Chapter 10
Chapter 10
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: Better Than a Little Sister: More Little Sisters - 2
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"Got something I want to say. Wanna grab lunch together?"
I'd originally planned to just chat briefly and head back today...
But seeing her reaction when she heard my brother's name piqued my curiosity.
...No way. Does she like him? My brother?
Hmm... We're close enough that we can proudly introduce each other as siblings when friends come over or we run into each other outside.
I don't even need to say it about myself, and I figured my brother would never hear anyone call him inadequate anywhere...
But isn't this on the level of Beauty and the Beast?
Just putting this girl next to anyone would make them look like the beast, you know? Like...
Their "level" was different.
I could barely believe this girl was the same age as me, let alone that she was interested in my brother.
It even crossed my mind that maybe she had some dirt on him...?
Ah, that's probably not fair. Heh, sorry, Oppa.
At my invitation for lunch, Seo Yerim opened and closed her mouth like she had something to say but was struggling to get it out.
Just moments ago, she'd been glaring at me coldly like she was about to snap, "No way, why would I?"
Now she was fumbling around like this—was it even the same girl...?
No matter how I looked at it, she didn't seem to hate the idea of eating lunch with me...
Hmm... Ah, could it be?
"Oh, just to clear up any misunderstanding—this is just the two of us. Just us two."
"...Just the two of us?"
Bingo?
I could tell from the way she visibly relaxed the moment I said it.
Uwah, sorry, guys...!
I silently apologized to my usual lunch buddies in my head.
"Yeah, just the two of us. What do you say?"
"...Sure, sounds good."
With the lunch spot decided for later, I left the classroom.
Glancing back as I went, the scene inside was the same as before.
But seeing Seo Yerim with that faint smile made me understand why my brother had asked me that favor.
"Uuu—traitor!"
"Sorry~!"
Lunchtime.
Leaving my friends—who were still grumbling and staring daggers at me—I finally escaped the classroom.
They'd tease me mercilessly when I got back... Yeah, but that's a problem for later!
It took a bit to slip away, so I hurried to our meeting spot.
This was kinda nice, though.
Back in the classroom too—Yerim stood out so much, I didn't even need to look for her.
Just follow where everyone's eyes were pointing, and there she was.
She was just that eye-catching.
I wondered if she always got stares like this. Must be exhausting.
"Sorry I'm late—did I keep you waiting?"
As I approached and called out to her, she flinched like I'd startled her.
Then she shook her head side to side.
"...It's fine."
Heading to the cafeteria, I brought up the topic I'd prepared in advance for lunch.
Heh heh, just like when we first met...!
"What's your MBTI?"
"MBTI...?"
"Yeah! If you tell me yours, I'll tell you mine..."
"No idea...?"
Huh...?
How could she not know her own MBTI? Doesn't everyone do it at least once...?
I panicked since my carefully prepared first topic hit a wall right away, and Yerim made a troubled face too.
"W-well then."
"Uh, yeah...?"
"How about I find a MBTI test for next time and we do it together?"
"...Next time?"
"Yeah! It's super fun! And it'd be cool to see what comes out for someone like you."
"...Okay, sure."
Phew~
I'd accidentally made plans for next time too. But it wasn't like this was a one-off anyway, so whatever.
Seeing her nod eagerly like she was looking forward to it made me think, why not?
"...Huh?"
"...?"
"Whoa, they turned yellow..."
They really do change...
They'd been normal black just a second ago.
Like forsythia flowers slowly blooming.
Seeing those eyes softly tinged yellow, I couldn't help but gasp in admiration.
"I-is it weird...?"
Looking back later, her voice had trembled nervously when she said that.
She'd frozen while staring at me.
There were plenty of clues that I could've picked up on about what emotion she was feeling when she asked if it was weird.
But at the time, I was too entranced by the mysterious, beautiful sight right in front of me to notice.
"Weird? No way! They're so pretty, whoa..."
Oppa.
I get why you fell for her.
We're blood siblings, after all.
If you're feeling what I'm feeling right now... well, can't be helped, right?
As I kept staring and going "whoa," Yerim looked embarrassed but...
Like she wanted to live up to my expectations, she didn't look away from me.
I was curious what those yellow eyes meant, but it didn't matter right then.
I'd figure that out from now on.
No matter how you sliced it, they had to mean something better than the gray eyes from when we first met.
"So, what was it you wanted to say...?"
"Hm?"
While eating, the sudden "something to say" made me recall what she'd said when I lured her to lunch earlier.
