My Japanese Childhood Friend Is Too Flirty - Chapter 41



40. At Home, With My Childhood Friend, One Night. (2)

Head bowed deep, bangs like a curtain falling.

Through that narrow gap, a glimpse of blue eyes, flushed cheeks.

Lower lip pressed tight, rough breaths escaping little by little.

At a glance, a face that looks angry.

But looking closer, gently gazing down at Aki’s face, riddled with shyness.

I replayed the situation.

Around my left arm is Aki’s waist.

In my right arm is the condom Aki bought.

The location is our house, just the two of us.

The outfit, dolphin shorts that show her smooth thighs and calves, a crop top that exposes her belly button.

…if I were to judge this situation with only objective eyes, without reflecting any of my own selfish desires.

In our house, with no one else around, Aki, having purposely changed into short clothes, subtly showed the condoms she secretly bought, pretending it was accidental, seducing me in a veiled way.

Is that… what this situation is…?

“……”

Gulp.

My Adam’s apple bobbed involuntarily.

If I, like, had been in a similar situation before, or had any dating experience, maybe I’d know what to do.

But I have absolutely none of that, not even a single bit.

I have no idea what the right thing to do is in this situation.

‘Should I try talking first? … Or, maybe just go for some natural skinship?’

“……”

“……”

Who knew having no dating experience could be such a huge wall?

I can distinctly smell the nice scent coming from Aki’s body, our skin is so close, touching.

And yet, here I am, holding a condom in my hand, unable to move, just swallowing dryly.

‘…….Ah.’

Am I really a moron?

While I’m standing here like this, time keeps going by…

“……”

“……”

A long silence just hangs between us.

If I just had a little more courage, or some experience, something would have happened by now.

But, as I said before, I’m a virgin and inexperienced.

Having had my first kiss just a few days ago, there’s no way I could naturally take the lead in this standoff.

‘…..But.’

I can’t just stand here and do nothing.

Aki had gone to all the trouble of setting the stage, and if I backed out just because I was inexperienced, that wouldn’t be very manly, would it…?

Even if it wasn’t a blade I drew of my own volition, it’s just common sense that if a man draws his sword, he’s gotta cut something.

I steeled myself internally.

And, squeezing out every last drop of courage, I opened my mouth.

“Hey, Aki…?”

“……!”

Aki, startled, looked up.

‘Okay, first, she needs to put the condom down….’

I met Aki’s gaze.

“So, I… well, I don’t have any experience with this kind of thing….”

“……Huh?”

“I might not be great at it, but I’ll still try my best. …Is that okay?”

“……U-uh, eh… eh?!”

*Brrrr*─!

Aki’s whole body was trembling violently.

I figured Aki was just embarrassed, that she was shaking because it was her first time…

“……N-no! …No way!”

“Huh? What’s no way?”

“Th-th-th-that, th-th-thing…! It’s not like that!”

Aki, her face about to explode, shook her head intensely, then gave my chest a little shove, stepping back.

‘It’s not like that…?’

What the hell is this about.

Aki’s reaction was so unexpected, and I couldn’t grasp why she was acting like this, so I just froze for a moment.

Aki pointed to her chest with one arm, then to the condom sitting forlornly on the table.

“Th-that thing…! It’s not like, *atashi* (I) bought it…!”

“Huh? Really?”

Then, why the hell is it in the wrapper?

I asked with just my eyes, and Aki, like she didn’t know either, shivered and then stammered.

“F-for sure…. Mama bought it and put it in without me knowing. Yeah, that’s definitely it…!”

“……No.”

Does that even make sense?

She just seems embarrassed and making things up.

From noble mtl dot com

I was seriously starting to doubt her, but then Aki’s words from a bit ago flashed through my mind.

‘Ah, come to think of it….’

She *had* said she went grocery shopping with her mother earlier.

I’d just brushed it off since it was such a casual remark, right.

‘……Huh, then.’

As the forgotten memory came back, a sudden thought hit me.

Was I, just completely on my own, thinking Aki was trying to seduce me, and I almost did something harsh… ?

“…….”

A shiver.

Goosebumps erupted on my back.

Whoa, I could’ve really screwed up big time.

