Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Na-young Han
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By the time living together with Na-young, who had unexpectedly become my sister, started to feel familiar...
I let out a sigh and pulled back the blanket.
Sure enough, Na-young was in the bed again today.
"She just won't sleep alone."
This big house had plenty of empty rooms.
So she'd been given her own room without any fuss, but for some strange reason, she kept sneaking into my room late at night after everyone was asleep and sleeping with me like this.
To be honest, it wasn't bad.
It wasn't bad, but she kept shaking my sanity.
"Na-young. Na-young. Wake up. It's morning."
"Mmm... Ji-hoon...?"
I shook her to wake her up.
Despite her stubborn resistance, I kept at it until she finally woke up in a daze and spotted me trying to rouse her.
Whatever made her so happy about it, she broke into a beaming smile.
"Sleep in your own room, okay?"
"Nooo... I wanna sleep with Ji-hoon."
Now that my mind and body were syncing up, I found myself seeing Na-young fully as a woman before I knew it.
But what was I supposed to do when she kept sleeping right next to me like this?
Unlike me, with an adult mind trapped in a kid's body, she had a child's mind but a body that was nearly fully mature, so my rationality was no match for my instincts. I was holding my breath, barely keeping myself from doing something big.
Despite my efforts, she had no idea and was just fueling my instincts.
"Na-young."
"Mmm."
Na-young whined and pulled the blanket up to her chin.
"Haa..."
A deep sigh escaped me.
Even rationally, this wasn't right.
But if I just held out a little longer...
I wasn't sure if I could last until then.
"Fine. Fine, so get up now. We have to go to school."
"Hng... I hate school. Let's sleep more. Pleeease?"
"No."
"Mmm."
I never imagined I'd miss school so much once I was out in the real world.
But now that I could go back, I still hated it just as much.
Na-young wasn't the only one feeling that way. She lay in the soft, warm bed, tempting me to sleep more, but I barely resisted and forcibly got her up.
"Why do we have to go to school on Saturday...? Just let us rest."
Na-young grumbled as she got up.
For the record, today was Saturday. One with morning classes, so we had to go in.
"Saturday school will be gone soon."
"Really?!"
"Yeah. Really."
"When?! When?!"
"Not sure on the exact date."
I definitely remembered that first and third Saturday classes would be canceled soon, but not the precise day.
I could look it up on the future smartphone, but it was too much hassle.
"Anyway, it'll happen eventually, so just remember that and go wash up first."
"Mmm."
Still half-asleep, she mumbled with droopy eyes and left the room.
"Haa..."
The moment her back disappeared from view, another sigh burst out.
Compared to kids our age, she was pretty tall, and above all, her chest and hips were so developed it was impossible to think of her as a kid this age.
Because of that, my lower half, which should've calmed down quickly, forced me to spend a moment in meditation-like calm to settle it before I threw off the blanket and got out of bed.
When I went into the bathroom, Na-young's scent from her earlier use still lingered.
I roughly washed my face, shampooed my hair, and threw on some clothes.
"Na-young hasn't come down yet?"
"No. She said to go ahead while she changes."
Mom, who knew Na-young always woke up from under my bed with me, naturally asked me about her.
"Oh?"
Mom's attention was entirely on her new daughter, who had come into the family late.
She reacted dryly, like it didn't matter if I was there or not.
"Dad didn't come home last night either?"
"Nope."
"Isn't the company doing better?"
"It is, but this guy's so greedy he's busy swallowing up all the other shaky companies that were on the brink with us."
"Heh."
After getting through the crisis, Dad was apparently gobbling up all the other companies that had been teetering on collapse and growing.
Honestly, there was no need.
We were already well-off, and soon I'd be bringing in massive money as a variable. No matter what Dad did, he couldn't match what I'd earn.
oblivious to that, Dad was running around nonstop without even coming home properly.
I couldn't stop him no matter what I said anyway.
"Wow! Curry!"
Na-young came down, dressed all pretty like a princess.
Her favorite curry for breakfast had her face lit up with joy.
"Na-young, you're here~!"
"Yes!"
"Oh my. You're so cute and pretty!"
