Chapter 14 – Older Sister (Ha Seowoo) – The Sister Who Sucks Up To Anything
* Older Sister (Ha Seowoo) – The Sister Who Sucks Up to Anything (2)
Seowoo is a woman who lacks in the chest department, but overall, she’s slim, a typical model type who looks good in anything. Her thighs aren’t excessively plump but have a healthy curve, and the sight of her ribs and the lines of her abs when she stretches at home strangely hit a fetishistic nerve in men.
All the women in our family are so exotic-looking that they’re often mistaken for being mixed-race. Or maybe they actually are, and I just don’t know it. Anyway, in Seowoo’s case, with her height and figure, it’s hard to believe she’s from the same country as me. That’s probably why she’s often mistaken for being from another country.
There are a few behaviors that come from her being aware of how well-proportioned she is, which is another reason. Whether she’s conscious of it or it’s just instinct, when she walks outside, she straightens her back and walks beautifully, making the most of her height, sometimes even mimicking a snake. Plus, her tongue is really long, like a snake’s, which sometimes surprises me, making it hard to believe she’s Korean. When she stands next to me with her shoulders squared, she’s a head taller than me, making the comparison even more stark.
Unlike my stepmother, Seowoo rarely wears revealing clothes. She doesn’t obsessively cover up like Ha-eun, nor does she try to show off like my stepmother. She just dresses like a beautiful woman who wears what suits her.
After seeing that USB, I wondered if my sister might also have a hidden perversion, but…
Unlike my stepmother, she doesn’t have any obvious hang-ups (like a need to show skin)…
When she goes out, her basic look is tight-fitting pants, a jacket, and sunglasses, giving off a punk vibe. She also pulls off clothes with chains, loves earrings, and mostly wears thick leather shoes or sneakers. The most skin she ever shows is a tiny bit of her belly button, so whether I think about it positively or negatively, she doesn’t have the same kind of exhibitionist tendencies as my stepmother.
Or, at least, probably not.
I thought she’d be the same today, but…
“Whyyyy~?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
“Realllyyy~?”
She’s being aggressive.
She’s strangely aggressive today.
A full-body black see-through look?
It’s the first time I’ve ever seen my sister in a short skirt. The same goes for the top that reveals her chest above her belly button. And on top of that, it’s the first time I’ve seen her in see-through clothes, let alone fishnet stockings and high heels.
Who is this?
What happened to my punk sister?
Why is she dressed like this today?
A long time ago, an actress went out like this and caused a stir on male-oriented websites, with people sharing pictures of her “outrageous see-through look.” It was a long time ago, and now there are actresses who wear even more revealing outfits to award ceremonies, so it’s not controversial anymore, but to express how I feel right now, it’s like the fresh shock I felt when I first saw those pictures.
It’s not like she’s wearing anything too revealing underneath the see-through, and she’s actually quite covered up considering it’s see-through, but that makes it even harder to react to. If she were dressed like a total slut, I might have called her out for being like my mother, but my friends openly liked it, and I wasn’t even that bothered by it.
“How do I look today, huh? I changed my style. Does it suit me? Am I sexy?”
“Compared to your usual style, it’s… extreme?”
“Ah~! Your reaction is way less than I expected! I went through the trouble of shedding a layer for my little brother, and that’s all you have to say?! You should praise me more! Tell me I’m pretty! That you’re happy! If you flatter me, I’ll be motivated to do it again!”
“Motivation, sis? I don’t even know why you bothered to shed a layer in the first place?! Why?! And at this hour?!”
“To give my little brother something to brag about. With this, you can go around saying, ‘I have such a pretty sister, what about you?’ and start fights, right?”
“Sis, your thinking is so embarrassing… Why would I brag about that to other guys… It’s so pathetic when guys brag about girls when they’re together…?”
“But their faces were all dying, weren’t they?”
“It’s because you have a good face and body.”
“That’s all women are, you idiot~! You should just be happy, stop being so coy~! Hehehe~!”
‘I can’t reason with this idiot sister, logic and sarcasm won’t work.’
