Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Into the Abyss Trap (4)
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It was a tense moment.
A silence that felt subjectively endless.
Kang Eun-seol's gaze toward me flickered uneasily, and a heavy quiet settled over the officetel.
Cynthia, too, watched anxiously with a face full of worry for Eun-seol, waiting for my decision.
"Phew."
I let out a deep sigh soon enough.
"Alright, fine."
And just like that, I decided to take responsibility for Kang Eun-seol.
Her reckless words and actions gave me plenty to nitpick, but as her caring(?) big brother, I let the minor stuff slide.
"Where's your stuff, Eun-seol? You must've packed it all up. Didn't you come planning to stay at the house from the start?"
"...I sent the boxed stuff via same-day delivery, but I can change the address. I left the suitcases I brought in front of the management office on the first floor of the officetel."
In the end, Kang Eun-seol ended up living at our house.
I gave her one of the small rooms in the officetel and even helped her move in personally.
Just as she said, there wasn't much luggage.
Two boxes' worth.
Plus some clothes crammed into a few suitcases, along with the old stuff I'd stashed in storage—that was it.
Honestly, it wasn't so bad.
Living together(?) with Eun-seol.
I'd made it seem like a carefully considered decision for her sake, but really, it was just to establish dominance in our relationship.
Sure, things had connected with her faster than I'd anticipated, but honestly, it worked out better this way.
Having Eun-seol right in front of me meant I could control and manage her now that she'd stepped into my domain.
There was still plenty of time before she formally cut ties with her old agency and piled up a mountain of debt.
'For now, I'll just watch and wait. I can handle Eun-seol's situation after I wrap up Choi Si-hyeok.'
I wiped my forehead lightly as I carried her delivery boxes and suitcases into the room.
"Phew, is that everything?"
Eun-seol scurried over right away.
"...Th-thanks, bro. Want some water?"
I turned to look at her without a word.
Her thoughts or feelings about me hadn't changed in the meantime, that much was clear.
But having lived as a trainee since she was young, she had plenty of social experience—her instincts were sharp.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"You slave to capitalism. One minute you're whining, next you're all sweet now that you're living here."
"That's not it! Don't make me sound weird!"
"I'm kidding. You've moved all your stuff, so unpack at your own pace."
Eun-seol, who had been pouting, quickly deflated and nodded.
"...Okay. Got it."
"I'll take Sia home first, so while you unpack, think about what we should have for dinner."
"Dinner? Isn't Sia unnie eating with us?"
"You want her to?"
"Yeah... It's been a while since we met, and I want to catch up on all sorts of things..."
"And yet she hasn't sent you a single text this whole time?"
"What can you do about the contract? Trainees like us only get specific times to even use our phones."
"What is that place, the army?"
I clicked my tongue at the agency's ridiculously strict management.
"Everyone says that. Isn't it too much?"
"Even the military doesn't go that far these days."
It was harsh, no doubt, but the control was effective.
I'd have to try the same with her.
"Anyway, Sia's having dinner out with her family tonight, so it'll just be us."
"Got it. Oh, but isn't Sia unnie's place close by? Why do you—you know, bro—have to take her home yourself?"
"The world's a dangerous place these days."
"...?"
I gave a meaningful smile, and Eun-seol tilted her head.
She had no way of knowing why I had to be this thorough.
"We'll talk more when I get back, but you be careful too, Eun-seol. No wandering around late at night, and even during the day, report to me if you're heading out."
"What? Am I a kid?!"
"That's the condition for living here. Don't make me worry or get on my nerves."
My cold words hit her weak spot dead-on—she had nowhere to go—so she bit her lower lip hard.
Frustrated. Resentful.
I could read her thoughts plain as day.
But with my words laced with both commands and threats, there was nothing she could do.
Click!
Soon after, I safely dropped Cynthia off and returned to the officetel.
"...For dinner, how about jjajangmyeon?"
Her housewarming dinner choice, apparently.
Eun-seol, who had just finished unpacking, met my eyes squarely and added,
"You buy it, bro."
"Jjajangmyeon again... Wait, don't you have any money at all? Doesn't your mom give you allowance?"
"I spent it all prepping the move. I never got much to begin with. I even consulted a lawyer about the contract stuff, but they were just expensive and useless."
With Eun-seol sighing right in front of me, I picked up the phone and called the Chinese place.
"Whoa? That's a lot of food."
"You've been training so hard, you probably haven't eaten properly. Since we're ordering, just pig out tonight—no holding back."
"..."
"You can leave leftovers. I give you full permission."
"Permission..."
Chewing on my words, Eun-seol gave a wry smile and asked,
"You know what, bro?"
"What?"
"I really hate you."
"I know."
Unlike her, I chuckled.
"I thought you'd changed a lot, but some things are exactly the same."
"Like what?"
"Ignoring what I want and forcing your way on everything. Even when we were kids, you'd overprotect me and make my life hell."
