Defective Banana - Chapter 16

As the gondola doors slid open, Ara and Seohyuk stepped out and strolled toward the exit, casually chatting about what to eat for dinner.

Just as they reached the parking lot, a familiar figure caught Ara’s eye.

“Oh? Grandma!”

An elderly woman with a bent back was slowly making her way toward the cable car entrance, pushing a cart stacked high with puffed rice snacks.

“Well, it’s the painter lady! You came again?”

“Yes! But you’re only just arriving now?”

“Ah, these days I have to come around this time. Too hot during the day.”

“But walking here at this hour? You’ll end up getting home in the middle of the night.”

Ara spoke as if she knew exactly where the old woman lived.

“It’s fine, it’s fine. This is my job—leave it be.”

“How’s your knee doing?”

The woman, who looked well into her eighties, straightened her back a little and met Ara’s eyes with a warm smile.

“Eh, not much use left in this thing. No point worrying about it now.”

“Grandma, just sell all of that to me and head home. I’ll give you a ride.”

“What would I even do at home? Just be by myself again. Let me breathe some fresh air and watch people walk by. But hey, who’s that young man behind you? Your new husband?”

Ara shot a quick glance at Seohyuk behind her and hurriedly waved her hands.

“Oh, no, no! He’s just a neighbor. A cousin, actually! We came out to hang for a bit.”

Neighbor-cousin. Close enough.

“Cousin? You always came alone before. I thought you finally brought your groom.”

“Ahaha, you’re too funny.”

Quickly changing the subject, Ara pulled a 50,000 won bill from her wallet and stuffed it into the old woman’s vest pocket.

“Grandma, the puffed rice… I’ll just take, let’s see… five bags, okay?”

“Eh! If you’re only buying them out of pity, forget it. No need to waste your money.”

“No, I love these. Really.”

Ara picked out a few bags from the cart and handed them one by one to Seohyuk. Before long, his arms were completely full.

“Here, take your change.”

The grandma fumbled at her waist pouch, but Ara stopped her and pointed off toward the distance.

“Grandma, don’t skip dinner. Use the change and go to that restaurant over there, okay? Promise me you’ll eat properly before heading home.”

“Ah, why are you always like this…”

This wasn’t the first time Ara had run into the “puffed rice grandma” here. They first met five years ago, when Ara was hiking the trail and saw the elderly woman trip and fall while pushing her cart. Ara had rushed over to help and even gave her a ride home after learning she always walked.

Since then, whenever she ran into the woman on the mountain, it felt like meeting her own late grandmother again.

“Take care, Grandma. Let’s meet again soon, okay? Stay healthy until then.”

“Next time, bring your kid with you. I’ll buy them a snack.”

That came out of nowhere.

Ara blinked rapidly.

“A… kid? I’m still single!”

“Well then, marry that young man behind you. Problem solved.”

“No, no, I told you—he’s my cousin!”

“Cousin, huh? My ears may be old, but they’re not that bad. You said ‘neighbor,’ not cousin. And the way he’s looking at you? That’s not how cousins look. Stop overthinking it and just marry him already. You’re not getting any younger—you need to have kids while you still can!”

They’d only officially started dating like… ten minutes ago. But somehow, Grandma had figured it out instantly. Years of experience really showed.

“W-we’ll see, Grandma! I’ve got to go now!” Ara quickly escaped from the sharp-eyed elder’s line of sight and headed for the car.

She held two bags of puffed rice, while Seohyuk carried three. They each climbed into their respective vehicles and started the engines.

As if about to race off, Ara grabbed the steering wheel and called out through the open window.

“Don’t lose me—follow close, okay?”

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll stick right behind you.”

The coastal road in Ganghwa stretched out ahead.

In her rearview mirror, Ara glanced at the black sedan tailing her closely. She bit her lower lip, her thoughts swirling.

Tonight, she was going to spend an unforgettable night with him. From the moment he followed her in the museum parking lot, her mind had been made up.

And the gift she’d decided to give him—was herself.

Tonight, she was going to indulge in this man without holding back as if it were a gift to herself, too.

No more lonely nights. She was going to live. Kiss like the people in those steamy videos, rub bare skin together, taste what everyone kept calling the ecstasy of s3x, and finally discover what made life so exhilarating.

“Baek Ara, don’t overthink it. Sure, he’s impotent and kind of a perv… but he’s also pretty cute, and honestly, ridiculously hot. Tonight’s going to be unforgettable. You’ve got this.”

She’d watched enough adult videos to consider herself somewhat skilled in theory. Confidence surged.

The white SUV pulled into a beachside parking lot, and the black sedan parked beside it. It was a quiet weekday night—no crowds, just the sound of waves crashing nearby.

Ara stepped out first, took a deep breath facing the ocean, while Seohyuk, having put on his mask and cap again, soon followed.

She motioned across the street toward a seafood restaurant, and as she stepped into the crosswalk, Seohyuk caught up beside her—awkwardly walking a little too close.

She nudged him with her elbow to back off, but he didn’t budge an inch.

Soon, the two were seated in a small private room inside the restaurant.

The server filled the table with all kinds of dishes and left the drinks last before exiting.

As soon as they were alone, Seohyuk whipped off his cap and mask and flashed a relieved smile.

“Phew… now I can finally breathe.”

Under the warm overhead light, Ara took her time admiring his face again.

Those long, dark lashes framing wet obsidian eyes, the sharp bridge of his nose, the soft yet sculpted lips, the prominent Adam’s apple, the strong neckline—every detail caught her attention. Even his hands, long fingers twisting off a green bottle cap, were mesmerizing.

“Here you go.”

He poured her a drink, then filled his own, and raised his glass.

“Cheers.”

After taking a sip, Ara placed her glass down and popped a slice of sashimi into her mouth, chewing thoughtfully.

Then she glanced at Seohyuk and casually asked,

“So… is kissing like this? Like, soft and squishy, like this fish?”

Seohyuk blinked, caught off guard.

“Kissing?”

“Yeah. I’ve never kissed anyone before, so I’m curious.”

He froze, chopsticks mid-air, then mumbled awkwardly,

“Well, I haven’t really either… I mean, if we’d kissed that time in the car, maybe we both would’ve found out, but…”

Ara’s eyes widened.

“Wait—you’ve never kissed anyone? Ever?”

He silently nodded.

Putting down her chopsticks, Ara clicked her tongue in disbelief.

“Impotent. A perv. And now a total idiot too.”

Even with the teasing jab, Seohyuk didn’t flinch. He remained calm, even smiling.

“I just never had the chance. Most of my co-stars have been men, and I always declined romantic roles. When women would confess or try to get close, I pushed them away. I never even gave dating a shot.”

“Why block them out?”

“Well… when someone I saw as a colleague suddenly tries to act intimate, it makes me uncomfortable. And honestly, I was scared. Afraid my secret would be exposed.”

“What—your impotence? Still, you should’ve tried. Romance scenes, bed scenes—you could’ve built up experience. Maybe avoiding it all is what made it worse.”

Ara sighed, seeing her own past hesitation reflected in him.

But Seohyuk just grinned.

“Now I have you. From here on out, I’ll learn everything with you.”

Ara stared at his lips.

Those thick, soft-looking lips… What would they taste like?

All those scenes he never got to act out, all those moments he’d missed—would now be with her…

She was deep in thought when Seohyuk suddenly spoke up, his voice more serious this time.

“Well, since we’re on the topic… want to try it now?”