WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ My Platinum-Blonde Childhood Friend Is Too Pretty ◈

Chapter 79: 30. Preparing to Move In Together -3

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After I calmed Elli down, and Joo Hye-ryeong and Lee So-yeon got on the same page about room-sharing.

While we were all trading stories about other friends' plans for university or moving out on their own.

I got to hear Min-jae's plan too.

"I'm getting my own place. No question about it."

Min-jae had an ironclad determination to live alone.

When I asked why.

"There's so much I can't do with family around. I want to get a dakimakura..."

"Ah, that. The Nazuko one?"

"Yeah."

"You going for the lewd version?"

"No. Nazuko deserves to be treated with respect. Lewd ones, that's a different character..."

"Good luck. Can I come see the place once you've got it all set up?"

"Fine, as long as you don't bring Alisha."

"Elli can't come? Take the daki out and it's basically the same as your room now, isn't it?"

"...No it isn't."

"Fair enough."

I figured he just needed his own independent space.

I consider myself a pretty solid otaku, but that particular kind of merch was something I'd never really wanted for myself, so I couldn't quite relate to that feeling.

When I was little I did want toys of the princess characters, like the ones from Nelsa, but.

The reason that desire had quietly faded as I grew up was.

"I'm heading out, see you at lunch. Wait here."

"Got it. See you later."

Clearly because I thought my childhood friend right in front of me was way prettier than any princess from an anime.

My girlfriend, leaving the classroom with that breathtaking presence, all that beautiful hair and face and perfect figure on full display.

She was getting more beautiful with every passing day.

More than any princess ever could be.

* * *

A few days later.

We checked a few other apartments just to be sure, but in the end everyone had liked that one newly-built villa best, so that was where we landed.

Dad had looked into it from every angle and decided there were no major issues.

The only downside was that by the time we made up our minds, the best south-facing unit had already been taken. Still, we were able to get the room we'd seen that day.

With Dad and Uncle Mark along, we read through the contract carefully and put down the deposit.

It was a brand-new building, so move-in was available right away, but we pushed ours back to next year.

The plan was to stay with our families through the end of this year, then go independent starting early next year.

With that settled, both Elli and I were counting the days so hard that our daily life became one long string of window-shopping dates, buzzing with anticipation.

We weren't going to buy anything yet, but checking off what we'd buy on moving day was its own kind of fun.

"Should we get house slippers too? A couple set."

"Pass. It's a well-heated place. All this unnecessary stuff..."

"Let's not run the heat too much. We'll wear slippers when we walk around, and just stay on the bed or sofa the rest of the time. Saves on the heating bill too, so it works out."

"...That's actually a decent argument."

"Right?"

"Fine. Add it to the list for now."

I had a general sense of what I needed and didn't need in everyday life, but the moment I thought about shopping together specifically for living with Elli, all self-restraint went out the window.

Anything I even halfway liked, I wanted to find some reason to buy it and share it with her.

"Elli, what are you looking at?"

"Something I need."

"Shower towels? Yeah, makes sense to just buy new ones for a new place."

"Happens to come in a set of two as well."

"We can keep a spare. One's enough for the two of us."

"......"

"Mm... Elli. Kissing in public is a little... I mean, if you want to, I'm not complaining."

"...I'm not. Let's go."

We hadn't had our first time yet, but that day wasn't far off now. So I'd been casually slipping in remarks with just a hint of a loaded meaning, without a second thought.

"What about a mood light? You like that kind of thing."

"We fill in everything we actually need first, decorating comes after. I don't want to accumulate pointless clutter."

"But that one's really cute..."

"We don't need it. Stop staring at that Eevee night light and get over here. Want to die?"

"...Yes."

"......"

"......"

"...One of those is fine, so buy it on moving day if you want. It can go on the nightstand."

"Thank you, Elli."

"Try throwing a tantrum again and you'll regret it, I mean it."

I played up a little pout as a joke, and watching Elli cave and accept my idea like she couldn't help it was its own kind of fun.

Though the Eevee night light really was genuinely cute.

Anyway, that's how we spent those days, nothing but window-shopping.

Every single day, the two of us searching on the computer or our phones for must-haves for a solo apartment, or things couples need when they move in together, buzzing with excitement like kids the night before a field trip.

Then, mid-December.

I got my CSAT results.

All first-grade scores, percentile rankings sky-high across the board.

I was happy, of course. My homeroom teacher was over the moon, my family was overjoyed, and Uncle Mark and Auntie Ye-rin next door were thrilled for me too.

My girlfriend, looking at those scores, smiled. A bright, gentle smile, and a quiet little laugh.

"...Hehe."

"I did well, didn't I?"

"You did. You really did. You worked so hard."

"Then I should get a reward."

"Hey."

"Yeah?"

"I'm the one who decides when to give rewards. Did I say that or not?"

"You did. But today you want to, don't you."

"Hmph. So shameless... I'll give it to you later. Wait."

"Yes, ma'am."

And after a long while, I got my reward.

Late that evening.

Elli came to my room in a baggy sweatshirt and jogger pants, and then.

-whisk!

