My Younger Sister Was My First Love

67. Pickup

“Do I not like the ‘odel student’ style?”

I touched my lips where her hand had touched, and asked again.

“Yeah. Your younger sibling said so.”

Minju’s words made me question myself.

What type of person do I like?

A set with only one element.

The only example of a girl I liked was Jihee.

In the end, in this current situation, it means that Jihee represents my taste.

Jihee caught on to that and said so.

“Not really? In fact, don’t you like the ‘odel student’ type more?”

Minju’s words were slightly slurred, probably due to the alcohol.

“……I don’t know.”

“It doesn’t seem like that when I see you liking someone like Jihee.”

Minju’s tone had changed eerily.

I could sense who she was imitating soon enough.

“Hey, why are you copying Jihee?”

“I’m not copying her.”

“Don’t do that. I warned you.”

“Why not?”

Minju’s words, which didn’t listen to me, copied Jihee’s tone exactly, and I started to feel a mix of discomfort and strange attraction.

…Really?

Was I really into this type?

My ears felt a little hot, and I sensed that it was time for me to leave.

“Hey, I’m leaving now.”

“Let’s have more fun. Where are you going?”

“Home. I have school tomorrow too.”

“No way.”

“Why are you like that too? I’m already struggling with just Jihee.”

“You’re the one who confessed and got rejected, so can’t you just stay a little longer? Think of it as compensation for the private tutoring fees.”

It was clear that today’s gathering was a reward for the free private tutoring.

As I recalled that fact, I reluctantly sat back down.

And to be honest, I still couldn’t believe that Minju had confessed to me.

“So, are we settling the private tutoring fees with this today?”

“Yeah. I’ll take care of it.”

It seemed to be a fair deal.

Hah…

Can I just go home like this?

I didn’t drink that much.

I’m confident I’m still in my right mind.

“Yeah, I’ll send you off after you finish this.”

With both arms as support, Min-ju dragged her body towards the fridge and pulled out three more bottles of soju from inside.

“If you really finish this, I’ll let you go!”

“This is too much. How can I drink all of this?”

“Then you can’t go.”

“This is ridiculous! You’re doing this to me again, even though you said you liked me?”

“I don’t know. You don’t understand me, no matter how nicely I treat you.”

There were many things piled up, it seemed.

Min-ju vented her frustration.

“Either express yourself properly or say it out loud! Say it!”

“What’s wrong with eating together, watching a movie, and sleeping over at my place? Did I not send you enough signals? I even gave your little brother private lessons! I comforted you too!”

Is that so?

The problem was on my side, it seemed.

Honestly, if I combined all of Min-ju’s signals, they seemed clear.

But the issue was that the target was Min-ju, and that was the blind spot.

Min-ju’s past actions had clearly played the role of blocking all those signals.

“…… Sorry.”

“If you’re sorry, then go sleep.”

The thought that I might die if I drank all of this crossed my mind, but what was happening here was really just disregarding Min-ju.

What could I say to Ji-hui?

If I said I was going out, then……

My head was already throbbing in pain.

My hand automatically reached out for the soju glass.

I’ll just drink a bit more, and then I’ll leave when Min-ju falls asleep.

“But did you buy the soju because I was coming over, or was it already there?”

“I bought it because you were coming over. We already had a few bottles, though.”

“Did you intentionally plan to kill me?”

“It’s really hard to confess with a clear mind.”

Min-ju’s weak smile made me feel sorry for her.

“…… Sorry.”

“But is there really no chance?”

“No, we’re not dating, and that’s it.”

“Let’s just start fresh from now on! Until now, I just treated you like a friend, so that’s why.”

I don’t know.

Is this a matter of willpower?

Not liking someone because I don’t want to, and liking someone because I want to.

“Don’t know, don’t know. If I drink all of this, I’ll get sent home, right?”

“Whoa, are you really going to drink it all?”

“I have to go home.”

“Go for it!”

But I couldn’t go home, and I couldn’t have a conversation either.

I gazed blankly at the remaining bottles of soju, like a snake’s venom.

Glug glug glug.

I downed a few shots of soju in a row from a water cup.

“Hey, Joon-ho! You’re going to…”

“If I drink it all, I’ll get sent home.”

My heart was racing fast, but only for a moment.

Before long, an intense drowsiness poured over me.

My hand searched for my phone.

Home. I had to go home.

I had to talk to Ji-hee.

* * *

A weekend without Oppa!

On this rare holiday, I immediately called Se-hwa.

“Ji-hee, Ji-hee!”

It wasn’t too far to meet up in the evening, anyway.

As always, calling a neighborhood friend to chat was the best way to spend my time.

“Are you here?”

“What’s going on? You said you wouldn’t come out on Sundays even if you died.”

“Oppa went out to play.”

“Whoa, did you give up on Oppa and get released?”

“No, it’s not that. He just has his own social life too, you know.”

I knew I needed that too, but it just didn’t feel right.

“Did you go to meet a girl?”

“No, I met some people I know. You know, from that time, from our meeting.”

“Ah, I messaged that person.”

Se-hwa chuckled and opened the door to the meat restaurant.

“So, how’s studying going? Is it manageable?”

“It’s a bit frustrating.”

“Why? Because you don’t want to do it?”

“No, it’s just that I think I need to set my goals a bit higher.”

“Weren’t you trying to get into In-seoul University?”

“Yeah.”

Se-hwa poured water into a cup for me.

“So, how far do you think you’ll get? You’re going to do really well and come to our school, right?”