"That's 'cause you're my little sister."
"That's what I hate most. One reason I decided on dorm life was you. It drove me nuts how you'd timidly never speak up to me but subtly tie me down."
"Did I?"
"Yeah. And now you're straight-up restraining me and pissing me off."
Eun-seol calmly spilled her true feelings, then smirked with one corner of her mouth raised.
"So?"
"I'm grateful you helped me and let me live here, but let's keep boundaries. Gratitude is gratitude—our private lives stay separate."
"Hmm."
"You did sell the house on your own, after all."
Her confidence crumbling under pressure, Eun-seol started acting bold.
She must've thought and resolved a bunch while I was dropping Sia off.
"Let's talk over food."
I set the perfectly timed Chinese delivery on the table and pressed further.
"The point is, no interfering?"
"Exactly."
"Why beat around the bush instead of just saying that simply?"
"I was explaining. In case you wouldn't get it."
"And if I interfere anyway? What then? You gonna move out?"
"No. I'm not leaving. Interfere if you want. But I won't listen to you at all. You do what you want, so I'll do what I want."
Her brazen declaration as a little sister made me snort with laughter.
She was begging for another lesson.
"Wanna bet who wins?"
But unlike before, I yielded a step.
"Fine, for now."
If I pushed too hard too soon, it'd just fuel her rebellion.
I'd loosen up appropriately and educate her gradually.
"Anyway, what are you gonna do from now on, Eun-seol?"
"Why ask the obvious? I'll look for a new agency. Convince my old one and try out for an idol audition show."
"After all that filth, you still wanna be an idol?"
"It's my dream. My life. Don't butt in."
I wanted to take it slow, but she kept testing my patience.
"Just asking. As your brother, I need to know."
"..."
"Your attendance record okay? Next year you'll have to enter the academy, right?"
"I got an employment deferral. I've met the minimum days already. I'll enroll in some small academy and defer right away."
Eun-seol, with her plans all laid out.
"So don't worry, bro, and just ignore me."
She shoveled jjajangmyeon into her mouth with smug confidence.
'Fair enough.'
I eyed her anew.
She had reason to be confident.
Among countless trainees, my little sister stood out as the prettiest.
Tall for a girl, with a voluptuous figure that was top-tier.
Dance and singing aside, she could handle visuals in an active idol group.
Even with jjajang sauce on her lips, she looked cute and lovable—what more proof did you need?
'If only her dancing or singing were a bit better, she'd have debuted ages ago.'
But reality was harsh, and it was a shame her talent didn't match her looks.
"Oh, we should set some house rules after we eat."
Eun-seol said this mid-bite of ganpung gi.
"Rules?"
"I don't like you, but I don't wanna fight every day. We're adults now. How long we gonna act childish?"
"Adults? You've still got months left."
"Argh! Anyway! Rules are basic! If we wanna get along without fighting!"
Steeped in dorm life, she launched into her experiences right after eating, rattling off rules.
"Like I said, no invading privacy! Don't ever enter my room without permission!"
"Talking like an adult, but sounds just like a puberty-struck teen."
"Gah! No nitpicking my words from now on either!"
This forbidden. That forbidden. Everything forbidden.
Listening quietly, I realized the freeloader had a lot of demands.
Who'd she get that cheek from?
"And lastly!"
"What else?"
Once on a roll, Eun-seol got carried away and crossed the line.
"You use the small bathroom! And since I might need it anytime, even pee sitting down!"
She demanded the infamous "sit-to-pee," and I grinned.
The more she talked, the more I must've seemed like my old pushover self.
"Eun-seol, wanna hear the most important rule from me?"
I asked with a smile.
"Most important rule? Oh, right. I've been talking too much. Tell me what you want. I'll try to follow what I can."
She replied like she was doing me a favor.
Pampered her, and now she thought she could dance on my head.
"In this house, I'm the law, and my word is the rule."
"...?"
"If you don't like it, become the homeowner yourself."
"Huh? What do you...?"
"Heh."
"..."
I abruptly cut off the laugh and went full throttle.
"You shitty little brat! Telling me to sit and piss?! You nuts?! What if I get prostate issues, then erectile dysfunction? You gonna take responsibility?! Huh?!"
I suddenly raised my voice and tore into Eun-seol fiercely.
"I-Is that really that dangerous? Fine, forget the last one...!"
"Shut up! You need some mental re-education first!"
I couldn't forgive Eun-seol for so brazenly trying to ruin my sex life.
I could overlook anything else, but nothing that interfered with my goals.
"D-Don't scare me! I said cancel! Cancel!"
"Too late!"
"No! Not too late! Ptoo! Ptoo! There, happy?!"
"Where do you get off spitting like that?! You need to become a proper human first, Eun-seol!"
"Waaah! What do you want from meee?!"
That day, I spanked the tearfully pouting Eun-seol's butt hard.
Smack!
The first day of living together with my half-sister was quite a racket.