Chapter 55
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Drinks with Hwayeon
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Once a thread gets tangled, the more you pull, the worse the knots become.
I should've cleared up the misunderstanding right from the start, but as always, there's no point regretting the past.
"Huh? Bro, is that what this is? You really like me? Were you into me? Huh?"
"Ugh, I told you it's not like that. I'm trying to focus on making this coffee—be quiet for a sec."
"It's just practice anyway, so messing up is no big deal. Hehe~ Why do you keep dodging? Are you serious? Mmm?"
It started with Hwayeon approaching me all serious-like.
But when I avoided her gaze, she latched on like she'd caught me red-handed, pestering me the whole time I worked.
In the end, her teasing boiled down to whether I had some romantic interest in her that made me slip up.
I brushed it off lightly a few times, but that wasn't enough for her—she kept at it relentlessly.
'If I shut her down firmly... Ugh, no. She'd just twist it into "So it was sexual tension?" or "Did you mistake me for one of the sisters?" and it'd spiral weirdly.'
Whether I came off as a pervert who'd touch his little sister or his big sisters, either way it was a lose-lose.
No choice but to grit my teeth and endure in silence, but Hwayeon got competitive and started raising her voice.
"Aww~ That's not fair. I even pressed my chest against you, and you won't share what's really on your mind."
"Hey! The customers are far away—don't yell like that. What if they hear?"
"Let 'em hear if they do? Come to think of it, I didn't do anything wrong. It's all your fault, bro."
"If that's how we're playing... Hey, what about that time at the counter then?"
"Huh? What're you talking about?"
"You grabbed my ass from behind down here. If we're nitpicking, you started it first, right? So what, did you have some naughty intentions toward me?"
"Eek?! N-No way! Back then, I was just messing with you, playing a prank!"
"Exactly. Same here. No big meaning behind it, so quit nagging. Got it?"
I thought that might wrap it up since she seemed a bit remorseful.
But Hwayeon never knew when to quit, so she forced me to pull out the "put yourself in my shoes" logic.
It hit hard—she trembled with her hands clenched, frowning with an "Eeeh~,"
but finally, in the now-quiet cafe, I sipped the coffee I'd made myself and found some peace.
'...Tastes like crap. Gotta practice more at home.'
I was mulling over digging out the coffee machine stashed in the storage room and cleaning it when I got back.
Hwayeon, who'd been fidgeting, sidled up beside me and glanced my way.
"But hey, bro."
"Yeah? Slurp."
"What if... just hypothetically... there was a tiny bit of interest? What would you do?"
"Slurrp... What're you on about? You drunk off coffee or something?"
"No, I said what if! It's not like I'm saying I actually like you—it's just normal to be a little curious sometimes..."
I thought it was finally quiet, but here she goes again.
No interest, yet groping someone's butt? Just out of curiosity?
'Either she's lost it, or I've had too much caffeine. It did taste extra bitter—maybe I screwed up the ratios.'
I sniffed my cup to make sure it didn't smell like booze,
then scratched my head and sorted through the nonsense coming from beside me.
"So you're saying you just kneaded my ass out of simple curiosity that day? Why?"
"Ughh, well... Partly to confirm you're adopted, and partly 'cause I figured your reactions would be fun if I teased you."
"And?"
"...Honestly, I was a little curious too. You know? You came back from the army all buff and muscly, and then you're bumping and brushing against me all the time—how could I not notice?"
As her excuse, Hwayeon pointed to my muscles and the subtle skinship.
But no matter how she spun it, it just sounded like she'd taken an interest in a guy's body.
And ended up stretching out her hand because she couldn't hold back her curiosity... like some criminal's defense.
'Shouldn't think like this... but is she in heat or something?'
I swallowed the thought I shouldn't have about my little sister and carefully chose my words.
"Hwayeon. The internet's got everything these days, right? Even without a computer, you can look stuff up on your phone or tablet."
"Huh? Yeah... Why bring that up out of nowhere...?"
"If you're that desperate, just search it up there. You'll find tons of good stuff quick."
"Wha? What're you... Eek?! Y-You perv! What kinda crap are you saying to your little sister? Who do you think I am?!"
"Ow. No, hear me out—don't get mad. I just figured you seemed really worked up, so instead of jumping straight to hands-on, try something useful and safe... Owow!"
"Th-That's not it at all! You think I said this 'cause I'm horny for guys? Die, just die! Idiot!"
Hwayeon grabbed a tray from beside the counter and whacked my shoulders and arms.
It wasn't too bad since it was a wide surface, but the emotion behind it made a real racket.
'I was being considerate, geez. Can't exactly tell her to work it out on my body, right? She's not one of our sisters.'
Reminding myself just how bold our older sisters had been,
I raised both hands in surrender and calmed Hwayeon down another way.
"Whoa whoa, easy, easy. So what do you want? What can I do for you?"
"Ugh, I wasn't saying it expecting anything. You made me sound like some butt-groping molester out of nowhere... I just blurted it out in anger."
"So it really wasn't anything like that? And that comment just now was pure anger too?"
"...If you keep asking like that, it's not 100% anger... Ah, quit looking at me like that!"
I'm giving her an easy out, so why does she keep digging her own hole?
Just say it was a mistake and be done. Why be "honest" about the weird stuff?
