Chapter 4
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: I Love You (3)
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[Quest: Tell sister Jeong Yu-rim "I love you" (74/100)]
[Reward: Yu-rim Jeong's Mana Regeneration +10%, Family Points 100]
"Going smoothly. Very smoothly."
I nodded in satisfaction as I gazed at the greatly filled progress bar.
At first, when I uttered those words of love, I despaired at the thought of reaching 100 times. But once I mustered the courage for the first one, everything after that had gone so incredibly smoothly.
I recalled my little sister's reaction from the commute home today.
Her lips trembling, her face filled with terror at my fervent display of affection.
Every time I saw her shocked reaction, an inexplicable thrill surged within me.
To be honest, lately, one of the reasons I'd been pushing the love confessions so hard was because her reactions were just too delicious.
"What kind of welcome should I give her when she gets home from work today~?"
I hummed a little tune as I ironed the laundry assigned to me.
Household chores that had always felt so tedious became somewhat enjoyable ever since I started confessing my love to my little sister.
Thinking about what line to use for today's confession and imagining her reaction made the time melt away in an instant.
Sizzle.
After neatly ironing my big sister's suit, I hung it in her room and checked the time.
It was exactly 3:20 p.m.
Based on my experience, that left about an hour until my little sister got home.
With today's chores finished, as I pondered what else to do, an idea popped into my head.
'Should I make her a snack?'
Ever since our parents passed away in a car accident when we were young.
I'd taken full responsibility for my four-years-younger sister and often made snacks for her.
But after our family members awakened one by one and got busy, I hadn't made any in ages.
It seemed perfect for a surprise event after so long.
Plus, it was right around quitting time when she'd be getting hungry.
I'd been lounging on the sofa, enjoying the peace, but I jumped up and headed to the kitchen.
'What should I make?'
I'd decided to make a snack, but I was torn on what exactly.
Considering recent trends, something like chocolate dessert with pistachio spread and kataifi would be spot on.
But since it had been so long since I last made dessert for her, I wanted to go with a snack full of memories.
Handing her a nostalgic snack along with my words of love—surely even my little sister would be a bit touched?
"Hmm..."
I scanned the kitchen, reminiscing, and my eyes lit up when I spotted the mugs on the shelf.
A snack laden with memories. I had it.
Jeong Yu-rim felt her heart pounding as she rode the elevator up.
She'd resolved to match her brother's affection with some of her own, following Choi Young-hyun's advice.
But reciprocating affection with her brother at the ripe old age of 20? It was embarrassing.
In her memory, just five years ago, she'd trailed after him every day, singing that she loved him.
But she'd grown too mature now to act like that old Yu-rim.
"Haa..."
She took a short breath to calm her racing heart, and just then, the elevator arrived at her floor with a ding.
Yu-rim slapped her cheeks lightly, steeling herself, then stepped out.
The front door of home came into view immediately.
Beep beep beep beep.
She entered the password by muscle memory and opened the heavy front door.
"You're home?"
Sure enough, my brother was waiting right there by the entrance today as well.
"Yeah..."
As she slipped off her shoes and put them away like always, she sneaked a glance at him.
He was beaming his usual grin, watching her remove her shoes.
If things followed the usual routine, he'd say those words any second now.
'Ugh... No matter how I think about it, this is too much...'
Seeing his face made her own flush with embarrassment.
All her earlier resolve crumbled.
After a brief internal struggle, Yu-rim chose the path of least resistance.
'Yeah, I'll do it later. Later.'
She decided to foist the affection onto her future self.
There was plenty of time, after all.
She could implement Choi Young-hyun's advice step by step.
Having chosen the easy way out, she tried to brush past him.
"You did great today. I love you, little sis."
His warm, comforting words came as expected, delivered in that gentle tone.
Feeling her heart tickle at his soft voice, she froze for a moment but tried to ignore it and move on, as always.
That's when her brother suddenly handed her a mug from his hand.
One hand had been behind his back—I wondered why, but he'd been hiding the mug.
"This is a gift from your brother to his hardworking little sis."
Yu-rim accepted the mug with a puzzled look.
Steam rose gently from it, carrying the sweet scent of chocolate.
"Cocoa?"
"See for yourself."
She peered inside the mug and froze solid.
Nestled within was a freshly made, steaming hot chocolate cupcake.
"Th-this is..."
"We used to make these together all the time. Cupcakes."
"..."
"It popped into my head after ages, so I whipped some up."
"You remembered..."
"Of course. It's a memory with you, after all."
Yu-rim stared blankly at the cupcake before looking up at him.
She'd thought such memories were hers alone, but he'd remembered too.
Seeing her face, he flashed a mischievous grin.
"Man, I miss those days. The girl who used to chase after me nonstop, begging to marry her big bro once she grew up."
"Hey!"
"And that pure little thing now spends all day holed up in her room playing with herself. Your poor big bro is heartbroken."
"..."
"You're not using me as jerk-off bait, are you?"
Rendered speechless by his teasing, Yu-rim's face turned beet red as she trembled.
Without looking back, she slammed her bedroom door shut behind her.
His laughter echoed, as if savoring the perfect hit.
Yu-rim flopped onto her bed.
"He teases me every single day..."
She pouted at how he couldn't utter a peep to her sisters but always picked on her.
But the creeping sweet chocolate scent made her swallow hard.
His constant teasing annoyed her to no end, but his desserts always hit her taste buds perfectly.
Even after becoming an S-rank hunter and trying all sorts of pricey sweets, nothing topped her brother's treats.
Food was innocent, so she reached for the cupcake.
"Ah..."
Only then did she realize she'd rushed in without grabbing utensils.
She brainstormed ways to eat it without tools, but nothing viable came to mind.
"Damn..."
After failing to lick it up, she placed the cupcake on her desk and lay back on the bed.
Did she really need to force down something made by a brother who cracked sex jokes at her?
With that mental victory, she tried to ignore it and nap.
But the sweet chocolate aroma kept assaulting her nose.
She couldn't stop thinking of that rough, bittersweet taste of his chocolate cupcakes.
"Uwaaaah!"
She buried her nose in her beloved pillow to block it out, but it was no use.
Finally failing to ignore the cupcake, Yu-rim sat back at her desk.
She tried the somewhat primitive approach of reaching in with her hand.
Bang.
The door flew open without warning.
"Ah..."
Her eyes met her brother's—he was holding a spoon.
Her only thought in that instant was that she wanted to die.
In this modern world, to be caught struggling with her hand to eat a cupcake...
It was material for endless teasing for life.
He looked flustered at first upon seeing her hand in the mug, then broke into that infuriating knowing smile as he entered.
"Knock first!"
"Psh, knocking between family? Too stiff."
She'd yelled out of sheer embarrassment, but he didn't bat an eye and plunged the spoon into the cupcake.
"I get that you've gone feral for the cupcake, sis, but come on. We're civilized modern folks—use tools!"
"..."
"I'll head out, so enjoy it."
With that, he left the room.
He closed the door gently instead of slamming it, which somehow felt even more mocking.
"Aaaah..."
Even after he left, Yu-rim kept her face buried on the desk in shame for a while before peeking up.
The mug no longer steamed, but the sweet chocolate scent lingered.
"..."
After a brief hesitation, she picked up the spoon stuck in the cupcake.
Since the embarrassment had already happened, she might as well eat it to avoid regret.
She scooped a careful spoonful and brought it to her mouth.
The sweet chocolate blended perfectly with the bread's slight bitterness, delighting her tongue.
Savoring the chocolate sweetness, she murmured softly.
"It is tasty..."
Though it irked her, Yu-rim polished off the cupcake clean.