My Younger Sister Was My First Love - My Younger Sister Was My First Love chapter 78
78. Seon-ah
“No. Who would do that?”
I forced a smirk, trying to hide my trembling lips.
“What? You’re saying that, but your face is smiling, aren’t you?”
I tried to turn my head, but Jihee grasped my cheek with both hands, as if asking why I wouldn’t look at her.
“Will you cut ties with me? If you want, I can delete all the boys’ numbers and leave none behind.”
“No. When did I say that?”
“Those guys are nothing compared to family. I think you’re much more precious, so I can do that.”
A new, rising question.
Can I easily cut ties with others for Jihee’s sake?
Besides, there’s only one person I can call a close friend, and that’s Minju.
Breaking off a relationship, no matter how shallow, is never an easy task.
A straightforward, unconditional love.
Jihee’s occasional words and actions were pulling me in stronger, like gravity.
“So, what’s that friend doing here?”
“Iseho is Sehwa’s twin. Do you remember Sehwa, oppa?”
With Jihee’s words, I finally discovered the connection between the two.
“You do look alike, don’t you?”
“Yeah. I was originally very close to those twins.”
“I see.”
“Yeah. But Iseho is a troublemaker, always hitting on girls, so I don’t like him. Sehwa is nice, though.”
The insults that followed her words of affection made it clear that their relationship was complicated.
“That guy borrowed money from me again, saying he had none.”
“How much did he borrow?”
“Just 50,000 won, but I refused.”
I thought that if we were really close, 50,000 won wouldn’t be a big deal, but…
I didn’t say that I would lend it to him anyway.
After returning home, we prepared dinner together.
Jihee boiled the soup, and I grilled the meat.
“Let’s eat well.”
“Let’s eat well.”
As we finished our meal ritual, Jihee smiled happily, savoring the meat.
“This is so delicious.”
“Yeah, it is.”
“Oppa, when is the exam over?”
“Around the 19th?”
“So, is that the end of the semester?”
“There’s nothing to do except checking my grades.”
I was expecting my grades this semester to be around 3.5 out of 4.5.
No, maybe it’ll be even lower.
“Vacation is going to be great.”
“You’ll be able to enjoy it just like me next year.”
“Why don’t we go to Jeju Island or somewhere like that for a month and live there? Of course, we’ll study too!”
“I told you before. When my mom comes, we’ll travel together, just the three of us.”
As soon as Ji-hui said “three”, she poked my shin with her toe.
“Just the two of us.”
“No way.”
“You’re already living with just the two of us now. What’s the difference if we move somewhere else and live together?”
I did have a slight longing for traveling itself.
My friends and I have never gone on a trip together.
The last time I went on a trip with my mom was in middle school.
If I have any unfulfilled desires, maybe mine is even stronger?
But forcing Ji-hui to come with me would only ruin the fun we’re supposed to have there.
We’re currently under the pressure of studying for exams.
We need to go sightseeing and have fun to make the trip meaningful.
Just staying cooped up there wouldn’t be very meaningful.
If Ji-hui is also on vacation next year and our tight schedules disappear, then…
For some reason, I imagined a scene where Ji-hui and I are on a date, going on a stroll together every day.
It was thrilling, and a part of me was excited.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Just wondering what it’ll be like next summer.”
“What about next year?”
Ji-hui made a circle with her thumb and index finger on her left hand, and her right hand’s index finger stood upright.
It was a continuous series of repetitive actions that seemed to fit the phrase “union”.
“Will it be like this?”
My open mouth wouldn’t close.
I just blankly stared at it.
“Hey, Ji-hui.”
“Isn’t this what the guys in our class do?”
“No, yeah, but still, we’re eating.”
“Are you not going to do it?”
Ji-hui giggled and picked up her spoon again.
“……I won’t do it.”
“Our oppa is good at joking. He’s cute.”
I tried to say something but stopped.
“Just eat.”
“When I was in middle school, didn’t you want to eat with me all the time? Shouldn’t we cherish this time more?”
“You’re talking sense. You always make weird comments during precious moments.”
“Are you being serious?”
Ji-hee smiled slyly.
Her expression, which seemed to be joking but also contained sincerity, made me surrender.
“Yeah, so let’s not do that when we eat.”
“Got it.”
“Don’t you do this in front of other kids?”
“I hate it when you talk dirty outside.”
I couldn’t help but laugh awkwardly.
“This is ridiculous.”
“Why? Are you going to do it outside too?”
“No, don’t do it.”
“I like doing this only in front of oppa. It’s a family thing, so we can have this kind of fun. This too.”
Isn’t it something that shouldn’t be done because we’re family?
“So, oppa, don’t do it either. Wherever you go.”
She slyly stuck out her pinky finger.
“Let’s keep dirty jokes between us.”
Instead of answering, I stuck out my pinky finger as well.
* * *
It’s oppa who’s on break, but I think I’m more excited.
As oppa’s last day of school approaches, I couldn’t help but smile.
At least I’ll be able to stay at home longer than when I was in school.
He said he’s going to do part-time jobs, but he also said he wouldn’t do it more than four times a week, so I thought I’d understand.
I couldn’t just stay at home and play all day.
My grades were steadily rising, but it was still far from enough.
Korea University.
The school where oppa and democratization unnie are.
I had to go there.
I had to aim for all 1st-grade classes as a basic requirement.
In a way, you could say that’s the starting line.
As I twirled my pen and checked the remaining time on my planner, I was about to lean back on my desk…
-Knock knock knock-
The door opened.
