Chapter 143: Sweet Like Cotton Candy

TL: Aniea

‘...It’s because of her claustrophobia.’

As soon as I saw the determined expression on Kim Eun-ha’s face, I immediately realized what she wanted.

Honestly, I wouldn't recommend overcoming trauma in such an extreme way, but it seemed Kim Eun-ha had already made up her mind.

Rather than trying to break the stubbornness of someone who had mustered up her courage and walked all the way here on her own, it seemed more right to act as the brakes by her side.

‘Well, bumper cars should be fine.’

Like wetting your body before jumping into water. Instead of suddenly going for a roller-coaster-level extreme remedy, it would be better to ease the tension first.

Bumper cars are safe enough for even young children to ride, and more importantly, there are no enclosed spaces.

“Shall we start light for now?”

“...Okay.”

Fortunately, Kim Eun-ha accepted my suggestion without resistance. Though she had boldly told me earlier to just trust and follow her, her feet probably didn’t move as easily as she’d hoped.

I tightened my grip on her hand. Then gently led Kim Eun-ha toward the bumper cars.

“There sure are a lot of kids here.”

“Well, of course. Bumper cars are like a must-do course for families with children and couples.”

“The line is way longer than I expected...”

“This is actually quite short. Normally it takes hours just to get on one ride. There’s a reason they call amusement parks the art of waiting.”

“Oh my god.”

Kim Eun-ha shook her head in disbelief. Her expression clearly showed she couldn’t understand why people would go that far just to ride an amusement park ride.

I also agreed 100% with that opinion, but there was no need to show it right now.

“Oh, they’re selling cotton candy over there too.”

Before the mood could drop, I quickly shifted her attention. Luckily, the sweet smell of cotton candy tickling my nose helped me out.

“Have you tried it before?”

“Huh? You’ve never had cotton candy?”

“No. I never really had the chance.”

“Hm.”

I was briefly stunned by the fact that she’d never had cotton candy, but thinking about it, cotton candy machines are surprisingly rare these days, so it made sense.

“Then let’s take this chance to try it.”

We’d have to wait a while anyway to get on the bumper cars, so having a snack to kill the boredom didn’t seem like a bad idea. With that thought, I stepped forward without hesitation.

“One cotton candy, please.”

“Oh, just a moment! I’ll make it fresh for you!”

“You can just give me one of those already made....”

“No, no! Please wait!”

“.......”

Thanks to the suspiciously enthusiastic staff, we got to watch the entire process of cotton candy being made in real time.

Kim Eun-ha blinked as she looked at the pink cotton candy that was much bigger than her own face.

“...How do you eat this?”

“Like this.”

Kim Eun-ha looked unsure of how to eat it. Feeling mischievous, I grabbed her wrist to steady it, then took a big bite of the cotton candy with my mouth.

She glared at me with a doubtful look, then slowly started to look uncertain.

“Try it. It’s good.”

“.......”

Nom-

After I gave her a gentle push on the back, Kim Eun-ha reluctantly brought the cotton candy to her mouth. She very cautiously took a bite.

“......!!”

Then her eyes widened like a rabbit’s, and she looked back and forth between the cotton candy in her hand and me.

“What is this!?”

“Pretty tasty, right?”

“Mhm!”

Nom-

Instead of replying, Kim Eun-ha put the cotton candy back into her mouth again. Her reaction was so pure that I stared at her, and she turned her head shyly, seemingly embarrassed.

“Eun-ha ssi. Hold on a second.”

“Yes? Mmph!?”

When I reached out to wipe her lips, Kim Eun-ha flinched and stepped back. She was so surprised that her flustered expression looked adorable.

“You’re making a mess while eating.”

“...You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”

“How could I possibly do that?”

“.......”

Zap-!

A fierce glare aimed in this direction. Feeling even more mischievous because of it, I lightly licked the finger that had touched Kim Eun-ha’s lips.

“What, what are you doing!?”

“Is there a problem?”

“Why are you putting that in your mouth?!”

“I can’t exactly put it in yours, can I?”

“.......”

Kim Eun-ha was at a loss for words at the sheer absurdity of my logic. Seeing her skin flush red, the corners of my lips lifted naturally.

Her gaze sharpened even more, but even that felt amusing in the moment.

***

A lump of sugar.

To Kim Eun-ha, cotton candy was nothing more and nothing less than that. An unhealthy snack with nothing good for the body, but a well-marketed junk food.

But the moment she put the cotton candy in her mouth.

As it melted smoothly on her tongue and released the sweetness it had been holding, it felt as if lightning struck inside her head.

‘...It’s sweet.’

It’s not like she’d never snacked before in her life, but for someone like her who had maintained a relatively healthy lifestyle, this pure sugar bomb of dopamine was shockingly intense.

In that instant, worries, complications, and fears all vanished. It was like being forcibly dragged into a sweet fantasy world.

‘...If I were alone, I probably never would’ve known this taste.’

Kim Eun-ha glanced at Kang Woo-ju over the cotton candy. His presence suddenly felt all the more significant.

To begin with, Kim Eun-ha had never been fond of sweet things. The odds of her coming to an amusement park and eating cotton candy on her own were nearly zero.

And even if she had somehow miraculously ended up tasting it, she wouldn’t have been able to purely enjoy its sweetness like she was now.

Nom-

The more she savored the cotton candy melting gently in her mouth, the more special this amusement park date, chosen as a way to overcome her claustrophobia, felt to her.

