Ch.145My Stuff is Mine, Your Stuff is Also Mine (7)

“Something… When I’m with you, Doyoung, every day feels like a continuous series of surprises.”

“Hey, why are you talking like I’m the root of all evil? To someone who came all the way to the subway station to see you off. I don’t know about other times, but I didn’t do anything this time, you know?”

“Ahaha… Then perhaps I’ve reached a state where I’m surprised even when you don’t do anything.”

After the eventful celebration party ended,

I was walking with Do Hamin to the subway station to see him off on his way home.

Without either of us saying “let’s go together,”

or “I’m fine going alone, don’t worry,”

As the time for the train approached, Hamin naturally prepared to go home and got up,

and I followed beside him without saying anything special.

Like grammar that omits repetitive or tedious sentences,

both Hamin and I had come to naturally accept this short journey from home to the subway station as a proper part of our daily routine.

“I was the victim all day today. Getting hit with a bamboo sword, cleaning up a wrecked room, and even buying ice cream at the convenience store just because I gave a kiss.”

“When you list it all out, it does sound pretty incredible…”

Thanks to Siyoung’s return home, it had been quite an eventful day.

Both physically and mentally, today was a day where I was swung around like the bamboo sword in that guy’s hand from beginning to end.

“It’s exhausting being with the Ban family. Maybe I should just say ‘two years later at the Sabaody Archipelago’ and be done with it.”

“W-wait, it’s only been a day since you reunited?”

If there was any silver lining to all this.

With the house being so noisy, naturally, this time walking and chatting with Hamin like this felt incredibly peaceful.

Something seems off.

This current situation, where all the supporting characters have left, and I’m walking with the main protagonist and main heroine alone on a late-night street.

This should clearly be the most heart-fluttering moment of the day.

Yet the emotion I was feeling was closer to comfort than excitement.

“Will Solyoung be okay?”

“Well, they wouldn’t kill him, right? They wouldn’t suddenly make Ms. Miso a widow.”

“K-kill? Do you mean that literally?”

“Our house’s number one gorilla might be capable of it.”

After Solyoung’s confession, the party to celebrate the two people who had returned home proceeded as planned.

We also had Hamin, a precious guest, with us,

and while Solyoung’s confession was surprising, it wasn’t wrong.

‘M-marriage…! What’s that all about suddenly! No, wait! Were they even dating?’

‘With that face, you’ve never brought a single woman home! Mom was even starting to wonder if our son wasn’t attracted to women!’

‘Y-you’re having a baby? Don’t tell me you also thought babies come from just kissing?’

‘Judging by our family’s reaction, thankfully it seems Doyoung hasn’t told them yet.’

Of course, the expressions on Mom and Dad’s faces when they first heard the confession,

and Siyoung’s face when she heard about actually having a niece or nephew, were quite entertaining to see.

I wasn’t as surprised as I thought I would be.

Of course, it would be a lie to say I had no reaction at all.

I didn’t have the cartoon-like expression with eyes popping out like the other three.

I was the only one in our family who knew about Solyoung’s relationship.

‘What, Doyoung, you knew? That Solyoung was seeing someone?’

‘So that means you know who this girlfriend is…? The one he’s going to marry?’

‘Of course. We’ve eaten together, and even traveled together.’

‘Y-you even traveled together? What kind of person is she?’

‘Her spotless, pure appearance was quite charming.’

‘…Oh. That’s certainly an unexpected observation.’

I could fully understand how Solyoung must have felt seeing Ms. Miso’s… up close.

A slug can’t resist.

“Mom and Dad were shocked at first, but our eldest son isn’t someone who lives without thinking. I think they’ll get over it. If he wanted to keep it a secret, he would have hidden it completely. Until right before the baby was born.”

“I guess… When I think about it being Solyoung, I’m not too worried either.”

At the very least, because he showed a determined attitude not to run away from what he had done,

neither Mom nor Dad blamed Solyoung entirely.

‘First Doyoung and Siyoung causing a commotion, and now this…’

‘Nothing we can do about it. Bring that person you’re going to marry home soon. Mom will put on her apron again and prepare a welcome.’

‘Doyoung’s mom…?’

‘What can we do? He inherited our impatient personality.’

‘No, that’s not from us, it’s from you-‘

‘So, have you thought of a name for the baby? Should we all have a family meeting about it today?’

‘Excuse me? Honey…? Sister Joonsook…?’

Unlike Dad, who was looking at the sudden reality before him with some concern,

I couldn’t shake the feeling that Mom was actually a bit excited about the current situation.

“You reap what you sow, I guess.”

“T-that sounds a bit different. You didn’t mean it in a weird way, right?”

“Of course not, it was a completely ordinary statement.”

“Phew… That’s a relief then.”

-Thump

Hamin lowered his head with a sigh of relief.

He seemed relieved that I hadn’t meant what he had suspected.

I put my arm around his shoulder and patted his arm as I spoke.

“You should also reap well after you sow, don’t get distracted elsewhere.”

“S-see! You did mean it in a weird way!”