No matter what I say, she’ll twist it to be my fault. It’s not unpleasant, but I also feel a strong sense of unease. Does this sister like her brother too much? It’s that kind of unsettling feeling. I have no idea what my sister thinks of me. Seowoo has always been close to me, so it’s more likely that she’s just treating me well as usual.
Honestly, the idea of “Does this woman like me?” is pathetic. I’ve already given up my virginity to my stepmother, but I haven’t completely shaken off that stigma. If I tried to make a move on my sister based on this and got rejected, I’d just be embarrassed, so I maintained my usual distance and let my sister drag me into a nearby bar.
“It’s my first time here. What kind of place is this?”
“Huh, can’t you tell? It’s obviously a makgeolli place!”
“Ah…”
We entered the place, greeted by the loud welcome of an older woman at the entrance. It was an old building that you might see in an older neighborhood, but the inside was surprisingly clean. The inside required taking off your shoes, and we took a seat at a table for four on the slightly raised floor, staring at the menu.
‘As expected, her taste is like an old man’s. This isn’t the kind of place you’d bring a guy to try and pick him up. I guess I was thinking too deeply.’
Their specialty was cider makgeolli, and the menu included chicken gizzards, old-fashioned fried chicken, and of course, spicy stir-fried pork. They also had various soups, and sometimes they even got fresh fish from the place next door, so it was surprisingly diverse, making it clear that this was a serious establishment.
While I was still staring at the menu with a “What is this place?” expression, she had already finished ordering. My sister sat right next to me instead of across from me, tapping on her phone and snapping pictures of us together, looking much more cheerful than when she called me earlier.
‘Come to think of it, it’s the first time I’ve had alcohol since the welcome party after entering university.’
Neither I nor my friends are the type to drink or smoke, so I haven’t had the chance to drink until now. And it’s also my first time trying makgeolli. I’ve always had the strange impression that it’s something that grandfathers or old men drink, so I’ve never touched it before.
“But I’m not good at drinking, is it okay? It’s my first time drinking makgeolli.”
“I know. The flavor is strong, so it’s easy for you to drink, that’s why I brought you here. The menu is perfect for your childish taste, right?”
‘I’m grateful, but… that consideration is a bit scary…’
I feel like I’m being watched. Have I ever told my mother or family that I can’t drink? I’ve never come home drunk, so maybe she remembers that…
‘It’s also strange that she pinpointed my location near the movie theater…’
It’s a 20-minute subway ride from home. It’s far if you think it’s far, and close if you think it’s close. She came here, sure that I’d be here as the sun was setting, and even called me. I’m starting to think my sister’s pranks are getting out of hand, and I slightly frowned, but then the small dishes started to appear on the table.
“Okay, chug-a-lug~! Take a sip~!”
‘Hmm… surprisingly… it’s just like juice…?’
Except for the slight alcoholic aftertaste, it tasted like flat cider. But it wasn’t too sweet, so it wasn’t sticky, and it was surprisingly good, which is my kind of thing.
“Junseo, I know you can’t drink regular soju, so you drink fruit soju, right~?”
“Sis, you’re creeping me out… Where did you hear that…”
“I heard it from your seniors who went to the freshman MT with you~!”
“Ha…”
My sister sat next to me, put her arm around my shoulder, and hugged me tightly so I couldn’t escape. Then, she chugged a bowl herself, her face turning red, and showed her teeth, smiling at me. If my mother’s eyes turn fox-like when she’s genuinely smiling, then my sister’s expression is like a dog or wolf that has caught its prey.
“We’re going to drink all night today. If you get tired of eating here, we can go to other regular spots and do a food tour. Okay? It’s okay for once, right? Or do you not want to? If you tell me straight up that you don’t want to hang out with me, I’ll let you go later…”
“If you say it like that, I can’t refuse… I’ve always… since you’ve always been so good to me…”
The fact that my sister knows more about me than I thought was creepy, but regardless, if she talks like that, my conscience pricks me, and I can’t refuse. She’s being so good to her non-blood-related brother, so what’s so hard about humoring her for a day? Even if she says embarrassing things sometimes, she’s still my sister. There’s a proper way to treat family, and I felt like hanging out with her today.
