episode_0018

“Sister, what do you like? Like… Korean food, Western food, Chinese food, things like that.”

“Wisdom’s treats are all good!”

“Mm… I see.”

What does Sister like?

…Me?

“Large. One, two, three bowls of jjamppong and jjajangmyeon!”

“Jjamppong?”

First… she likes spicy food and seafood.

“Dip or mix. One, two, three bites!”

“Mixing!”

“Oh….”

And she’s a mix-eater.

This might be a bit controversial.

“Oh…Wisdom, by any chance…”

“It’s not by any chance, isn’t mixing a rule?”

If you pour sauce over, the ones below will all become soggy.

Whether it’s a good restaurant or a bad one, the bad ones are already soggy, but ultimately, mixing is unforgivable.

“I trusted Wisdom…”

With a face that says “I didn’t know this was your taste,” she looks at me and cries softly as she slightly backs away.

“What are you trusting!”

But still, Sister has to put up with it.

“Sob… It’s delicious…”

“Hmm… Then how about making and eating hot pot?”

“Huh!? You can make hot pot?”

“Oh… I made it out of boredom. I made it mild because I can’t handle spicy food well.”

Sister comes closer and grabs my hand firmly.

“Wisdom. Let’s get married. No, let’s start by dating slowly first.”

“Ah! Why are you saying that.”

That’s how hot pot was decided.

It seems like Sister has almost fallen in love with hot pot.

“Oh… They have everything here.”

“Yes. You can find almost everything here.”

When you go to the mart, there’s a corner with foreign spices.

Star anise, bay leaves, basil. There’s also cinnamon.

But… actually, hot pot sauce is sold as a ready-made product. Even in Korean.

“Oh….”

There’s enough in one packet for two people.

If you try to make the sauce from scratch, you end up with so many unused spices that you have to eat only hot pot for ages.

There’s pepper from China, and you need star anise and cumin, which is something you’ve never heard of before.

I felt lucky that there was a ready-made product.

These ingredients that you use once and throw away are really unbearable.

“With this, what about noodles?”

“Oh. What kind of noodles do you want?”

“Anything!”

Then… thin sweet potato noodles.

You should soak the sweet potato noodles in water now, but if you bring thick ones, it’ll take ages to soak.

“For meat, pork belly, beef brisket, and thinly sliced pork belly…”

“Anything!”

Then thinly sliced pork belly. Let’s get one pack… No, two packs.

Let’s also get fish cakes in round shapes.

The leftovers will be enjoyed by Sister.

I quickly grabbed some vegetables.

Bean sprouts, bok choy, cabbage, mushrooms – just the classic combination.

You can’t miss green onions; they’re a must-have at home.

Anyway, one pack of beef bone soup.

Oh. Let’s also get some dumplings. It’ll be tasty as a side dish.

I also got a few drinks.

“Alcohol… Do you want to drink?”

“Um… Yes, please.”

As a final touch, I added alcohol.

I’m not particularly fond of alcohol, but if I drink, I get tipsy and go along with the atmosphere.

When meeting friends after a long time, that’s how it goes.

Today, I’m having a drink because I’m feeling down.

“That’ll be 57,450 won. Do you have a loyalty card?”

“Kim Soo-han… Ah. Wait, cancel that, and please pay with this card.”

I have my principles too. No matter how annoying my brother is, I don’t do things like this.

“Uh-oh. Wisdom. I should be the one doing this.”

“No, no. I’ll pay.”

I pushed the card towards the cashier, but Sister took it back and handed her own card.

“Why?”

“I used a wish ticket, so should I take your money too? That’s not right. Besides, buying things like this is Sister’s role.”

Speak to me calmly and then gently handed the card back to me.

“Sigh… I understand. Thank you.”

“For what.”

Feeling awkward for no reason, I chose a suitable-sized box instead of a plastic bag, folded it, and put the items inside.

“It won’t all fit.”

“It’s okay… Ugh… It won’t work.”

“Let’s carry them separately~”

“Okay.”

My sister picked two boxes about half the size.

Didn’t buy many things, but can’t carry them all.

I wonder if I should exercise, but once again realize the existence of strength differences based on gender.

When he was a man, he would have packed everything like Tetris and happily walked home.

“Alright! Let’s go now~”

The car starts quietly but powerfully.

She said she was a nurse. The car was better than my brother’s.

The house wasn’t far, so we arrived quickly.

First… let’s soak the noodles in water quickly.

As soon as I entered the house, I checked the layout and started looking from the kitchen.

My sister looks at me with a smile.

“Hehe. This is so nice.”

“You seem satisfied with the service.”

“Absolutely! 5 stars!”

Amazed by every little thing I see, I take pictures as if it’s amazing that I’m here.

I haven’t even started cooking yet, but I feel like I could leave now.

