NOVEL NEXT Chapter 111
It’s been quite a while since I returned from the trip. The sweltering weather that once smothered us has slowly receded, and I can tell just by the occasional cool breeze that wafts in during the evening.
During this time, there have been some shifts between me and my older sister. Firstly, the time we spend apart has become remarkably short. Secondly,
“Hmm, Uju? Did you wake up already…?”
“I just couldn’t keep my eyes closed anymore. You can sleep a little longer, no rush.”
It has become a frequent occurrence for us to greet the morning together in the same bed.
There’s an old saying that the first time is always the hardest, but from the second time onward, it gets easier. After we first got intimate at the villa, we’ve been burning the midnight oil almost every night.
Even with busy schedules waiting for us the next day, once the spark ignites, it can’t be contained, and tomorrow’s troubles seem to vanish like magic.
Normally, I would have woken up late today because of yesterday’s aftermath, but I found a reason to rise early and instinctively woke up.
Today, I was seeing my father-in-law and mother-in-law for the first time in a week.
“Sorry for being busy. It seems that your parents have been wanting to see you more often lately.”
“Oh, it’s far better than them being annoyed at me. I actually feel happy they want to see me!”
I casually replied to my sister who was apologizing while I placed the simple breakfast I prepared on a tray and brought it to bed.
Figured it would take some time for my sister to wake up, I decided to eat a bit to make sure she could have her meal comfortably here. The menu was quite sparse to even call it a breakfast.
“By the way, they said to stay over and just bring a change of clothes?”
“Yeah, that should work. But if I stay overnight, will tomorrow’s schedule be fine?”
“I’m not busy at all. Anyway, today was a scheduled day off from streaming.”
Since my trip, I’ve finally made a regular day off for streaming.
Though it’s only twice a month, organizing my personal schedule around it has surprisingly been quite useful. No more sudden engagements disrupting my viewers.
At first, I worried the viewers would scold me for losing my initial drive, but thankfully, most of them seemed to understand.
I guess it’s hard to find someone who doesn’t know how dedicated I’ve been to streaming up until now, so they seem to be nudging me to take it easy, enjoy some romance, and have fun.
“Hmm…”
Even with a meal prepared in front of her, my sister was still rubbing her eyes and yawning like she had just woken up.
“Still sleepy, sis?”
“Looks like it. I can’t even lift the bread properly. What do I do?”
“…Seriously.”
But it didn’t take long for me to realize that this was just an act.
Pretending she couldn’t grab the bread, she was subtly moving her leg to nudge the tray closer to me as if it was entirely unnoticed.
“Alright. I’ll feed you, but you have to get up, wash up, and change quickly, alright?”
“Aren’t you going to shower with me?”
My sister asked in a cute voice mixed with an air of poutiness, fully aware of her weapon’s charm.
“I’ll at least dry your hair. Will that do?”
“Hmm, sounds good.”
Since I had already taken my shower, going back in seemed a bit much, so I proposed a compromise which made her brighten up immediately.
Perhaps she didn’t even want to shower together that much. Maybe she acted like this from the start, wanting something bigger as if she was playing a game.
I realize once again that the position as the owner of Changseong Corporation isn’t just handed over. She’s a master negotiator.
Crunch.
“Wow, this is delicious.”
“Why do you seem to be getting younger every day?”
“Is that a bad thing?”
“Not at all, it’s a good thing.”
So, after feeding my sister toast, I delivered it along with a morning kiss, and only after a while was I able to leave the bedroom.
They say love makes you act childish, and that’s probably true.
*
Visiting my sister’s family home is already my fourth time, excluding the first visit.
I came once right after my trip to deliver gifts, a couple of weeks later for drinks invited by my father-in-law, and then just last week, I unexpectedly participated in a small meat party at my sister’s house.
Given it’s such a big house, there’s a barbecue place set up on the balcony, and they sometimes gather as a family for barbecues. I was stuffed to the brim when I was invited.
Of course, my sister pointed out that it had long been a dead tradition, but she said it to tease my father-in-law and mother-in-law, needing a reason to call me over.
If she got summoned like that, there was no way I wouldn’t go.
Hearing that, I couldn’t help but find my in-laws to be quite adorable, and it made me chuckle a little.
“Welcome!”
