimes hit your face, breaking beautifully across your cheeks.

“The sunlight that colored your white cheeks… maybe it wasn’t the light that hurt my eyes, but your smile.”

Back then, it was weird. Every time you smiled, my heart throbbed like it was under attack.

“Hey, wasn’t it crazy when Soobeom started snoring in math class today? Like, seriously? Who does that?”

Jeongyeon laughed brightly, looking for his agreement.

As he looked at her, he noticed a red mark on her neck.

“What’s that on your neck?”

She scratched at it with her fingers, pouting.

“Oh, it’s not a hickey or anything, okay? Just a mosquito bite. So itchy.”

That red mark on her pale neck suddenly looked too… sensual.

“That itchy?”

“Totally. My whole body’s red and itchy. Wanna see?”

Jeongyeon casually lifted her sleeve up to her shoulder, showing the inside of her upper arm.

He sighed.

She acted like a carefree kid again, and it left him helpless.

“See? It’s super swollen, right?”

“Must be itchy.”

“Here too. Look.”

She even lifted the bottom of her school uniform to show her waist. He nearly lost it.

“Hey.”

“What?”

“People are watching.”

“Where? There’s not even an ant passing by.”

“Don’t just flash skin like that. This isn’t your house.”

Then she said something shocking, raising her brows like a mischievous cat.

“Why? Is it sexy? Making you think dirty thoughts? Haha.”

“Geez… you’re really…”

“What? You know I wouldn’t do this in front of just anyone. You’re like my brother or something. You’ve seen me naked as a kid.”

“That was then. This is now.”

Jeongyeon’s big eyes trembled, then curled in amusement.

“Ooooh, that was kinda bold. Hahaha!”

Her laughter burst out like a flower blooming, and his chest fluttered in sync.

He leaned toward her, trying to joke back without revealing how fast his heart was racing.

“Bold, huh?”

“Hey, don’t attack my face like that, idiot!”

“Seonghun… the sun made you glow like a halo. That handsome face was already hard enough to handle…”

In those days, he was growing like crazy. Taller by 10cm each year, shoulders by 3cm. It made things awkward.

That’s why she clung to “sibling energy.” Not that he noticed.

Later, in Seonghun’s room

His room was similar to hers — retro, clean, a little old-fashioned but cozy.

The dark wood and leather textures gave it a classic feel.

She sat on the couch and took the ointment Seonghun handed her.

Lifting her shorts, she slathered cream on her inner thigh. Seonghun stared.

Back in high school, he’d have looked away, ears red.

But now… she felt like she was the flustered one.

“Why are you staring?”

“Your legs.”

Her face burned.

He used to avoid her gaze, but now he answered directly.

“Nice legs?”

“Yeah.”

Whew. That was unexpectedly bold. The heat rose to her neck.

Trying to lighten the mood, she joked.

“Well, yeah, I’ve always had killer legs.”

Seonghun looked at her calmly, then said:

“If I said I wanted to sleep with you… would I sound crazy?”

She was so shocked, she dropped the ointment.

“What the— seriously….”

“Seriously, what?”

He picked it up, sat beside her, and squeezed out a bit.

“Give me your arm.”

Flustered, she hesitated, but held it out.

“Why can’t I say anything? I’m going crazy here.”

His warm fingers touched her red skin, rubbing gently. Just a mosquito bite… but her whole body shivered from the contact.

“Is this… irreversible now? Is this a disease without a cure?”

She wondered if he felt the same.

Then came his whisper, barely above a breath:

“I’m going crazy too. Every time I look at you.”

“You’re hot. Seonghun… you’re seriously hot.”

When he was just her friend, he was good-looking and cool. But now… he was sexy and dangerous.

“Are we the type who get turned on by breaking taboos? Are we… perverts?”

“Want to test that again?”

Seonghun’s eyes looked at her like a dare.

Like that night… when he asked her to accept his most secret parts with her most private ones.

It was a provocation.

She knew she shouldn’t let logic go.

“But I… I want to confirm something else.”

“Then check whatever you want.”

Why did that sound so hot? Was it his eyes?

His pupils looked so deep… like the bottom of the ocean, pulling her in.

“W-why are you looking at me like that? I’m being serious.”

“I’m serious too.”

“Do you… really have someone you like?”

Her question caught him off guard — like a crack forming in a wall.

It split into two paths: confess the truth, or lie to escape.

“Did you like someone even before dating Seoyeora? And still dated her anyway?”

“…Are you disappointed?”

“When I heard that earlier, I almost slapped you. Even if you told her beforehand, it’s still wrong to jump into a relationship like that. But then… I thought, no, you’re not someone who does things without reason.”

She took a breath and continued seriously.

“You and I… we’re weak to forbidden things. Especially you. So tell me honestly… the person you like… is she married? Or… is it a guy? Is that why you have trauma? Why you can’t be physical? Were you trying to forget them by dating other people?”

“Right? That’s it, isn’t it?”