Birthday Dinner with the Cousins
I stepped out of the birthday party room and washed my face. Splashing some cold water on myself cleared my head a bit. Wanting to cool off even more, I didn't bother drying off. Staring blankly into the mirror, my body temperature finally normalized. As I headed back to the room from the bathroom, my phone rang right on cue.
“⋯Hello.”
“Hey, Ga-eul. It's your hyung.”
“Oh, hyung. What's up.”
“Happy birthday.”
It was my cousin. What a surprise.
“Uh⋯ thanks.”
“Ga-eul, you got some time right now?”
“Time?”
“I'll treat you to dinner.”
“⋯I was gonna eat with Gyeo-ul.”
“I'll treat her too. Anna noona says she misses seeing you guys.”
“Noona does?”
“Yeah.”
“⋯Let me ask Gyeo-ul real quick, hold on.”
“Sure.”
I muted the phone for a moment and headed back to my sister's room. No answer when I knocked, so I cautiously cracked the door open and peeked in.
“⋯Gyeo-ul-ah?”
“Yeah.”
“Cousin hyung and noona want to grab dinner together. What do you think?”
“⋯Today?”
“It's my birthday, so he wants to treat me. Said he misses you too.”
“Guess we can't say no⋯ right?”
“⋯Probably not.”
“⋯Okay.”
Seeing her reluctant expression made me feel uneasy for no reason. ⋯She doesn't like Yo-han hyung. Well, with a ten-year age gap, that made sense. Though she got along okay with cousin noona. Maybe it'd be fine?
I turned my gaze away and unmuted the mic.
“Hey, hyung. She's cool with it.”
“Oh, really? Cool, where should we eat?”
“We had a place in mind, I'll Kakao you the info. Meet there.”
“Got it. What time?”
“Around 6?”
“Okay. See you then.”
“Yeah.”
I hung up and slipped the phone back into my pocket. My sister was buried in her phone, reading something intently.
“⋯Gyeo-ul-ah.”
“Yeah.”
“⋯I'll make the reservation for now.”
“⋯Okay.”
Only after she nodded could I close the door and leave. My mind wasn't at ease.
I threw on a short-sleeve shirt and jeans, sitting down at the reserved spot with my sister. Side by side, we looked almost identical except for the T-shirt colors—mine white, hers black. Why does she love black so much when her name's Gyeo-ul? No idea.
“Gyeo-ul-ah.”
“Yeah.”
“Why do you always wear black?”
“⋯Gets dirty.”
“What does.”
“Soups, sauces. Always ends up on my T-shirt.”
“⋯Yeah, I guess.”
⋯Makes sense. With her build, anything that drops lands right there.
I stared back at the menu.
“Oppa, what're you getting?”
“They've got a four-person set, so that.”
“So, what for pasta?”
“Not big on tomato, so cream or carbonara.”
“⋯Me too.”
“⋯Looking at this, they only give two pastas anyway? We can share.”
“Oppa, won't the portions be small?”
“If not, order more.”
As we chatted over the menu, someone sat across from us. It had been about a month—cousin hyung and noona.
“⋯What're you two whispering about so intently? Didn't even notice me arrive.”
“Oh, hyung. Hey. Noona too.”
“Ga-eul, Gyeo-ul, long time no see~”
“⋯Hello.”
Hyung was dressed up fancy, while noona looked pretty much like us. ⋯Why's he so done up? Doesn't suit him.
“⋯Why're you staring like that? Something wrong with my clothes?”
“Nah, just.”
“I was out with my girlfriend and came straight here after.”
“⋯Hyung, no marriage plans?”
“Even you gotta bring that up?”
He grumbled like he was fed up, and I kinda pitied him. Would I end up like that at his age? But honestly, still not married to his middle-school girlfriend? Kinda self-inflicted. I'd met her a few times. Time to tie the knot already. As the eldest grandson, if he marries first, less heat on me.
“Gyeo-ul-ah~ Missed your noona, right~?”
“⋯Yeah.”
“Can't I sit next to noona?”
“⋯No.”
“Why?”
“⋯.”
Cousin noona pulled Gyeo-ul into a hug and started rubbing her head against her chest. ⋯. She looked so uncomfortable.
“⋯Gyeo-ul likes oppa more than noona?”
“⋯.”
“⋯?”
⋯Noona, you're late twenties now. Act your age. Gyeo-ul's uncomfortable.
“Hey, cut it out. Can't you see she's freaking out?”
“What? What's it to you.”
“⋯Well, it's hot.”
“See? She hates you clinging like that.”
“⋯Betrayed by Gyeo-ul. I took such good care of her when she was little.”
After hyung's jab, noona slumped into the remaining seat like she'd lost everything. ⋯Sorry, but siblings are closer than cousins, obviously.
We ordered the four-person set and nibbled on the pre-meal bread. Always feels heavy, but damn, it's the best part. Wish they sold it separately.
“Ga-eul-ah, you don't drink?”
“⋯Trying to quit.”
“They're offering wine, though. Gotta do soda?”
“⋯Went military and turned into an altsu now.”
“Altsu?”
“Alcohol trash.”
As expected from someone marching toward their thirties, he was weak on new slang. I thought the same when I first heard it.
“Got in trouble drunk?”
“⋯No?”
“You did.”
“Didn't cause any.”
“Then you went wild.”
Hyung knew me too well—it gave me chills. Guess all those taekwondo dojo drop-offs built that insight.
“Gyeo-ul-ah, what've you been up to?”
“Senior year. Suneung prep.”
“Not studying 24/7. Gone out anywhere?”
