My Platinum-Blond Childhood Friend Is So Pretty

35 – 13. Bikini for My Exclusive Girlfriend

After the weekend we had our date.

The news of Elly and I dating didn’t cause much of a stir among our friends.

“Showing off your couple ring, how annoying.”

Maybe just mocking us a bit for using a couple ring photo as our profile picture.

Most of them already seemed to be aware that we were already a couple, so it wasn’t a big deal.

Isoyeon, who knew the details, commented sincerely.

“So, are you two really dating now? The Ferris wheel must have been fun. Where are you going for your next date? Oh, but if we keep doing this, it might be a bit awkward for the three of us to hang out… Huh? It’s okay? Thanks! Will you keep playing with me in the future?! I won’t follow you too much out of consideration!”

She genuinely congratulated us. Other friends like Minjae and Chaewon, Jinwoo, and a few others casually mentioned, ‘Are you dating now?’ and moved on with light-hearted comments.

And then there was one more person.

In a subtle and complex relationship, not exactly a friend but aware that Elly and I weren’t officially dating yet.

Ju Hye-ryeong.

When she met us in the hallway, she smiled casually as if nothing was wrong.

“Congratulations. I thought Alicia might not be suitable because of her personality. Well, she’s pretty, though.”

“Go away, Ju Hye-ryeong.”

“I’m going. Have fun dating, you two. If the ring is gone around next year, I might try again.”

“Hey, seriously, you…”

“Be scared. Well then, Doyoon. See you next time.”

With that, she winked and walked away.

Thanks to her, Elly felt a bit uncomfortable, but she managed to calm her down. Despite some teasing from Ju Hye-ryeong whenever they crossed paths, there were no major conflicts.

Anyway.

Except for the fact that Elly and I started to have more diverse and intense physical contact, our daily lives didn’t change much.

Being affectionate was only between us, not in public. We held hands at most.

And then, Thursday.

After hearing that the department store nearby had already started selling swimsuits for the summer, Isoyeon suggested we go shopping.

“Let’s go check out the swimsuits!”

“Sure.”

Already contemplating buying a bikini, Ellie nodded at the suggestion. She had heard that if you didn’t go right when the seasonal sale started, many styles would be sold out.

However, I had no intention of following along.

Watching two women choose swimsuits would only be awkward, and I just wanted to anxiously anticipate what Ellie would pick.

But.

“Come with me.”

“…Should I come too?”

“I’ll let you wear whatever you like, so come and choose together.”

“hahahaha, that sounds great! Understanding your boyfriend’s taste is important!”

“….”

The strength to refuse Ellie’s invitation, a girlfriend’s command, was beyond me.

And so, now.

“Which one suits me better?”

In front of other women, glancing at me from time to time, Ellie asked for opinions from her girlfriend, her close friend, and boldly inquired about her boyfriend’s preference.

That’s how my taste was bluntly criticized.

***

Although the current situation felt like being in hell.

Even while being conscious of the surroundings, I carefully scanned the two bikinis Ellie was holding.

Since Ellie had asked, I couldn’t just stay silent.

The black bikini on the left, seemingly modest but with straps around the neck, back, and waist of the bottom, would naturally reveal all sorts of skin when laid over Ellie’s body, making it a perfect bikini in itself.

The navy blue bikini on the right, from what I heard, was a cross halter neck high-waisted style, with a top that revealed the chest line below the crossed neck straps, and bottoms that covered generously up to below the navel.

It was relatively less revealing, but it seemed to give an elegant feeling when worn.

“Hmm.”

I had to think carefully.

It was indeed a situation where answering outright was difficult, and choosing one wasn’t easy either.

Ellie would look pretty and suit any of them, no matter what.

But.

“….”

“……”

Elly and Isoyeon, who were eagerly observing what I would choose, would never allow an answer that suggests they would be a good match.

As the two women continue their conversation, it seems that other female patrons nearby are also eavesdropping on this intriguing dialogue.

I made my decision at the end.

“… The right one.”

“This one? Are you sure?”

“Surprising, isn’t it? Of course, it would go well with Elly…”

“That’s exactly why I chose it. It seems like it would suit Elly very well. It will look pretty on her.”

“heheheh.”

“Oh come on! You two keep giving away that you’re interested in each other!”

Although they both showed a suspicious reaction as if they thought I would choose a swimsuit with strings, they both smiled happily after hearing my words.

Elly in a string bikini?

Honestly, I really want to see her in it.

But choosing a provocative bikini openly in this place was impossible for me, and it would also be inappropriate for any other man to see her in that revealing outfit.

So, the best choice would be a less provocative swimsuit that would still accentuate Elly’s body and be s*xy, pretty, and cute.

I chose the high-waisted swimsuit on the right.

After saying the ‘correct answer’, I took a step back with a beaming smile on my face.

Really, except for me, this area of women’s swimsuits was filled with only women, and I wanted to leave immediately.

No matter how familiar I am with dealing with girls for various reasons, this situation was extremely distressing.

That’s why I chose a swimsuit, and just as Elly and Soyeon were about to start looking at each other’s swimsuits, I thought of sneaking away outside.

“Yidoon.”

“Yes?”

“Which one of these do you like better?”

“……”

This time, Elly held a new type of swimsuit in her hand, alongside the one I had chosen for her, and asked me while trying it on with something airy on top.

“Oh, it’s cute~ Maybe it suits me more? I have a small chest… How about it, Do Yoon-ah? Is it okay for me?”

