The Sister’s Sleep-Talk and the Morning After
Click.
The front door latched shut.
At that sound, Yang Dami stirred from her sleep.
“Ugh….”
Yang Dami cracked one eye open and glanced to her side.
‘…Sister?’
The familiar silhouette belonged to Yang Dahee.
Her long, loose hair shimmered in the moonlight. She lifted the blanket, slipped underneath in her lingerie, and settled in.
“Huuuuh.”
She let out a heavy sigh as she drifted off to sleep. As Yang Dahee tossed and turned, the scent of cigarette smoke drifted over.
Yang Dami wrinkled her nose slightly.
‘I guess she went out for a smoke.’
It was still the pitch-black hours of early morning. The sun wouldn’t be up for a long time yet. Yang Dami pursed her lips at the scene that was about to unfold.
She turned over to the other side and thought,
‘She’ll start sleep-talking before long.’
Yang Dahee often went out to smoke in the early hours. And not long after she returned, she would start moaning and groaning in her sleep. It was a routine Dami had grown used to.
Yang Dami recalled a time she had asked about it.
‘She said there was someone annoying at work.’
When Dami had once mentioned the sleep-talking, Yang Dahee had frowned. After some hesitation, the answer she gave was about a superior at her office.
‘She said they kept coming onto her.’
It seemed the person was a lesbian. They must have misunderstood Yang Dahee, who had no interest in men.
‘It literally just means she doesn’t want to date anyone. Why would they misunderstand that?’
Since Yang Dami spent her own time rejecting confessions, she could understand how Yang Dahee felt. She simply had no interest in the men outside. The reason she had no interest in men was….
That was when it happened.
“Umm….”
Yang Dahee shifted. The movement pulled Yang Dami out of her thoughts. She turned her head slightly to look at her sister.
“Nngh….”
She looked distressed. An older sister who had to hold it all together for the sake of her younger siblings. The burden on her shoulders must have been heavy.
But then.
“Hhh….”
An unintelligible sound escaped her lips.
“Huuu….”
‘Sister?’
Yang Dami tilted her head. She propped herself up on her elbow and leaned closer to Yang Dahee.
“Hhh….”
It was too dark to see her face clearly. When she leaned in close, the voice became louder.
“Heh….”
‘What the?’
One moment she was moaning, and the next, she was giggling. Her lips were slack, as if she were having a wonderful time.
“Dajun-ah….”
Yang Dami’s ears perked up at the familiar name.
“Hehehe.”
‘Oh, seriously?’
It seemed Yang Dajun had made an appearance in her dreams. Her sister, who cherished her younger siblings to a fault. She was especially fond of Yang Dajun, doting on him almost like a lover.
“Mmm, Dajun-ah….”
She was so happy she was even like that in her dreams. Then, Yang Dahee’s face twisted.
“Ugh….”
What’s wrong with her?
Dami narrowed her eyes and watched her sister.
“Dajun-ah. Ugh.”
She rubbed her face against the pillow as if in pain. Then, she began to tear up.
“I’m sorry, for being this kind of sister….”
Yang Dahee’s expression crumpled as she tossed and turned.
“Nngh….”
Watching this, Yang Dami was baffled.
‘Sister, what are you doing…?’
Sleep-talking that involved laughing and crying at the same time? It was absurd. Yang Dami let out a dry laugh.
“Seriously, what is this?”
Is she having some kind of fever dream? She shook her head.
‘Sister, you’re such a fool.’
Yang Dami thought to herself and lay back down.
‘You’re so cold and aloof usually, so why do you get so clumsy whenever Yang Dajun comes up?’
The way she led the household alone. It was the definition of a “strong woman,” but she always went soft for Yang Dajun.
‘Hmph, I don’t care about someone like Yang Dajun anyway.’
Yang Dami clicked her tongue. She turned over again. Toward Yang Dahee’s side—the side where Yang Dajun should have been.
*
On the empty bed.
Yang Dami bared her teeth.
“Idiot….”
Why did he go back to his room? He was the one who asked to sleep together first.
‘I don’t like it.’
It had been like that all day. For a guy like Yang Dajun, he had done too many things he didn’t usually do.
“Hmph.”
Yang Dami hugged her pillow and buried her face in it. The soft fabric brushed against her cheek.
“…”
Yang Dami placed her hand gently on her own cheek. She gave it a light tap.
A voice leaked out.
“Ah….”
It stung. The touch of the boy’s hand that had landed on her face earlier. Thinking of Yang Dajun, she squeezed her legs together tightly.
“Damn it….”
She took her frustration out on the pillow. Her crotch had become slightly damp, which only served to irritate her further.
