Didn't We Buy Everything Already?
"...What?"
I doubted my own ears.
Was what I just heard really right? Unless I'd gone insane?
The moment I snapped back to reality and looked at Haeun.
"You asked what your girlfriend has to do with me?"
Haeun repeated that insane line without so much as blinking.
"I-I just... said it. I have a girlfriend."
"I don't know. Stuff like that."
Haeun tilted her head, staring at me with empty eyes.
Like a child who couldn't grasp that one plus one equals two, her world seemed to contain only one variable—me, Lee Woojin—with all concepts of relationships or common sense long since deleted.
She's crazy... She isn't even pretending to listen.
Cold sweat trickled down my spine.
But I cleared my throat, forcing out some calm.
"Ahem. So, Haeun. If we think of this like marriage, having a girlfriend would be cheating, right?"
"......So?"
"Even if we're close, feeding each other bungeoppang on the street like aang~ is..."
Right then, as I desperately tried to inject some common sense.
Chomp—
Nom!
"......?!"
"......?"
Some small shadow popped out of nowhere and snatched the bungeoppang Haeun had held to my lips, taking a huge bite.
"Whoa, this is insanely good!"
The intruder mumbled around a mouthful, chocolate smeared all over her lips.
My little sister, Suah.
"...Lee Suah...?"
"Oh... Oppa!"
I stood there dumbfounded, staring alternately at Haeun—holding just the half-eaten tail of her bungeoppang in midair—and Suah, who crammed the rest of the body into her mouth and chewed happily.
"Hey, you lunatic... You'll gain weight if you eat too much of that, you pig."
"What? But Oppa, school's out—why're you here instead of home?"
Suah brushed off my nagging and crossed her arms.
Only then did her gaze shift to Haeun standing in front of me.
"Oh, hi, Unnie."
Haeun, who'd been staring down at her mangled bungeoppang, finally turned her head slowly toward Suah at the greeting.
"...Hi."
Suah gave a casual nod and grabbed at the hem of my uniform, tugging hard.
"Oppa, I'm hungry. Let's go home already~"
"Uh... Well, Suah..."
As I sweated and tried to hold her back.
"Suah."
Haeun's voice—cold yet silky—sliced right between us.
"Unnie was talking to Oppa first. You can't just butt in like that and act rude, right?"
The air around us froze solid in an instant.
Haeun smiled sweetly at Suah, but her eyes were sharp as knives.
"And if you eat someone else's bungeoppang without permission... shouldn't you apologize first?"
A suffocating wave of killing intent.
Haa... Haeun, please hold it together. She's clueless and crazy. Guess I have to step in here.
Sensing the crisis, I hurriedly scratched the back of my head and wedged myself between them.
"Ah, um... Haeun, sorry. She's got a big appetite. I'll scold her at home later... Or, want me to buy you another one?"
As I flashed an awkward smile and checked Haeun's reaction, she whipped her head around to glare at me.
"Hey. Lee Woojin."
"...Yeah?"
"Butt out."
"......."
"This is between me and Suah."
While I stood there mute as a fish, Suah peeked out from behind me.
"Um... Unnie... Sorry for eating your bungeoppang without asking. My bad."
Suah bowed coolly in apology.
But blood couldn't lie—she stared Haeun dead-on and continued firmly.
"That said, Unnie. My mistake is my mistake."
"......"
"But Oppa doesn't seem like he wants to talk to you at all?"
"......!"
My heart plummeted at Suah's bombshell.
"Forcing him to chat on the street when he doesn't want to... isn't that kinda harassment?"
Haeun's brow furrowed at Suah's line-crossing provocation, dark irritation blooming on her face.
She glared murderously at Suah, then turned to me.
"I-Is that... true, Woojin?"
Haeun's voice trembled faintly.
Lee Suah!! Don't you dare stir shit, seriously!! I don't wanna get stabbed today!!
I screamed internally, forcing my lips into a spasming smile.
"Ah, ahahaha! What's with her all of a sudden?"
Bonk!
I urgently flicked Suah's forehead.
"Ow!"
"Don't mind her, Haeun! We planned to grab festival props, remember? Hey, Lee Suah—quit yapping and go home!"
As I shoved her back, Suah rubbed her forehead and pouted.
"Ugh, Oppa, you're the worst~ Fine. Get some Melona on your way back!"
Suah bounded right up to me, threw her arms around my waist, and hugged tight.
Sniiiiif— haaah—!!
She buried her face in my chest, inhaling deeply, then beamed innocently.
"Ah~ Rough day, but Oppa-charged and full energy now~ See ya later, Oppa!"
