Chapter 49
Chapter 49
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: Happy Birthday
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After eating the seaweed soup that Seol-i made and the food brimming with Mom's love and care, I was watching TV with Dasom cradled in my arms.
"Oppa! Oppa! Oppa! Oppa!"
Dasom poked at my chin and cheeks as she called out to me, and I gazed down at her with a smile.
"What's up with my little Dasom~? Why are you calling me~?"
"Seol-i! Seol-i!"
Dasom stretched her arms out toward Seol-i, calling for her a bit desperately.
The meaning behind her actions was crystal clear. She wanted to go to Seol-i.
I'd noticed it earlier too, but Dasom really loved Seol-i. Like, more than even me, her own big brother.
Why was that? Did Dasom somehow know that Seol-i was cute and pretty?
Not to brag or anything, but I didn't exactly give off handsome vibes. Sharp-featured was probably the best way to put it.
Seol-i, on the other hand, was pretty and adorable.
Maybe as a little girl herself, Dasom just preferred someone pretty and cute like Seol-i.
Unable to hide my bitterness, I decided to hand Dasom over to Seol-i.
"Seol-i, mind holding Dasom for a bit? Seems like she prefers your arms to mine."
I let a hint of jealousy slip as I passed Dasom into her arms.
The moment Dasom settled into Seol-i's embrace, she broke into a beaming grin. Seol-i glanced down at her, then seemed to pick up on my feelings and offered a little excuse.
"No, she definitely likes you more than me."
"Then why's she trying to escape my arms?"
"Um... well... you see..."
Seol-i kept glancing at me nervously, racking her brain for an answer, but she wasn't the type to sugarcoat things or tell white lies easily.
She was just too pure for that—couldn't even pull off a small fib.
So I helped her out with an excuse.
"Maybe it's because it's been so long since she last saw you?"
"Y-Yeah! That's gotta be it! Yeah!"
Seeing her nod her head vigorously like that made me chuckle.
She looked so relieved that I'd given her the perfect out.
Dasom apparently found Seol-i's reaction amusing too, giggling as she snuggled deeper into her arms.
"Dasom~ you're tickling me~"
Seol-i said that, but she gently stroked Dasom's back, becoming her cozy little haven of rest.
That said... this might sound weird, but...
...had Seol-i always been this developed?
The thought hit me the second I saw Dasom nestled against Seol-i's chest, grinning happily.
Just half a year ago, she still had that totally childish figure... How'd she grow like that so suddenly?
Maybe I'd just never paid attention to that sort of thing before, and she'd been developing steadily all along.
Her usual clothes were baggy anyway, like her school uniform—nothing that showed off her figure.
So maybe I just hadn't noticed.
Wait, no—even when she wore casual clothes, I'd seen her plenty of times.
...This was tricky. I had no idea what had happened with Seol-i's growth spurt.
One thing was for sure: she was leaving her childish days behind and blossoming into a young woman.
"......"
Embarrassed and sorry for even thinking that, I turned my head away, unable to look at her properly.
That's when I spotted Mom working away in the home office.
Mom was a freelancer. She'd started taking on work again lately, and it seemed to be going pretty well.
Maybe I should grab her a coffee. On that thought, I casually asked.
"Hey, Mom, want me to get you a coffee or something?"
"Nah~ It's your birthday today. I should be treating you. Even that cake you missed this morning."
"...Thanks."
"How about we order some cake for a snack? Seol-i~ Anything you want to drink? We're ordering from the cafe."
"Oh... I'm good...!"
"Come on, don't hold back~"
After some hesitation, Seol-i ended up ordering what I usually drank instead of her regular pick.
"Then... could I get an Americano...?"
"Americano for Seol-i? Iced or hot?"
"Um... uh..."
While Seol-i pondered, I corrected her order for her.
"Not Americano—make it iced chocolate instead. Seol-i still can't handle bitter stuff."
Seol-i immediately protested.
"No...! I can drink it...!"
She denied it right away, but I was certain. The moment she took a sip of Americano, she'd bail. Or force it down like some bitter medicine.
