The man’s presence brings laughter to everyone.

,So where have you been wandering off to? Huh? Not even a single call, and how did you even find your way back home?”

,…Can I at least know why I’m being scolded like this the moment I get back…?”

,Do I have to tell you to know? Is this a situation where you only know if I tell you? Huh?”

Instead of the smile I expected to greet me upon arrival, I had to kneel and beg for forgiveness.

It was probably out of worry since I hadn’t contacted her for nearly two years while living outside, but her glaring at me with more anger than ever before was hard to endure even with my head bowed.

Knowing the reason for her anger, I quietly opened my mouth while keeping my head down.

,Ah…no, it’s not. Yes, it’s my fault for coming home so brazenly without a single call and trying to eat fruit. Yes…”

,Why did you try to ask if you knew that well? Are you just squeezing out excuses from your brain right now? You’ve got the nerve to waltz into your own house like it’s nothing, not giving a single call for nearly two years?”

,I’m sorry…”

,I don’t want to hear ‘I’m sorry’ as an answer. Did you forget the question I asked? Why did you ask when you already knew?”

There was no way to win an argument that kept harping on the same point.

Moreover, since I was the one in the wrong, there was no way to escape, and I had to think of various excuses to survive.

But considering that excuses themselves only fuel anger in an angry person, I had to choose a method that was a better alternative than making excuses.

,Well…I went to such a remote area that I couldn’t contact you, that was my fault, yes…so if you could just forgive me once…”

,I heard from Uncle that you definitely came near the mainland from time to time, so does that mean he was lying? Wait right there, I’m going to call Uncle.”

,Ah no, that’s true, but…that’s true, but…”

,Don’t trail off and speak properly, don’t annoy me!”

There was a reason, but it was difficult to say it outright.

It might have been easier if we were alone, but with Eunha and Jua secretly peeking through the crack in my room’s door, it was even more difficult.

If I didn’t answer and just glossed over it, there was no telling how long this anger would last, so I had no choice but to signal for her to come closer.

Even while angry, Ji-hye came to me quietly, and I covered her ear with my hand and whispered.

,Well…I didn’t contact you because I thought you’d miss me.”

,…? You could have just said that, why are you whispering like this?”

,The kids are watching from my room, that’s why. Anyway, I’m sorry, I just thought you’d miss me if I went far away and contacted you. So I deliberately didn’t contact you.”

,Are you trying to get away with such a lie? You’ve only gotten craftier since you’ve been out!”

Even when I told the truth, she got angry, and Ji-hye turned her back.

Since I didn’t have any more excuses to offer, I sighed, thinking that today would be a thorny path.

,Still, you must be tired from working for so long, if I scold you more, you’ll want to leave again…right. Go to your room and rest.”

,Huh? Huh? Wait, what did you say?”

I thought a second round of nagging would begin, but she surprisingly ended the nagging easily and let me go.

When I grabbed Ji-hye’s shoulder as she was about to go to her room, she muttered very quietly.

,…You’ve worked hard.”

Before I could say anything more, she shook off my hand and went into the room.

Strangely, she went into the master bedroom instead of her own room, and I belatedly started looking around at the changed room structure and my room.

Also, to scold my two younger siblings who were still peeking out with only their heads showing through the door crack.

–

,Why are you scolding me as soon as I get here!”

,Jua is right! If you came, you should lie nicely on the bed and accept our spoiled behavior!”

When I tried to enter the room, they quickly closed the door and held it shut, but when I finally opened the door, they lay on the bed and started protesting with their hands raised.

I thought it was understandable since it had been a while since I saw them, but that wasn’t the important thing. Punishment is punishment, and reward is reward.

When I glared at them without saying anything, they both quietly knelt down and bowed their heads.

,It’s so nice that you listen so well.”

,Even if we’re clueless, we know when you’re angry and when you’re not.”

,That’s right, even if Jua and I are clueless, we know that much.”

,You know that well, but you didn’t say anything when I was being scolded. By the way, Eunha, why are you here, did you come to play?”

Since Jua had used my room every time she broadcasted before I left, I knew why she had taken over my room.

But was there a reason for Eunha to come to my house? At least, I didn’t remember one, so I had to ask.

,It’s been a while since I terminated my house contract and came here. You know the room I used on my first day at Oppa’s house? I’m using that room now.”

,You terminated the contract and came here? Are you okay with that?”

,Why wouldn’t I be? It’s my money and my house. I’ve entrusted all that money to Ji-hye-unni and I’m living off of it.”

,That’s right. Eunha-unni also draws my broadcast thumbnails in her spare time. Honestly, she’s more helpful than Oppa!”

,You really have no filter when talking to someone who just came home. Wait a minute, so where’s the empty room now? Where am I supposed to sleep?”

So that means there’s no empty room, where am I supposed to go?

I wondered if Ji-hye going to the master bedroom meant that the master bedroom was Ji-hye’s room.

I can’t just end up sleeping in the living room as soon as I get home. Even though I told her the exact date I was coming back, this is too much.

I can’t ask for my room back because it’s too messy.

It’s already filled with Jua’s belongings, and I sigh every time I see the clothes scattered in every corner of the room.

I wanted to ask why she left it like this, considering Ji-hye’s personality would never let this slide.

,So, did Oppa do well at work?”

,Besides growing a beard, you actually seem to have gained weight. Ah, don’t tell me you built muscle instead of gaining weight?”

