Chapter 25
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Black Nectar
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“Auuugh……”
My head hurts.
More precisely, it feels like everything inside my skull is rattling around.
I’d heard somewhere that your head is full of fluid, and your brain just floats in it.
If that fluid wasn’t there right now, everything inside would probably be smashed into a milkshake.
And it’s all that idiot Siwoo’s fault for slamming my head so hard with both hands.
I rubbed the spot on my head where he’d hit me.
“Hey...!”
I was about to ask why he’d done it when Siwoo, who’d just whacked me, jabbed a finger toward the woman in front of us.
“This is my little sister.”
His little sister?
It had been so long since I’d last seen her that I hadn’t recognized her face.
The last time was back when she was in high school, I think.
I don’t have many memories from my school days that I care to remember—most of them got wiped clean.
I racked my brain, and yeah, her face vaguely rang a bell from a few passing glimpses, though I couldn’t say for sure.
Looking at her now, she did seem a bit like Siwoo.
Her name was… right.
“Oh...! Sia, it’s you...!”
As I tried to play it familiar, Sia looked a little startled and stared at me with a dazed expression.
Then she shot a glare at Siwoo and snapped at him.
“So, who is this person? Why’d you hit them out of nowhere?”
“Well…”
“Well…”
Siwoo and I spoke at the same time.
Should I say it? Or not?
Sia tilted her head, sensing the weird vibe between us.
“What’s going on? Do I know them? Hmm… but I have no idea who they are…”
“Uh, how about we go inside somewhere and talk? Have you had dinner?”
“Huh…? Oh? No, not yet.”
Siwoo grabbed Sia’s hand and took the lead.
“So, who is this person? Why won’t you tell me—”
“I’ll explain everything once we’re inside. This isn’t something to chat about while walking.”
“What is it? What? You’re making me even more curious…”
I trailed slowly behind, watching Siwoo and Sia banter.
The place Siwoo and Sia led us to was a Korean BBQ joint.
It was peak dinner time, so the place was packed, and the smoky aroma of grilling meat was already thick in the air.
Of all the spots, it had to be somewhere this crowded.
But there was nothing I could do, so I followed quietly and stepped inside.
Siwoo, in the lead, held up three fingers.
“Three people.”
“Ah, yes. You can sit over there.”
“Thanks.”
The part-timer guided us deftly to a table.
It was a corner spot—one side had a bench against the wall, the other had chairs.
Siwoo pulled out the outer chair and sat down. Seeing that, Sia didn’t hesitate and slid into the bench seat against the wall.
Now it was just me left to sit.
But… doesn’t this feel off?
Why are they sitting apart like that?
Siwoo and Sia are family—wouldn’t it be natural for them to sit side by side?
Why?
Why are they leaving me to pick a seat?
So where exactly am I supposed to sit to get it “right”?
Next to Siwoo? Next to Sia?
My body’s female now, so maybe sitting by Sia would look more natural?
Or since I’m with Siwoo’s group, should I just take the spot next to him?
What’s Sia thinking? Does she just not want to sit next to her brother?
Or does she know I’m Siwoo’s friend and leave the spot open for me?
Ah, I should’ve just gone in first and plopped down anywhere.
Having options just makes it harder.
But rushing ahead isn’t my style anyway, and even if I’d had the chance, I’d have waited for everyone else to sit first.
No use regretting it now.
How would it look natural to another person?
Even as these pointless thoughts swirled, time kept ticking.
I slowed my steps as much as I could without looking obvious, pondering and pondering.
The table drew closer.
Turn toward the wall side now, or pull out the chair right in front of me?
No more delaying.
As I stood there frozen, quick-on-the-uptake Siwoo pulled out the chair next to him for me.
Sia’s eyes widened at the sight.
“Whoa. That was kinda awkward, bro.”
“What was?”
“Pfft… never mind, bro.”
I sat in the chair Siwoo had pulled out.
The popcorn I’d scarfed earlier felt like it’d already been burned up by all my brainpower.
The moment we were all seated—including me—Sia cut straight to the chase.
“Bro, so who is this? Why haven’t you said anything the whole way here?”
I glanced at Siwoo, and he glanced right back.
Silence stretched on like that for a bit.
Sia waved her hand dismissively, muttering in disbelief.
“What are you two even doing…?”
Siwoo’s lips finally parted cautiously as he looked at me.
“Should I tell her…?”
I nodded slowly. Seeing that, Siwoo turned to Sia.
“Sia…”
His sudden seriousness made Sia flinch a little; she straightened up from her slouch.
“Yeah?”
“The woman sitting next to me right now…”
“Yeah…!”
I could see Sia swallow hard.
“…is my friend from way back…”
“Uh-huh…!”
