Chapter 9: Cut Ties with the Wild Card Lee Yuyeong, Next Flag Confirmed, Choi Gahee Recruited
I'd cut ties with the variable Lee Yuyeong, confirmed the next flag, and all that was left was recruiting Choi Gahee. I somehow managed to wrap that up too, even if it felt awkward as hell. It was really tough... mentally, I mean. Truth is, I'd never messaged or chatted up a girl my age about personal stuff before. Outside of family, the only times I'd texted girls were for soccer club business at my old school or group assignments. If you count my past life... yeah, I really just played games back then. Anyway, it was my first time, so I fumbled a bit, but I pulled it off somehow. Yeah, when you're staring death in the face, who gives a shit. Thinking about my sister coming at me with a knife in the future shut me right up and got me moving.
"Alright, now that everything's done..."
Preparations were complete. With a sense of relief, I stretched my arms way up high and flopped back onto the sofa where I'd been sitting.
"Haa~ Let's do this from here on out."
I had nothing to do right now, but who knew what the future might throw at me. At the very least, things had to go according to my plan. As I mentally reviewed my strategy again, my sister walked into the living room.
"Sis, I told you not to walk around in your underwear!"
"What's the big deal~? I'm covered where it counts."
Fresh out of the shower, she came in wiping her slightly damp hair with a towel, dressed only in her undies. It was one of her habits. Probably turned into an event scene later on too.
"And it's just you here, Taeyang."
"It's still weird to look at. You're a grown woman."
"Oh? Are you aware of me as a woman?"
"Wh-what? No way in hell!"
"Then what's the problem?"
She just grinned mischievously. Whew~ No need to sweat it. Seeing my sister's body didn't faze me at all. It had curves in all the right places—ones that would draw any guy's eyes—but I'm her little brother. To me, it was just a hunk of flesh walking by.
"Do whatever you want. Walk around naked for all I care."
"Hmm..."
"What? Why are you staring like that?"
"Taeyang, how do I look? Sexy, right?"
".........What the hell do you want me to say?"
I seriously considered bolting to my room. Goosebumps.
"You were staring right through me, so I thought maybe you're a guy after all... but nope, still just a kid."
"No! There's no way I'd have weird thoughts about family!"
"Weird thoughts like what?"
"Ah..."
Caught. She was smirking with pure mischief.
"Anyway! I don't wanna stare at some family member's body, period!"
"Even if it's your sister's?"
"Obviously! What the hell do you wanna hear?!"
"Hmm... Something like 'Sis, you're so sexy~' or some praise would be nice."
"I don't wanna say that kinda crap to you!!"
It's only natural to feel physiologically repulsed.
"Really?"
Don't look so genuinely disappointed, damn it.
"More importantly, you'll catch a cold. Put some clothes on."
"Hehe, guess I have no choice."
She nodded with a laugh and finally went to get dressed. But right before leaving, she dropped something weird.
"If you'd just said 'Sis is sexy~' once, I was gonna make you hamburger steak."
"......"
No. Don't give in to temptation. Getting swayed by food from sis was kid stuff. I'm grown now. Sure, just a few days ago I asked her to show me the way because I didn't know it, but that was unavoidable. I'm not some brat who gets reeled in by snacks anymore.
"With a half-boiled fried egg on top, and extra french fries."
"Ahem... Do what you want."
Damn, I flinched for a second there. What's wrong with me? Falling for this is the weird part.
"Say it now and you get two patties. Made with melt-in-your-mouth beef."
"...Sexy."
"Huh? What was that?"
She pounced right up to my face, cupping her ear like she didn't hear. Seeing that smug grin, she totally did.
"Se-sexy! Sis, you're super sexy!! Sexy as hell!!!"
"Pfft—!!"
"Haa... I got played. Again."
Sis loves her pranks. She's all sweet and kind usually, but catch her weakness and she teases like this.
"You said it, so make the hamburgers! Two patties, as promised!"
"Got it. Your se~xy sis will make 'em delicious."
"Cut that out!!"
Why does talking to sis always leave my face burning red? Better head to the bathroom to cool off before she keeps messing with me.
Click.
Right then, the door between the entryway hall and living room flew open. I turned to see Mom, frozen in shock, her handbag dropped on the floor.
"My son... a siscon..."
"Mom, it's not like that."
"I kinda expected it, but Taeyang being a siscon..."
"No, what the hell do you mean 'expected'?!"
Looking utterly shocked, Mom gazed up at the ceiling, calling out to our dad in heaven.
