RE: Keep it in the Family (Secret Class) 181 — Under the Stars III

"Ugh. Please tell me we won't miss it..." Su Ah murmured softly. "It can't just... storm like this. That would be awful timing, right? We're not set up to linger here beyond a single day..."

A shiver coursed through her, accompanied by a faint grimace, as she directed her deep blue, pleading eyes toward me.

"Even if you gaze at me that way, I'm no weather mage." I teased her lightly, truly feeling bad for her plight. "Let's move, quicken our pace."

After casting one final wistful glance at the heavens and the grand vista before us, she pivoted and gathered her gear. I followed suit.

I couldn't help but ponder if Su Ah had unwittingly offended some sky god, for scarcely had we begun jogging along the trail when the downpour struck, drumming unevenly on the overhead branches. The surroundings began to haze and trickle around us.

My fresh T-shirt plastered itself to my back right away, adhering tightly.

"Noona?" I spun toward Su Ah, who remained rooted in place, stunned and frozen. Torrents of rain cascaded in streams and trickles.

Rain poured on us like from a raging waterfall.

Su Ah's outfit drenched through completely. Her t-shirt turned half-see-through, revealing her bra beneath as well. "What should I do? I really wanted to see it, and now it just... oh, damn it all!" Su Ah muttered, clearly crushed by the abrupt shift. After all, she'd anticipated this sight for quite some time.

Chances were slim against odds like this massive deluge, but alas...

The world possessed a wickedly ironic twist.

Her pale pink bra stood out vividly against the now nearly transparent white shirt. A striking sight, yet I suspected she'd prefer not to expose herself to the wildlife on the mountain at the moment.

"What should we do?" Su Ah questioned. She faced me, strands of hair glued to her cheeks, her blue eyes so heartbreakingly sorrowful that I almost offered tissues from an imaginary pocket. "I waited months for this night. One particular night, Jae-il. With you..."

"I know, Noona." I replied, elevating my tone above the growing roar. "It might ease up soon, but that doesn't mean you should risk hypothermia."

She nibbled her lower lip.

I seized her hand. Her digits felt icy. "We'll get other chances to stargaze side by side, Noona. Let's go."

Defeated, she nodded and gripped my hand in return.

Right then, the heavens unleashed their full fury as the gentle patter escalated into a ferocious torrent. Rain battered the nearby foliage like bursts from a machine gun. The noise echoed everywhere, nearly overwhelming.

The soft drizzle morphed into the relentless pounding of a thrash metal percussionist. An immense curtain of water rushed down the slope, ripping through whatever lay in its course. The path vanished from sight, impossible to navigate. Mud clung like a viscous trap to our footwear.

"Change of plans!" I bellowed amid the howling wind and water. The bus shelter lay a solid half-hour trek from the base; reaching it to cower under that flimsy plastic awning on the wet ground was out of the question. "We need shelter now!"

Su Ah shone with speed, wit, and smarts, yet her grasp on weather survival skills remained sorely lacking. Thus, the burden rested on me to spot the initial refuge or guide us to a spot on or by the mountain suitable for overnight stay.

Blindly, we pressed forward. My grip on her hand stayed firm.

A deep pool nearly stripped my boot away, while Su Ah yelped as her foot skidded; I hauled her back just in time, preventing a full plunge into the muck.

"Are you okay?" I inquired.

Her nod came abruptly. "Just... ." She exhaled, face matted with soaked hair.

Precisely as lightning tore across the sky, flashing stark illumination over the area, I spotted it.

"This way!" I shouted, yanking her off the slippery trail into a cluster of prickly shrubs beside a sheer cliff.

Without hesitation, she trailed behind me. We forced through snapping twigs that clawed at our legs and attire. This route strayed far from the main path.

Tucked into a rocky nook, concealed almost entirely by wild vegetation, loomed a shadowy entrance. A blessed cave. God—damn—yes!

I pulled her within. The storm's fury muted somewhat.

"W-where... are we?" Su Ah stuttered, puddles forming under her on the earthen ground. Her t-shirt hugged her form too revealingly.

"Shelter..." I declared firmly, dropping my backpack. It hit with a soggy, weighty smack. All our belongings were drenched. Totally.

Nevertheless, a cave beat the open storm, providing scant defense beyond blocking the heaviest rain.

"Hopefully, we can wait it out in here. That's it."

