My Younger Sister Was My First Love

86. Laundry

Most things in the world will improve with practice.

Studying is the same.

Exercise is the same.

And kissing is no exception.

“…I don’t know.”

“Liar.”

The clumsy bluff didn’t work.

Minju’s front teeth bit down on her lower lip, as if annoyed.

“How many times have you practiced? With Jihee?”

“It’s not like that.”

“You’re just naturally talented, like a seasoned instructor.”

Minju tried to express her kiss with her body, but it didn’t work, so she shook her hands and blew out a hot breath.

“I get it, so come down. Now.”

“Answer me. Did you or didn’t you?”

“If you say you didn’t, I’ll believe you.”

Minju let out a dry laugh, as if her energy had been drained.

“Will you believe me?”

“Why are you asking, then?”

“No. What makes you so confident?”

What kind of answer was she looking for?

“Even if I had kissed Jihee, that wouldn’t be a reason for me to apologize to you.”

This was clear.

No matter how you looked at it, we were just friends now.

“Hah.”

Min-ju finally got off me, kneeled down, and looked me up and down.

“Are you going to come out and say it like that?”

“……You’re the one who asked. Why are you doing this to me.”

It was Min-ju who brought me here, too.

It was Min-ju who kissed me without permission.

And now, she’s complaining to me about why I kissed Ji-hee?

“I really don’t get why you’re doing this?”

Despite her tone, which was mixed with annoyance, Min-ju’s hand gently stroked my cheek.

“Tell me honestly?”

We’ve already crossed a point of no return.

What’s the point of hiding anything now?

“Yeah. Tell me.”

“I’m really annoyed.”

It was a crude yet familiar expression.

“I know you like Ji-hee, and Ji-hee has feelings for you too, right?”

“Yeah.”

“So, you guys must have been expecting this kind of thing to happen at home, right?”

Murmur, murmur.

Min-ju’s hand, which was touching my face, began to exert more force.

“But when it actually happens, it’s like…what is this? This is real.”

Min-ju scowled, then pushed her face towards me.

“Hey. Do it again.”

“What?”

“Do it again.”

It was clear what she wanted to do again.

I couldn’t follow Min-ju’s train of thought.

“No, just 3 seconds ago, you were saying how annoyed you were. You’re annoyed, so why are you kissing me?”

“It’s not like I was the one who did it first. It’s because I’m annoyed that we kissed.”

Did the word “first” have to carry so much meaning?

First love.

First kiss.

First relationship.

“……I was the one who liked you first.”

Min-ju’s eyes, looking at me, became hazy and bright.

I felt like time had stopped, but the sound of the speaker proved that it was just my imagination.

“Min-ju.”

“I Jun-ho. You know, I’m actually not a good person.”

Min-ju’s head, which had drooped, straightened up again.

“Hmph!”

We were about to start the second round.

If Minju’s kiss earlier was close to being a provocative act, this time it was different.

Her attitude was so proactive that it felt like she was going to devour me.

Was this what it meant to convey emotions through actions?

Minju seemed determined to prove that she was a model student, meticulously mimicking every move I made without leaving any gaps.

Our tongues entwined.

Minju’s tongue, as if it had a life of its own, dug deep into the corners of my gums.

Unidentifiable liquids dripped down, wetting my shirt.

I tried to break free, but Minju held onto the back of my neck as if she wouldn’t let go.

“Whoa……”

“Yes…… yes…….”

Minju’s eyes, which seemed to have relaxed slightly, were incredibly…….

“Hey, I can do better.”

Even though she was still catching her breath, Minju gazed down at me as if declaring war.

“So, tell me more, Joonho.”

Until the ending credits rolled, we were like that.

* * *

-Wee-ee-ee-ing

My phone vibrated with an incoming call.

It was a scheduled call that had just arrived.

I placed my phone on the charger and swiped the screen with my finger.

As the screen lit up, I saw my own face and a smiling ajumma’s face on the video call.

[Jihee-ya!]

“Ah! Yes! Can you hear me? Are you doing well?”

[Ah, yeah~ the weather is really nice here.]

I had spent more time video chatting with Ajumma than living under the same roof with her.

At times, I wondered if Ajumma was a fictional character rather than a real person.

“But why are we having this call just the two of us?”

[Ah, it’s not anything else. It’s just that a while ago…… you know, Seona is there.]

I thought she was going to say something, but it seemed like she was referring to my cousin who was staying at our house during the break.

“Yes, yes.”

[Joonho said that you were worried about Seona and me.]

“Ah~ that’s it? Um~”

Did you tell Mom about that without consulting me, oppa?

I felt a bit resentful, but it was forgivable to some extent.

“To be honest, I did worry a bit. Since I don’t know Seona well, I was concerned about how you would feel.”

[I wanted to thank you for understanding. Thank you so much, Jihee.]

“Hey, it’s not a big deal! You’re just sleeping at our house anyway! It won’t affect your studies at all.”

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.

From 9 am to 10 pm, special lessons.

On weekends, I return to my hometown.

When I heard that Seon-ah’s schedule would be like this, I didn’t think I needed to worry about anything in particular.

[But Grandma seemed sorry, so I thought she might do something for me. Don’t you want anything?]

“Hey, no! Anyway, Oppa will take care of things like meals, so it’s okay.”

