My Feisty Sisters Are Coming After Me

Chapter 11

—–CROW—– 

Su-jeong Noona and Geum-bi Noona reconciled surprisingly easily.  Perhaps it was thanks to me being caught in the middle, but I felt it was mature of them to face each other and apologize calmly.

‘They’re only two or three years older than me.  I wonder if I’ll be like that in a few years when I get a job.’

I just chuckled awkwardly, feeling inadequate compared to their experienced working-adult aura, which my military service couldn’t even begin to match.  The two Noonas briefly explained Mom’s situation to the younger siblings, then went to their rooms to start their day.

And it was time for me to start my postponed daily task.  That is…the dreaded bathroom cleaning.

“It would be nice to do this in the afternoon after I’ve warmed up.  Why do they all take such long showers every evening…ha…”

Since our family lived in a large house with a yard on the second floor, there were a lot of chores, so we naturally divided them up and had our assigned roles. I chose bathroom cleaning, a once-a-week task, because I was lazy…but actually doing it wasn’t easy at all.

“With so many people, soap scum builds up quickly, shampoo and body wash run out fast and need constant refills.  And on top of that, they tell me to finish cleaning during the day because they take turns showering in the evening…Ugh. I’m exhausted already!”

Just a while ago, I was comfortably sitting in Geum-bi Noona’s room, feeling her warmth.  Now, I was squatting on the tiles, splashing cold water around. The sense of emptiness from this contrast was indescribable.

“Ah, the shampoo’s empty again. I have to buy more before evening…sigh.”

There was still quite a bit left when I showered yesterday.  Geum-bi Noona showered before me, and Su-jeong Noona is frugal…so it must be Hwa-yeon.  That damn girl, causing trouble even in broad daylight.

“Honestly, Hwa-yeon is no help around the house.”

“What? Do you want to die?  Talking behind my back as soon as I wake up?”

“Huh?  H-Hwa-yeon?”

“Oppa, do you know how it feels to be badmouthed when you’re not around?  That’s too much.”

As if she had a sixth sense, Hwa-yeon appeared, rubbing her eyes and opening the bathroom door. I was momentarily flustered, but after seeing her half-asleep state, I corrected myself.

“Sorry, I’ll be more careful next time.”

“Haaam~ Please do.  Think about how it feels for the person listening.”

“Okay, okay. So, our little sister who doesn’t lift a finger around the house, what brings you here?”

“Gah?!  You haven’t changed at all!”

“I changed it to talking in front of your face since you told me not to talk behind your back.  Got a problem? Want me to splash you with water?”

“Ugh, not funny…Don’t point the showerhead this way.  I’ll really get wet!”

I actually meant to splash her, but she dodged it.  While lecturing my impertinent younger sister, I asked her with my eyes why she was really here.

“The Unnies were washing their faces upstairs, so I came down to the first floor.  Haaam~”

“What face washing when you’re still half-asleep?  Why don’t you just wait in your room for them to come out?”

“I’m washing my face *because* I’m half-asleep, idiot.”

“Calling your Oppa an idiot? Want to get soaked outside the bathroom?”

“Ugh~ anyway, finish cleaning quickly. I have to go out later.”

“Where are you going on the weekend? Do you have a group project?”

“Pay some attention to your sister.  I’ve been working a weekend part-time job since the week before last.”

“Really? You’re always cooped up in your room, so how would I know?”

“It’s just that you’re not interested in me, Oppa.  You always ask Mok-hee if she needs allowance.”

“Our youngest got into a good university.  Freshmen year is expensive.”

“I got into a decent university too.”

“After retaking the entrance exam. Ha, when I heard that in the military, I felt so hopeless…”

“Ugh, fine! You can clean slowly, so just shut up.  I’m leaving, I’m leaving. Tsk!”

I pretended to tear up, and Hwa-yeon shook her head and ran out.  But she had the wrong idea.  I wasn’t not giving her allowance because she had to retake the exam, it was because of her attitude.

‘You don’t have to speak formally like the youngest, but at least try to curse less…She’s so similar to Geum-bi Noona in that way, so why do they always fight?’

Was it sibling rivalry or sibling hatred?