It was oppa who opened the door.
I, who didn’t want to study anyway, turned my head away.
“Why?”
“Can I go out for a bit?”
“Should I put on makeup?”
“No, it’s not about going out. Mom called.”
“Is it Grandma?”
“Yes. She said she’ll call in 10 minutes.”
“This is weird.”
What could have happened?
Grandma always made sure to schedule a meeting with us siblings the day before when she wanted to see us together.
“Maybe she just wants to see us.”
My brother brought a phone stand from the room and placed it on the coffee table in front of the sofa.
“Are we doing it here?”
“Yes. The June sunlight is coming in nicely through the window.”
Indeed, the June sun was shining brightly, making it feel a bit hot.
“Why don’t we take a family photo like we do at the studio?”
“Take a photo?”
“Yes!”
Without permission, I turned on the camera app on my brother’s phone and set the timer.
“Come here and sit down.”
My brother looked like he didn’t want to, but I grabbed his arm and pulled him over, and he reluctantly sat down beside me.
“I’ll take four shots. Smile!”
I took a photo of my brother, who was smiling awkwardly like a wooden doll.
-Click
A photo of us together, like lovers.
-Click
A photo of me pulling my brother’s cheek towards me, teasing him.
-Click
A photo of him trying to turn his head away, but I captured the moment.
-Click
A photo of me giving my brother a peck on the cheek, and that’s a wrap.
“Hey, it’s a family photo.”
My brother, who had been pecked on the cheek, looked upset.
“So, there was no kiss.”
“I’ll delete it.”
My brother reached for the phone stand.
I knew it.
My brother wouldn’t actually do it.
“This is all a memory, brother.”
As I said the word “memory,” I got a reaction out of him.
“Don’t we have a family photo like this, where we’re all smiling and happy? It’s like a treasure trove of happy memories.”
My brother’s hand, which was about to delete the photo, hesitated.
“Can’t I be happy whenever I look at this photo? Are you really going to delete it?”
My brother’s lips seemed to be saying something, and I was about to take the next action.
-Weeeeing-
My phone’s holder started shaking violently.
The timing was a bit off, though.
It seemed like my mom’s call had come a bit too early, so I had to force a smile.
“Hello.”
[Hey, son! Hey, daughter! Can you see me?]
My mom waved at me from the screen.
“Yes! I can see you! How have you been?”
As always, we pretended to be perfect.
[Wasn’t Jihee studying when you called and disturbed her?]
“Uh, no. Actually, I was feeling a bit tired and was about to take a break anyway.”
[Oh, good thing.]
“Is everything okay? Is something wrong?”
It was my turn to ask.
My mom wouldn’t call us both without warning, after all.
[There’s something I want to tell you.]
“What is it?”
My brother seemed curious too.
[It’s about Seona. Junho.]
“Seona? Han Seona?”
From noble mtl dot net
A girl’s name I didn’t know slipped out of the two people’s mouths.
[Yeah, Jihee, you’ve never heard of her? She’s Junho’s cousin.]
I was already getting a bad feeling.
This didn’t feel like good news at all.
“Ah, okay.”
[Seona is a senior in high school this year.]
“But why Seona?”
[She wants to take a special lecture during the break at Taehak-dong, so I’m asking.]
It felt awkward.
It seemed like someone was about to ruin our peaceful break.
“Okay, okay.”
[Can we let Seona stay at our house during the weekdays of her break?]
No way.
Why did I have to do that?
I could come up with plenty of excuses to refuse.
My brother started to glance at me.
[We have an empty room at home right now, and Junho can get along with Seona, right? Seona needs a place to sleep while she attends the all-day lecture.]
My eyes met my mom’s through the screen.
My mom, who still thought of me as a good daughter.
I’m sorry, but this time, I had to refuse.
“Mom, I’ll think about it with Jihee and discuss it with you.”
[Will you? But Mom said we need to find a room quickly, so can we do it by tomorrow?]
My brother turned his head towards me.
I nodded instead of answering.
“Yes! I’ll discuss it with my brother and let you know!”
[Alright. If you’re uncomfortable or don’t like it, just let us know. We won’t force you.]
We nodded our heads at the apologetic smile from our aunt.
The silence fell in the house after the phone call.
My brother was gazing at my expression.
“I don’t like it.”
“Jihee.”
“What’s with having someone else live in our house?”
“It’s not someone else. Jihee and Seona are family too. And finding a room during the break is expensive.”
I hesitated at my brother’s words about family.
“If you really don’t like it, I won’t force you, but we’re a family, and we’ll be together during holidays like Seollal. It’s not like it’s a big deal to have someone sleep over.”
I didn’t know how to deal with cousins.
My dad was an only child, and after my parents got divorced, we never went to his family’s house.
But if that kid were to live in our house, it would bring many restrictions.
If problems arose during this period, it would likely lead to complaints from our aunt.
“Brother.”
“Yes.”
“I’m just thinking it through, but…”
“Yes.”
“I’m being honest, I don’t really like this. We’re letting some unknown kid sleep in our house?”
“That’s possible.”
“If I agree to this, what will you do for me?”
If I accepted this proposal, it would be solely for my brother’s sake.
My brother thought for a moment, stroking his chin.
“I’ll take care of Seona during the weekends when she comes home, so you can have some peace of mind.”
“Okay.”
I accepted without even listening to the end.
I never do business at a loss.
A smile naturally spread across my face.
“Are you responsible for what you say?”
As I said this, I gently placed my hand on my brother’s thigh.