The Sound of the Rain and the Heat of the Room
The road home. Under the umbrella. Me. Woojin, smiling softly. And Jiyoon, with her pouty expression. The three of us leave faint traces of our footsteps on the wet pavement.
"I should have just brought another umbrella. It’s a bit small for three people."
It’s fine. This is enough. I beam at Woojin as I reply. Not because I’m enjoying our casual conversation like usual, but for a slightly more devious reason.
"What did you buy? That green thing looks like a green onion."
"Ah, there are green onions. Well... this and that?"
"…."
"Onions. Radishes. Cabbage. Things like that?"
"Yeah. Onions, for sure. And tofu... and..."
"…."
I leave Jiyoon, who is following us with her lips poked out, completely out of the loop. For now, I want to talk only to him. As Woojin said, it’s to show her not to dare climb into the space between us.
"…."
Since I’m his girlfriend, I could probably be more blunt about it. But... it’s just my nature. I can’t be bold. I’m just... a little timid.
We arrive in front of the house, having pushed through the drizzling rain. I nod my head because, by chance, I see a familiar face.
"…Hello."
"Ah, yes. Hello…."
Was he the man who rents the unit on the same floor? Regardless, we aren’t on a first-name basis. I don’t even know his family situation. We’re just ordinary neighbors who exchange greetings when we happen to bump into each other.
"…Go on in."
"Yes…."
How did the three of us look to him? What on earth did he see that made him glance at us repeatedly while stepping aside? I pat my flushed cheeks with the back of my hand as I climb the stairs. Two women he always sees. One man he hasn't. It’s most likely he assumes we’re just ordinary friends, right? Or perhaps he guesses one of us is the man's girlfriend….
…Then again, there are so many perverts among men. Maybe, just maybe, he thought we were in some inappropriate relationship—sisters sharing one man….
…I mean, our place has been… incredibly noisy lately, hasn't it? Jiyoon was quiet only on the first day, and she’s been making so much noise since the second. And I’ve been… well, incredibly loud, too. And it’s not like this place has good soundproofing….
…Could it be that I look like a total pervert…?
"G-give me the umbrella. I’ll leave it open here to dry."
That man from earlier… he had such an intrigued look on his face, he was probably thinking the second or third thing. The fact that his guess wasn't a wild delusion but closer to the truth makes my shame flare up.
I spend a moment cooling my heated cheeks and ears, then take the umbrella from Woojin, spread it out in the hallway, and close the front door behind us. And then, I see it.
"…Hey. Let go. We need to put things away."
"…."
Without even closing the front door, Jiyoon is clinging to Woojin’s back, rubbing her face against him. I feel a childish, elementary-school-level jealousy, wondering if I should hug him from the front and kiss him instead… but, like the older sister I am, I suppress the impulse. I pinch Jiyoon’s elbow—she’s acting like a brat—and head toward the living room.
…Elbows don’t really hurt when you pinch them, do they? It just leaves a sensation. But Jiyoon is too busy clinging to Woojin to care. It’s the scene I expected, but still. Even if she’s his first friend, isn’t she too dependent? No. Wait. He’s my boyfriend in the first place; isn’t her affection toward someone else’s man a bit excessive? Is it all my fault for feeling sorry for her and allowing them to meet for two weeks?
Well, if that’s the case… I don’t have much to say.
"…You’re watching, too, Lee Jiyoon."
"…."
"Stop it and let go. Okay?"
"…."
I think she’s doing it more because I’m watching. If I say that out loud, Jiyoon will just tighten her grip. I swallow the thought and look up, meeting Woojin’s eyes. He has a very troubled expression. He parts his lips as if to say something to me, but in the end, he just smiles to reassure me. He looks much more mature than Jiyoon.
"…Woojin. Give me that. The bag."
"Just a second…, …here you go."
I take the bag from his hands, ignoring the two of them wobbling around nearby, and start organizing the refrigerator. Or rather, "filling" it would be the more accurate term. To be even more precise, I’m filling the fridge while pricking up my ears toward the two of them.
"…Hey. Lee Jiyoon. It’s hot. Back off a little."
"…."
"…I said back off."
"…."
"Phew…. Why are you like this today?"
"…."
"…Stop pressing your chest against me and let go. It’s stifling."
"…."
"Ah, seriously…."
My boyfriend’s low voice drifts over from the side. My younger sister’s voice, which I can’t hear at all, only the sound of her footsteps. The sounds, clumped together like dust, move from beside me to behind, and then further back. Eventually, they roll toward the corner of the living room. Then, with a rustling sound, the sound of a zipper being pulled joins in.
"…."
I turn around in alarm, but thankfully, it wasn't the sound I feared. It was just Jiyoon opening Woojin’s crossbody bag. After a moment of Jiyoon rummaging through the bag like a cat and Woojin trying to stop her, Jiyoon, having easily won thanks to her sneak attack, pulls out a familiar object. It’s a square condom box.