“⋯With oppa. Sometimes.”
“With Ga-eul?”
“⋯Meals or cafes.”
Gyeo-ul nodded as she answered. ⋯Why's she so shy today? Acts all cool with friends. Weak against elders, huh.
“Ga-eul, what'd you do to make her like that?”
“⋯Nothing.”
“She follows you more than me.”
“Means noona's credit's low.”
“⋯Gyeo-ul-ah, true?”
“⋯.”
This time she shook her head no. Tsk. I got why noona was like that. But Gyeo-ul's⋯ ah, no, forget it. As she clamped her mouth shut, noona perked up and started chattering with Gyeo-ul. 90% noona talking, though.
Watching them, hyung asked me,
“Ga-eul-ah, what've you been doing lately?”
“⋯Gyeo-ul's chauffeur.”
“⋯What?”
“Mom asked me to pick her up from school.”
“Why?”
“Worried about catching something, I guess. Pays decent allowance, though⋯.”
“⋯Well, yeah. Part-times are iffy these days.”
“Right.”
“Free time?”
“⋯Hang out.”
“Living the fine discharge life, huh.”
I did workouts, dishes, cleaning—household stuff diligently. But productive? Lying about that pricked my conscience. A twinge of regret flickered as noona jumped in.
“What, Ga-eul's driving Gyeo-ul around?”
“Apparently.”
“Ga-eul has a car?”
“⋯Mom lent the keys.”
“Second aunt's car is nice. Jealous.”
“⋯Isn't it the same as yours, hyung?”
“His car ain't mine. Never ride it.”
Wait, siblings can't share a ride now and then? ⋯Or not?
“Anyway, cruising in that'll pull girls.”
“⋯Not cruising.”
“Why?”
“Who goes out in this mess.”
“Friends, girl friends, someone to meet.”
“Been out a month. What.”
“Want noona to set you up?”
“⋯Noona, you nuts?”
“Watch your mouth. Noona knows cute girls among her juniors.”
“Don't need.”
“⋯Discharge guys usually crave that.”
“Not into that. Prefer natural⋯ stuff.”
“Total kid. Seen too many movies?”
“That's noona who⋯.”
“⋯Noona.”
Gyeo-ul's voice cut in as I argued back.
⋯What.
“Yeah, Gyeo-ul-ah.”
“⋯Noona single?”
You maniac. Don't poke the berserk button. Hyung's on edge.
“⋯Why?”
“Just curious.”
“⋯Was.”
“Now?”
“⋯Soon.”
Her smiling eyes were creepy as hell. ⋯Why poke that. Seriously.
“Hey, food's here. Eat. Eat.”
“Yeah. Gyeo-ul-ah, try the steak. Delicious.”
Thank god the food arrived—I stuffed meat in Gyeo-ul's mouth. Hyung cackling till his abs hurt was a hero moment.
As we ate, the vibe settled nicely—no forced talk needed. Sharing pasta with Gyeo-ul, every time I reached for noodles on the side plate, her fork nudged mine. ⋯Why.
I nudged her foot back in retaliation; she poked my side under the table. What the hell.
Glancing over, she eyed toward the outside. ⋯.
I swallowed and cleared my throat.
“Hyung, gonna wash my hands quick.”
“Ah, oppa. Me too.”
“⋯Uh, sure.”
Hyung eyed us suspiciously but okayed it, so we bolted.
Slipping away to a blind spot with Gyeo-ul.
“Oppa.”
“What.”
“⋯What now.”
“What.”
“Earlier, that⋯ got mad for a sec.”
“⋯At noona?”
“⋯Yeah.”
Gyeo-ul looked troubled, head down. ⋯What got her so pissed.
“Noona's really mad at you? Play along a bit, she'll cool off.”
“⋯Yeah?”
“⋯Act clueless. Knows you're playing, even noona'd react.”
“But lying's⋯.”
“Why'd you do it then.”
“⋯If Yo-han oppa said he'd introduce someone to you, could you take it?”
“Why bring that up.”
“⋯Could you?”
“You're senior year—hyung'd be crazy.”
“⋯Say I graduate.”
“⋯No.”
If I introduced someone? Hell no, I'd never. Probably yell at hyung he's insane.
“⋯That's why.”
“⋯Go cling to noona, say sorry. Spoil her, she'll love it.”
“⋯Okay.”
Short huddle done, back to the table. As expected, noona lit up quick.
“Hyung come by car?”
“Brought it, I'd have come with her? Didn't drink wine then.”
“Whatever⋯ see ya.”
“Yeah. ⋯Get a girlfriend.”
“⋯I'll handle it.”
“⋯Do it, seriously.”
“Just go already.”
“Bye noona! Gyeo-ul-ah, see you! Ga-eul too!”
“Yeah, noona, later.”
“Yep, drive safe~”
After dinner, at the station, hyung and noona passed the gates. Walking apart, they split without goodbye. We started home too.
“⋯Fun.”
“⋯Lively folks.”
Sunset made the walk home chilly. Short sleeves—early fall, huh. Glancing aside, Gyeo-ul's profile: long lashes, sharp yet soft eyes. Pure soul? Eyes like mine. Mom's too.
“⋯Gyeo-ul-ah.”
“Yeah.”
“⋯Let's go again, just us later.”
“⋯Once?”
“Then three.”
“No. Five.”
“Pricey. Even four-set dinner's 140,000 won.”
“⋯Fine. Four.”
“Deal. Four.”
Finally at ease, walking home with Gyeo-ul. Early fall night—not serene, but peaceful.