Chapter 28
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Siblings' Circumstances
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I wasn't so much of a fool that I didn't know what Sujeong meant by "excited."
But the fact that she hadn't put it into blunt words showed her consideration.
For a fleeting moment, I even hesitated about leaning into that kindness.
'No, that won't do. If I keep relying on Sujeong's gentleness every time, she'll reach her limit eventually.'
I straightened my thoughts, caught my breath, and gathered my words.
Sujeong had waited patiently for me all the while, and even after I finished speaking, she didn't fire off questions or rebukes right away.
"Last time... I hugged Geumbi for a bit."
"Yeah."
"The reason was similar to what happened with you, Sujeong. The logic was that I wouldn't react to my sisters if I weren't adopted."
"Yeah."
"But a guy's instincts... man. At first, there really weren't any feelings at all."
"Mhm."
"But the more I held her... it was night, her skin was hot, and her heartbeat was pounding so loud..."
"Mhm... gulp."
"......What you mean by 'excited,' sis... I did it."
"Eek...!"
And with that, my confession ended.
There was more to dig into—the part about going to Geumbi's room after—but her question had only been about whether I'd gotten excited, so this should suffice.
'Right? This is suspicious and embarrassing enough already.'
At some point, I'd bowed my head, and I stealthily averted my eyes from her gaze.
But even after I finished, Sujeong said nothing. Her hand on my thigh just throbbed with her pulse.
'Is it fast? Or normal? Doesn't seem slow...'
Gauging her mood from her pulse alone would be impossible even for a doctor or psychologist.
It might've been more accurate if I'd held her hand. I cautiously tried to touch her fingertip with mine... but in the end, it fell away without making contact.
"Jigu."
"Yeah, sis."
"Nothing else happened with Geumbi after that, right?"
"......!"
Sujeong usually seemed so gentle, but when she was firm, no one was firmer.
She often sounded like that when scolding Geumbi or Hwayeon, and now she was pressuring me with that exact tone.
"So it did happen."
"No, sis, that's... eek?"
"I see. And yet I let Geumbi sleep right next to you, clueless as ever."
"Ugh, sis? My thigh... it hurts... ow."
Was she angry?
Sujeong gripped my thigh hard, pressing into my sore muscles like acupressure, and I winced.
But no matter how twisted my face got, could it compare to hers?
A quick glance at her showed a blank expression devoid of emotion, which only made the anger inside feel all the more real.
'Maybe it'd be better if she just scolded me outright like Geumbi... gulp. The pain, the pressure—it's driving me crazy.'
If I asked her to pick one or the other, she'd probably despise me.
But just as I thought enduring a broken leg might be better... the strength in her hand eased, and instead, her body leaned toward me.
"Eek?! S-Sis?"
"Jigu."
"M-Mhm... yeah."
"So, how was last night?"
"Huh? What about it?"
"Geumbi was clinging to you tight again yesterday while you slept. You got... excited the same way then too, right?"
"No way! Look, sis. What happened before was a total fluke. We just kept hugging constantly, that's all. Normally, I don't think like that at a—waaah?!"
I was scrambling to narrow the scope of her interrogation when Sujeong, who'd drawn close, suddenly pinned me down.
Already off-balance, I couldn't hold out and tumbled onto the bed, looking up at her straddling me.
"S-Su... Sujeong sis? Why are you doing this all of a sudden?"
"It's a test. You did this with Geumbi too, didn't you?"
"Nooo, with Geumbi it was just facing each other on the couch, hugging—eek?!"
"Lying down like this is basically the same as hugging, isn't it?"
"Uh, the contact area is similar, but..."
Sujeong lay flat on top of me, pressing her stomach and chest right against mine.
Her cheek, shoulder, collarbone, breasts—all of it throbbed against my upper body.
And lower down, her belly, hips, and our now-entwined legs made my toes curl.
'Stay calm. She's just doing this in the heat of the moment, so don't panic. Yeah.'
If I lost it here, it was really over. I clenched my toes, fingers, and lips, trying to steady my pounding heart.
But even with all my effort, I couldn't control my body's insides.
"Jigu, your heart... it's racing like crazy."
"Eek. M-Must be your imagination."
"Nope? It's so loud I could count your pulse."
"...Yeah, it's pounding. So please don't count it."
Sujeong deviously pressed her ear to my left chest, listening.
After some agonizing thought, I surrendered and raised both hands.
"I lose, I admit it. I get excited by Geumbi sometimes, and by you too. Happy now? Get off."
"Sometimes? Really just sometimes?"
"...Lately, it's been more often."
"Lately? So even before we fell asleep together, you were getting excited a lot?"
"No, ah... get off first and we'll talk! How long are you gonna stay stuck to me?!"
Seemed impossible to talk my way out with Sujeong like this.
The deeper she probed, the more exposed I felt, so I thrashed and shoved her off.
"Ugh... sis, I'm really not like that? Whatever you're thinking, I don't go around fantasizing about you sisters normally."
"Oh? And you know what I'm thinking?"
