Only I Gave It To You, Right?
"Ah."
Guess that wasn't it.
The intimacy level that had climbed so high had dropped back down again.
'I thought it would only ever go up.'
I scratched my head as I watched Yang Dami's expression.
"Hmm..."
My 'younger sister,' with her eyes narrowed into sharp slits and a face full of fury, was glaring at me...
Yang Dami's lips trembled as if she were about to say something, but then she whipped her head away with a sharp whoosh.
She let out a huffing sound, her chin jutting forward.
Yang Dami clicked her tongue and said, sounding thoroughly displeased.
"Ha, forget it. It's nothing, really. It's just chocolate, what was I even expecting?"
Even as she grumbled, she kept bringing up the chocolate.
She looked at me and gestured with her chin, as if to confirm that it was her, the younger sister, who had taken care of me.
'Uh... am I supposed to say something?'
There were no options popping up for me to choose from this time.
Women outside usually fall for my actions instantly, but since she's my sister, I have no idea how she'll react.
'Better to just stay quiet.'
I stood there blankly, prepared to take whatever tantrum Yang Dami threw my way.
But then.
"Ugh..."
Yang Dami reached out and grabbed my arm.
She squeezed the hand that was holding the chocolate tight.
"Ouch... what are you doing? That hurts..."
I tried to pry her fingers open to hold my ground, but my 'younger sister's' grip was stronger.
"Let go... you're going to crush the chocolate..."
"I don't care. Hmph, eat it or don't. It's not like there was anyone else who would've given you any anyway."
She released my hand, then shoved my chest as if to say, do whatever you want.
She was sulking because I hadn't acted the way she wanted after she’d gone through the trouble of giving me a gift.
She was acting as cold as usual, convinced that she was the only one who had given me anything.
'But I got chocolate from Lee Yurim, too.'
When I glanced to the side, Lee Yurim gave me a secret, bashful smile.
It was a sincere, handmade chocolate she’d been so hesitant to show me earlier.
Even now, she couldn't bring herself to step forward and was just nervously watching Yang Dami.
'Lee Yurim, you're cute.'
It’s touching that she must have stayed up all night working on it.
I was grateful for Yang Dami's gift too, but I wanted to correct her assumption that she was the only one.
I decided to talk back to my angry sister.
"Actually, no."
"What?"
"You aren't the only one who gave me some."
Yang Dami furrowed her brows.
"What are you talking about? You loser."
"Hey, Dami. Is that any way to talk to your brother? Even so, calling Dajun a los...er... pfft, pffft-hahaha..."
And what is your problem?
She could have just stayed quiet, but she had to go and poke fun at us.
I glared at the giggling Lee Yurim and shook my head.
With a heavy sigh, I brought out the one I had set aside.
"Here, I got some from someone else, too."
"...What is that?"
Yang Dami's expression went cold.
Her voice, usually sharp and clear, dropped in tone until it felt like being cut by a sheet of ice.
And then.
'Yang Dami, what's with you today?'
My 'younger sister's' obsession level had spiked.
Even though she was just a girl from my own house, a chill ran down my spine.
'Ugh, if I say the wrong thing, I'm going to get an earful.'
I waved my hands frantically and used Lee Yurim as an excuse.
"This... Yurim gave it to me."
"Yurim... unni?"
Her words were clipped.
Yang Dami stopped her outburst, her lips softening as she looked toward Lee Yurim.
At my words, Lee Yurim nodded enthusiastically.
"Yeah, I gave him that."
"Ha... is that so...?"
Yang Dami chewed on her lower lip and muttered to herself, barely audible.
"I suppose so... haa..."
We set up a small table and opened our lunch boxes in front of it.
It was the three of us—me, Lee Yurim, and Yang Dami—sitting in a circle.
I’d been starving, so the thought of lunch made me grin.
They say even a dog isn't bothered while eating, so I just wanted to enjoy my meal.
That was the plan, but...
"Dajun, eat this."
"Thank you."
"And this, too."
"Oh, thanks."
"Here."
"...Uh."
"Here, eat this as well."
"Uh-huh..."
"Uh-huh-huh..."
Is this for real?
I was flustered by Lee Yurim’s behavior of mindlessly piling side dishes onto my plate.
'It feels like I was waiting eagerly for some feed, and now I'm being buried in it!'
She wasn't just giving me some; she was giving me the best side dishes, not even seeming to care about her own portion.
I hadn't even finished what I already had, but because she kept giving me more, my plate was overflowing.
Yang Dami, unable to watch any longer, frowned and intervened.
"Unni, what are you doing? Take it back."
"Huh?"
"This, and this too."
"Uh-huh?"
She started picking up the side dishes that had been handed to me and putting them back onto Lee Yurim's plate.
The mountain of food on my plate finally began to shrink, returning to Lee Yurim's side.
The problem was that Yang Dami didn't stop using her chopsticks.
'What is she doing?'
I thought she’d stop at a reasonable point, but she took everything from my plate.
"Hey, why are you doing that?"
"You can't finish it all anyway."
"That's not true..."
I felt so wronged...
Actually, it was true that I couldn't finish it all.
It was because 'Yang Dajun' didn't have much of an appetite.
'Is that why my body is so small?'
It's too late to start eating a lot now, but that's beside the point—it’s still frustrating.
I watched Yang Dami carefully and tried to sneak my chopsticks over.
Clack—
I was blocked immediately.
"Are you a pig?"
"Hmph..."
Clack.
Our chopsticks crossed in an 'X' shape.
Yang Dami had blocked my chopsticks.
But then.
"Hehehe, that's too much."
