Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: 8. Behind Sister's Back (2)
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Ice.
Milk.
Coffee.
Chilled milk foam, prepped and ready.
Cinnamon powder topping.
Lee Ji-yoon fell deep into thought as she prepared the iced cappuccino Seo Woo-jin had ordered.
Why is that guy here?
Of course, she knew the reason.
It was her own doing—she'd casually brought it up to her sister during dinner.
Not outright saying something blunt like "I want treatment from your boyfriend again," but more like "Guess there's nothing to be done about these chronic headaches..."
Anyway.
Putting aside all the complications and getting straight to the point: she was glad to get the treatment.
Ever since the crushing pain that had gripped her head like a vice vanished, her customer service felt smoother somehow. Her gaming somehow improved too.
And the refreshing feeling upon waking after a deep, sound sleep went without saying.
To exaggerate a bit, it was like a disability on one side of her body had been fixed for a while, only to revert back.
"......"
Yeah.
All good.
But let's touch on that "complicated thing" she'd just set aside.
"Hmm..."
Her sister's little sister,
alone with
her sister's boyfriend.
...Isn't that a little weird...?
The cappuccino at the cafe had way more milk foam than expected.
She'd ordered it just because the mix coffee she'd had recently was labeled as cappuccino...
Knowing this, she wished she'd gone for an Americano or mocha instead.
In the corner of the cafe.
I fiddled with the empty plastic cup and gazed absently at the counter.
There, Lee Ji-yoon's profile caught my eye as she chatted with an unfamiliar woman—probably a part-timer.
Her white hair stood out sharply from her sister's.
The strands fell calmly to her shoulders, lightly tied back this time, unlike last time.
Probably to look neat while working. Or maybe not—who knew.
I couldn't make out their conversation, but it wasn't exactly cheerful.
Lee Ji-yoon spoke to the other with a blank expression, no faint smile in sight.
The other nodded and replied,
and she just responded in kind, face unchanging.
Last time I'd visited their house with Ha-yoon, she'd been surprisingly expressive. A bit disappointing.
That stunned look she'd given me just moments ago had been surprisingly cute too.
But apparently, she hated it.
She was working so hard to keep up that poker face.
...Well,
personally, I found that attitude even more appealing.
Figuring her shift would end soon if I waited a little longer, I toyed with my phone. Soon enough, Lee Ji-yoon appeared, hair down, wearing a baggy khaki jumper, heading my way.
Maybe it was her small head,
or just how pretty she was,
but even the black baseball cap pulled low suited her perfectly.
"Ahem. Seo Woo-jin-ssi."
"Yes."
She stuck to formal speech even though we were the same age.
I smiled softly at her, and her expression darkened ever so slightly under the cap.
...Shouldn't have smiled? I'll remember that.
"You came after hearing about me from my sister, right?"
"Yeah. She said you were hurting again."
"Ugh... Figures..."
She scratched the back of her neck awkwardly, glanced around, then plopped down on the chair across from me.
At the same moment, the part-timer's glances toward us—sneaked behind Lee Ji-yoon's back—grew more blatant.
She seemed pretty invested in Lee Ji-yoon's personal life.
Especially the parts involving men.
"...I'm not questioning the treatment or anything. I'm really grateful."
"Yes. Yes."
She lifted the brim of her cap slightly and lowered her voice, as if sharing a secret.
Her calm tone was a total contrast to her sister's—and quite pleasant to the ear.
"It started throbbing again out of nowhere since yesterday... Not as bad as before, but still nagging enough to bug me...?"
"Ah... Sorry. I'm no doctor."
"N-No... You don't need to apologize to me at all..."
She meant it as in, unlike doctors who diagnose causes and follow procedures, healing-type Transcendents just fix things on touch—so there must've been a slip-up.
Regular folks like her wouldn't know how it worked anyway.
"Headaches are tricky since pinpointing the cause is so hard. Looks like the treatment didn't stick properly."
"The cause...?"
"For example, it might not be some illness. Could be lifestyle habits or your environment."
"Habits... Environment..."
I tossed out something plausible, and she nodded faintly while fiddling with her hair ends.
"...Honestly, my sister can be a bit loud. Not like she's outright bothering me, just... mildly irritating."
"Ha-yoon noona does have that side. Like... a clingy puppy?"
"I hate that."
"Because of the headaches?"
"More like... how do I put it? She means well, but I don't need it. It's annoying, and I just wish she'd stop paying attention to me..."
"Aha."
"Saying it straight up would make me the bad guy..."
"I get the gist."
"It's less now, but it was especially bad in high school."
I nudged the topic toward her sister, flipping her PTSD switch. An old story poured out immediately.
Her sister had tons of friends and was school-famous, so even quiet freshman Lee Ji-yoon drew natural attention.
Too bothersome to reciprocate, so she ignored everyone—leading to the girls shunning her.
She liked the peace, but one day her sister caught on to the bullying and pestered her for days with "friend-making seminars."
Amid her venting,
the info worth noting down for later:
"Back then, I was suffering through exam prep and headaches, and she'd barge into my room nonstop... Urgh..."
One.
Lee Ji-yoon secretly found her sister's excessive kindness annoying.
In other words, contrary to expectations, they weren't that close.
Not the "I can't live without you" type.
Two.
Lee Ji-yoon hated complicated relationships.
Guys, girls, didn't matter.
Having to care about others was just a hassle in itself.