Thank god I got a verbal response out of her before moving, or I might’ve mistakenly thought Aki was seducing me and caused a huge incident.

“…Ah, so, that’s what, that’s what it was.”

“Y-yeah! That’s, that’s what it was….”

Aki, seeming to think the misunderstanding was cleared up, slowly lowered her arms covering her chest and started glancing at me cautiously.

Her awkward fidgeting was kind of cute for my childhood friend, but I, who almost made a big mistake, didn’t have the luxury to notice such things.

Even though Aki was showing a lot of skin in her crop top and dolphin shorts, all I could think was, ‘Thank god I didn’t screw up…’

“……”

“……”

I was silent because I’d done something wrong.

Aki was silent while fiddling with one of her forearms, for some reason.

An awkward air hung between us as we maintained that silence.

“……”

“……U, Uju~chan.”

“…Huh, yeah?”

“Sh-Shall we, start cooking…?”

“…Ah.”

Right, we haven’t had dinner yet.

Lost in thought, I snapped back to reality and cleared my throat a couple of times.

Yeah, if I just clam up because I’m embarrassed and awkward, it’ll only get worse. I have to force myself to say something, anything.

“Okay, please.”

“U-huh, got it…”

“……Do you want me to help with anything?”

“Ah, no! Uju~chan can just stay put…!”

“Oh, okay…?”

“……”

“……”

Awkward, awkward.

We’re talking, but it feels painfully awkward, both me and Akina.

‘When it’s this awkward…’

Dad always said that a few drinks together loosens things up. Too bad we’re minors, and can’t legally buy alcohol, right?

Well, that’s just what I’m saying, I guess. Even if we could, I probably wouldn’t drink anyway. But, still…

“Still, it feels weird to just do nothing…um, I’ll set out the spoons, water, and some drinks.”

I moved before Akina could even answer.

First, I took out spoons, one for me, one for Akina, and placed them on the table.

Akina doesn’t like her drinks too cold, so I grabbed some bottled water, intending to let it warm up a bit, and then peeked inside the fridge to see what else was in there.

“Akina, you like grape juice, right?”

“Ah, yeah, yeah! I like it, is there any?”

“Yeah, I opened the fridge and saw there were two. Want me to grab one for you? So you can drink while you cook?”

“Hmm…. Nah, I’ll drink it later with Uju~chan when we eat. Just leave them in there!”

Like the grape-flavored drink lover she is, Aki’s face brightens right up as soon as the topic comes up.

‘Okay, the atmosphere seems to be mostly cleared….’

Now, it’s just up to me to get my head back on straight.

“Uju~chan, can you tie my apron strings for me?”

Somehow, while talking to me, she managed to tie up her hair, and now Aki, with her hair in a ponytail, is showing me her back.

She’s tapping her lower back with her hand, like it’s a signal for me to hurry up and help. I went to Aki right away.

“All done?”

“……Just a sec.”

I didn’t notice it from afar.

Aki, she’s surprisingly toned.

I thought she might’ve gained a little weight since she said she was dieting… but now that I look, it doesn’t seem to be the case at all.

“It’s done. Aki, you don’t need to lose weight, you know?”

I tied it in a cute butterfly knot, then tapped her back to signal that I was done.

Aki tilted her head back as if to check if it was tied well, then shook her head with a satisfied smile.

“Heh, thanks. But I do need to lose a little. Compared to last year, I’ve gained 1.5 kg….”

“But you grew a little taller too. Isn’t it normal to gain some weight like that?”

“Uh-uh, no. Up until last year, my weight stayed the same even when I got taller. But this year, it’s just weirdly increased…!”

“Hmm, really…?”

She looked like she didn’t have an ounce of fat, front or back, so where the hell was she putting on weight?

I was seriously pondering this, observing Aki’s smooth erector spinae, when I suddenly lifted my gaze to stare at Aki’s back, humming, “Spicy pork, spicy pork, the universe’s favorite spicy pork~”

Aki, a first-year high schooler this year.

Compared to last year, when she was in her third year of middle school, a certain part of her body had become more prominent.

That part, the kind of part you’d get slapped for even mentioning.