'Must run in the family. Fair enough—I couldn't lie to the sisters at crucial moments either.'
Finding common ground with Hwayeon, who shared our family blood, lifted my mood a bit.
The girl herself hid her flushed face behind the tray like she was some stranger.
'Sigh. Hate to admit it, but it was a nice mood changer. Can't just keep ignoring her though.'
Things had gotten messy, but she'd approached me out of worry at first.
Maybe time to play big brother for once—I checked the clock and the weather outside.
"Shift ends soon, and it won't be too dark yet. Wanna grab a casual drink?"
"Huh? A drink? Just us two?"
"Yeah. We can vent about whatever's bugging you and clear up any weirdness between us. No more exploding like last time."
"Wh-When did I ever explode?!"
"Oh yeah, you don't remember? Crying to the sisters about me playing favorites with Mokhui... Ow."
"Never happened! Not at all, never! Don't make stuff up, jerk."
She remembered alright—her face poked out from behind the tray, redder than a beet.
But she met my eyes again, so she wasn't taking it bad, and soon she was fussing with her hair, mumbling.
"So, where we going?"
"Convenience store for something light works. Or any spot you know nearby."
"You brought it up—shouldn't you pick the place?"
"Too lazy... I mean, I was holed up in the mountains 'til recently. Still getting used to around here."
"You just carrying that phone for show? Look it up."
"Couldn't use my phone freely in the army. Apps feel like a whole new world now. Think my savvy little sis could help a guy out?"
"Ugh, anyone'd think you'd served for decades. Fine, fine—I'll find one. You pick what you wanna eat. Hmph."
"Thanks~ I'll cover the snacks at least."
"Shouldn't that include the booze too? Cheapskate."
"Keep it up and the drinks are off."
"Okay, okay! Hold on, I'm searching... Seriously."
My hands hurt from coffee-making, so I piled on excuses to dump the reservations on her.
Luckily—either 'cause she didn't know army life or was fed up with me—she found a decently reviewed spot herself.
A bit later, customers flooded in right at shift change, leaving me to crank out ten drinks nonstop by myself.
Hwayeon, glued to her phone "reserving," was smirking by then. ...Clever little punk.
"Ugh, my hands are still numb. Why do customers always swarm at shift change?"
"Isn't that why they schedule it that way? Builds skills fast, hehe."
"Easy for you to say—should've helped a bit if you saw how slammed I was."
"Couldn't~ No good spots around here at all."
"Yeah, right. Sigh, my luck."
We'd talked big, but we ended up at your standard neighborhood chicken joint.
It doubled as a beer hall, interior was decent enough inside, but nothing worth hunting down and reserving.
"Even so, no better spot for chatting without prying eyes. All the pubs these days have wide-open layouts."
"Fair point. Good work finding it anyway—cheers."
"Yup, cheers~!"
Still, the walls around the table came up to chest height when standing, perfect for yapping without worry.
When the chicken arrived, we knocked back 500cc beers and a few shots of soju, chatting about work and home.
"So yeah, the sisters nag me nonstop whenever they see me. I come home beat from work too, but they just boss me around."
"They're wiped from office jobs. Makes sense we pitch in since we're less busy."
"What about school then? I'm busting my ass twice as hard as anyone—notice that, bro?"
"Sure sure, poor thing. What're we gonna do with you? Aww."
"Ugh... Total patronizing. I was serious, and you mock me. Hmph."
"Busted? Our Hwayeon's gotten sharp."
"Wanna die? I'll make you pay for drinks and snacks."
"Mercy on that. Even this big bro's funds are running low, sigh."
Lately I'd been shelling out pocket money to the little sisters, time to watch my spending.
Hwayeon seemed aware she'd raided my wallet and quietly nursed her beer.
"Anyway, can I ask about that now?"
"What? ...That thing from earlier? For real?"
"Might be awkward asking you, but who else can I be this straight with besides family?"
"True that... Ugh. What're you so curious about?"
"Were you seriously curious about a girl's body, Hwayeon? Or just a one-off slip-up from curiosity?"
I didn't mean it super seriously.
If she owned up to it being a momentary mistake or impulse, it'd just be bar banter.
...Or so I thought.
Why's Hwayeon fiddling with her earlobe, no answer?
"Hwayeon?"
"Yeah... Well, bro."
"Huh?"
"To be honest... I'm not totally uninterested."
"...Huh?"
"It's normal to notice a bit, right? I'm a girl in my prime, curious about that stuff at this age."
This wasn't it.
Why's the vibe suddenly like this?
'Am I drunk? Should've stuck to beer, skipped the shandygaff.'
I belatedly poured ice water into my glass.
Too late—Hwayeon's confession beat me to it.
"If you're adopted, telling you about that stuff... wouldn't be that wrong, right?"
"...Gulp, gulp."
I set down the water and chugged my half-empty beer instead.
Too much soju in it—the bitterness hit harder than my coffee.
That must be why.
Why my face felt scorching hot.
Why my insides boiled like bubbling lava.
'Hwayeon's red from the pub lights.'
Convincing myself of that, I clinked glasses wordlessly with the girl who raised hers.
I'd just quenched my thirst, but the booze slid down my throat like it was never enough.
The buzz rising warned me: stay sharp, or something's gonna happen tonight.