Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Na-young Han
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Time flew by without even a moment's rest for breaks, and the weekend arrived before I knew it.
It was the prime time for FX Margin Trading, right at dawn when it was morning for Americans and volatility spiked like crazy. For me, with the answers in hand, it was pure gold.
Which meant that even on the weekend, I traded straight through the early hours, finally tearing my eyes away from the monitor only when morning rolled around.
"Yawwwn..."
The tension drained out of me, leaving my body limp and heavy.
Forgotten fatigue crashed over me like a wave, weighing down my eyelids and forcing out yawn after yawn.
"Ah... This won't do... Time to sleep."
Morning was still buzzing with opportunity to make bank, but my body just couldn't keep up.
FX Margin Trading was risky enough that one slip could wipe out half my earnings, so I decided not to push it.
I shut down the computer, dragged my floppy limbs to bed, and flopped down.
My aching body melted into the soft mattress, instantly ready for sleep.
Just a little longer like this, and I'd be out cold. But it was like something refused to let me drift off.
The firmly shut door burst open.
"Ji-hoon!"
Na-young burst in with the brightest smile on her face, throwing herself into my arms just as I was about to surrender to sleep.
The impact sent jolts of pain through me, but more than that...
"Na-young...? When did you get here?"
"Just now! Dad dropped me off in the car!"
For context, the morning after she slept over, Dad had shown up out of nowhere and whisked her away without warning.
A day passed, then two, with no sign of her coming home. Worried, I called Dad, but all I got was "wait a bit longer."
I had no idea what he was up to, dragging her off for four whole days without even a check-in. But seeing her beaming face now, it seemed like there was no need to worry.
"Hehe. Ji-hoon. Ji-hoonie~!"
It had only been four days, but Na-young acted like we hadn't seen each other in years, rubbing her face against my chest in pure bliss.
"Oh, right! Ji-hoon!"
Suddenly, something sparked in her eyes.
"We're siblings now!"
"Huh...?"
What the hell kind of nonsense was this out of a clear blue sky?
What happened in four days to make her spout this?
Unless Dad fed her something weird, she wouldn't just drop "siblings" like that.
Otherwise, maybe I'd passed out mid-trading, face-planted on the keyboard, and this was a dream.
"What... do you mean?"
Stunned by the bombshell, I just waited blankly for an explanation.
"Heehee! Can't believe it, right?! I couldn't either! You and me—we're siblings!"
She seemed to think I was thrilled beyond belief.
"Out of nowhere, why are we siblings?"
"D-Do you hate it? Being siblings with me...? Th-Then the Wish Voucher...!"
"No, no. Don't use the Wish Voucher."
Was becoming siblings with me that great? She was ready to burn a Wish Voucher just to make it real.
"Sigh... Na-young. Hold on a sec."
"Okay..."
Not getting the reaction she wanted, Na-young's face fell, her lips pouting in a sulk.
Normally, I'd have laughed at how cute that was and patted her head, but I didn't have the energy right now.
This ancient smartphone of mine—one I'd question if it even had anyone worth calling—was top-of-the-line in this era, worth a fortune. I grabbed it and dialed Mom.
The ringtone buzzed in my ear, and soon...
[Yeah. Ji-hoon.]
"Mom. Na-young's here."
[Oh?]
"And she says we're siblings now. Any idea what that means?"
[What else? It means you two are siblings, just like she said.]
"Mom, it's not that simple..."
[Oh my~ Long time no see~ You've gotten so pretty~ Haha. No, what? I've just had a bit more time lately. Not that much~]
Mom must've met up with someone this morning.
[Ji-hoon. Mom's catching up with an old friend. Call you later. Hanging up.]
"W-Wait, Mom...? Mom!"
Click.
The line went dead, no answers gained.
"That Mom?"
"Yeah... It's Mom."
At some point, Na-young had started calling my parents with honorifics.
Like a new daughter-in-law addressing her in-laws.
"One sec."
If Mom wasn't explaining, Dad would have to.
Should've called him first anyway.
Mom knew about the sibling thing, probably from Dad, so he'd have the straight facts.
[Hey, son. A bit late calling, huh?]
"Where are you?"
[Not what you're wondering, right? Dropped Na-young off and heading to the company now.]
He'd been busy for four days sorting Na-young out, and now with the business not just revived but expanding, he was even busier.
"Dad."
[Yeah.]
"Na-young says we're siblings. What does that mean?"
[What else? We took custody of her.]
"Custody...?"
[You know what that means?]
"Yeah, I know."
[Oh, my smart boy!]
"How'd you manage that?"
Na-young was so pretty and cute. Even now, her looks were extraordinary.
Her awful parents, who treated her beauty like hitting the lottery, wouldn't let her go easily. What magic did he pull to snag custody?
I couldn't have pulled it off this fast, even with a plan.