Yang Dami thought to herself,
‘Yang Dajun, just because you’re a guy, do you think you can just hit me?’
Men always think they won’t get hit back. She had let it slide only because he was her “older brother.” It certainly wasn’t because she was satisfied with him patting her head.
‘That idiot, why does he keep touching me there!?’
Feeling frustrated with her hair, Yang Dami irritably brought her hand up to her head. It was the crown of her head.
“Hmph….”
Biting her lip, she slowly stroked her own hair and thought,
‘Idiot, do you think I’d like that?’
Yang Dami curled up like a shrimp. The pillow fit perfectly into her arms. Her legs squeezed together even tighter.
“Hnnng…!”
Her fluids gushed out.
“Haa….”
Yang Dami let out a breathless sigh. Rubbing her face against the pillow, she thought,
‘Yang Dajun, you’re so annoying….’
When she was scolded by her “brother.” It felt unpleasant. When she was praised. It felt a little unpleasant.
‘Hmph….’
So, someone like Yang Dajun just needed to keep praising her.
Yang Dami looked to the side.
“Mmm… Dajun-ah….”
Even in her dreams, she doted on her brother. Yang Dajun liked her sister just as obviously, too.
‘The two of them are just too close.’
The tight-knit affection between the siblings. Sometimes, it even made her feel left out.
‘…You’re not going to disappear and leave me behind, are you?’
Even when she tried to forget, seeing the two of them reminded her of their parents who had vanished into thin air. She wanted to confirm that they wouldn’t leave her. Perhaps that was why she complained even more.
‘Because no matter what I did, they stayed in this house.’
Yang Dami looked toward the small room. It was the room where Yang Dajun was sleeping. She whipped her head away from the closed door.
“Hmph.”
He said he’d sleep with her. She wouldn’t forgive him when the sun came up. She would bite his neck—chomp—right there. That was how she would punish him thoroughly.
‘Patting my head, hugging me. I won’t let him off the hook with just that.’
Yang Dami mumbled to herself. As she toyed with her crotch, she slowly drifted off to sleep.
“Yang Dajun….”
The direction Yang Dami was facing was toward Yang Dajun’s room.
*
The next morning.
My eyes snapped open.
“Ah.”
The events of the night came flooding back. It felt as if Yang Dahee was still right beside me. I rubbed my gritty eyes and checked my phone.
‘I overslept.’
My sleepiness vanished instantly. Instead, my thoughts turned to the women in my house. I had to make sure they were okay.
I jumped out of bed and threw open the door. Sunlight streamed in.
“Sister, Dami.”
I called out their names as I stepped out.
“Gya-ung….”
“Umm, uuuung….”
They were still asleep. And they were hugging each other.
‘You two?’
I walked over, stomping my feet. I squinted against the sunlight to get a better look.
Looking closer, that wasn’t it.
‘?’
They weren’t hugging each other.
“Gya-euuu….”
“Ugggh….”
What are they doing? I let out a dry laugh.
“Good grief….”
I had been worried about how to face them, but seeing them sleeping like this eased my tension.
‘Yang Dami, why are you biting your sister?’
She was gnawing on her sister’s forearm. The way she had buried her sharp teeth into the skin looked like a deep-seated grudge.
‘What did Yang Dahee ever do to you?’
Her sleeping habits were terrible. I shifted my gaze to Yang Dahee, who was groaning beside her.
“Ugh….”
Her face was twisted in a grimace. Yang Dahee, whose arm was being bitten by her younger sister. She could have just let go, but the way she was clutching Yang Dami tightly made me chuckle.
‘They’re cute together.’
They were sisters with severe sleep-talking habits. Watching them, I reached out a hand toward Yang Dahee.
“Sister.”
I shook her gently to wake her up.
“Sister?”
“Umm….”
“Wake up.”
Her long eyelashes fluttered.
“Umm….”
“Sister, you have to wake up. You’re late.”
“Ah….”
Yang Dahee slowly opened her eyes. She met my gaze.
“Dajun-ah.”
Yang Dahee smiled brightly.
“Heh.”
“Yeah, Sister.”
I offered my hand to help her up, but—
“Ah….”
Yang Dahee hesitated. She had been happy to see me, but her expression sank instantly. She started to reach out, then pulled her arm back.
“Yeah, I’ll get up….”
A listless reply. She pushed herself up from the floor, moving awkwardly.
“Ugh.”
She winced, her face twisting. It looked like her lower body was in pain. Yang Dahee avoided my eyes.
“Sister….”
“Yeah, um.”
She was being self-conscious. Yang Dahee rolled her hollow eyes around and dragged her feet as she walked away.
