Don't You Want Me to Hug You!?
I watched Yang Dami from behind as she did the dishes.
For some reason, she was moving her hands busily, as if struck by a sudden whim. Every time she moved her arms, her short, bobbed hair swayed.
'She looks cute like that. She’s usually such a sharp-tongued little sister.'
Aside from when I spoke to her, she was washing the dishes quietly. Watching her, two choices appeared in my mind. I didn't deliberate for long.
'It’s only natural to praise her.'
Even if it’s an era where it’s expected for women to handle the housework, it was a different story for Yang Dami. So, as her older brother, I wanted to give her some praise. My hands were itching.
I took a step forward and approached her.
"Dami?"
"What, why are you calling me again? Do you have a problem with me?"
Yang Dami replied bluntly while scrubbing a plate. It didn't feel scary at all. I smiled and placed my hand on my sister's head.
"No, I just wanted to say you're doing a good job with the dishes."
I stood on my tiptoes to pat her head. At that, Yang Dami flinched like a startled cat.
"Ugh..."
Her arms, which had been moving busily, came to a halt. She froze in place and didn't say a word.
"Yang Dami?"
There was no answer. 'She’s not even getting angry? Usually, she’d make a huge fuss about me touching her.'
Did she really have a change of heart today? Yang Dami had changed, somehow. I was about to walk away, disappointed by her lackluster reaction, when—
"...Hey."
Yang Dami called out to me. When I stopped and looked back, she grabbed me and said,
"Don't go."
"Why?"
"What do you mean 'why'? What are you going to do if you leave? I'm here working. Yang Dajun, so you stay here too and fill the space."
Her sharp, ringing voice pierced my ears. Yang Dami stopped washing the dishes and stared at me intently.
"Alright. I'll stay."
I clicked my tongue and leaned against the counter next to her. Yang Dami looked at me and turned on the faucet.
"Hmph."
Then, she started moving her hands again. The sound of plates being scrubbed, the sound of water hitting the sink—whoosh...
I had nothing particular to say, so I just watched her quietly.
'Yang Dami, you keep looking over here.'
She kept glancing at me. It was to the point where I was worried she might drop a plate. Now, she was looking at me more than the dishes.
"Why do you keep looking?"
When I asked, Yang Dami muttered,
"You're the one who keeps touching me..."
"Huh?"
"My head! Why do you keep touching it!"
Oof, my ears. I winced as she shrieked at me. I rubbed my ear and said,
"What's with the sudden outburst? You're going to blow out my eardrums."
"Geez, just answer me. Yang Dajun, why do you keep touching my hair?"
Now, of all times? She flinched when I touched her earlier, but now she was asking for the reason after the fact. As I blinked, she urged me for an answer.
'Why? Because it's admirable, that's why.'
Yang Dami, who was always out playing, was doing housework. I couldn't help but praise her. I tapped her lightly and said,
"I'm just praising you."
But the reaction I got back was less than enthusiastic.
"Ha... you do this to everyone, don't you?"
"Hm? What do you mean?"
Yang Dami frowned and said,
"Patting my head as a form of praise. You do this to other women too, right? It's obvious."
"No...?"
Two question marks. I shook my head and said,
"I only do this to you."
Not to other women, only to you. To my 'little sister.' Yang Dami's eyes twitched.
"What..."
She turned her head away, her voice trailing off. "Whatever..."
She muttered to herself as if she found it ridiculous. Then, Yang Dami, who had been scrubbing the plates vigorously, looked back at me.
"Hey, Yang Dajun."
"What now?"
"Then, even now..."
Yang Dami stopped mid-sentence. She chewed on her lip and continued,
"Did you pat my head to praise me?"
"Yeah."
"...For doing the dishes?"
Nod, nod.
When I agreed, Yang Dami went silent. "..." She worked in silence, her arms moving steadily. Aside from the occasional splash of water, it was quiet. After a long while, she suddenly stopped.
"Ugh, why are there so many dishes?"
Yang Dami slammed the faucet shut and grumbled to herself. "Seriously. Why are there so many?"
Her lips were pouted. "There's no end to it, no matter how much I do."
She even went out of her way to hold up a plate to show me. "I have to do all of this? Good grief."
She was speaking to me, but it was clearly an appeal of some sort. I met her eyes. Yang Dami stopped working and stared at me intently.
"..."
Silence flowed between us. I thought to myself, 'Seeing how she keeps talking about the dishes, she must be hoping for praise.'
Even for a minor errand, it feels good to be complimented, after all.
"Hmm."
"...Hmph."
