Childhood Friend Who Sees the Future Utters Nonsense

190 – Side Story – Seol-ah is in Puberty! (2)

♬~♪

The familiar, fast-paced bell rang, and the last remaining fifth and sixth graders of Myeongil Elementary School began to pour out.

There were children coming out in pairs, children coming out in groups of friends, and some children running out alone to hasten their steps to the academy, but the most noticeable among them were those around a boy named Park Seol-ha.

“Seolha! Do you want to go eat tteokbokki?”

“Huh? Tteokbokki?”

Seol-ha, who had received the offer out of the blue, opened her eyes wide and looked at her classmate Ji-yoon.

It wasn’t that he was particularly curious about the suggestion. It was just that he was quite bothered by the fact that the other girls standing around him were staring at him with such intentness that it seemed as if they were drooling.

“Mina and Soyeon are going too. What do you think?”

“Um… well.”

“Do you have to go to work today too?”

When Seol-ha showed signs of hesitation, Ji-yoon tilted her head and asked about his future schedule, albeit belatedly. Everyone in his class knew that he would go to the company after school to practice.

I asked casually because I thought maybe your schedule was clear today, but somehow I had a strong feeling that today would be a bust.

“Yeah, I have to go….”

However, contrary to Jiyoon’s thoughts, Seolha was actually already inclined towards going.

In the first place, the reason I went to work today was not to receive lessons from Mr. Jae-young or the training instructors, but rather for independent practice.

Even if I just eat a bowl of tteokbokki with my friends after school, I’ll still have plenty of time. Since I have to go home early today anyway, I don’t plan on practicing for too long.

‘Shall we go?’

Seol-ha thought for a moment that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to go out and have some fun since she hadn’t been able to hang out with her friends much recently.

But during all this, there was one thing that was bothering me.

“…what’s the matter?”

“Oh, no. Nothing….”

It was none other than the presence of my younger sister, who had been holding my hand since the end of the ceremony and had not let go, and who had not said a word until now.

To begin with, Seol-ah was not the type to be this affectionate or affectionate outside. Even in her second or third year of elementary school, when she had not yet entered puberty and was following her older brother around, she was quite indifferent outside.

But, of all places, it’s at school where so many friends are looking at me and holding my hand.

Rather than feeling embarrassed, Seol-ha felt confused as to why he was acting like this.

“Sorry, Jiyoon. I decided to go practice with Seol-ah today….”

Seol-ha, who felt Seol-ah’s blatant gaze, ended up scratching her cheek awkwardly and politely declined her friend’s offer.

It would be better if Seol-ah could go with them, but Seol-ah isn’t that close with Ji-yoon and the rest of the group. It would definitely be an uncomfortable situation, but Seol-ah wasn’t the type to force her younger sister into such a situation.

Rather, he was a kind and considerate older brother who cared for his younger sister to a degree that was a bit excessive for his age.

“I see… . Okay, I understand. Then shall we eat together next time?”

“Okay then.”

“See you tomorrow!”

“Okay, see you tomorrow.”

Jiyoon and the rest of the girls turned their backs with a somewhat slumped look. Seol-ha, who had been watching their backs blankly, eventually turned her gaze to her younger sister.

“Shall we go to the company too?”

“…huh.”

Seol-ha didn’t pride herself on being particularly perceptive, but she felt a strange sense of joy in the expression on her younger sister’s face as she nodded absentmindedly.

I didn’t have the courage to ask why though.

***

“Hello, my twin!”

As they arrived at the company and headed to the recording studio, a lively woman suddenly appeared and the twins’ bodies flinched at the same time.

The other person is none other than Jo Yi-hyun, the daughter of Jae-young, the head of this company, and currently works as an exclusive composer for Jane Entertainment. At the same time, she is Seol-ha’s composition teacher and also the person in charge of the two’s vocal training.

He was once a fairly famous singer-songwriter.

“hello.”

“hello….”

Seol-ha, who always bows her head proudly, and Seol-ah, who always responds in a crawling voice.

Lee Hyun, who had been smiling happily at the unchanging sight, looked down as if nothing had happened, but then suddenly realized something was different than usual and opened his eyes wide.

“Huh? I think this is the first time I’ve seen you two holding hands?”

“Huh? Oh, this is….”

That was the right hand that was held correctly.

When this was pointed out, Seol-ha rolled his eyes here and there to find a way to explain, but there was nothing suitable. In the first place, Seol-ah came all the way here holding his hand without even giving him an explanation, so there was no way he could explain.

Nevertheless, Lee Hyeon smiled and waved his hand at Seol Ha, who was trying to find a way to make an excuse by moving her hands and feet.

