episode_0091

“Um… Mom… I’m here.”

“Oh, our daughter is here~!”

Not embracing someone feels like this.

Mom had a big heart.

Despite covering up in the cold winter, as summer approached—practically the same weather as summer—Mom was wearing a sleeveless top that clearly revealed her chest.

“Uh… Mom. Uh….”

It was a bit hard to breathe when I covered my face.

Strangely, it felt comfortable.

Every time I turned my brother into a baby, it felt like I became the mom.

Now… experiencing the pleasant feeling of falling asleep at just the right warm temperature on the softest pillow.

Feeling like a baby.

“Oh dear. Sorry for only hugging my son… I didn’t know.”

“Ahh… It’s nice.”

“Nice?!”

I misspoke.

My head was still spinning.

“I came to visit. Also, to give you the wedding invitation.”

“Huh? You don’t need to give us an invitation.”

“I wanted to show you the photos. They’re filled with memories.”

Taking the invitation and looking through the pictures one by one.

Although we didn’t really need the invitation since it had already been conveyed, it was filled with our memories, which brought a quick smile but also left a sense of regret.

“Oh, they’re so beautiful. I should take Mom too…”

Surely, if I took Mom, she would have spent more time choosing a wedding dress than me.

Considering fabrics and designs that fit me perfectly, wouldn’t she have spent dozens of minutes contemplating?

We should go shopping together later. With my sister… Sister?

“…Oh. Where’s my sister?”

“Huh? Just a moment….”

Taking out her phone, she immediately made a call.

This was a place where you called people down.

“Nayoung~ Since Ji-hye is here, are you coming down?”

After making the call, not long after, a ‘knock knock’ sound echoed from the speaker, and soon my sister was coming down the stairs from afar.

Already well past her thirties, my sister was wearing clothes that were cute beyond her age, but they suited her rabbit-like appearance perfectly.

I’ve seen her a couple of times, but she never wore such clothes. Ah, it must be Mom after all.

“Sister!”

She likes wearing cute things, but she also enjoys seeing cute creatures.

And she especially likes seeing them up close.

As if it were a habit, I unconsciously hugged my sister like I would my brother, and she ended up in my arms.

Breathing against my chest with a ‘phew’ sound, she slightly pushed away.

“Oh. Sorry.”

Her expression was somewhat awkward, but she nodded as she accepted my apology.

“You smell nice. What perfume are you using, sis?”

-Dori Dori

“Not using any?”

-Nods

It’s natural perfume.

I couldn’t tell what flower scent it was because I didn’t know flowers, but at least it wasn’t citrusy.

The sweet fragrance enveloping my body… maybe I should sniff a bit more.

“Huh?”

As I hugged my sister and smelled her hair, she blocked it with her hand.

With a chubby expression, she tried to move away from me, telling me not to smell her.

“Haha. Sorry. Every time I see you, I find you cute and want to do this.”

The word “cute” is a universal language that makes women melt.

“Oh, thank you. You’re still a cute sister.”

Her fidgeting movements subsided, and she remained nestled in my arms.

Our soft skins touched each other.

Could there be a happier moment in the world?

Later, I should go shopping with my sister and Mom.

Even though changing clothes back and forth might be visible, that’s not the charm of shopping, is it?

That’s when you spend money.

…I need to earn a lot of money.

*

“Phew… I haven’t done anything, yet time has flown by like this?”

“It was quite… something.”

Surely, it was already past morning when I arrived, but it was already lunchtime. Just by looking at the clothes I had worn far away and the room covered with clothes, I could tell how much had happened.

Unnie was walking around dragging the floor in the clothes that Mom used to wear.

“…”

Unnie patted her belly and assumed a posture as if eating something with her hands.

“Oh? Ah…lunch?”

“It’s already lunchtime. Let’s quickly clean up and eat.”

They quickly finished tidying up the clothes strewn on the sofa, skirts and pants scattered on the floor, and ended up preparing lunch together.

“I can do it myself.”

“I know you enjoy cooking.”

“You’re here too, Unnie.”

Quietly doing their own tasks, Unnie was helped by someone sticking by her side. It was a bit early to make something, so they set the table for rice and looked for side dishes in the fridge.

“We seem to be getting along well now, like a family. It feels so good.”