“...Here.”

“Hm?”

Kim Eun-ha pinched off a piece of the cotton candy and held it out toward Kang Woo-ju.

Kang Woo-ju blinked and looked back and forth between the cotton candy and her face.

“Oh....”

“Kyaaah-!”

“Oh my, how sweet.”

Suddenly the people around them reacted. Passersby who had been sneaking glances at the two while waiting in line could no longer hold back and let out screams.

Whooosh-!

Only then did Kim Eun-ha realize what she was doing. Her face turned bright red, and she quickly tried to pull her hand back.

Or rather, she tried to.

But faster than that, Kang Woo-ju reached out and grabbed her wrist, and without a moment of hesitation, brought it to his mouth.

“......!!”

Chomp-

Kang Woo-ju bit not only the cotton candy but also Kim Eun-ha’s fingers. His daring move was so bold that not only Kim Eun-ha but also the people nearby gasped.

Gulp-!

It was such a shocking gesture that the entire bustling amusement park fell silent, and sounds of people swallowing echoed everywhere.

“W-w-wha....”

“Tastes good.”

Grin-

Kang Woo-ju interrupted Kim Eun-ha and gave a playful smile. Her brain went completely blank from the overwhelming flood of information.

She couldn’t even think to pull her wrist away from his grasp, simply stammering in place.

“Uh... um... so....”

“This time, I’ll give you a bite.”

“Huh?”

“Here, say ah-”

It was clear Kang Woo-ju had no intention of letting go of the momentum he’d gained. He boldly continued his offensive.

Just as Kim Eun-ha had done earlier, he pinched off a piece of the cotton candy and held it toward her mouth.

A sweet surprise slipped between her lips, which had parted in shock. As something suddenly entered her mouth, Kim Eun-ha reflexively closed her lips.

“.......”

The soft sensation that touched the tip of his finger made Kang Woo-ju quickly pull back, realizing what he’d done.

But it was already too late. Kim Eun-ha, overwhelmed by the unfamiliar feeling she had never experienced before, was completely frozen.

“...Eun-ha ssi?”

“.......”

Her pupils stared blankly at Kang Woo-ju, completely unfocused. It would take quite a long time for her to snap out of it.

.

...And so, after snacks and some light conversation, it was finally time for Kang Woo-ju’s couple to take their turn.

As they got into the vehicle following the staff’s instructions, the characteristic crackling sound of the bumper car tickled their ears. The two exchanged glances at the same time, as if on cue.

“You’re ready for this, right?”

“Even though it’s your first time on a bumper car.”

“Driving is the same anywhere.”

“You’re going to seriously get it at this rate.”

“Says the one who should be worried.”

Heh-

The moment both of them curled up their lips in mischievous grins, indistinguishable from each other, the whistle blew and the bumper cars began to move.

There was no longer any sign of tension in Kim Eun-ha, who had taken the wheel. Only a childlike expression of excitement could be seen on her face.

With a confident smile on her lips, she skillfully maneuvered the car. Without a shred of hesitation, she charged straight at Kang Woo-ju’s car.

“Eep!”

Thud-

With a solid jolt, a smile spread across Kim Eun-ha’s face. At this very moment, it felt as if all the complicated thoughts she normally carried had vanished.

“Bumper cars aren’t such a big deal after all, huh?”

“.......”

Teasing him lightly after the hit, Kang Woo-ju’s gaze chilled.

But Kim Eun-ha paid no mind and made a wide loop around the track to strike again for the second time.

However, Kang Woo-ju, now fired up with competitive spirit, smoothly dodged her. His maneuver was so sharp it was hard to believe it was a bumper car, leaving the onlookers’ mouths wide open.

“Whoa....”

Kim Eun-ha let out a faint laugh in disbelief as well. In that moment, Kang Woo-ju spun his car in place and charged toward her.

Kim Eun-ha also made evasive maneuvers to avoid the hit, but Kang Woo-ju, as if he had anticipated her move, skillfully drove her into a corner.

“......!!”

Trapped in a dead end with nowhere to go, Kim Eun-ha tightly shut her eyes in anticipation of the impact.

But no matter how long she waited, the hit never came. When she cautiously opened her eyes, she saw Kang Woo-ju grinning with his lips pulled up high.

Bump-

Though it was the perfect chance for revenge by anyone’s standards, Kang Woo-ju brought his car to a stop right in front of her instead. Once again, their eyes met.

“.......”

“.......”

A brief silence.

Amid the noisy background music and buzzing of bumper cars, Kim Eun-ha felt closer to Kang Woo-ju than ever before.

“This counts as a technical win, right?”

Thump-

Kang Woo-ju broke the silence with a playful bump. Whether the bumper cars conducted electricity or not, the light jolt made Kim Eun-ha feel a tingling sensation through her whole body.

Beeeep-

At that moment, the whistle blew, signaling the end, and the two of them got out of the cars at the same time, as if prearranged.

Immediately after, Kang Woo-ju naturally reached his hand out to her, and Kim Eun-ha, just as naturally, took it.

“What should we ride next?”

“Roller coaster.”

“...Are you sure?”

“Yeah.”

Kim Eun-ha lifted her head and looked off into the distance. There, a roller coaster was twisting and turning wildly, like a dragon dancing through the clouds.

Tremble-

Their clasped hands shook slightly. Her heart began to race wildly out of control.

Whether it was because of her claustrophobia,

or because she was with him,

Kim Eun-ha could no longer tell.

*****

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