Chapter 135: Side Story - Younger Sister (18)
Chapter 135: Side Story - Younger Sister (18)
With their mother gone, the three of them sat back down together. There was no real need to keep the table out, but it remained, now topped with drinks.
Whether it was because she was a guest or simply her way of showing gratitude, Shin Ye-ji carefully held her glass and sipped, all while stealing glances at her friend.
To anyone watching, it was obvious that Kang Yu-ri was in a foul mood.
She seemed irritated that things had proceeded without her input, and even though she hadn't officially accepted the proposal yet, she looked disgruntled at being forced into a situation where she had no choice but to agree.
It wouldn't have been strange for Shin Ye-ji to get annoyed or angry in return, but instead, she remained quiet, cautiously reading the room.
Even though Kang Yu-jin was the one who had asked for help, and Yu-ri’s anger toward him might have seemed a bit unfair, Ye-ji didn't push back. She figured that if she were in Yu-ri’s shoes, she would have been just as irritated, so she accepted it as inevitable.
In the heavy silence that followed, Kang Yu-jin tentatively spoke up while gauging their reactions.
“Well, at least it’s settled for now…”
“I guess.”
Her reply was curt. Yu-jin looked sheepish, knowing exactly why she was acting that way, while Yu-ri felt a pang of secret guilt as she looked at her brother.
Of course, she knew this was the most rational method. She knew that what her brother had done was a justified and excellent decision.
And yet, Yu-ri couldn't help the dissatisfaction bubbling up inside her.
It wasn't logical, so she couldn't show it any more than she already had.
Instinctively wondering if her brother had grown tired of her, Yu-ri looked at the man who was her first and last love.
Yu-jin, for his part, was busy worrying about Yu-ri’s feelings and watching her closely.
Shin Ye-ji saw both of their expressions. Thinking that these siblings were remarkably alike, she waited for the right moment to speak.
“I want to hear more about the situation.”
Yu-ri glanced at her friend, and Ye-ji spoke with a slight shrug of her shoulders.
“Oppa didn’t have much time to explain earlier.”
“Is that so…?”
So she just came running because he asked for help? Yu-ri felt a flicker of unease at her friend’s devotion.
Was it because her brother was the one who had asked? Yu-ri shot a sharp look at him, and Yu-jin avoided his sister’s stinging gaze.
“…Mom was trying to set Oppa up with someone.”
“Set him up…?”
Seeing Ye-ji’s confusion—as if even that hadn't been explained—Yu-ri let out a sigh.
“I guess you could call them a business client. The CEO’s daughter took a real liking to Oppa. She kept… wanting to meet him. Even though she’s only seen a photo of him.”
Ye-ji was briefly taken aback by the subtle venom in Yu-ri’s voice, while Yu-jin wore a puzzled expression as if he were used to it.
To Yu-ri, however, his expression was just plain annoying.
He should have cut her off immediately or gone there and made a fool of himself to end it properly. To think it came to this because he didn't act.
Yu-ri gave her brother’s forearm a sharp poke, and Yu-jin laughed sheepishly at the weak attack.
“Mom kept saying it wasn't like he was seeing anyone. That’s why I think he called you. Under the pretext of being his girlfriend.”
Considering what these siblings planned to do in the future, it wasn't exactly a lie.
If they were to have a fake marriage, she would essentially go from being a girlfriend to a wife. To reach that status, they would need a "dating process" to make it believable.
Yu-jin had called Ye-ji with that in mind, and Ye-ji nodded as if she had at least heard that part of the explanation.
“Yeah… Oppa asked me to act as his girlfriend… I heard that much.”
So he did tell her that. Yu-ri narrowed her eyes at her brother.
But it was hard to keep up that glare for long. In the end, she loved her brother far too much.
“Still, thanks for coming.”
“Oh, no… Hehe, it’s to help you, Yuri.”
Ye-ji smiled shyly, covering her mouth, and Yu-ri looked at her cute friend with warmth for a moment.
“Anyway, I can breathe a little easier thanks to you.”
The worry hadn't vanished completely, but the immediate pressure was gone.
Of course, there was still a remaining problem.
One that only Kang Yu-ri could solve. A problem that depended entirely on her mindset.
Yu-ri wanted reassurance. After a moment of thought, she leaned over and flopped down.
Right onto her brother’s lap.
It was enough to be startling, but Yu-jin naturally offered his thighs as a pillow for his sister. Ye-ji’s eyes widened at the sudden action, but she watched in silence.
Yu-jin seemed accustomed to his sister’s behavior.