“First… let’s close the door, okay? The smell is spreading everywhere.”

“Got it~”

I lay out the groceries I bought on the table one by one.

With a spacious kitchen, things like this are possible.

“Where is it…”

I take out a bowl, put the noodles in, and let them soak in hot water from the water purifier.

I take out a pot and a cutting board.

“Hey… where’s the green onion!?”

“I put basic ingredients in a container and stored them in the fridge!”

At my sister’s words, I open the fridge and see sealed containers of green onions and minced garlic among various unknown foods.

“Oh.”

As expected of my sister.

This much is basic cooking.

I put garlic and green onions in the pot.

I usually put a lot, but since it’s spicy hot pot, let’s put a little less.

Anyway, it will soon be filled with various things, so even if I add more here, it will be hard to see the green onions.

I put the pot on the gas stove and pour in the beef bone broth.

Hmm… let’s pour a little more water.

There’s something you need to know when cooking.

Things that need to cook for a long time should be added early, while things that cook quickly should be added later.

Why do people just throw everything in like throwing a bomb and ruin it?

The tofu turns into soft tofu. If that’s the case, make soft tofu stew.

“Na-nan-na~”

I tear open the spicy hot pot sauce.

Seeing the clear broth of the beef bone soup turning redder than kimchi stew, I unconsciously hum a tune.

Only the sound of gas hissing out can be heard, and I absentmindedly pick up my phone.

“…Ugh.”

You still haven’t reflected, huh.

But I won’t approach first.

It seems like another incident involving Miyeon might come up.

And tomorrow is the weekend.

Usually on weekends, I occasionally visit my father’s house to fill up ingredients, clean, cook food, and so on.

Tomorrow, I’ll make breakfast for my sister and go to my father’s house.

My brother will have to experience a day without me. Just for a day…

“But… do you not have anyone to meet, Sister? You should get married.”

Suddenly changing clothes, my sister comes over.

“…Shh. Don’t say that. I don’t even want to think about it.”

“Oh, spinsters are unpopular~”

It’s a good idea for women to catch men in their prime years.

In their 30s and 40s, they age and it’s really difficult to get a man with money.

Still, your mom used to be so beautiful that she could rival Miss Korea.

“Ugh!! I haven’t turned thirty yet!”

“Huff! Hoo… Wait a moment!”

“I just want to lie down with Jihye.”

My sister came up behind me, grabbed my chest, caressed it, then her hand went down to my waist and she pulled me to the sofa.

“…I don’t want to get married.”

“Why~ You have a house, a car, and a good job.”

Even my sister is pretty.

She always tells me I’m pretty, but does she not know that she’s pretty herself?

“Oh. This was done by Dad.”

“Oh… It’s really nice.”

…With assets attached, isn’t this at least the top 1% of wealth?

“At this point… I feel like I could just pick anyone and accept.”

“I don’t know because you said no… Give me your knee as a pillow.”

“Sigh… Lie down.”

Supporting my sister’s head with my hand, I gently lay her head on my lap.

Naturally, I brought my knees together and flipped her hair back so it wouldn’t tickle.

“Wow~ You’re really feminine…”

“Not you?”

“Ugh… I don’t look as mature as you do.”

Glancing at her own face, she turns her head and lightly nibbles on my thigh.

In her slightly brownish black hair, not clearly visible, her thin eyelashes, and dark black eyes that smile when she smiles, she looks really cute and pretty.

Right now, I find my sister so cute that I want to pet her.

Yeah. Let’s recite a spell or something.

“You’re pretty… You’re pretty…”

“Huh?”

“You always work hard… So…?”

From the first time we met, even now, my sister has taken care of me.

I’m just grateful.

I want this relationship to last without any quarrels, like sisters.

“…Jihye, you’ve grown up.”

“Am I a baby?”

“Can I pet you a little more? It feels subtly nice.”

Lifting the eye-piercing bangs slightly and gently stroking them.

The feeling of pressure on my thigh, the refreshing and sweet citrus scent of my sister softly spreading through my nose, made me feel good.

*

“Sister… it’s all done.”

“Uh… Oh? Ah. Got it.”

Leaving my sister who had fallen asleep on my lap, I finished making the hot pot.

I also made some dumplings on the side.

“Ah… Jihye’s lap is heaven…”

“What are you saying.”

“It means it’s nice~”

Tasting a spoonful of the hot pot broth.

“Oh… It’s good… Ugh….”

I added water. I’m sure I even thought about that because I can’t handle spicy food.

Why is it so damn spicy?

“Oh. It’s really delicious.”

“Ugh… It’s spicy….”

“This is spicy!?”

But it tastes good.

Despite the chewiness of the glass noodles and the meat infused with plenty of spice, it tasted surprisingly good.

Nevertheless, the spiciness was unavoidable.