Sister Who Wants to Submit to Her Little Brother (6)
Siwoo opened the terminal to check the new alert.
Dependency
It was the same as the [Adultery Addiction] that had popped up when he'd messed with Elena's chip. Seoyoon's chip, as his older sister, had spawned a new status effect from the nonstop hormone prodding.
Siwoo tapped the screen to pull up the details.
The names differed, but every effect boiled down to the same thing: total reliance on him, stripping away her ability to handle shit solo. Still in the early stages, all the gauges were scraping zero.
Siwoo dragged his finger across the screen, cranking all four sliders up in one go. 10%. Just enough to nibble at her sanity without nuking her daily routine.
Value change complete. Applying to target's nervous system.
As Siwoo fiddled silently with the terminal, an irritated voice piped up from beside him.
"Hey. Move."
Seoyoon didn't wait for a reply. Pouting, she scooted right up behind him and flopped onto the bed like she owned it.
Squeeze. Her shoulder nudged his waist, wriggling him aside.
"Stop staring at your phone and scoot over there."
She snapped curtly. But out of his sightline, buried in the bedding, her face told a different story. Head bowed, she clamped a hand over her mouth, stifling a silent laugh.
She was lying in the same bed as Siwoo. Their bodies touched. In that instant, peace washed over her like a lie. All the exhaustion that had crushed her all day melted away.
"Ugh, it's cramped. Hurry up and shift over more."
Seoyoon shoved his back again. Not that she really wanted him gone—it was just an excuse to glue herself closer.
"Whoa, I'll fall off the bed."
Siwoo played flustered, but Seoyoon ignored it. She pressed her body even tighter against his back, like he might actually tumble off.
"You won't. Don't be a baby."
Her arm snuck around his waist.
"There. Happy?"
Her palm settled gently on his back. The warmth seeping through his skin from her little brother was startlingly hot.
Conversation died. The two lay side by side on the narrow bed, overlapping slightly. A beat later, Siwoo's steady breathing signaled he'd dozed off first.
Seoyoon stared blankly at her sleeping brother's back, a tiny scoff slipping from her lips.
Human greed has no damn end.
At first, she'd just wanted him nearby during work. His presence alone killed her job stress, let her breathe.
But barely a day later? Now she craved this body heat even for sleep. And with her lame excuse landing her snuggled against his back right now...
I want to be with him 24/7.
Seoyoon rested her head on Siwoo's back. She tilted her face up, bringing her nose to his nape. She inhaled quietly.
His faint scent flooded her lungs. Same shampoo, body wash, soap—yet how did it smell this good?
So nice.
It soothed her soul. In this moment, she could forget every crushing reality.
Seoyoon tightened her arm around his waist. Her eyelids grew heavy. Sleep poured in. In the hazy fog of drowsiness, her emotions twisted into something strange.
Why not just hand everything to Siwoo? Lean on him completely. Depend on him. Curl in her little brother's arms without a thought. Forget being the head of the house or whatever... just ditch it all. Stay in Siwoo's embrace forever...
Dangerous, fragile thoughts filled her head. But Seoyoon didn't push them away. She welcomed them gladly.
Fully surrendered to his firm body and warmth, she drifted off. Her first perfect, deep sleep since Dad died.
The next morning.
"Mm..."
Seoyoon opened her eyes. Her body felt feathery light. Her mind was crystal clear. A truly refreshing, deep sleep after ages.
She rubbed her eyes, stretched her arms high, and yawned hugely.
Since Dad's death thrust her into breadwinner role, she'd never slept this soundly.
Siwoo's doing again, huh.
Instinctively, she patted beside her, expecting his warm body. But her fingers met only cold, rumpled sheets.
Seoyoon's eyes snapped wide. She whipped her head around.
"Huh?"
The spot beside her was empty. No Siwoo on the bed or at the desk. The door stood slightly ajar.
The moment she registered he wasn't in the room, her heart plummeted. Breath caught. Fingertips trembled faintly.
She bolted off the bed.
"Siwoo?"
No answer. She dashed out the door.
"Siwoo! Where are you!"
Her frantic yell echoed toward the living room, voice quivering badly. Vision blurred white. She needed to see that warmth now, or she'd lose it.
Bursting into the living room, her gaze locked on the bathroom door.
"...Huh?"
There he was. Shirtless, toothbrush in mouth.
Siwoo paused mid-brush, staring at her with round eyes.
"What. Why're you screaming first thing?"
He mumbled casually around the foam. Of course, the terminal was in his hand.
The second their eyes met, the panic gripping Seoyoon's brain vanished like a miracle. Her choked breath burst free.
"Haa..."
