Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: A Relationship Without Woman-Speak
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"Ugyagyagyeok..."
Jimin had slept like a log, thrilled at the thought of not having to go to work.
For some reason, her body felt refreshingly light today.
'Hmm~ What time is it?'
When she sat up, the clock pointed to 9 a.m.
She'd overslept compared to her usual routine.
Jimin got out of bed and neatly straightened the sheets.
It was a habit ingrained since childhood.
She smoothed out the rumpled blankets from the night, then headed to the living room with her messy bedhead.
Weeeeng— weeeeng—
The sound of a vacuum cleaner hummed through the air.
'Hmm? Did sis wake up?'
Padding over to the kitchen, she found Lily cheerfully running the vacuum while humming a tune.
"Sis, sleep well?"
"Huh!? Jimin! You're up?"
Lily turned around with a bright smile.
"Cleaning first thing in the morning?"
"Yep~"
Lily paused the vacuum and beamed innocently.
"Keeping the house spotless is a wife's duty, after all."
Watching the visibly delighted Lily, Jimin thought to herself,
'My second sis-in-law... I really hit the jackpot with her.'
When Ji-hoon had married his first wife, Jimin had visited their newlywed home once.
She remembered how the self-proclaimed homemaker had let the place get messy everywhere.
It was a world apart from the current Lily.
"Uh... anything I can help with?"
"Nah."
Lily waved her hand dismissively.
"Go wash up, Jimin. A girl shouldn't go around looking less than her best. Hurry and pretty yourself up."
"Eek~ That hurts a bit."
Not beautiful? Ouch!
Heading to the bathroom as instructed, she checked the mirror—and yeah, she didn't look her best.
Her face and eyes were puffy.
Anyone could tell she'd slept hard.
"......Way too harsh."
Jimin grumbled as she started washing her face.
By the time Jimin emerged, a simple breakfast had appeared on the table.
"Jimin! Come eat~"
Fresh veggies and fruits.
Toasted bread warm from the oven, along with assorted jams.
"Whoa~!"
It was the perfect breakfast for right after waking up.
She'd planned to grab something tasty out anyway, so this hit just the right spot to tide over her hunger.
"Mmm~ Delicious~"
Jimin slathered strawberry jam on her toast and took a big bite, her face lighting up with satisfaction.
"Hmm? Sis, you're not eating?"
While Jimin ate, Lily sat across from her, grinning and just watching.
"I have to watch my figure, so I ate earlier! Gotta stick to good proteins. Hehe."
As someone with vitiligo, Lily was meticulous about her diet.
She avoided carbs like bread, favoring soy proteins, omega-3-rich fish, or beef.
Gulp.
Jimin swallowed her bite of bread.
"Must be tiring managing your diet every day, sis."
"Hehe, it's fine."
Lily smiled as she replied.
"Gotta stay healthy to live long and happy with my husband."
Her answer brimmed with affection.
Jimin couldn't help thinking... what a couple to envy.
Breakfast wrapped up soon enough.
"Thanks for the meal, sis! Super satisfying!"
Lily beamed proudly at how happily Jimin had eaten.
The morning meal left them both content.
After eating, the two headed to the living room.
Jimin stared at Lily and spoke up.
"Sis."
"Hmm?"
"Did you learn makeup from Mom?"
"Yeah! Mom taught me! And I watched YouTube. Pretty, right?"
Lily tapped her cheeks proudly.
Jimin shook her head.
A quick lesson from Mom and YouTube self-study showed some rough edges.
"Sis, come sit here."
Jimin sat Lily at the vanity and unzipped her makeup pouch packed from Korea.
"Hehe, Korean girls start wearing makeup in middle school."
Lily sat before the mirror, eyes sparkling with anticipation, blinking eagerly.
"Okay, sis. Watch closely. Your skin's so pale, you barely need base. But we gotta define those features."
Jimin thinly spread lotion over Lily's face.
"Eyebrows: match your hair with this ash brown, just fill in the gaps lightly. Too heavy, and you'll look like a cartoon kid."
"Shadows next! Your eyes have a red tint, so cool tones over warm. Light lavender over the lids for subtle shading."
Jimin's hands moved like a pro across Lily's face.
"Eyeliner: just fill the waterline carefully. Your lashes are so pale they vanish, so brown mascara over black for natural vibes."
"Wow..."
Lily gasped at her transforming reflection.
