I Have a Reason to Hate Streamers

*

“This is so stuffy.”

It feels like my soft flesh keeps trying to spill out from the sides.

As soon as I fastened the hook of my bra, it felt like my chest was being squeezed tightly.

It can’t be that I’ve gained weight, right?

Since my body changed, I haven’t noticed any significant changes in my shape, whether I eat a lot or a little.

Plus, I’ve been working out hard these days and my diet has become much healthier.

If anything, the extra flab should’ve disappeared, not increased.

So that leaves only one possibility.

“…Did it get bigger?”

There had been no signs before, but at first, I thought it fit perfectly.

However, it started to feel a little—just a tiny bit—tight.

At first, I dismissed it as just my imagination.

After all, it seemed more realistic to think the clothes had changed instead of me.

Given how long I’ve been living a wrecked life, I must have made some kind of mistake.

Maybe I washed the clothes wrong or stored them poorly.

What else could it be, right?

But today, I couldn’t make excuses.

The one I just pulled out is almost like new.

When I buy clothes, I prioritize function over appearance, so it’s unlikely all my underwear comes from different manufacturers.

Even the old clothes I’ve worn for a long time.

Tightens around my breasts like they’re almost new.

I had no more excuses to tell myself.

“No… but this is a bit much, don’t you think?”

It’s already big enough that I can’t say it’s small.

Honestly, it doesn’t even fit in my palm anymore.

I now understand why women complain about shoulder and back pain.

It’s heavier than I expected, you know.

When I try to support the bottom with both hands, it feels quite weighty.

Naturally, whenever I sit down, I end up resting my chest on the table.

It does have the advantage of being convenient to place my tablet or phone on… but still…

Anyway, this is a secret.

Let’s just get through today and buy a few new ones.

*

“Da-eun, isn’t your bra size mismatched?”

“……”

Busted immediately, huh.

How perceptive women are!

San-sae’s gaze is fixed on me.

Fortunately, Elderin had gone into the bath first, so at least I had that much luck.

“Do you want me to check? Turn around.”

“I’m fine. I’m going to change it anyway. I just brought the wrong one.”

“It looks new. Could it be that it got larger?”

“…I’m telling you, it’s not like that.”

Feeling embarrassed, I hugged myself with both arms.

With nowhere else to look, my head naturally bowed down.

If I were to put my palm on my face right now, would it be too hot to burn?

Fortunately, Shin-ah just smiled and let it slide.

I was relieved there were no other people around.

The place we found this time seems pretty pricey; it feels like it’s reserved just for us.

I can’t help but feel like expectations are rising.

What if I end up overspending like this?

Though I feel a bit uncomfortable, after hearing Elderin’s words, I decided to change my mindset.

– I don’t particularly like expensive places. It’s just that I can only afford to go here.

– It’s better to be burdened by price than by people.

– I really like my fans, but sometimes I need my own time as well.

– Da-eun, don’t you think it’s much better to spend a bit of money and have fun comfortably?

The sauna I went to with the Teacher had quite a few people.

That place was right next to a water park.

If someone had recognized me there, it would have been quite a nightmare.

If there were a lot of other guests, I wouldn’t know where to look.

In fact, even seeing Elderin or San-sae’s body is difficult for me.

But the sauna was a place I definitely wanted to visit at least once.

There was something more than just soaking in a tub.

As long as I keep my gaze careful, I should be fine.

‘After all, I might just doze off if I get too mellow.’

By the way, isn’t San-sae ready 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’s not going in.

She needs to go in for me to take off my clothes and follow her.

Even now, undressing in front of others is not easy.

I hesitated a bit longer and had no choice but to ask gently.

“Aren’t you going in?”

“You have to take off all your clothes before you go in.”

“You can go in first, you know.”

“If I go alone, how will I enter the bath? The floor is slippery. It’s dangerous with crutches.”

Oh wait?

My mind goes blank.

I hadn’t thought of that until now.

*

They say the average height of a woman in her 20s in Korea is about 161.1 cm.

I’m around 156 cm, which is a bit shorter, and Elderin seems about average.

