A Visit (2)
A Visit (2)
"Hmm..."
Seo-yeon's reaction was subtle.
I'd figured it might go like this.
"So it's not quite that good?"
"No, it is good, but..."
Seo-yeon began savoring the food with a serious expression.
Aria, meanwhile, was eating happily as usual, as if wondering what the problem was.
"What's so ambiguous?"
"It's less ambiguous and more, hmm."
Seo-yeon paused to choose her words, then spoke.
"The presentation made me think it would taste like something I'd had somewhere before, but once I actually ate it, it was a little different from what I expected."
"Is that a compliment?"
I couldn't tell if she meant it was good or bad.
Instead of answering, Seo-yeon tried a bit of this and that from the other dishes.
The side dishes I'd made earlier and kept in the fridge got a comfortably positive reception, but for some reason the dishes I'd made fresh today didn't get an immediate answer.
Was the food weird?
No matter how I thought about it, that didn't seem right.
I'd cooked everything in the same earthenware pots and pans, and Aria and I were eating it happily, so there was no reason only Seo-yeon's portion would be off.
"Or is there some ingredient you don't like?"
"Ah, hearing that, I think I get it. Why the dishes you made today felt unusual."
Seo-yeon pointed with her chopsticks at the dishes I'd made today.
"These ones clearly show Western technique up through the mid-cooking stage, but the final result is Korean food, so I think that's why they felt oddly unfamiliar."
"So in the end, is that good or bad?"
"Obviously good. You could genuinely open a restaurant, you know?"
"Heh-heh, I was right, wasn't I?"
Aria smiled smugly.
Anyone watching would think she'd cooked it herself.
Instead of answering, I stroked Aria's head, then replied to Seo-yeon.
"Aren't you overselling it?"
"They say there are quite a few restaurants these days that add a Western touch to a Korean base, but at the very least, this could hold its own against places like that."
Seeing Seo-yeon talk this seriously, I couldn't bring myself to tell her to stop joking.
Afraid she'd end up pushing me to actually open a restaurant, I hastily changed the subject.
"It was luck. Pure luck. I made it without much thought, just thinking, 'This'll probably taste good,' and it happened to turn out well."
"Then isn't that talent?"
"It's only talent if I can reproduce it exactly. I'm not confident I could make it the same way again."
It was nothing more than the result of trying to use up all the ingredients I'd bought today.
When I bought them, I'd figured that even if Seo-yeon didn't eat any, Aria and I could eat them later. But once I actually started cooking, it felt wrong to have shown her the expensive ingredients I'd bought and then send her home without feeding her any.
"Anyway, it's good, right?"
"Yeah. Good enough that I'd want to keep eating it if possible..."
Seo-yeon said that while watching for my reaction.
"Come by often. Cooking for you isn't hard."
"Really? Promise?"
"But don't expect too much just because it happened to turn out well today. It really was just luck."
"Luck is a skill too. So I'll look forward to next time, big brother?"
This is a problem.
It really was a fluke.
Anyway, dinner passed like that.
She seemed to want to stay longer, so as a palate cleanser I brewed three cups of black tea and brought them to the table.
Seo-yeon savored the aroma, took a sip, and her eyes widened.
"You use good tea bags. I didn't know you were into tea too, big brother."
"It wasn't me, Aria bought it. I don't even know what tea brands are out there."
"Heh-heh."
Aria was making a lot of smug expressions today.
That smile was oddly cute but also irritating, so I exposed one of the secrets Aria had been hiding tightly.
"She drinks tea because coffee is too bitter for her."
"Brother!"
Aria puffed out her cheeks with a huff.
I poked her cheek with my index finger and continued.
"A while back, she drank a single Americano — not even an espresso — and stuck out her tongue and grimaced, saying it was too bitter. After that, she wouldn't touch coffee unless it was sweet."
"Th-that's still fine, because I can handle the bitter taste of tea?! Coffee is just too bitter..."
"Pfft!"
"Ah, even you, Seo-yeon!"
Seo-yeon tried to hold back her laughter, but it burst out.
Aria puffed her deflated cheek back out after I'd poked it.
Watching that scene, I suddenly noticed something.
