My Younger Sister Was My First Love

2. Have We Met Before?

“……Is this really a feasible schedule?”

I had never been married, so I didn’t know much about it.

But I knew that a wedding couldn’t be prepared in just a few weeks.

“Ahahaha. The schedule is so tight, what can I do?”

Mom stopped doing the laundry and waved her hand as if telling me not to worry.

It’s not like I’m a newcomer to this.

Are they going to rush things like roasting beans in a flash?

“Don’t we have to greet Grandma and Grandpa, and book the wedding venue too?”

“I’ve already visited them last year, and the venue has been decided on for a while now.”

“What about the guests?”

“I’ve decided to keep it small. Just a few close family members will be invited, so it’s okay.”

“Is that so?”

Does Mom have everything planned out?

It seems like I was worried for nothing.

“Wait a minute. Didn’t you visit Grandma’s house last year?”

“He said he wants to pay his respects to Grandma’s house since we’ve been together for about a year now.”

“So, does that mean you’ve been dating that guy for two years?”

“Exactly two and a half years?”

……That means they started dating when I was in the second year of high school.

The fact that Mom’s relationship lasted for such a long time was quite shocking.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because of your studies?”

“It’s too early to talk about studies when I was in the second year of high school.”

“Hey, don’t you remember? You asked me to help you focus on your studies, and I did. And I didn’t get serious with him from the start either.”

I had more to say, but I chose to keep quiet and return to my room.

There’s no point in complaining now; it would only make Mom unhappy and change nothing.

Mom has decided to marry that guy.

Even Grandma has given her permission.

Of course, I’ve also given my consent, stamping my approval.

It’s actually me who’s at fault for not knowing about their two-year relationship.

Was I too careless?

Was I not interested enough in Mom’s life?

But it’s also a fact that I didn’t have much time to spend with Mom.

As a high school student and then a repeater, there were only a few days when I didn’t attend academy.

Even when I came home around 10 pm, the time I spent talking to Mom was only about 20 minutes a day.

And even then, Mom mostly listened to my stories, rarely sharing her own daily life or work experiences.

Did Mom feel hurt because I didn’t notice?

I didn’t have any promises, so I continued to lie in bed, with thoughts about my family swirling in my head like clouds.

Ah, I don’t know.

As long as Mom and that guy are happy, that’s all that matters.

Whether the wedding is in February or April, it doesn’t make a big difference to me.

In reality, the important issue for me isn’t Mom or that guy.

It’s the step-sister I’ll have.

Lee Ji-hee.

It seemed like we needed to have a private conversation, no matter what.

* * *

Becoming a family means living under one roof, which inherently implies a sense of unity.

Of course, Mom’s remarriage package deal included moving, too.

According to the adults, it was decided that my mom and I would move into the house where Ajusshi and Ji-hee lived.

“Jun-ho!”

“Yes?”

“Is this all your stuff?”

Mom asked, still surprised, looking at the mostly empty box.

“Why did you get rid of so much stuff?”

“It’s not like I needed it, so I just threw it away.”

“You got rid of a lot, didn’t you?”

I had thrown away most of the books on the bookshelf, mostly study guides and textbooks, which was a considerable feat.

“We don’t need to bring the bookshelf, either. Let’s just get rid of it.”

“It’s good that you don’t have a lot of stuff, anyway. Your room here is smaller than the one you had before! Let’s just take what we need and go!”

My mom and I had so little luggage that it was almost embarrassing to call a moving company.

We decided to use the furniture already in the house and buy new things as needed, so all we had to move was our clothes and personal belongings.

After getting rid of the study guides, I realized that my laptop was the largest item in my luggage, aside from clothes.

I was surprised, too.

I really hadn’t bought anything, had I?

We made two trips from the living room to the car, filling it with three boxes, and headed straight to Ajusshi’s house.

As soon as we parked in the apartment complex, Ajusshi, who had been waiting for us, came out to greet us.

“Jun-ho! Welcome!”

With a hearty laugh, Ajusshi opened the trunk and lifted two large boxes with ease, carrying them inside.

I followed him, carrying the lightest box, and we took the elevator together.

“Does Ji-hee seem uncomfortable?”

“What are you talking about? Ji-hee has been cleaning since morning, saying you and Jun-ho are coming over today.”

“Did you burden her with that?”

“No, no! On the contrary, she scolded me for not helping with the cleaning!”

As we rang the doorbell, we heard the sound of footsteps from inside.

“Hello!”

Ji-hee, who had come to greet us, spoke in a very cheerful tone.

“Oh, Ji-hee!”

“Come on in!”

This was my first time at Ajusshi’s house.

Let me correct myself.

This was my new home now.

The house I would be living in from now on was no different from any other apartment.

Three rooms, two bathrooms.

The 84-square-meter, 33-pyong house, also known as the national standard size.

The interior design was monotone with a wooden tone, giving off a very solemn atmosphere.

“Junho! Over here!”

My room was right next to the bathroom.

