Indeed, it feels suffocating.
The sensation of soft flesh trying to bulge outwards keeps occurring.
As soon as I fastened the bra’s hook, I felt my br*asts being tightly squeezed.
—
There’s no way I’ve gained weight.
Since my body transformed, there hasn’t been any noticeable change in my figure, regardless of how much or little I eat.
Moreover, lately, I’ve been working out diligently, and my diet has become much healthier.
If anything, I should have lost excess weight, not gained it.
—
Thus, the possibility that comes to mind is one.
“…Have they grown?”
In fact, there were subtle signs.
At first, I thought it fit perfectly, but then it started feeling a bit tight, little by little.
—
At first, I dismissed it as my imagination.
It felt more realistic to think the clothes had changed rather than my body.
Given how long it’s been since my disrupted lifestyle, there must have been some mistake—like improper washing or storage.
It must be something like that.
—
But today, excuses didn’t cut it.
The one I just took out was practically new.
Since I prioritize functionality over appearance when buying clothes, there’s no way the manufacturer of my underwear would have changed.
Even the ones I’ve worn for a while now…
Even the practically new ones… they don’t provide enough coverage anymore.
I can no longer make excuses to myself.
“Not… but, isn’t this a bit much?”
Their size is no longer small.
Honesty compels me to admit that they can’t fit into one hand—they exceed the size of my palm.
Now, I understand why women complain about sore shoulders or waists.
—
It’s heavier than I thought.
When I support them with both hands, there’s a noticeable weight.
Naturally, when I sit and rest, my br*asts end up resting on the table.
There’s the occasional convenience of using them as a platform for a tablet or phone…
Still, this is a secret.
I’ll just get through today and buy a few new ones.
—
“Da-eun, isn’t your bra size wrong?”
“…”
Caught red-handed.
Just how perceptive can women be?
Sansa’s gaze lingered on me pensively.
At least Elderlyn went into the bath first, so that’s a relief.
“Can I check? Turn around.”
“I’m fine. I’ll just change it—I accidentally brought the wrong one.”
“It’s practically new. Unless… have you grown?”
“Of course not.”
Feeling unnecessarily embarrassed, I wrapped my arms tightly around myself.
Unable to find anywhere else to direct my gaze, my head drooped lower.
If I placed my palm on my cheeks now, I bet they’d be burning hot.
Fortunately, Sina grinned and moved on.
—
Thankfully, we’re alone.
This place must be quite expensive, as it seems we booked it exclusively for ourselves.
Somehow, our standards keep getting higher.
I’m not sure if this will start becoming frivolous.
I had inner reservations, but after hearing Elderlyn’s words, I resolved to change my mindset.
– It’s not that I only like expensive places. It’s just that I can’t afford anything else.
– It’s better to endure the cost instead of dealing with awkwardness around people.
– Though I love my fans, I also need my alone time sometimes.
– Da-eun, it’s much better for your mental state to splurge a little and have fun carefree.
—
The sauna I went to with Master was pretty crowded.
It was attached to a water park, after all.
Had someone recognized me there, it would have been quite the ordeal.
If there were other customers around, I wouldn’t have known where to look.
Actually, seeing Elderlyn or Sansa’s bodies is already difficult for me to handle, given my reserved nature.
—
But I still wanted to visit a sauna at least once.
There’s something that can’t be satisfied merely by soaking in a bathtub.
Inside the bath area, it’s just a matter of being careful with my gaze.
‘Anyway, I might just fall asleep if I’m feeling too relaxed.’
—
By the way, isn’t Sansa done preparing yet?
No matter how long I wait, she doesn’t seem to have any intention of leaving my side.
She could just go in first.
I don’t understand why she doesn’t.
After all, I can’t undress until she goes inside.
Undressing in front of others still isn’t easy for me.
—
After waiting a little longer, I had no choice but to ask gently.
“Sister, aren’t you going in?”
“I’ll go in after you’re completely undressed.”
“You can go ahead.”
“How am I supposed to get into the bath alone? The floor is slippery. It’s dangerous with my crutches.”
—
Eh?
My mind goes blank.
I hadn’t thought of that until now.
—
The average height for Korean women in their 20s is about 161.1 cm.
I’m around 156 cm, so a bit shorter than average, while Elderlyn seems to match the average exactly.
