Chapter 2
Chapter 2
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Friend's Little Sister - 2
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“…………….”
“Please, stop looking at me with those eyes...?”
Even after I'd revealed that I was in the same class as Seo Jinhyuk, her suspicion hadn't lifted. Her eyes, which had been pink just moments ago, were now tinged gray.
A sharp, wary gaze. She looked just like a cat on guard against strangers.
...I should've just kept my mouth shut. Ah, but if I had, we probably wouldn't be walking together right now.
I could hear the girl muttering softly under her breath.
'Oppa wouldn't do something like that...'
—Hey, this is so unfair. I didn't even ask, but Seo Jinhyuk just spilled everything. And during precious lunch time, no less. Thanks to your brother, I had to eat cold rice. Ice-cold rice.
The words bubbled right up to the tip of my tongue.
But saying them would only shift me from “mysterious friend's oppa” to “backstabbing friend of mysterious oppa,” so I had no choice but to swallow them back down.
One step. Two steps.
I silently walked alongside her, following her path.
No words passed between us.
Part of it was because she was still wary of me, but the biggest reason was...
—I have no clue what to say.
I had a little sister at home, and a few female friends too, so girls weren't exactly uncharted territory for me.
But in a situation like this, where I was under suspicion, anything I said just felt creepy and uncomfortable.
As I racked my brain for something—anything—to say, a memory surfaced of something my little sticky rice cake at home had once told me.
'Oppa, when you've got nothing to say to a girl, just ask if she knows Faker.'
'Huh? Girls know Faker? Aren't you the weird one?'
'What are you talking about? All my friends love him!'
I believe you, Han Sea...!
“Do you know Faker, by any chance?”
“No.”
“……”
You said you knew him. Said all your friends liked him...!
Shouldn't have said it. I'm no goldfish, but how many times today have I regretted opening my mouth?
Maybe it was my imagination, but the air between us felt even more suffocating than before.
...Come to think of it, was Seo Jinhyuk's house near ours? This path was exactly the way to my place.
Walking this familiar route with an unfamiliar companion for a short while, the unmanned ice cream shop I often passed came into view.
'Oppa, no matter how mad I get, a delicious ice cream always makes my mood melt away sweetly. You have to remember that. Got it?'
'What? Why should I?'
“……….”
“Kwaaak...! Hey, that really hurts, you pig...!”
Tsk. Damn brat. My side still stung from that pinch.
Could I trust this one? If it flopped and things got even more awkward, I'd probably have to bolt straight home.
The advice came from Han Sea, who loved food more than anything, so I was half-doubting it.
But my throat was parched, and my credibility couldn't sink any lower. Nothing to lose, right? So I spoke up.
“Wanna stop by there for a sec?”
I pointed at the ice cream shop, and her eyes followed my finger, rolling along.
Oh. It changed.
“...Why?”
Her eyes, gray just a moment ago, were now sky blue.
—This is really something.
I could kind of understand why Seo Jinhyuk bragged about his sister being special.
What was this girl feeling right now? What had she been feeling before? I wanted to just ask her straight up.
If we were closer, I could've figured out her mood from her eyes.
For some reason, it felt regrettable.
“Just 'cause it's hot?”
“It's April right now?”
“...I really like ice cream.”
“I don't have any money...”
“I'll buy it. Please come with me.”
This is tough. You sure you're Seo Jinhyuk's sister?
As I pictured Seo Jinhyuk in my head—the guy who was always grinning ear to ear—
the girl seemed to like my offer after all. She gave a slight nod and took small steps toward the shop.
I got melon flavor. She picked chocolate.
We each grabbed one inside, paid, and stepped back out.
...Why does today feel so damn long?
Grumbling to myself, I took a bite, and cool melon flavor flooded my mouth.
Perfect.
Wondering if she was enjoying hers, I glanced over. Yellow eyes stared back.
“Tasty?”
Curious about her mood, I asked lightly—or at least it felt light to me.
She flinched and turned toward me.
“...A little.”
