108. Prank
"I'm home."
"Ah, Oppa. Come on in."
"Yeah."
After having that frank talk with Mom, we came home. I let her go in first and parked the car. As I opened the front door with shopping baskets in both hands, Gyeo-ul came running out barefoot to greet me.
Mom must've gone to the master bedroom to wash up...
I glanced around the house and set the baskets down, feeling a lot more at ease in my shoulders, just like my heart.
"...What'd you talk about with Mom?"
"About you."
"Me?"
There wasn't really anything significant after that. Gyeo-ul said she wanted to live nearby after her online classes ended, to commute to school. As her overly, truly worried big brother, I couldn't let her live alone. So I said I'd move out with her. That was it. The talk before that was just me worrying about her too. Mom's final word was, you kids do what you want.
I mean, what can you do when a college student wants to move out?
...She doesn't know our impure intentions yet.
"Yeah. I told her I'd take you with me."
"...H-huh?"
But no matter what we talked about, I couldn't suppress the urge to tease her. Look at her fidgeting like that. How could I not mess with her?
"I told her we'd move out and live together."
"O...ppa...?"
I teased her straight-faced, without a hint of lying, and she blinked in way more panic than I expected.
...Ah, I can't stop now. This is too fun.
"She said to move out starting next semester."
"..."
"W-well... it's not a bad thing..."
I kept up the ironclad prank, and her expression shifted every second until she finally started to tear up.
...I didn't mean for her to react this intensely.
I was about to backpedal when she threw herself into my arms.
"Hey..."
"...Idiot."
"It was a joke, a joke."
"...That wasn't your lying voice, Oppa."
"No, it wasn't a lie. Well, not exactly..."
I fumbled in sudden fluster. Then Gyeo-ul, still in my arms, suddenly relaxed her grip, tiptoed up, and kissed my lips.
She hid her teary eyes quick and grinned at me.
"I knew. Something like that."
"...Hey."
"You're such a scaredy-cat, you could never say it outright. Idiot."
"...I actually did say it."
"You'd never spill your real feelings. ...You think I don't know you, Oppa?"
...My heart nearly dropped.
I admit it. I'm better at lying, but you're way better at acting. You totally fooled me.
"Is teasing me that fun for you, Oppa?"
"Yeah."
"Isn't that too much? Teasing me with something like that."
"You love teasing me too, so we're even."
I stroked my pounding chest and let out a deep sigh.
...I can't hold back from teasing her or getting teased. She's cute when she's squirming, and cute when she's tormenting me.
"I'll tell you the details tonight. Got it?"
"...Yeah."
I took her slender fingers in mine and massaged them firmly with my thumb.
...I've changed a lot too. Back then, I would've been too scared to even think it. Now... whatever happens, happens. The world's not gonna end. Hell, maybe it'd be better if it did. We could love openly then.
...Cut the bullshit. I'm not even drunk.
After stuffing ourselves with booze and meat, I felt some energy coming back. I'd been exerting myself so much yesterday and today, so I needed the refill. But no matter how full your stomach gets, some hungers never fill.
Look, it's late, and the phone's ringing. But answering right away would be no fun.
I hung up, and before I could set the phone down, it rang again nonstop. After rejecting it three or four times, I got up from bed and headed to the next room.
I opened the door without knocking. Gyeo-ul was sitting there, clutching her phone with both hands.
"...Why didn't you pick up, Oppa?"
"Who calls this late?"
"You do it every night. ...And you said we'd talk tonight."
"You're right next door. Gotta call?"
I didn't even close the door and boldly climbed onto her bed. Her face turned serious, staring at me weirdly.
...Hey, that hurts a bit.
"...Have you lost your mind, Oppa?"
"What. Just came to talk to my sister."
"Still, close the door..."
"Not doing anything weird, so it's fine. Closing it would be weirder."
Since I'd come so shamelessly, I doubled down, and she gawked at me like I'd lost it.
...What. You do it sometimes too.
"It's cold. Mind if I get under the covers?"
"...Sure."
I cleared my throat and slipped under the blanket, using the pillow she'd stolen from me as I lay down.
...Something's missing.
"...Aren't you cold?"
"...A little."
I murmured to her still-spaced-out self, and her flustered face softened as she snuggled right into my arms.
...Big pillows are the best. So warm. And good smell.