“Heheh, is this what you were expecting?”

“I wasn’t!”

The fact that you interpreted it that way without me having to explain further,

Hamin, you’ve already become someone who can’t escape from Ban Doyoung-like thinking.

Ah, if I think about it that way, am I also reaping what I’ve sown?

This is bad, really bad.

What I’ve sown will have to be reaped by the future Ms. Ban Doyoung.

“Scarlet… no, should I call her Siyoung now?”

“Call her whatever you want. She calls me ‘thief girl’ anyway.”

“Then I’ll stick with the name I’m used to… What are you going to do with the bracelet Scarlet gave you?”

“Ah, you mean this.”

I took out the lime-scented bracelet I had just received from Siyoung from my pocket.

It was a bracelet that should have originally come to me, but I hadn’t put it on my wrist yet.

“…You’re deliberately not wearing it, right? Because you don’t want to hurt Scarlet.”

“Hmm… I wonder. Aren’t you giving the great Ban Doyoung too much credit? Besides, this bracelet was originally meant for me, wasn’t it? Not this unpleasant mango-smelling family love bracelet.”

“But that’s the only reason I can think of. The Ban Doyoung I know would do that.”

“…Pfft, nonsense. Flattering me like that won’t get you anything. I’m still a virgin so nothing’s coming out.”

“W-why does it always go in that direction!”

“Heheh, the train’s coming, dummy. Step back to the boarding area. Don’t stay up all night studying for the test you couldn’t finish!”

And so I sent Hamin off on the train.

“Pfft, you idiot, you should have given it to the right person from the start. Sigh. Well, the mistake was giving the gift to someone other than Ms. Ban Doyoung in the first place.”

Watching the receding rear car of the train,

I sat on that bench for a while, muttering complaints I couldn’t say to Hamin.

“Gifts should only be given to girls whose names start with ‘Ban’ and end with ‘young’… Oh, she does fit that. Okay, I’ll let it slide this time.”

I sat alone on the bench for a while,

looking down at the lime-scented bracelet Siyoung had returned.

“From now on, gifts only to ‘Ban Doyoung’ and no one else. I need to make that clear.”

.

.

.

“I’m home.”

“Oh, you’re back.”

“Good job, did Hamin get home safely?”

“Yep.”

“The bathroom’s free now, so go wash up and get to bed. You must be tired after such a long day.”

As always, it was quite late by the time I returned home after seeing Hamin off.

When I opened the front door and entered, the living room and kitchen had been cleaned of party remnants, and Mom, Dad, and Solyoung were sitting at the dining table.

From their hushed tones, it seemed they were discussing future plans.

“You’re still not done talking?”

“Yes, go to bed first. Siyoung already showered and went upstairs.”

“Hoho… in that case.”

.

.

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-Clank!

“Scarlet, are you asleep!”

“Geez, you scared me! Why are you suddenly coming into someone else’s room?”

After quickly finishing my shower,

I entered Siyoung’s room in my pajamas.

Siyoung was sitting on the bed drying her wet hair,

and I sat down right next to her.

“What is it, Ban Thief Girl? Coming to steal something from my room again? I’m about to go to sleep, so get out, and turn off the light on your way out.”

“I came to return this.”

“…What?”

I placed the lime-scented bracelet on Siyoung’s hand.

“…What’s your angle?”

“The bracelet Hamin gave me has ‘love your family’ written on it.”

“That was originally a mix-up. Hamin oppa bought it knowing we weren’t getting along, as a sign for us to make peace…”

“Even if it was mixed up, a gift is a gift. Just like Ban Doyoung is Ban Doyoung no matter what.”

“What are you saying…”

Even if it was mixed up, it’s still a gift,

and even if things changed, I am now Ban Doyoung, Hamin’s heroine.

If that’s the case, shouldn’t I show the heroine image that Hamin wants to see?

Siyoung initially rejected my hand, but it seems she did like the gift Hamin had given her.

After my third attempt, Siyoung finally gave in and put the lime-scented bracelet back on her left wrist.

“Hmm, it’s pretty. It looks better on you.”

“Tch, what’s your purpose? Do you want something from me?”

“Hehehe. You catch on quickly.”

-Slide

My hand extended behind Siyoung’s back and gently rested on her shoulder.

“In exchange for giving this back, sleep with me tonight.”

“Huh? Are you crazy? Why would I sleep with you!”

“Dad said if we want to use the air conditioner, I should go to your room. We should use just one.”

“I-I still don’t want to! I’d rather sleep without the air conditioner than sleep with you!”

“Really? You really won’t sleep with me?”

“I’d rather die! Besides, there’s no way I could sleep while being with you!”

“Oh my… that’s too bad. I was going to tell our Scarlet something when we turned off the lights and lay under the blanket.”

“W-what were you going to tell me!”

-Flop

I gently laid Siyoung down on the bed and whispered in her ear.

“Aren’t you curious… about how babies are made?”

“…”

That night, Siyoung didn’t leave Ms. Ban Doyoung’s embrace until dawn.