Suah waved and vanished into the crowd like a squirrel.
"......"
The aftermath of the storm.
Haeun stared silently at where Suah had disappeared for a long moment, then slowly turned to look up at me.
"Woojin."
"Y-Yeah?"
"Can I... hug you too?"
"......"
At her question, mimicking Suah's actions exactly.
...Fuck no, you psycho.
I swallowed my boiling curses perfectly and flashed the kindest, most affable smile imaginable.
"No."
"Wha—"
Ignoring Haeun's cut-off protest, we headed down the street to the Nyan Daiso store in front of school.
Time passed, and Haeun meticulously filled her basket with paints, colored construction paper, scissors—odds and ends for booth decorations.
"Hmm... This should be enough."
My hands were already loaded with the small shopping bags of her picks.
"Haa..."
Fatigue creeping in, I massaged the back of my neck and casually broached it.
"Oh, really? Then shall we head out?"
It had dragged on longer than expected; I just wanted to go home and crash in bed.
But after checking out, Haeun ignored my hint and naturally hooked her arm through mine.
"You've carried stuff and helped all day... Dinner's on me, Woojin."
"Uh...?"
I froze at her sudden dinner invite.
Dinner?
Honestly, it sounded like a hassle.
"Nah, it's fine. Mom's probably got food ready at home anyway."
I figured that'd send her off.
But Haeun's eyes sparkled.
"Oh, really? Perfect... We can eat together there!"
"......What?!"
She twisted my excuse into an invite to my house.
Panic hit— she'd drag me into her pace and end up at my place for real.
"N-No! Wait... Dinner. Yeah, dinner... then go. Eat first."
At my quick pivot, Haeun smiled satisfied and squeezed my arm tighter.
"Sure? Then how about NyanDae Department Store over there?"
"NyanDae Department Store?"
I gawked at the massive luxury building across the street.
"Hey, that's super expensive... All the restaurants are fancy. Let's just grab something nearby, like NyanNyan Heaven..."
"What's wrong with that? I said I'd pay."
Haeun cut me off and looked up with a bone-chilling zinger.
"You'll be spending all your money on someone else this weekend anyway. Won't. Have. A. Penny. Left."
"......!"
Her sly jab at my Yu Jiwon date stabbed my chest; I bit my lip and hung my head.
"...Yeah. Let's go."
We passed through the revolving doors.
Luxury perfume wafted over us.
I turned toward the basement food court.
".....?...."
Wait... where was she going?
Haeun dragged me straight to the central escalator.
"Hey? Food court's downstairs. Basement."
Confused, I asked; Haeun rested her hand on the rail and replied leisurely.
"Oh... Gotta check something upstairs first."
"Haa..."
I swallowed a deep sigh.
God... Why do girls always do this in department stores? No clue.
Internally fuming, I meekly stood beside her on the escalator without a word.
"Welcome~! See anything you like? Want to try it on?"
We'd arrived at the third floor, packed with flashy women's clothing stores.
Right off the escalator, Haeun slipped into one brand's shop, greeted warmly by a clerk.
"Yes!"
Haeun chirped happily and started browsing the racks.
I stood awkwardly in a corner, pinching my forehead.
Haa... When the hell are we eating...?
Then.
"Woojin. Check this out."
Haeun called me over to the fitting room mirror.
"What..."
I glanced over lazily, and there she stood in a thin, elegant beige half-coat.
It fit her neat figure perfectly—gorgeous.
"How's it look? Suits me? Huh?"
Haeun fiddled with the collar, eyes full of expectation.
I couldn't ignore that gaze and grumbled back.
"...Yeah. It suits you."
How should I know? I don't get fashion. And... with your scammer-level face, honestly anything looks good on you.
Of course, I hid that thought completely and checked my watch, urging her on.
"...Done looking? Let's eat. I'm starving."
At my indifferent tone, Haeun's lip puffed out a bit.
"Not even pretending to care... Fine, let's go."
She handed the coat to the clerk and grabbed my hand, pulling me out.
Finally heading to eat—I sighed in relief.
But instead of down, she tugged me toward a more remote clothing corner.
"Hey? Where to? Food court's that way. Escalator."
I resisted, planting my feet; Haeun tilted her head back at me.
"Huh?"
"We're eating."
A strange, chilling smile spread on Haeun's lips.
"Haven't bought the most important prep item yet."
"......?"
Prep item? We got everything at Nyan Daiso.
As I gaped blankly, Haeun gripped my hand tight and strode confidently toward the unknown corner.