My Platinum-Blond Childhood Friend Is So Pretty

15 – 05. The end of the prologue. Seventeen before the story begins -2

Only the voices of actors from dramas rang out inside the room.

But, of course, I had little interest in the content of the drama, including Ellie.

Feeling my arms embracing her waist over Ellie’s knit and the back of my hand in contact with Ellie’s, gradually getting damp with sweat.

“To touch or not to touch. To touch or not to touch.”

I was trapped in a conflict of whether I should just embrace or open my palm and touch this beautiful princess’s body.

And Ellie, like a cat acting cute.

-Purring, purring…

“Yeah…”

She nestled deeper into my arms, slowly moving her body as if wanting to bury herself, resting her head and back against me.

It felt like we could fall asleep like this.

Not to mention, it was getting hotter and I felt a pleasant fatigue from the warmth at the moment, making my body feel warm.

Covered in Ellie’s body and scent, we stayed like that for about 30 minutes.

Then, I made up my mind.

Even though I didn’t have the courage to touch, it was too difficult to just stay embraced like this.

Besides.

“If Ellie is this proactive, I can’t lose either.”

It’s true that I was taken aback by Ellie’s appearance, fierce like a beast when leaving home, but it didn’t mean that I had completely lost the intention to lead like a man today.

Above all, it’s not that I didn’t have the courage to touch, it’s just that I didn’t have the courage to do something I usually wouldn’t do.

That’s why, slowly, between the platinum strands of hair.

To her small ear.

-Kiss

I pressed my lips against it.

“…! Hiyak…!”

As soon as her hair and the texture of her curved ear touched, Ellie, who had been nestled in my arms, froze and let out a cute scream.

Even as someone who had known her since she was 5, it was a voice I had never heard before.

Since her body was wedged between the wall and Ellie, I couldn’t see her face, so I accidentally kissed her ear.

It was no different from the usual gesture of a goodbye kiss.

Perhaps she didn’t expect me to do it now, Ellie opened her mouth with a squeak, like a robot.

“You, you… Wh-what did you just do…”

“Just a goodbye kiss, right?”

“Why, why are you doing this to me, Echo?”

I couldn’t see Echo’s face, but I could tell that she was embarrassed.

Between her platinum hair and milky skin, her cheeks were blushing like a freshly painted canvas, attracting attention.

In response to that, I was once again confident that Echo didn’t dislike it.

-Page…

“Heh…”

She said, pressing her lips together.

“I just wanted to. Is that not okay?”

With my confident words, I pulled her waist closer and brought my face close to her ear.

Echo…

“Well, it’s… fine… do as you please…”

“Thank you.”

Like a gentle cat, she slightly trembled and gave permission.

And I, as if releasing pent-up desires, continuously pressed my lips onto Echo’s ears.

-Page, page…

“Ugh… ah…”

Every time our lips touched, Echo’s adorable reaction, trembling as if she was electrified.

I felt like I had tamed a white tiger.

-Page

I bestowed my own pleasure onto her ears.

***

Afterward, for about 30 minutes.

I made Echo cute enough for her to think ‘I won’, but it was only for that moment.

-Thud! Plop!

Echo forcefully freed her arms from my grip and looked back at me, standing up vigorously.

And in that moment, Echo’s eyes.

“Hah, hah…”

Her face was as red as an apple, her breaths were rough, and her eyes flashed with a blue light… honestly, it was frightening.

Once again, at this moment, I had become a cat and Echo had transformed into a fierce beast.

However.

-Durrr

The check-out alarm rang at an unfortunate time. Come to think of it, there was a two-hour time limit.

Although it was an unlimited room cafe, because it was Valentine’s Day and there were many customers, they had mentioned at the time of admission that there was a time limit for today.

So, while I was waiting for the next thing in fear but secretly, I had no choice but to calm her down.

“Hey, Eli? We should probably leave now…”

“…Extend.”

“Well… I want to do that too, but it probably won’t be possible… If there was more time, they wouldn’t have sent the check-out alarm in the first place…”

“Huff… Yido Yoon.”

“Yes.”

“Get up right away. We’re going somewhere else.”

“…Alright.”