Three.
"What's the point of having tons of friends anyway."
"......"
"Especially guys being all sweet to girls—their motives are obvious."
Probably.
Lee Ji-yoon had some bad experience with a guy.
If it'd been something traumatic, she couldn't even talk to me, so not that severe.
Guessing, something irritating enough she didn't want to mention.
Maybe creepy male customers at work.
Or, since she liked games, some horny bull glued to her online.
Hmm. Should thank those guys.
Thanks to them, she stayed pure and untainted.
"Could just be someone who's naturally kind?"
"I believe in original sin. No such thing as kindness without strings."
"When I treated you last time, I don't recall getting anything."
"...W-Well, true..."
The old stories paused,
and as we circled back to treatment, she cleared her throat after grumbling with her chin propped up.
Venting must've eased her a bit.
"...Anyway. Since it came up—if there's something you want from me, just say it. It's easier for me that way."
"Something I want?"
"N-Not anything weird. Within what I can do."
"...Hmm."
Sister bowl.
Couldn't say that outright, so I paused.
I recalled charging around 200 million per treatment back when I first started "working" to afford my own place.
The money left in my account was from then.
Kid me thought it was a fortune, but compared to actual med bills, it was pocket change.
Some were incurables money couldn't touch, sure...
I just didn't know my worth back then.
No way she'd fork over that much anyway...
......
......Ah.
"How about this?"
"What?"
"Full cure seems tough. We'll probably need regular sessions like this."
"...So?"
"Be my practice partner each time."
"...?"
Her jade-green eyes fixed on me blankly as my words ended.
Full of Practice partner? What's that supposed to mean?
"Practice partner...?"
"You're her sister, so you know best what Ha-yoon noona likes, right?"
"...Ah, yeah. Roughly..."
"So, hang out with me and point out stuff she'd like—favorite foods, places, behaviors, whatever."
"...Hmm... So you want me to stand in for her?"
"Pretty much."
"...How long?"
"Mm. 30 minutes? Just give a quick like/dislike verdict."
"That long? Eh... Sure. I'll help. It's nothing compared to the treatment."
She figured it was a bargain for the healing.
Luckily, she nodded without pushback.
I flashed a faint smile, grabbed my empty cup, and stood.
"Shall we head out and keep talking? Kinda hard to treat you here."
"Yeah... Oh, the alley just ahead's usually empty. We can duck in there..."
......Duck in there and do it.
That's what she'd said,
but this wasn't what I had in mind.
"You okay?"
"...Fine, so just finish quick..."
The alley was as empty as Lee Ji-yoon remembered.
A few folks dragging slippers out for a smoke,
a pedestrian or two passing by.
The issue: not completely empty.
"......"
"......"
Thud thud. Men's footsteps echoed from beyond Seo Woo-jin's body.
Ptooey. A phlegmy spit, like he'd seen something nauseating.
She clenched her fists, trembling...
then sighed in resignation and let go.
Truth was, options were slim.
1. Go somewhere truly deserted with Seo Woo-jin.
2. Go somewhere mostly deserted with Seo Woo-jin.
3. Go somewhere crowded with Seo Woo-jin... Out of the question.
So 1 or 2.
1 had the upside of zero prying eyes, but...
...Think about it.
That meant seeking out some secluded spot alone with her sister's boyfriend.
Like... a house, extreme case.
No way.
Not unless she was blackout drunk.
So, next best: 2.
Mostly deserted.
Wasn't totally alone with him, thankfully...
But because they weren't alone,
there were witnesses.
"Should take about 10 seconds."
"......"
Lee Ji-yoon nodded awkwardly, half-buried in Seo Woo-jin's arms.
Not pulled in tight, of course.
Just for show.
Instead of looking like lovers cuddling in the alley,
she'd opted to hide her face in his chest.
Both looked odd, sure, but one hid her identity.
Proof: a palm's width separated them.
To onlookers: couple fooling around.
To them: ...
Nothing.
"How's that? Head feeling better now?"
"Yeah, yep... Hold on, my hat..."
Seo Woo-jin murmured softly post-treatment.
Lee Ji-yoon pulled away sharply and mashed her cap down.
Only three people around max,
but it felt like all eyes were on them.
"A-Anyway, done. Let's go. Ahem. You wanted what my sister likes, right?"
"Yes."
"What she likes... What she likes..."
She bolted out of the alley, scrambling to recall sister facts.
...But.
What did she like?
Brain fried from the embarrassment...
Ah.
Right.
"My sister likes coin noraebang..."
Wait.
That'd be just the two of them.
"...My sister likes tteokbokki."
"Tteokbokki, huh."
"Hasn't had any lately, so she'd probably love it... Oh, always spicy. Loves fish cakes more than the rice cakes. It's five minutes from here, so I'll lead the way..."
She blurted it out to cover her mumble and strode out of the alley.
Calm down. No need to tense up. Why are you even tense?
Just play sister, give advice as payment for treatment, then bye.
Overthinking it would be weirder.
Business. Business...
Deep breath done, she spun around, locking eyes.
"...Let's go, Woojin-ah."
"Pardon?"
"A-Acting. Sister acting. Gotta earn my treatment."
"Ahh..."
"Then again... Let's go, Woojin-ah."
"...Ahem, yeah. Noona."
"Don't laugh!!"
Mashing her cap down, she led the way, her snowy white hair fluttering.