Let's Go to the Onsen
"Hello? Mom?"
As soon as the call connected, Eunseo's voice came out trembling.
-Oh, Eunseo! It's been so long since you called!
A familiar, warm middle-aged woman's voice came through the speaker.
I flinched.
My shoulders jumped up high. Eunseo did the same.
Her big black eyes widened.
-Our eldest daughter, are you eating properly? You never pick up when you're so busy. It makes me feel neglected.
It was so natural.
Just the affectionate scolding of an ordinary mother toward her own eldest daughter, without any sense of incongruity or suspicion.
The moment those words hit my ears, I felt relieved.
Eunseo felt the same.
She wiped the tears from her eyes and barely squeezed out her voice.
"Y-yeah… yes, Mom. I'm eating well. Have you… eaten?"
At first, her voice shook terribly.
But from the second sentence, she started to become surprisingly calm and relaxed.
Soon, as if she'd never been anxious, a bright smile bloomed on her lips as she continued the call.
-Of course, your dad and I just had dinner. Does our Eunseo need anything?
"No, I'm doing great, so don't worry."
I let out a long, deep sigh of relief.
I immediately pulled out my smartphone and sent a message to the twenty-year-old Eunha, who was probably waiting anxiously in her studio apartment.
Haa… I aged ten years. Thank goodness for real T_T
I could clearly picture Eunha sighing deeply in relief through the messenger.
In the meantime, Eunseo was fully in the flow of everyday conversation with her parents.
She was even giggling out loud and coquettishly playing cute.
Then it happened.
While on the call, Eunseo suddenly turned her gaze toward me sitting on the sofa.
"Oh, by the way, Mom. This weekend, I'm going on an onsen trip with Dojin."
"…?!"
What the hell was she saying?
I frantically waved both hands in intense denial that there was no such plan, but Eunseo ignored my rebellion and casually pressed the speakerphone button.
-Oh really? Are you two going alone?
Eunha's mother's surprised voice flowed through the speaker.
-Since when have you two been so close that you're going on a trip just the two of you?
"What are you talking about, Mom."
Eunseo replied in a very natural and smooth voice.
"If just you, me, and Dojin go, our Eunha would foam at the mouth and have a fit, right? She babies Dojin so much."
She grinned and continued.
"Of course it's Eunha, me, and Dojin. The three of us going on a trip together. We're all tired lately, so we're just going to relax and have fun, so don't misunderstand, Mom."
-Aigoo, what was I thinking. Our eldest daughter says such out-of-the-blue things, it startled me.
"What's there to misunderstand? We're just going like a family trip with childhood friends."
-Okay, okay. Have fun, you three. Eat lots of delicious food. Tell Dojin to drive safely.
"Yes~ Got it, Mom. Hanging up!"
Click. The call ended.
Eunseo lightly placed her smartphone on the table and smiled at me.
"You heard that, right?"
She said, lightly licking her lips with the tip of her tongue.
"Let's all go on an onsen trip together."
I let out a deep sigh. I had no choice but to resign myself.
I sent a message to Eunha.
About the call with Mom just now, and that the three of us were going on an onsen trip.
Sure. Let's all go.
The chat window's "1" disappeared.
Eunha was probably as flustered by this sudden development as I was, trying to process it.
But soon, her reply arrived.
It was an unexpectedly cool acceptance.
"Alright… got it. I should tell my parents too."
If history had been altered, my parents would naturally accept Eunseo Yoo's existence as well.
To confirm, I immediately called my mom.
Ring ring ring-.
-Hey, Dojin. What's up, calling this late?
I steadied my voice and spoke casually.
"Mom, this weekend, I'm going on an onsen trip with Eunha… and Eunseo unnie."
-What? With Eunha and Eunseo? The three of you on a trip?
Surprise was thick in Mom's voice.
But there was no question of "Who's Eunseo?"
Thank goodness. Really.
And then Dad's gruff voice suddenly cut in.
-Whoa! Our son's got some serious game! Taking those pretty sisters on either side to an onsen trip! Heh, a man's gotta have skills… Dad's jealous, so jealous!
A loud, resounding smack on the back echoed through the phone speaker, followed by Dad's scream.
-You never know when to shut up with the kid! Are you insane?!
Mom's sharp yell followed.
-Dojin, ignore your dad's nonsense. No funny business, have a wholesome time and come back. Got it?
"Y-yeah. Yes, it's not like that anyway, so don't worry."
It wasn't "funny business"—we'd already crossed the line big time… If my parents found out, it wouldn't be just a spanking; my family register might fly out the window.
For real.
The next day.
In my studio apartment, the three of us gathered in a circle to plan the onsen trip in earnest.
The atmosphere was strangely tense.
Eunha had her arms tightly crossed, glaring at Eunseo sitting next to me with deep dissatisfaction.
Eunseo, enjoying that pouty glare with a leisurely smile, suddenly uncrossed her arms and spoke to Eunha.
"Okay, Eunha."
"What."
Eunha replied curtly. Eunseo's eyes narrowed.
"Call me unnie."
"…What?"
"The world made me your real big sister, right? We have to get the titles straight first so no one outside suspects anything."
At Eunseo's demand, Eunha's face twisted in a deep frown.
"No way. Why should I? We're both Yoo Eunha, so why do I have to suddenly act like the little sister and grovel?"
Eunseo stared straight at Eunha with unwavering dark eyes and spoke in a lower, more serious tone.
"This isn't a joke. You need to get used to it."
"…."
"What if we go out, or in front of the onsen staff, and you slip up and call me by name or use banmal? People will stare weirdly, and worst case, it gets back to our parents and things get super messy. Make it stick in your mouth. Now."
Eunha bit her lower lip hard.
She knew deep down there was no room for argument.
"Haa…."
Finally, after staring at the floor for a long time, Eunha let out a deep, heavy sigh.
And muttered with a miserable expression.
"…Eunseo, unnie."
The moment she said it, a victor's smile bloomed on Eunseo's lips.
"That's right. Our good, pretty little sister. You should've called me that sooner."
As Eunseo reached out to stroke Eunha's hair, Eunha roughly swatted her hand away and huffed.
Watching the sisters(?) power struggle, I could only glance around awkwardly.
Once the tension eased a bit, Eunseo took out her smartphone and slid it to the center of the table.
"Anyway, I've planned the perfect itinerary. What do you think?"
Eunseo first shoved the screen in front of Eunha.
And suddenly, Eunha's shoulders flinched hard.
Her eyes widened like saucers, and in an instant, her face and neck flushed tomato-red.
"…!"
Eunha looked back and forth between the smartphone screen and me in disbelief.
Her breathing quickened slightly, and I could hear her swallowing dryly through her tightly pressed lips.
"…G-good."
Eunha barely replied in a mosquito-like voice, her gaze firmly down.
What kind of place could elicit that reaction?
"Honey, take a look. You'll love it."
I took the smartphone Eunseo handed me.
And slowly read the accommodation details.
The next moment, my expression froze stiff.
Because the place… well, it had mixed baths.
I had no idea how such a thing existed in Korea, but it blatantly advertised for couples.
It said they provided privacy with very small baths.
For example, for two people, a mixed bath only they could enter… that kind of vibe.
'If three of us go there….'
Just imagining it was insane.
I could already see the staff eyeing me like a madman!