Operation Begins
The artificial sun of the Greenhouse blazed to life, announcing morning.
……Well, more accurately, countless lights flickering on.
God, I'm so tired…
I'd barely slept a wink all night!!!
Taking the blanket out of the washer, tossing it in the dryer, waiting for it to dry, then sneaking it back into my wardrobe—the whole exhausting process had drained every last bit of my energy.
And to top it off, Jiha had slipped back to her own room while I was out, so when I returned with the blanket, my bed was empty.
All that remained was the faint, sweet scent of her skin on the fabric, proof that last night hadn't been a dream.
Creeeak.
Creeeak.
I dragged my heavy body down to the first-floor living room.
From the kitchen came the clatter of dishes and the savory aroma of stew.
Haru sis.
"Woohyun, you're up?"
Sis turned around, ladle in hand.
Her light brown hair was neatly tied low on both sides.
Her face looked a bit paler than usual, but the gentle smile she gave me was the same as ever.
"Yeah… sis. You're up early?"
The horrific bathroom incident from yesterday flashed in my mind, and I couldn't meet her eyes, dropping my gaze to the floor.
"Go wash up! And wake the others. Breakfast is ready."
Sis spoke softly, affectionately.
As if nothing had happened.
And that stabbed at my heart even more.
"Got it, sis."
I turned to head to the first-floor bathroom.
"Haru sis, pass me the ladle."
Woohee sis came down from the second-floor stairs, brushing past me into the kitchen.
Woohee sis, up early for once.
I'd never seen her out of bed second only to me.
"Oh, Woohee, you're up early. Here."
Haru sis handed the ladle to Woohee sis.
Woohee took it, sniffed the stew, and nodded.
Swish—
Then she slowly turned, walking toward me where I lingered at the kitchen entrance.
"Woohyun."
Woohee sis came right up to me.
And without warning, her pale hand shot up, gently cupping my cheek.
"Wha…?"
As I gasped in surprise, Woohee sis rose on tiptoe, bringing her face inches from my nose.
Her cool gray eyes stared deep into mine, as if pulling me in.
"Did our Woohyun… not sleep a wink last night? Your eyes look so hollow."
Woohee sis's voice was a tone higher than usual, laced with a strangely sticky sweetness.
Squeeze.
Her thumb gently rubbed the dark circle under my eye.
Through her sleeveless shirt, her round breasts swayed tantalizingly close to my chest.
"N-no… it's not…"
I stammered, trying to back away, but Woohee sis tightened her grip on my cheek, holding me in place.
"If you're tired, come to my room later and rest. Sis'll give you a massage. You worked hard carrying heavy stuff yesterday."
The plan we'd agreed on at dawn!
But Woohee sis's acting was beyond imagination—blatantly seductive yet utterly natural.
The same person who'd always recoiled from even casual touches was now stroking my cheek first thing in the morning, inviting me to her room????
Clang!
A sharp metallic crash from the kitchen.
Haru sis's dropped spoon rolled noisily across the floor.
I forced heat to my face, playing along with Woohee sis's script, and opened my mouth.
My cheek burned—half acting, half from the sheer awkwardness.
Her soft palm against my skin made my voice tremble faintly.
"A m-massage…? Sure… I'll swing by this afternoon."
My positive reply cut through the lingering echo of the clang, slicing the kitchen air.
But Woohee sis ignored it completely.
Her eyes were fixed on Haru sis.
"Oh, Haru sis… you dropped your spoon."
Haru sis froze, eyes darting between the spoon on the floor and me.
Her brown eyes shook like there'd been an earthquake.
Her lips parted slightly, breaths shallow and quick, like she'd seen something she shouldn't have.
"Ah… yeah. I'll get it."
Haru sis bent down in a fluster, fumbling on the floor.
The calm, gentle big sis was crumbling pathetically.
As she leaned under the sink, her ears flushed bright red—clearly visible to me.
Woohee sis gazed down at the top of Haru sis's head with keen interest, then turned back to me.
"See you later, Woohyun. Come to my room after lunch. I'll leave the door open."
Woohee sis tapped my chest twice with her index finger, lightly.
The cool touch of her fingertip through my shirt felt oddly erotic.
She flashed a satisfied smile, then walked to the fridge and grabbed a cold water bottle.
Haru sis picked up the spoon and stood.
Her eyes never met mine.
Still, she said,
"Must've gotten water on my hands…"
Forcing an excuse, she tossed the spoon roughly into the sink.
Clang!
Louder and more irritated than before.
She turned away and started stirring the stew pot vigorously.
The veins stood out white on the back of her hand gripping the ladle.
Scrape—
Scrape—!
The sound scraping the pot bottom was far faster and sharper than usual.
Woohee sis's analysis was spot on!
Was this really working?
Was this damn plan actually working????
That's when it happened.
Thud thud thud!
Light footsteps came down the second-floor stairs.
"Ahm… good morning."
Seonyu came into the living room, hair a messy nest.
Her loose gray T-shirt had slipped off one shoulder, revealing a dark bra strap.
She yawned widely, heading to the kitchen, but flinched when our eyes met.
She must've remembered catching me and Hari tangled up in the Cultivation Area yesterday afternoon.