But first, I can’t do this sober, so I chugged the cider makgeolli. When my tongue started to feel a bit bitter, I put some meat in my mouth and chewed. Then the alcohol hit me, and I leaned my shoulder against my sister’s, and it became easier to humor her with my lightened tongue. I didn’t forget to keep my wits about me, so I wouldn’t start spouting nonsense about my mother.
“Sis, you said you wanted to hang out with me, but did something bad happen?”
“Oh, was it obvious?”
“You’re not the type to suddenly drag someone to a bar. Even if I drink with you, all we’ll talk about is games or school, so why would you bring me here if it wasn’t fun? Or maybe to complain about Dad. Did you not have anyone else to vent to? Or is it because of family stuff?”
“Listen~! Ha-eun was bothering me since this morning~! My older sister is always on Eun’s side~!”
“Huh?”
I was right that she was going to complain about family matters. So I expected a dark story, but it was surprisingly light. Our beautiful sister brought me here half to vent and half to play.
“What did you fight about with your younger sister this time? Games? Did you play Monopoly or something?”
“Would it be something like that~? She, she, keeps bothering me about guys~! She says I don’t have a boyfriend because I’m so sloppy at home~! Well, it’s true that I’m sloppy at home, but home is home, and outside is outside~! So I came out today all dressed up to show her~!”
“No, sis, why are you taking it out on me? Why are you coming to see me all dressed up?”
“Because I don’t have a man to meet, like she said!!!!”
“So, what Ha-eun said is true?”
“Do you think I’d admit that?! If it’s revealed that I really don’t have a man, like that little brat said, I’d be too embarrassed to stay home!”
“I really can’t understand your feelings…”
I realized why she’s been holding her phone and taking selfies with her head on my shoulder. Is she planning to brag about me? If she doesn’t show my head, no one will know who the guy is…
“My younger sister isn’t stupid, so she won’t fall for it. If I go home late today or spend the night with you, it’ll be obvious that I’m lying, right?”
“So? What are you going to do?”
“Hehehe~!”
Ah, this doesn’t feel good.
When Seowoo laughs like that, it’s usually when she’s about to make a stupid suggestion.
“Then let’s deliver the final blow.”
“Final blow?”
“Yeah, if Ha-eun suspects that Junseo and I are together! We’ll take a picture so shocking that even if she knows, it’ll be hard to believe!”
My heart sank at the words “shocking picture.” The image of my stepmother’s debauchery flashed through my mind. The perverted pictures I took back then are still hidden in my phone. I’ve set a password for that folder so I won’t accidentally show it to anyone, but…
“So, what is it? What kind of picture are we taking?”
“After hanging out here slowly! We’ll go to a nearby love hotel at the end! We’ll take a picture of us with just our tops off, pressed against each other! That’s my genius plan! With this, even if they suspect it’s you, Junseo, it’ll be hard to believe! Because we’re siblings! Who would think that a brother and sister would go to a love hotel?! And the picture is of our bare upper bodies! Even if they suspect something, they can’t ask you if you went to a hotel with me, right?!”
‘Huh…?’
“I’m such a genius!!!”
‘I guess blood is thicker than water!!! This idiot?!’
Her idea is idiotic, but it’s also leaning in a strange direction, like my stepmother! Is she really going to take a picture with her brother at a love hotel just because she’s annoyed that Ha-eun called her an idiot! And maybe because she’s drunk! Is she inviting me for other reasons! Or is she really just going to a hotel because she’s annoyed! I can’t tell!
‘Let’s calm down… It’s only around middle school that you can fantasize about dating, marriage, kids, and old age in a few seconds after holding a girl’s hand. No matter how much my sister acts like a screw is loose, she wouldn’t do that to me. Or rather, she wouldn’t do it because she has a screw loose. She just thinks of me as a safe guy, that’s why she’s asking me this.’
So, let’s not misunderstand.
With that thought in mind, I went along with my sister’s stupid plan and did my family service.
‘Ha-eun and Seowoo fight a lot… Maybe I should try to ease things up sometimes… If my sisters fight, it makes me and Mom feel bad…’
Ha-eun usually wins these arguments, so maybe I won’t get punished if I side with Seowoo sometimes…
I was thinking such naive thoughts…
And without any real plan…
We just kept chugging our drinks…