If it were something actually good for her like herbal tonic, I wouldn't care. But coffee wasn't exactly healthy.
Did it make sense to let her drink something she hated just because?
Meanwhile, Seol-i stomped her feet, stubbornly insisting.
"I can drink it, I swear...!"
"You can't handle bitter things."
"Nooo...! This time, I can...!"
"Really?"
"...Probably."
Seol-i finally backed down, and since I'd successfully talked her out of it, I was about to relay the change to Mom.
But Mom's expression was... odd. She was smiling, but it didn't feel like a smile at all.
"Hey, son? Come to the study for a sec?"
"...Pardon?"
"Seol-i, watch Dasom for a bit. I need to have a lo~ng talk with my boy."
"Ah... Sure...!"
I followed Mom's gesture into the study, and the moment she shut the door, she laid into me.
"Son? I know you're oblivious, but how can you be this dense about stuff like this?"
"Uh... what?"
"Seol-i's trying to look mature right now. In front of you."
"Why? Does she really need to...?"
I couldn't wrap my head around it.
How did Americano connect to looking mature? And why go out of her way to seem grown-up in front of me, of all times?
In my confusion, Mom let out a deep sigh.
"Fine... If you're gonna be clueless, at least be consistently clueless..."
She patted my head—more like thumped it lightly.
There seemed to be some frustration in her touch, but I still didn't get what was going on.
Mom thumped a few more times, then opened the study door.
"Try to pick up on these things next time, okay, son?"
"......Got it."
No way was I arguing here—that'd just drag out the lecture.
Afterward, Mom ordered slice cakes from the cafe, number candles, two iced Americanos, and one iced chocolate.
The drinks arrived around noon, about an hour later.
In the meantime, Seol-i and I had been taking turns watching Dasom while catching TV together.
It was a little boring, but not bad. Dasom was too cute watching her shows, and just chilling with Seol-i made it fun anyway.
The drinks and cake arrived, and Mom called us over the second she got them.
"Haneul~ Seol-i~ Time to blow out the candles~"
"Coming~"
"Okay."
"Candles! Light 'em up!"
Dasom mimicked Mom with a delighted squeal, and we headed to the kitchen together, Dasom still in our arms.
Mom pulled out four cake slices and arranged them into a half-cake.
It actually looked pretty nice that way—four different slices forming a neat semicircle.
She stuck two candles on top: a 1 and a 6.
Fwoosh! Fwaaa...
The flames caught on the candles, lighting up the room.
It was daytime, but with the blinds drawn and lights off, it was dim enough—and these little flames chased away the shadows.
"Alright, Seol-i. Shall we sing happy birthday?"
"Yes...!"
"Great, here we go~ One~ Two~!"
On Mom's cue, she and Seol-i launched into the birthday song.
"Happy birth~day to you~ Happy birth~day to you~"
"Dear sweet~ Haneul~"
"Happy birth~day to you~!"
I never thought I'd say it, but Seol-i's singing was beautiful—like a lark's cheerful trill.
So sweet, so bouncy, so lively, so soothing, so full of joy.
Surrounded by that happiness, I clapped and blew out the candles.
Fuuu!
And silently made a wish.
I hoped days like this—full of happiness—would keep coming.
The one who'd grant it was this novel's newbie author-god, but... I was pretty grateful to him now. No, really grateful.
Compared to my drab, colorless past life, this one was vibrant and warm. I was happy.
And the one who'd given me the most of that happiness was...
"Haneul! Did you make a wish?"
The defeated heroine gazing at me with sparkling eyes.
Though she wasn't really defeated anymore—just a bright, bubbly girl.
"Yeah, I did."
"Hehe... Happy birthday for real, Haneul."
"Thanks, Seol-i."
She smiled even brighter and nodded happily.
Snapping us out of our moment was, surprisingly, Dasom.
"Kyaaah~! Congwats! Congwats!"
Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap!
Dasom's barrage of claps was too adorable to ignore.
Seeing her so gleefully clapping made both Seol-i and me burst out laughing.
My happy birthday kept on going.