Led by the extremely excited Eli, I knocked on the door of one of the many nearby room cafes.

But even the room cafe we were in was only able to barely get inside due to good timing, so there was no chance of finding an empty room.

“Ah, why is everything full! It’s so annoying!”

“Yeah, I know.”

Thanks to that, Eli got annoyed and I also felt somewhat disappointed.

But still, as I walked a bit, feeling the chilly wind, my body and mind were somewhat calmed.

And then…

“……”

Eli’s words gradually decreased. With her cheeks and ears turning red, she didn’t look at me and instead touched her ears with her hand.

That shy princess-like appearance of hers, it wasn’t just me.

“Wow…”

It caught the attention of everyone who passed by and saw Eli. Without any words of criticism, they just uttered admiration and couldn’t take their eyes off her.

I could understand that feeling better than anyone else.

And the fact that I had her all to myself, this princess, made me happier than anything else.

Rather than a sense of superiority, yes.

It was just that her loveliness filled my heart with happiness and joy.

“Eli.”

“…Why.”

“Do you want to go to a show? I want to eat some indulgent chocolate after a long time. You like that, don’t you.”

“…There probably won’t be many people there.”

“Then let’s wait a bit. Hold hands together.”

I vividly remembered her words from this morning, “If you let go, I’ll kill you,” so I still held her hand tightly, our fingers intertwined.

Lifting that comforting gesture, Eli, who had given me a fleeting glance before, turned her head away again in a quiet manner.

“Whatever.”

She accepted my suggestion.

***

“By the way, it’s really fortunate that we got assigned to the same high school.”

“How many friends do you have there?”

“Yeah. Chaeho, Jinwoo… Oh, and Minjae too.”

While waiting for a table at the cafe, and later, enjoying a drink and sweet chocolate, Eli’s shyness gradually dissipated.

Thanks to that, we could chat happily as usual.

“Isoyeon is also at Yeonhwa High, right?”

“That’s good. You’re closest with her among the girls.”

“…Yeah. She tells me a lot of things. Besides her…”

“Who else?”

“Joo Hyeryeong.”

“…This chocolate is so good. Should we order one more?”

“Sure.”

Certainly, there were occasional unexpected drops in temperature, but still, I was happy to have a date with Eli on a day like this.

Whether she was embarrassed or whatever, Eli seemed to be enjoying the time we spent together.

So, we chatted about high school and friends in the cafe.

“Jungwoo hyung still tells me to join as a vocalist.”

“He didn’t go to the military, right?”

“He said he’ll go slowly.”

“Huh, vocalist? Forget it. He can die for all I care.”

“I absolutely won’t do it.”

Even while attending college, we talked a bit about Jungwoo hyung, who still played in a band.

Once, when I was considering trying it at his suggestion, he asked me to come and watch, so Eli and I went together.

But his skills were better than I expected, really cool. Thanks to that, Eli seemed to find it somewhat interesting too.

Thanks to the handsome face of Jungwoo hyung, whenever he delivered a line, a considerable number of female spectators cheered.

And next to me, Ellie, who saw that sight, grabbed my collar.

She threatened to kill me if I mentioned forming a band.

In reality, there wasn’t much time to do it, so I immediately gave up, but Jungwoo hyung is still persistently trying to win me over.

Even if we don’t do it often, it seems like it would be interesting to expand our repertoire if we do.

“…….”

“…….”

While discussing things about people around us, the conversation suddenly stopped.

Looking at me with somewhat teasing eyes, Ellie, I quietly gave her a small smile.

At the same time, in my mind, I contemplated.

Originally, as evening approached, I was planning to go home and relax in someone’s room, continuing the conversation.

That was a bit disappointing.

As I pondered while capturing Ellie’s pretty face with my eyes, wondering if there was somewhere else to go, I asked her.

“Ellie. Where are you going after this?”

“Home. My room.”

“Just talking in your room?”

“…Probably.”

Although her face blushed a bit as she hesitated, a slight delay wouldn’t matter.

“I have a place I want to stop by before going home, do you mind if we go for a bit?”

“Sure.”

Ellie, who always dragged me around, but still, when I expressed an opinion, she never ignored it.

Unless it was something related to a girl.