I was glad it was Su-jeong Noona she argued with this morning. At least no one’s hair got pulled.

‘Speaking of hair pulling, that girl must have used up all the shampoo.  She was probably dyeing her hair again, tsk tsk.’

I clicked my tongue, remembering Hwa-yeon’s shoulder-length hair, now dyed red, unlike yesterday. I should have splashed her with water after all. No wonder there were so many stains in the bathroom. She caused all this trouble, and she comes here to complain?

“Um, are you still not done cleaning~?”

“You just left!  Stop rushing…huh?  Noona?!”

“Eek! Cold! What are you doing, Ji-gu?”

“S-sorry.  I thought you were Hwa-yeon…”

Frustrated with the stubborn stains, I splashed water at the next visitor.  But this visitor was a first-timer, and Su-jeong Noona was standing in the changing area, covering her chest with her arms, soaking wet.

“You thought it was Hwa-yeon? You shouldn’t splash her with water either!  Are you old enough to be playing pranks like this, Ji-gu?”

“No, it wasn’t a prank for no reason…anyway, sorry. I’ll get you a towel.”

I hurriedly handed Su-jeong Noona a towel, and she started drying her hair.  But as she did, her arms moved upwards, and the white t-shirt she was wearing…soaked with water, wasn’t doing its job at all.

“Ugh! Dry slowly, Noona.  I’ll wait outside.”

“Wait a minute. I have something to ask you, Ji-gu.”

“What? Tell me quickly, I’ll turn around.”

“You…said you were going to Geum-bi’s room during the day from now on?”

Su-jeong Noona’s words stopped me from leaving, and I looked in the opposite direction of her upper body as much as possible. But I was once again flustered by the reflection of her chest in the changing room mirror and closed my eyes, pondering her words.

‘What does that mean?  Going to Geum-bi Noona’s room?  Me?’

As I was thinking the story must have been twisted somehow, Su-jeong Noona continued.

“Are you going to…hug her, stroke her, pat her…like that?”

“Um, I don’t know what you heard from Geum-bi Noona, but it’s a misunderstanding.  I just promised to visit her sometimes and listen to her worries.”

“Really…?  Then when you went to Geum-bi’s room earlier, did you hug her or anything?”

“…I went there to comfort her. I did hug her briefly while patting her back.”

I corrected the misinformation, but I couldn’t deny the following question. I tried to explain the situation and ask for her understanding, but Su-jeong Noona seemed to be getting more and more suspicious.

“Um, it’s not really my place to say this, but…even if you’re siblings, you’re still a man and a woman, right?  Be careful not to get too close.”

“It couldn’t be helped this time because of the situation.  And I don’t think you’re really one to talk…”

“I-I’ve always been physically affectionate with my siblings.  But Geum-bi isn’t like that, right? If she suddenly becomes affectionate…it might lead to misunderstandings.”

This advice sounded similar to what Geum-bi Noona had told me yesterday.  They really were sisters.  Perhaps they reconciled so quickly because they thought alike?

“I get what you mean.  If someone who wasn’t usually affectionate suddenly changes, it could cause unnecessary trouble, right?”

“Right.  Especially since…Geum-bi doesn’t know the results yet.”

“I’ll be more careful. I understand, Noona.”

It was a sensitive issue, especially if Geum-bi Noona turned out to be adopted.  The question, ‘…But isn’t that the same for you, Noona?’ rose to the tip of my tongue, but I managed to keep my mouth shut since my eyes were closed.

Anyway, I was the one stuck in the middle, suffering in various ways.  We needed Mom to come back…ah, that wasn’t happening anymore.

“Noona, have you heard anything else from Mom?  Like her exact discharge date or when she’s coming back?”

“Well…but considering her month-long hospitalization and work, I think she’ll be staying there for a while. She usually takes her vacations all at once.”

“So, since she missed this opportunity, it’ll be a while until her next vacation?”

“Yeah.  Geum-bi…sighed as soon as she heard the news.”

Honestly, I felt somewhat the same.  The complicated situation was only getting more tangled with no sign of resolution.

“So, Ji-gu, can you…be nice to her until Mom comes back? Of course, while maintaining appropriate boundaries between siblings.”