"Honey, what do I do? Should I scold them harshly? Or support their love?"
"Scold 'em! What kinda talk is that?!"
Why would you cheer on impossible sibling romance?!
"Welcome home."
Sis smiled and helped Mom up, acting like nothing happened. So damn competent.
"You must be tired. I'll make dinner, so go wash up."
"Hayan, what about our Taeyang?"
Mom, the real culprit isn't me—it's Kim Hayan, the one you're leaning on right now.
"He's still young. That kinda thing fades with age."
"Yeah, probably."
They're both dead serious about teasing me. I sighed deeply and headed off to wash up. They'll stop once I'm gone.
Contrary to expectations, the mother-daughter duo kept teasing me straight through dinner. I was so distracted, I barely tasted the homemade hamburgers from sis—first ones in ages.
"Keep it up and I'll get mad."
"Heehee, alright, we'll stop. Taeyang's got a girlfriend now anyway."
"What? Taeyang, is that true?"
With sis's words, the topic shifted from "Kim Taeyang Siscon Suspicions" to "Kim Taeyang's Finally in the Pink!"
Pink my ass... Glad it changed, but I wasn't thrilled about this topic either.
"Gahee told me all about it. The day you went to her house, you were with some girl, right?"
"Oh my, who was it?"
Lee Yuyeong. No more ties, no need to even acknowledge her. I'd drawn the line myself, cold as ice.
Mom and sis, oblivious to my side, watched me eagerly. Mom especially, her eyes sparkling for some fresh high school romance tale. Sorry to disappoint, but it wasn't anything like that.
"Just a classmate I ran into by chance."
"Chatting enough to gossip, huh? She loves soccer too, apparently?"
How much did Choi Gahee spill to sis?
"Pure coincidence."
"Look at you hiding it? Even more suspicious."
"It's not like that. Not thinking about dating anyway."
"See? Taeyang still loves his sis best."
No point explaining—it'd never end. I gave up. Better scarf this down and lock myself in my room.
"Whoa, Taeyang, not eating more?"
"Gotta clean my room."
Thanks to them, I couldn't even savor sis's handmade hamburgers.
I forgot to mention the important part. Gotta tell sis about studying with Gahee during exams.
"This is all your fault, sis."
All that nonsense made it impossible to bring up anything real. Tch.
Grousing, I started unpacking the moving boxes in sight. Time to sort the room for real. Still had untouched stuff left. Might as well finish today.
As I unpacked, I planned ahead. With Kim Hayan, Seong Juyeon, Choi Seonwoo, and Choi Gahee—that's four—we could keep Hayan and Seonwoo as far apart as possible.
The first flag between Hayan and Seonwoo at the meetup happens in the kitchen. They bump into each other carrying snacks. If I help instead, he won't get the "help her" choice. While sis and I prep snacks, Seonwoo can hang with Juyeon and Gahee.
Organizing my desk, I spotted a notebook.
"Huh? Why's the plot notebook out?"
Did someone come in and see it? That'd screw everything... Panicking, I flipped it open quick. Checking for tampering.
"What? Nah, it's not."
The cover looked the same, but this wasn't the Love Chain notebook. Duh, the one in my bag wouldn't be here. Phew.
Sighing in relief, I skimmed it for old times' sake.
"Been a while."
This was my soccer tactics notebook from before transfer—club days. Full of match strategies, techniques, and useful info scribbled down.
No plans to join the club now, so no need. Kinda sad? A little, but I never dreamed of pro anyway. Plus, running into Yuyeong again would suck.
I shoved it aside and kept sorting, thinking about the second flag at the meetup.
Seating's key for the second one. Studying in sis's room, something falls from the storage cabinet onto the heroine's head. Seonwoo blocks it, lips nearly touching. Before that, there's a choice: who to ask for help. The one he asks sits to his right—cabinet side.
Just clear the cabinet? Can't barge into sis's room, but with more heroines, suggest living room study. Or move stuff day-of.
Nah. Best to plant Gahee in that seat somehow.
Like this, I methodically planned counters. Top priority: never let sis and Seonwoo get close.
Reviewing it all step by step, I couldn't help but grin. No issues left. Even the protagonist can't beat someone who knows the future. All risks checked. Nothing can stop me now.
No way some unforeseen variable pops up, right?
"Ufufufufu."
"Taeyang, quit the creepy laugh and run one errand for me?"
"What? Annoying... Fine, but no more teasing."
"Sure."
Errand first, then review the plan again.