[Eh... Long story. Short version: Money buys anything. Hahaha!]
True enough.
Money buys everything.
Happiness, love, whatever.
Question was, how much did he shell out for her custody?
[Worried it cost a ton?]
Spot on.
[Don't sweat it.]
After the family nearly went broke once, money worries were inevitable.
Even at an age when kids my peers ran around carefree, it was natural I'd fixate on cash.
Plus, Mom probably told him I'd dipped into stocks.
[Turns out they're even bigger trash than I thought. Barely fed her scraps and she testified they even hit her. Made it easier than expected.]
Damn. Trash was one thing, but abuse?
Beyond imagination.
I looked at Na-young with pity in my eyes.
Feeling my gaze, she just grinned back.
Where on this fragile little body was there to hit? Unbelievable...
[Our son worked hard to make her so pretty, and they thought to use her without a thanks. Tried reforming them since she's Ji-hoon's girlfriend, but no dice. Gave 'em a payout and took her.]
I could feel Dad's rage through the phone.
[Wanted to make her a real daughter, but you two need to marry later, so just custody for now. No worries—treat her as nominal siblings till the wedding.]
Hearing "siblings" at first, I'd thought adoption.
That would've been a huge hurdle for marrying her later.
We could've worked around it, but with endless obstacles.
Dad had handled it perfectly.
"Got it."
[Smart like your old man! Son!]
Not that smart.
Upper-mid-tier brains at best—that's me.
[Anyway, it's sorted, so even if it's confusing, take good care of N—]
Click.
He hung up.
"Na-young."
"Yeah!"
"When's your birthday?"
"Birthday?"
"Yeah. Birthday."
"Um... March 20th?"
"March 20th...? That's early?"
Same year, but older than me.
Calling me "big brother" felt off now.
We were lovers anyway, about to become a real couple. Brother, sister—what did it matter?
As long as we got along.
"Yawwwn."
With all questions answered, the drowsiness I'd shoved aside rushed back.
"Na-young. I'm thrilled you're back and have tons to talk about, but I'm beat. Mind if I crash?"
"Sleep...? It's morning?"
"Too much to do last night—no sleep."
"Hng..."
Na-young looked disappointed.
Four days apart—she must've missed me like crazy, dying to spill everything.
But if the listener's wiped, no helping it.
"I'll hear it all when I wake... up..."
*
"I'll hear it all when I wake... up..."
His voice trailed off, then cut out completely.
Soon, his sleeping face, breathing softly, came into Na-young's view.
"Ji-hoon? Ji-hoon? Ji-hoonie~!"
Warm sunlight poured through the window onto Ji-hoon's face.
His already handsome features glowed even more, making Na-young's heart race.
Something like this happened during break too.
Back then, she was still ugly.
So ugly she couldn't even sneak a kiss without him noticing, and chickened out.
Now it was different.
Even she knew she was prettier and cuter than any girl, and endless compliments proved it wasn't delusion.
From friends to strangers, no exceptions.
"I love you... Ji-hoon."
Na-young clutched her flushing face and pounding heart, whispering her love shyly.
She imagined him not asleep, hearing her confession—eyes snapping open, warm smile, "Me too."
Just thinking it made her happy.
But imagination stayed imagination, not reality.
A twinge of regret at his still-sleeping form.
"Ji-hoon? Ji-hoon?"
She shook him gently.
Definitely asleep.
Na-young lay beside him, hugging tight.
"Like you said, I got pretty. Super pretty."
How'd Ji-hoon know she'd turn pretty?
Even she didn't. Her own mom, who birthed her in pain, and dad who watched—no clue.
Yet Ji-hoon whispered it confidently, endlessly.
And finally, she was unbelievably beautiful, just like he said.
Beautiful, but...
"Why won't Ji-hoon say he likes me?"
Once pretty, boys who bullied her before shyly confessed boldly.
Even ones who watched her torment and did nothing.
Obviously not them—she rejected without hesitation, zero interest.
"I'm waiting like this..."
She resented Ji-hoon for not saying it like them.
Even half-hearted would've made her accept joyfully.
"Hng."
Hurt. Sad.
Scared maybe only she felt this way.
He knew past ugly her—maybe that killed any budding feelings.
Frustrated, if she confessed first and got rejected, their bond could shatter. The fear hit suddenly.
So even when ready, facing him blanked her mind, confession foiled.
Endless waiting felt futile.
"Idiot."
Na-young brought her lips to his cheek.
Mwah. Soft flesh met her lips, then parted.
"......"
Realizing what she'd done, her face burned red.
"Idiot..."
Embarrassed, but if she stayed quiet, no one'd know.
She pressed her body close.
Up early to confirm sibling status, eager to tell Ji-hoon, she'd rushed home—fatigue hit her too.
No resistance to the drowsiness; she gently closed her eyes.
Drifting off with a wish: even in dreams, confess to her.