In Sansa’s case, she’s definitely taller than the average.
Judging by a quick glance, she’s probably just over 170 cm.
She fits the typical “fiery older sister” archetype, and her physique is generally slim.
When she tried to loop her arm around my shoulder to help me, my head barely reached her shoulder.
‘This person. I thought she was the type to stay cooped up in her room like me, but she’s more physically fit than I expected. Could it be that I’m just weak?’
—
The bathhouse would’ve been quite perilous if she’d only relied on her crutches.
However, the firm support of her arm wrapped around mine is considerable.
I now have the confidence that if I lose my balance, Sansa will catch me.
Thanks to her strength, the walk to the bath wasn’t overly dangerous.
We moved step by step, steadily, with Sansa’s help, across the gray-tiled floor.
Thankfully, there was a prepared spot to sit down and wash myself.
—
However, there weren’t any issues.
By leaning on Sansa’s body—our bodies were quite pressed against each other, in fact.
My cheeks and br*asts would occasionally press against her.
Because I could feel every subtle movement of her muscles during the movement, it made me feel even more uneasy.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t think about this. I thought I could just use the crutches.”
“It’s fine. I came here to help you. You probably wouldn’t have been able to come alone.”
“Thank you…”
“Tch.”
—
I don’t think I’ll visit the sauna again until my legs get better.
Swimming was something I couldn’t do anyway, and even at the beach, I’d probably just be lying around.
In many ways, it’s difficult to play together.
It’s probably courteous of me to bow out whenever there’s a summer trip.
As I was contemplating this, Elderlyn brought over a plastic chair.
By the time I carried it carefully toward the bath area, it finally felt real.
—
The facilities are definitely more luxurious compared to where I’ve been before.
Still, even in these high-end places, the subtle scent of stale water is inevitably present.
Maybe the places I visited before had the same smell, but I simply didn’t notice then.
Since I live a rather indifferent life, I guess I didn’t pay much attention.
—
“Should we wash and then soak in the hot spring?”
“I’d like to go into the hot springs.”
“Let’s go in together then.”
“Do you want me to wash your hair for you?”
“I can do it myself. I’m not a child…”
—
Reflexively, I refused out of embarrassment.
My answer was probably acceptable even though I’m petite for my age.
I am, after all, a grown adult.
Just because we’re bathing together doesn’t mean I’ve suddenly become a kid.
Elderlyn didn’t push the matter and stepped back.
—
But she saw me.
She saw the brief flicker of disappointment in Elderlyn’s eyes.
And in my head, I remembered the story Elderlyn told me about her younger sister.
Yuserin’s sister had been hospitalized for a long time.
When sisters are young, it’s natural for them to bathe together sometimes.
Perhaps, Elderlyn had just given up on one unfulfilled item from her wish list.
—
I do not want that.
I’ve received so much help from Elderlyn.
She’s practically my benefactor.
I don’t want to make a selfish decision because of mere “shame.”
—
“…Okay. Just this once. I can do it myself, but since we’re here… let’s do it just once, please.”
“Alright! Just look at the mirror. I’ll be behind you!”
“Okay.”
This was the right decision, I think.
Elderlyn’s expression brightened instantly, her tone lifting.
When I closed my eyes slightly, I could feel her hands touching my hair.
The water flowing from the showerhead dampened my right arm.
—
“Is the water temperature okay?”
“Yes, it’s warm.”
“Good.”
The water rising from below slowly drenched my hair.
When I swept my bangs and side hair to the back, the refreshing scent of shampoo was applied.
Washing long hair is far more complicated than it was when I was a man.
Elderlyn meticulously worked her fingers from the roots to the ends, evenly applying泡沫.
Now, it’s usually about time for the rinse.
—
Her outstretched fingers began massaging different parts of my scalp.
Using her thumbs, she rotated gently around my temples and, with the remaining eight fingers, firmly massaged from the center of my scalp outward.
It wasn’t uncomfortable, just a controlled stimulation.
—
This was different from the brief scalp massages I’d received at salons.
It was somehow more refreshing, with a subtle pleasure that relaxed my body.
Behind me, she chuckled and asked,
“How’s it feel? Good?”
“Yes…”
I couldn’t lie about that.
—
*
