I Won’t Be Able to Refuse Easily
I headed to the department store.
Maybe because it was evening, the roads were packed with cars.
It looked like it would take forever just to get inside.
Of course, that wasn’t true for me.
“Huh?”
The car we were in wasn’t headed toward the regular parking area where everyone else was hunting for a spot. It was going to the VIP-only parking lot.
That surprised Sihyun.
“I’ve been using the department store a few times lately, so I ended up becoming a VIP.”
“Wow... that’s a thing?”
“I guess it just turned out that way.”
“Well, the way you spent money in Japan didn’t exactly look modest, Oppa.”
Even to me, the spending spree in Japan had been shocking.
Especially the fact that three helicopters had actually been possible.
And the lodging, too.
Just looking at it, anyone could tell I wasn’t some ordinary rich guy.
It had been an itinerary no one could even begin to imitate.
I got out of the car.
When we stepped into the department store, I saw my dedicated staff member waiting for us.
Apparently, she held a pretty high position inside the store as well.
After I’d used the place a few times, things had naturally ended up like this.
Sihyun looked surprised when she saw the employee.
She’d experienced our schedule in Japan, but this must have felt different.
Because this was Korea.
Japan felt like a place where service was generally high across the board, but in Korea, the people who spent money were clearly treated better.
She probably hadn’t expected it even here.
“...”
Sihyun, still a little stunned, had tucked herself right against my side.
I was happy.
First...
I needed to buy some clothes. And a bag.
“Could you recommend me some bags and clothes that would suit women in their early twenties, mid-twenties, and in their fifties?”
“Among brands that appeal across generations, Chanel is unmatched, and lately Dior has been especially popular with younger customers.”
“Please show me.”
We visited two stores.
Sihyun was still clinging to me the whole time.
I’d originally thought about asking her directly, but she’d probably feel pressured and end up pointing me toward a mid-range brand instead of the one she actually wanted.
Why bother, if I was the one buying the gift?
I bought three Chanel bags and one Dior bag. Then I got two tops and a few pairs of shoes. By then, Sihyun was already trying to stop me.
I didn’t need to buy everything at once.
We loaded it into the car.
Sihyun looked absolutely flabbergasted.
I explained.
“Didn’t I already prove in Japan that I’ve made it?”
“I guess that’s true... though, honestly, Japan was even more unbelievable.”
Now she accepted it.
***
On the way back, Lee Sihyun felt dazed.
There had already been spending in Japan that made it hard to tell whether it was reality or a drama, and yet even after coming back, he still hadn’t stopped.
She’d expected it, but it seemed her Oppa had succeeded beyond anything she could have imagined.
Just how successful had he become?
And after becoming that successful, he still hadn’t forgotten her or her family.
She was grateful.
She checked her phone.
There were KakaoTalk messages waiting.
[Sihyun, seriously, thank you so much. Please tell Oppa I’m really grateful too.]
[I really didn’t ask for his number because of you. Please tell him I’m grateful too.]
[It felt like I was dreaming. I thought I’d become the main character in a drama.]
[Suho says to tell you this too. He says Oppa looked annoyed, and that’s why he didn’t even message you directly or something.]
Everyone was asking her to pass their thanks on to Oppa.
They could have told him themselves...
It almost felt like they were being careful around her for no reason.
Even if she glanced at him in secret, could he really have romantic feelings for her?
No way. There was no way.
“Oppa, everyone asked me to tell you thanks.”
“I had a really fun experience too, thanks to you. Tell them I’m grateful as well. And I’m really grateful to you, too.”
“Ah... I didn’t really do anything but receive things.”
“I mean it. I really wanted to go and have fun with you, Sihyun.”
“...”
Her Oppa really had no boundaries.
She couldn’t tell whether he was speaking to her as a man or simply as a close younger sister.
Why was her face turning red?
It was ridiculous.
Before they arrived in Korea, she’d remembered what her friend had said.
She’d asked whether, if there were no real romantic feelings between her and Oppa, it would be okay for her to approach him.
Why...
The more she thought about it, the more confused she became. Why had she refused so stubbornly back then?
If she didn’t have romantic feelings for Oppa, there had been no reason to stop her friend.
No way...
Could she actually like Oppa that way?
She peeked at him again.
Her face was still red.
At this point, denying it felt ridiculous.
She probably did like Oppa.
In fact, she’d already felt that several times during the trip.
Especially after things with Suho had been cleared up all at once.
As she shifted her body, her hand lowered.
Her hand brushed against Oppa’s.
She jolted in surprise.
But she didn’t pull away. Oppa didn’t pull his hand away either.
This wasn’t even the first time.
Something similar had happened several times during the trip.
When they got into the helicopter, hadn’t she been so scared that she’d clung to Oppa’s arm?
Just thinking about that made her face burn red.
Compared to that, holding hands was nothing.