“Baek Eun-hae.”
“...What?”
Sia’s face twisted like she was calling bullshit.
I gave her a greeting.
“Long time no see… Sia.”
“Same name, right? The only Baek Eun-hae I know from bro’s friends is Eun-hae oppa…”
Siwoo cut her off firmly. I chimed in too.
“That’s the one.”
“Yeah…”
Sia’s eyes wavered at our words. She still sounded skeptical.
“You two aren’t messing with me? Tell me for real.”
“It’s true.”
Sia shoved her face close to Siwoo’s in exasperation, then did the same to me for confirmation.
“For real? Hey, for real?”
I met her gaze head-on without flinching. Her eyes locked onto mine just as firmly.
“Yes. It’s really me…”
Sia pulled back with an irritated huff, lightly drumming her fingers on the table.
“Ugh—this is so lame. Bro, why are you two pranking me like this? Just tell me properly. Properly.”
Truth be told, it was only natural she wouldn’t believe it.
We’d verified with fingerprints at the hospital and police station, but how do you prove it here?
That’s when Siwoo dropped something totally out of left field.
It was news to me.
“Didn’t you have a crush on Eun-hae?”
Sia slammed the table and jumped in shock.
“That was ages ago—! Why bring that up now?!”
Sia had a crush on me? How did I not know?
…Come to think of it, every year before college, I’d get little gifts on anniversaries or whatever, and it was probably from her.
Those were the only presents I’d ever gotten from a girl, too.
Back then, I didn’t think much of it since she was my friend’s little sister.
“So that’s why you gave me chocolates on Valentine’s…?”
I blurted it out dumbly, and Sia’s eyes snapped to me.
“How did you…!”
“What? Sia, you gave them gifts too? It was that serious?”
Siwoo hadn’t known either, apparently. Sia’s cheeks flushed a bit.
“No…! Not anymore, I mean, wait—how do you even know that?!”
Siwoo chuckled like he’d caught her weak spot.
“She’s Eun-hae, like I said. Got some weird disease and ended up like this.”
Sia clutched her head with one hand.
“Bro, hold on. I’m feeling dizzy. For real? Really real?”
“Really. Believe me now?”
“It’s true…”
Sia suddenly yelled at the top of her lungs.
“There’s no disease in the world that turns a guy into a girl—! Maybe plastic surgery!”
It was loud enough in the noisy BBQ joint to turn other customers’ heads.
The place went quiet for a second, then buzzed back to life.
“Hey, pipe down.”
“No, come on! Something like that would be all over the news…!”
I jumped in.
“Maybe it’s under embargo. I looked it up too, and nothing came up…”
“Embargo? Whatever. Ugh…”
Sia let out a huge sigh of disbelief.
There was a bit of commotion, but Sia finally came around and believed us.
Siwoo dug up old memories between him and Sia that I’d completely forgotten about, one by one, and I just nodded along.
I thought they were gone for good, but once someone jogged my memory, they came back faintly.
Siwoo and I kept sharing stories only we’d know if we weren’t there.
In the end, Sia had no choice but to believe it, even if she didn’t want to—she just sat there stunned.
Her gaze floated into space while Siwoo scanned the menu.
“Pork belly it is. Four servings? We can each handle one, right?”
Sia snapped out of it at his words, slamming both hands on the table and mumbling.
“Bro, get me some booze too. I can’t deal with this sober…”
Alcohol talk got me craving it too—it’d been ages.
Sometimes the urge hits out of nowhere.
And today was one of those days.
“Yeah… me too…”
“Soju? Beer?”
Sia answered boldly to Siwoo’s question.
“Beer.”
Siwoo’s gaze shifted to me.
“You?”
“Beer for me too…”
“If we’re all drinking, I’ll join in. Three beers? But can you even drink?”
“Don’t worry. Body age twenty, certified by the hospital…!”
I flashed a V-sign. Siwoo grinned and hit the call button.
Ding-dong. A nearby part-timer hurried over.
“Yes, ready to order?”
“Four pork belly, three beers.”
“Anything else?”
“No.”
“I’ll need to check IDs for all three.”
Oh.
Oh crap.
I’d only taken a new photo, but my Resident Registration Card hadn’t been reissued yet.
Or more precisely, I had one, but it wasn’t valid anymore.
Places like this usually just glance at the photo—no fingerprints.
“Uh, I don’t have my Resident Registration Card on me…”
Siwoo cocked his head.
“Didn’t bring it?”
“No, I have it… but…”
Sia and the part-timer looked totally confused.
Only then did Siwoo seem to get my situation; he covered his face with one hand, stifling laughs.
A moment later, the part-timer brought two beers and one cola.
I’d wanted beer too.