Chapter 53
Chapter 53
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Winter is Cold
-----------------------------------------------------------------
On a peaceful day during winter break, I was lying on the sofa watching TV.
And sprawled across my stomach was Dasom.
Dasom was lying on my belly, watching TV with me.
The TV was playing a kids' animation that Dasom would enjoy, and though I was starting to get a bit tired of it, I didn't mind.
It had a decent story and was pretty fun, after all.
Dasom must have found it hilarious, because she was giggling away on my stomach as she watched.
"Dasom, having fun?"
"Yeah! It's fun!"
Dasom nodded and started rolling around on my belly.
She might be small, but she's four years old now in Korean age. I was beginning to feel her weight a little.
Thankfully, she was still on the lighter side, so having her on my stomach wasn't a big deal.
But one girl sitting in front of me seemed bothered by it.
"Dasom, you should get off your oppa's belly~"
"Nooo~ I like it here!"
Even as she said no, Dasom snuggled right into my arms.
That's right, Dasom. Showering your oppa with love and attention is a wonderful thing. I practically carried you on my back while raising you, you know?
As I stroked Dasom's hair, I lightly teased Seol-i.
"See? Even Dasom doesn't want to!"
"I was only saying that for your sake..."
Seeing Seol-i immediately switch to sulky mode made me regret it. I quickly tried to smooth things over.
"I know, I know~ I get it. But let her do what she wants. It's not a hassle for me."
"Still..."
Seol-i pondered for a moment before making an irresistible offer to Dasom.
"Hey, Dasom. Want to come to unnie's arms?"
Seol-i opened her arms invitingly, and without a second thought, Dasom left my embrace.
"Ah..."
"Fufufufu~ Come here~ Dasom~"
"Yess!"
-Hug!
-Nuzzle nuzzle
Dasom dove straight into Seol-i's arms and started rubbing her cheeks against her happily.
Both Dasom and Seol-i were so adorable, but it felt cold and a little heartbreaking.
It was like Seol-i had stolen Dasom from me, leaving me feeling empty and on the verge of tears.
...Okay, the tears part is a joke, but the emptiness and chill were real.
After all, it was winter, and without my warm little Dasom, my body felt cold.
"Blanket... I need to grab a blanket...."
I muttered that and started to get up, but at that moment, a blanket flew toward me.
-Whoosh!
-Grab!
I snatched it easily, and Seol-i's voice came from behind it.
"Just use this one."
Looking closely, it was the blanket Seol-i had been using.
Yeah, the one she'd had just moments ago.
"For real?"
"Yeah, for real."
"Thanks, I'll use it then...."
I immediately draped the blanket Seol-i gave me over myself and went back to watching TV.
But soon enough, my gaze shifted from the TV to Seol-i and Dasom.
Seol-i had become a perfectly stable sofa for Dasom, who was beaming happily. Apparently, the soft, warm Hyun Seol sofa beat the firmer Kang Haneul sofa.
The sense of defeat hit even harder. Sure, I got that a girl's embrace would feel softer and nicer than a guy's, but watching her flirt like that with my friend right in front of me was too much to bear.
"...Dasom, don't wanna come to oppa?"
"Nooo~"
Dasom shot me down flat.
It hurt even more. I felt like slipping into full sulk mode.
I stared at Seol-i and Dasom with somewhat resentful eyes, and Seol-i caught on right away.
"...Haneul, feeling left out?"
"A little."
"Uuu... Dasom, wanna go to Haneul oppa?"
"No~! I like unnie!"
Seeing Dasom reject it outright hurt even deeper.
What made it worse was that my head understood it perfectly. That's why I hate being a T. Hell, I'm one myself.
As I struggled with this urge to sulk, Seol-i suddenly reached for the fruit basket on the living room table.
She pulled out a tangerine and started peeling it.
Of course. In this cold winter, with a warm cushion like Dasom, tangerines are a must.
Should I ask Seol-i to toss me one? As I debated...
"Haneul. Want this one at least...?"
Seol-i held out the freshly peeled tangerine to me.
...Is she an angel? Our Seol-i.
Seol-i really was an angel. A real one straight from heaven.
How else would she peel a tangerine for me by hand?
"Yeah, I'll enjoy it."
"Hehe, here."
I took the tangerine from Seol-i and broke off a piece.
Then, holding a segment...
"Seol-i, here."
"Huh? For me?"
I handed it right over to her.
Seol-i had done the hard part of peeling it. Gobbling it up would make me heartless, inhuman even.
Sharing a piece like this was the least I could do, right?
Meanwhile, Seol-i stared at the segment for a moment...
"Aah~"
-Nom
Then she suddenly opened her mouth and took it from my hand with her teeth.