“I said it because you seemed nice, so you don’t have to say much. Seol-ah has been acting ticklish towards you lately, so I thought you weren’t on good terms, but that’s a relief, isn’t it?”

“ah….”

She may have said it without thinking, but Seol-ha looked at her younger sister as if she had gained some kind of realization after hearing it.

“… … !”

Then, as if trying to hide her blushing face, Seol-ah hurriedly turned her head towards the opposite wall. Only then was Seol-ha able to smile with some confidence.

“Yes! That’s fortunate.”

“Haha, that’s right.”

As expected, Lee Hyeon smiled happily, thinking that the child was full of love for his younger sibling, and then exclaimed, “Ah!” as if he remembered something late.

“By the way, I came to ask if you wanted to take class today….”

According to the original schedule, the twins don’t have any separate classes today. Hyun also just stopped by the company for a bit to do some work, and he didn’t come specifically to look after the twins.

However, I just heard that the twins had arrived in the lobby, and I came up to the recording studio to make a suggestion if they were interested in attending class today… . But somehow, I felt like I shouldn’t interfere with the atmosphere.

“I think it would be better if we just practice together today. Right?”

“Ugh…!”

That’s why he deliberately threw words at Seol-ah, who was still staring at the wall, and when she looked at him in surprise, he winked one eye and opened the recording studio door.

‘Anyway, I said they’re cute.’

She somewhat agrees with the things she always hears around her, such as how kids these days are not well-mannered or how kids don’t act like kids, but she can say with certainty that this does not apply to the twins.

They are probably the most lovable and cute siblings in the world.

With this hope that she would continue to grow purely and without change, she quietly left the recording studio.

***

That evening, Seol-ha and Seol-ah set off on their way home together.

Now, I’m used to taking the bus, and even though it’s still warm outside, the ride is long enough for two elementary school students to go back and forth without much trouble. If the sun had set a little earlier, I would have had to take a taxi.

“Seol-ah, can I ask you something?”

“huh….”

As they walked along the gentle hill to the front of the house, Seol-ha opened her mouth, deliberately slowing her pace a little.

Although the question was not yet revealed, Seol-ah, the answerer, nodded with a blush as if she could already guess the content. The two of them were still holding each other’s hands carefully.

“You weren’t angry at me because you didn’t like me, right?”

“Uh… No.”

Seol-ah answered the question that hit the nail on the head with sincerity.

There was no way Seol-ah would hate her brother in the first place.

When I was little, my brother would tell my mischievous sister that it was he who broke my mother’s favorite cup, my brother would always give my sister the strawberries in my cake, my brother would always cherish our time together more than when he wanted to play with his friends.

Because there isn’t a younger sister in the world who would hate a brother like that.

It was just embarrassing. It was strangely embarrassing for a teenage girl to let her friends know that she was the younger sister who liked her older brother so much.

She was troubled as to whether she should say that or not, but when she saw Seol-ha’s side profile, deep in thought, she naturally made up her mind.

‘You promised Na-eun!’

Yes. Seol-ah has a promise to make today, and she is receiving advice from her best friend, Na-eun.

Even if things don’t work out this way, you must apologize to your brother and reconcile in the end. I can’t break that promise.

“Oh, brother. Over there… .”

Seol-ah barely managed to open her tightly shut lips and turned her head to meet the gaze she had been avoiding, and there was Seol-ha looking at her with a bright face.

As if there’s no need for an explanation.

“…I see. Then that’s fine.”

“Huh?”

And then, as if all the burden on her mind had been lifted, Seol-ah blurted out a word without realizing it.

So that’s it? There’s still so much I need to tell you!

When Seol-ah looked up at her brother with an impatient look, Seol-ha, who had been silently meeting his gaze, placed a hand on her younger brother’s head. It was a slightly rough but gentle touch.

“You didn’t do that because you wanted to, did you?”

“Uh, yeah… .”

“Are you repenting your mistake?”

“huh….”

“Then it’s okay. I’m not particularly angry either.”

Seol-ah’s eyes began to fill with tears as he stroked her head, saying, “Shall we go in and eat now?”

In the end, she felt regretful that she couldn’t tell her brother everything she wanted to say and everything she needed to say, but what was even bigger was that her brother, whom she loved so much, didn’t hate her.

“Huk, huk…!”

“What, what is it? Why are you crying? What did your brother do wrong?”

The sense of relief that had welled up soon turned into tears and began to fall like chicken droppings, and even Seol-ha, who had been calm until then, was surprised and busy patting her younger brother on the back.

“I don’t know… . Hehe! My brother is an idiot…!”

Even though Seol-ah continued to complain to her brother until the end of the day, she never let go of the hand she was holding until they entered the house.

It was a peaceful day for a pair of twins.