WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS

Translator/Editor: Ryuu

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ My Platinum-Blonde Childhood Friend is Too Pretty

Chapter 35: My Girlfriend’s Bikini, Just for Me

After the weekend when we had our date, the news that Elli and I were officially dating didn't cause much of a stir among our friends.

"Flaunting your couple rings, huh?"

They only reacted by teasingly cursing at the sight of our couple ring photo as my profile picture.

Most of them had already assumed we were in a relationship.

Even Lee So-yeon, who knew the details, said,

"So, you two are finally dating for real? The Ferris wheel must have been fun~ Where are you going on your next date? Oh, but now I'll feel a bit bad about hanging out with you guys… Huh? It’s okay? Thanks! You'll still hang out with me, right?! I won't tag along too often, I promise!"

She genuinely congratulated us. Other friends like Min-jae, Chae-hwan, and Jin-woo, who were somewhat aware, lightly commented, "Finally dating?" and moved on.

And then there was one more person.

Someone who was in a very ambiguous relationship with me and knew Elli and I weren’t officially dating until now—Joo Hye-ryung.

When Elli and I ran into her in the hallway, she smiled faintly and said,

"Congratulations. I thought it might not work out because of Alicia’s personality… But she’s pretty, so I guess that helps."

"Go away, Joo Hye-ryung."

"Alright. Have fun dating. If the rings are gone by next year, I might try again."

"Hey, seriously…"

"Scary. Well then, Do-yoon. See you next time."

With a wink, she walked away.

That got Elli a bit heated, so I had to spend some effort calming her down, but there were no major issues.

Joo Hye-ryung might tease Elli whenever we met, but she wasn’t the type to create any serious trouble.

So, aside from Elli and me engaging in more varied and intense physical affection, our daily lives remained unchanged.

We didn't kiss in front of others, though we did hold hands or link arms.

Then on Thursday, Lee So-yeon suggested we go shopping after hearing that a nearby department store had already started selling swimsuits for the summer.

"Let’s go look at swimsuits!"

"Sure."

Elli, who was already planning to buy a bikini, nodded. She said swimsuits often sell out quickly if you don’t go when the season starts.

I had no intention of tagging along.

I thought it would be awkward for me to be there while they picked out swimsuits, and I wanted to leave the excitement of seeing what Elli chose as a surprise.

But,

"Come with us."

"…Me too?"

"I’ll wear whatever you like, so come help me choose."

"That’s a great idea! Knowing your boyfriend's preferences is important!"

"……."

There was no way I could refuse Elli's command.

And now,

"Which one looks better?"

In front of all the women glancing at us, I had to openly reveal my preferences while Elli and So-yeon scrutinized my choices.

Despite feeling like I was in hell, I scanned the two bikinis Elli held carefully.

There was no way out of this; Elli had asked, so I had to answer.

The black bikini on the left seemed simple at first glance but had strings on the neck, back, and waistband, which meant a lot of Elli's skin would be exposed.

The navy bikini on the right was a cross halter neck high-waisted style. It had a cross strap below the neck that exposed some cleavage, and the bottoms covered up to the belly button, giving a more elegant look.

"Hmm."

I had to choose carefully.

It wasn’t just about feeling awkward, both would look amazing on Elli.

But,

"……."

"……."

Both Elli and So-yeon were watching me intently, waiting for my choice. A noncommittal answer like "both look good" wouldn’t cut it.

With everyone’s eyes on us, I finally made my decision.

"…The one on the right."

"This one? Are you sure?"

"Surprising. It’ll look great on Elli, but…"

"That’s why I picked it. I think it’ll look amazing on her. She’ll be beautiful."

"Hmm."

"Wow, you two are so sweet it’s almost annoying!"

Both of them seemed a bit surprised by my choice, thinking I would pick the string bikini. But they smiled, pleased by my reasoning.

Would I love to see Elli in a string bikini?

Absolutely.

But picking a revealing bikini here was impossible for me, and I didn't want other guys seeing her in something so skimpy.

The best choice was the less revealing yet still sexy and elegant high-waisted bikini.

After making my choice, I stepped back with a smile.

I wanted to escape this section filled with women as soon as possible.

Despite being used to interacting with girls for various reasons, this situation was extremely uncomfortable.

So, after picking the swimsuit and seeing Elli and So-yeon start to try them on, I thought I’d slip away.

"Lee Do-yoon."

"Yeah?"

"Which one do you prefer between this and this?"

"……."

Elli held up the swimsuit I chose and another one with a flowing overlay, asking my opinion again.

"Oh, that one’s cute~ It might suit me better since I have a smaller chest… What do you think, Do-yoon? Does it look good on me?"