-Munch munch
-Shiver shiver
It must've been a bit sour, because Seol-i started trembling the moment she chewed it.
"Why, too sour?"
"Yeah... a little sour...."
Seeing the cute Seol-i stick out her tongue and complain made me laugh.
To amplify the laughter, I turned to Dasom.
"Dasom, want some tangerine?"
"Yeah!"
Truth be told, Dasom had been eyeing the tangerines for a while.
She hadn't boldly asked Seol-i for one, but it was obvious she wanted some badly.
That's why I offered.
Dasom wriggled out of Seol-i's arms and ran to me. I popped a segment into her mouth.
-Ahh~
-Munch munch munch
"Uuuu... so souuuur...."
Like Seol-i before her, Dasom stuck out her tongue a bit and whined about the sourness. Recalling Seol-i's reaction, I burst into roaring laughter.
"Kuhuhuhu..."
These two were genuinely hilarious.
Just watching them filled me with so much joy I couldn't stop laughing.
I tried a piece from my hand.
It was a tad sourer than average, but not enough for such dramatic reactions.
Those two must just be weak to sour things.
As I thought about teasing them with stuff like this sometimes, I watched Dasom run back to Seol-i.
It was a bit bittersweet. Was I ultimately just the guy who fed her tangerines?
Before I could fully savor the bitterness, Dasom made another demand of Seol-i.
"Unnie! Tangerine! Tangerine!"
"Tangerine? Okay~"
Seol-i peeled one right away at Dasom's request, and Dasom chowed down happily.
This time, she must've hit the sweet jackpot. She looked blissful.
Realizing I wasn't even tangerine-feeding-machine level, I committed to full sulk mode.
To express it properly, I shoved the rest of the sour tangerine into my mouth and pulled the blanket Seol-i gave me all the way over my face.
It was definitely soft and warm.
And it smelled nice too. Was it because it was freshly laundered, or because it was Seol-i's blanket?
Either way, the softness, warmth, and scent were making me drowsy.
Sleeping with Seol-i right there felt a bit off, but...
...No helping it. My eyelids were so heavy. Like a thousand pounds each.
Alright, just an hour. One hour of nap, then wake up and play with Seol-i and Dasom.
With that rationalization for my nap, I drifted off to sleep.
-Snooore...
Hearing the snoring, I turned around to see Haneul sleeping completely defenseless.
"Haneul... asleep?"
-Snoooore...
He seemed totally out.
With snoring that loud, I worried if he hadn't been sleeping well lately.
Confirming Haneul was fast asleep, I complained softly to Dasom in my arms.
"Dasom..."
"Hm?"
"...Why is Haneul oppa so oblivious?"
It wasn't just talk—it was a real lament.
Haneul was incredibly cool. Always reliably by my side, so serious and smart compared to those other idiot boys.
And sometimes he'd show a playful side like any boy his age, but even that was charming.
The problem was his obliviousness, which matched his coolness in awfulness.
Haneul was way too dense. He probably had no idea I'd liked him for ten whole years.
Well, not fully ten yet, but it'd be ten by year's end, so close enough.
"Oblivious...?"
"Nuh-uh, nothing. Forget it."
I shook my head at Dasom, who seemed to catch the meaning, and went over to Haneul's side.
I sat Dasom on the sofa and secretly lay down next to Haneul.
...Warm. Even through the blanket, it was incredibly warm. I wanted to fall asleep like this.
But I couldn't. Dasom was there, and if I dozed off, Haneul would definitely notice.
So I tried to get up...
-Hug!
"Dasom...!?"
Dasom suddenly clung to me.
"Unnie... I'm sleepy..."
"Dasom? Dasom..."
She fell asleep in my arms just like that.
"Uh, umm..."
I was in a real bind.
Haneul behind me, Dasom in front.
But if I got up now, I'd wake the freshly asleep Dasom.
...Should I just sleep like this?
Yeah, let's do that.
Dasom fell asleep in seconds in my arms. Moving would wake her.
Yeah, me sleeping here was for Dasom's sake. Absolutely not to indulge my own desires. No way.
With those thoughts, I slowly shifted closer to Haneul's side.
I could smell him. That cool, refreshing Haneul scent wafting gently.
Enveloped in it, I closed my eyes.
Right beside Haneul.
......Fortunately, I managed to wake up and slip away before Haneul did, pretending nothing happened.
In the process, I sneakily placed Dasom in Haneul's arms. He seemed to realize it and hugged her right away.
Watching Haneul hold Dasom was heartwarming...
......But a little envious of Dasom too.
I wanted to sleep in Haneul's arms.
It had been so warm just moments ago, but now it was freezing.
Winter was so cold. Really.