Watching her back, I thought,
‘Even if she’s a woman, it was her first time, so she must be tired. I guess she didn’t go to sleep right after leaving my room.’
I felt sorry for her. She must have been feeling guilty.
‘I’ll have to keep an eye on her for a while. Just in case she starts having weird thoughts.’
I ran a hand through my hair and looked away. Yang Dami was still rolling around on the blanket. A sister is a sister, but I had to take care of her, too.
I woke Yang Dami up. My voice was less gentle than before.
“Wake up.”
“Gya-ung….”
What is it, why is she like this? She was twitching her lips while sleeping.
‘Heh, that’s terrifying.’
I went to touch her again, and Yang Dami’s eyes snapped open.
“What?”
“Uh….”
Yang Dami glared at me. Pouting as if she were displeased. Seeing that, I waved my hands and replied,
“No, I was just trying to wake you up.”
I even shook my head vigorously. But it was no use.
“Damn it.”
Her fangs were showing. She looked like she was about to hiss. Gya-euung.
I recoiled in shock.
“A-anyway. Get up quickly. We’re all late.”
“Hey! Yang Dajun, where are you going!”
“Huuu….”
Afraid I’d get bitten, I wrapped my arms around myself and ran away.
*
Mealtime.
The three of us gathered to eat breakfast as usual. Or at least, we were supposed to.
‘Dahee?’
I watched Yang Dahee, and she wasn’t in good shape. She was trembling while eating, and every now and then, she would glance at me.
‘Ugh, why did that news have to come on?’
I had turned on the TV to avoid the awkwardness, but a news report came on. It was about a pair of siblings who had committed a crime of incest and then taken their own lives.
“Ack, ke-heuk.”
“Cough, cough….”
We all coughed, and Yang Dami looked at us strangely. Fortunately, she didn’t say anything, but Yang Dahee remained like that for the rest of the meal. Her complexion was poor until she finally put down her spoon.
I worried to myself,
‘She’s not thinking of doing anything stupid, is she? After I went through all the trouble of turning a blind eye.’
It seemed she needed time to regain her composure. I had to soothe Yang Dahee. While Yang Dami was in the bathroom, Yang Dahee, who had finished getting ready for work, headed to the entrance. I followed her and called her to a stop.
“Sister, are you leaving now?”
“Yeah. I’m late.”
She bent over to put on her shoes, her ponytail hanging limply. I called out to her in a soft voice.
“Sister, look at me.”
“Why?”
Yang Dahee looked at me with a strained smile.
‘She looks so full of worry.’
Seeing that, I smiled brightly and said,
“Have a good day.”
I hugged her as if nothing had happened. Her chest felt warm. Yang Dahee, who had been standing there blankly, carefully hugged me back.
“Ah….”
I pulled back slightly to look at her. Yang Dahee’s face was flushed red.
‘She’s happy with just this much?’
A sister who was happy just from being hugged. She really was a fool for her younger brother. Yang Dahee called my name, her eyes crinkling,
“Dajun-ah.”
She lowered her body and kissed me.
Chu.
After her lips pulled away, Yang Dahee turned around in a flash.
“Heh.”
She giggled and hurried out the door.
“Sister, take care.”
“Yeah, see you this evening. Heh.”
She was acting shy now of all times. ‘Ugh, we’ve already slept together. It’s not like you’re a virgin, so why are you acting like this?’
It wasn’t a bad feeling. I didn’t want to hate Yang Dahee, either. As the door closed, only a breeze remained. From inside the house, I heard a clattering sound.
‘Yang Dami, what is she doing?’
I let out a breath and turned back.
*
“What are you doing?”
I leaned my head in and asked Yang Dami. The clattering sound echoed loudly.
“Can’t you tell by looking?”
Yang Dami said, turning to look at me.
“No, I was just surprised because it’s so unlike you.”
“Hmph. It’s you who’s acting unlike yourself.”
She turned right back around. She moved her arms with surprising skill. Yang Dami stood in front of the sink. She was doing the dishes.
‘I was already having a headache over Yang Dahee’s problem. Yang Dami is actually doing something admirable?’
She was a girl who played around outside every day, so why was she staying in and doing chores she wasn’t even asked to do? Today, it felt like the sun might rise in the west.
‘Does she want something?’
I couldn’t read her mind. Yang Dami was busy moving her hands in front of me. As I stood there scratching my head, a set of options appeared.
A younger sister who wanders outside every day. For some reason, she is doing chores. She occasionally looks back without a word, and her expression is strange. What should I do?
▷ Just in case, I’ll step away.
▷ I’ll praise her for doing a good job.
Two choices. I began to agonize over them.