・・・・・
Sex. In other words, sexual intercourse.
As Gaeul ate the chicken her brother had brought home, she thought about what Juhee had said earlier that day.
Having nearly completed four years of university without taking a leave of absence, 23-year-old Gaeul had never been particularly interested in the opposite sex. As a result, she felt only a vague curiosity about sex and did not experience strong sexual desire. Compared to her peers, it was true that she was somewhat late in having her first experience. While it was acceptable to be late in this regard, she knew that once she started working, she would be even busier, and it was uncertain how long this delay might continue.
Above all, Gaeul was curious about sex.
It wasn't that Gaeul had no sexual desire at all. The first time she became aware of sex was when she discovered a pornographic video on her family's computer shortly after her brother, Gajun, had left for the military.
[Ungh... Ah, angh...]
[Haah, huu...]
On the screen, a man and a woman, both naked and appearing to be foreigners, were entwined as they breathed heavily. The sounds of lips biting and sucking on skin, along with the squelching noises from their genitals due to the secreted fluid, echoed vividly through the speakers.
Gaeul covered her mouth and muttered.
"Wow. Lee Gajun, you pervert. How many of these are there?"
Even as she scrolled down in shock, her eyes remained glued to the screen filled with naked bodies. The scene of the two people passionately entwined on the bed aroused a strange sensation in Gaeul’s body that she had never experienced before. Her legs instinctively squeezed together, and she felt a tingling sensation in her lower abdomen. Swallowing hard, Gaeul watched the video until the end. When she went to the bathroom afterwards, she discovered that her panties were damp with a sticky, transparent fluid.
Perhaps, it was because they were siblings that they had similar tastes. Or maybe her tastes had adapted to match her brother's collection since it was the first thing she had ever seen. Regardless, the pornographic videos in his collection suited Gaeul's preferences perfectly. She completely forgot her initial intention to tease her brother, who was in the military and occasionally browsed his files in secret. Every time he came home on leave, new videos were added to the collection, and Gaeul found herself furtively looking forward to her brother’s vacations.
The stories in the pornographic videos mostly involved two people in love passionately entwined, with only the background changing and no coercive scenes at all. The process was quite romantic, so she didn’t feel particularly uncomfortable. This was all thanks to her brother’s perfectly normal taste in porn.
"Is this all an act too?”
Usually, it was all acting. That was why there were many abnormal scenes where someone enjoyed something despite being in a coercive situation.
Thinking about this, Gaeul, who used to secretly watch her brother's porn, started enjoying legal 19+ content after entering university and listened to her friends' dating stories. The reality was far more dynamic than the videos she had watched.
"I was so disappointed when I saw that it was small. Isn’t it unfair to have a body that big and be like that?"
"I felt nothing when he put it in... Am I trash if I break up over something like this?"
"3 seconds... I didn't expect to meet a rabbit."
There were sad experiences she never wanted to have.
"Wow, so this is what an orgasm feels like. Now I understand why they call him ‘Mr. Oh,’ and ‘Teacher O.’ I can’t stop thinking about last night all day.”
"It was no joke. His skills were amazing..."
“My sister was right when she said that a man needs to use his hands and mouth well. It's not just about the waist movement."
"Isn’t the feeling completely different depending on the location? At the campsite yesterday..."
And there were intriguing experiences that ignited her desire for the real thing.
She was definitely curious about what it would feel like.
"Hey, Lee Gaeul. Are you listening?"
Gajun's voice broke her train of thought. Gaeul maintained her composure and put on a serious face.
"Yeah, I'm listening. Go on."
“So, that bastard Team Leader Seo kept tearing apart my proposal, and for a moment, I thought he was from another team, not ours. Can you believe it? It was so bad that even the other team leader had to defend me...”
As Gaeul ate the spicy charcoal-grilled chicken with a fork, she nodded absentmindedly.
No matter how much she thought about it, starting a relationship at this time seemed difficult. She didn’t want to get distracted and risk making a mistake during such an important period. Moreover, it wouldn’t be right to meet someone she wasn’t interested in just for sex. Gaeul wanted to have a loving relationship with someone she truly cared about.
Crunch. She bit into the sweet and sour pickled radish.
"My friend said that the meaning of a one-night stand is 'the worst night of your life.' I thought that was funny.
