episode_0012

Morning is early in Room 302 of Building 103 of Cheongmyeong Apartment, where I live.

6 am. Jina and Han Chae-yeon wake up.

On days when the basketball team doesn’t have practice, Jina sometimes wakes up a little late, but Han Chae-yeon always wakes up on time, as is her habit.

At 6:30, she washes up and prepares breakfast.

Hayun and Younha, who are relatively further away from elementary school than others, wake up and rush to get ready for school.

By the time the two twins washed up first and sat down at the table, the remaining people who had woken up slowly went to wash up.

There were only two bathrooms in a house of eight people, so if the person in front of them woke up late, the person behind them had to wait.

Why am I suddenly thinking about breakfast in this house?

That’s because I’m fucked in real time right now. To be exact, the people of this house.

“…Is this true?”

I checked the desk clock on my desk.

The short hour hand was well over 6 and was getting close to 8.

Along with that, the number 10 pointed to by the long minute hand.

So, the current time is 7:50.

“Lana. Wake up. I think we’re doomed.”

First, I shook the shoulder of my youngest child, who was sleeping peacefully with an angel-like face, and woke him up.

Normally, at this time, the whole house would be noisy with preparations for school.

But no matter how hard I listened, I could only hear the sound of sparrows chirping outside the window.

It really seems like it’s over.

For some reason, I woke up feeling strangely refreshed.

“…”

I held up the watch and checked the time for Ran, who was still half-asleep and dozing off with half-open eyes.

“…!”

I gave Ran an embarrassed smile as she looked up at me in shock and immediately jumped out of bed.

“Emergency! Hey, wake up!”

“What, what, what!?”

“…Oppa?”

First, I went into the room of the two twins, who were still half asleep, and placed one on each side of them.

As soon as they woke up, the two people, who were surprised by the sudden incident, were thrown straight into the bathroom and shouted.

“You guys are late! Wash up quickly and come out!”

The school start time for Seongjeong Elementary School, which they both attend, is 8:40.

For two people who usually take the bus, it takes about an hour to get from home to school.

If things continue like this, no matter what, you will be late for first period.

“Haaaam. Hello son.”

At that time, someone came out of the room leisurely yawning.

It was Han Chae-yeon.

Dressed in a translucent negligee that resembled a camisole, she calmly passed me by with a soft good morning and turned on the TV in the living room.

“Now that I think about it, why did you wake up so early?”

Han Chae-yeon, who was watching the morning news with her legs crossed on the sofa, turned her gaze toward me and asked.

Could it be that you haven’t figured out the situation yet?

“What time do you think it is now?”

“Isn’t it 6 o’clock? I heard the sound of water in the bathroom earlier. Is there anyone there? Ah, I got it. Ran drew a map on the blanket. So I got up to help.”

I touched my forehead. Isn’t that possible, not even a kindergarten student?

Moreover, even though Ran looks like that, she is quite a meticulous person. Because I always go to the bathroom before going to bed.

I sighed inwardly and walked over to the TV and pointed.

“What time does it say right above the news?”

“…6 o’clock, wait, it’s 8 o’clock, right?”

The remote control fell out of Han Chae-yeon’s hand.

It looks like the situation has finally been figured out.

“Children, you have to wake them up first…!”

“Calm down. I woke up the twins first and sent them to the bathroom, and Jina and Sujin still have some free time.”

I calmed down Han Chae-yeon, who was trying to move urgently.

I understood that she must have been even more embarrassed because she had never overslept on a regular basis.

Why did this family, who used to wake up in the morning except for Jina, end up sleeping in late as a group?

I have one guess.

That’s Sujin’s dish that we all ate last night.

It was the devil’s food that made my brain tremble the moment I put it in my mouth.

Perhaps because the taste was so shocking, I had no memory of it after dinner.

I think she probably fainted like Younha.

I didn’t know when I fell asleep in bed, and when I opened my eyes, the sun was shining brightly outside the window. And it’s probably all the same.

As proof, even though we screamed loudly in the living room, none of the children came out.

He’s not really dead, right?

…Fortunately, my worries were for naught.

I went into the room and woke them up like I did with the twins, and everyone woke up right away.

Well, I looked a little unwell due to the side effects, but I guess I’ll be okay.

“…Wow, I feel sick.”

“…Me too.”

Hayun and Yunha, standing in front of the front door, stumbled as if their heads were hurting.

“Are you okay? It’s okay to take a day off.”

“…No, I still want to go.”

“Me too.”

I felt like they were somehow abusing the two, so I asked carefully and got a brave answer.

Well, I don’t know whose family he is, but he seems to have received a really good education.

The twins, each carrying a blue and a red school bag on their backs, put on their sneakers and looked at me.

The current time is 8:10.

It was during this time that I urged the twins as much as possible.

Deciding that I couldn’t make it on time, I decided to accompany the two people.

The bus takes a long time because there is time to get on and off, but that’s not the case with your own car.

I put the car keys that were on the shoe rack in my pocket and asked Hayoon and Younha.

“You two forgot anything, right?”

“Yes!”

“Yes!”

**

The twins, who got into the car parked in the underground parking lot, looked somewhat excited.

“Why are you so happy?”

