My Younger Sister Was My First Love - My Younger Sister Was My First Love chapter 72
72. Eye-Level Education
It’s true that having a wound makes washing uncomfortable.
But I didn’t think that was a reason for my younger sister to wash me.
“Get out.”
“Ah, I said I’ll do it myself!”
Jihee brazenly intruded into the bathroom that only I used.
“What’s with you? You’re going to wash me or something?”
There’s no person who takes a shower with their clothes on.
“Clean every nook and cranny?”
“Get out.”
Even though we shared a romantic kiss in the morning, moments like these made us seem like siblings.
“What’s wrong with me? I’m not doing anything bad, and I’m trying to help someone who got hurt because of me!”
“That’s not helping, so get out.”
“Ugh…”
I didn’t know about anything else, but I wasn’t wearing a top at the moment.
It’s said that a man’s upper body can be exposed even at the swimming pool, but talking to Jihee while I was topless was too difficult for me.
“Then I’ll just brush my teeth.”
“Brush my teeth? My right hand is fine, isn’t it?”
You need both hands to take a shower, but you can brush your teeth with just one hand.
“Then I’ll help you wash your back!”
Jihee, who had entered the bathroom, was twisting her body, trying to do something to help.
“Are you really sorry and that’s why you’re doing this?”
No matter how I looked at it, her actions seemed more like a display of power.
“Of course! When have I ever helped you like this before?”
Yeah, right.
From the moment Jihee entered this bathroom, it felt quite out of place.
Jihee only used the bathroom in her own room.
It was as if she didn’t even set foot in this bathroom.
I let out a sigh and picked up the T-shirt that had fallen on the floor, covering my upper body and carefully considering Jihee’s suggestion.
Conclusion.
“Do you think I’m thinking about it?”
“Yes.”
“Get out.”
In reality, there were parts that were difficult to wash with one hand, like the back, but doing that and entering the shower booth with Jihee while I was naked was a crazy idea.
I’d rather just get a little wet and be done with it.
“Ugh…”
In the end, Jihee couldn’t get her way and was chased out.
Yes, that was right.
Even though I felt a stinging pain, like my finger was being cut off, as soon as the water turned on, I thought it was a correct judgment.
If Jihee touched me here without me even having my clothes on…
Just imagining it made my body tremble.
I roughly shook my head and returned to my room, already feeling drained.
It was almost 9 am, and the desire to go back to sleep was rising again.
As I hurt my thumb, I thought it would be uncomfortable to hold my phone, so I opened the messenger window.
At the top, Minju’s name was displayed.
When I saw the notification that a message had arrived, I glanced at the door once and then clicked on the notification window.
[Lee Junho]
[?]
[What’s wrong?]
The response came back as sharp as a knife.
[I cut my hand while cooking and it’s bleeding.]
I didn’t have anything to say, so I sent a message like that.
[Are you okay? Did you cut yourself a lot?]
[A little?]
[Did you apply ointment?]
[I applied ointment and a band-aid.]
I took a photo as proof and attached it to the message.
[But why?]
Minju was no longer someone who only contacted me when she needed something.
[Hey, do you have some free time later?]
Minju was my senior.
She knew the schedule of the freshmen like the back of her hand.
[Yes, I do.]
[Then can you help me out?]
[What?]
[I have something I need to buy from someone, but our schedules don’t match at all. Can you just receive it on my behalf once?]
After confessing, she had declared that she wanted to be seen in a new light, so I thought she was suggesting we do something like a date again.
But this time, I was the one who had drunk a bitter cup.
[It’s possible if it’s not too far.]
[I can come to the school entrance.]
[Okay, send me the address and time.]
[Okay!]
A cute squirrel emoticon was attached to the message, and our conversation ended there.
It was a day with a thin long-sleeved shirt and beige pants, the kind of weather where you could wear short sleeves soon.
“Are you going out?”
It was clearly time to study, but for some reason, Jihee found me in the living room and came over to this side.
“Yeah, I have a class.”