The words Juhee had said recently flashed through her mind.
A one-night stand. It was a convenient way for adults to satisfy their sexual desires without commitment, offering a different kind of pleasure from masturbation, as long as there were no risks of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
"These days, there are quite a few instances where people exchange STD test results through apps. If you meet a decent partner, it can develop into a sexual relationship, and since both parties are cautious, they say it makes them feel more at ease. However, I’ve never been without a boyfriend, so I don’t really feel the need for that."
Gaeul's expression brightened noticeably.
Indeed, there was a way to enjoy sex without any burden. It was also something that could be wrapped up neatly and concluded in one night, without worrying about what might come afterwards.
"That's it."
As she muttered to herself in a small voice, Gajun opened his mouth with a puzzled expression.
"What?" Are you saying Team Leader Seo is crazy?”
"Yeah. That’s it, he’s completely insane. I think he’s a total lunatic."
Gaeul immediately straightened her expression and nodded. This time, she picked up a piece of rice cake coated in a sweet and spicy sauce with her fork and took a bite.
"That's exactly what I'm saying. And..."
As she mixed the cabbage salad, she quietly made a careful plan in her mind.
For the perfect first sex.
・・・・・
People who lacked experience in love or sex often had a stronger theoretical understanding of the subject.
Gaeul was no exception, possessing a solid understanding of the theory in that field. She had gathered a wealth of information by listening to Juhee's stories, watching YouTube videos, reading books, and even exploring related wiki pages. Based on the information and materials she had accumulated and compiled, she devised an effective plan for a one-night stand.
"The matching happened faster than I expected?"
After compiling numerous online reviews from various sites, she downloaded an app that was commonly used for one-night stands. To avoid showing her face to strangers, she chose to use the app without uploading a profile picture. She filtered potential matches based on their self-introductions and matched with those nearby. After exchanging messages and eliminating a few who gave off strange vibes, she finally connected with someone who seemed fairly normal.
Gaeul's nickname on the app was ‘Winter.' [1]
「Windmill: Getting tested for STDs is a good idea. I also believe in being safe. But is this really your first time?」
「Winter: Yes. Does that bother you?」
「Windmill: No. I was just asking ^^」
She frequently received questions about whether it was her first time, but she understood that it was uncommon for a virgin to look for a one-night stand through an app.
「Winter: I don't want to have my first time just anywhere. I would prefer a hotel. Is that okay with you?」
「Windmill: Hotels are a bit expensive, but since it's your first time, Winter, we'll split the cost of the room. Let's do that.」
The response came back immediately.
「Winter: Thank you. Oh, and one more thing. You mentioned that you often get told you have a handsome face, but how’s your body?」
「Windmill: I'll show you.」
The other person sent a photo.
It was a photo of him with his upper body bare, a locker room visible in the background and a windmill tattoo on his wrist. He didn't look particularly muscular, but his abs suggested he had a decent physique. The torn piece of notebook paper with his nickname 'Windmill,' along with the date and time written on it, indicated that it wasn't a case of identity theft.
Most importantly, Gaeul was grateful that he readily agreed to join her adventure without having seen her photo. While she had shared her height, bust, and waist measurements, it was understandable given that they were meeting solely for physical pleasure.
"This should be good enough for my first experience."
Gaeul quickly sent a reply.
「Winter: Let's meet. How about Baekje Hotel this Friday?」
「Windmill: Sounds good. I'll make the room reservation. I'll be there first, so come to the lounge by 9 p.m.」
「Winter: Okay.」
Just as Gaeul tossed her phone aside and lay down on the sofa, she heard the click of the door lock. Alarmed, as if she had been caught doing something wrong, Gaeul quickly grabbed her phone and sprang up from the sofa.
Gajun entered the apartment with weary steps, taking off his shoes.
"You're back?"
"Yeah..."
He sighed in response and headed to his room in a dejected state.
It seemed like he was quite exhausted today, especially since it was later than usual and he didn’t have any chicken in hand.
After confirming that Gajun had entered his room, Gaeul quietly made her way to her own room and opened the closet. Among the neatly arranged underwear, she pulled out the sexy lingerie that Juhee had given her last Christmas, urging her to wear it when she finally got a boyfriend.