When I asked the question while looking at the two people sitting side by side in the back seat through the rearview mirror, Hayun smiled and said.

“Well, it’s really fun to go to school like this with my brother.”

“Oh, really?”

Like Hayun, Younha didn’t express it directly in words, but it seems like it feels good to move her feet. If I had known it would be like this, I would have given it a ride more often.

Of course, the black van I’m currently driving is not my car.

I occasionally borrow something that Han Chae-yeon bought but was left lying around for a family outing someday later.

Did he have a license?

I don’t remember ever seeing her drive because I always took over if driving was necessary.

That person is not very talented. Maybe it’s a closet license.

“Departing.”

“Let’s go!”

With that in mind, I started the car and Hayun and Yunha jumped out of the back seat.

“Don’t move too much because you might get hurt.”

“I trust you, so it’s okay!”

While I was laughing at Hayoon’s words, which she spoke with a calm expression on her face as if she had been feeling bad for a while, a memory from a few days ago suddenly came to mind.

Come to think of it, there was a time when I woke up in the morning and found myself handcuffed.

Because of the twins’ prank, I had to be teased by other kids for being a lolicon all day long.

Although Han Chae-yeon is the culprit, the crime of sympathy is also a clear crime.

…Shall we speed it up a bit?

The vehicle, which had been moving smoothly, began to accelerate rapidly.

“Aaagh!”

The startled screams of two people were heard.

**

“Hmm, maybe it’s because I’m driving, but my shoulders are sore.”

I got out of the driver’s seat and turned my shoulders sharply.

“Sa, save me…”

“Oppa, this is too much…”

Two people got out of the car, looking more tired than in the morning.

Combined with the impact of last night, it must be very painful.

So who played such a prank?

I feel sorry inside. While thinking this, I held the twins’ hands.

It wasn’t that late at all, as if the speed up was worth it.

At that moment, the school gate was crowded with children who had just started school.

From time to time, we were able to see children holding their parents’ hands and cheerfully exchanging greetings with their teachers.

And for some reason, it was difficult for me to take my eyes off that sight.

“…Oppa?”

“No, nothing.”

I shook my head in response to Hayun’s question.

They are family, and we are family too. There was no reason to think strange things.

“Ah, teacher…!”

Younha, who was holding my left hand, pointed in a certain direction.

There, in front of the school gate, I saw a young female teacher welcoming children who were just coming to school.

She was a sophisticated beauty with short hair and a neat two-piece suit.

“Hello! Hayun and Yoonha. But…”

She must have spotted us as we were just passing through the school gates, but as she greeted us warmly, she suddenly trailed off.

“This is my brother. We all overslept today so I’m going to take you there.”

He looked a little embarrassed when he looked at me, so I introduced myself first.

“Ah, my name is Yura Choi and I am the homeroom teacher.”

Even as she introduced herself like that, she was looking in a direction other than me.

Seeing that his gaze was slightly lowered, it seemed like he was looking at Hayun and Younha, but the appearance was a little strange.

Like staring at the twins’ faces, or occasionally frowning and moaning. Aren’t you repeating your actions?

“What’s going on?”

“Oh, no. It’s not a big deal, but…”

Finally, for some reason, she sighed deeply and turned her gaze towards me again.

“Hey…who is Hayun and who is Yoon?”

After hearing her words, I lowered my gaze and looked at Hayun and Yunha.

Looking at the twins’ faces, what’s strange? I thought for a moment.

Then I suddenly realized that something was missing from where it was supposed to be.

“What happened to your ribbon?”

“…ribbon? Oh, there really isn’t one?”

Hayun hurriedly put her hand on the back of her head, but all she caught was brown hair.

I guess I was in a hurry today and forgot to wear the ribbon.

The twins’ appearance was truly strikingly similar.

Those who live together know that Hayun and Younha have completely opposite personalities, and they are always close to each other, so there is no need to get confused, but others do not.

To distinguish between the two, a sign was definitely needed.

It was a small colored ribbon that the twins always wore in their hair.

“Is there anything that can be distinguished?”

I searched my pants pockets, but found nothing.

Actually, I was in such a hurry to get out that I couldn’t even take my wallet.

“…Should I at least use this first?”

At that moment, I grabbed a black hair tie from my coat pocket.

It was a very small item with a silver pin as an accent.

Why is this included?

Well, I guess it’s good.

“Hayoon, do you want to look back in a moment?”

“…Huh?”

He grabbed the hair tie and tied Hayun’s hair back.

If it’s too tight, it hurts, so leave it loose enough so that the sides of your hair stick out a little.

“You are skilled. Men aren’t good at things like that.”

“Well, I’ve gotten used to it.”

He gave a brief reply to Choi Yura, who was impressed.

“Okay. Hayun is the one with her hair tied up, and Younha is the one without her hair tied up. From next time, I will be more careful to differentiate.”

“Yes. This clearly distinguishes it.”

Yura Choi and I talked while looking at Hayoon, who was curiously fiddling with her hair that was tied up in an upward style.

“Then I will excuse myself. I will take care of the children.”

“Oh, just a moment.”

After successfully getting the children to school safely, I was about to return when Choi Yu-ra called me in a hurry.