WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS
Translator/Editor: Ryuu
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◈ My Platinum-Blonde Childhood Friend is Too Pretty
Chapter 15: The Last of the Prologue. The Seventeen Before the Story Begins. (2)
In the room, only the voices of the actors from the drama echoed.
But neither Elli nor I were particularly interested in the content of the drama.
With my arms wrapped around Elli's waist from above her knitwear, and our hands together becoming increasingly sweaty,
I was engulfed in a dilemma, torn between touching her or not, beyond just holding her.
Elli, like a cat seeking affection,
-Nuzzle, nuzzle...
softly pressed herself deeper into my embrace, comfortably resting her head and back against me, almost as if she might fall asleep.
The warmth was escalating, and a pleasant fatigue washed over me, making my body feel toasty.
After about 30 minutes in that state, I made up my mind.
Although I couldn't muster the courage to touch her, just sitting still and holding her was becoming unbearable.
Besides,
'Elli's being so forward, I can't lose to her.'
Though I was taken aback by Elli's tiger-like demeanor when we left home, I hadn't abandoned my resolve to take the lead today, like a man should.
I lacked the courage to touch, but not the courage to continue our usual routines.
So, gently threading through her platinum hair,
I pressed my lips to her small ear.
-Peck
"…! Eek…!"
The moment my lips touched her hair and the curve of her ear, Elli, nestled in my arms, let out a cute scream, freezing in place.
It was a playful sound I'd never heard before, even though we'd known each other since we were five.
Unable to reach her cheek due to our positions, I opted for her ear, no different from our usual bisou.
Elli, seemingly unprepared for this, turned to me with a robotic stiffness.
"Wha-What did you just do…"
"Just a bisou."
"Why would you bisou now…"
I couldn't see Elli's face, but I could tell she was embarrassed.
Her platinum hair and pale skin framed her ear, now a bright red, standing out starkly.
Assured that Elli wasn't displeased, I pressed my lips to her ear once more.
-Peck
"Eep…"
And said,
"I just felt like it. Is that okay?"
Her voice trembling, Elli, still tightly embracing me, whispered close to my ear,
"Do whatever you want…"
"Thank you."
She granted permission like a docile cat, shivering slightly.
And so, I freed my repressed desires, pressing countless kisses to her ear.
-Peck, peck…
"Eep… Ah…"
With each kiss, Elli twitched as if electrocuted, her reactions endearing.
I felt like I was taming a white tiger, marking her ear with my unique bisou.
After nearly 30 minutes of making Elli adorably squirm, that was it.
Suddenly, Elli broke free from my grasp with a jolt and stood up, turning to face me.
Her eyes then,
"Haah…"
Flushed as a ripe apple, she panted, her blue eyes flashing... honestly, it was intimidating.
Once again, I became the cat, and Elli, the fearsome beast.
But,
-Trrring...
The exit alarm inconveniently sounded. It was a two-hour limit, after all.
Even though it was an unlimited room café, they mentioned a time limit today due to Valentine's Day crowds when we checked in.
So, even though Elli's current state was daunting and I was somewhat looking forward to what might come next, I had to calm her down.
"Elli? We should probably leave now…"
"Extend it."
"That's... I'd love to, but it's probably not possible... If they had space, they wouldn't have sent the alarm..."
"Sigh… Lee Do-yoon."
"Yes?"
"Get up. We're going somewhere else."
"…Okay."
Elli, seemingly exhilarated, pulled me along, knocking on numerous room café doors nearby.
But, given we barely got into the first café, finding an empty room was unlikely.
"Damn, why are they all full! So annoying!"
"Right?"
Elli's frustration and my own sense of loss were palpable, but a walk in the cool air gradually soothed both body and mind.
And then,
"……."
Elli became increasingly silent, not looking at me, fiddling with her earlobe, her cheeks and ears still flushed.
Her shy, princess-like demeanor not only captivated me but also,
"Wow…"
attracted the attention of everyone who passed by. Without any critique, just awe, unable to look away.