"By the way, you two. How long are you going to keep using formal speech with each other?"
"Huh?" "What?"
As if they'd never thought about it themselves, unexpected reactions popped out.
"You're the same age, and you've gotten to know each other by now, so haven't you gotten close? I think it'd be fine for you to drop the formalities soon."
If they're comfortable as they are, then it's just me being nosy, but since they'll probably be seeing each other often from now on, I thought it might be good for them to start speaking more casually.
"But I'm more used to formal speech, though?"
Come to think of it, Aria used this same speech style even with Victoria, who was practically a friend.
"Still, couldn't you at least drop the formal title?"
"Hmm, well, if Seo-yeon is okay with it..."
"Then let's at least relax how we address each other. It'd feel strange if I were the only one speaking casually."
"Wait. You speak casually to me without any problem, don't you?"
"Well, that's because you're my big brother."
Seo-yeon answered with a puzzled expression, as if I'd asked something obvious.
Should I take that as special treatment?
"Then... I hope we get along, Seo-yeon."
"Likewise, Aria."
The two of them fell silent for a moment, as if the change in address alone felt awkward.
This wasn't bad in its own way.
Having the two of them slowly grow closer was better for me than having them fight.
Either way, both of them were precious younger sisters.
"Now that I think about it, you said you're the same age as me, right, Aria?"
"Yes. I didn't know either, but Brother told me so."
Well, I knew both their ages, but until a few days ago the two of them had never even met.
Seo-yeon asked with a puzzled expression.
"Don't you attend university with your brother?"
"I could, but I never felt the need. I can see my brother whenever I want now, and I already have several honorary doctorates."
Aria showed off several of her doctoral degrees on her smartphone.
There were quite a few famous overseas universities, and when I searched up a few unfamiliar names, they turned out to be schools considered on par with the Ivy League in the classical music world.
Seeing it like this, I got a fresh sense of just how extraordinary a genius Aria was.
It made Victoria's obsession with her a little more understandable. Of course, if a genius like this suddenly vanished, it would feel like a loss to the entire industry.
"At this level, you really don't need to attend university. I never imagined it would be this much..."
Seo-yeon's eyes went wide, and she couldn't finish her sentence.
Honorary doctorates weren't treated as formal degrees, but looked at another way, receiving them meant she had achieved so much and proven herself so thoroughly that the formal process was unnecessary.
In that sense, university would truly be a waste of time for Aria.
And it was even more so when I recalled what Victoria had said.
She had enough talent to win a famous competition with a violin she'd practically just picked up for the first time.
Of course, it wasn't like she'd gone in completely blind — she'd watched the forms and techniques of famous performers — but that was no reason to diminish Aria's talent.
"Brother, what do you think? Do you see me in a new light?"
"I started seeing you in a new light after that concert, but it really hit me just how amazing my little sister is to be recognized around the world like this."
Aria clung to me as if asking to be petted.
Seo-yeon's gaze toward us sharpened again.
But unlike before, no complaints came flying.
Instead, Seo-yeon twisted her body and muttered.
"Big brother, you also have a little sister who's the heir to the top group in Korea, you know..."
"I mean, don't people usually brag about their own abilities? Not their background."
"Hmph, sorry for being a little sister who, unlike some people, only has this to brag about. But the fact that I'm ahead in the succession competition is my own skill, you know?"
"But if you end up with me, that becomes meaningless anyway."
"Ugh."
Knowing Chairman Han's — that is, my maternal grandfather's — personality, I didn't think he would confirm Seo-yeon as heir while knowing the feelings she had for me.
If she had the ability, he'd at least give her a choice.
Whether to choose love, or choose the group.
I'd only met him a few times, so I couldn't be certain, but at least the grandfather I'd seen was that kind of person.
"Anyway, isn't it about time you headed out?"
The topic of my mother's family wasn't something either of us wanted to dwell on, so I changed the subject.
It was 7 p.m.
It wasn't that late, so if she wanted to stay longer I wouldn't stop her, but I was worried she might have some kind of curfew.
"I don't have a set curfew, but I think I should get going soon."
Even though she seemed to want to stay longer, Seo-yeon got up without protest.
"You must be pretty busy?"