Aki had inherited her French mother’s genes quite strongly, already boasting a confident size, but it wasn’t *this* much.

But this year, it was like she hit a singularity…

Whether she was wearing an apron or anything else, when you looked from behind, something that shouldn’t be peeked out, just barely, because of how big it was.

“Hee hee, heee hee~”

“……”

The reason for Aki’s weight gain.

It must be because of that damnably big thing…?

“Oh, right, Woo-joo~chan?”

“……Huh?”

“Earlier, Ms. Yoon-ah called and asked if it would be okay to move tomorrow’s tutoring session to tonight. So I told her that Woo-joo~chan got a little hurt at school, so tonight wouldn’t work, and asked if Wednesday evening would be alright, so we moved it to Wednesday evening. Is that okay?”

“Ah, uh, yeah…”

‘…I’ve lost my mind.’

Having such strange thoughts about Aki, who treats me so well.

Seriously, I need to reflect, Woo-joo…

* * *

“……Yeah, I ate well!”

“I ate well….”

Dinner was over.

The menu was pork bulgogi and various side dishes, all made by Aki herself, along with white rice.

She cooked better than me, who lived alone, and because Aki made it herself, I almost finished everything—the rice, the bulgogi, even the side dishes with leafy greens and seasoned vegetables.

‘Ah, this is really good….’

I’m so happy to have a proper meal after just eating ramen or some roughly made fried rice.

I cleared my place and slowly got up from the table.

“Aki, I’ll do the dishes, so give me the plates.”

“Ah, no, I can do it, you know?”

“Still, I should finish up. Just go and relax.”

If I let her cook and wash the dishes, that would make me a real jerk.

I strongly dissuaded Aki from washing dishes and made her sit on the living room sofa. Then I put the plates in water and took out the grape flavored drink I saw in the fridge earlier and brought it over.

“Here, you go.”

“Hehe, thanks. But, don’t you want some, Woo-joo~chan?”

“I’ll have some after I finish the dishes. You drink first, Aki.”

“Okay, then….”

*Tshhh-*

*Glug, glug.*

Aki opened the can and took a sip of the drink.

“Wow, this is weird…”

“Huh? What’s weird?”

“This drink, it’s different. It’s like fizzy, with this kind of sharp, tingling smell…?”

“Really? Is it carbonated…?”

I glanced at the can of drink Aki was holding.

It was a brand I’d never seen before.

Not like the usual Del Monte, it looked like it said something like Yeongdong….

Hmm, I wasn’t sure.

‘My parents bought it and left it before they went to the States…’

Mom or Dad would know what it is.

“Yeah, it’s good…”

Sip, sip─.

Aki closed their eyes, savoring the drink.

I watched them from a little distance, then slowly turned and headed to the kitchen.

I’d let Aki relax while drinking, and I had things to do.

First, I put on the rubber gloves, then squeezed some dish soap onto the green scrubby.

If I scrubbed the surfaces to get rid of the grease, the dishwasher would take care of the rest.

‘If I didn’t have a dishwasher, doing the dishes would take forever…’

I’m starting to realize lately that I’m just not cut out for housework.

Cleaning that everyone else finishes quickly takes me ages, and even simple dishwashing takes ages.

The cooking, well, no need to even mention that…

“……Let’s finish this quick.”

*Squeak squeak.*

I scrubbed the dish surface with all my might, making it shine.

One, two, three.

And now, as I was about to scrub the fourth one.

I heard footsteps from behind me.

‘……Is that Aki?’

I stopped scrubbing, my hand pausing mid-motion.

Should I turn around and acknowledge him? I decided to pretend I didn’t notice.

Aki loves to play pranks, so if I act like I don’t know he’s there, he’ll sneak up to startle me.

And then I, I’ll use that moment to surprise him back.

‘Mm, perfect…’

It was a plan so perfect, even I couldn’t deny it.

I pricked up my ears, quietly waiting for Aki while I scrubbed the plate.

“……”

“……”

Softly.

Softly.

──Softly.

……Is it now?

Thinking *this is it*, I spun around.

“Woo-joo~chan…?”

Or, I *tried* to spin around.

