On a Rainy Weekend (3)
“Kids, it's time to quit the game and go to bed.”
Min Iri's mom knocked lightly on the door for a moment before swinging it open, intent on getting the kids to sleep.
“Oh my.”
She was briefly startled by the sight inside the room and turned off the game screen glowing on one side.
“If you're gonna sleep, at least tidy up properly~”
After putting away the game console, she gazed fondly at the bed one last time before flicking off the light.
“They're still so close, even now.”
On the bed lay the two exhausted kids, fast asleep after their gaming session. Min Iri was snugly hugging Kim Taeyang, who was still in his teddy bear onesie, clinging tight.
She watched the pair sleeping peacefully, then turned off the light and slipped out quietly.
“But what if they actually end up dating like that?”
The next morning, I snapped awake.
As my senses returned, a faint, floral soap scent mixed with a familiar body smell tickled my nose. This scent... yeah, it's the subtle aroma that wafts from Iri noona every time she puts me in a headlock.
Warmth seeped into my body, accompanied by soft breathing and a gentle breeze brushing my cheek.
“Hm?”
When I turned my head, Iri noona's face was right there, close enough to feel her breath.
“What the...”
Looking around, I saw Iri noona was hugging me in her sleep. Not just with her arms—she had her legs wrapped around me too, like I was some kind of body pillow.
Thanks to that, we were pressed tight together.
“Noona, wake up.”
“Mmm... nyaaam...”
“Wake up, I said.”
I nudged her shoulder, and her eyes fluttered open. Our gazes locked from a distance shorter than the span of my hand.
“You awake?”
“……”
“Let go.”
As I squirmed, Iri noona finally seemed to realize she had me in a vice grip.
Her face flushed bright red from the neck up, like some shojo manga heroine.
Huh? What's with the sudden reaction? Yesterday, she'd been hugging me like a teddy bear without a care.
“Wh-what! What happened yesterday?!”
“Calm down. Nothing... probably.”
“'Probably'? We were just gaming and... fell asleep?”
“You really don't remember?”
“Remember what?”
Why did my prankster side kick in right then? I kinda wanted revenge for her tying me up all night.
“You really don't remember, huh.”
“So what is it?”
I averted my eyes and made a show of wiping my lips with my finger.
“D-did we... k-k-kiss?!”
I stayed silent.
Iri noona froze like a broken robot, and an awkward silence settled in.
Clack-!
“Is that really true?!!”
Auntie burst through the door without warning.
“Huh? Uh, that...”
“M-Mom! I told you to knock!!”
“Oh dear. I've suspected something since I saw you two hugging in your sleep.”
“Seriously! If you saw, you should've woken us up or something.”
“Oh, it was bedtime—why wake you? You two looked so cute together, right?”
This prank was spiraling out of control. Auntie was getting all excited, elbowing Iri noona's side and teasing her mercilessly.
“It didn't happen.”
“What?”
“Huh?”
Both their stares pinned me down.
“Nothing happened yesterday.”
“Oh, really? Well, Auntie will leave you two alone—don't hold back now.”
“Taeyang, you!!!!!!”
Iri noona immediately threw me into a headlock and pummeled my head with her knuckles.
“Ow, that hurts! Stop!”
“Iri, you can't hit your husband... I mean, your brother like that.”
“Ugh!! You need to be taught a lesson!”
After some back-and-forth struggling, she finally let go—but not before pouting and turning her head away in a huff.
Considering Iri noona's usual carefree personality, this overreaction was weird for her today.
“You always hug and cling to me even when I say no—what's the difference?”
“Ugh... that's not the same!”
“How's it different?”
“Th-that was just me messing around!”
I still didn't get the distinction.
While Auntie prepared breakfast, Iri noona and I sat in this weird awkward atmosphere, staring silently at the TV.
“Iri noona.”
“What?”
“Did anything happen yesterday?”
Thwack-!!
I'd gotten way too into teasing her by now.
After finishing breakfast and messing around a bit more, I changed into my freshly laundered clothes from yesterday, which had dried nice and fluffy.
I finished getting ready and headed to the entrance.
“Thanks for everything.”
“No trouble at all~ Treat this place like your own home and come by anytime.”
“Yes, thank you. Iri noona, try to cheer up.”
“Sigh~”
Iri noona let out a deep sigh and walked over to me. I braced for another hit, but instead, she fussed with my clothes.
Turns out she was just straightening out a wrinkle.
“Ah, thanks.”
“You didn't catch a cold, right?”
“Hm? Nah.”
“Still, you got caught in the rain—just take it easy for a bit.”
Was she quietly worried about that time I had a cold? Now I felt kinda bad for all the teasing.
Iri noona started to reach for my head but hesitated and pulled her hand back. Guess she was still mad enough that a headpat was off-limits.
“Uh... sorry for the morning prank.”
“Whatever. Just get home safe.”
“Hehe, see ya.”
“Mom, pay attention to me now.”
I said my goodbyes and headed out. I hoped I hadn't caused a mother-daughter spat—Auntie seemed like she'd handle it fine.
