The 'Older Brother' Educating His 'Little Sister'
Three options appeared before my eyes.
There was something outrageous here again.
▷ Ask her bluntly to ravish her older brother.
Is this even right?
The other party is my little sister.
And not a step-sister like Yang Dahee, but my real, biological younger sister.
The little sister who treats me so harshly.
'Dami is going to give me that look of contempt.'
It’s obvious she’ll be dumbfounded, asking if I’ve lost my mind. She’ll probably nag me endlessly, asking if I even know what I’m saying. She might even tell our sister that Yang Dajun has gone crazy.
'That can't happen.'
I can already picture her throwing a massive tantrum. I’m not interested in being grounded.
I shifted my gaze to check the other options.
▷ Reason with her verbally.
Hmm...
That option came up earlier, too.
A while ago, when Yang Dami returned home, I recalled the moment.
'She brought a lunchbox, so I thought that was it. But she’d even bought chocolate to give to me.'
As I approached to receive the chocolate, three options had appeared. Among them were "Hug her" and "Tell her thank you." Since she would flinch and snap at me every time I touched her, I couldn't even dream of hugging her. So I just said thank you, but...
'If anything, her affinity dropped.'
It seems like talking it out just doesn't work.
Even now, I’m in a situation where I have to choose between slapping her cheek or reasoning with her. Taking action seems like the better path.
'I’ve been too soft on her all this time. I just laughed it off even when she said horrible things to me.'
Because I keep giving in, she just gets worse. I can let it slide when she calls her brother an idiot, but asking if I want to be ravished by Lee Yurim? That’s crossing the line.
I finally decided to choose the first one.
▷ Slap her cheek.
It’s hitting my own little sister.
It breaks my heart, but it’s time to fix her behavior.
'Besides, even if I hit her, it won't hurt a girl.'
I swallowed hard. I put strength into my eyes and glared at her.
"Yang Dami."
"What? Why?"
Yang Dami waited for my reaction with her head held high. I swung my hand.
SLAP—!
(Yang Dami)
Yang Dajun swung his hand.
A stinging sensation spread across my face. I clutched my cheek, feeling the throbbing heat.
SLAP—!
"Ugh..."
My 'older brother' glared at me with his lips pressed tight. He spoke to me in a low, heavy voice.
"Yang Dami, don't speak so carelessly like that."
"Ah, ugh..."
I couldn't seem to open my mouth. My mind was completely blocked; I couldn't think of anything. Yang Dajun just stood there, staring at me. The boy, smaller than me, had his chest heaving.
"Haa, haa..."
He had swung his arm with his small, frail body. He had done something so unlike an 'older brother.' Perhaps that was why he was gasping for air. My ears were ringing.
"Hey, Yang Dajun?"
"Hoo... Yang Dami."
He glared at me fiercely. It was a look as if he were scolding me sharply. It was an expression I had never seen on my 'older brother' before.
'Is he angry at me right now?'
I didn't know what was happening. I didn't even know why he was angry at me. He looked up at me, tilting his small face.
'What is this? My heart is fluttering... damn it.'
It was the same feeling I got when Yang Dajun went out and there was no sign of anyone at home. When I was left alone in the house, when Mom and Dad disappeared and left me behind... that was the feeling.
'This is a joke, right?'
Yang Dajun wouldn't do that. He always laughed like an idiot; there's no way he'd be angry at me. But my expectations were brutally shattered. A cold voice echoed in my ears.
"I'm going out with Yurim, so keep that in mind."
"Augh..."
He turned his back and started walking away. The door slammed shut violently.
BANG.
He went outside before I could even stop him. Even when I asked where he was going and told him not to leave, my 'older brother' just up and left.
I slowly pulled back the hand I had reached out into the air.
"W-what is this..."
I just stood there, clutching my stinging cheek.
"Did he really leave...?"
The house was left empty. I stared blankly at the firmly closed front door. I blinked my eyes and muttered belatedly.
"Did I... just get hit by Yang Dajun...?"
Yang Dajun had ignored me. He had been angry at me and slapped my cheek. It was a different kind of behavior from my 'older brother' than when he hugged or stroked my hair. My cheek throbbed from the event that happened in the blink of an eye.
"Ugh..."
I don't know why, but my chest felt strange, too. A tingling sensation from within spread everywhere. Every time my heart beat, it ached deep inside my chest.
"I, I didn't mean for it to be like this..."
He reached out his hand, so I thought at most he'd stroke my hair... If he had stroked my hair and looked flustered, I would have acted a bit temperamental and then let him go, pretending I couldn't win against him...
Yang Dajun's behavior, so different from my expectations, made my head spin.
"Ah, ugh..."
I clutched my stinging cheek and trudged inside. I saw the chocolate Yang Dajun had left behind. The chocolate I had bought for the first time for Valentine's Day. I tried to force a frown.