Mom, claiming there was nothing to eat, cracked a few eggs in a frying pan to make a fry-up. Contrary to saying there was nothing to eat, the table was full of side dishes amidst the sizzling sounds.

“…It’s nice.”

A family-like atmosphere.

Not the unpleasant atmosphere one would encounter in a workplace.

Warm and gentle.

I felt that I just wanted this moment to continue.

Everyone was busy.

Even without forcing silence during meals, it was a quiet mealtime.

It was awkward.

My brother who left home early after starting work.

My dad who worked tirelessly without a break.

And me, who went straight to the military upon becoming an adult.

It was inevitable that it would be awkward.

Home didn’t feel comfortable.

Brother.

The first time I spent time with him.

It was definitely awkward back then.

I pushed forward unilaterally, and my brother was taken aback and just nodded his head.

I pushed.

It wasn’t about apologizing and making amends on behalf of humanity.

I wanted to escape.

Even though all the people with unpleasant memories had disappeared.

Home still seemed cold and rigid.

Unpleasant memories still lingered at home.

Dad, Ji Hyuk’s brother.

And me.

Brother, forcibly coming home to improve our relationship.

There weren’t many twists and turns.

We hadn’t gotten close enough for twists and turns to happen.

It seemed like we just needed time.

But I was the one who hastened that time.

Because I became a woman.

Ji Hyuk, who became close enough to joke around.

Dad seems pleased when I call him “dad” deep down.

And…my one and only boyfriend who will soon become my husband, my brother.

“…!”

“Oh…why are tears…my eyes sting.”

Everything was becoming precious.

So much so that if God truly existed, I would be grateful.

Grateful to anyone passing by.

I would even feel grateful to ants crawling in line on the ground.

“Oh…? Sorry!?”

“Oh. No…it’s because of the onion…the onion…it’s the onion’s fault.”

Mom pulled out a tissue to wipe away my tears.

Unnie hugged my waist and comforted me.

The knife always stayed in its place.

The action of using it pauses momentarily when someone is around.

*Sob…sob….*

Feeling this happiness connected with other family members who were not related by blood.

Being overwhelmed by happiness to the point where it felt like I shouldn’t be receiving this much happiness.

I cried blaming the onion like that.

“Sniff…I’ll go outside.”

A short time passed.

Just a moment, they finished setting up lunch and sat down, eating heartily.

“Are you okay?”

“…I’m fine now.”

Ate tears along with the rice.

Though unsure of the taste, the rice tasted good after crying.

“…!”

“D-Don’t worry. It’s just onion juice… that got in my eyes.”

Trying to wipe away the remaining tears and reassure her, it sounded like an excuse that didn’t convince her sister.

After finishing the meal, she changed clothes and prepared to leave immediately.

“It’s okay if you stay today… there are plenty of rooms. Or we can sleep together.”

She held my hand, showing concern but not forcing me.

“I’m really fine. I’ll make something delicious for my brother when I get home.”

“Yeah… Okay. Take care.”

Before leaving, she hugged her mother one last time.

“I’ll come visit again next time.”

“Yeah. I’ll wait.”

Now, she really had to go.

If she stayed any longer, she might never be able to leave.

“And thank you, sis. See you next time.”

She hugged her sister too and left promptly.

Now, she had to go home to meet her brother, to welcome him.

*

“Brother!”

He returned home looking sober, as if he hadn’t even touched alcohol.

“Ah… I’ve never been this tired without even working.”

“You’ve been through a lot.”

Dinner was a bit delayed, but thanks to his call, she managed to adjust.

Since he must have eaten already, she made less food.

She only asked out of courtesy, knowing he wouldn’t refuse my food, but he insisted on eating it.

It’s hard to predict how many people will actually show up at the wedding.

“Are you really going to eat?”

“Yes. I really want to.”

He’s so stubborn.

But that just makes her like him more.

“I made less food this time… so there won’t be a repeat of last time.”

“Yeah. Thank you.”

Everything is practically settled except for the wedding.

That’s why she might keep longing for the wedding.

“I’ve prepared your outfit~”

“Wow~”

Girlfriend, fiancée, soon-to-be wife. And eventually, a real wife.

“Good night.”

“Yes. Good night.”

She looked forward to the day she would walk down the aisle with her brother in a wedding dress, following the Virgin Road.

Perhaps now, she thought, she might finally receive the love she had missed out on for the past few decades.