The Intrusion of Women
They came running from afar, thundering toward me.
She was sprinting, clothes fluttering in her hands—it was my younger sister, Yang Dami.
"I'm coming too!"
With that, she tossed her clothes aside and let out a sharp, shrill cry.
'Geez, the women in my house are all like this.'
They don't hesitate to strip in front of a man. They have no qualms about showing off their bodies in nothing but their underwear. A "younger sister" shedding her clothes right in front of her "older brother."
I raised my hands to cover my eyes.
Whether I was looking or not, Yang Dami started grumbling at her clothes.
"Ugh."
"Put them on slowly."
"Jeez, I am putting them on slowly, okay?"
It wasn't even a tight outfit, but she kept getting her legs caught, struggling and groaning. She must have been in quite a hurry.
Yang Dami looked at me, then froze with one leg lifted in the air.
"What are you doing?"
"I didn't see anything."
"Who said you saw anything?"
She snorted, snapping at me with that shrill voice of hers. She was probably pouting, her lips curled up in a sneer. I tried to spread my fingers just a little to peek through the gaps.
'Whoa, you scared me!'
Right in front of my eyes, Yang Dami was leaning in, her face inches from mine.
"I asked what you were doing."
Yang Dami reached out and swiped my hands away. I was now face-to-face with my younger sister. A cold, chilling voice reached my ears.
"Did you look?"
"No, I didn't."
My voice trembled even as I said it. Yang Dami snapped back.
"That's ridiculous. You're peeking at your own sister's body?"
"I wasn't peeking."
"Ha, you're still talking back!?"
Her hand went up.
"Eek."
I flinched. I thought a fist was coming my way for peeking. I was ready to just take the hit, figuring I’d lose to my sister, but Yang Dami actually took a step back.
"...Cut it out, you idiot."
She hesitated, then lowered her arm. Unlike her usual self, she ended it weakly and started picking up her clothes to put them back on. Yang Dami kept her eyes down, only glancing at me sideways every now and then.
"Hmph..."
For some reason, her cheeks were flushed. It was the same spot I had hit earlier. Was she still bothered by me getting angry at her?
'That doesn't sound like her personality at all.'
I found myself rubbing the back of my neck for no reason. And yet, I kept sneaking glances at her. Yang Dami kept her eyes fixed on her top as she spoke.
"Big sister, wait just a second. I'm almost done."
"It's fine, take your time."
"Yeah, take your time."
"I wasn't talking to you."
Her voice was still sharp, but it had calmed down significantly. Every time she bent over, her short, bobbed hair swayed. Her small chest, hiding shyly beneath her bra, was actually quite cute. It was a gentle body compared to her prickly personality. Yang Dami fell silent again.
'I hope she stays this quiet while we're grocery shopping.'
I just hoped there wouldn't be any bickering.
Of course. Hoping for nothing to go wrong must have been a luxury. I thought we might make it to the mart peacefully, at least until we got outside.
"..."
The gazes were stinging. I was being glared at the entire time we walked. I didn't even have a free hand to pretend to be awkward and rub my nose.
"Ugh."
I was walking sandwiched between the two women, holding the chocolate I’d just received. It was a rare outing for the three siblings, yet the atmosphere was deathly quiet. I was the first to break the silence.
"Noona?"
"What."
The voice that returned was cold. This time, I looked toward the other side and called out cautiously.
"Yang Dami?"
"What."
Ugh. Their responses were all so lackluster. A glare at me with half-lidded eyes, then another glare at what I was holding. I felt like a criminal.
'It's not like I asked for it...'
I was talking about the chocolate in my hand. In order, I had received it after Lee Yurim, Yang Dami, and Yang Dahee. It was given to me by Chae Riji, a girl I’d met just as we were leaving the house and trying to head toward the main road.
.
.
.
I was walking down the street when I ran into Chae Riji. Her beige hair was noticeable even from a distance. As soon as she saw me, she beamed and came bouncing toward me.
"Oh? Dajun, hi!"
"Ah..."
I started to raise my hand to wave back, then hesitated. "...Hi."
I hurriedly finished the greeting, keeping my lips firmly pressed together. Then, I rolled my eyes to the side.
"..."
Yang Dahee had that signature look of hers—the one where she didn't smile at others. It was sharp and cold, and Yang Dami was exactly the same. 'What is this? Why are they like this?'
Their expressions were icy, as if they were looking at a rival. Both sisters' gazes were fixed on Chae Riji. Chae Riji, oblivious to all of this, just kept smiling. Her head bobbed back and forth as if her laughter was overflowing.
"Dajun, who are the two people next to you?"
"My older sister and younger sister."
"Aha. Hello!"
She bowed deeply at the waist. Her side-ponytail moved along with her—it was quite dynamic. She truly had incredible social skills. Chae Riji fixed her hair with one hand and locked eyes directly with Yang Dahee.
'She figured out who the older sister was right away.'
She must be pretty sharp. At that, Yang Dahee faintly lifted the corners of her mouth. She looked at me and spoke in a voice meant only for me.
"Is she a friend?"
"Uh, yeah..."
I nodded vigorously. Even though she asked in her usual gentle tone, it sent a chill down my spine. Yang Dahee and Chae Riji locked eyes in the air.
'They aren't saying anything to each other.'
They were just smiling. They were clearly smiling, but even I, watching from the side, felt nervous. I couldn't even bring myself to look toward Yang Dami. Chae Riji finally turned her gaze back to me.