As for San-sae, she’s significantly taller than average.

I’d guess she’s just over 170 cm.

She carries the aura of a “strong sis” and has a naturally slender body.

When she linked arms with me to help, my head reached about her shoulder.

‘This person. I thought she only lived in her room like me, but she’s surprisingly fit. Am I the only weak one?’

Going to the bath alone would have been quite precarious.

But the way she holds onto me feels quite strong.

I feel assured that even if I lose my balance, San-sae will support me tightly.

Thanks to that, the walk to the bath isn’t all that dangerous.

Slowly, step by step, I walked on the gray tiles with San-sae’s support.

Fortunately, there was a seat prepared where I could wash my body sitting down.

However, there was a catch.

Leaning against San-sae means—simply put—our bodies were quite close.

My cheeks and chest were pressed together and squished.

Every movement made me acutely aware of the tiny movements of her muscles, making me feel even more embarrassed.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t think of this part. I thought I could just walk with crutches.”

“It’s okay. I came here to help you. In fact, it would have been difficult for you to come alone.”

“Thank you…”

“You don’t need to thank me.”

I probably won’t be able to return to the sauna until my legs are healed.

I’ve never been able to swim, and at the beach, I’ll only get a few good feelings from the sand.

It’s a bit tricky to play together in many ways.

When I said I was going to have fun in the summer, I guess it’s better for me to just stay out of it.

While I was thinking, Elderin prepared a plastic chair for me.

Carrying it slowly, I finally grasp the reality of being in a bath.

As for the atmosphere… is it different in some way?

The facilities here are definitely much more upscale than the ones I’ve been to before.

Yet it still gives off that faint fishy water smell that comes with places that always have water.

I’m pretty sure the last place I went had a smell like this too.

I probably didn’t notice it then because I was completely uninterested.

Well, I’ve always lived pretty nonchalantly anyway.

“Are you going to wash up and then soak first?”

“Yes. I wanted to go into the hot tub.”

“Let’s all go in together.”

“Do you want me to wash your hair?”

“I can do it alone. I’m not a kid…”

I immediately rejected her offer out of embarrassment.

I hoped my response wasn’t too weird.

Though I might be small, I’m still a decent adult.

Just because we entered the bath together doesn’t mean I suddenly become a child.

So Elderin didn’t insist any further and backed off.

But I happened to see it.

The fleeting disappointment in Elderin’s eyes as she glanced over.

And then a memory of a story I heard long ago about her sister emerged in my mind.

Yuserin’s younger sister had been in the hospital for a long time.

And since they were sisters, they probably bathed together when they were younger.

Maybe she just gave up on fulfilling a wish from her wishlist that couldn’t happen just now?

That thought didn’t sit well with me.

I’ve received so much help from Elderin.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call her my benefactor.

I didn’t want to make a selfish decision just because of some ‘embarrassment.’

“…Alright. Just this once. I can do it, but since it’s a special occasion, I’ll ask just this one time.”

“Sure! Just look in the mirror. I’ll go in the back!”

“Okay.”

This must have been the right answer.

Elderin’s expression brightened instantly, and her voice went up a notch.

As I closed my eyes a bit, I felt her hands touching my hair.

Water flowing from the showerhead wet my right arm.

“Is the water temperature okay?”

“Yes. It’s warm.”

“Thank goodness.”

The water that slowly flowed from below soaked my hair well.

Once the bangs and side hair were all pushed back, I felt shampoo with a refreshing scent being applied.

Washing long hair is a lot trickier than when I was a guy.

Elderin scrubbed and massaged my hair with delicate hands from the ends to the roots.

Now, it should be about time to rinse it out.

But suddenly, her fingers began to massage my scalp in a wide motion.

Her thumbs pressed against my temples, moving in circles while the other eight fingers applied pressure from inside out.

However, without hurting me, they stimulated.

It felt different from being pampered at a hair salon.

It was oddly cooler, combined with a subtle pleasure that made my body relax.

A giggle came from behind, and a question was tossed at me.

“How does it feel? Good, right?”

“Yes…”

I couldn’t possibly lie.

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