My younger sisters, who were mocking me while poking my arms and stomach, pressed down a few more times and their laughter disappeared.

They must have thought I gained weight just by looking at my baggy clothes.

Maybe it’s because I was working in an environment where I couldn’t gain weight, or maybe it’s because my body was forcibly squeezing out non-existent nutrients to grow in order to survive.

My body became more robust just from the work I did to survive on the rough seas rather than exercising, is this what they call survival instinct?

Their smiles disappeared and they started touching and feeling my body with surprised expressions.

My body, which was no longer mediocre like before but solidly built even if it wasn’t pretty, was enough for me to feel healthy.

,Wow…it’s solid even through your clothes. Do you have abs like those gym freaks?”

,…Your body seems more solid than most models…??

,It’s not like that. Well…sorry, but can you guys let me change my clothes first?”

They got up and started grabbing me, touching my body.

Their faces were slightly flushed and they were getting closer and closer, touching me, which was a little scary even from my perspective, so I had no choice but to push them away with force.

,I said let go…”

,Come on, Oppa, why don’t you give your sisters, who you haven’t seen in years, some time to borrow your body?”

,Unni is right, give your lonely sisters some time to borrow!”

,Borrowing time or whatever, just let me change my clothes…”

I barely managed to push them away after using force.

Only after I forcibly laid them down on the bed did they both smile slightly and not resist.

I couldn’t help but frown at the smiles on their faces, as if they wanted this situation, but maybe they just wanted to feel their older brother’s touch after a long time?

,Just go to sleep, you two. Ah, Jua, are my clothes in the closet?”

,Yeah, they’ll be in the master bedroom. Since Ji-hye-unni put all of Oppa’s clothes in the master bedroom since I started using this room.”

,In the master bedroom? What about our parents, why did she put them in the master bedroom?”

,Well…it’s better to hear that from Ji-hye-unni than from me. Anyway, we’ve had a taste of Oppa, so can you go out so we can broadcast?”

,That’s right. Today is the day we reveal the new thumbnail, so everyone is looking forward to it. Go change your clothes and take a shower!”

,Hey…this is my room, how can you kick me out like that? I’m so sad…”

They both hadn’t changed much. As they laughed playfully and kicked me out, a sense of joy that I had come home washed over me, and I unknowingly smiled and left the room.

Of course, it took a very long time to muster the courage to leave the room and open the door to the master bedroom.

I drank a glass of water, threw my coat on the sofa, and after a simple wash and shave in the bathroom, I was finally able to stand in front of the master bedroom door.

,’Well, it’s not like she’s going to kill me…’

I pushed aside my worries that I might be killed by her gaze because I hadn’t contacted her for too long, and opened the master bedroom door, slightly poking my head in.

Deolkeok-

When I met Ji-hye’s gaze as she lay on the bed, a sense of fear similar to when I did something terribly wrong as a child and was watching my parents’ expressions slowly crept up.

Even if I said one wrong word here, or even if Ji-hye just opened her mouth, I was overwhelmed by a sense of fear that would make it hard to breathe, but I barely swallowed it along with my saliva and opened my mouth.

,I came to get some clothes…can I come in?”

,If I told you not to come in, would you not come? It’s in the dresser right in front of you, so take it.”

I surprisingly entered the room smoothly and found the clothes in the dresser.

,’My clothes…are here. Shirts, short sleeves, pajamas…wait, why are they all clean?’

While I was worrying about which clothes to wear, I noticed a few strange things.

There were no stains or patterns on the clothes that had been neglected for a long time.

And things like shirts that wrinkle were all ironed, and all the clothes had a subtle fabric softener scent.

I wondered if I was mistaken, so I took out a blue pajama top and smelled it, and the scent definitely tickled my nose.

,Did you wash my clothes recently?”

,A week ago.”

,A week ago? Why did you bother washing them? You could have washed them with the clothes I wore there.”

Ji-hye, who was looking at her phone and answering curtly, was no different from usual.

She was a woman who was prickly during the day and kind at night, and my younger sister spoke nonchalantly to my words, but just in case, I went to the side of the bed and lay down before Ji-hye could say anything.

She glared at me as the bed shook and turned her head. Normally, I would have been even more nervous and unable to speak, but not now.

There were things I hadn’t seen in the meantime, and I had risked my life while working and decided to live without regrets when I returned to the mainland.

,Washing them is one thing, but I have something to say…turn your head so I can look at your face while I talk.”

,I’ll turn it after I hear it. So what do you want to say?”

,It’s nothing much, so it’s a bit…”

,I’ll listen to that nothing much. If you’re not going to say it, I’m going to sleep, take your clothes and leave.”

She’s still curt as ever.

But I won’t back down anymore. Why did I go through all that hardship and come back, I can’t be the same as before now.

,Ah um, I missed you.”

When I whispered in her ear with a voice mixed with laughter, Ji-hye didn’t react much.

I thought it would work and prepared the line with confidence, but if she hears it so calmly like this, it’s like I haven’t improved at all from before.

,’Is this not it…?’

While I was racking my brain, wondering if I was wrong, it was proven with my eyes that I didn’t have to do that, so I lay back down.

,Your ears are all red, I can see them.”

Instead of an answer, her red ears, which were dyed red, gave me an answer that was more than an answer, so I chuckled and rejoiced.

The only woman I’m held captive by, even if she’s curt, Ji-hye is Ji-hye.