The bed smelled of new furniture, indicating that it had been recently replaced.

“Let’s put off unpacking for now and I’ll give you a tour of the room first!”

The house wasn’t particularly special, but I followed the old man’s explanations with great interest.

The living room was a living room.

The kitchen was a kitchen.

The master bedroom was a master bedroom.

The only thing that surprised me was that the multi-purpose room behind the washing machine was bigger than I expected.

“I’ll show you Jihee’s room too.”

“Ah, but if Jihee doesn’t want to show it, we don’t have to.”

“Ey! We’re going to live together anyway, and she’s already cleaned up this morning.”

The old man knocked on Jihee’s door.

“Jihee.”

“Yes?”

“Let your oppa take a look at your room.”

The door creaked open, revealing Jihee peeking out with a slightly embarrassed expression.

“……Only oppa can come in. Dad can wait outside.”

“Okay, okay. Then I’ll go with Dad to pick up some food, and you two can spend some time together.”

The old man said he was so excited to have us all gathered at home for the first time that he even ordered takeout.

So, the two of them went out, leaving me alone in Jihee’s room.

As I stepped inside, I felt a different atmosphere from before.

How should I put it?

The whole room smelled like body wash or something.

Anyway, it was very unfamiliar to me.

It was a strange, unsettling feeling.

“This is my room, oppa.”

At Jihee’s words, I looked around the room, taking it all in.

The furniture and interior design were neat and tidy, just like the living room and kitchen.

The bed frame and curtains were all white, with only the pillowcase standing out in a pink cover.

Unlike my bookshelf, which was packed with reference books, Jihee’s bookshelf had hardly any books.

Instead, what caught my attention was the vanity.

There were many mysterious, cylindrical containers of different heights lined up beneath the mirror.

“It’s pretty. The room.”

I felt like I had to say something, so I awkwardly smiled and complimented her.

“Yeah? Hehe.”

Jihee smiled slightly, looking a bit shy.

“Oppa, it’s okay to just sit there!”

The place where I was allowed to enter was Jihee’s bed.

I had received permission, but I wondered if it was really okay.

My saliva slid down my throat, making a gulping sound.

I could feel my entire body’s muscles tensing up.

That kid I used to like.

Even now, I think she’s still pretty.

The fact that I’m weak against girls and my past confessions, which ended in laughter, mixed together to create a strange sensation.

In other words, it’s the sound of my heart racing.

But my brain understands very well that this isn’t the right moment.

Jihee is no longer just a cute junior.

She’s a new family member and a younger sister.

What kind of oppa would enter his younger sister’s room with this kind of mindset?

It can’t be helped for now, but I’ll get used to it as time passes, right?

Even the most magnificent scenery becomes ordinary when you see it every day, like it’s nothing special.

“Got it.”

Jihee pulled out the chair from the desk across from her and sat down on the soft bed.

Wait, isn’t it better for me to sit there?

Since I’ve already sat down, it’s awkward to change seats again.

“Is there anything you’re curious about or want to ask about the house?”

“Um, nothing in particular?”

“I can tell you everything about the good restaurants near here.”

“I used to live around here, so I know most of the places.”

“Where is it?”

“Across the street from Green Gio.”

“Is it really that close?”

“Yeah, it only takes 10 minutes to get here.”

Jihee didn’t lose her smile even when she was alone with me, without her father and mother.

That’s a bit awkward from my perspective.

“Jihee.”

“Yes?”

“Since we’ll be seeing each other often and becoming family, wouldn’t it be better to just use informal language?”

As I hinted at using informal language, a spark of excitement flashed in Jihee’s eyes.

“Yeah, informal language!”

“Are you still not used to informal language?”

“No, no, I’ll do it! Oppa!”

It was as if someone had given her a huge gift.

Jihee nodded her head vigorously with her bright, shining eyes.

Is using informal language really something to be so thrilled about?

Or have I been too stiff?

Can’t you speak informally? It’s unbearable to this extent?

“Ah, so… I have something I want to say since the adults aren’t here.”

Jihee continued to stare at me, as if urging me to continue the story.

“You can be more comfortable when the adults aren’t around.”

“Comfortable?”

“I mean, you don’t need to force yourself to be tense like that.”

The Jihee I knew was quite a blunt kid.

It wasn’t that she had rejected my confession and that’s why I thought that; it was just her default personality.

Even when we met at the academy a few years ago, she was like that.

She didn’t talk much, and always gave off a cold atmosphere.

“It’s not forced.”

“What?”

“I said it’s not forced. You’re actually opposed to your mom’s remarriage, right?”

“No, that’s not it.”

Isn’t it weird between us?

The guy who rejected me becomes my stepbrother, and how can I be this happy about it?

“It… anyway, that happened in the past, so…”

“The past?”

“Yeah, that thing. Four years ago.”

Ah, I guess it’s hard to say this out loud.

But the response I got was beyond my imagination.

“Huh? Did we meet before?”

……I guess I just forgot about it.