He stroked the head resting on his lap with one hand, while the other rested on Yu-ri’s waist, patting her gently.
Feeling her brother’s touch, Yu-ri closed her eyes, her eyelids fluttering slightly.
Then came her lament.
“I was so busy with work today, and then Mom showed up and said she’d set you up with a girl and told us to come home… You have no idea how anxious I was.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. I was afraid I’d get caught if I tried to stop her too obviously. Even if not, I didn't want to give her any reason to suspect anything… but you’re so bad at saying no, Oppa.”
“Me?”
“Yes, you. You’re too nice, so you can’t turn people down. Dummy.”
In a way she never showed to others, Yu-ri acted soft and relaxed, acting spoiled on her brother’s lap.
His suit wrinkled, and his body shifted. Amidst the rustling sound of fabric, Shin Ye-ji watched her friend as if seeing a stranger.
This was a relaxed side of Yu-ri that was impossible to imagine from her usual demeanor. It was a sight that reminded Ye-ji that Yu-ri was, after all, the pampered youngest child. Yu-ri even went further, squirming up from Yu-jin’s lap to crawl up and hug him.
Not just sitting on his lap and hugging him, but turning her body to face him as she clung to him.
It was a truly scandalous position.
It was a posture that forced one to remember that these two were both lovers and siblings—and they weren't the only ones in the room.
Yu-ri didn't care. She had already engaged in incest in front of Shin Ye-ji; there was no point in hiding anything now.
Yu-jin glanced at Ye-ji, but eventually, he brought his hand to his sister’s back, patting and stroking her before sliding his hand under her shirt.
“Ah….”
He was unfastening her underwear. As he skillfully undid the hooks and pulled the bra out, Yu-ri twisted her body to help him. Then, wearing nothing but her shirt, she clung to her brother again.
“Uh, well, I….”
That wasn't all. As if putting on a show, Yu-ri took off her suit jacket, tossed it aside, and began unbuttoning her shirt.
Right here? With someone watching?
Ye-ji blinked in bewilderment, but the siblings didn't stop. In fact, their hands moved busily as if a fire had been lit, leaving Ye-ji staring at them with her mouth agape.
Until suddenly, both of them turned their heads to look at Ye-ji at the same time.
“S-should I, maybe, g-go?”
She stammered out the words. It was a suggestion made out of a desperate need to escape the awkward situation, but the siblings seemed to take it differently.
Their eyes met. Similar black pupils reflected each other, reaching an agreement faster than any verbal coordination.
Finally, Yu-ri tilted her head toward Ye-ji and spoke.
“Ye-ji.”
“Y-yes?”
“Want to shower with us?”
“Wh-what?”
Her voice jumped two octaves. Perhaps because it was a completely unexpected proposal, Ye-ji’s already large eyes looked like they were about to pop out.
“We’ve showered together a few times before.”
“W-well, that’s true, but….”
Those "previous" times were either out of necessity or when it was just the two of them.
Like when they were studying for the CSAT at Yu-ri’s house and it got so late she stayed over, so she showered there.
And the school trip. Back then, it felt like something they were supposed to do together, so she thought it couldn't be helped.
Unlike now. When Ye-ji’s trembling gaze turned toward Kang Yu-jin, he stole a glance at his sister.
He, too, didn't seem to know the exact intention behind this move. Just moments ago, she was acting wary of Ye-ji, wondering if he was cheating or acting jealous.
And now she was suggesting all three of them get into one bathroom?
“I’m fine with it.”
“Oppa.”
“I mean, it’s not that I like it. Um, I don’t mind.”
He corrected himself belatedly. Yu-ri stared at him for a moment before lowering her head and butting her forehead against his chest.
It was an action with no clear meaning or reason, but it was cute. Yu-jin laughed, asking "What's this for?" while Ye-ji watched the siblings’ behavior in a daze.
“You’ve seen us naked anyway. Both Oppa’s body and mine.”
“T-that’s true, but….”
“Or is it because you’re sober? Isn't it actually easier to look when you're sober? It’s not like we’re doing anything.”
“Uh….”
Hearing her say it, it almost sounded plausible. Ye-ji hesitated, unable to find a rebuttal, and Yu-ri gave her friend a slight smile before standing up.
“Then get up. You’re staying the night, right?”
“Oh, y-yeah… Let me just make a quick call.”
“Sure, sure. Oppa? Let’s go in.”
It was only much later—after the siblings had entered the bathroom and Ye-ji had neatly stacked her clothes after undressing to join them—that she realized she had never actually shown them her own naked body before.