My little sister, wanting to be praised by me. I hoped she would listen to me well if I did this. 'If I give her what she wants, her personality might calm down, too.'
With that thought, I stuck close to Yang Dami. I reached out and patted her head.
"Yang Dami, you're doing great."
And then, I gave her a smile. Yang Dami turned her head away sharply.
"Hmph."
She was pretending to dislike it for no reason. I could see the corners of her mouth twitching from the side. Naturally, I pretended not to notice.
Yang Dami did all the work, and I cheered her on from behind. She glared at me and grumbled,
"Ha... you're truly hopeless."
"I'm not."
"You are. You should be grateful that a woman is doing the housework for you."
"Yeah."
I just kept patting her head. Yang Dami didn't avoid my touch. She washed the dishes in silence while being patted. It felt like soothing a wild cat.
'Her hair is soft.'
I stroked it slowly; it felt like silk. I touched it carefully so as not to mess it up.
"Mmm..."
Every now and then, she would tilt her neck and rub her head against my hand on her own. Just as my arm was starting to ache, Yang Dami called out to me.
"Hey."
Yang Dami lifted her chin. She pouted her lips and said to me,
"How long are you just going to pat me?"
Her voice was much softer now. I shrugged my shoulders and said,
"Then what should I do?"
"You're so frustrating."
Yang Dami looked forward and reached her arms back. Then, she grabbed my wrists firmly and—
"Whoa..."
She wrapped my arms around her waist and made me interlock my fingers. Suddenly, I was hugging her from behind. Yang Dami tapped my hands and said,
"Hug me like this. Do I have to tell you everything? Do for me what you did for my sister."
She snapped at me without giving me a chance to interject, her voice sharp. I was hugging my sister by surprise, and I wasn't sure if this was okay.
'Isn't this something only lovers do?'
Suddenly, I thought of Yang Dahee. I had thought it was fine to have skinship since she was a sister who cared for her brother. But Yang Dahee had feelings for me.
'Then what about Yang Dami?'
Surely not. I swallowed hard and asked,
"Hey, Yang Dami..."
"What."
"You don't like me, do you?"
She flinched.
"Yang Dami?"
"You..."
You?
"You crazy jerk!!!!"
Yang Dami shrieked. I was startled and winced. I almost lost my hearing. Yang Dami turned around to face me, and now we were hugging face-to-face.
'Her face is red.'
Yang Dami said, panting,
"What, what are you saying, seriously!"
"No, it's just that you were making such a strange request..."
"Geez, what on earth are you thinking about!?"
She kept snapping at me. "Just! I just wanted you to hug me!"
"Oh, right."
Seeing her intense reaction, it seemed my worries were unfounded. I scratched my head and made an excuse.
"Well, we are siblings, after all. I just asked just in case."
"Then why did you do it for my sister!"
Yang Dami flared up. "Sis..."
I tried to answer but clamped my mouth shut. How was I supposed to explain that... I pondered for a moment and then mumbled vaguely,
"Your sister is tired from working."
"No, I'm doing the housework too, so you can't do that much for me? That's ridiculous, isn't it? Asking me if I like you out of the blue, what are you thinking?"
"Never mind then."
"Seriously, why is a guy so gloomy!?"
Yang Dami poured out her words, perhaps because she was excited. It felt like steam was coming out of her every time she huffed. Even so, she didn't try to loosen my arms from her waist.
'She really wanted me to hug her. Was she craving affection?'
Come to think of it, I had only been affectionate with Yang Dahee. But Yang Dami was also a precious little sister to me. Since I was the only man in the house, I had to play the role of the kind brother.
'Then this much should be fine.'
I nodded belatedly.
"Alright."
Then, I pulled my arms in deeper and hugged Yang Dami.
"Hng..."
A moan leaked out. Yang Dami's waist was thin. Her abs were slightly defined. 'Dami is much thinner than my sister. She has no excess fat at all.'
I said in a soothing voice,
"Relax your stomach."
"I wasn't tensing it..."
She was showing off her pride as a woman. She was trying to act strong in front of a man.
"Mmm..."
Slowly, she relaxed, and I felt her soft belly. 'It's soft.'
We stayed like that for a while. Then, it became a bit awkward. How long was I supposed to stay like this? I asked cautiously,
"Can I let go now?"
"...Stay a little longer."
Her voice returned to a gentle tone. Yang Dami took a deep breath and continued washing the dishes. Every time she breathed, her body heaved. And then—
"Ha, geez."
Yang Dami exhaled a long breath and said,
"It's hot."
She whipped off her top and threw it aside.