Chapter 23
Chapter 23
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: It Tasted Pink! (1)
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"Ugh... Where am I?"
Jang Yoon-seul groans softly and looks around.
Cherry blossom path bathed in gentle sunlight.
A lake she's never seen before is right next to her.
Cherry trees line the lake in a circle.
"Cherry?"
Retracing her memory, she thinks her Oppa suggested going cherry blossom viewing together the day before yesterday.
Ah, so this must be it. Out viewing them now.
"Where's Oppa?"
Oppa is nowhere in sight.
Not just Oppa—no people at all.
She's the only one on this vast walking path circling the lake.
"Hm? I lost Oppa. Where'd he go?"
Absolutely not lost herself—she's the one who lost Song Joo-hyun, thinks Jang Yoon-seul.
She starts toddling along the smooth, well-paved path: plip plip plip.
But no matter how far she goes, the scenery stays the same. The lake is round, no people appear no matter how long she walks—it's meaningless. The surroundings show no sign of changing.
She decides to stop for a bit.
Chilly wind blowing. Flower pots barely visible, rippling the air yellow.
Cherry blossoms ride the wind, and Jang Yoon-seul silently watches the scene.
"Hm! Pretty!"
She thinks coming out with Oppa like he said was the right call.
But the important thing is Oppa disappeared again.
She vaguely remembers once wandering like this after he vanished, rUnnieng into weird guys following field ridges while searching for him.
"When was that?"
She can't quite recall.
That's when it happens.
Something snatches her body.
Not gently lifted like Oppa would, but much rougher.
Whoosh—up she goes.
In front of her eyes: a cherry tree monster.
The grotesque monster uses its trunk to hoist Yoon-seul high, then pops her straight into its huge mouth.
"Eeeeeek!! I'm falling!!!"
The monster's mouth is deep, she falls endlessly,
then thrashes wildly and wakes from the dream.
"Phew—why was it so long! Scared me..."
Even though it was a nightmare, Jang Yoon-seul stays surprisingly calm this time.
Not the weird-looking monster itself, but the depth of the fall that startled her.
"Why was the dog's mouth so big?"
She mutters to herself, replaying the dream.
Only then does she snap to reality and look beside her.
"Ughhhh... Phew."
She sees her Oppa, desperately mouth-breathing because she's pinching his nose with her fingers.
"Ah, sorry, Oppa."
She quickly lets go.
Only then do Song Joo-hyun's facial muscles relax.
Having a falling dream, he flailed to grab something,
and ended up clutching his soundly sleeping Oppa's nose.
"He won't notice since he's asleep?"
Luckily, no scolding seems forthcoming.
She taps her Oppa's bedside smartphone screen, and the clock appears.
[05:27]
"Eek, super early wake-up."
Yoon-seul usually doesn't rise until 7:30.
Oppa always wakes her, so this is probably the first time she's woken up on her own at this hour.
She falls into brief thought.
What to do now.
Today's for going out with Oppa, so no need to rush preparations like a workday.
But with Oppa sleeping so soundly, it feels bad to wake him to play.
Maybe watch TV?
"But then it'll be noisy for Oppa. Wake him right up."
No escape.
Can't watch TV, can't prep to go out without washing—not a single thing to do.
Nothing left but sleep again.
She snuggles right up against Oppa and lies down.
Flopping on her back, she finally notices the pale blue dawn light filtering into the room from the window.
Dawn sinks in.
She casually rests her hand on her sleeping Oppa's arm.
Feels cool and nice.
Oppa always sleeps in a white short-sleeve tee, his bare skin consistently cooler than Yoon-seul's palm.
That's one reason she insists on sleeping stuck right to him.
"Mm, so cool."
Once she's vented her heat, plan is to switch to Oppa's other side, against the wall, for round two.
At five years old, Jang Yoon-seul runs a bit hot by default. So she does this heat-dumping routine before bed.
Song Joo-hyun still has no idea she's hugging his arm for that reason.
"Hot..."
Oppa just mumbled something about it being hot, but she brushes it off lightly.
He's in deep sleep anyway—no waking.
She closes her eyes. How much time passes?
Sleep won't come.
Lying down to try, she has no clue how she usually drifts off. Jang Yoon-seul's thought process.
What thoughts get me to sleep?
Arms at attention? Or on my belly?
Where do my eyeballs go when sleeping?
Ahh, feet itchy. Scrub scrub scrub—
Snooore—Oppa breathing distracts.
Pinch his nose again?
Nah, then the finger in his nose'll bug me, no sleep again.
"Just gotta stay like this..."
Gives up on deep sleep.
Checks Oppa's smartphone screen again.
[05:40]
???
Less than 15 minutes?
No way!
"What's this? Broken?"
Smartphone's definitely lying.
When Oppa wakes, gotta tell him to take it to the shop.