"Would this be too much right from the start?"
After all, he wasn’t even her boyfriend, so it might be a bit much.
Gaeul hummed a tune as she rummaged through her closet. While searching for an outfit she would wear that day, she discovered an old glasses case tucked away in a corner near her closet.
"Come to think of it, it's been a long time since I've seen this."
Opening the glasses case revealed an old pair of horn-rimmed glasses.
・・・・・
Up until the beginning of her first year in university, Gaeul used to wear horn-rimmed glasses.
She first came across contact lenses during the winter after the final exams of her first year, second semester. It was a day when the snow fell heavily, and the wind blew so fiercely that snowflakes gusted under her umbrella. With her glasses covered in melting snowflakes, she headed to a restaurant for dinner with Juhee.
As soon as she stepped into the warm interior, her glasses fogged up. This was something that always happened in winter, but it was particularly troublesome on a snowy day like today. Gaeul sighed and wiped her glasses. Juhee, who had already taken a seat and was watching her, spoke up.
“You know, you’re actually really pretty, but your glasses tend to overshadow your looks because of their thick frames.”
"Really?"
"Yeah. And they look really uncomfortable."
"They are uncomfortable, but it’s become part of my daily life now.”
"Instead of that, let's go buy contact lenses today to celebrate the end of exams."
Juhee, who had been observing her closely over the exam period, resolutely made up her mind and took Gaeul to the optician. Fortunately, they had lenses that matched her prescription readily available.
The first time she tried to put them in, it took quite a while. The thought of placing something directly onto her bare eyes felt so unfamiliar and frightening that Gaeul hesitated multiple times. While others seemed to insert and remove them effortlessly, she felt like she would never be able to do it on her own. After gathering her resolve, she finally managed to put the lenses in and, for the first time, was able to see her face clearly without glasses.
"See? I told you it would be much better! Let's get rid of these right away."
Juhee shook the horn-rimmed glasses and said that after noticing Gaeul wearing her contact lenses. Gaeul looked at her reflection in the mirror, feeling a bit dazed.
Unlike Gajun, who inherited good eyesight from their mother, Gaeul took after their father and struggled with poor vision from a young age. Fortunately, her eyesight didn’t deteriorate, but it also didn’t improve, so she had to wear glasses all the time.
She thought her parents' comments that her bare face was pretty were simply what any parents would say. She also interpreted Gajun's reassurance, that she wasn't ugly as he matured, as a form of consolation.
However, now that she saw herself in this manner, she actually seemed quite attractive.
"I still need glasses."
"Then we could switch to a different style. The horn-rimmed glasses hide too much of your face. Let’s see... I think a pair of silver frames like this would suit you much better. Wow, this looks so much better!"
"Really? Now that you mention it, I think that might be true...”
“Since it's your first time with contact lenses, let’s also change your glasses. How long has it been since you last changed them?”
"I’ve been wearing horn-rimmed glasses since entering middle school."
"Wow, you’re impressive in so many ways."
Only then did Gaeul realise how little she had cared about her appearance until now.
In her childhood, Gaeul found Gajun simply annoying. Despite having the same parents, they inherited vastly different traits: he was tall, had excellent eyesight, and was good-looking, while Gaeul was neither particularly tall nor conventionally attractive. On top of that, the fact that she had to wear uncomfortable glasses for her entire life was particularly upsetting.
Even during her teenage years, Gaeul was relegated to the role of a chocolate delivery girl on Valentine’s Day and a Pepero delivery girl on Pepero Day because of her friends’ crush on Ga-jun. He even monopolised their grandparents' affection from birth simply because he was the eldest son. Although their parents didn’t discriminate against their children based on gender or age, they often reminded Gaeul, ‘Just try to do as well as your older brother.’
Since she couldn’t change her natural traits, she focused solely on her studies, determined not to fall behind academically. As a result, concerns about how to enhance her appearance naturally took a back seat. Furthermore, having attended all-girls middle and high schools, the only males around her were her father and Gajun, and her brother's friends rarely visited, leaving her with almost no interaction with the opposite sex. She had never been particularly interested in dressing up, and without any desire to impress anyone, she found herself much more focused on improving her grades than on becoming more attractive.
"You should start wearing contact lenses starting tomorrow."