"……."
Seonyu's face flushed beet red in an instant.
She glared at me once, clicked her tongue, and plopped down at the farthest seat from me at the table.
"Move it."
Seonyu grumbled, but I didn't snap back.
She couldn't look me straight in the eye, just fidgeted irritably with an empty glass.
Then Hari and Jiha came down the stairs side by side.
Hari had her pink hair neatly combed back and was dressed primly as usual, but she bowed her head the moment she saw me.
The memory of straddling me in the tomato field yesterday, panting wildly, was clearly tormenting her.
Hari quietly sat next to Seonyu, clasping her hands tightly in her lap.
And Jiha.
Jiha bounded over to me with her usual bright, innocent smile.
"Oppa, good morning!"
She hugged my thick forearm with both hands, grinning ear to ear.
"Did you sleep well?"
The moment I saw her face, memories flooded back: her clumsy hands gripping and stroking my cock under the blanket last night, her small palms sticky with my cum.
"Uh, uh… good morning, Jiha. Slept well."
Feeling my spine stiffen, I barely managed a reply.
Jiha rubbed her cheek against my arm, as if my flustered state amused her.
Our sticky little secret.
Her eyes sparkled with a strange sense of accomplishment and pride over it.
"Alright, everyone sit. Let's eat."
Haru sis approached the table with the large pot.
Thud.
She set it down heavier than usual in the center.
We sat in unison, holding our breaths, like it was rehearsed.
Haru sis silently ladled stew into bowls without a word.
Steaming hot bowls were placed before us one by one.
The table surrounded by all six of us.
It should have been the warmest, liveliest time of the day, but today's air was as precarious as walking on thin ice.
Clink, clink.
No one spoke.
Only the mechanical clatter of spoons against bowls.
Seonyu kept side-eyeing me like I was a bug, mashing the potatoes in her stew aggressively.
Hari just sipped the broth, lips twitching.
Jiha sat glued to my side, secretly tugging at my sleeve, playing pranks.
Ugh, can't breathe.
I couldn't tell if the food was going in my nose or mouth.
"Woohyun, here."
Then Woohee sis, sitting across from me, dropped a sausage piece she'd speared onto my bowl.
All eyes snapped to my bowl.
Woohee sis propped her chin, gazing at me languidly.
"Eat up. Not much meat. Gotta build stamina if you're coming to my room this afternoon."
Cough!
Haru sis choked on her water, coughing violently.
"Kuh—cough!"
"Sis! You okay?"
Hari jumped, patting Haru sis's back frantically.
Haru sis shook her head, face red with teary eyes, covering her mouth with a napkin.
Seonyu narrowed her eyes, glaring at Woohee sis.
"Woohee sis, what're you talking about? Why's this jerk going to your room this afternoon?"
Woohee sis shrugged nonchalantly at Seonyu's sharp question.
"Said his shoulders are stiff, so I'm giving him a massage. My bed's nice and soft. Figured I'd have him lie face down and step on his back."
Bed?
Face down?
Back?
Step on it?
She knew exactly how those everyday words would spark misunderstandings.
"A m-massage…?"
Seonyu's face flushed red again.
Her gaze flicked between my shoulders and Woohee sis, mouth agape in disbelief.
"You're crazy?! Why on the bed…!"
"Best way to relieve fatigue."
Woohee sis brushed off Seonyu's fuss lightly, flashing me a faint smile.
"Right, Woohyun? I'll knead you from shoulders to lower back."
I gripped my spoon, wishing for a hole to hide in.
"Y-yeah… th-thanks, sis."
Woohee sis's performance was flawless, like a god-possessed actress.
Even Jiha beside me froze mid-bite, pouting up at me.
After what we'd done last night, the idea of me alone in a room with another girl clearly irked her childish eyes.
But the one shaking hardest was definitely Haru sis.
Haru sis's gaze lingered on my glass.
She gripped her spoon tight.
Her knuckles turned white.
"……If it's a massage."
Haru sis's voice burst out suddenly.
Hoarse and strained.
All eyes turned to her.
She fixed her gaze on her bowl, lips trembling as she continued.
"Your room's small, Woohee. Full of books. Dust everywhere. No need to do it there."
Sis set her spoon down.
"The living room sofa's bigger. Do it there."
Woohee sis shrugged, meeting Haru sis's eyes.
"Sofa sinks too much—bad for the back. Need the bounce of my mattress to step properly."
Woohee sis's rebuttal left no room for argument.
"And out there, the kids wandering around. Wanna let him rest quietly with the door closed. He hasn't been sleeping well lately."
Knowing why I couldn't sleep made my heart sink again.
"……………."
Haru sis bit her lip, unable to counter.
Resentment, anxiety, and uncontrolled blame flickered in her eyes.
"……Do whatever."
Haru sis shoved her chair back roughly and stood.
Screech!
"I'm done. Put your dishes in the sink."
She left her half-eaten bowl and stormed out of the kitchen without looking back.
Her retreating figure looked noticeably smaller.
'Haru sis……'
I wanted to jump up and chase after her right then!!!
……But I barely held back the impulse.
Woohee sis's plan had only just begun.