"Yeah. I'm learning all sorts of work. Ah, I want to rest comfortably too. Then I could stay over at your place."
Seo-yeon stretched and grumbled.
I saw Seo-yeon out together with Aria.
"You sure you don't need me to walk you home?"
"It's fine. I'm taking a taxi anyway, so it won't be a problem."
Seo-yeon opened the front door and stepped outside.
"Then see you next time, big brother. You too, Aria."
"Goodbye, Seo-yeon."
Aria and I waved together.
The front door closed, and a brief silence followed.
"I should do the dishes."
"I'll handle that much, Brother."
"It's fine. You're a world-class performer, so it'd be a problem if you got eczema on your hands. Your brother will do this."
Aria pouted, knowing I was half-teasing.
Still, I was half-serious.
Since I'd done all the housework alone from the start, I couldn't really relax if I left it to someone else now.
Aria and I returned to the living room together.
With just Seo-yeon gone, the living room felt a little empty.
* * *
"You've been coming over a lot lately."
"I said I would. Or do you not like me coming?"
A week had passed since then.
Including the first day she'd come, Seo-yeon had been coming to our place three days out of the week.
"It's not that I don't like it, but is your schedule okay?"
"I told them it's a group project, so this week is fine. Though no matter what, I can't come right before midterms."
"Won't it be a problem if you get caught?"
"It'll probably be fine. I'm managing my grades well, so would they really suspect that I'm coming home late because of a group project?"
Seo-yeon chatted breezily and sipped her black tea.
Aria, finding it hard to join in on university talk, was just listening.
Seo-yeon looked at Aria and asked.
"Oh, right. Aria. Can you tell me what cosmetics you use?"
"Cosmetics? Hmm, do lip balm and sunscreen count as cosmetics?"
Aria tilted her head.
Seo-yeon shook her head at Aria's question.
"Not those. Purely makeup cosmetics."
"I... don't use any."
Aria answered cautiously.
Seo-yeon, as if she couldn't believe what she'd just heard, moved closer to Aria.
"...Really?"
"Yes, really."
"With this skin tone, these eyelashes, this eyeliner, this blush, these lips — all of it is natural?"
"Ah, I do use nail polish and pedicures sometimes!"
Aria answered with a bright smile.
At the same time, Seo-yeon's expression was dyed with despair.
"This is all natural..."
"I don't know much about cosmetics. I'm afraid I'd apply them wrong and get the opposite effect..."
"No wonder you didn't even cover up the kiss mark you left on my big brother with concealer last time. Anyway, if your bare face is this good, makeup really would just be poison."
Well, even to my eyes, Aria's beauty was perfect.
Unreal, you could say.
She looked so unreal that I thought this must be what a fairy, goddess, or angel descending from heaven would look like.
Her appearance was already that perfect, so makeup might indeed be unnecessary.
Seo-yeon carefully touched Aria's skin, marveling repeatedly, then suddenly sniffed at something and asked.
"Then what perfume do you use? You do use perfume, right?"
"No, I don't use that either..."
"Wait, this scent isn't perfume?"
"I don't think so?"
This shocked me too.
Could a person's body naturally give off such a fresh yet subtle fragrance?
Aria and Seo-yeon continued talking about various things after that.
Seeing how much closer they'd gotten, I felt good as their older brother.
"Well then, I'll get going, big brother."
"I'll walk you to the road. Aria, I'll be right back."
"Yes, see you later. Take care, Seo-yeon."
We said our goodbyes and headed to the road.
On the quiet nighttime road, Seo-yeon was just about to call a taxi on her smartphone.
"There's no need for that, Miss Seo-yeon."
"...Secretary Kim."
A middle-aged man in a neat suit with his hair swept back stepped out of a black sedan.
"How did you know to come here?"
"You've been going out frequently these days. The Chairman is not yet aware."
"But he'll find out soon. You're the Chairman's loyal dog, after all."
Even at the insult of being called a dog, the man remained composed.
Then he bowed his head toward me.
"It's been a while, Young Master Si-hyeon."
Hearing that form of address, I remembered.
Secretary Kim.
The man who had been at my maternal grandfather's side.
He had come to find us.