Spring Break (2)
Spring break—despite the "spring" right there in the name—is just a cold vacation. Listening to the wind whistling past the window, I woke up that morning feeling the days off slipping away.
"Taeyang, you up? We're going shopping for clothes today, remember?"
"...Yeah."
Before I could even sink into those lingering thoughts, I rushed through my morning routine. My sister had suggested it, and somehow we'd ended up heading to the bustling shopping center first thing on a weekend morning. What was the point of making plans on a break? Anyway, that's how it went.
"Hayan, Taeyang."
There was Juyeon noona, waving excitedly in front of the station in the busy district. The layers of light brown coat she had on made her petite frame look even cuter. Her red half-ponytail matched the small, reddened nose from the cold. Yeah, it was definitely chilly out.
"Juyeon. You been waiting long?"
"Nah, I just got here."
As she spoke through a puff of breath, Juyeon noona grabbed Hayan noona's hand with her gloved one.
"Hayan, why didn't you wear gloves? It's freezing."
"I'm fine. I brought hand cream."
"Heehee, so warm."
"Yeah, like a hand warmer."
"I heated it up with a hot pack, right? Your hands must be so cold, Hayan."
"Yeah, I need to buy some gloves too. Yours are cute, Juyeon—where'd you get them?"
Those two really got along great. Come to think of it, all the noonas seemed to. If things had gone according to the game's plot, they'd probably have fought and hurt each other emotionally. Just imagining it was horrifying. Good thing I'd blocked Seonwoo early. Or... is it too soon to relax? I had to be careful so Gahee noona and Iri noona didn't end up fighting over me.
"Taeyang, gimme your hand."
"What? I'm good."
"Don't shove it in your pocket—hurry up."
Grumbling, I held out my hand at Juyeon noona's urging. Maybe she'd give me the hot pack she'd warmed up earlier.
"How's that? Noona's hand warm?"
"Uh... yeah."
I'd figured it'd be some girl-on-girl moment, not her wrapping around mine too. Well, to Juyeon noona, I was just a regular little brother anyway.
"You should get gloves too, Taeyang."
"Yeah, guess I should, like you said, Juyeon noona."
Spring was coming soon enough that we wouldn't need them, but whatever—I'd just agree with the noonas. Winter would roll around again eventually.
"Want noona to buy you some as an entrance gift?"
Juyeon noona looked up at me with a smile. I'd told her last time no gift was necessary, but she seemed set on doing something. Back when I'd helped her with that date, she'd treated me to an expensive meal—petite but big-hearted, apparently.
"Uh... sure, thanks."
"Of course. It's from noona."
For a brief moment, Juyeon noona and I just looked at each other. Her ears were red—probably from the cold.
"Ah, sorry! Held on too long, huh?"
She'd been staring blankly for a second before letting go quick.
"Huh?"
What was she sorry for? As I wondered, Hayan noona hooked her chin over our shoulders and shoved us toward the department store.
"Alright, let's get going. I'm pumped—it's been ages since we shopped."
"Saying it again: I'm not wandering more than three stores."
"The soccer team's ace, whining like that."
"Ancient history."
I wasn't that much older now, but soccer practice and getting dragged around a mall by noona were different levels of exhausting. And way less fun.
"Come on, no complaining. Noona's buying you something for starting high school too."
"Haa~ fine."
"Wait, you played soccer, Taeyang?"
Juyeon noona looked intrigued. Makes sense—only Yuyeong and Iri noona knew I'd been on the school team before we moved. Not a big deal anyway.
"Yeah, he was full of energy back then," Hayan noona said.
Hayan noona and Juyeon noona dove right into chatting about it. Since it was about me, I'd chime in when they asked.
"So why'd you quit after moving?"
"Wanted to focus on studies. Not planning a career in it or anything."
"Aw, too bad. You're tall and solid—perfect for it."
As she spoke, Juyeon noona eyed me up and down again. Didn't feel bad, though. Her eyes sparkled with admiration.
And bam—eye contact with Juyeon noona again. She jerked her head up quick. Probably embarrassed by her own staring.
"Stare all you want. It's fine."
"What?"
"Your height shot up so fast, it's natural to be curious."
"Oh? Yeah! Totally! It's crazy how much you've grown!"
Juyeon noona nodded vigorously, latching onto my words. Yeah, stare away—as long as you don't do anything that'll start misunderstandings about you. I was scared even Juyeon noona might catch feelings for me.
After that, we hit a few clothing stores. As expected, noona's shopping spree showed no signs of stopping.
"How's this dress? Too flashy?"
"Nah, suits you great, Hayan."
"Yeah? What about you, Taeyang?"
"Uh? Yeah, looks good."
Hayan noona pouted.
"What, so half-assed."
"......Whoa, I thought an angel descended."
Juyeon noona lightly smacked my arm.
"Hey..."
"Haha, Taeyang, your sister's gonna get mad for real."