“Hello there, Mr. Kang!”
“Sorry for not being in touch lately.”
Including my first visit, today marked my fifth visit, and my father-in-law and mother-in-law welcomed us with kind smiles.
I had been exchanging messages, especially with my mother-in-law, but I felt bad that I hadn’t contacted her properly over the past few days, so I offered my excuses, to which my mother-in-law replied with a bright smile that it was no problem at all.
“Oh dear, it’s fine! Who would even worry about that? Don’t I know that you’re busier than our daughter lately?”
“Well, our Uju has been quite popular after all.”
“Hahaha…”
The continuation of the mother-daughter duo made it hard to deny the truth, which only made me chuckle awkwardly.
It’s pretty clear, now that I think about it, why it seems I’ve been busier than my sister, who has had less work lately.
She even jokingly questioned, “Should I just go back to being a manager?”
In any case, it’s good that work has picked up. Reflecting back to my small-time streaming days, I can’t help but consider it a miracle. So I intend to be grateful for this opportunity and work even harder.
“Seo-ha, could you come to the kitchen and help me bring the dishes?”
“Yes, Mother.”
“Why don’t we play a game of Go while we wait?”
“Sure, Father-in-law.”
As we entered the house, the two of them had evidently assigned us roles from the start, taking one of us each.
After starting playing Go with my father-in-law during my second visit, it has become a routine of at least two or three games before I leave. Not that I’ve won many, naturally.
Thud.
“You seem a bit gaunt lately. I take it you’ve been under pressure from my daughter?”
“Cough!”
As I placed a stone on the board with no hint of warning, my father-in-law’s bombshell remark made me choke.
Oh, he knew. I guess it makes sense; he must have been through this all too.
“I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to…”
“You have nothing to apologize for. It’s unexpected to hear such words, so it’s only natural to be surprised.”
With an expressionless face but a hint of a smile, my father-in-law continued speaking as he placed another stone on the board.
“My daughter often says how she wants to give birth to a child that looks just like you and raise them beautifully. Perhaps that desire is showing itself.”
“My sister said that to you?”
“Hmm. Let’s keep it a secret, so don’t mention it to Seo-ha.”
It seems that even a powerhouse like the owner of Changseong Corporation finds it hard to withstand the pressure from his daughter. With an embarrassed smile, he asked me to keep it under wraps, and I smiled back at him.
After all, these things tend to be just between the men.
“Anyway, I think similarly. I hope one day my daughter can live a life where she experiences happiness as a woman; it’s a selfish dream for a parent.”
“……”
“Don’t worry about what society thinks. Just act according to your heart and body. That’s most important.”
It seems my father-in-law was worried about me even before we’ve had the wedding feast, regarding having a child.
It’s tough for me to hide my true feelings in front of my sister and her family. Yet, rather than feeling burdened, I’m simply grateful for their understanding.
“Yes, Father-in-law. I’ll do my best to show you soon.”
“Good. That’s a wonderful answer.”
Just as my father-in-law was smiling at my firm response, our attention shifted back to the Go board.
“Seo-ha, are you already trying to fill up on fruit before the meal?”
At that moment, we both turned to see my mother-in-law’s voice calling from the kitchen.
There, with a high-end silver dish filled with fruit typical of rich households, my sister was munching away.
Just as my mother-in-law said, it struck me as odd that she was snacking on fruit before the meal. She never showed this kind of behavior even at home.
“Oh, I’m sorry! For some reason, I’ve been craving fruits lately.”
“Fruit? Weren’t you the one who never ate them even when offered?”
“Right? I wonder if my taste has changed…”
Tilting her head, my sister continued picking at the oranges she held, putting them into her mouth one by one.
She didn’t stop there; after finishing one, she started biting into an unpeeled apple.
“Father-in-law, I’m sorry, just a second…”
“Hmm?”
Noticing something odd, I asked my father-in-law for permission and walked toward the kitchen.
“Uju, what’s going on? Do you need something?”
“No. But sis, could it be…?”
As soon as I approached, my sister looked puzzled, and I waved my hand, observing her with a skeptical look.
A few seconds passed.
“…Ugh!?”
“Seo-ha!”
Suddenly, my sister doubled over, beginning to gag.
In that instant, I instinctively sensed that my fears had come true.