Chapter 33
Chapter 33
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: The Grown-Up Seuli
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Ever since Seuli met Da-som, she hadn't missed a single day coming over to our house.
"Haneul-ah, see you at home a bit later…!"
After school ended, she'd even take the bus straight to our place first to look after Da-som for me…
"Haneul-ah, hi…! Where's Da-som…!?"
On weekends, she'd show up at our door bright and early in the morning.
Thanks to her, even I—who used to bike to school—started taking the bus just to avoid her greeting me at home first thing. My blissful plans for sleeping in on weekends crumbled too.
Sleeping in was especially crucial. Da-som still wasn't sleeping through the night, so Mom, Dad, and I took turns getting up at dawn to soothe her.
We were all chronically sleep-deprived, but with Seuli arriving around 9 a.m., sleeping in just wasn't an option anymore.
Still, it was worth it to witness the one scene that chased away all that fatigue.
What was it, you ask?
"Da-som-ah, it's unnie…!"
"Kyaaa~!"
The three-month-old Kang Da-som and the 155-month-old Hyun-seol were finally getting along.
At first, Da-som found Seuli so unfamiliar that the moment she spotted her, she'd cling to me or burst into tears.
But after one day, two days, three, four… as Seuli kept showing up, Da-som eventually stopped reacting at all to her presence.
And then…
"…Can I hold her once?"
"Yeah, go ahead. Just hold her like this, same as me."
"Okay…!"
"Da-som-ah, Seuli unnie's gonna hold you now. Got it?"
"Uuu…?"
About two weeks after they first met, I handed Da-som over into Seuli's arms.
A sight utterly unimaginable at their first encounter had now become reality.
Seuli hugging Da-som—that was the scene.
To Da-som, Seuli was no longer a stranger. The instant she nestled into her arms, Da-som burst into delighted giggles.
This moment was pure cuteness multiplied by cuteness, creating an explosive synergy.
Cute Seuli cradling the even cuter Da-som—it was downright regal.
From that day on, Seuli often scooped Da-som up like this, sharing her warmth with her.
Of course, Da-som adored being held so snugly by Seuli.
That said, Seuli didn't spend all her time at our house just bonding with Da-som. She did some studying too.
Seuli didn't go to cram school, but she worked through workbooks instead, so she'd bring them over and study with me.
And right now…
We were prepping for second-semester finals.
"Da-som-ah, oppa and unnie have to study together now, so should we head to the room?"
"Eeeeee~!"
Da-som must've realized I was trying to set her down, because she immediately threw a fit in protest.
In the end, I resorted to my ultimate weapon: calling Mom.
"Mom…!"
"Yeah, Haneul-ah~ What's up~?"
"Can you watch Da-som for a bit?"
"Da-som? Sure thing~!"
Mom came right out from the kitchen and scooped Da-som up from Seuli.
"Da-som-ah~ Haneul oppa and Seuli unnie have to study~ Let's go with Mom~"
"Kyaaa~"
The moment Da-som was in Mom's arms, she giggled happily, beaming with joy.
Guess even Da-som couldn't resist—a baby's favorite place is still Mom's embrace, after all.
Seuli and I watched the scene contentedly, then wiped the smiles off our faces and dove into studying.
Moments with Da-som were pure bliss, but we were students above all. Students had to study.
Two hours into our focused session…
"Haneul-ah, Seuli-ah. I need to step out for a quick errand—could you two watch Da-som for me?"
Mom was asking us to look after Da-som.
We'd already wrapped up the urgent stuff anyway, so there was no reason to say no.
"Got it. Da-som-ah~ Time with oppa now~"
"Kyauuu~!"
Seeing Da-som laugh as she snuggled into my arms made the past two months of hardship feel totally worth it. I was over the moon.
I set Da-som down on the mat, and Seuli and I took turns watching her.
"Haneul-ah, is it okay if I hold Da-som here?"
"Hmm… Holding her nonstop will tire you out. Plus, Da-som's been sitting up on her own pretty well lately."
"Still… I'll hold her."
"You'll get tired, though?"