"......Anyway! We're family, right? Over 20 years under one roof, got along great as kids. Sure, things got a bit awkward as adults... but you know that, yeah?"
"I thought I knew, but lately... I'm not so sure anymore."
"Sis?!"
"Hehe, okay, okay. That last part was a joke."
Finally prying her off, I poured out my grievances to Sujeong.
Thankfully, it got through somewhat; by the end, she showed a bit of understanding with a smile.
'If only the last bit was a joke, that means everything before was dead serious... ugh.'
Still, I'd lost too much ground in this talk.
I'd even confessed to getting excited by both sisters lately, so all that was left was awaiting Sujeong's judgment.
"......Hoo."
"Jigu."
"Mhm, sis."
"Look at me?"
"Mmm... sis."
With a long sigh, I tremblingly met her eyes.
For a brief moment, she'd smiled, but now her face was expressionless again.
"I don't know much about guys' bodies... but I get it to some extent. I know what kind of kid you are, and we've lived together all these years."
"Sis..."
"You're not doing it on purpose. It must be tough for you too."
"Yeah... it is."
"But as your big sister, I can't just overlook this."
"Yeah... I get that. I understand how you feel."
We might not think of each other sexually, but the standard was for siblings to sleep in separate rooms by puberty.
It wasn't from lack of trust or needless suspicion—it was simple respect.
'This is the same issue. She won't scold me outright for it being wrong, but she can't just leave it be either.'
I slumped my shoulders and awaited her decision.
Probably something like no more sleeping with the sisters, or at least keeping distance in the living room.
......Or so I'd guessed for my future.
But Sujeong's worries ran deeper than I'd imagined.
"I thought about going back to sleeping separately like before."
"Yeah."
"But... for now, that's impossible. Talking with Geumbi yesterday made me realize I can't give this up."
"Huh? Really?"
"Sorry. You're struggling too, and here I am being selfish."
"No. I said I'm fine, and mentally, I really am."
"...But not physically."
"Like I said a million times, it's not something I can control."
Sujeong blushed and glanced at my crotch, and I quickly hid my own reddening face.
"Even telling you to calm down at night is unrealistic now? Especially with Geumbi joining us."
"...That's unrelated. It just reacts on its own."
"True. I heard guys get hard on their own in the morning too."
"C-Could you not say it so bluntly? Even though I told you, it's embarrassing."
The talk had gone beyond awkward into mortifying, and I squeezed my eyes shut.
Maybe if I couldn't see, it'd be better—but no, her voice just rang clearer.
So the words that followed weren't my imagination.
"If we can't change the situation... when you're having a hard time, I'll help you."
"Huh? What?"
"Not with Geumbi, but with me. When you need it... you can use me."
"Huh? ......Whaaat?!"
I pulled my hand from my eyes and gawked.
There sat Sujeong by the bed, knees together, hands demurely folded, lips twitching on her flushed face.
"I-I don't know much about that stuff... so I can't take the lead, but I can still help. I-I was pretty popular with guys, you know?"
"W-Wait, sis. Do you even realize what you're saying...? No, this is insane...!"
Sujeong, having said it, stared boldly and rattled off more, but her eyes spun wildly, and her neck to earlobes burned red. She didn't look okay.
'First Geumbi, now Sujeong? Sisters through and through—even down to this.'
To be precise, there were subtle differences.
Geumbi offering to "handle it herself" when I was struggling, versus Sujeong saying it was okay to "handle it with her." Same shock either way.
'Yep, they're blood sisters for sure. Makes me even more certain I'm the adopted one. Mom!'
I wanted to call her right then to confirm the truth.
But unfortunately, it was rush hour for Mom. The hospital would be hectic, so I couldn't bother her first thing.
"Um, Jigu...? Am I... not enough for you?"
"Hic?!"
As I floundered for words, Sujeong grew anxious and scooted closer again.
Like before, I desperately persuaded her that we absolutely could not touch right now.
"Ah, w-wait just a sec...! Let me shower first, then we'll talk!"
I flailed my arms in panic and bolted to the bathroom.
On the way out, I bumped into Geumbi, but she flushed and stepped aside—probably because of the kiss yesterday.
In the bathroom, I turned on the shower and doused my head with cold water for ages.
But my feverish skin from head to toe showed no sign of cooling.
'Use her? It's okay to use her? What the hell is this crazy sister thinking...!'
I slathered shampoo on my hands and scrubbed my scalp furiously.
The excuse was pointless; half the lather splattered onto the bathroom floor.
Drip, drip. Staring at the white droplets falling between my legs.
An unwanted image surfaced, and Sujeong's body from moments ago in the room flickered in my mind.
Sujeong had been wearing just a thin white sleeveless tee... no bra underneath.
'And she bowed her head, pressed against me, stuck right to me... ugh.'
I really hadn't wanted to.
But my right hand had already gripped my lower half.
All that gym work to sweat it out was for naught.
I bit my lip and sprayed more sticky fluid around the shampoo puddle on the tiles.