[How grateful I am to Junho. How do you guys get along so well? It’s like you’re siblings from the start.]

“Ahaha.”

The phrase “like siblings” brought up a sense of inferiority from the bottom of my heart.

I had to force a bitter smile on my face.

As someone who has received Oppa’s love, I tried to give a natural smile.

I wanted to look like the ideal daughter.

Anyway, I’ll get something out of this.

Making a request is never a bad choice, so I started thinking quickly.

What could I ask Grandma for?

Something I couldn’t do on my own.

Ah, that’s it. That’ll do.

The estimate was settled in an instant.

“Then, maybe… could you send us on a trip just once?”

[Travel? Where? Just the two of you with Junho?]

“Yeah.”

Grandma’s eyes sparkled cutely, as if she was surprised.

Dad would like that.

Oppa and Grandma seemed like people who had a certain charm to them.

No, no. This isn’t the time to be impressed.

Now was the time to focus on acting.

I had to display maximum nervousness while speaking.

As I thought, my hands started moving.

I stroked my chin smoothly, as if I was worried, and glanced at the camera on my phone with a suspicious gaze.

“That… I don’t know if Oppa told Grandma, but…”

The bait was thrown.

[Why? Did something happen to Junho?]

Isn’t it too easy to take advantage of him?

The sight of a mother blinded by her love for her son made me feel a little sick.

[Oppa, I originally wanted to go to the university MT, but I told them I couldn’t go because of Seon-ah and me.]

As soon as I finished speaking, a shadow fell on Grandma’s face.

[…I see.]

[Yes, so I suggested going on a trip during the break, just for one day, but Oppa said something weird…]

There was no need to continue speaking.

It was better to trail off like this, without energy.

[Jihee-ya.]

The determination in Grandma’s eyes was blazing like it could burst out of the screen.

Checkmate.

I had a hunch of a perfect victory.

“Yes.”

[Do you have any place you want to go with Junho?]

“He said he wants to go to Gangneung and see the ocean.”

As I forced a laugh, the puzzle pieces started falling into place.

[Grandma will book the hotel right away. It doesn’t matter when, as long as it’s on the weekend.]

“Yes. I think that’s possible. But he might not go if I suggest it.”

[Grandma will definitely make him go. Don’t worry about that.]

At this point, the only person who can exert a stronger influence over Junho than me is Grandma on this earth.

Since she offered to make the reservation, I felt a significant weight lifted off my shoulders.

Of course, if Grandma, with her overflowing consideration, were to do it, it wouldn’t be a spacious bed, but it would be enough to just squeeze in beside him.

Ah.

I couldn’t help but laugh.

[If you have any problems with Junho again, be sure to tell Grandma.]

“Okay! We’re family, after all.”

After Grandma’s warm smile, the call ended.

“Yes!”

I couldn’t resist doing a little happy dance after finishing the call.

I had to hurry and tell Junho the good news.

But Junho, who had gone to meet Democratic Unnie, still hadn’t returned despite the time.

Hmm. What’s he doing?

I was about to call him when…

-Beep beep beep beep

As I heard the sound of the door password being entered, I quickly ran to the entrance.

When I opened the door and went in, Junho’s body trembled as soon as he saw me.

It was as if he had seen something he shouldn’t have.

“What’s going on. Why are you here?”

“What’s wrong with me being in our living room?”

“I thought you were studying.”

“I’m on a break right now?”

-Terterter

As expected, Junho quickly brushed past me and tried to enter his room.

“Wait, Junho-ssi.”

“What.”

“It’s not often that I treat you coolly, so explain what you did with Democratic Unnie and then go to your room.”

His suspicious behavior was obvious.

Junho finally stopped in his tracks at my words.

“I just watched a movie and came back to eat.”

“What’s with you, running away like that? Just tell me what’s going on.”

It’s not like I was watching a movie or anything.

Considering how persistent Unnie Demi is, I thought she would’ve done more than that.

“Just come here for a moment.”

My oppa, who walked towards me with a sluggish pace, still wouldn’t meet my eyes.

I guess he did something.

I stood my oppa in front of me and buried my face in his chest, taking a deep breath.

“Doesn’t smell like oppa?”

“What do you mean it doesn’t?”

I had to adjust my angle to get him to look at me straight.

Only then did our eyes meet.

His eyes were empty, as if his soul had been sucked out.

“This is Unnie Demi’s smell, oppa. How long did you stick with her for her smell to linger on your clothes?”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“Are you swearing on your life?”

Oppa, who seemed like he would deny it until the end, didn’t respond to my question.

“Are you swearing on your life that you really didn’t do anything?”

“…No.”

“Tell me.”

Oppa, who couldn’t act, looked at me with a pitiful gaze, knowing he was caught.

“…We kissed.”

Ha. Seriously.

It’s not like we’re family or anything.

It’s not like we’re family or anything.

It’s not like we’re family or anything.

It’s not like we’re family or anything.

I managed to hold back my curses, but just barely.

If I let it all out here, I’d be no different from him, a lowlife.

“Is that so?”

I forced a bright smile, hiding my true feelings.

“Oppa, you must’ve felt really bad.”

He didn’t seem to feel guilty, embracing me tightly with both arms.

“Let’s go wash off this dirty feeling quickly.”