“Hmm, isn’t it?”

“What’s up?”

“It’s Korea University.”

Sehwa’s eyes slowly closed and opened like slow motion.

“……Isn’t it no fun?”

“What’s wrong.”

“No, you’re revising your goal, right?”

“That’s why Korea University is the goal.”

Sehwa’s face had an expression as if looking at someone who had taken drugs.

“Jihee, Jihee. Isn’t it painful?”

“No! It doesn’t hurt! I can say I’m going to Korea University, why not!”

“No. How are you going to get in.”

“I took a mock test and got 4th grade, so if I try a bit more, I can get 3rd grade.”

“Do all repeaters who start from 3rd grade get into Korea University?”

“Wow, why are you looking down on me like that.”

“I know your CSAT grade, so it’s not something to look down on.”

“Give me a shot of soju here!”

In a fit of anger, she even ordered a shot of soju that she hadn’t planned on.

“You’re exactly right, Sehwa. When I get into university, you’ll…”

She made a gesture of cutting her neck with her hand.

“But why did your goal suddenly change to something so destructive? Did your oppa do something?”

“No.”

In fact, her oppa didn’t force Korea University on her.

“There’s someone who’s annoying because they have a good academic background.”

“Hmm. You study alone at home, so it’s not like your oppa did it. Who did it?”

“Why. There’s someone our oppa likes, remember?”

“Ah-ah!”

Sehwa nodded as if she remembered.

“That noona!”

“Yes. She came to our house saying she’d give us free private lessons, right?”

“But?”

“She said she’s got a good academic background and gets along well with our oppa, so she’ll become our new noona.”

“Pu-huh. Is that true? Not lying? No MSG added?”

“I added a bit of MSG, but it’s similar.”

“Whoa.”

Sehwa listened to my story while quietly grilling meat for me.

As a repeater, she especially grilled the meat for me, and I continued my story, worried that the meat might be overcooked or undercooked.

“Anyway, so I got completely frustrated and told my oppa that I’d get into Korea University and CC him.”

Sehwa cut the meat while laughing as if she was holding back her laughter.

“Wow, Jihee. You’re really something.”

“Having a close relationship requires a huge commitment.”

“Still, are you really aiming for the top 6 in Korea?”

“But unexpectedly, it seems to have worked out a bit.”

As oppa said, I seemed to have a talent for studying.

“Really? That’s great.”

“Yeah. I think I’ll do better on the college entrance exam than you.”

“That’s right. You should, so you don’t get a new noona.”

“Ah! Don’t say that! It’s so annoying!”

Noona. Noona.

That guy’s noona.

Just the existence of the term was infuriating.

Ah, I just want to make oppa take a break and lock him in his room.

Can’t we take a break next semester?

If I ask him to focus on my college entrance exam, will he do it?

I knew oppa liked me, so if I just showed a bit more enthusiasm, he might come around.

“Hey, your phone.”

“What?”

When I looked down at the table at Sehwa’s words, oppa’s name was on the screen.

What’s going on? Did he contact me because he wanted to see me?

Is he doing this to make me anxious?

I tried to calm my nervous tone and slid the screen to the right.

[Why, oppa?]

[Ah, Jihyun?]

A familiar voice.

But it wasn’t the voice I wanted to hear.

[I’m Minju.]

Ah, I know.

But why was that voice coming from oppa’s phone?

[……Yeah.]

[He… Junho got really drunk, so we’re letting him sleep over at our place.]

[Is oppa at noona’s house right now?]

[Yeah. We got drunk at our place, and he ended up like that. Anyway, Junho is sleeping over at our place, and we’ll go to school together tomorrow. Junho said he had to contact you, so I’m doing it instead.]

Huh. Seriously.

I felt a chill run down my spine, and my left hand involuntarily brushed through my hair.

[Noona.]

[Yeah?]

[Give me your address.]

[Address?]

[Give me noona’s address right now.]

Sehwa seemed to sense that the atmosphere was off and was holding her breath, her eyes fixed on me with a nervous glint.

[Just sleep here.]

[You told me to call the address! Why are you bringing someone else’s family to sleep here on your own accord!]

There was no compromise.

Something had happened.

[I’ll text the address. I’ll go right away.]

Without waiting for a response, I hung up and slapped my thigh with my phone in a fit of rage.

“Why? Why? You met your brother’s girlfriend? A girl! Just now!”

“Ah, the aunt who’s about to become my sister-in-law has a studio apartment.”

“Are you crazy? So you’re going there now?”

The meat was all eaten, and only a little rice was left.

It wasn’t a big deal to leave right away, so I didn’t feel too sorry.

“Yes, I’ll pay. I’ll send the money right away.”

“That’s okay, but can I get a review later?”

Sehwa was a considerate kid, after all.

I guess she had to be considerate to be friends with someone like me.

“Yes, I’ll contact you.”

“Go! Ijihee!”

As soon as the greeting was over, I rushed out of the store and opened the taxi app.

To be honest, I was worried that the address wouldn’t come through on KakaoTalk, but Sehwa sent it without hesitation.

The taxi was assigned.

Standing in front of the door, I clenched my lips and tried to suppress the rising anger.

What should I do?

Have I been too lenient lately?

From the moment I lied to the moment the phone call came from my aunt, it was all so frustrating that I wanted to die.

Finally, when the taxi arrived, I flung open the door and shouted in a loud voice.

“Driver! Please hurry as much as possible!”

……It’s my own fault.