I buried my nose and breathed deep in, then out. I came to talk, but surprisingly, nothing came to mind. My head just went blank with every heartbeat. Like staring at a campfire, all lazy and relaxed. Just holding her, swapping breaths—this time was pure comfort.
"...Oppa asleep?"
"Ah, yeah—no, no. Not asleep."
...Almost dozed off there. Even with just two beers, sleeping in my sister's room? Weird, even if it's Mom... she'd say something. Two bottles of soju? Nah. Vodka? Maybe she'd let it slide.
"Mom only took you. ...What'd she say?"
"Nothing much. She was worried you'd never date again after faking the breakup with your 'boyfriend.'"
"...That's got nothing to do with you."
"She thought I scolded you into dumping him."
"What the hell."
"She knows you like me a ton? Got jealous 'cause you listen to me, not her."
Thinking about it, my utterly unfilial sister pissed me off, so I hugged her soft body tight—too tight—and she let out a whimper.
...Ow.
Gyeo-ul pinched my calf with her toes. I loosened up a bit.
"That's it?"
"I said if you couldn't marry, I'd keep you. So she said just move out together."
"...Mom said that for real?"
"Obviously a joke. ...She's still sane."
I let go of the near-suffocated Gyeo-ul, turned to face the door, and sighed long. As expected, warmth pressed against my back.
...I like hugging you, but you hugging me heals me too. Fills something I can't alone. Pure bliss.
"...Oppa."
"Yeah."
"...What if, just maybe."
"No way."
"I haven't said it yet."
"Hey, even Mom's too nice to accept that."
"...I know."
We hadn't said it outright, but we knew exactly what we meant.
...She wouldn't get it. I wouldn't if I were her.
"...Should we just keep going like this, Oppa?"
"You're nuts."
"We are nuts. ...Door's even open."
"Close siblings sleep together sometimes."
"...Then what's this?"
She lifted my shirt a bit, then hers, rubbing her soft belly against my back.
...Close call. If we hadn't done it daytime, I might've pounced.
"...Why's your belly so soft? I worked hard to build those muscles."
"I ate too much meat earlier. Can't help it, idiot."
"I ate a ton too. Wanna compare?"
I turned back to face her. Weird setup: shirts hiked, navels touching.
...Not doing anything naughty, and blanket hides it. Mom comes? We can say counseling.
"...Hard."
"What?"
"Abs. Pervert."
"Who's the pervert."
...Total bluff. Door handle turns? I'd bolt to a chair. "Counseling Gyeo-ul."
"Gyeo-ul."
"...Yeah."
"...Gyeo-ul."
"..."
Dark, but her face clear as day. Not sad or down. Her usual "gonna tease you" look. Closer, she debates pushing or pulling. Closer still, her eyes lock on mine.
I gently grab her ear, stroke with thumb. Her eyelids droop. A bit more. Closer...
"Pffft..."
I blow air and giggle first. She blinks at the puff, then kicks my legs.
"Hey, that hurts. For real."
"You total trash..."
Looks mad, but not. Real mad? She'd stone-face. This is affection. Too much—I nearly fell off.
...Queen size after moving? But Mom visits apartment, sees it? Suspicious. Gotta stick close.
"Haa... seriously..."
"Gyeo-ul."
"What. Don't call me."
"Said what I came to say. Heading out."
"...Do whatever."
Ah, she's sulking. Can't help it. Big bro sleeping in sis's room? Weird. But gotta smooth it...
"You had a few beers too, right?"
"...Yeah."
"Drunk and tipsy, you might mistake rooms going for water... so if you crash in my bed, I won't kick you out."
"..."
"Me lingering too long in your room's weird... Gonna head back?"
"...Yeah."
"...Mom wakes at 7, so alarm at 5:30."
Finished, I sneaked a kiss on her suddenly relaxed lips and dashed to my bed. Waited under covers, expecting pursuit...
Surprisingly, no. Till I nearly slept. Then she slipped in secretly. Thanks to that, I dreamed of Gyeo-ul after ages. Usually sleep together, no dreams. Her crashing? Kinda nice.
...Maybe not a dream.
Alarm rang. Fingers reeked of drool. Suspect slept soundly before me. Before waking her, I stroked her lips with my index.
...Ow. Guess a succubus gnawed my hand while I slept.