After that day, Gaeul's life changed completely.
Once she bid farewell to her foggy glasses, men began to approach her one by one. After her wardrobe changed thanks to Juhee, this happened even more frequently. In fact, Juhee was more excited about these changes than Gaeul was and brought various outfits and recommended what would suit her best. Gaeul wasn't very skilled with makeup, so she just stuck to the basics.
If Gaeul felt a sense of accomplishment whenever Juhee's grades improved, it seemed that Juhee experienced a different kind of joy each time Gaeul became more beautiful.
And so, here they were now.
"You want to look pretty but also older? That’s a request I’ve never heard before."
Juhee spoke as she held the eyeshadow palette and applied colour to Gaeul's face.
Today was the long-awaited day of the one-night stand. No matter how hard she tried, Gaeul just couldn’t improve her makeup skills. After much contemplation, she decided to ask Juhee for help.
"I told the other person that I’m twenty-eight years old."
"What? You added five years?"
When Juhee stopped in shock, Gaeul replied with a calm expression.
"He said he's 27, so I wanted to pretend to be older."
"What's the point of seeming older?"
“I can't afford to come across as easy to take advantage of.”
Juhee resumed her makeup and continued speaking.
"If you’re a virgin at that age, it might make you seem even easier to be taken advantage of."
"Is that so?"
"And what will you do if you want to see him again?"
"I won't see him again. That's exactly why I want it to be a one-night stand."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Whatever."
Gaeul replied in a flat tone and took a long sip through the straw of her tumbler. Having made quite a significant decision, she remained surprisingly calm, leaving Juhee astonished.
“You definitely have impressive execution skills. You turn down blind dates but still insist on having sex, huh?”
“I’m too busy for a relationship. The person you introduced seems nice, but I’m not sure about it. I’ve never developed an attraction based solely on looks.”
“What are you going to do if a really ugly guy shows up after that?”
“I’ll just pay for the room and leave quietly. If you can’t reach me, you know I’ll be at the Baekje Hotel, right?”
“After you meet him, make sure to update me on everything, from whether he’s good-looking to which room you’re in.”
"Got it."
Seeing Gaeul’s determined face, Juhee let out a sigh tinged with worry.
“I can’t believe I’m sending you into the wild world of one-night stands.”
"You're surprisingly not stopping me?"
“It’s not even a serious crime, so what’s the point of trying to stop you? Besides, I’ve never seen anyone change their mind about relationships just because someone tried to dissuade them. You’re also not the type to easily back down once you’ve made a decision,”
“True. You always end up dating those you’re told not to, and you refuse to break up with the ones you should, leading you to cry every time.”
Juhee's hand paused.
"Do you not want me to do your makeup?"
“...But it’s precisely because of those experiences that you’re able to meet someone good now. I’m glad.”
Gaeul's insincere remark made Juhee smirk as she continued with the makeup.
"But I’m a little curious."
"What is it?”
"About your review of your first experience. The likelihood is slim, but I really hope the guy is handsome. You said he has a nice body, right?”
"Yeah. I verified he has abs."
"Please, let it be big. And do it well."
"That’s right. Please let it be big. And do it well."
As Juhee murmured the request like a spell, Gaeul followed suit, reciting the words before taking a drink from the straw of the tumbler she had placed on the table.
“By the way, you don’t often bring a tumbler. What's in it?"
"Soju."
“...”
“I’m just trying to relax a bit.”
“If you think about it, you’re not exactly ordinary either.”
Juhee shook her head with an expression of disbelief.
After finishing her makeup, Juhee snatched the tumbler from Gaeul, who was slightly tipsy and about to head to the hotel. As she watched Gaeul board the bus with a pleasantly buzzed expression, Juhee opened the tumbler lid, her face reflecting a troubled look.
"Crazy. She already finished it all?"
Gaeul wasn’t a lightweight when it came to drinking, but Juhee hadn’t expected her to finish a whole bottle of soju before heading out for her first one-night stand.
“In a way, that’s quite impressive.”
Juhee cast a worried glance at the bus as it disappeared from view.
Translator's Corner:
[1] Gaeul's name is 가을 (which means Autumn). She used 겨울 as her nickname (which is Gyeoul and means Winter). I used "Winter" since it's for a dating site nickname~
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