episode_0089

[Hey]

[Hey]

[Are you home right now?]_1:10 PM

[Huh?]

[Why?]

[What’s up?]_1:12 PM

[Mom asked me to bring side dishes]

[I think I’ll arrive in about 30 minutes]

[I’m too lazy to go up]

[Come down at the right time]_1:15 PM

[I’m outside right now]

[Watching the market]

[The passcode for the studio is ****, and the front door code is ****** so]

[Just throw them anywhere in the house and leave]_1:18 PM

[Damn it]

[Oh, it’s so annoying]

[Can’t you just come back quickly and pick it up?]_1:22 PM

[I just left, damn]

[If you were coming, you should have let me know in advance]

[How can I help if you show up out of the blue?]_1:25 PM

[If you had said so]

[I did wait, didn’t I?]_1:26 PM

[Yeah]

[Sure]_1:27 PM

[You’re good with words, you bastard]

[Then just throw it roughly and leave]

[Even if I get hurt, you won’t know?]_1:30 PM

[Yeah]_1:35 PM

.

.

.

After four months, receiving a message from family.

Despite the long absence of contact, their warm unchanged attitude made me chuckle as I pocketed my phone.

“It seems like something came up around here. Bringing side dishes.”

I still thought they were job hunting… What could have brought them around here?

Is there a company nearby where they have an interview?

While pondering the purpose of their visit, a sudden worry crossed my mind.

“…Are they okay?”

Entering the studio and leaving food behind, what if they run into Jiwoo?

Not mentioning that they live together, it would be quite awkward if they bumped into each other.

I briefly worried, but then shook it off with a wry smile.

At this hour, Jiwoo would most likely be sound asleep in the room.

Given my sister’s dislike for unnecessary actions, she probably wouldn’t bother exploring the studio.

The chances of them meeting were honestly close to zero.

My sister… she’d either leave right after putting down the food or, if she had time, maybe cool off a bit from the heat before going out again.

Though there was a slight unease, there was no real need to worry.

Shaking off my concerns, I resumed my shopping.

“Hey there! Handsome bachelor? Take a look at this watermelon before you go! We’ve got some really delicious ones in today!”

After picking out plenty of ingredients, contemplating on whether to buy some fruits, a kind-looking lady tapped a watermelon invitingly and ushered me inside the store.

Approaching her, I inspected the watermelons neatly arranged, considering which one to choose.

“Wow… they do look really fresh as you say. How much are they?”

“All the ones here for 3 bucks each! You won’t find such big and good quality watermelons at this price even in the supermarket!”

“Oh, I see, ma’am? I’m planning to eat it with my girlfriend, could you help me pick the best one here?”

“Oh my! Then I must certainly pick a good one for you! Here, this is the tastiest one! Go back and have a happy time with your girlfriend, hehe.”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

Handing over the cash, she even included two peaches as a service.

After exchanging warm goodbyes promising to return, I quietly stepped out of the store.

“I wonder if my sister has gone back by now?”

After finishing my shopping, it was already 2 PM.

What should I do to kill time today? I pondered lightly.

Buzz! Buzz!

My phone started vibrating vigorously in my pocket, and I paused to check it.

[- Gorilla -]

“…?”

Was it a message confirming that the side dishes were put away properly?

No, that dirty-tempered woman wouldn’t bother calling over such a trivial matter.

At most, she’d just send a brief message to brush it off.

Then what could it be?

Could it be that I ran into Jiwoo?

A sense of unease as if something unusual had happened.

After swallowing hard, I gathered my thoughts and pressed the answer button.

And then…

“You, get your butt over to your place right now.”

…The chilling voice sent shivers down my spine.

Ah, I should have just gone quietly to pick up the call.

Why does it have to be Jiwoo again…!

Despite trembling with unreasonable anxiety.

I started running towards my place.

—–

“…So.”

A chilling silence settled in my room.

In the heavy atmosphere where words didn’t come easily, Jaeyeon unnie sighed and slowly began to speak.

“So, you’re seeing that troublemaker? The one who used to hang out with our Jaehyuk all the time?”

“…Yes.”

“Is living together due to unavoidable circumstances?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Hmm.”

Jaeyeon unnie shook her head, either finding it hard to accept the reality before her or bursting into a bitter laugh.

Without saying a word, I cautiously offered her a cold drink and tentatively asked a question.