“I’ll try my best.  I can’t promise I’ll be able to do it perfectly, but don’t worry too much, Noona.”

“Hehe, shouldn’t you say you’ll definitely do it?”

“I don’t want to lie to you, Noona.”

Su-jeong Noona laughed as if my foolishly honest answer was more reassuring.  But the responsibility I had just taken on felt heavy.  I was now in charge of managing the mental states of both Su-jeong Noona and Geum-bi Noona.

‘Well, it’ll work out somehow.  They’ll both go back to work tomorrow, and I’ll be home alone most of the time.’

Would that be boring?  Maybe I should look for a part-time job like Hwa-yeon.

“Ha, all done. Thanks for the towel, Ji-gu.”

“You’re finished?  Were you that wet—eek?!”

“I just dried myself…I haven’t changed my clothes yet. Hehe.”

Where did the person who told me to be careful with Geum-bi Noona go?  When I opened my eyes, Su-jeong Noona was standing there, barely covering her bare chest with her arms.

“Wh-why are you like that?  Get dressed!”

“I didn’t come here to shower…I didn’t bring a shirt or anything.”

“Then go get one! And why aren’t you wearing a bra?!”

“Who wears a bra at home on their day off?  I thought you were an adult, Ji-gu, but you’re still a child in this area.”

“Then act like an adult, Noona! Hurry up and go.  No, wait, just get dressed in your room and come back!”

Su-jeong Noona, seemingly amused by my flustered attempts to avoid looking at her, continued to tease me shamelessly.  She probably thought I was just a cute younger brother, but I had grown up more than she thought.  So, please take care of yourself.  Please cover up.

‘Seriously, she’s not in a position to worry about anyone else.  Take care of yourself first, please…!’

A younger brother desperately running away while blushing, and an older sister chuckling while barely covering her upper body with a wet towel.  The chase in the small changing room ended when I went back to cleaning the bathroom.

“I’m going up then~ See you later, Ji-gu.”

“Don’t come back!  Don’t even think about seeing me later, ugh.”

As if aware of my inner turmoil, Su-jeong Noona continued to tease me, waving goodbye.  To clear my mind of frustration and self-blame, I splashed water around every corner of the bathroom.

“Hey, are you still not done cleaning, eek?!”

The bathroom door burst open, and I hosted my second water bomb festival of the day.

“…Oh, it’s Hwa-yeon.  You surprised me.”

“I’m the one who’s surprised! What are you going to do about my hair?!”

Fortunately, unlike Su-jeong Noona, Hwa-yeon was wearing a colored t-shirt, giving my eyes plenty of other places to look.  And I didn’t care about her wet hair at all.

“You can just shower since you’re already wet.  I just finished cleaning.”

“Ugh, really!  This is annoying, get out, Oppa!”

Leaving behind the distracting thoughts that had been washed away like running water, I stepped out of the bathroom without hesitation.

* * *

After finishing all the cleaning, including the second-floor bathroom and kitchen, I finally stretched and straightened my back.  Having been on the move since early morning, my body was complaining, and I was about to drag my aching legs to my room when—

“Yang Ji-gu.”

“Huh?  Geum-bi Noona?”

“Come to my room for a second.”

“Huh? Why? I just finished cleaning…”

“Why else?  It’s still…daytime.”

Without a moment to rest, Geum-bi Noona dragged me away.  I thought she had reconciled with Su-jeong Noona, so was there something else? What was going on?

‘But…I don’t care, I just want to lie down.’

The doorknob to Geum-bi Noona’s room clicked shut behind us.  Just as she was about to say something, I ignored her and collapsed onto her bed.

“Hey, hey? When did I say you could lie down?!”

I expected a torrent of nagging from Geum-bi Noona, but I just wanted to surrender to the soft embrace of the blanket.

‘This scent, it’s the same as in the bathroom.  It’s only natural since we live in the same house.’

Geum-bi Noona’s bed smelled of the bathroom shampoo we had used up.  It was the same scent I smelled when I hugged her a few hours ago, and I closed my eyes comfortably, feeling the warmth from that moment again.

“Get up, hey…really.”

I ignored the voice of someone shaking me next to me.  Perhaps as payback for earlier, the shaking soon turned into gentle pats.

—–CROW—–