No choice then.
Time for the last resort.
Yoon-seul carefully crawls out from under the blanket, padding cat-like on tiptoe.
One secret she doesn't want Oppa catching her at.
Pitter patter.
Five-year-old light weight.
The tiny footsteps can't possibly wake deep-sleeping Song Joo-hyun.
Yoon-seul reaches the closet safely.
Target: precisely the drawer at the closet base.
Slide—
Drawer neatly folded with presumed-Oppa clothes: knits, thick sweatshirts, corduroy pants—winter stuff.
She shoves her hand deep inside, rummaging,
"Here it is."
Pulls out: her tiny palm full of mini chocolates.
All these mini chocolates clutched in one hand: stashed secretly from Song Joo-hyun.
Normally, to eat chocolate, she has to ask Oppa.
The paper bag she calls the "choco pouch" is in the upper cabinet over the sink. Her short arms can't reach.
Not that Song Joo-hyun suspects her sneaking and put it there to guard—no other handy spot.
"If Yoon-seul wants choco, tell me. But I won't give too many."
"Yes! Got it!"
He does fetch if asked. Up to 3 at a time.
That's pretty satisfying.
Still, reason she stashes like this: something else.
To savor the thrill of devouring more than 3 at once. Doesn't everyone wanna try what's forbidden, just once?
Nearly 10 mini chocolates in hand. Yoon-seul wants to stuff 'em all in, chomp away. The urge hits.
"They're all mine anyway, right?"
Not snuck—these are ones received 3 at a time, secretly saving one or two each go.
So hers to hide, feed pigeons, use in magic tricks—whatever.
Still hesitating 'cause she knows why Oppa limits to 3.
Heard the explanation before. Too much chocolate rots teeth.
"If Yoon-seul's teeth rot, gotta go dentist and yank 'em all? Super painful, so careful?"
"Painful?"
"Yeah, tons. Oppa messed brushing once, went to dentist, nearly cried."
"Yoon-seul won't cwy!"
"You'll take that back at the actual dentist?"
Anyway, rotting teeth are the issue.
Doesn't really get it, but first: decide on these in hand.
Held too long, they feel sticky-melty. Through clear wrappers, chocolate visibly melting inside. Left in closet ages, surfaces already soft and collapsed.
Crumple crumple—
Peels wrappers, gathers in both hands,
"Nom!"
Fills her mouth: sticky-soft chocolate coats the roof.
"So sweet."
Munch munch
Munch munch
Takes way longer to chew than one alone, happiness lasts just as long.
Wipes chocolate off hands-ish, bins the wrappers. Buries deep, invisible.
Slams the drawer shut.
Glances at Oppa: still asleep.
"Hm! Not caught."
Crime concealed successfully, Jang Yoon-seul.
Slips under Oppa, pretends to sleep.
About an hour 'til wake-up time.
Hold out like this, and only she knows she ate chocolate.
But pretending to sleep turns into actual sleep.
Here's where it backfires.
**
What?
Why's Yoon-seul's mouth smeared all sticky?
[08:47]
Wakes later than usual, comes to.
Store holiday today, no alarm set. Lets Yoon-seul sleep late too.
But waking, sees her sleeping beside: brown stuff smeared not just mouth but cheeks.
"Still half-asleep?"
Pinches Yoon-seul's cheek lightly.
"Mm..."
"Hm, squishy like always, so she's properly awake."
Then what's this?
Pure curiosity: wipes brown semi-solid off her cheek, gets on hand.
Sniff: faint sweet smell rises.
Familiar.
"Chocolate?"
Must've snuck some while I slept. And I vaguely know the source.
That shrimp can't reach the cabinet bag anyway.
Careful not to wake snoring Yoon-seul, gets up, flings open the winter clothes drawer.
Pulls out a few, peers in:
"Yep, gone."
The chocolates Yoon-seul thought she hid from me (but I knew) are missing.
In this tiny place, thinking she could hide from me? You lost then, Jang Yoon-seul.
"Wow, nine or so, right? Ate 'em all while I slept?"
She slept first last night, so if eaten, during my sleep.
Woke in night, eyed chance, scarfed 'em.
"Hmm... What to do with her?"
Not really snuck from me—she saved her shares and binged. No real scolding grounds.
But the secrecy's so cute, wanna tease her.
"Hm..?"
Smartphone lens catches morning sun, reflects into my eyes.
"That's it."
After washing up to clear head, prepping ingredients for lunchbox, Yoon-seul rustles and wakes.
"Mm, fell back asleep."
"Yoon-seul awake?"
"Yes! Picnic with Oppa today."
Sis super excited right on waking.
Chocolate smears on face: untouched.
"Picnic, yeah? But first, let's take a pic with Oppa? Selfie."
"Huh? Why?"
"Take one, and you'll know why."