On my way back from Iri noona's house, I ran into someone heading toward my place.
I hadn't expected her at all.
She waved first from across the way.
“Hey~ siscon.”
“Who're you calling siscon?!”
The pretty girl with the red half-ponytail walking over turned out to be someone I wasn't thrilled to see.
“You went all the way to her dorm 'cause you were worried about your sis being alone with some other guy on the school trip, and now you're denying it?”
“Well...”
I fumbled for words, remembering how Juyeon noona had actually benefited from that mess. I'd helped her out, and this was the thanks I got—a siscon label.
“Thanks to me, You could meet Seonwoo hyung without as many prying eyes.”
“Yeah, true. Never thought the siscon angle would actually help.”
“Quit with the siscon crap. People might misunderstand.”
Seong Juyeon just grinned mischievously, brushing off my anger.
“So, what's your business at my house? Here to see my sis?”
The last time Seong Juyeon had come over was for that midterms study group. She had no real reason to show up otherwise.
“Perfect timing, actually. I've been looking for an excuse to meet up with you.”
“Me?”
“Got another favor to ask.”
If it was a favor from Seong Juyeon, there was only one possibility.
“Something to do with Seonwoo hyung, right?”
She nodded readily.
“Easier to talk one-on-one anyway. C'mon, I'll buy you coffee.”
I texted home that I'd be a bit late, then followed her without protest. I was committed to helping her and Choi Seonwoo get together, after all.
But as we walked—purely with good intentions—she started saying things that made me want to bail.
“You and Yuli gotten close?”
“What're you talking about?”
“You hung out with Yuli on the school trip. Just asking if there's any progress.”
“Told you already—I have zero interest in Yuli noona.”
“Hmmm... So it really was just for your friend?”
“Obviously. I wouldn't scheme something shady just to get close to someone.”
My own plan suddenly felt a tad shady, and I squirmed a bit. But it was all for saving my sisters.
“Yeah, you do seem to like your own sis more.”
“Keep calling me siscon and I'm heading home.”
“Aw~ Why get all sulky?”
When did we get close enough for this teasing?
Seong Juyeon laughed heartily and led me to the neighborhood cafe.
“Order whatever you want.”
“Sure.”
In reality, I was helping for my own gains too—but she probably thought she was blackmailing me over the Yuli incident, so I went for something pricey without guilt. Gotta milk the blackmail, right?
“One Americano and a chocolate banana smoothie.”
We grabbed our vibrating pager and headed to an empty corner table.
“Straight to the point, then?”
“Saves time, yeah.”
She nodded, pleased with my approval, and got down to business.
“As you probably guessed, I need your help to make things work with Seonwoo again.”
“What's the deal?”
And just like that, a new, unexpected event kicked off.
“We're gathering for another study group like the midterms one.”
The finals study group event. Honestly, compared to midterms, this barely qualified as an event—it was more of a background scene.
Plus, Kim Hayan wouldn't even show up. My sis had plans to visit relatives that day.
Wait... does that mean I have to go too?
“Hm...”
“Something wrong?”
“You got a specific date set?”
“This day.”
Seong Juyeon pulled out her calendar and showed me.
I already knew the date roughly. The issue was ditching the family outing solo.
I had no idea how to cancel the whole relatives trip without issues, and dragging Hayan noona into the study group sounded like high-risk territory.
Guess I'd have to stubbornly bail on my own.
“We've got a family thing that day.”
“Oh?”
Caught off-guard, Seong Juyeon hesitated.
“Should we reschedule, then...”
“Nah, no need to change it. Actually, better not to.”
“Why?”
“If it's that day, Hayan noona won't come—fewer rivals, right?”
“...Whoa, total siscon move.”
“Why does it always circle back to that?!”
Why was she on this kick today? I snapped, but she hit back with a point I couldn't easily refute, her expression dead serious.
“I half-suspected, but it seems like you're wary of Seonwoo because of Kim Hayan.”
Spot on, unfortunately. Not siscon, but yeah, I was anxious about her and Seonwoo.
But Seong Juyeon, clueless about the real reason, jumped to her own conclusion.
“Seonwoo might be a perv who hits on anything in a skirt, but Hayan doesn't seem interested in him at all. Getting this worked up over it—sounds like siscon to me.”
Ha, I wanted to argue, but damn if it didn't make me happy too. Hayan noona had zero interest in Seonwoo. I fought back a smile, keeping a straight face.
Made me wonder if I was a siscon after all.
“I'm just looking out so you can hook up with Seonwoo!”
“Aw, that makes me happy~”
“Whatever—explain the plan for that day already.”
“You said you can't make it?”
“I'll figure out a way to skip. My cousins and I don't get along anyway.”
True story. One bursts into tears claiming I'm scary, the other is a total pain.
If I could bail, I'd make any excuse. Sorry, auntie.
“Hm... You don't have to go that far.”
Anyway, Seong Juyeon laid out the study group plan.
Since I'd already seen what goes down in the game, I started plotting countermeasures on the spot as she talked.