Chapter 131: Side Story - Younger Sister (14)
Chapter 131: Side Story - Younger Sister (14)
It was dawn. The apartment was silent, and outside, an even deeper sense of quiet and comfort prevailed.
The siblings, Kang Yu-jin and Kang Yu-ri, sat in their familiar spots and, as if by unspoken agreement, looked out the window at the same time.
From where they sat on the bed, the dawn sky was beginning to turn a pale blue as the sun started to rise, illuminating the city that still lay in a peaceful slumber.
It was the world they had lived in all their lives, yet also a world that refused to acknowledge their relationship.
Looking at that sky, Kang Yu-ri thought about their future.
Looking at that same sky, Kang Yu-jin wondered what his sister was thinking.
That was the nature of siblings: different, even when they knew each other's hearts like the backs of their own hands and understood one another deeply. Understanding didn't make them the same, and Yu-jin found himself wondering why they were so different.
Their upbringing had been the same. In fact, it had to be. If there were three children, the treatment of the second and the youngest might differ, but when there were four, there was almost no difference in how the third and the fourth were treated.
Yu-jin had grown up receiving love and attention within the family, even if he wasn't the type to act cute.
Yu-ri did act cute, actively utilizing her natural beauty and charm, but she received a similar level of attention and affection as her brother.
And yet, they were different.
Yu-jin didn't crave affection or flaunt his looks. He wasn't even particularly confident in his appearance.
In contrast, Yu-ri actively utilized every strength she possessed, yet she was always overflowing with anxiety. She was unlike Yu-jin, who had almost no insecurities and, while not shallow, didn't carry his worries from moment to moment.
In that regard, even their attitudes toward the current situation were different.
Shin Ye-ji. The variable in their relationship, and now, their accomplice.
The siblings hadn't discussed or debated what to do with her, but they already knew their opinions would differ.
However, they didn't fight. Both Yu-ri and Yu-jin were far removed from the typical sibling squabbles.
They simply waited in silence, and only after the sound of running water stopped did they turn their heads at the same time.
A girl cautiously poked her head out of the bathroom. Though she was the same age as Yu-ri, she had an aura that felt strangely girlish.
“…Yu-ri.”
“Yeah?”
“I, uh, my clothes…”
“Do you want to wear mine?”
“Oh, yeah. Is that okay?”
“Sure, it’s fine. It’s you, Ye-ji.”
The small girl gave a bashful smile. It was a smile so cute that even other women found it charming—the kind of smile that had made her popular even among her female classmates. Seeing it, Yu-ri stole a glance at her brother.
“…Oppa.”
“Yeah, what is it?”
“Nothing.”
She said it was nothing, but Yu-jin knew what his sister was leaving unsaid, and he swallowed hard.
Of course, her concern was valid. Yu-ri was naturally prone to anxiety, and since they had started this relationship, that anxiety had only continued to grow.
Yu-jin decided to be understanding. Their relationship was not normal, and since society would never condone it, feeling anxious was practically a part of their daily lives.
Though they were known to enjoy risky outdoor exposure—the kind that could ruin their lives if caught—that was actually more of an outlet for her anxiety, a way of expressing it. This was why Yu-jin could easily accept his sister’s prickly and sensitive side.
After all, he was a brother who loved his sister in more ways than one.
With that brotherly love as his foundation, Yu-jin forced a smile. He knew his smile worked well on her. Seeing her brother’s kind expression, Yu-ri’s posture stiffened noticeably.
“Yu-ri…?”
“…First, let’s sit down. Want me to get you something to drink?”
“Ah, yeah. I am thirsty.”
“What do you want? A beer?”
“Oh, no. No. I don’t drink…”
Shin Ye-ji let out a loose giggle. Yu-ri twitched an eyebrow, wondering if it was really possible that she still couldn't drink, or if she was just acting demure to flirt with her brother.
“Here, some water.”
“Thanks.”
“So, I’m sure you have a lot of questions.”
Shin Ye-ji, who had been gulping down the water with both hands on the bottle, opened her eyes wide at Yu-ri’s words and set the bottle down.
The emotions dwelling in those eyes… Yu-ri met her friend’s gaze. They weren't pushing through with excitement or lust; they were both completely rational.
“…Yeah.”
“You can ask.”
“Is it… really?”
The reason for her hesitation was obvious. This relationship was anything but ordinary. If it were just a bit eccentric, that would be one thing, but this was a clear violation of human ethics.
And yet, Ye-ji could easily tell that the relationship was sincere.
The way they looked at each other, their conversation, their skinship, and the way their eyes sought each other out even when they weren't touching—it was all too clear.
The question was, why on earth did biological siblings harbor such feelings for each other?
Because the Yu-ri that Ye-ji knew wasn't someone who was easily swayed by emotion or irrationality, Ye-ji found it even harder to understand.