“He didn’t tell you? Oh, no, I guess given his personality, he wouldn’t have said anything…”

“I know, it’s not like it’s the first time today. Ugh, this crazy little brother. If there’s something to hide, why keep it a secret?”

“Do you… trust me?”

“I have no choice but to. If you’re really seeing that troublemaker, you must know how difficult he is. Do you think he’d let just anyone into his house?”

“No, that’s not it…”

“Don’t ask weird questions once you know, just keep quiet. My head is about to explode from this headache.”

“…Okay.”

Having gulped down the drink in front of me, Jaeyeon unnie slumped onto the table, muttering under her breath.

Judging by her much sharper demeanor than I knew, she seemed quite confused.

I silently cursed Jaehyuk in my mind and waited for unnie to calm down.

Once she finally regained her composure, she immediately started asking me questions one by one.

“First thing I’m curious about. You two aren’t dating, are you?”

“What? What…!? No, we, him and me?!”

“I don’t know about things between a man and a woman. But judging by your reaction, it seems like you haven’t.”

“If you’re calling me ‘unnie’ instead of ‘nuna’ already…”

“Enough!”

How am I supposed to deal with getting used to it even when I go outside!

As I snapped and let out an exasperated cry, Jaeyeon unnie chuckled for a while before speaking again.

“Alright, next question. How long do you plan to live together?”

A serious question devoid of any laughter.

I pondered my response while tapping the table, then slowly shook my head.

“I’m sorry, but it’s difficult to give a definite answer.”

“Why?”

“Showing you once is better than saying a hundred times, right? Could you please look at this for a moment, unnie?”

As I walked towards the area with blackout curtains, unnie gave me a puzzled look.

And that look turned into astonishment when I reached out my arm towards the spot where sunlight entered after pulling back the curtain.

Whoosh!

As I pulled the blackout curtain back, a fierce flame appeared momentarily before disappearing.

Shocked by the horrific sight and even catching a whiff of burning flesh, unnie nodded in apparent understanding.

Then, with a sudden realization, she made a face, took out ointment from her bag, and started applying it generously on my arm.

“Have I lost my mind?! Why would you do something like that if things went wrong!”

“Anyway, it’ll heal right away, won’t it? You don’t have to apply the ointment, unnie. It’s already all better.”

“No way… Oh, really all better?”

Was it something even hard to believe when seen with your own eyes?

After checking several more times, Jaeyeon unnie let go of my arm with a curse.

Anyway, that tsundere trait seems to be genetic.

Even though they’re siblings with just different genders, their actions are exactly the same, you know?

The laughter that burst out unknowingly quickly disappeared as Jaeyeon unnie looked at me fiercely with her hawk-like eyes.

“Well, you can laugh a bit too. Aren’t you being too sensitive?”

As I complained in my mind, Jaeyeon unnie suddenly started patting my head.

Looking down at me with a compassionate gaze, she offered words of comfort.

“Poor thing… Ah, must have been really tough.”

“Ugh, why are you suddenly being so cringy? Is this genetic too?”

“…Genetic?”

“Jaehyuk sometimes says really cringy things too. That’s why…”

“There are things to say and things not to say, right?”

“Ugh.”

It seems like this is getting under her skin properly?

Trying to avoid the sudden bat transformation of Jaeyeon who was about to explode, I attempted to escape, but fleeing in the cramped space was an impossible task.

In the end, caught by unnie’s hand, I cruelly began to be tortured with a corn cob holder.

“S-squeak…!”

Why! What’s wrong with saying it’s genetic!

Now that I see it, her actions are just plain crazy; what on earth is the reason for her anger!?

Beep – beep – beep – beep –

Amidst the desperate screams, the sound of entering a password could be heard.

Taking advantage of the moment when concentration was scattered and strength momentarily weakened, I hastily slipped out of unnie’s grasp and hid my body.

…Truth be told, she might have just let go.

As soon as the front door opened, Jaeyeon’s face transformed into a look of utter disbelief.

“Geez. I was just going to leave the food and go back, why snoop around someone else’s room?”

“Ha! If anyone hears, they’ll think I intentionally came to inspect, right? And who told you the password, huh, who!?”

Starting to argue nervously as soon as they met.

Watching them, I thought.

The power of genetics.

It truly seems remarkable.