Chapter 42: Date (2)
Chapter 42: Date (2)
It wasn't that I didn't have any anxieties.
In fact, it was impossible not to. Up until now, nothing involving this game had ever ended normally.
But the reason I still followed my younger sister’s lead was that, despite everything, I trusted her.
Besides, the quest objective itself wasn't anything major.
If it were some bizarre gift, that would be one thing, but Yu-ri wasn't like Kang Yu-min; she wasn't the type to give me something strange.
Even Da-mi Noona, who was said to have excellent social skills, was ultimately just a shopping mall CEO. Her reach was limited to her website.
But Yu-ri had a following worthy of being called a true influencer, and she utilized multiple social media platforms simultaneously.
She was "semi-celebrity" tier—a social monster in her own right.
To even stand on equal footing with someone like Yu-ri, you’d need Da-mi Noona using her looks to the absolute limit, a version of Kang Yu-min who wasn't a total shut-in, or me, Kang Yu-jin, if I actually put my heart into it…
"Oppa, what are you thinking about?"
"Huh? Oh, nothing."
"It looked like you were thinking about something weird. You were trying so hard not to laugh."
"…I was just picturing two US Marines inside a hollowed-out tire, rolling around while having a knife fight."
"Ah, that one. I know that! It’s really funny."
I let out a sigh of relief and followed Yu-ri. My focus had drifted because of my stray thoughts, but Yu-ri really was a child with exceptional social intelligence.
At the very least, she knew what was appropriate to give as a gift and what wasn't.
She knew what kind of reaction people expected and what they didn't.
Furthermore, she was a girl who understood exactly how she would be perceived based on her actions.
Unlike Kang Yu-min, there was no way Yu-ri would give me something strange.
I was certain it would be a normal gift, and Yu-ri wasn't the type to betray those expectations.
"So, what's the gift?"
"Hmm? It’s a secret until you see it for yourself!"
"Is that so? I wonder what it is. I feel like I’ll figure it out once I see where we’re going."
"Aaaah~ Don't try to guess! It ruins the surprise."
"I feel like the 'surprise' part decreased the moment you told me you were giving me a gift."
Despite my words, my sister didn't seem to have much will to actively hide it.
Looking at where she was leading me… I could narrow it down to a few possibilities.
"It’s a department store."
"No guessing! Close your eyes!"
"I can't walk if I close my eyes. I'm not some blind swordsman, you know."
"I'll guide you instead. Here, take my arm."
I closed my eyes as my sister instructed. Feeling her link her arm with mine, I suppressed a slight twitch at the corner of my mouth.
It was a bit awkward. Yu-ri was still a minor, but she was already fully grown.
I wondered if I should pretend to be visually impaired so people wouldn't look at us strangely, but…
"That would be really embarrassing, so let's just walk normally, okay?"
I couldn't do it because my sister talked me out of it. I just kept my eyes closed and followed her.
Well, it would be rude to try and guess when she specifically told me not to.
Feeling my worries melt away, I felt a renewed sense of relief.
At the very least, if we were at a department store, there was no chance—not even a one-in-a-million chance—of a strange gift appearing.
If it were Kang Yu-min or Da-mi Noona, who had already pulled stunts before, they might have bought something like baby shoes just to mess with my head.
But Yu-ri wouldn't do that. There was a crisis where things almost went that way, but that was just the game.
…Though I was starting to lose track of whether I could even call it a "game" anymore.
"Are we almost there? I'm scared because I can't see."
"Eeeeh, liar. Since when are you scared of anything?"
"…Uh, quite a lot of things? I'm even scared of horror movies."
"How cute."
"Don't lower your voice like that. It actually suits you."
"Really? Did your heart flutter?"
My sister led me along with a mischievous grin. Thinking that coming out with just the two of us wasn't so bad, I reached the center of the department store with her.
It was the same department store where we had bought suits and swimsuits before. The layout and the ambient noise felt strangely familiar.
Because I had been playing this "family-friendly" game repeatedly, my senses were sharp, and I could recognize the familiar structure and sounds through those heightened senses.
Was she planning to give me clothes? As I was thinking that, we passed the clothing section.
We headed toward a place we had never stopped at before. I began to have a faint inkling, so I peeked my eyes open.
My eyes met my sister's, who was already looking at me.
"…Yu-ri?"
"Yes? What is it?"
Her eyes, which had been open in a strange way, curved into a smile. This time, it wasn't my imagination.
It was a peculiar expression. It was hard to understand what it meant or what emotions she was harboring.
But I didn't have time to ask. Even though I had opened my eyes, Yu-ri didn't let go of my arm as she came to a stop.
"A watch?"
"Yeah, a watch. You don't have one, Oppa."
"I mean, I don't, but…"
Do I even need one?
I was the type of person who didn't think a watch was necessary in modern society.
