You... You're Really a Good Guy, Huh.
The next morning at Yeonhui University’s humanities building classroom.
“.....”
The classroom, usually buzzing with chatter, fell silent as if doused with cold water the moment I opened the door and stepped in. Dozens of eyes locked onto me all at once.
Here it comes.
I swallowed dryly and headed to my usual seat in the back, trying to act casual.
Thud. Thud.
My footsteps alone echoed through the hush.
“Whew.”
I was just setting down my bag and about to sit when—
Rumble!
Like they'd planned it, classmates swarmed me from all sides. In an instant, my desk was barricaded by a wall of humans.
“Seo Eun-seong! Is it true?!”
“Whoa! I got chills! You're Seo Ha-rin's real brother?!”
“How could you hide it from us for three whole years?!”
The female classmates gawked with wide eyes, faces full of disbelief. But their gazes held more curiosity and envy than betrayal.
“No way... So you see Ha-rin's bare face at home?!”
“Eun-seong! Get me an autograph, please!”
“Oppa! Let's be friends. Pretty please? I'm a huge Ha-rin fan!”
This much I'd expected. But the real trouble was the guys.
“Seo Eun-seong...”
My best friend Kim Min-su trembled, pretending to grab my collar.
“Did you... save the country in a past life? No, found it?”
“Min-su, calm down first. You're stretching my shirt.”
The other guys pretended to hold him back.
“Calm down? How can I when he's not just Ha-rin's brother but linking arms with Choi Eun-jin and Lee Ah-hyun? Linkiiing arrrms?!”
“Bad guy.”
“Traitor.”
Jealousy boiled in the guys' glaring eyes—pure, seething envy, not outright murder.
“Be honest. What's your deal with Choi Eun-jin? Just oppa-dongsaeng, right?”
“Lee Ah-hyun getting tutoring from you? For real? The Ice Princess?”
“Hand over that padding from yesterday. I'll treasure it forever.”
Questions and threats rained down together.
“Everyone, just calm down. Okay?”
I waved them off, sweating bullets. Telling them the truth—that Eun-jin noona and Ah-hyun were just dried-squid girls at home—would fall on deaf ears.
“They're just... little sisters I've known since they were kids. Nothing special.”
“Nothing special? Dude! Ninety percent of Korean guys are Siren fans!”
Min-su slammed the desk. The mood was turning ugly when someone shouted.
“Prove it then!”
“Yeah! Video call! Just one video call!”
“Get Ha-rin on video once, and I'll call you hyung for life!”
Chants of “video call” erupted like a rally. The classroom turned into a protest site.
“No way? Ha-rin's busy right now...”
“Don't lie! She's in the music show waiting room—it's on Insta!”
“Just once! One minute! Please, Eun-seong! No, hyung!”
The guys' eyes pleaded desperately.
“We beg you, Turtle Ship helmsman!”
“General Yi Sun-sin! Please!”
Some even dropped to their knees, babbling nonsense.
“Haa...”
I sighed deeply. Refusing now might mean I wouldn't leave alive.
“Fine. I'll try. But she might not pick up.”
I pulled out my smartphone from my pocket.
Damn!
My hands shook as I found “Leech No.1” in contacts and hit call.
Riiiing... Riiiing...
Tension spiked with each ringtone. I could hear gulps echoing.
Click.
“Yeah. Oppa. What's up?”
The screen lit up with a familiar face—but not the bare-faced one from home.
“Gasp!”
“Insane...”
“Whoa...?”
Exclamations burst from around the room.
Screen Ha-rin was fully stage-ready: sparkling sequined dress, perfect wavy hair, doll-like makeup. Her fist-sized porcelain face featured artistically sculpted features. Hard to believe this was the sister who wore glasses and chomped squid at home—unreal beauty.
“Uh... Ha-rin, sorry to bug you when you're busy. My classmates wanna say hi.”
I awkwardly turned the screen to show them. Ha-rin's expression flipped instantly. The snippy real-little-sister vibe vanished.