As Ellie nodded, saying it didn’t matter, I stood up and reached out my hand to her.

“Let’s go.”

“….”

Looking at my hand naturally reaching out, Ellie seemed pleased, perhaps not forgetting what she had said.

And so, holding hands, we left the cafe.

***

I feel it every year, but on a day like today, there’s nowhere particularly appealing to go.

Therefore, the place I took Ellie to was a playground that was too familiar to us.

It was a place we often played when we were young, even during Valentine’s Day at the age of 14.

After that, we gradually stopped coming, but the fact that it was a place filled with our memories remained unchanged.

Many nearby playgrounds had disappeared or undergone changes, but fortunately, this place was not much different from ten years ago.

“……”

Ellie, seemingly surprised, had her eyes wide open, as if she didn’t expect me to bring her here.

“Shall we go in? Like the old times.”

“…Yes.”

Leading her, we entered the slide tunnel where we used to sit and talk every time.

It was a bit more challenging to enter than before, but inside, there was still enough space for both of us to sit comfortably.

“Just a moment.”

Before Ellie sat down, I helped her take off the jacket she was wearing and spread it underneath. After all, it was just a jacket, and it was much better than her current clothes getting dirty.

“Hmph.”

Different from the indifferent attitude from the past, Ellie made a pleased sound, seemingly appreciating the consideration now.

So, just like back then, we sat side by side inside the dark tunnel.

Although it had been only a few years, it still felt like a place that brought back memories.

Holding hands with Ellie.

“Is it comfortable here too?”

“Not really. It’s just because I’m with you.”

“But it’s not that bad, right?”

“…Not bad.”

Closer than when we were five, closer than when we were fourteen. The closeness reached the point where our shoulders touched.

Not only our hands but also our shoulders were close as we sat together, and we enjoyed this moment for a while.

And then.

Feeling the warmth in the hand of my childhood friend, I once again made a resolution.

I should be the one to make a move.

I had been waiting for today. Just like when Ellie showed me the view, maybe she would start something new again.

But thinking about the incident at the room cafe earlier, I felt that it was more appropriate for me to make the first move like a man.

Ellie appreciated my unpredictable actions, so she might like it if I decided the next greeting as well.

It might be different from what Ellie had in mind, but then again, what did it matter?

“You know.”

With that kind of feeling.

On Valentine’s Day, feeling a strange sense of romance in the dim and narrow space they were together.

He said to Ellie.

“Do you remember when you taught me to do a v-trick when I was 14?”

“… What is that.”

Ellie knows that I am aware of the truth about the v-trick. Whether she is embarrassed by that fact or intentionally answers nonchalantly.

Enjoying even that cuteness, I spoke.

“But I found out that there are various ways to do the v-trick.”

“…”

“So, can I switch to another way from now on?”

“…Sure, go ahead.”

-Swoosh…

Ellie’s grip became stronger. With a trembling voice, she gave me permission to do as I pleased.

I didn’t hesitate.

“Look at me.”

I called out to her with a confident, dignified voice.

“…”

She slowly turned her head, showing her blushing face.

I gradually brought my face closer.

Like we always did, if it was a v-trick on the cheek, we would tilt our heads slightly.

But I had no intention of doing that.

“…”

Ellie also seemed to have no intention of doing that.

Her eyes closed.

Her small yet distinct nose seemed to hold its breath, and her red lips were pursed beautifully.

I waited for her to come to me.

While capturing Ellie like that with my eyes, slowly.

“…Mmm…”

Not her lips…

Beside the lips.

At the corner of the lips.

-There…

I pressed my lips.

Unable to use the excuse of calling it the first kiss, I avoided the lips because there wasn’t enough mood for it. Still, I wanted to go a little further than just the cheek.

It was a way of self-praise, and it was certainly a more advanced kiss than before.

In the slight touch of our lips, trying to calm the pounding chest as if it would break, I briefly kissed and pulled away, looking at Elly with a self-assured face.

Soon, she opened her eyes.

Elly.

“……”

“……”

She looked at me with eyes so cold they could freeze.

As someone who proudly calls themselves Dr. Ellyac, I could instantly tell.

Right now, Elly wants to kill me.