episode_0053

“If you’re willing to share your password, does that mean even moving hurts?”

“…Take care of me.”

“Of course I will.”

When I was lying in bed groaning, my sister came to find me.

I could hear some rustling sounds, but since she entered the room barehanded, I couldn’t see what it was.

Immediately, my sister scanned me intently and then began searching for a coffee pot filled with hot water.

Even though I had informed her, perhaps she intended to make me drink tea.

I didn’t like that idea.

“Here, take this.”

After leaving the bedroom for a few minutes, she handed me something wrapped in soft fur, shaped like a large jar.

“What is this?”

“It may not be as soft as a doll, but it’s more useful than one.”

I cautiously accepted it.

It felt like a hot pack. Wrapped in plush material resembling microfiber, I unknowingly hugged it for warmth, feeling the comforting sensation of heat.

“It’s warm.”

“If you get bored, you can just hug this from now on.”

I already liked it, so I had thought about doing just that.

“I want to sleep like this.”

In reality, I had been trying to keep warm as much as possible.

Covering myself with blankets, putting on extra clothes if needed, drinking tea.

I only knew what was just right.

I’m not disinterested in women.

It’s just that there are things unknown to me.

I simply don’t understand what’s being said.

No matter how hard I try to understand, all I encounter are things I can’t comprehend.

Even if the day arrives, and I know what will happen, I still don’t know why it happens.

I truly don’t know the reason for my pain, or why my nerves become sensitive.

Even if the internet is called an ocean of information, if you can’t understand it, it’s all Greek to me.

My sister approached and placed her hand on my forehead.

Feeling the cold touch, my body shivered slightly.

“Hmm… I guess we don’t need to go to the emergency room. Did you take painkillers?”

“Yes, I did.”

If I am to learn about women, I definitely need my sister’s help.

“I can’t tell you to only eat good things for that day. Actually… I also ate spicy food back then…”

She murmured softly at the end, glancing at me apologetically with a wry smile.

“Still, we must take care of our health… Let’s do our best, okay?”

I couldn’t refuse.

She rushed over to nurse me on my day off.

“Uh… Yes.”

Her expression conveyed care and an apologetic sentiment, so my response was natural.

“Let’s do our best!”

“Yes…”

Her expression returned to normal.

Wearing casual clothes, she didn’t seem different from when she was at the hospital.

“But… doesn’t this mean it’s over now?”

“Well, I came here to help, so I’ll do everything. It reminds me of the hospital after a long time.”

It seemed like my sister was thinking the same thing.

The day I lay in bed while she sat next to me, chatting and laughing.

“And… the cost of the hot pot?”

“I’ve already repaid that.”

“Then… let’s call it payment for admiring Jihye’s beautiful body.”

Ah, this isn’t right.

Originally, I agreed to go to my sister’s house because of the fight with my brother… and we didn’t kiss, just… almost.

…But no matter how I look at it, it seems like I should give more.

“Oh, sis…”

“Lie down~”

My sister covered me with the blanket and left the room.

Repayment usually involves receiving some benefit or kindness and returning it later…

I have nothing to give my sister.

I haven’t received anything either.

“Ugh…”

I felt a pang of discomfort for no reason.

*

“…?”

A text message came through.

Wisdom. Wondering what happened, I immediately touched it to find out.

I couldn’t keep my feet still and was warned by a teammate next to me.

How can Wisdom focus on work when she’s in pain?

[I’ll be at your brother’s house for a while, not Suah unnie but the nurse unnie who was there last time. That unnie. So don’t worry unnecessarily and lose focus, okay!? (Cat emoticon with heart)]

“Tsk….”

Unintentionally, a chuckle escaped me.

It’s just text on a screen, literally just words, so why does it feel like someone is speaking in front of me?

[And this might be too much information, but she’s Suah unnie’s sister!]

Oh really.

I had to shut my mouth in response to the sudden words.

It’s fascinating how meeting someone by chance continues, but seeing her still smiling and talking in front of me made me feel slightly relieved.

“Ms. Suhyun, what’s wrong?”

“Ah… n-nothing.”

Caught off guard by the sudden appearance of a teammate, I stumbled over my words.

“My face must have looked pale all morning as if something big had happened, but now it seems like things have settled down.”

“R-right… It seems like it’s resolved now.”

If someone is around, my worries decrease.

Especially if it’s a nurse, it adds an extra layer of comfort.