"Ugh, this is ridiculous... I even bought him chocolate..."
My lips pouted. Looking at the heart-shaped chocolate, I began to retrace my memories. I bowed my head and sank into thought.
The chocolate I bought on a whim because of a teasing friend. I had bought it thinking of Yang Dajun. I bought it so he wouldn't spend the day without knowing what it was, since he didn't have a single friend.
But there was someone who had already beaten me to it.
'Yurim unni...'
My shoulders slumped without me realizing it. Yang Dajun, who just laughed like a fool and said thank you, and Yurim unni, who was clearly showing how much she liked him right next to him.
I muttered in a small voice.
"Ha, I suppose so..."
I felt like a fool. I regretted taking care of Yang Dajun, unlike my usual self. It would have been better if I had just left him alone, regardless of whether he received chocolate or not.
I kept my lips tightly pressed together and just watched the two of them study. And a long time later, my brother and the unni finished studying and went outside. He had gone out to see Yurim unni off as she went home.
'Idiot, he doesn't even know I bit him.'
That was the end of him tilting his head in front of the mirror. He scratched his head and started putting on his long padded jacket.
[What is with those clothes?]
[They're fine.]
It was just like Yang Dajun to try to go out in the clothes he was wearing, not even knowing how cold it was outside.
"I'm so annoyed..."
I grumbled and boiled some water. Expecting him to come rushing back, shivering from the cold, I slowly stirred the sweet cocoa. I stood with my arms crossed, looking elsewhere, trying to pretend I wasn't waiting for him at all.
But.
"...Why isn't he back yet?"
He's just going out right in front of the house; it's taking too long. I bit my nails and stared at my phone. I tapped the floor, and eventually, my legs started shaking.
I resented Yang Dajun for being later than I thought while I paced around.
"Damn it..."
Did he go too far and get into an accident? He even left his phone behind, so I couldn't even contact him.
Clench...
I bit my lip. The sour taste of blood lingered. My chest felt like it was floating.
"Yang Dajun, you idiot..."
He only does things I don't like. The way he keeps wandering around, the way he touches other people's hair without permission.
'Damn it, does he think he can touch it just because he's my brother?'
Feeling wronged, I placed my hand on my head. I sucked on my lips, which tasted of blood, and stroked my hair.
"Y-you idiot..."
Unlike when Yang Dajun touches it, my body doesn't tremble. My body trembling must be a rejection reaction because Yang Dajun is an idiot. So, me stroking my hair right now is definitely not because I'm thinking of Yang Dajun.
'A-anyway, it's not!'
I couldn't take my hand off my head as I twisted my legs. I sniffled at the sweet scent of cocoa wafting down.
That was when it happened.
"Ah...!"
With a clattering sound, the front door opened. It was Yang Dajun who had returned home. I quickly took my hand off my head and said,
"Y-y-you're back?"
"Yeah."
The door closed with a noisy sound. The creaking was just like Yang Dajun. Sure enough, he staggered as he took off his shoes. He even sniffled.
'Hmph, I knew it. It's not even funny.'
I twisted my lips and handed Yang Dajun a mug.
"Drink this."
"Heh, thanks."
He laughed like a fool again. On top of that, he came toward me with his arms open.
"W-what... what is it!"
Yang Dajun was acting up. He stood on tiptoe, struggling as he reached out his hand. I tightened my throat and got angry.
"Damn it! Why are you touching my hair!? A-and wipe your mouth before you talk!"
"Ughhh."
He didn't even take responsibility and ran away to his room. My face felt hot.
"Damn it."
I glared at the small room belatedly. I thought of Yang Dajun, who had hidden himself deep in his room. It was hateful that he touched my hair as he pleased. I was so wronged by that, I was touching my own hair.
'Hmph... I'll let it slide since he came home.'
Because he won't be bothering me anymore today. Because all he has to do is stay quietly in his room in that state. My 'older brother' who listens to me well. My 'older brother' who, unlike Mom and Dad, won't leave my side. I felt relieved at the thought that I wasn't alone anymore.
However, I became alone again.
Clutching my tingling cheek, I stared blankly at the heart-shaped chocolate.
"Ah..."
I had gotten angry because he tried to leave again. I had spoken a bit harshly, hoping he wouldn't leave.
[Yang Dami, don't speak so carelessly like that.]
My 'older brother' who scolded me for the first time in my life. My 'older brother' who ignored me and went outside. It was a different feeling from when he hugged me tightly and stroked my hair.
"Damn it..."
Tears welled up. My chest heaved. The hollowed-out tip of my chest felt like it was going to burst out.
"Damn it... Yang Dajuuun..."
I took my hand off my cheek, which had been throbbing. Instead, I placed it on top of my head. With my head bowed, I pulled my legs together. Stroking my hair, I spoke the words I never wanted to say.
"O-oppa..."