Chapter 1
"Seonghwan-ah..."
The voice of the woman in my dream was always the heavenly harmony I'd longed for. But in the end, it was just an echo of sound. The strikingly beautiful face of the woman filled my vision, coming into sharp focus.
"Yeon-noona..."
"Seonghwan-ah..."
The moment I'd always dreamed of was unfolding in a dream. Paradoxically, even as I realized this was a lucid dream, I tried to savor it.
"I'll always watch over you... and protect you... No matter the obstacle, I'll clear it for you..."
The woman began slowly slipping the dress from her shoulders. The smile lingering on her lips grew thicker, more viscous. Her breasts gradually came into view—snow-white skin, too large for one hand to grasp... that kind...
Aaah, please don't wake up, please... not yet... damn it, Lee Hyun, you bitch, cut it out.
Thwack!
"Aaaack!"
"Get up already, you idiot Kim Seonghwan. Do you even know what time it is? I ask nicely and you ignore me?"
"Ughhh..."
The pain radiating from my back wouldn't subside, no clue what she'd hit me with. Having lost my right to sleep comfortably in my own bed, I turned furious eyes toward the girl who'd struck me.
"Lee Hyun, you fucking psycho. Why the hell do you smash someone who's sleeping? What'd you hit me with this time? Huh? You know my heart's weak—do you wanna torment me that bad?"
"Hmph. Ancient history with that heart crap? You got a pass on the military from surgery at eight—gonna milk it forever? Like it's bone broth stock?"
As a kid, I'd often felt short of breath and had respiratory issues, leading to a heart valve diagnosis at a major hospital. Though surgery cured it eventually, back then Mom was extra cautious—I spent a whole year shuttling just between school and home, basically confined indoors, no playing with friends. That trauma stuck; even now, playing basketball, if my heart races too hard, I stop and Google symptoms online.
"Ah... fuck, my dream..."
As I wistfully replayed the dream, another kick flew my way.
"Bullshit! What, hit the lottery and marry some Uzbek chick? Drooling with your mouth wide open. Get up already!"
"Ah, fuck. Lee Hyun, you bitch. How many times do I gotta say I'm three years older? You gonna act like that at school too?"
"Hmph. As if. At school, even pretending to know you gets you decked."
I glared at the annoying girl yapping in front of me. Already dressed to head out, she was Lee Hyun—childhood friend who didn't feel like one, three years younger, always hanging with me and my brother since we were kids.
Skinny jeans hugging her legs seductively, a polo tee outlining her perky breasts and voluptuous figure—Lee Hyun was a captivating girl with celebrity-level popularity in the neighborhood, though I'd never admit it. Fresh off high school graduation, too.
Fuck, shitty personality aside, can't even badmouth her...
"Skipping your first class of the semester at college? It's my first day—don't you remember promising to go together?"
I'd scraped into Korea University—top school in the country—and was now a sophomore. Lee Hyun was an incoming freshman there too, my neighbor from the same hood.
Coincidentally attending the nation's best uni together, but reactions around us differed wildly. I'd barely hung on after two retries, barely qualifying score-wise. Hyun? Breezed in with margin to spare. Same endpoint, vastly different starts—no one thought we'd begun on equal footing.
Plus, my brother Minhwan was a senior there, aced it first try regular admission. Me? Dad nagged till I retook twice just to barely make it.
I ground my teeth, glaring at brazen Hyun bossing me around.
"Just go ahead. No morning classes for me today! Fuck, I told you yesterday—why the morning meltdown?"
Hyun snorted dismissively.
"Hmph. Didn't see my text? Asked you to show me around campus. Don't even know where my department is. Who else is gonna do it? As a senior, this pretty junior's giving you VIP treatment—gonna ghost me?"
"No... you just unilaterally decided and now dump it on me..."
"Ugh, whiner. Tch."
Her muttered complaint irked me more than her attitude.
Skipped OT herself, acted like she didn't know me, now bugs me for department help?
Orientation notices went out ages ago via text and Kakao. She skipped 'cause lazy, blew chances to mingle with seniors and peers, now barges into my house demanding a tour while I'm sleeping.
Must've been enemies in a past life...
I rubbed my sleepy eyes and sat up.
"Fuck off. I'll wash up and be in the living room in ten."
"Hmph. What's taking so long? Ugh, look at that gut. Take after Minhwan-oppa half as much and hit the gym."
"Minhwan-hyung's the freak. I'm standard. Compare apples to apples."