I understood their feelings better than anyone.
And knowing this princess was exclusively mine filled me with joy.
Not so much a sense of superiority, but rather, pure adoration and bliss overwhelmed me.
"Elli."
"……Why."
"Want to go to the café? It's been a while since we had fondue chocolate. You like that, don't you?"
"…Won't it be crowded there too?"
"Then let's wait a bit. Just the two of us, holding hands."
I remembered her morning threat of 'letting go means death' and kept our fingers interlocked, raising our hands together.
Elli glanced at me then turned her head away coyly but agreed to my suggestion.
"Sure."
Despite the day, finding a place wasn't easy.
So, I took Elli to a playground we were both familiar with.
A place of childhood play and a Valentine's memory from when we were 14.
Though we visited less over the years, the memories remained, and fortunately, the playground hadn't changed much in a decade.
Elli seemed surprised I chose this spot, her eyes wide with wonder.
"Shall we go in? Like old times."
"…Yeah."
I led her into the tube beneath the slide where we used to sit and talk.
It was a tighter fit than before but still spacious enough for us both.
"Wait here."
Before Elli sat down, I spread my jacket on the ground for her. It was better than getting her clothes dirty.
"Hmph."
Pleased by a consideration that differed from our carefree past, Elli hummed happily.
We sat side by side in the tube, enveloped by nostalgia, holding hands.
"Quite comfortable here, isn't it?"
"Not really. I'm here because it's you."
"But it's not bad, right?"
"…It's not bad."
Closer now than at 5 or 14, we sat shoulder to shoulder, savoring the moment.
And, feeling the warmth from our clasped hands, I resolved to make a move.
I had been waiting for today. Hoping Elli would initiate something new, like when she introduced bisou.
But considering the events at the room café, it felt right for me to lead.
Elli enjoyed my impulsive actions, so why not take the next step in our greetings?
It might not be what Elli envisioned, but what did it matter?
"Hey."
With that thought,
on Valentine's Day, in a dark, cramped space, feeling an odd romanticism,
I spoke to Elli.
"Remember when you taught me bisou at 14?"
"…What about it."
Elli knew I was aware of bisou's true nature. Her deliberate dull response betrayed her embarrassment.
I savored her cuteness and continued.
"I looked it up, and there are different ways to do bisou."
"......"
Elli, knowing that I had figured out the truth behind bisou, pretended to be indifferent with her terse response. Her awkwardness was palpable even in the dim light.
I enjoyed her adorable reaction and added,
"So I studied a different kind, thinking maybe we could switch to that from today. What do you think?"
"…Try it, then."
Her grip tightened, a mix of nervousness and anticipation in her voice. With her approval, I hesitated no longer.
"Look at me."
I called out confidently, drawing her attention.
"......"
Slowly, she turned her head, revealing her flushed face. Her eyes closed gently, her breath held back, and her red lips slightly parted, waiting for me to approach.
Until now, we had always tilted our heads for a cheek bisou, but I had no intention of doing so, and neither did Elli.
"......"
As her eyes closed, I moved closer, our faces inches apart.
In the past, a cheek bisou would have sufficed here, but I wanted more, without crossing into the realm of a full kiss.
"......"
Elli's anticipation was evident, her body tensed yet inviting.
I savored the moment, the tension, and slowly,
"…Mmph!"
I pressed my lips not to hers, but to the corner of her mouth.
-Peck…
A delicate touch, not quite a kiss but more intimate than a cheek bisou. It was a compromise, a step further without overstepping boundaries.
Feeling the brief contact, my heart raced, but I managed to pull away, maintaining a composed exterior despite my racing pulse.
Elli opened her eyes slowly, and our gazes met.
"......"
"......"
She looked at me with an icy glare that sent shivers down my spine.
I knew then, without a doubt, that Elli wanted nothing more than to erase me from existence at that moment.
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