Chapter 25

“Hey, are you practicing mind reading these days?”

Jiyeon, putting on her shoes at the entrance, looked up in surprise as Eunjae came in with an armful of beer.

“Ah… I could feel you waiting for this.”

Eunjae said proudly, as if she’d known all along.

“It’s not me, it’s you who wanted it, isn’t it?”

Jiyeon took the beer bag into the kitchen. Eunjae didn’t add anything and walked toward her room, planning to change clothes quickly. Their parents were at their grandmother’s grave for a few days, so only the two of them were at home.

“What should we have for snacks?”

Jiyeon called toward Eunjae’s room as she opened the fridge.

“Anything.”

Eunjae’s voice drifted through the slightly open door. Jiyeon thought for a moment, then took out some sausages and dried squid from the freezer for snacks. She got out a frying pan to cook the sausages and plated the squid. Soon, Eunjae came up beside her.

“I’m kind of hungry.”

Eunjae took a pack of instant rice from the shelf and put it in the microwave. She hadn’t really eaten Wooseok’s fried rice, and after using so much energy, she felt drained. She needed something to eat before sleeping.

“Want me to make ramen?”

Not wanting to cook anything fancy, Jiyeon asked simply. Eunjae shook her head, saying instant rice and some side dishes would be enough. Jiyeon almost scolded her for not eating dinner at this hour, but decided not to.

She didn’t want to pry into Eunjae’s private life and tire her out more. After coming back from Jeju Island, Jiyeon had done the same. Eunjae always responded to her sister’s wishes and acted considerately. Sometimes, Jiyeon was really grateful for that.

Their parents hadn’t raised Eunjae to be timid, but she always hesitated and tried not to stand out. Jiyeon, on the other hand, liked to take the lead in everything. Maybe it was just the difference between the eldest and the youngest. Jiyeon considered that but decided not to generalize and chalked it up to personality.

“Did you crave alcohol even though you haven’t eaten?”

Jiyeon couldn’t hold back her curiosity in the end.

“This is… just an excuse.”

Eunjae gave a vague answer and smiled softly. Jiyeon didn’t add any more questions to that. She couldn’t risk making her sister feel worse when she hadn’t even eaten yet. Telling someone who can’t be honest to “just be honest” is one of the cruelest things. That was something Jiyeon herself had experienced in Jeju Island not long ago.

“Unnie, your phone’s ringing.”

“Huh?”

Eunjae, setting side dishes on the table, spoke to Jiyeon. Jiyeon, who was frying sausages at the stove, hurried over and flipped her phone upside down. She didn’t need to check to know who was calling. It was her ex-husband, Kiwon. He’d been calling nonstop since they returned from Jeju Island, as regularly as eating three meals a day. Jiyeon hadn’t answered any of them, but he hadn’t given up.

“Is it brother-in-law?”

Eunjae asked casually as she sat at the table.

“Huh? Oh… No, uh… How did you know?”

She was caught; there was no hiding it. Jiyeon could see from Eunjae’s expression that her sister knew everything. She had only pretended not to; she wasn’t truly clueless. Eunjae’s hesitation was, in another word, waiting.

“You’re not the type to hide your phone. Except when you were dating that one person.”

Jiyeon just laughed, having nothing else to say.

“I wonder what kind of connection I had with that man in my past life to end up like this.”

Jiyeon lamented as she fried the sausages. Eunjae opened a can of beer, watching her sister.

“That’s what I want to say.”

“Hm?”

Jiyeon looked over at her sister, asking again.

“I confessed to Wooseok.”

“Wait… What?”

Jiyeon, flipping sausages, was struck as if by lightning. She quickly turned off the stove and rushed to her sister, forgetting to bring the sausages and only bringing an empty plate. Eunjae smiled softly at her sister’s reaction. She stood up and took the plate to the frying pan. This time, Jiyeon watched her sister from the table.

“So?”

Unable to contain her curiosity, Jiyeon urged her. Eunjae calmly plated the sausages and brought them to the table, not forgetting to grab ketchup from the fridge and squirt it on with deliberate care. It was Jiyeon who was more anxious.

“Well, you know… That’s just how it is…”

Eunjae smiled instead of answering. Jiyeon could tell just from her expression. There was excitement there—a kind of thrill. It was the energy of someone who’d just fallen in love.

“That’s great! I knew this would happen.”

Jiyeon grabbed her sister’s hand and shook it enthusiastically.

“But when did you start feeling that way…? You did something so big, and now you act like it’s nothing? Is the person in front of me really my sister, Shin Eunjae?”

Eunjae understood why Jiyeon thought this way. She’d always been slower than her sister. Or, as Jiyeon saw it, she might just have a frustratingly hesitant personality. Even when choosing simple meal menus, she was cautious, rarely met people carelessly, and almost never revealed her feelings. It was easy to understand why Eunjae had never had a real romantic relationship.

“Yeah. Even I’m surprised by my own actions lately.”

Eunjae replied, sipping her beer. Today was the same. How did she leave Wooseok’s officetel and then decide to go back? She’d even asked Wooseok about her feelings right away. Normally, she would have agonized over it for months—maybe a year—and just let it eat away at her. She really was changing, and it was all because of that confession.

“At this rate, don’t tell me you’ll suddenly say you’re getting married?”

Jiyeon joked, then locked eyes with Eunjae. Jiyeon’s mouth dropped open in surprise.

“What? Really? Are your feelings that deep?”

Even if Wooseok and Eunjae were friends, Jiyeon knew there could be deeper feelings. But she hadn’t realized it was this deep. How much had Eunjae suffered in secret?

Jiyeon wanted to go to Wooseok right now and ask why he hadn’t noticed Shin Eunjae’s feelings until she was like this. But she also wondered if she was in any position to criticize anyone.