She nearly collapsed, barely holding it together. A deep sigh of relief escaped.
To hide her feelings, she crossed her arms tight, glaring daggers at Siwoo by the bathroom.
"Hey."
"What."
"Wake people up when you get up. You just sneak out like a jerk?"
Gruff scolding. Siwoo spat the foam, gargled, and wiped his mouth with a towel. He chuckled in disbelief.
"Wake you for what."
"If we sleep together, you wake me before leaving! Basic manners!"
"Anyone'd think I tucked you in. You were snoring like a chainsaw. Looked beat, so I let you crash."
Siwoo shook his wet hair, heading to the living room sofa.
"I don't snore!"
Seoyoon flushed red, yelling.
"You did. Loud as hell. Bed's tiny, you're glued to me, and I barely slept."
"When did I glue myself! The bed's just small!"
She grumbled tsundere-style. But her eyes greedily scanned his bare chest and back. She itched to rush over, bury her face in that skin, and soak in the calm. Fingers tingled.
"Whatever. Go wash up. Mom's making breakfast."
Siwoo plopped on the sofa, grabbing his phone dismissively.
Seoyoon bit her lip. Even this bickering felt like a loss, being apart. She uncrossed her arms, stomped over, and plunked down right next to him—like it was natural.
"Hey."
"What now."
"After breakfast, come straight to my room today."
She leaned her shoulder on his, whispering.
"Still gotta review yesterday's docs."
Lame excuse. Siwoo didn't look up from his phone, just smirked faintly.
"Got it."
How many more days could she keep up this prickly act? He was looking forward to finding out.
* Day 2.
Seoyoon sank deeper into Siwoo with each passing day. The difference was night and day with him nearby versus not.
With him, the worries crushing her chest evaporated. Without him? Brutal lethargy hit. Her body turned leaden, couldn't lift a finger. Even staring at the monitor felt impossible. The suffocating dread that she'd die right there without him clawed her throat.
She needed his voice first thing upon waking, a brush of his clothes to barely calm down. Later, only full-body contact on the narrow bed let her sleep.
Day 3.
Seoyoon discovered something else. It didn't have to be Siwoo himself.
Items soaked in his scent, bearing his trace. Like the tank top he'd worn and tossed, the pen he'd gripped forever, or his fluffy pillow he slept on daily. Having those eased the panic almost as well as him in person.
"Siwoo, I'm doing laundry. Gimme your clothes."
"By the door."
Seoyoon hovered by his room naturally. She snuck his laundry from the basket. Hid his favorite pen deep in her desk drawer. When he skipped her room during the day, she'd hug his pillow to her chest at her desk. Inhaling his scent brought weird relief laced with taboo thrill.
Day 4.
The trigger was trivial. Picking clothes for her morning video call, Seoyoon froze.
She'd always grabbed whatever felt right without fuss, but today nothing clicked. After ages agonizing, she grabbed some outfits and shuffled to Siwoo's room.
"Hey... which one's better?"
Siwoo glanced from his phone, pointing left.
"That one's nicer."
Just picking clothes, yet the moment she obeyed, absurd pleasure shot up her spine to her brain. She nearly melted.
After the call, she returned.
"Hey... eat first, or wash up?"
"Wash first."
"Y-yeah, figured."
She kept coming back, asking trivial shit, handing decisions to him bit by bit.
Day 5.
Sniffing Siwoo's stolen underwear on the sly, Seoyoon thought.
Being the head of the house was too damn heavy.
Why do I have to shoulder it all?
She had to earn, sure—no denying that. But everything else? No reason she had to prop it all up.
Couldn't she lean on someone emotionally too? And with "lean," Siwoo's face popped up.
She wanted to dump it all on him. Let him decide everything. What to wear. When to eat. Work start and end times. Following his lead from the clothes onward felt easiest. His approval drenched her brain in sweeter-than-drugs relief.
Seoyoon finally admitted it. She wasn't the sturdy big sis or tenacious breadwinner anymore.
A fragile thing who couldn't take a single step without Siwoo. Not a day, not a footfall.
But no shame, no fear. Pure peace. Her pride and duty had vanished, replaced by blind dependence taking deep root.
Siwoo wasn't just her brother anymore—he was the one she'd follow forever.
Day 6.
Wee hours, everyone asleep. Creak—the door to Siwoo's room eased open.
Seoyoon slipped in, clutching his pillow. She whispered.
"Siwoo? You up?"
No reply from the sleeping brother. Good. She smiled, climbed into bed, and nestled her head against his back.
She couldn't hold back anymore. Didn't want to.
Day 7 morning.
Siwoo opened his eyes to naked Seoyoon smiling down at him.
"Awake? Little brother... no, Master?"