…The very thing she promised me she would use, but didn’t use properly. She shakes it as if to show me.
"…Don’t take that out. I’m still organizing the fridge."
"…."
"Do it later."
Ironically, not long after, Woojin takes the condom back from her. How should I put it? She has the face of a kitten who just had her treat stolen by her owner…. I’ve never seen Jiyoon make a face like that before. …I kind of like it.
"…."
"…."
…Well? Doing something strange? The two of them whisper something from afar. Afterward, Woojin, freed from Jiyoon’s pressure, approaches me and squats down in a comfortable position.
"Noona. Should I put all this in the vegetable drawer?"
"…I’ll do it. You rest."
"It’ll go faster if we do it together."
"…."
"Let’s see…. Should I put the meat in the fridge, too? We’ll probably eat it soon anyway."
"…Yeah."
"And…, …ah."
"Oh…."
"…."
Even after being kicked by Jiyoon as she walked back to her room alone, he doesn't get angry. Instead, he smiles at me, meeting my eyes. Taking advantage of Jiyoon’s absence, he strokes my hair, ignoring my grumbling about how he isn't treating me like a Noona. He ignores my complaints about him treating me like a younger sister, over and over again. He keeps stroking my hair playfully until I finally accept his touch, and even then, he continues until I tilt my head on my own, asking for more.
*****
If I had to compare the first hour of Day 1, it would be: Worry. The first hour of Day 2: Noise. The first hour of Day 3: Annoyance. All three are negative words. But the first hour of Day 4 could be compared to a slightly more positive word than before.
- Ungh…, ugh?! Hiiik…?
….
Expectation. Once this hour is over, from evening to night. Dawn. …After we fall asleep, exhausted. Waking up in the morning rubbing our eyes, sweetly intertwining our bodies. Lunch. And until the sun sets in the afternoon. It’s all my time alone. The expectation that Jiyoon has to just listen from the side.
- Ungh……! No, nooo….
Maybe it’s because of the petty revenge at the mart. Or maybe because she was pushed aside by Woojin earlier. From behind Jiyoon’s door, sounds more explicit than the day before yesterday are leaking out, but…. …It’s fine. Now, it just sounds like a cornered cat bristling its fur. Of course, it’s not 100% that. It’s still only about 60%.
- Haa…. Ha, ugh…. ……Hiiik….
Without the man’s breathing, only Jiyoon’s moans are heard from behind the door. I, who had been pacing in front of it, run away to my room cautiously once the thumping sounds of sex die down. Woojin said let’s make sure Jiyoon can’t climb into our space ever again, right? But if I get caught eavesdropping on them having sex in front of the door… that’s not a good look. I have to act as much like the older one as possible in front of both Woojin and Jiyoon. Yes, yes.
"…."
Click. I hear the sound of a door opening far away. Followed by the sound of footsteps. The sound of water being poured into a cup. The sound of gulping it down. The sound of a glass being placed in the sink. And….
…Knock, knock, knock.
The sound of someone knocking on my door. In sync, I open the door slightly to pull Woojin in, and lock it so that someone outside can eavesdrop, but cannot enter. …Of course, the condom soaked in sexual fluids that Woojin brought, I shove into my trash can without a second thought, so that no one can use it for masturbation.
*****
Lying in bed, breathing heavily. After calming down a bit, I go to the bathroom to wash off the sweat. About 30 minutes later, I return to my room, dripping wet. Whirrr. With the loud sound of a hairdryer, I turn on the computer. I turn on a game while wearing my loosely draped pajamas. I try to play like usual, but I can’t get into it, so I just turn it off. I click through game communities, then take off the headset that was blocking the noise. …The sounds coming through the living room are too lewd, so I put it back on. I even wear it in a ridiculous way, leaving one ear exposed. I sigh, chewing over what Seo Woojin said a little while ago. I slide down under the chair, taking the worst possible posture for my lower back. I stare blankly at the corner between the ceiling and the wall, killing time for no reason.
"…."
The emotion I felt watching Seo Woojin and my sister talking affectionately under the umbrella. The emotion when I whispered, "It’s just an act to show my sister," and hugged him tightly from behind. The emotion after I went with the flow and took out the condom, only to be scolded by him to stop. The emotion I felt after finishing sex, which was meant to fill three condoms, unlike usual. And now. The emotion I feel while listening to the moans coming from my sister’s room.
If it’s noisy, I could just cover my ears with the headset, but I keep the door slightly open to listen…. …The reason. At the same time, I struggle to find the word that perfectly fits this emotion pressing down on my chest, while I torment my poor chair—creak, squeak.
"…."
What on earth is it? I really don’t know.