“Unnie, isn’t it funny? I just started, but I’m already thinking about marriage.”

Eunjae fiddled with her beer can, feeling even she couldn’t accept her own emotions.

“Hey, come on. Everyone feels that way when they fall for someone.At your age it’s natural. I mean, even I, the day I met your brother-in-law, I thought right away about marr—ah, no, forget that. Anyway, absolutely, never. You don’t need to think that way.”

“You saying that makes me feel better. Thanks.”

Eunjae smiled and drank her beer again. Just then, Jiyeon’s phone vibrated again. Jiyeon quickly silenced it and watched her sister. Eunjae just kept eating, not asking about it. In fact, it was Jiyeon who felt uncomfortable for hiding it.

“I actually slept with your President again.”

Eunjae froze, her chopsticks clattering loudly on the table. Jiyeon, acting as if nothing had happened, got up and handed her sister a new pair of chopsticks. Eunjae just blinked, not knowing what to say.

“Is it really that shocking?”

“…Of course, I mean, how did that happen…?”

“Ah, geez, I don’t know. It’s all because of this alcohol.”

Jiyeon popped open a beer can irritably and chugged it. The carbonation burned her throat, but somehow, the pain felt good. This was why she couldn’t quit drinking. Alcohol had ruined her, yet she kept drinking it.

“You I can understand, but why did my brother-in-law do that?”

Eunjae, having recovered, asked rationally as usual.

“What do you mean, why? We were drinking together.”

“The President isn’t the type to make mistakes just because he drank.”

Jiyeon couldn’t argue with Eunjae, who knew Kiwon longer. She was confused herself. Even if she blamed it on alcohol, she couldn’t forget that moment—Kiwon’s gaze and actions, the tenderness when he held her close. Her heart still ached.

“Unnie.”

“Yeah…?”

Jiyeon answered belatedly to her sister’s call.

“Can I ask you just one thing?”

Eunjae spoke as if she’d mustered up all her courage. Jiyeon had a sense of what the question would be. It was impressive that Eunjae hadn’t asked until now. Jiyeon, too, felt like confessing everything. After revealing her night in Jeju Island, there was nothing left to hide.

“Why did you get divorced if things would end up like this?”

Jiyeon asked back, and Eunjae just nodded.

“I know. It was a hasty decision.”

“So, do you regret it?”

Eunjae asked, and Jiyeon immediately shook her head with a smile.

“No. Even if I went back, I’d do the same.”

Jiyeon answered confidently, then looked at her sister.

“Some people fight to overcome their scars. But I needed time to erase mine. At least not in front of that man. Just seeing him… made me think of Yuini, who passed away. How could I go on? Back then, it felt like all I could do was die with him…”

Eunjae couldn’t fully understand her sister’s feelings from that time. But she thought she could understand a little. The times she’d tried to distance herself from Wooseok—inside those decisions, there was a cowardly peace. Maybe Jiyeon had made her choice with Kiwon for the same reason.

But in the end, Jiyeon hadn’t completely cut Kiwon out of her heart. The lingering feelings between them led them to spend that night together in Jeju Island. Eunjae realized today just how similar she and her sister really were.

[Shin Eunjae]

[Shin Eunjae, come out]

[Ha… You confessed, but]

[Why am I always the one left hanging?]

Checking the messages from Wooseok, Eunjae pressed her forehead.

Her phone had been in her bag while she ate dinner with her sister, so she hadn’t answered Wooseok’s calls. After she arrived, he’d called every five minutes. In the end, he left several messages and then went quiet.

Just as Eunjae was about to press the call button, her phone rang again. Seeing Wooseok’s name on the screen, her heart fluttered. They talked on the phone all the time, but in just a few days, everything felt unfamiliar.

“Yeah.”

-…Ha, Shin Eunjae.

Wooseok let out a short sigh.

“Sorry. I didn’t have my phone because I was having dinner with my sister.”

-Yeah. I figured… But, well… Never mind. As long as nothing happened.

Wooseok’s voice was low and tense, sounding very worried. Eunjae felt even more sorry.

“Did you eat dinner?”

She tried to change the subject with a bright tone. On the way home, he’d insisted she heat up the leftovers and eat. She was bad enough, but Wooseok hadn’t eaten at all.

-Yeah. Just something simple.

“…Okay. …You should get some sleep now. It’s late.”

The conversation grew awkward, so Eunjae looked at the wall clock and tried to wrap up.

-Shin Eunjae.

Wooseok called her bluntly.

“Yeah?”

-Are you really going to hang up and leave me dry like this?

“Hey, I never…”

Eunjae tried to protest, but Wooseok chuckled.

-Let me hear your voice a little longer.

His sudden request made Eunjae’s heart race. Where did he learn to say things like that? She found it hard, but Wooseok seemed so natural. Just then, there was a knock and Jiyeon opened her door.

“You see each other every day. What’s there more to hear?”

Startled, Eunjae quickly ended the call.

“Can’t even wait. Actually, this isn’t the time to wait. Never mind.”

Jiyeon teased her with a sly smile, handing her a cup of honey water. Jiyeon had asked earlier if Eunjae wanted some while clearing the table, and she’d said yes, but forgotten. Seeing Eunjae’s face flush red, Jiyeon decided not to tease her any further, quickly leaving the cup and stepping out.

After Jiyeon left, Eunjae checked her phone again.

[You were lying when you said you liked me, weren’t you?]

Eunjae couldn’t help but laugh at Wooseok’s message. When she replied with a confused emoticon, Wooseok sent back an angry flame icon. The two of them kept texting late into the night until they finally fell asleep. Eunjae forgot to charge her phone, clutching it tightly in both hands as she slept.