Something Unexpected
"The shortest screw."
"Here."
"Next, the long one."
"Master, is this right?"
"Yeah, that one."
Clack. Clack. Clack.
As if we'd never had sex at all, we were cheerfully assembling a computer together like any ordinary pair of siblings. My noona knelt beside me, staring at the parts with open curiosity, hunting down every screw I asked for and handing it over.
"You're not sitting lotus-style anymore?"
"Because Master told me not to…"
"Good girl. That's my Sujeong."
The build was finished. Noona clearly understood just how high-end the machine was; she gazed at the tower that would soon be hers with the bright, delighted eyes of a child.
"It looks incredible…"
"This thing cost 4.2 million won."
"Whaaaat~~~??? F-four mil…"
"If I'm buying one, I might as well get a good one. I got you a solid monitor too, so use it well."
Noona said nothing. Both hands clamped over her mouth, she looked at me with eyes full of pure, overwhelmed affection.
Tears glittered at the corners of her eyes for a moment—then she suddenly threw her arms around me.
Squeeze—
"Hey… what's with you all of a sudden? That's embarrassing."
This was the same Junwoo who had planted so much shame in her—and the same Junwoo who was taking care of her like this. Sujeong was moved by a kindness she had never received before.
The feeling of being treated more coldly than anyone in the world one moment, then more precious than anyone the next. A growing conviction that even if he put her through trials, he would eventually praise her, reward her, and look after her.
"Noona, are you crying? Heh."
"N-no, I'm not…"
"Come on. You're crying down here too."
I pointed mischievously at the little wet spots that had fallen from her panties onto the place where she had been kneeling, and smirked.
"…"
"Noona. Bark for me once. Like a dog."
"Um… woof~?"
"Yeah. Bark just like that."
"…Woof!"
"That's it."
I stroked her hair.
"One more time!"
"Woof!"
I kept petting her head. Becoming a dog felt strange—but not entirely bad.
"I didn't buy this so you could watch porn~ Practice your dancing. Work hard~"
"Yes! …Yes, Master!"
Barking and calling me Master really did make her feel like she had become Junwoo's dog.
I stroked her head again.
Part of it was that I found her newly obedient self adorable—but more than that, I simply liked the feel of her soft, silky hair under my hand. And the more I stroked her, the gentler she became, which only made me want to keep doing it.
With every touch of my hand, noona was stacking up a little more fondness for me.
I want to be praised… I want him to stroke my hair…
Even quiet praise hit Sujeong harder than she expected.
Mom had steeled herself and headed for one of Seoul's big department stores.
Wandering around on a blazing summer day without a car was exhausting.
But for Junwoo's health, this much was nothing.
Sweat beaded on her skin, yet she couldn't take off the hat or the mask. After lounging around the house in nothing but underwear, putting on real clothes felt bulky and oppressive.
Eel…
At the center of the fish section, a luxurious eel display stood waiting.
A massive eel draped in gold ribbon greeted her.
The price of the eel is… eek!
Two hundred thousand won.
"This is freshwater eel—completely different from the ordinary kind. We only have a few of these special-order items left. Just eating this should get you through the summer no problem~"
A young woman in a suit stood by the fish counter, ready to help.
Department stores these days really sell fish this fancy, huh.
Junwoo had given her a card for long-distance trips, but Mom pulled cash from the envelope instead.
"I'll take two of these."
"Yes, ma'am~ I'll wrap them up right away~"
The clerk called over the fishmonger from the back, and soon the gold-trimmed eels were nestled into wooden trays and packaged with care.
"Ah, ma'am~ You can pay downstairs~"
"Ah, right…"
"Have a wonderful day~"
Flustered with embarrassment, Mom hurried off with the eels to the next counter.
I should get abalone too.
A mother's heart, wanting to buy and feed him everything that was supposed to be good for the body.
And it's good for stamina, too…
Live abalone greeted her.
They looked plump and healthy, wriggling just enough to prove they were still alive.
At the sight of them gaping open and shut, Mom instinctively turned her head away.
"Um… could you pack some of these live abalone for me?"
"Yes~ Of course~"
A different man bagged the abalone in seawater this time.
Between the water and the eels, the load was already pretty heavy.
I should've brought Sujeong with me…
Mom quickly grabbed some green onions and a few light vegetables, then headed down to the first floor.
"That'll be 317,800 won."
She opened the envelope, pulled out cash, and paid.
The clerk looked mildly annoyed at the inconvenience as he counted out the change in bills.
The bags were heavy. Still, Mom hurried home, already excited about cooking everything up deliciously.
Just eating this would give Junwoo—who kept complaining about how tired he was—some real energy. She walked home as fast as she could.
The weather was so hot that sweat poured down her whole body.