Familiar jab at my inferiority— I took it in stride, used to it.
Stork vs. sparrow difference anyway...
***
After washing my hair and face lightly, I headed to the living room. Mom greeted me warmly, meal ready as usual.
"Right on time. Sit and eat. Your brother's coming soon."
Unlike Mom's welcome, Dad—suited up for work, newspaper in hand—folded it with indifference and launched into nagging.
"Seonghwan, using weak body as excuse—how long you gonna slack? Your brother swims and works out at dawn. Laziness grows if you let it. How many times I gotta say? Tsk."
Clack. Mom set down chopsticks, reining Dad in.
"Enough. Honey, no nagging at the table—I told you."
"......Frustrating, that's why."
Dad grumbled; I shrank silently, picking at my food cautiously.
"Uncle, Aunt, mind if I eat too?"
Hyun slipped in with a fresh, sassy lilt and bright smile.
Dad chuckled warmly at her cutesy intrusion, familiar as ever.
"Haha, Hyun-ah, what formality like a stranger? Sit. Yeon-i and Minhwan should be here soon—eat first."
"Hehe, thanks."
She plopped beside me naturally, grabbing chopsticks. I ground my teeth watching.
Treats everyone but me nice? Yaps at me like a killer, plays sweet for family. Hehe my ass—makes me wanna puke.
Beep-beep-beep. Door lock chimed; two entered.
"Dad, Mom, we're here."
"Hello, Uncle, Aunt. Me too."
My tall brother Minhwan—mid-180s, slim and toned, stylishly swept longish hair—greeted boisterously with a grin. Dad beamed back.
"Minhwan, worked out hard again? Looking good. Diligence builds body and fresh starts. Hungry? Sit. And Yeon-i—prettier every time. Folks'd mistake you for a celeb."
"Aigoo, Uncle... Embarrassing at breakfast—food won't go down. Oppa looks more celeb."
The table warmed instantly. I struggled to fit in, poking food, eyeing others' paces. Then the girl with Minhwan smiled at me sweetly.
"Seonghwan's back to classes too. Excited for new semester?"
"Uh................."
Yeon-noona...
She was Lee Hyun's sister, Lee Yeon—the one who'd kicked me awake earlier. Childhood neighbor, grew up with me and my brother, same surname hanja twist.
At 24, a year under 25-year-old Minhwan, but maturest—gentle big-sis vibe, always looking out for me and Hyun.
And... while Hyun got pretty-girl hype, by her high school days, Yeon was fully goddess-mode. Face, figure—zero flaws for the title. College? Guys swarmed; she wore couple rings to fend 'em off. Even got secret SNS date invites from a male idol at a casual model gig photoshoot.
But as she and Minhwan paired up constantly, folks tacitly approved them as a couple, easing her woes. Stalkers popped up occasionally still.
"Uh? No hype for new term?"
Minhwan coldly chided his brother; I snapped my gaping mouth shut.
Yeon scolded him gently.
"Oppa. No attitude at the table."
Dad watched fondly, booming laughter.
"Hahaha! Yeon-i's speech and expressions—who's she take after? Right, honey? Bring her as daughter-in-law, our family's golden. Hahaha!"
Recalling pre-arrival nagging at Mom, Dad roared. Minhwan flushed pleased; Yeon ducked shyly, ambiguous smile flickering later.
"Uncle... so embarrassing."
"Hahat, what's to hide? Not outsiders. Poor kid's sunflower-pining 25 years— this uncle pities him. Hahaha!"
"Oppa's way hotter—tons of girls chase him. I'd pale."
"Exactly—claim him before too late! Hahaha!"
...Haa... fuck.
Painful. Worse than Dad's jabs at me. I knew my place. Life comparing to brother since childhood—numb to it now. But with Yeon involved? Different story.
They hung together; I tagged along. Kind Yeon didn't separate "me-time" from kid-duty. So I watched, nursed secret heartaches. But denied they matched perfectly.
Neighbor 15 years—her free rein in our house. Nothing I could do.
Dad built mid-sized firm; persistence and build won popular-then-Mom. She: Yeon-like celeb beauty.
Dominant genes birthed Minhwan: tall, handsome, lean-muscular alpha male.
Me? Dad's build, recessive-face plainness. Averaged 180cm—not model-tall, no standout features. Double eyelids from Mom, though.
This inferiority and jealousy—incurable with Yeon-noona around.
I avoided her gaze, silently finishing my meal.