“Ha... once we get home, it’ll be back to normal life, huh?”
“That’s what makes trips like this fun in the first place.”
“Still. When will I ever get to take a trip like this again?”
“Why not? Just tell Oppa whenever you want to go. I’ll make sure you get this kind of experience as many times as you want.”
“... Really?”
“Of course. Especially if it’s you, Sihyun, you can say it even more easily. Your aunt and your sister are busy with work, but you still have some room to breathe.”
“... Hmph.”
Dummy.
Did he really need to add that at the end?
For some reason, her friends’ words came back to her. Love wasn’t the feeling of, “Well, this is okay,” but the feeling of your heart pounding even when you were simply together. They’d said that just holding hands would make your heart race.
That was exactly how it felt now. The fact that neither of them was letting go made her chest flutter unbearably.
Oppa probably knew by now, too.
Why wasn’t he pulling away?
Was he being considerate because he thought she’d be embarrassed?
But he was holding on so firmly.
On the other hand, she thought of Suho.
A laugh slipped out on its own.
Now she knew clearly that what she felt wasn’t because of any sort of liking like that.
Even if she did like him, wasn’t it the kind of liking you had for a friend?
Suho had shown a changed side of himself on the trip, and from that point on, she’d been able to enjoy the journey with a much calmer mind.
She glanced sideways again.
Thump.
Her heart wouldn’t settle down.
She was afraid the pounding sound might reach Oppa.
As for Oppa...
What would he think if he found out that she, the younger sister he was close with, had romantic feelings for him?
She was scared, and at the same time, a little excited.
It was an undeniable fact now.
What do I do...
Once she admitted it, she felt a fresh wave of anxiety.
She couldn’t be with Oppa forever.
Hadn’t he said so himself? That he’d be leaving the house soon.
What would she even say when she came to see him then...?
What if Oppa was busy?
Of all people, had it really had to be Oppa who came into her heart first?
With her thoughts in a mess, she finally arrived home.
Even then, neither of them let go of the other’s hand.
***
On the way home, I thought, That was close.
I was genuinely worried my heart might burst in the car.
Sihyun’s hand—whether by accident or on purpose, I couldn’t tell.
And because I didn’t want to let go of it, I stayed on edge the whole time.
If I moved even a little, what if Sihyun got startled and pulled her hand away?
So I didn’t move at all.
This is nice.
That was a horrible thing to think about Ji-hyun, I knew.
But even compared to the first time I’d been with Ji-hyun, this moment—just holding Sihyun’s hand—felt happier.
I was almost resentful when we got home.
I glanced to the side. She turned her head away with a start, but still didn’t let go of my hand.
She was adorable. So adorable I wanted to stay with her forever.
I’d still meet other women, but with Sihyun, I wanted to be together for life.
I knew it was greed.
I knew it.
But rather than putting that greed down, I wanted the kind of ability that would justify indulging it.
And that was still in progress.
We naturally let go of each other’s hands and went inside.
I didn’t say anything else, because I was afraid that once I put it into words, it would become awkward.
When we stepped inside, my aunt and older sister were there too.
Maybe because it was late, they’d already gotten off work and were resting.
“You’re back?” my aunt asked warmly.
“It was nice getting to go abroad for the first time.”
“I’m glad. I heard from Sihyun that you went to a lot of trouble, Doyun... are you okay?”
“Of course. I’ve succeeded more than you think, Aunt.”
“... That’s incredible. I heard from your older sister, but it really sounds like you’ve made it.”
While traveling, I’d stayed in places that cost tens of millions of won per night.
Signiel alone probably cost around that much for a single night, too.
And yet, for some reason, this house felt even more familiar and welcoming than those luxurious places.
It felt like a haven.
Probably.
That feeling wasn’t really about the place itself.
It was because my aunt, my older sister, and Sihyun were here.
I should start bringing it up soon.
I’d heard that Aprofive Park over in Banpo was pretty good.
That area would be close to Sihyun’s school and my sister’s workplace, too...
They probably wouldn’t be able to refuse easily.
But before that.
“Sihyun, did you bring back what your sister asked for?”
“Yeah. It’s in the trunk. There was a lot of luggage.”
“Really? Did you come by taxi?”
“No, I came in Oppa’s car.”
“Doyun’s car...?”
“Now that I think about it, Seolhyun doesn’t seem to know much, does she? I heard Doyun quit his part-time job and had a huge success with investing.”
“... Really?”
First, I should give them the gifts.
“Since I was in Japan, I picked up some souvenirs and presents. I was thinking of all of you, so...”
“You say that, but still, if our Doyun brought us gifts, shouldn’t we take a look?”
“They’re in the trunk too.”
We headed out together to the car.
There was still a look of uncertainty in my sister’s eyes.
Maybe seeing the car and the gifts would ease some of that confusion.
---