Blinking her eyes, Ye-ji looked at Yu-ri and Yu-jin in turn.
“Well, first… are you really… in that kind of relationship?”
“If you mean, are we actually committing incest?”
“No… I saw that. I mean… do you really… love each other…?”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Yu-ri nodded. Then, as if the real issue lay with Yu-jin, her eyes shifted to him.
“What about you, Oppa?”
“I love you too, of course.”
“Hmph, is that so?”
There was a hint of coldness in Yu-ri's voice. Yu-jin knew the cause without even looking. She was likely thinking: So, while you're sleeping with the woman you love, you're also lusting after her best friend?
Yu-jin felt a bit wronged by that implication. After all, since he had brought her here, there wasn't much reason for Ye-ji to think this wasn't going to be a threesome, or that she was just brought along to watch.
While Yu-jin himself had hoped for a threesome, the situation was perfectly set up for a misunderstanding. Yu-ri vaguely realized this too, but she didn't want to admit it.
Part of her was worried her brother might feel lust for her friend instead of her, but she was also plagued by the thought that he might have already felt that way.
Perhaps the fear that she might lose her brother after offering up her friend was what made Yu-ri so anxious. It was an anxiety that wouldn't disappear no matter how many times she received reassurance or heard whispers of love.
It was because she understood deeply just how twisted this relationship was.
It was obvious how much they would lose and what a pit of misery they would fall into if they were caught. Yu-ri was intelligent, and thus she had a profound understanding of social dynamics.
The despair, pain, and loss that their relationship would trigger. Being cut off from their family, finding it difficult to even lead a normal daily life.
And in the end, blaming each other, or fighting even more bitterly. Their feelings souring until they lost everything and the relationship itself finally ended.
That future seemed so close she could almost touch it. No matter how much two people loved each other, love rarely survived in a relationship that was so terribly toxic.
That was why Yu-ri felt anxious about her relationship with her brother, while simultaneously working hard to ensure he didn't feel anxious or lose faith in their bond.
This situation was just another part of that effort.
“…How did you two end up like that?”
Ye-ji’s question broke through her thoughts. Yu-ri looked at her friend and read the deep-seated anxiety and worry in her eyes.
Ye-ji wasn't slow-witted either. In fact, her grades were generally better than Yu-ri’s. Her social intelligence was lower, but only in comparison to Yu-ri. With her natural intellect, she could compensate for that to some extent.
Thus, Ye-ji could easily grasp the anxiety Yu-ri was harboring. It was only logical.
“I mean, why?”
That single word held many meanings.
Knowing full well that this relationship was twisted and socially unacceptable, why did they start it?
Why had they come this far with those feelings?
Could they not have stopped along the way? What kind of life goals did they have that they were continuing this even now, as working adults?
And why were they so bold with their skinship, almost exposing themselves in public, and why had they brought her along as a witness?
Ye-ji couldn't ask it all at once, so she asked through nuance, and Yu-ri pondered her answer.
There wasn't much she could say. It was like trying to describe an indescribable emotion. She could explain it, but it wouldn't truly be a "reason."
“Because I love him.”
So, Yu-ri chose the most fundamental reason she could think of.
Because she loved him so much she didn't want to lose him to anyone else, no matter what.
The fact that he was as good-looking as she was might have initially caught her eye. But as she watched her brother take such kind care of her, she began to harbor a faint romantic interest that gradually grew like a rolling snowball.
Just as a snowball rolling down a slope cannot be stopped—just as trying to block that massive, accelerating weight with your body would only result in being swept away—Yu-ri realized that her feelings had become immense before she knew it.
If she examined the things that had stuck to that snowball, the reasons for its growth were obvious.
His kind and thoughtful attitude. His often silly, lighthearted, and comfortable demeanor, which nevertheless turned masculine at crucial moments. The adorable way he responded honestly to her feelings and agonized over how to return the love she gave him in equal measure.
There wasn't a single thing about him she could help but love.
Yu-ri was confident. Her sincere emotions were packed into that one sentence, enough to make even Yu-jin blush slightly.
It was no wonder that Ye-ji, who had been about to argue and persuade them that this was wrong, suddenly fell silent.
There was no point in trying to stop them. It was impossible. Ye-ji knew her friend well, and knowing that this was the result of deep thought and rational contemplation, she changed her approach.
“Then… you can’t get caught, right?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“What are you going to do from now on?”
She asked in her natural tone, not trying to act cute. Yu-ri pushed the thought of how cute her friend was to the back of her mind and smiled.
In truth, they had almost no plan. They had a dream-like plan, but it was just that—a dream.
Realizing this, Ye-ji hesitated before opening her mouth.
“I… I can help you.”
The words that came from those small lips were a proposal so kind that the siblings found it both grateful and incomprehensible.
“I’ll… I’ll become a true accomplice for you.”