After all, everything a watch could do could be done with a smartphone.
Unless you were someone who didn't use a smartphone or were in an environment where one didn't work.
In most situations, it was only natural that a smartphone was superior to a watch.
I wondered if this was a good gift.
To be precise, I was worried about whether I would be able to make good use of Yu-ri's gift.
When I voiced my concern, my sister replied:
"But you can't use a smartphone as a fashion item."
"Ah."
My worries were unfounded. I realized once again that Yu-ri and I saw things differently.
I suppose an influencer really is different. Looking at her now, I noticed Yu-ri had a watch on her wrist as well.
It was a clean design that matched her outfit perfectly.
"I see. The perspective of an influencer with 80,000 followers is indeed different. I'm taking notes."
"Hehe, do you see it now? The difference in our levels?"
My sister led me triumphantly into the store. The unfamiliar luxury boutique was filled with all sorts of watches.
"Isn't this a luxury brand? It looks expensive. The money…"
"We got it last time. On the cruise."
"On the cruise? From what… Ah."
Only then did I remember the quest I had done with her.
It was a Cooperation Quest. One where both my sister and I received money.
How much did we get? My memory was a bit fuzzy.
"We got five million won."
"Ah, did we get that much?"
"Mhm. That's why I wanted to give you a gift."
My sister gave a beaming smile. I felt a lump in my throat from the emotion.
Man, this is why people raise younger sisters. I felt like I could shed a tear as I closed my eyes, and my sister poked me in the ribs with her elbow.
"Why are you being so embarrassing? Come on, pick one!"
"Your brother can die happy now."
"Stop saying weird things."
"Understood."
I entered the store with her, laughing. I worried about which one to choose among the countless watches and took advice from her.
"How about this one?"
"Isn't it a bit tacky? You're not that old, Oppa, and since your skin is fair, I think it'll look a bit dated."
"Oh, really?"
"Mhm. Instead, how about something like this? It’s clean."
The one my sister picked out actually looked quite good. It wasn't just my sister's eye as an influencer; even to my untrained eyes, it looked great.
"Oh, this is nice. Should we go with this? Is the budget okay? If it’s not enough…"
"Hmm? It’s fine! Five million isn't a small amount of money, and I have plenty left."
"You're different from Kang Yu-min. I guess I should say being frugal is in your nature…"
"Unnie is always buying exercise equipment. Those are all expensive."
"That’s true."
I watched as my sister pulled out her card without hesitation, swiped it, and took the packaged watch in a shopping bag.
A watch. It was something I never thought I’d have a use for in my life, but now that it had come to this, I felt like I should look into some fashion that goes well with a watch.
"I'll make good use of it."
"Okay!"
I couldn't let it go to waste when my sister was smiling so brightly. I smiled softly and left the department store with her. Suddenly, I felt snow falling on my hair and looked up.
"Wow, it’s snowing."
"Oh, you're right."
The siblings stood side by side, looking up at the sky.
Snowflakes danced down from above. As the year drew to a close, a completely transformed life lay before me.
I could clearly see that it might lead to ruin.
But honestly, I didn't really regret it. In the end, I was the one who chose this, and Noona and Kang Yu-min chose it knowing that as well.
I just had to endure it. It was just as I was pulling up the muffler around my neck.
"Oppa, have you eaten?"
"Huh? No, not yet."
"Then… buy me dinner!"
I was worried she might say she’d buy it, but that wasn't the case. A faint smile played on my lips as I let out a mock groan.
"You should have said so while we were still inside the department store. We could have eaten there."
"Eeeeh, it’s expensive."
"Expensive is fine. Your brother has plenty of money."
"Ooh, how cool."
"Right? That's just how I am."
My sister and I looked at each other and laughed, then turned our steps toward a restaurant.
"Is Texas Barbecue okay?"
"That’s not exactly a place for a date!"
"Ahem, Yu-ri, you need to eat some meat. You're so thin…"
"Oppa, I'm not that thin."
"No, you could stand to gain some weight. Just grow up healthy."
"I'm already all grown up."
"Not yet."
"Whatever, seriously."
At the very least, my relationship with my sister hadn't been ruined. So, I cherished this very moment.
I hoped it would stay this way, and that I could hold out until the end.
I didn't know if that would be possible.
But surely, it wasn't wrong to hope for it.
[Receive a gift from your younger sister, Kang Yu-ri. 1/1]
[Reward: Allergy Relief for Kang Yu-ri (Kang Yu-jin only)]
As I pulled out my smartphone to check the restaurant's location, a quest window appeared before my eyes.
Once the flickering quest window cleared, what I saw wasn't a map.
[Kiss your younger sister, Kang Yu-ri. 0/10]
[Reward: Explosive increase in user Kang Yu-jin's Stamina (10x current)]
It was an abyss, beckoning me to enter.