"Heh, hehehe."
Mom was a total daughter fool.
Na-young really was pretty, cute, and sweet, but the huge difference from how she treated her son stung a little.
"Waaah~ Nom."
She scooped up a big spoonful of rice mixed with curry and shoved it in her mouth.
"Mmm~! So good!"
"Really?! Good thing. I was so nervous she'd think it was bad."
"Hehehe. Everything you make is delicious, Mom!"
"Oh! Thank you~! Unlike some who eat it like it's owed without a word of thanks."
She glanced sideways, blatantly targeting me.
"Wow. So good."
"If you're gonna say it soullessly, don't bother."
I got scolded whether I did or didn't. What was this?
"Last time you cried buckets while eating it. Sniff... The kid's already changed. Mommy's sad."
"......"
Not long after regressing, I'd eaten Mom's cooking for the first time in ages and teared up without realizing.
Back then, it was impossible not to cry.
But people adapt, and now it was normal. Hard to fulfill Mom's wish for that old me.
"M-Mom... Don't cry...!"
She was just pretending, but Na-young thought it was real and fidgeted anxiously.
"Waaah... It's just Na-young now!"
"Heh, hehehe..."
Mom hugged Na-young and overreacted.
What was she doing at her age?
Still, it was nice to see.
"Ji-hoon. You just had a naughty thought, didn't you?"
What? How'd she know...? Mind reader?
I averted my eyes and scooped some steaming curry into my mouth. Mom, who'd been watching, looked away.
"Na-young."
"Yes."
"Try calling me 'Mom'?"
"Huh...?"
Na-young froze at the sudden request to call her 'Mom' instead of 'Mother'.
"'Mother' is fine, but since you're still young, 'Mom' might feel better. And..."
She was about to try it since it wasn't hard.
But Mom leaned in and whispered something in her ear.
"...!"
Na-young's eyes went wide.
"If it's hard, take it slow."
Mom smiled gently, waiting.
But whatever the whisper was, Na-young's face turned beet red, unable to even say the two words 'Mom'.
"Hehe. Eat up, Na-young. Be careful going to school."
"Got it."
Since she couldn't speak, I answered for her.
"Put your dishes in the sink when you're done. Don't forget to fill it with water."
"Yes."
Mom, dressed neatly for some appointment, left before us.
"Na-young. What did Mom just whisper?"
"...!"
She turned her head away, avoiding my eyes.
"Na-young?"
No answer, no matter how I called. She just silently ate.
Then suddenly.
"W-Well, if I marry Ji-hoon later, she'll be my mom anyway...!"
She giggled foolishly and clenched her tiny fist cutely.
*
We arrived at school.
First period was about to start, so while I was just pretending to prepare—since I wasn't listening anyway—Na-young next to me was staring at my face with a dopey grin, like she was broken.
Muttering about marriage the whole time.
"Na-young!"
"Heh, hehe..."
"Na-young Han!"
"Heh... M-Marriage...!"
I didn't care about class anyway, but her intense gaze was impossible to ignore.
I propped my chin and pretended to listen, thinking of napping, but this would chase away any sleep.
"Na-young?"
"M-Marriage... Me and Ji-hoon..."
Mom must've brought up marriage to her.
Even though it felt too early for a kid her age.
"Na-young."
Only after calling a couple more times did she react.
"Class is over. Next is PE, so we need to change."
"Ah, okay!"
"But Na-young."
"Yes...?"
I stopped her as she trailed behind me.
"Where you going?"
"Where...?"
"Boys change in the bathroom, girls in the classroom, right? So why are you following me with your gym clothes?"
"Ah...! Hehe."
Na-young scratched her head sheepishly.
"See you later."
"Okay!"
I left her and went out alone.
The moment I did, the girls swarmed her.
"Whoa... Your waist is so tiny!"
"Your boobs and butt are huge!"
"Jealous!"
"Ah, aaah...! S-Stop!"
Without me there, they teased her mercilessly.
It might look like bullying.
But girls were touchy like that, and if it was real bullying, she'd tell me everything and ask for help.
Girls bonded that way anyway.
Probably...?