For “a little,” her eyes had been noticeably crinkled in a smile just before I spoke. Anyone could tell she looked blissfully happy.
I wanted to point that out.
But that would just send this cat back into full guard mode, so I held it in tight.
Still, seeing her fidget and sneak peeks at me after her own words, like she regretted them—a tiny, very tiny urge to tease her welled up.
Couldn't be helped. Yeah, totally fine.
I bought the ice cream, after all. A little teasing's allowed, right?
“Just a little?”
I knew it was petty. Pouting and hanging my head, I watched her fluster and panic for a moment.
Soon enough, she looked like she was steeling herself for something huge. Clutching the hem of her dress with one hand, she opened her mouth.
“Ta, tas...!”
“Huh?”
“Tasty...!”
“Tasty...?”
“Eek, no, I mean... delicious...!”
Followed by a thank you, so soft I had to strain to hear it.
She bowed toward me.
She must've thought that was her best effort.
When she lifted her head, her snow-white face was delicately flushed, like someone had painted it.
Pink eyes. Ears peeking through her hair, red as strawberries.
Looking at her, my mind split into a miraculous 1% guilt over teasing my friend's little sister...
...and 99% Isn't she too cute?
Seo Jinhyuk. I admit it.
Your sister is special.
Second admission of the day.
And pink.
They'd definitely been pink when we first met.
If the common thread between then and now was embarrassment... maybe pink meant shy?
I was inwardly thrilled at piecing it together when a slightly tense voice reached me.
“Did I... upset you...?”
“Huh? No, no. Sorry. I just got lost staring at your eyes...”
“My eyes...?”
She let out a little “hic!” and hopped back, frantically covering her face like when we'd first met.
What the. Come on. Give her back.
“...? Why the sudden freakout?”
“S-sorry... My eyes are weird, aren't they...?”
“Huh? No? They're gorgeous.”
“Everyone says th—...Huh? Yes?”
“No, they look pretty no matter the color, but the pink suits you so well. I couldn't stop staring. Now I get why Jinhyuk went on about his special sister. Speaking of which, I'm curious—is pink for when you're embarrassed? Oh, and not sure if I should ask, but what emotions are yellow and sky blue f—”
“W-wait, wait a sec...!”
“Ah, sure.”
……Shit!
Seizing the moment, I'd blurted it all out...!
She looked overwhelmed by my rapid-fire rambling, head down, saying nothing.
A few seconds of silence passed.
Then she slowly lowered her hands from her face and met my eyes.
“N-not weird...?”
“What?”
What was weird, exactly? My breathless yapping?
“My eyes... They keep changing colors and stuff...”
“Doesn't seem weird at all. Honestly, I've been curious about them since earlier.”
“W-what about...?”
“What you're feeling every time they change.”
“My feelings...?”
“Yeah. I wanna know. Because...”
I continued with a soft chuckle.
“Your eyes are basically telling me your feelings honestly in that moment. How could I not wanna know?”
Finishing, I felt a weight lift. Now I could probably ask about the colors for real.
As I looked at her, one change caught my eye.
“Huh?”
“Hic. W-why...?”
To see it closer, I took a step forward. She hiccuped and stepped back.
“It changed.”
“Wh-what did...?”
“Your eyes. They were pink before, but now they're deeper.”
They'd been a light cherry blossom pink moments ago.
Now? Still pink, but a richer shade—something with a faintly sensual vibe.
I wanted to look closer.
But every step I took forward, she took one back. No progress.
We stared wordlessly, playing this magnetic push-pull for a bit.
Then she stretched her tiny hands toward me.
“S-stop...!”
“Can't I just look up close?”
“N-no...!”
I figured she'd say no.
A naughty part of me wondered if begging once or twice might wear her down.
But seeing her squeeze her eyes shut and desperately thrust her hands out toward me... I couldn't help but laugh. Time to stop.
Still, one thing...
“Pink means embarrassed, right?”
“......Not telling.”
She won't even give me this.
Petty.
I learned later.
That she hadn't denied it back then.