If Aki hadn’t suddenly grabbed me from behind, not even bothering to quiet her footsteps, I probably would’ve succeeded.

‘……?!’

Suddenly embraced from behind, a so-called back hug, I gasped for breath for a moment.

Squish, squish.

“……Hnn.”

Something soft pressed against my back.

It was a sensation that was no longer completely unfamiliar, one that had grown a little accustomed to…

But this squishy-soft-mushy-squishy feeling, it wasn’t the kind of thing you could just bear, even if you got used to it.

Docking with a paradise that no man can resist.

Having achieved that from behind, I opened my mouth, feeling a hint of regret, *Why isn’t it from the front…?*

“……Aki?”

“Yeah, Woo-joo~chan….”

Aki, whispering in a sweet, cooing voice as she hugged me from behind.

I was about to reply, feeling the texture against my hard muscle surface with my entire body.

But then, I felt something odd.

“Yeah, Woo-joo~chan…. …Woo-joo, chan.”

From Aki’s mouth, my name was called out again and again.

A sweetness, a sharp tang, a chilling thrill, all things I couldn’t explain in words, washed over me at once.

“…Aki.”

“Mmm…?”

“You, maybe….”

Ah, no, never mind.

I almost asked, but stopped myself, and quietly slipped off the rubber gloves I had on.

It’d be surer to see for myself rather than ask. With that thought, I tapped Aki’s hand lightly with my bare fingers.

“Aki, let go of this.”

“Mmm, whyyy…?”

“…I just want to see your face.”

“Heh, okay…”

*Sliiiip.*

Aki let go of my hand.

Finally able to turn, I looked directly at Aki’s face.

Her cheeks were bright red.

“Ah, Woo-joo~chan, where are you going…?”

“…Wait here.”

The drink Aki had been drinking was still on the table in front of the living room sofa.

I went over to it and examined the aluminum can, turning it this way and that.

[Yeongdong Grape Bubble]

[Alcohol Content 4%]

[Sale to Minors Under 19 Prohibited]

“……”

Sale to minors prohibited.

That meant…

“……What, this was alcohol?”

Meaning it was a drink with alcohol added.

Realizing that, my mouth fell open.

“Ah, this was alcohol~? Hehe, it did taste a little weird~”

“……No, what the hell.”

My parents had just left it out, so I’d assumed it was a juice, but it was actually alcohol?

From noble mtl dot com

What is this, this ridiculous situation…

“Ah, thirsty….”

Aki, who had followed me without me noticing, picked up the remaining can of drink.

And popped the top, right about to chug it down.

I was staring blankly at the scene, only belatedly snapping out of it and grabbing her wrist.

“Wait, hold on! Why are you drinking that again…?!”

“Huh? Why, because I’m thirsty~?”

“Ah, no. Drink something else. Here, give that to me…”

“……No, I don’t want it! Aki’s gonna drink this!”

Aki smacked my hand away hard.

I was shocked for two reasons.

One, because Aki had never, not even once, done anything like that, this was the first time she’d ever pushed me away.

And the other, because it was my carelessness that had gotten Aki this drunk.

I should’ve checked it properly before handing it over….

“……Glug, glug. …Phew!”

Lost in my daze, Aki had already downed half the can.

Having quenched her thirst with the beer, she gave me a bewitching smile, staring intently at me.

“Woojoo~chan, this is really yummy…. Ah, wanna drink with me, Woojoo~chan?”

I couldn’t even manage a smile.

And for good reason, based on my experience back in middle school.

Aki’s alcohol tolerance was terrible, and once she got drunk, there was no way I could handle her alone.

“What’s wrong, you’re not gonna drink, Woojoo~chan…?”

“No, why would I…”

“If you’re not gonna drink, take your pants off…!”

“…….”

My virtue was in danger.

“……Eish!”

“Uh, uh… Aki, what’s gotten into you…?”

“I said take it off, didn’t I? So why, why aren’t you taking it off already…?”

“No, Aki, this isn’t, …ah, hey! It’s really coming off, huh? It’s really gonna come off, I’m telling you!”

“Really, I’m telling you, take it off, you, idiot…!!”

No, a crisis just hit.