Prologue: My Sister's Friend, Yoo Harang
My sister’s friend, Yoo Harang. Kang Gyeol. I’m an 18-year-old high school student this year, named Gyeol just because I was born in winter. Well, my sister was born in summer, so she’s Kang Yeoreum. Anyway, for someone like me, besides my actual older sister Kang Yeoreum, there’s another “older sister.” Not blood family, but just as close. Yoo Harang. My sister’s longtime friend.
I’ve known her for seven years now, ever since I was in elementary school, so to me, she might as well be a real older sister. We’ve spent so much time face-to-face that these days, I can be totally at ease around her. But honestly, her first impression wasn’t great.
Back when I was in fourth grade and she was in first year of middle school.
“Hi.”
“Oh, h-hello…”
Tucked away in some corner of my memory, her first impression on me was scary. Not scary-looking in appearance, no. Objectively speaking, even back then—or now—she was a stunning beauty, the kind you don’t see every day. But to my young eyes, she was someone I couldn’t approach. Shoulder-length bobbed hair, delicate features on a blank expression. A clear, pleasant voice that lacked any ups and downs, pretty yet emotionless. Her face and tone were so stiff that I couldn’t help wondering if she was upset about something. I even pondered, as a kid, if she might be a robot.
But those negative thoughts melted away like snow before long.
“Gyeol, want some of this?”
“Yes… thank you.”
“Okay. Don’t use formal speech.”
“Oh, yeah… got it. Thanks.”
She’d give me snacks whenever we ran into each other.
“Kang Gyeol! Hurry up already!”
“Don’t be so hard on my little brother.”
“Ugh, he’s so slow!”
“Kang Yeoreum.”
“Fine, fine! Anyone would think he was your brother. He’s mine.”
“Gyeol. Hold my hand.”
“Okay.”
“There! Hey, hold my hand!”
She’d cover for me when my sister threw a pointless fit.
“You get how to solve it, right?”
“Yeah. Thanks… but aren’t you heading home? It’s already 11.”
“I’ll crash here.”
“Cool.”
By the time I hit middle school, she was even tutoring me. She stayed over at our house more often than you’d think, so we spent a ton of time together. And in all sorts of other ways, she took better care of me than my own sister did.
So, I couldn’t fear Yoo Harang anymore. Sure, even now, years later, her expressions are still subtle and her speech blunt. But I’d come to realize she was thoughtful and attentive, with a genuinely kind heart.
And naturally, I started to like her. Not just as a sister—like, like her. There was no “why” to it. No reason not to.
But did I ever show it? Nah. Honestly, I figured the odds of it happening were basically zero. She seemed unapproachable at first glance, but once you got talking, you couldn’t miss how amazing she was. She was drop-dead gorgeous, for starters. Obviously, top-tier guys with the looks and specs would be lining up. I didn’t want to risk ruining what we had with some dumb confession. Besides, she was still a great sister to me. Yeah, I’d never heard of her dating anyone—maybe no one caught her eye—but what did that matter? Whoever ended up as “Yoo Harang’s boyfriend” wasn’t going to be me anyway.
That’s what I thought, right up until I turned 18.
“Sleep next to me, sis.”
“……Really?”
That’s what I’d thought. Until then.