Lee Yurim laughed and intervened.
While the two of us were having a staring contest with our chopsticks, she returned the side dishes to me.
Thanks to Lee Yurim, the balance in my empty lunch box was finally being restored.
Yang Dami, who had been biting her lower lip while waiting, glared at me and said in a sharp voice.
"Unni? You need to leave some for yourself. Here, take it back."
Yeah, she had given me a bit too much.
"No, no. I'm full. I ate a lot... hehe. Yang Dajun, you eat more."
She looked at me with a meaningful smile.
At that, Yang Dami asked back in a confused voice.
"What did you eat? No, anyway, stop giving him stuff."
"Uh..."
I was going to eat that, though.
...Can't you give it back?
"I told you, it's fine. Look at how frail Dajun is. He needs to eat more."
"Unni, he's already fully grown, it's useless. Stop passing the side dishes. Here."
"Heh..."
I could only let out a hollow laugh.
'They're taking everything away.'
And so, the side dishes went back and forth.
Stuck between my childhood friend and my younger sister, I had no choice but to sit there and watch as two beauties bickered and clashed their chopsticks.
"I'm fine... Dajun, here."
"Oh, Unni!"
...Seriously, what are you two doing?
"That's right. I wonder where she's going?"
Seeing Yang Dahee heading off alone, people around her whispered.
The sound of her heels clicking as she walked away was enough to capture everyone's attention.
Lunchtime.
After coming out to eat.
Yang Dahee had split from the group, saying she had business to attend to.
The women who had been gathered in small groups couldn't keep their mouths shut about this rare piece of gossip.
"Isn't it that? You know, that thing?"
"What thing?"
"It's Valentine's Day today. She's going to buy chocolate."
"I asked her earlier, and she said she didn't have anyone to give it to."
"Oh, maybe it's a secret from everyone else."
"That must be it, right? Dahee-ssi, she really did have a boyfriend after all."
They whispered among themselves, deciding her love life for her.
Yang Dahee, who was known as an 'ice flower' because she rarely smiled.
But the person in question was walking busily, grinning to herself.
'Hehehe.'
Laughter leaked out with every step she took...
Just thinking about her brother made Yang Dahee's heart thump so hard it felt like it might jump right out of her chest.
'I want to buy the chocolate quickly. Our Dajun, he wouldn't have anyone else to give it to but me. Hehehe, should I just leave work right now?'
She walked for a long time, smiling foolishly without even realizing her hair was stuck to her lips. The place she arrived at was a confectionery shop, all dressed up for the holiday.
"Hello."
"Welcome."
The clerk greeted her with a smile.
Yang Dahee smiled back softly.
Her voice was more excited than usual because of her 'younger brother.'
'It smells sweet in here.'
The scent of chocolate melting in her mind was enough to make her mouth water.
Yang Dahee looked around the display cases and found the gift set she had seen earlier.
"Wow..."
She let out an exclamation, uncharacteristic of her.
It was because it had been decorated with such care, as if it were meant for a confession.
She tried to force down the corners of her mouth that kept creeping up, and reached out her arm.
'Is it... too much?'
She only needed to reach a little further, but Yang Dahee hesitated at that short distance.
A large chocolate set, decorated with care down to the smallest detail.
Yang Dahee was questioning whether it was okay to give something like this to her 'younger brother.'
"Hmm..."
Valentine's Day chocolate is meant to confirm love between a man and a woman.
It’s a 'sincere chocolate' that isn't usually given unless you're in a serious relationship.
Yang Dahee pictured her brother's face.
'Yeah... that's probably right...'
After hesitating for a long time, Yang Dahee finally whipped her head away.
Other chocolates came into view before her eyes.
To the right.
"There's stuff like this too..."
Smaller and more modest in size than the previous one... it was a 'loyalty chocolate' meant to be given between acquaintances without any pressure.
'...Should I buy this one?'
Yang Dahee agonized over it.
For normal siblings, even this would be more than enough.
He was so dense about these things anyway, he’d probably be happy with whatever she gave him.
'Still...'
Still, for once, she wanted to express her 'older sister's' heart without worrying about what others thought.
Yang Dahee squeezed her eyes shut at the dizzying thought.
She couldn't bring herself to make a decision at the crossroads.
She had to pace back and forth, chewing on her fingernails, caught between the two distinctly different chocolates.
An 'older sister' who didn't know what to do because she wanted to gift her 'younger brother' something big and pretty...
Her heart was pounding.
She tilted slightly to the left.
It was toward the display case where the first chocolate she’d seen was kept.
Yang Dahee's eyes grew a little red.
"Ah..."
Her mind was dizzy with hesitation.
Time seemed to slow down.
A voice echoed in her ears, murmuring.
"...Miss?"
Yang Dahee's thoughts felt dull, as if she were shrouded in fog.
"...Miss, customer."
"Ah... yes...?"
At the voice that cut through, Yang Dahee finally came to her senses.
Yang Dahee turned around at the sound of someone calling her.
It was the clerk, looking at her with a practiced smile.
"Hmm, customer."
"Yes, yes."
Yang Dahee answered, startled.
The clerk looked at her with a warm smile, as if she’d seen this many times before.
She asked in a tone that suggested she knew everything, lifting her lower lip.
"Are you giving this to your lover?"
"Yes...?"
A question confirming if it was for a lover.
The beautifully wrapped large chocolate.
But Yang Dahee couldn't easily continue.
"A... lover...?"
"No, that's not it."
Yang Dami said, looking at Lee Yurim.
Lee Yurim was just trembling, her lips quivering, not knowing what to do.
"Ah..."