"Oh, right, Dajun. Take this!"
"What is it?"
Chae Riji didn't even give me a chance to wait; she just thrust the gift at me. She said it in a bouncing, excited voice as she pressed it into my arms.
"Hehe, it's chocolate!"
"Uh, yeah..."
I took the chocolate, stumbling back a step. The moment I received it, my eyes went wide. I couldn't bring myself to look at the others, so I just lifted the corners of my mouth.
"Wow, thank you."
For some reason, my nose stung. I could easily imagine what kind of expressions Yang Dahee and Yang Dami were making. Chae Riji, for her part, just kept saying what she wanted to say.
"Dajun, let's definitely hang out next time! I want to hang out with you, but you keep saying you're busy. Tell me whenever you have time!"
"Oh, yeah."
I wasn't sure if I was allowed to say that in front of Yang Dahee. She poured out words without giving me a chance to interrupt, and I just kept nodding.
'Is this what an "insider" is like?'
I felt like I couldn't keep up. If I hung out with someone like her, I felt like I'd end up doing whatever she told me to do until I was completely exhausted. While I was still dazed, Chae Riji waved both hands and said,
"Then I'll get going! Bye, and you two have a good day too!"
"Uh, yeah, bye."
"And that's homemade, so make sure you eat it!"
A homemade chocolate declaration. After dumping all her words, Chae Riji spun around and left. A cold wind blew past.
"Whew..."
All that was left for me was the chocolate the girl had given me and the women beside me, glaring at me. And now, back to the present.
"...Noona?"
"What."
"Yang Dami?"
"What."
Their voices had all sunk low. 'Hehe, I'm in big trouble.' I didn't know why, but I felt a chill. Regardless, I could feel that I had provoked both women. I bit my tongue slightly, gave a hollow laugh, and kept walking.
Inside the mart. It was bustling with people under bright lights, and the smell of food wafted from every corner. I pushed the shopping cart. Yang Dahee and Yang Dami were following me.
I tried to pick things out carefully, but I kept getting interrupted.
"Ah, just pick something already."
"It's too expensive, no."
"Jeez."
"No."
They kept tossing random things into the cart, and I kept putting them back. We went back and forth like that for a while. Before I knew it, I was sticking close to Yang Dami.
'Noona... she seems to like that we're like this.'
It was the look of someone watching over her younger siblings. Seeing her look so pleased made my own cheeks lift.
"Hehe."
Seeing me smile at Yang Dahee, Yang Dami muttered,
"...What got into you?"
"What?"
"No, I mean, why are you suddenly caring about housework?"
I stopped rummaging through the shelves and turned to look at Yang Dami, who was fidgeting. 'She's a younger sister who talks down to her older brother, but...' I didn't hate my sister. And because I liked my Noona, I answered with a smile.
"I'm trying to do something for Noona."
"...For Big Sister?"
"Yeah, because she works so hard for us. I'm going to make dinner tonight."
Whenever I talked about "Noona," a smile naturally leaked out. I could see Yang Dahee blurred in my peripheral vision. I walked straight toward her.
"Noona."
"Hmm? Why?"
"Noona, I like you."
I hugged her tightly. Her large breasts enveloped me.
"Hehe, Dajun. I like you too."
"Whew..."
A "younger brother" who likes his "Noona"... My heart pounded, just a little. It was something I’d done without thinking, but I believed my intentions were good. 'Because Noona cherishes me this much, too.' Yang Dahee patted my back. After receiving the warmth of my "Noona," I walked forward again and grabbed the cart. I glanced sideways at Yang Dami, who was standing there blankly.
"..."
She didn't say anything. Just looking at her expression, I couldn't tell how she would react. Yang Dahee stood a little further away, watching us.
'Noona must still be smiling.'
While I was keeping Yang Dahee in my sight without looking directly at her, a sound came from beside me. Yang Dami was clearing her throat, albeit a bit late.
"Hmm..."
It was a quieter reaction than I’d expected. I thought she’d scold me, asking why I was worrying about others when I should be worrying about her. I was tilting my head inwardly, trying to get back to shopping, when Yang Dami mumbled in a small voice.
"If I... do that... will you...?"
"Huh?"
I asked without looking over, and Yang Dami repeated it in a slightly louder voice.
"I asked if you'd take care of me like you do for Big Sister if I worked hard too..."
Would I take care of her too? Yang Dami had blurted out something so sudden. I opened my eyes wide and whipped my head around. But Yang Dami had her hands behind her back, head bowed, kicking at the floor for no reason.
"W-well..."
Even though I was staring right at her, she couldn't meet my eyes and kept dragging out her words. Then, she reluctantly lifted her head to look at me.
Unlike her icy blue eyes, her face was bright red as she fidgeted. 'Was she that jealous?' She was blushing just from asking if I would take care of her too. Her ears were red, and she was twisting her jet-black bobbed hair.
'What should I say?'
A "younger sister" who is prickly toward her "older brother"... If I said the wrong thing, she’d just get angry. I was trying to figure out how to answer when—
"Hehe."
I heard laughter from behind. Someone walked up, step by step, and got close to the two of us.
"Dami."
Yang Dahee stopped between us. The "Noona" who had intruded upon her two younger siblings. She reached out an arm toward Yang Dami, stroked her hair, and said,
"Just focus on your schoolwork."
"Huh...?"
"Not Dajun, Big Sister will take care of you."
Her smile was as warm as her touch. "Got it? Hehe."