"Haa… it's especially hot today…"
She had worn herself out trying to take care of him, but right now she was simply doing her job as a mother.
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beeeep.
Mom rushed inside, set the bags on the table, and started packing everything into the fridge.
…He's sleeping.
She peeked into Junwoo's room. Sujeong's door was shut, so she couldn't see inside.
Only Sua was still studying, as always.
Knock knock.
"Hm?"
"Sua, is there anything you want to eat?"
"Um… rolled omelet?"
Something simple.
"Then I'll make rolled omelet too~"
"Thanks, Mom~"
Back in her room, Mom took off the mask and the hat.
The moment the mask came off, the sweat that had pooled along her chin dripped down into the valley of her chest.
"Whew… going out dressed like that was so hot…"
She stripped off her clothes one by one and took a shower first.
Shhhhh—
The cool water felt wonderful. She scrubbed every inch of herself clean, stepped out, and smoothed on lotion.
"Achoo~~~!"
Sneezing in the summer?
Probably from sweating buckets in the heat and then washing off with cold water.
She didn't think much of it. She pulled on white underwear, tied on an apron, and got to work.
A faint dizziness came over her, but she told herself a good night's sleep would fix it and started cooking.
Before the food was even finished, all three of her kids wandered out on their own, drawn by the smell.
"Whoa~ eel?"
Noona looked at the neatly sliced eel on the table, then shot me a quick glance.
"Oh-ho~"
Anyone could see this food was for Junwoo.
"It's summer, so I thought everyone should have some restorative food~ Sua needs her stamina for studying too, right~? Hoho."
"Looks delicious."
Sua sat down at once and breathed in the aroma.
Then—
"Eup~~~choo!!"
Mom spun away and sneezed hard.
"Sniff."
"Mom, do you have a cold?"
Sua asked, studying her face.
Mom's cheeks were a little flushed. Sua went straight to the air conditioner and turned it off.
"Must be from the cold shower… I feel a little off. I'll put some on a separate plate for myself."
I pressed a hand to Mom's forehead. There was a slight fever.
"You've got a fever, Mom. You should eat and then go rest properly."
"Yes~ Once I eat and get a good night's sleep tonight, I'll be fine."
Mom kept smiling. In truth her body already felt heavy; she hadn't even managed to prepare the abalone and had just shoved it into the fridge. All she could do was cook the eel carefully and bring it to the table.
Sujeong ate the eel while carefully watching both me and Mom.
"If you want some, just eat~ Don't hold back like that."
Flinch—
Noona shrank back like a cat caught stealing fish.
"It kind of feels like this food has an owner, but… it's just so good… ahem. Ahem."
Somehow I ended up finishing both entire eels, right down to the tails.
"Mom, I'll clear the table. You go lie down first."
"Mm… would you? Thank you, Sujeong."
She must have been feeling worse; she didn't refuse.
"Mom, is the fever bad?"
I stepped closer, partly to support her, and felt her forehead again.
Huh? It's pretty hot.
I got her into bed first.
"Haa… I'm sorry… I really don't feel well."
"Is it because I made you work too hard…?"
"No, it's not that. The weather was so hot, and I was sweating buckets, and then I took a cold shower… euh… choo! …That's probably it."
I went out, found a thermometer, and came back into Mom's room.
Beep. 38.3 degrees.
"You've got a fever. Hang on—I'll get a wet towel."
"Okay…"
By then the dishes on the table had been cleaned up completely, and noona was at the sink doing the washing.
"What's gotten into you, noona? I thought all you did at home was lounge around."
"I can do things when I want to, you know~"
She hummed while she scrubbed.
I grabbed a clean towel, soaked it thoroughly in cold water in the bathroom, and carried it back to Mom's room.
This should be the right way.
Without a word, I laid the towel across her forehead.
"…Thank you…"
"It's nothing. Mom, are you hot?"
She had the blanket folded halfway over herself. A light sheen of sweat had dampened her stomach.
"A little… yes."
"It seems like body aches or a cold. Just hang in there a bit. I'll come check on you later—get some rest!"
"Okay…"
Creak.
Before heading to a hospital, I dug through the household medicine cabinet and pulled out fever reducers and cold medicine.
Then I went to my room and searched the symptoms on the computer.
Scroll. Scroll.
"Yeah… looks like body aches."
I took the medicine and went back into Mom's room.
She was sleeping softly, a little sweat on her skin.
Tap.
I quietly set the medicine and a glass of water beside her, then slipped out.
Noona had finished the dishes and was sitting at the table watching YouTube.
"Noona. You feeling okay? Nothing hurts?"
"Me? I'm perfectly fine~"
If you really counted it up, she had been through the roughest play of anyone—and yet here she was, looking as if nothing had happened at all.