“Don’t be late, and don’t hang out with Unnie Minju.”
It was like my mom’s last warnings before I left for school, which made me feel annoyed.
“I won’t be late. I don’t have any plans with Minju, and that’s something I can handle myself.”
“Ah, one more thing. Don’t lie.”
As Jihee suddenly stuck out her pinky finger, I awkwardly shook hands with her.
“Got it.”
“Take care.”
Jihee grinned brightly.
“Okay.”
After stepping out of the entrance, I took out my phone to find a message from Minju about the task.
[This is the link to that thing, and we’re meeting at the school gate at 2 pm! Check everything carefully, including the photo, and don’t miss anything! Also, make sure there’s no damage or defect!]
[What about the money?]
[Oh, right. I forgot the most important part.]
After confirming the payment, I put my phone back in my pocket.
Throughout the bus ride, I only thought about Minju.
I didn’t know what to do with this ambiguous relationship.
Could Minju and I become a couple?
Or should we just settle things?
But the concept of settling things was also ambiguous.
If we were lovers and went back to being friends, that would be weird, wouldn’t it? Going from friends to friends again is strange.
Minju had romantic feelings for me.
In other words, my opinion was crucial for this romance to succeed.
The more I thought about it, the more I felt that a good person and someone I liked were different.
Minju was a good person to me.
But it didn’t feel like I liked her romantically.
However, I had no reason to push Minju away harshly.
It wasn’t like she was suffocating me or anything.
In fact, her recent message saying “Let’s not do that from now on” was even amusing.
A friend asking me to receive something on their behalf.
Before I knew it, I arrived at school.
I put down my bag in the classroom and joined Jihoon’s group, whom I always hung out with.
“Huh? Junho hyung!”
“Hi.”
“Hyung, did Minju noona really confess to you?”
Gyeongho, who wasn’t present at the club room, asked me with an incredulous face.
“Who said that?”
“It’s true.”
Gyeongho’s hand pointed to Jihoon, the main culprit of the rumor.
“Oh, it’s true. Noona said it in front of everyone. What’s the big deal?”
“It’s similar, though.”
Minju’s public declaration that she was chasing after me felt like a disaster to me.
“Why did you do that?”
“It’s just that we’re too friendly.”
“Hyung, when will you meet someone like Minju noona again with your face?”
That… I’m not that good-looking, but… I have to say it like that…
Tears are welling up in my eyes.
My mom said I was good-looking.
“Ah, go quickly and accept it again.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Hyung, you got along well with Noona Demi, didn’t you? You two were inseparable.”
In their eyes, it seems like I’m just a pushover who can’t even accept a confession.
But in our household, there was an older sibling who had been with Demi for a long time, doing weird things together.
“No, you guys should listen too.”
Since the rumors have already spread this far.
I gave the kids some advice and briefly summarized my story.
“When I was young, I was so pathetic that I couldn’t even think that someone liked me? You guys don’t understand this story?”
“But if someone as pretty as Noona comes along, wouldn’t you just forget about the past and not care? It seems like you’d like them even more now.”
“Agreed. Noona Demi didn’t come to college and become like she used to be.”
Public opinion was not on my side.
“Hyung, don’t you know the lineup of guys who confessed to Noona Demi?”
I heard what the kids said.
The lineup included people I knew and people I didn’t.
Among them were people with exceptional looks, and even a monster who had already passed the CPA exam.
“So, it’s like you’re trying to hit the jackpot, right?”
“That’s right.”
“What’s so bad about Noona Demi that you can’t stand her?”
The reason I couldn’t meet Demi.
The only face that comes to mind is that of one person.
“…I just don’t have feelings for her.”
“Hyung, are you interested in homosexuality or something?”
“No, I like girls.”
I also like pretty girls.
Damn it.
You guys said it too.
Jihee is really pretty.
“Then it’s settled. Let’s conclude this. I’ll go accept it right now in the 2nd-grade class.”
“Ha… I’ll take care of it.”
As the professor came in, the class started, and I spent the time gazing out the window, not listening.