"I was complimenting her."
"Since you're being so lazy, we'll shop till we find something that makes you really impressed."
Under Hayan noona's threat, I amped up my reactions after that.
"Taeyang, this one?"
"Red's rare on you, noona... but it's flashy in a good way."
"This?"
"More spring vibes—great for cherry blossom outings. Simple design, but it looks pretty on you since you're gorgeous."
"Really?"
She seemed satisfied—good. Seeing Hayan noona's happy smile made my urge to complain fade... a little.
"Taeyang, what about noona?"
"Yeah, cute on you too, Juyeon noona. Could be overwhelming on someone taller, but your height's perfect—not too childish."
"Yeah?"
Juyeon noona beamed, unable to hide her smile.
"Should I get it then?"
"Looks pricey?"
"It's fine. Taeyang said he likes it. I love it."
"........."
Juyeon noona, people might misunderstand that. Unease started creeping up. But before I could pin it down, Hayan noona linked arms with me.
"Now let's look at stuff for you, Taeyang?"
"Yeah."
Finally satisfied the noonas, we headed to buy my clothes. So we're done after this, right?
"You're tall now, clothes'll fit great—gotta try everything."
"Noona, don't say cruel stuff like that in front of your brother."
Hayan noona yanked me closer. Arm-in-arm with my sister, we left the women's section with Juyeon noona, who'd finished her purchases.
"You two are siblings but always so close. Oh, wait—Taeyang's a siscon, right?"
"Juyeon noona, you blind? Can't you see Hayan noona's gripping my arm?"
Speak properly. I wasn't the siscon here—this made her the brocon... Wait, that sounds risky. That uneasy feeling from earlier hit again. I glanced at Hayan noona quick.
"Yeah?"
I stared hard at her face. She just tilted her head innocently, lips curved in a smile. Her eyes were bright and clear. Hmm... nah, no way.
Would my own sister hit Yandere Stage 2 already? No, but last time Gahee noona hadn't reached Stage 2 yet she'd used her yandere trait [Command].
"Taeyang, something on noona's face?"
"Huh? Oh, no."
"...What? I teased you about being a siscon, but are you really just spacing out staring at Hayan?"
"Juyeon noona, keep talking nonsense and I'll get mad."
Yeah, don't overthink it. A real sister obsessing over her brother like that? Doesn't make sense. Anyone saying that seriously needs to be cut off from anime and manga for a while—that's bad news. Like Yuyeong, say. Or Yuyeong. Yeah, prime example: that BL-obsessed otaku Yuyeong.
"Hey, Kim Taeyang, did I hurt your feelings teasing about your siscon side?"
Juyeon noona called me with a genuinely sorry look.
"Yeah, so cut it out."
"...Yeah. Sorry."
She scratched the back of her head awkwardly and apologized.
"Guess we can't help it if Taeyang hates it."
Hayan noona just grinned carefree and kept walking. We entered the men's section, and I subtly slipped my arm free. Wanted to browse comfortably.
"I'll just grab pants myself."
"Okay. I'll look around at other stuff."
Hayan noona had good taste in clothes, so I trusted her with it. Sometimes I even wanted to skip the mall and let her style me entirely—as long as she didn't go overboard. She'd once made me try on like ten outfits in a row.
First, pants. I pulled out a pair I liked and held it up to my lower half in the full-length mirror.
"Hmm... what do you think, Juyeon noona?"
"Uh... that one..."
Weirdly, Juyeon noona was by my side instead of with Hayan noona, so I asked her opinion too while picking pants.
"This better?"
"Yeah."
"Sir, looking for anything specific?"
Mid-glance at the pants Juyeon noona picked, a store clerk appeared.
"Just browsing pants."
"Ah, I see."
The clerk glanced at us, flashed a pro smile, scanned a few pairs, and pulled one out.
"For your boyfriend... this might suit him."
She held it up in front of me.
"What about your girlfriend?"
"Uh... y-yeah!? G-girlfriend!? W-well..."
I compared the clerk's pick with Juyeon noona's. Hmm... stick with the one we chose?
"We'll take these pants. Mind if I try them?"
"Yes, this way."
I followed the clerk. Heard a small voice behind me, but the store music drowned it out.
"Taeyang... you okay with people misunderstanding us like that?"
We finally escaped the clothing stores after buying everything and getting stuffed into piles of outfits by Hayan noona. Time for a break and lunch. Before heading to the restaurant Hayan noona had in mind, we paused at the central fountain on the first floor—a rest area.
"Gonna hit the bathroom."
When I got back, only Juyeon noona was on the bench where they'd been waiting.
Huh? Where's Hayan noona?
I started to call out to Juyeon noona, sitting facing the fountain, but stopped.
"Haa~"
A deep sigh. Her eyes looked conflicted, sad. She'd been all bright smiles and fun just moments ago—a stark contrast. What's bothering her?