"It's fine."
"…Just say something if you get too worn out."
"Okay. Da-som-ah~ Come to unnie!"
"Heeheehee~"
Da-som beamed the moment Seuli picked her up again.
I'd scoured tons of baby videos to learn how to care for her properly, but I'd never seen any baby smile as adorably as Da-som.
Our little Da-som just got cuter the more you looked at her. It was obvious from how smitten Seuli was too.
She might even get picked on by boys when she starts kindergarten someday. Boys have a habit of teasing the girls they like, after all.
But unlike Seuli, Da-som would probably fight back just fine. Watching her occasional tantrums, I could tell she'd grow into a kid who could hold her own against the boys.
Separate from all that cuteness, though.
On another note, I did feel a little bad for Seuli. She was just a guest, after all, and here she was helping babysit the baby of the house.
"Seuli-ah, if watching Da-som gets too tough…"
You can head home first. I'll walk you partway.
That's what I'd been about to say…
-Shake shake shake
But Seuli shook her head right away.
"I like hanging out with Da-som too. So don't worry."
"Not tired?"
"Honestly, a little. But even if I'm tired…"
Seuli trailed off, glancing down at Da-som.
A soft smile crept onto her face as she looked back at me, her voice gentle and tender.
"Watching Da-som is even more fun."
Seeing that made me so grateful for her.
No matter how close we were, it couldn't have been easy to take to my little sister like this. Even if Da-som was the cutest thing ever.
Yet Seuli had kept trying to bond with her—and succeeded. More than that, she even said she enjoyed looking after her.
I couldn't be more thankful.
As I gazed at her warmly, smiling to myself…
-Wobble!
…Da-som next to us suddenly teetered.
She'd gotten better at keeping her balance than before, but she was still clumsy at it.
"Da-som-ah…!"
"Da-som-ah!!"
I lunged forward, throwing myself toward her with my arm outstretched. Seuli did the same.
-Thud
Thankfully, my arm caught Da-som's head just in time. Seuli's arm was right there beside mine.
Hers was a tad too short to reach, but mine did, so all was well.
"Phew…"
"Da-som, you're not hurt, right!?"
"She's fine, don't worry."
"Kyaaa~"
Oblivious to our panic, Da-som grinned like it had been the most fun game ever.
Seuli and I could only exchange relieved sighs as we watched her.
At the same time, I had to revise my view of Seuli a bit.
When she'd stretched out her arm earlier—ready to dive if needed to grab Da-som—for the first time, I felt not just that she was cute, but that she was reliable.
In my memories, Seuli was still that fragile little girl who'd gotten lost and cried at the amusement park.
But the Seuli now was different. She wasn't the one crying and lost anymore—she'd become the sturdy friend who could find the way.
…Though she still felt a lot like a little sister, probably because I'd always looked out for her.
I decided to hold onto that feeling.
After all, it was a sentiment built from memories that belonged just to the two of us.
As I nodded inwardly, sorting through my thoughts about her, Seuli spoke up.
"Hey, Haneul-ah. Um, Da-som's… uh…"
"Huh?"
"…Can I touch her cheek?"
…One sentence that wiped away every bit of that reevaluation.
No matter how mature or reliable she seemed, Seuli was still that cute little-sister type.
The kind who went weak in the knees for an even cuter baby.
"Go for it. Just not too hard."
"Okay…!"
Seuli nodded and, still cradling Da-som, brought her finger to the baby's cheek.
-Rub rub
"Kyaaa~"
"Heeheehee."
That last sound wasn't Da-som—it was Seuli.
The moment her finger touched those heavenly soft, pillowy cheeks, she squealed with pure delight.
Da-som seemed to love the attention too, laughing out loud.
Though… saying this might sound weird, but…
Da-som's cheeks were matchless, sure—but Seuli's looked plenty soft and squishy too.
Maybe she should just poke her own?
Such a pointless musing crossed my mind.
Of course, it vanished the instant I saw that endlessly adorable scene of Seuli doting on Da-som's cheek.
A sight cute enough to banish any stray thoughts.