After class, I ate lunch and parted ways with the kids at the school gate.
I saw a woman carrying a shopping bag, looking around.
It seemed like my transaction partner was her.
“Hello! That jacket…”
“Ah! Yes! Hello!”
I carefully inspected the contents as Min-soo told me to.
To be honest, I didn’t know if there was a defect or not, but I only checked the tag and handed it over.
“I’ve deposited the payment.”
“Thank you!”
I never thought my first second-hand deal would be with something that didn’t belong to me.
It turned out to be a real experience.
After receiving the item, I headed back to the Humanities Building, a sanctuary for English literature majors.
The seminar room was locked, which was unusual.
Usually, one or two people would be lingering, keeping the door open.
I entered the password and went in, and even without turning on the light, the bright May sunlight illuminated the interior.
I sat on the sofa, feeling a bit sentimental, and mindlessly played with the ends of my hair.
I’ll give this to Min-soo when she arrives, and then we can go shopping and head home.
-creak-
From noble mtl dot net
I turned my head at the sound of the door opening.
“What’s up? You’re here already?”
Min-soo’s sudden appearance made my pupils dilate.
“Ah, I finished my class early. I could’ve just run here quickly.”
“No, it’s not that. The distance from the main gate is quite far, anyway.”
The Humanities Building was not close to the main gate at all.
“Where’s the item?”
“Here.”
Min-soo still hadn’t turned on the seminar room light, and the way we exchanged the item felt like some kind of secret ritual.
“It’s nice. Beautiful.”
Min-soo took out the jacket from the envelope and examined it carefully.
“Was this what you wanted?”
“Yeah, it’s from last year. They didn’t release it this year.”
“Do you know all about this kind of thing?”
“You’re interested in this kind of thing too, aren’t you?”
Min-soo smiled and put down the clothes, then plopped down beside me.
“Thanks, Joon-ho.”
“No, it’s nothing. Just something I could do.”
“So, I prepared something too.”
“What is it?”
Min-soo rummaged through her bag.
Honestly, I thought she would give me snacks or chocolates.
That would be a suitable reward for the favor, I thought.
“This.”
“Huh?”
A box.
It was a beautifully wrapped box, and my mind went blank.
“What is this?”
“A gift. I’m giving it to you because you granted my request today, so thank you.”
I had a hunch that this gift might be excessive, but I was curious about its contents, so I opened the box.
Inside, I found a sleek and elegantly designed silver bracelet.
I, who had never worn any accessories, looked a bit foolish with my eyes wide open.
“Isn’t this expensive?”
“It’s not expensive.”
“But it’s still a bit too much for me to receive.”
“Do you want to try it on?”
Minju’s way of speaking was eerily similar to Jihee’s.
He would slightly dismiss my words while pushing forward his own intentions.
Minju took off the bracelet, made a ‘1’ shape with his finger, and held it out to me.
As I awkwardly stretched out my wrist, the cool metal sensation sent a thrill through me.
-Tick
“Look.”
As I extended my arm, the silver band on my wrist seemed to be embracing me.
“Does it suit you?”
“Yeah, but isn’t it too burdensome to give and receive?”
“If you don’t want it, I’ll just throw it away.”
“Throw it away? You can get a refund. Just return it.”
“You can’t get a refund once you’ve worn the bracelet.”
Who’s the fool now?
It was a joke akin to saying you have to take off your shoes when getting on a plane.
“Okay.”
“Are you unhappy?”
“It’s not that.”
As I lifted my arm, the bracelet on my wrist jingled.
“I went shopping and thought it would suit you, so I bought it.”
Minju closed the box with a soft thud and gave me a sly smile.
“You said it yourself. You said to do it with words. To express it more directly.”
I had indeed said that, but I didn’t expect it to come back to me in this form.
“So, I’m giving you a lesson in eye contact right now, Lee Joonho.”
Minju’s pale fingers gently wrapped around my wrist, which was now adorned with the bracelet.
“Are you a bit more excited now?”