"The key is blush and lips! Mom's pink is cute, but for your mysterious vibe, coral or apricot adds life."
Jimin lightly swept pale apricot blush over Lily's cheekbones.
She finished with matching tint on the lips.
"Ta-da, how's that?"
Lily stared at her mirror image, speechless.
Mom's makeup had been pure and cute.
This was sleeker, more mysterious yet endearing.
"......Jimin. Are you a wizard?"
"Hehe. Korean makeup is magic."
Jimin grinned, pleased with her handiwork.
Suddenly remembering, Jimin dashed to the room with her carry-on.
She returned with a pretty shopping bag.
"Here."
Jimin handed it to Lily.
"Huh? What's this?"
Inside: new makeup similar to what Jimin had used—pastel shadow palette, light coral tint, gentle cleansing water.
"A gift."
Jimin shrugged.
"Oppa asked me to pick the mildest Korean stuff for your sensitive skin."
Lily's red eyes widened, trembling.
She glanced between the bag and Jimin.
"All this for me?"
"Of course! It's yours, sis. Rock this look every day."
Lily hugged the bag tightly.
A gift flown from faraway Korea just for her.
Her husband's thoughtfulness.
Her sister-in-law's careful selection.
"......Thank you."
"No biggie."
Seeing her new sis-in-law so genuinely happy lifted Jimin's spirits too.
Hangouts for women in their early twenties were simple.
Shopping, eating tasty food.
But mostly, plopping down somewhere to chat.
Jimin and Lily were doing just that.
"Oppa really said that?"
"Yep!"
Lily chattered excitedly about Ji-hoon's deeds.
"He came to our place, changed all the bulbs himself~ Lifted heavy furniture like nothing~ Fixed everything broken~ So sweet~ Hehe."
Jimin's face soured as she listened.
Because of her scumbag second brother.
The guy who'd tormented her with all sorts of crap back in Korea was here playing perfect husband.
'Fucking jerk... If he'd done even half that for me, I'd have taken care of him forever.'
Jimin found her new sis-in-law fascinating.
Her reactions were so transparent.
Taking words at face value, expressing feelings raw and unfiltered.
Unimaginable in Korea.
What they called "woman-speak."
The subtle power plays between women.
Wear high heels? "Whoa, your feet don't hurt??" = Why dress up so much?
Cute outfit? "That comfy??" = Standing out much?
Decode required.
Direct jabs could backfire, so the snide detours.
Age digs were especially touchy among women.
Guys with big age gaps? "Ooh, big bro vibe..." No issue.
Even a plea to treat casually.
But women meeting first time, hearing age and going "Whoa~ total sis!"? Rude as hell.
'This bitch calling me sis right off the bat lol.'
Practically a battle cry.
No wonder many women avoided girl groups.
Too exhausting.
But now.
Chatting with Lily, Jimin felt zero of that fatigue.
Pure innocence.
That's why she laughed freely, gossiping away.
After coffee near home, they headed to restaurant row for lunch.
The chatter had warmed Lily up to Jimin nicely.
So maybe that's why.
Out of childhood habit, Jimin naturally hooked her arm through Lily's.
"...Jimin?"
"Yeah? What's up, sis?"
Lily quietly looked down at her arm entwined with Jimin's.
'Arm-in-arm.'
A uniquely Korean girl thing.
Not Joseon tradition, not Japanese influence—Japan doesn't do it.
Not Western either.
Abroad, it'd seem weird or couple-y.
But in Korea, different.
No fad or regional quirk—cross-generational habit.
Girls on streets blocking narrow paths in linked-arm lines,
Like Greek phalanxes marching.
As if declaring with their bodies,
'Oh? Not moving? Wanna eat jail rice as a perv?'
Oncomers felt massive pressure.
Like Persians vs. Greeks.
Hence Lily's confusion at the unfamiliar touch.
Jimin realized her mistake seeing Lily's blank stare, arm still linked.
'Oops, habit kicked in...!'
"Ah...! In Korea, girls walk like this, sis."
"...Why? Uncomfy?"
"You uncomfy, sis?"
"...People'll think we're lesbians."
Ah.
No such culture in America.
Lesbians? No way.
Jimin liked men.
She yanked her arm free in a fluster.
Liberated, Lily gazed at her with pure curiosity in red eyes.
"Jimin."
"Yeah?"
"But... were you born flat? Felt nothing squishy when we linked arms."
Jimin took another deep wound from Lily's innocent question.