Late Night (4)

“……”

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“If everyone’s going to come once, isn’t it Jua’s turn this time? Why you?”

“She said she didn’t have anything to say, and asked me to go instead? She said she can do it a lot normally.”

They looked at each other for a moment and then turned their heads.

Wasn’t the story already over with Ji-hye?

Would it even mean anything to talk about it here now?

More than wanting to hear Ji-hye’s opinion, I just want to quietly show her the aftermath of me resolving it.

I glanced at the table and everyone was looking at me, smiling silently.

Yeah, a husband caught by his wife, huh.

I splashed hot water on my face once more and shook it off lightly.

“I mean, we were talking about it earlier, but why are you suddenly bringing up jobs?”

While I was trying to come to my senses from the cold wind on my face, I flinched at the sudden question.

When I looked at Ji-hye without wiping the water still dripping from my face, her head was turned the other way.

I roughly wiped the water off with my hand and was about to put my hand on her shoulder, but put it back in the pool.

“It hasn’t even been a year since I became unemployed, but I’m still going to look for one.”

“So why suddenly? Is it because I said I was going somewhere else earlier?”

“Half right and half wrong.”

“…Then why suddenly like that?”

Honestly, if I said it’s because of you here, how burdensome would that be?

I didn’t want to make Ji-hye worry unnecessarily.

It’d be way cooler to just find a job on my own and go down to Ji-hye’s place all confident.

‘Then the job my siblings recommended is the best. A job where you can work from home anywhere.’

Am I going to have to borrow someone else’s hand after all?

Should I just try it out and start building experience, pride be damned?

“Why are you suddenly doing this…”

I stopped for a moment at Ji-hye’s words and let out a breath.

“Hoo, to find a job and not have to be looked down on by you guys.”

“What does oppa getting a job have to do with us not looking down on you?”

“Wouldn’t there be a big difference between a guy you’re hanging out with being an unemployed bum and a guy having a job?”

“That’s true, so how are you suddenly going to find a job?”

She looked at me with a smirk.

With a face that was obviously mischievous, she covered her mouth with her hand and smiled at me.

Her face smiling at me while lightly wringing out her wet hair, yeah, it’s cute.

A face I couldn’t even think of seeing back when we were always bickering and fighting.

Seeing that face, I chuckled and poked her openly exposed forehead with my index finger.

“Ah.”

“I’ll do anything. I’ll go to Eun-ha’s company, and do broadcasts with Se-a.”

“What if that doesn’t work out?”

“I’ll have to run around and find something on my own. Why, are you going to recommend me to your company?”

“We are short one item management employee…but our company only has women.”

“It’s not like I’m going there to meet women, so what…”

A moment of silence flowed after my words.

I could see her skin turning red from the hot air as she glanced around slightly.

Of course, my body was already completely red as well, so I was starting to feel the limit.

Even though I was in the water, I was sweating and couldn’t stand the heat, so every time I exhaled, hot breath was spewed out.

Ji-hye was also sweating and fanning her face with her hand, and I naturally cooled off the sweat with my hand as well.

“Should we go out for now?”

“…Should we?”

We naturally tried to talk to each other, and when our eyes met, we chuckled and nodded.

We both moved out of the water at the same time, and steam clouded up.

As soon as we came out, we smiled pleasantly at the cold wind cooling our bodies and approached the table, where everyone was talking with a smile.

…Of course, I couldn’t laugh at what they were saying.

“I’m saying, that oppa’s charm is that he’s a bit slow, you know?”

“Even if he’s a sibling living together, isn’t the charm a bit more like, completely taking control?”

“No, that oppa has a bit of a dazed~ but still okay kind of charm…”

“Why don’t you talk more.”

When I sat down in the empty seat with a smile, everyone avoided my gaze, pretending not to notice.

I roughly guessed what they were talking about, but I didn’t point it out.

“So what were you guys talking about?”

Because Ji-hye quietly took control of the table with a smile.

–

I can’t figure out this oppa.

He’s been living so dull and stupid, and now he’s suddenly going to get a job?

What is he thinking behind that blank expression?

He’s not a guy who would be called ugly anywhere, but he’s so easily swayed.

‘Is he an idiot, pretending to be an idiot? Or is he just like a reed in the wind?’

Other than doing things when he needs to, he doesn’t seem to have any particular strengths.

But he’s okay when he really goes all out like a man…

‘Usually, he’s just an idiot. Yeah, he’s an idiot.’

I’ve lived with him for over 20 years and I still don’t know what he’s thinking.

Is he living comfortably and not thinking, or is he thinking too much and not able to express it?

‘What’s so good about this idiot.’

I watched his back as he walked ahead, his body flushed red from the heat even before mine.