Even So-yeon chimed in, smiling mischievously and asking for my opinion, which made it even harder to respond.

I pursed my lips.

With Elli being serious and So-yeon teasing me, while nearby women listened in with interest,

"If you want to see me in a bikini, which one do you prefer?"

"Wow! Did he really say he wants to see you in a bikini, Do-yoon? You pervert!"

"Sigh…"

I couldn’t escape.

"So this is your preference."

"Do-yoon really knows what he likes, huh? In the end, the high-waisted bikini you picked first wins… It suits Elli perfectly. He’s good at picking out swimsuits for his girlfriend!"

"Please stop talking about it."

After finally choosing everything and just before we reached the cashier, I could escape, if you could call it that.

After purchasing their swimsuits, we headed to a cafe, and I collapsed on the table, mentally exhausted.

Helping Elli choose a swimsuit was one thing, but handling So-yeon’s questions about her own choices while feeling Elli’s sharp gaze was taxing.

But ultimately, I was glad she got the swimsuit I wanted to see her in.

Especially since when they tried on the swimsuits, So-yeon whispered to me,

'Elli looks stunning in hers. It’s amazing.'

This made me look forward to it even more.

After the ordeal, we sat in the cafe, each sipping our drinks and chatting.

"Elli, you have another shoot this weekend, right?"

"Yeah. It's a regular part-time gig now."

"Since you said you won’t do swimsuits because Do-yoon didn’t want you to… What’s it this time?"

"Shorts and an off-shoulder blouse. They said I can keep a set if I like it."

"Off-shoulder is nice~"

Elli seemed to enjoy her new job as a fitting model, as I had thought.

The owner had initially wanted her to model swimsuits, but after she declined, they cleanly accepted her decision and offered her other items.

This time,

"Do-yoon, you said you’re going with her, right?"

"Yeah. Elli insisted on taking me because she said she’d miss me if I wasn’t there."

"Be quiet."

"She said she might miss me, so I decided to go with her."

"Hehe, I see? Elli, you're so cute~"

"…Annoying."

Elli insisted on bringing me along every time.

I had no reason to refuse. I could easily adjust my schedule for drawing and I wanted to watch my girlfriend work as a model.

"But if you two go somewhere together this summer… Who am I going with this year…"

While we chatted about various things, So-yeon suddenly lamented.

Until last year, although we were close, we usually went to the beach with our families, not just by ourselves.

But now, we were closer than ever and had more financial freedom.

There was no reason not to go together.

"You can come with us. To the swimming pool. We’ll go to the beach with our families twice anyway, so three times would be too much."

"Really?! Wouldn’t I be intruding on your dates?"

Elli casually dismissed her concern, making So-yeon smile brightly.

"We’ll have plenty of time for dates, so don’t worry."

"Thanks! Should we get some friends together and all go?"

"Sure. Or just the three of us is fine too."

"Got it! I’ll find a time that works for everyone!"

Seeing how genuinely happy So-yeon was, both Elli and I smiled.

Time with just the two of us as a couple was important, but so was spending time with our best friend, So-yeon.

After chatting about the swimming pool and our summer plans for a while, we finally parted ways.

But before leaving, So-yeon gave me a sly smile, nudging my arm with her elbow.

"Have a good time~"

"……?"

"See you both tomorrow! Bye!"

She left with a strange comment, waving.

I was puzzled, but Elli urging me to hurry home made me forget about it.

When we arrived at our houses,

-Smack… Chuup…

We shared a deep kiss that would never get old, making my heart race every time. Then Elli said,

"I’ll come over to your room later."

"What time?"

"…Around 10."

"That’s a bit late? Okay."

It wasn’t unusual for Elli to visit before bed to chat and share some kisses.

So, I nodded and, after dinner, started drawing in my room. When it was almost time for Elli to come, I lay on my bed, looking at my phone.

At 10 PM, Elli arrived.

"Here?"

"Yeah."

As always, she came in without knocking, but this time, she locked the door behind her.

My parents always knocked, so I wondered why she was locking it today. Sitting on my bed, I watched as Elli asked,

"Do you remember the bikini I showed you earlier? Not the one I bought."

"The black one? Yeah, I remember."

"Do you want to see me in it?"

"So suddenly?"

"Just answer. Do you want to see it or not?"

Dressed in loose long-sleeved shirt and comfy sweatpants, Elli’s question made me instinctively sense something.

"…Yes, I want to see it."

I answered honestly.

And then,

-Srrk…

Elli started undressing.

Boldly and confidently, right in front of me.

Footnotes:

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