[I love you, oppa!]

She looks perfectly fine just from the text.

“Hehe. (I… love you too.)”

I replied, tapping the keys lightly.

“Oh… girlfriend.”

“Eek!?”

Even after hiding the phone, she kept nodding as if savoring the taste.

“When are you getting married?”

“…Soon, I think.”

“Call me. I’ll have to spend a lot of money to come.”

“Uh, please don’t. It’s because I want to see my wife in a dress, not to get paid.”

“Wife…!”

I decided to just ignore it.

“Marriage!?”

“Marriage!?”

Ignoring… seems to be out of the question now.

“Come here…”

“Oh… reward?”

“Do you want to go back?”

“N-no, thanks.”

No inappropriate sounds came from inside the house.

My sister was already sitting by the bed, looking at me.

I wanted to get out of bed, but my body felt warm, and I wanted to stay like this, lying down until I fell asleep.

“Mmm…”

Making a strange sound like a grandmother, I got under the covers.

“Thank you.”

“Huh? What~ It’s just a favor, that’s all.”

“What favor… I’m totally in debt, you know?”

“Is that so? I’ve never lent you money.”

Trying not to let strange thoughts enter my mind, I cautiously hug my sister.

“Wow… becoming a debtor…”

“Yeah. I’m in the process of repaying the interest.”

“I didn’t know about that~”

My sister smiles and hugs me.

“Let’s hang out together later.”

“Sure, let’s do that.”

“Get a boyfriend… soon. It’s an order.”

“Uh… that might be difficult?”

Maybe due to lack of time or other reasons… does my sister not meet people? If we were to use MBTI, she would be an I type.

“Sister… you’re beautiful. Kind-hearted. And… generous.”

It’s clear she’s pretty, yet she doesn’t have a boyfriend. Surely… surely there would be opportunities to meet through exchanging numbers or something.

“Should I just live as an old maid forever…?”

“I don’t want that. They say you should get married soon, Sister.”

At this rate, she might age and miss the marriageable age.

“What if there’s no fate?”

But my sister seems to believe in some kind of fateful encounter.

“Fate… what if… I thought I had a connection with oppa?”

“…Really?”

“Oppa is completely impenetrable! Even if you hit him with a hammer, he wouldn’t get a scratch.”

Memory rises up again like hot pot stew.

Back then, a slight misstep could have led to a precarious relationship that would plummet instantly.

Barely acknowledging it and meeting only because we had to, if I had hesitated a bit more, I might have been caught in the endless loop of whether I should meet a man or a woman.

“How did you realize?”

“Lo- Love…?”

Believing in me, liking that person, trusting each other.

That’s why we met.

“Oh, I see…”

“So, do you still want something like a fateful encounter? Unnie is talking about winning the lottery right now.”

I decided to stick strictly to the facts.

“I was holding some documents and bumped into a guy… and our eyes met.”

“Ugh…”

“On the bus or train, a handsome guy… No, this doesn’t work with you having a car.”

“Oh…”

She sighed lightly.

Did she really think about such things?

“And…”

“Sorry. I’m sorry. Please don’t shatter my fantasies anymore.”

“…It seems like they need to be shattered more.”

“Uh… Jihye, you’re scary.”

“It’s for your own good, unnie.”

Now, I gently stroked her head as she seemed on the verge of tears.

“…When you get married to me later…?”

“I belong to someone else.”

With the ring on my left hand, I intertwined our fingers.

Nervously but affectionately, we held hands.

“Sob… Find me before it’s too late. I’ll help you too.”

“Hee… Sua is so romantic…”

Somehow, I ended up feeling like I was taking care of unnie.

“Anyway, we don’t have time for that, right?”

“…Yeah.”

I pulled my hand out from under the blanket.

“I’m not just a couple now; I’ll soon become a wife. A wife. You have to get married before me, unnie. Or else…”

Before giving birth to a child…

“Or else…?”

“Oh, no, nothing. Hurry and find a man.”

“What’s next after that~”

“Oh… Oh.”

“Huh? What do you mea~n, I’ll meet a man…?”

Humans are thinking creatures, so why do I only think halfway and speak?

“Before I make a baby… marry me.”

“…Huh?”

“Fool.”

Turning around, I hugged the hot pack tightly.

I didn’t want to say those words.

“Wha…t?”

Unnie still seemed bewildered, letting out an exclamation of disbelief.

I wish she wouldn’t understand it just like that.