...Honestly, there was nothing like that.
But I figured you wouldn't come otherwise.
That's what I'd thought then, but after actually chatting with Yerim a bit, I wondered if she'd have come even if I'd been upfront.
Who knew? This girl who seemed so cold turned out to be such a softie.
Just like a cat.
Hissing with hackles up at first, then purring once she got used to you.
Still, I couldn't straight-up say, "S-sorry. There was nothing like that. I just wanted to show you Sea..." So as I pondered what to say,
I decided to just ask directly.
"Do you like my brother by any chance?"
"...?! *Cough*, *cough cough*. W-water...!"
"Eek! S-sorry. Here, drink some water. You okay?"
She jolted so hard her chair shook at my sudden fastball.
Then, probably from choking on her food, she was coughing with tears welling up. I felt bad.
After waiting for her to sip water and calm down, she let out a "Hoo..." and exhaled a moment later.
Her moist eyes, tinged with a hint of resentment, turned to me.
"Why'd you ask that all of a sudden...?"
"Eh~ Just a woman's intuition?"
"...Liar. Did Woojin Op—oppa say something?"
"Oppa didn't say a word."
"......"
"~That was a lie. He did talk about you. But asking if you like him? That's purely my gut feeling. For real."
What would her answer be?
Deny it, like "What are you talking about, no"?
Ask how I knew, or nod and admit it?
Calming my pounding heart, I rested my chin in my hand and watched her lips.
"...Maybe."
"Maybe?"
"It's not like I like him... not yet."
"...Not yet?"
"Yeah... not yet."
You know that tone and expression make it totally unconvincing, right?
"Maybe," "not yet"—like even she couldn't fully deny it to herself.
Saying that with eyes that had instantly turned pink, unlike before...
I didn't know what pink eyes meant, but at least I knew this much.
If it wasn't about my brother, it wouldn't have been any of my business.
But I kept that thought to myself.
Anything more was for my brother to handle, not me.
"Why 'not yet,' huh?"
"...We've only known each other for a day."
...You've only known each other for a day? Soulmates or what?
If both were already like this after just one day, as long as my brother didn't mess up, it'd happen soon, I figured.
"What does how long you've known each other matter~? I liked your brother the moment I saw him."
"......? My brother?"
"Yeah! He showed me that messenger pic yesterday. He's super handsome."
"He was pretty popular, but that much...?"
Yerim tilted her head like she genuinely had no idea.
"Living your whole life with a brother like that must've raised your standards too high."
"I like Woojin Oppa more than my own brother..."
Done.
Mid-sentence, Yerim clamped her mouth shut.
"More what?"
"......"
"Number one: handsome. Number two: dazzling. Number three: wanna cuddle."
".............."
"N-no way! Don't tell me all of them!?"
"I-I didn't say it that far...!"
As I teased her, watching those pink eyes deepen even more and her face flush bright red, she finally went "Eek!" and covered my mouth.
That day, an alliance of little sisters formed—without their big brothers knowing.
"...So, how was it? My little sister."
"Hmm..."
Honestly, when Sea first approached me saying she was Woojin Oppa's little sister, my heart dropped.
I wondered if he'd figured out my situation.
He'd already seen me crying in embarrassment, but I didn't want him knowing why...
I didn't want those warm eyes looking at me turning to eyes of pity.
At first, it felt awkward, but Sea looked right into my eyes—just like Oppa had—and called them pretty.
Seeing her make plans for next time reminded me of him, and I couldn't help but relax.
Yeah, I couldn't help it.
"...It was nice. A lot."
I felt like I could really get along with Sea.
And—we even formed an alliance.
But I was too embarrassed to say that out loud. This would stay our lifelong secret...
Of course, Oppa pretending in front of me like nothing had happened was a little infuriating.
But I was happy he'd thought of me even after getting home.
Grateful that he still looked at me with those warm eyes unchanged.
So, I decided to trust him.
I didn't know what they talked about.
But I believed the guy in front of me wouldn't hurt me.
That's why I'd put all my gratitude into preparing dinner with high hopes.
"...Yerim. Um, there's a dish I want to try making. Can I do it next time I come over?"
"......Okay."
...Turns out Oppa can hurt me sometimes too.
First, the furrow in his brow the moment he took a bite of my cooking.
Second, the way he hurriedly backpedaled when he saw my crestfallen face.
I learned for the first time that kind words can hurt even more.
......I hate you, Oppa.