“Hi everyone~ This is Siren’s Ha-rin!”
The “nation’s little sister” appeared with a sweet eye-smile and waving hand.
“Kyaa! Unnie, you're so pretty!”
“Ha-rin! I love you! I had your pic in my army locker!”
“Goddess! A real goddess descended!”
The room exploded in frenzy. Ha-rin handled the cheers with her signature “princess smile.”
“Oh my~ You're my oppa's friends? You all look so cool and pretty~”
Pure act. One hundred percent business mode. But the classmates melted at those words.
“Oppa might be a bit bear-like and slow, but he's got a really kind heart. Please help him out at school. Pretty please~”
Ha-rin leaned in close and winked—her global fans' “cutie wink.”
“Argh! My heart!”
“Ha-rin! Cutie wink here!”
Some guys clutched their chests, fake-fainting.
“Don't worry! I'll carry Eun-seong hyung on my back!”
“Oppa's our department's treasure!”
“Ha-rin! Smash it with the new song!”
Cheers poured toward my sister.
“Thanks~ Gotta head to rehearsal now. See you later, oppa! Bye~”
Click.
The call ended, but the room's heat lingered.
“Dude... Seo Eun-seong...”
Min-su grabbed my shoulder, dazed.
“You're... really a good guy, huh.”
“Huh?”
“I'll call you hyung from now on. Or brother-in-law?”
“Get lost.”
I shoved him away in disgust. But the vibe had flipped.
Ha-rin's “take care of my oppa” line was powerful.
“Eun-seong! Lunch on me today!”
“What? Eun-seong oppa! Cafe with me! I'll buy something yummy!”
“Hyung! Homework done? Want me to do it?”
Sudden favors and attention flooded in.
“Haha. Thanks, everyone? I won't say no.”
I nodded with an awkward smile.
The quiet “Polar Bear” Seo Eun-seong, who'd ghosted through school unnoticed, had rocketed to Korean Literature's—nay, Yeonhui University's—top heartthrob in one day.
4 p.m. Last major class ended.
“Eun-seong! No drinks tonight? My treat!”
“Oppa! Karaoke! I'll sing all Siren songs in medley!”
Classmates clung as I left. Normally I'd join to avoid hassle, but not today. Home would be chaos after yesterday's scandal.
“Sorry. Gotta head home. Next time.”
“Aw... Tomorrow then?”
“Sure, sure.”
I ditched the disappointed crew and hurried out of the humanities building. Campus teemed with students heading home. I pulled my padding hood low, fearing recognition, and quickened toward the main gate.
That's when whispers hit.
“That big guy's Ha-rin's brother, right? Goes here?”
“Whoa? Tall and huge? Yeah, Ha-rin's bro?”
“Sister's top idol, but bro's a total fattie? Not a bear—a hippo?”
Unpleasant stares and chatter aimed my way.
Tch. Expected that.
Hate comments from forums and YouTube were now live in my face.
Not everyone can like me.
Strangers anyway. I steeled myself: as Ha-rin's brother, I'd endure this gossip level.
But...
“....!”
I froze mid-stride exiting campus.
“Ha-rin's Ha-rin, huh? Hiding her bro 'cause he's embarrassing?”
“Totally. Acts all elegant princess, but Ha-rin's shallow too.”
“Ha-rin deserves it, right?”
A group of girls was trash-talking my sister.
“.....”
My eyes turned icy. I could take hits at me—but not Ha-rin.
“Hey. Mind not speculating and talking crap?”
I marched over and called them out.
They flinched at the sight of me.
“S-sorry! Didn't think you'd hear!”
“Uh, we weren't dissing, just joking...”
Their faces flushed with shame.
“Watch your words next time.”
No point lingering; I turned and left.
I can take people dissing me, but not my sister Ha-rin.
That day, I resolved: for my sister, I'd change completely. Fat? Just lose it.
End of Chapter 3.