My Japanese Childhood Friend Is Too Flirty

52. July, Just My Childhood Friend and Me at the Water Park! (1)

July.

The time of year when the weather is slowly starting to get hotter.

It had been about four months since Aki and I promised to go to the water park, just the two of us.

From the start of the semester until July, so for about one semester, Aki and I had experienced quite a few events, and our relationship had become even more special. To the point where we could vaguely understand each other’s inner thoughts just by looking into each other’s eyes.

For example.

‘Ah, that’s a look that says she wants me to k*ss her first.’

‘Ah-ha, those are the eyes that say, “k*ss me quick or I’ll get angry!”’

‘Hmm, those are the eyes that crave a k*ss of comfort. Something bad must have happened; I should k*ss her and then subtly ask….’

That’s how I can tell.

……Saying it out loud, it does sound like everything leads to a k*ss. But that’s not the point.

The important thing is that Aki and I can k*ss so casually now. If someone saw us, they’d mistake us for a long-time student couple.

Well, we’ve been childhood friends for eleven years, after all. So, it’s only natural that things would turn out this way once k*ssing was unlocked, I guess.

But, maybe it’s because we’ve been k*ssing steadily for a few months now, but the way Aki looks at me these days is a little…different.

In front of others, she’s the usual Aki, but when it’s just the two of us, it’s like…

Like a lioness, drooling at the sight of a juicy piece of prey… That’s how I’d describe the look in her eyes.

And it’s not just my imagination; lately, when she’s with me, Aki keeps smacking her lips or licking them with her tongue. Then, when her face turns like she can’t endure it anymore, she suddenly leans in for a k*ss.

I’m a guy, so I like it when Aki does this, but separately, it makes me uneasy sometimes.

My patience is as thin as paper.

It’s not just once or twice; if Aki keeps doing this every time she looks at my face, eventually the lock in my heart will break and a big accident will happen, right?

I don’t even know what that accident would be…

“Uju~chan─!”

Lost in my own thoughts, I heard a familiar voice from afar.

I instinctively turned around and immediately spotted Aki slowly approaching me.

She was wearing a breezy, flowing dress.

She held the handle of a suitcase in one hand, and on her head was a…straw hat.

As if trying to create the atmosphere of a beach getaway, Aki, wearing the straw hat, spun around proudly as soon as she got close to me.

“How is it, does it suit me?”

Her clothes are all flowy, and she’s wearing a hat that’s much bigger than her head, so she looks really cute.

‘You’re supposed to wear a straw hat to the beach, not the water park….’

But she’s cute, so it’s fine, I guess.

I smiled and gave her a thumbs up.

“Yeah, it looks great on you. You can wear it when we arrive in Busan and walk around.”

“Hehe, thanks. But Uju~chan, roughly how long does it take to get from Seoul to Busan?”

“Taking the KTX, it shouldn’t take more than three hours, I guess? We’ll probably arrive around lunchtime.”

“Ah, I see. Then we can drop our luggage at the hotel and go straight to the water park.”

“Are we going straight away without eating? You’ll be hungry.”

“No way, I have to endure. Woo-joo~chan. Because if I eat and then put on a swimsuit, my stomach will look big…!”

“Ah, is that so….”

I thought she’d say something about indigestion, but it’s because her stomach will look big. It was unexpected, but somehow it made sense.

‘Come to think of it, I’ve been working out hard lately….’

It’s the first time I’m showing my bare skin directly, so it’s better to starve and look a little cooler than to eat and have my stomach sticking out.

“Okay, let’s unpack and go to the water park right away. But before that, should we catch the train first? It’s almost departure time.”

“Yeah, yeah, got it!”

Aki and I, who had met up outside the station, entered through the glass doors. It was mid-July, and there were quite a few people who looked like travelers besides us.

Most of them probably weren’t going to Busan, but since it was the peak vacation season, they were definitely heading to places where they could enjoy water activities like the sea or a water park.

I haven’t even seen it yet, but I bet the water park we’re going to is packed. There probably won’t even be room to put a foot down.

“Wow, there are so many people. The water park must be super crowded, right?”

“I saw on the news while we were leaving a bit ago; this month has the highest number of vacationers ever.”

“Really? Maybe we should have come a little later….”

While muttering, she searched for our train with her eyes. Train number 27.

It was waiting right in front of the station since it was leaving soon, so it was easy to find. I took Aki straight into the train.

“Woo-joo~chan, what’s our seat number?”

“Number 4, the window seat.”

“Number 4…. Ah, I think it’s over there?”

Aki pointed somewhere with her finger. Following her gaze, I saw seat number 4, where we were supposed to sit.

I lifted Aki’s suitcase and put it in the overhead compartment, then put my suitcase next to it. And after seating Aki on the inside, I sat in the aisle seat.

“Heh, are you being considerate?”

“Of course, I am. You’re my childhood friend.”

“…….”

“What?”

“No, just….”

Unlike the word “just,” Aki mumbled ‘childhood friend, childhood friend…’ in a meaningful tone.

Not only did she say it, but she also kept smacking her lips in a strange way and staring at me.

A strange feeling swirled from Aki’s gaze, and the conversation I had with Aki’s parents yesterday suddenly popped into my head.

* * *

“Woo-joo, is the tea to your liking?”