The moment she locked the door, she pulled them off.

Underneath was a bikini, a different style from last year's.

Her figure, which had gotten more striking than the year before, and more than the year before that, kept on developing.

A flashy, sexy bikini she'd refused to wear right after the CSAT, saying she wouldn't be able to hold herself back.

"......"

I was completely lost, and Elli, with that teasing little smile, climbed onto my lap the way she always did.

Then, instead of pressing my face into her chest.

-slow

She stopped just short of my nose, let the deep line between her chest and her warm, intense scent get to me, and whispered.

"Lee Do-yoon."

"Y-yeah..."

-gulp

It was close now. Just a little longer, and I'd be able to touch all of this freely.

That thought made my head spin far worse than before.

"You know you need to order that thing soon, right?"

"...That thing?"

"You don't know? After everything I'm doing for you right now? Are you an idiot? Want to die?"

"N-no... Sorry. Just a second..."

Even without touching me, she was making me completely useless. A first-grade CSAT scorer, reduced to a fool by his girlfriend's chest.

The thin waist that was the opposite of that chest, and below it, the full, rounded figure sitting in my lap.

I couldn't think of the answer. I just sat there frozen, swallowing hard.

"Hehe."

But Elli didn't get annoyed. Just a satisfied little hum, and then.

-squeeze!

"......"

She hugged me. Gave me my reward. My face got buried in my girlfriend's chest.

I was happy.

And while I sat there soaking in the happiness, Elli spoke again.

"Condoms."

"......"

"We're picking them out together in a bit, so keep that in mind."

"...Mmph."

"The ones we bought before felt iffy, so we're getting new ones."

It really felt like she was trying to torture me.

It was a cruelly timed online shopping plan for someone who wasn't allowed to touch his girlfriend right now.

After that.

Still in her bikini, she sat on my computer chair in my lap and we scrolled through options together, and even then she kept pushing my buttons.

"Get the thin ones. Good ones."

"...What about these?"

"The reviews say they smell bad. Next."

"Then this one? It's pretty well-known, isn't it? Foreign brand."

"People say it's tacky. Sticky, I mean."

"This one? Korean brand, I think? Adam Ri..."

"No. There was a hygiene scandal."

"Hmm... then... just go with a reliable Japanese one that's well-known..."

"The thinnest option. That one looks fine."

"...Elli, have you..."

"What."

"...looked this up before? Or asked someone about it..."

"Of course. Haven't you?"

"Not in this much detail..."

"So you're saying it's weird that I looked into it carefully? Want to die?"

"No, ma'am."

With her extensive condom knowledge, she clearly already knew what she wanted and was just guiding me toward picking it myself.

I figured I'd just order whatever Elli wanted since I didn't know much anyway, and I was about to do exactly that when.

"Just one?"

"Hm?"

"Is one box enough, I'm asking."

"......"

"Think carefully."

"......"

-click, click

"Hmph. That's more like it."

One box. The suggestion that maybe one box would be enough sent blood rushing south hard enough that I felt genuinely lightheaded.

Without thinking, I clicked the quantity button a few more times. I don't even know how many boxes we ended up ordering.

"Done. Now, lips."

"...Lips."

"Smooch... mmm... mwah..."

Once that was over, Elli turned to face me and we had a long, deep kiss.

Her thin waist. Her soft skin. The give of her.

I touched her, held her.

And endured it with superhuman patience.

Because the day we'd promised each other wasn't far off anymore.

* * *

The end of the year crept closer.

We were still enjoying our window-shopping streak, and in between we spent plenty of time with our families too, like a weekend ski trip, all of us together.

Here and there, Elli would go out and leave me behind.

"I'm going to talk with unni for a bit, so hang out here."

"Again? Okay... have fun."

Whatever the reason, she'd started going off to talk with Bini-noona.

Sometimes I'd run into Bini-noona in the hallway and she'd be wearing this sly, knowing smile, which nagged at me a little.

But it was probably just the two of them chatting about couple stuff.

Either way, I'd been stuck in a constant tug-of-war between excitement and, well, need, lately, so every time I was left alone I'd sit down and draw to settle my nerves.

I'd doodled here and there as a stress outlet while studying, but picking up the tablet and drawing seriously again was a nice change, good for loosening up my hand.

Naturally.

I started drawing Elli in...

"No, no. This isn't right."

The restlessness just wouldn't go away. I'd done so well holding it together all this time, but now that we were this close, there was no containing it.

And Elli wasn't helping. On days like today, after she'd go talk with Bini-noona.

And then come to my room in the evening for a Bisou.

"......"

Every time, she'd look me up and down with this intense gaze, and even that stare sent a shiver of pleasure through me.

Before I could slip up and cross a line without meaning to, I quickly said something.

"...Elli. Bisou?"

"...Yeah."

Elli swallowed her impatience too, and slowly, tenderly pressed just her lips to mine.

Right.

We were both doing our best to hold on.

We'd come this far without slipping up. We weren't going to make a mistake at the very end.

And finally.

School let out for winter break. The 31st passed. The new year arrived.

A few more days went by after that.

January 5th.

Moving day, for Elli and me.

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