Shivering lightly, she scanned the area around us, her gaze shifting from me to the entrance and beyond. Twilight descended gradually, thickened by the heavy clouds, relentless rain, and deepening shadows from the peaks...

Tears of irritation seemed just moments away as frustration etched her face; her lips curved into a sulky pout while she glared at the stormy sky. She'd have hammered those clouds if it were possible.

A tiny cave enclosed us—I could brush the roof by extending my arm. Far from a spacious grotto, it resembled a broad, shallow niche carved into the hillside. Moisture and grit coated the rocky ground.

Su Ah clutched her body, chafing her arms for warmth. Her teeth rattled audibly. The downpour had plunged the temperature. "It's... c-cold..."

"Stay there."

I dug into my backpack. Out came my sleeping bag, fully waterproof. Unfurling it filled the tight space with the crinkle of nylon. I laid it across the smoothest spot available. From a side compartment, I grabbed a compact travel towel—modest, yet helpful.

"Here." Gently, I guided her onto the sleeping bag. "Get out of that wet shirt."

Her head jerked upward. "W-what?"

"You'll catch a cold. We both will if we remain soaked." I gestured to my drenched shirt. "So strip down, towel off, and slip into the sleeping bag." My voice brooked no debate.

In the fading light, Su Ah's flush stood out clearly, spreading from her cheeks clear to her neck. She squirmed briefly, brow furrowed, offering no coherent reply.

"Here." I passed the little towel her way.

Hesitantly, she took hold of it.

Out of courtesy, I turned away until that familiar irritated huff of hers reverberated through the cave. Fabric whispered softly next, accompanied by the zipper's metallic rasp, and then—

A subtle thrill coursed through my body, stirring my lower regions. Naturally, I peeked—I'm no ascetic. Glancing back, the sight embodied temptation itself.

A captivating, graceful arch of feminine back faced me. Silken, pale skin gleamed softly. Her slender waist featured a delicate inward curve, crafting the promise of a tempting descent to the full, enticing curves below that I knew awaited.

With her bra discarded, glimpses of those lovely, full orbs peeked from beneath her folded arms.

Su Ah glanced over briefly, her cheeks burning as fiercely as her deep blue eyes.

"......"

She dried off with the towel while I searched the cave for burnable wood, finding nothing suitable. Fortunately, our gear and insulated bags would keep hypothermia at bay.

Even so, flames would have added much-needed comfort.

Turning back, I saw Su Ah already tucked into the sleeping bag. Her garments hung tidily on nearby stones to air dry.

Her gaze darted from the floor to the boulders, settling at last on my own eyes.

I rolled out my sleeping bag beside hers and started shedding my clothes. No changes of outfit since we expected to return home by early morning.

The clinging wet shirt peeled away from my skin with a wet smack.

Into the twilight glow stepped toned arms, sculpted by long years of disciplined workouts. A trim waist flowed into chiseled pectorals and etched abs, forged through rigorous diet, targeted training, and endless perspiration—no blood or sobs involved, just sweat aplenty.

In her sleeping bag opposite me, Su Ah stirred restlessly. A soft whine escaped her mouth.

A pair of eyes met mine from below. She looked away quickly, as if checking her chest, only to sneak another peek. Her teeth gnawed at her lower lip.

"What's with that shyness, Noona? Feel free to look. You've seen it all before."

Her stare fixed on what resembled a provocative statue of a near-man, muscles gleaming like those of elite athletes; okay, maybe a stretch, but I definitely didn't look bad.

"Shut up..."

Her eyelids fluttered shut amid a shiver, then reopened. She locked onto my chest, following a droplet trail from my collarbone down the center groove.

With a snort, I undid my belt, dropping it. Her jaw clenched rhythmically, eyes flaring wide at the sound.

Su Ah's breaths grew rapid in that unmistakable rhythm—not fear, but desire. Sharp gasps, then a held breath she imagined discreet. Truth be told, I felt much the same.

She pulled the sleeping bag even tighter around her body, as though the flimsy fabric might protect her from my completely bare skin. Her eyes remained firmly shut, with eyelashes fluttering like a quake raged inside her wide pupils.

A feverish blush now dotted her cheeks and nose.

Taking a shaky breath, my older sister twisted and turned away.

Right as I moved toward my own sleeping bag, her soft voice called out.

"Jae-il...?"

I looked up toward her. Her back continued facing me.

"Can I... can we... just for warmth...?" she murmured quietly. "I'm still a little bit cold... so... can we just...?"