“Ah, yes. It’s delicious. Thank you, Mother.”

“Really? That’s a relief. Her father says it’s too sweet for him.”

“Well, everyone’s taste is their own….”

“Heuh, isn’t that the truth? But Woojoo-yah, when are Eunhye and Siwon coming back to Korea? It’s been a little while since I saw their faces. Haven’t heard anything?”

“I asked them recently, and they said they’ll be busy until the US elections are over. I don’t think they’ll be able to come even after my vacation ends.”

“Ah, right. Eunhye and Siwon both worked for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, didn’t they? They must be swamped. We shouldn’t call them, then.”

Aki’s mother trailed off and glanced subtly at her father.

The small talk to ease the atmosphere was over. Time to get down to business.

Realizing this through intuition, I straightened my back, and her father cleared his throat, then glanced furtively at me.

“Woojoo-gun, the reason we called you here separately isn’t that, well—”

“Ahem, dear? Shouldn’t we ask how he’s been first…?”

“Ah, my apologies. Woojoo-gun, how have you been? It’s been so long since we’ve seen you like this.”

“Dear, we’re not here for business. Just be a little gentler, so Woojoo doesn’t feel pressured.”

“…Was the tea to your liking, Woojoo-gun?”

“…Ah, yes.”

“I’m glad to hear it suits your taste. Should we share some with you when you leave later?”

Her father asked me while glancing furtively at her mother.

It must have been a borderline safe comment by her mother’s standards, because she nodded slowly.

I don’t usually drink tea, so whether I received the tea leaves or not was irrelevant, but I couldn’t refuse given the atmosphere.

“I would gratefully accept it, if you’d give it to me. I will enjoy it, Father.”

“Dear, please pack up some tea leaves for Woojoo-gun when he leaves.”

“Yes, dear.”

“…….”

Aki’s house atmosphere, I just never seem to adjust.

The fact that her mother holds the reins is similar to my own house, but it also feels very different, and there’s also the anxiety that I must never make a mistake, since they are my childhood friend’s parents, so it’s always so awkward.

With a restless heart, I took another meaningless sip of tea.

Just as my cup was about half empty, Aki’s mother went to the kitchen, saying she would pack up the tea leaves for me.

“Woojoo-gun, tomorrow is the day you’re going on a one-night, two-day trip with Aki, isn’t it?”

With that, her father slowly opened his mouth, now that it was just the two of us left.

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Yes, well, that’s what I wanted to say…”

‘…He’s going to tell me not to cause trouble.’

Though the words hadn’t yet formed, I felt I already knew what Father was about to say.

He’s granted permission to take his precious daughter on a one-night, two-day trip, so he must be about to tell me not to do anything rash with Aki, not to cause any trouble, and to just behave myself. Surely, that was what he was intending to say. All fathers with daughters are the same.

I had steeled myself to reply to whatever he said with, ‘Yes, I understand. I’ll keep a tight rein on myself, so you don’t need to worry.’

But then.

“Be sure to steel yourself, and be careful. Ujoo-gun.”

The words that came from Father’s mouth were completely unexpected.

“Uh, yes?”

I hadn’t grasped it immediately, so I asked him again, and Father sighed deeply.

“It means, no matter what my daughter says to you, Ujoo-gun, please don’t give in. If something were to happen to someone else’s precious child, I wouldn’t be able to face Si-won or Eun-hye.”

“Oh…”

My mind went a little numb.

Isn’t it usually the opposite?

Normally, you’d tell me not to even *think* about causing trouble with someone else’s precious child, but Father was looking at me with eyes that seemed genuinely worried.

“These days, my wife and daughter keep whispering together… it’s making me unbearably anxious. I’m sorry, Ujoo-gun, but that’s why I didn’t allow you to extend the trip to three nights and four days. I was afraid my daughter would conspire with my wife to do something… strange.”

“…Ah.”

Aki.

What on earth have you been talking about with your mother at home that’s making Father like this…?

“Your mother and I both know that Ujoo-gun and Aki have feelings for each other, and neither of us wants to oppose your relationship. We would be glad if things went well, actually. Aki and Ujoo-gun seem so happy when they’re together… But, you are both still high school students. Too young to be responsible for each other.”

Father gently took my hand.

“I don’t have the slightest intention of hindering your relationship. But, separately from that, isn’t it right to do something like that when you’re old enough to be responsible for each other? That way, I, your father, the elders of our families, and also Ujoo-gun’s parents and family elders, can truly bless your relationship.”

“…”

I had nothing to say.

It was absolutely the right thing to say.

“Ujoo-gun.”

“Yes.”

“Can I… can I trust you with my daughter? Or rather, can I trust *you*, Ujoo-gun?”

Father, still holding my hand, looked at me.

To that, I…

‘Do something when you’re old enough to take responsibility for each other….’

My father’s persuasion, short but intense, had me nodding of its own accord.

“…Yes.”

* * *

Father warned me to be careful around Aki.

But.

Would my being careful even matter?

“Uju~chan.”

“Hm?”

“Since it’s just us two today, should we do something even *nicer* than usual?”

“…What’s something nice?”

“Hehe, what do you *think* it is…?”

“……”

It doesn’t seem like Aki has any intention of being careful…?