Even Soyeon chuckled as she added her own evaluation that would be hard for a guy to respond to.

I was completely speechless.

Elly was serious, and Soyeon seemed to be teasing me within that playful atmosphere.

“Wow… That foreign girl is really good at Korean.”

“Asking my boyfriend to pick out a swimsuit… Ugh… What are we doing here, just the two of us, right now?”

“Exactly.”

“But isn’t that camisole nice? It covers just up to the midriff, and it’s pretty… Where is it?”

Amid the intriguing glances from those around, eagerly observing this side conversation.

“He said he wants to see me in a bikini. I wonder which one he wants to see more.”

“Kyaa! Did he really say that?! Lee Doyoon, you pervert!”

“Sigh…”

I couldn’t escape.

***

“This is the one I like.”

“Doyoon has a strong taste, huh? In the end, the high-waisted one I first picked won. It really suits Ellie, though. Does he choose swimsuits well for his girlfriend because he’s a boyfriend?”

“Please, stop talking about that.”

In the end, after I chose everything I needed, I managed to escape just before paying. Whether I can say I escaped is debatable.

Afterward, the two of us, having paid for our swimsuits, entered a café together. Mentally exhausted, I slumped onto the table.

It goes without saying that I chose Ellie’s swimsuit. Enduring Ellie’s sharp glares every time Soyeon asked if the one she picked was good was challenging.

Nevertheless, in the end, I was satisfied with the swimsuit I bought because I really wanted to see Ellie wearing it.

Above all, when the two of them emerged from the dressing room after trying on their swimsuits, Soyeon whispered in my ear.

“Ellie looks really amazing. The swimsuit suits her so well.”

That comment raised my expectations even more.

Anyway, after that challenging time, we sat in the café, each sipping our drinks and chatting.

“Ellie, are you going for another shoot this week?”

“Yeah, I agreed to it. I do it periodically as part-time work.”

“Doyoon said you don’t like swimsuits, so what’s this one for?”

“Shorts and an off-shoulder blouse. After finishing, they’re giving me a set I like as a separate gift.”

“I love off-shoulder blouses.”

As expected, Ellie, who enjoyed the fitting model job as I thought, recently received a new gig.

The client apparently wanted swimsuits the most, but since Ellie wasn’t interested, she politely declined and asked for something else.

And this time.

“Doyoon, did you say you’re going too?”

“Yeah. Ellie wanted to see me, so she insisted we go together…”

“Quiet down.”

“I decided to come with you because I might start missing Ellie.”

“hehehe, is that so? Ellie is adorable~”

“…Annoying.”

Ellie insisted, absolutely insisted, that she would take me along.

Well, I could adjust my schedule for drawing anytime, so there was no reason to refuse Ellie’s request.

I was also filled with the desire to see my girlfriend doing modeling up close.

“By the way, if the two of you go out alone in the summer… I wonder who I’ll go with this year…”

Amidst such discussions, Lee Soyeon sighed as if complaining.

Until last year, although we were close, we went with our respective families, never just us going to the beach together.

But now, we were even closer than last year, with more financial flexibility.

There was no reason not to go together.

“We can go together. To the swimming pool. I don’t want to go to the beach three times, I went with my family already.”

“Really?! Isn’t that going to interfere with your date?”

As if Ellie didn’t care about such concerns, she casually remarked, and Lee Soyeon laughed brightly in response.

“Don’t worry about our dates; we’ll manage plenty.”

“Thanks! Then should we gather everyone and go together?”

“Sure, or just the three of us is fine too.”

“Got it! I’ll try to find a time that doesn’t clash with your schedules!”

Seeing Lee Soyeon genuinely pleased, both Ellie and I smiled.

While our time as a couple was important, spending time with our closest friend, Lee Soyeon, was equally precious and significant to us.

After that, Lee Soyeon excitedly discussed when to go, which pool to visit, what rides to take, and what to eat before parting ways.

However, before leaving, Lee Soyeon gave me a sly smile, lightly nudged my forearm with her elbow, and said,

“Have a good time~”

“……?”

“See you both tomorrow! Bye!”

I tilted my head, wondering about her strange words, but Ellie hurried me to leave, and I quickly erased it from my mind.

And when we arrived home.

“Hug… Snug…”

After sharing a deep kiss that would never become familiar no matter how many times they did it, a kiss that would excite their body and mind for a lifetime, Eli spoke.

“I’ll come to your room later.”

“What time?”

“…Around 10 o’clock.”

“It’s a bit late, isn’t it? Okay, got it.”

It was not uncommon for Eli to come back after talking and exchanging kisses before going to bed.

Without much thought, he nodded his head and drew pictures in his room after dinner. Then, Eli lay briefly on the bed and looked at her phone.

At the agreed-upon time of 10 o’clock, Eli came to find her.

“You’re here?”

“Yeah.”

As always, she entered the room without knocking.

-Crack!

She closed the door, and locked it.

Usually, our parents always knocked, so there was no need to do this. Why was it different today? I thought, as I sat on the bed.

Eli asked a question.

“…Do you remember the bikini I showed you when we went to buy swimsuits earlier? Not the one I bought.”

“The black one? Yeah, I remember.”

“Do you want to see me wear it?”

“All of a sudden?”

“Just answer. Do you want to see it or not?”

In a loose long-sleeved t-shirt and comfortable sweatpants.

To come wearing that and ask that question.

I intuitively sensed something.

“…I want to see it.”

I honestly answered.

And then.

-Swish…

Eli began undressing.

In front of me.

Boldly and confidently.