Even I was dumbfounded, so I chuckled very quietly.

Why this idiot who is of average height and has no particular strengths.

Did we just have compatible sexual preferences?

Did we just become close after having sex a few times?

Did I just feel relieved after pouring out all my inner thoughts?

Or maybe it’s all three combined.

Wouldn’t it be amazing if I knew exactly what the reason was?

I could ask if he’s an idiot who doesn’t know my heart, but it’s hard to express why you like someone with just one reason.

Maybe it’s just…sex-based affection.

It’s not like we were ever on terrible terms to begin with.

Of course, there’s no justification for this feeling.

I just started liking him and became fond of him at some point.

When I poured out my heart and talked to oppa, who I thought was an eyesore, there was a man left in front of me.

The oppa who I tease for being an eyesore, who is really slow and just plays around at home.

He’s transformed into a man and is even showing me how he’s gradually changing, so it’s still hard to believe.

Isn’t it amazing if a person can make up their mind and change this much in just about two weeks?

He makes breakfast every morning and goes to exercise, making the saying “three-day resolution” meaningless.

He does all the housework and greets me every time I come home from work, which is more than just a remarkable improvement.

The sight of him lazing around and playing games, and me coming home from work exhausted with no side dishes.

I smiled as the life that had been repeated to the point where I was tired of getting angry changed.

Even though my stepsister came, the house could be filled with laughter because one oppa changed.

I saw oppa taking care of his younger sibling, accepting Jua’s laughter and teasing, only now.

…Is it because he’s taking care of me after not showing that side of himself for over 20 years?

Every time I see it, I’m surprised, and every time I say something about it, he just brushes it off with the word “I have to try” and does it silently.

If he’s made this much of a decision, I thought he’d really made a big decision, and I had no choice but to acknowledge it.

This was the first time this oppa had made such a long-lasting decision.

What would it be if I, who had been with him the longest, didn’t acknowledge it?

The person closest to him has to acknowledge it for the changing 모습 to be seen.

I’ve been smiling without realizing it more often.

Ah, I shouldn’t do this, my sisters will notice.

I lightly touched my face and changed my expression. To my usual cold-looking face.

“I’m saying, that oppa’s charm is that he’s a bit slow, you know?”

“Even if he’s a sibling living together, isn’t the charm a bit more like, completely taking control?”

“No, that oppa has a bit of a dazed~ but still okay kind of charm…”

When I approached the table, Jua and Eun-ha were talking.

Even if my older sister and Hyun-ji are just listening quietly, I have to know for sure what they’re talking about before I go in.

When I listened in a little, they were saying something about oppa…why are you guys saying that.

“Why don’t you talk more.”

When oppa said that as he sat down, everyone avoided my gaze, pretending not to notice.

Then I can roughly guess what they were talking about. They must have been talking about oppa?

“So what were you guys talking about?”

It’s fine if you want to badmouth him, but oppa’s next to me, and it’s up to me to protect that.

When I sat down and said that, oppa looked at me and leaned back in his chair.

Everyone covets this seat next to him, but it’s mine.

“If you guys really don’t have anything to say, should we go inside? Unless you’re going to stay up all night here.”

Everyone looked at me and nodded.

I hoped that oppa would stop them and continue the conversation, but when I glanced at his face, I saw a nod.

…This oppa isn’t thinking of saying anything here and just nods.

Hoo, the excitement is gone now that the conversation has ended outside like this.

I was hoping he would say something to me to hear more of the story, but is he still watching my mood?

I don’t know if he’s scared or if he’s being considerate of me.

“If you guys really don’t have anything to say, let’s go inside and sleep. Buy snacks if you want.”

“Then I’ll get one or two more drinks.”

“I’ll get one or two drinks too.”

“I’m okay, so I’ll go in with unni.”

Only Jua smiled leisurely and 끼어들었다 between oppa and me.

Well, she’s my younger sibling, so she can do that.

My plan to carefully hold his hand is ruined, I’m holding back because she’s really my younger sibling.

It seems like I have a mischievous rival who’s after oppa at home, but it’s not bad.

Still, oppa has been smiling quite a bit more since Jua came home.

Every day after work, Jua comes and says that oppa nagged her again, so it seems like he’s keeping his promise with me well.

“Is something good going on with you? Why are you smiling so much.”

“Yeah, is something good going on with Ji-hye unni?”

Did I smile without realizing it?

I didn’t feel my facial muscles twitching, but judging from what the two of them are saying, I must be smiling.

I smiled so much that my facial muscles actually moved at the two people looking at me with worried expressions.

“I’m just so happy to be here.”

“I really would have regretted it for the rest of my life if I hadn’t come.”

“Of course. I even modeled to come!”