Vol. 3 Chapter 71 – Side Story 2: Cooing, Cookie Part 3  

Translated by Springlila

The summer vacation of college students was so early.

I thought as I stared at my older brother, who had entered the house carelessly. My older brother, who came to his own room at the end of June, had been in low spirit for some weeks. He was looking for everything, making a fuss, and packing before leaving the house for a few days, going on a trip, and then returning a day later, and he was suddenly angry with his eyes glaring at me. Anyway, even though we had lived together our entire lives, I couldn’t understand his personality.

As a result, when I went home, I was trapped in my room like a mouse and forced to study. While I was on the phone with Lim Dae-han, my older brother suddenly opened the door and discovered that I hadn’t studied. He began cursing at me, shouting, ‘what the fuck are you doing, why the fuck aren’t you studying.’ I didn’t think it was that far when he commuted to college from home, but after he moved out on his own, his personality became more bizarre.

Just like that my precarious life continued as if walking on a single rope.

I got up early to get ready for school. It became hotter by the day. It felt like yesterday that I took the national combined academic evaluation in June, but it was already July. Final examinations were almost approaching. It was an even more important test for me. It was also the last test for me, who will go to college.

Meanwhile, I’ve maintained a consistent grade, and my grades have improved in 2nd grade compared to 1st grade, and 3rd grade compared to 2nd grade, so if I performed well this time, I could go to the college I wanted. I couldn’t attend the same college as my older brother, who studied well, but I was able to attend a nearby college.

“Good morning…”

My plan to greet my mother after getting ready for school fell through. My older brother was watching TV Instead of my mother, my older brother was watching TV with his arms on the armrests of the sofa and his legs crossed. His complexion was uglier than usual, with a lot of black circles below.

Still, the only thing worth looking at was his face…

What’s wrong with him…

Even if I didn’t want to care, and whether I hated him or not, I couldn’t help myself because he was a family member. My older brother, who was watching television, gradually turned to look at me. His long lashes, which stretched under his wide eyes, cast a roof-like shadow.

“Good morning.”

My older brother said in a voice that didn’t sound like a good morning at all.

“Yeah…”

“…”

“… Oh, I have to eat breakfast.”

I pretended not to know, went to the kitchen, and sat at the table. I was having a hastily made breakfast when I heard the TV being turned off. Gradually… The footsteps approached me. I feigned not to notice and kept eating as if I was going to stick my nose in the rice bowl, but the chair across from me had been pulled. As a shadow fell in front of me, I forcibly lifted the corners of my lips and lifted my head.

“I’ll take you to school.”

“No, it’s okay…”

“Did he come to pick you up?”

I nodded in response to my brother’s question without a subject.

“Yeah.”

“I’ll take both of you.” “Oh… .”

No way, I don’t want to. I was embarrassed… But looking at my brother’s expression, I couldn’t say anything. Family is always family. My older brother stopped speaking and stood up as if there was nothing else to see. Then he rapidly vanished from my sight. I took my phone from my pocket and messaged Lim Dae-han.

Me: [My hyung want to take me to school today] 7:02 am

The reply came back quickly.

Lim Dae-han: [Then, shall I go first?] 7:02 am

Lim Dae-han: [I’m already at your house] 7:02 am

I was in a hurry to tap on the keypad.

Me: [He says he will take you too…] 7:03 am

Me: [I don’t know why] 7:03 am

Lim Dae-han: [LOL] 7:04 am

Lim Dae-han: [I’ll do whatever you want.] 7:05 am

I liked Lim Dae-han’s blunt message. I was staring at the message of thoughtfulness for no apparent reason. I was staring without thinking about responding when another message arrived.

Lim Dae-han: [I can’t kiss you in the morning] 7:07 am

Shall I run away? Before my brother came out. But before I could think of anything, my older brother’s door swung open.

“Come out after you eat. I will be on the first floor.”

My older brother said it and left before I could respond. I held my chopsticks tightly as the door closed behind me.

“In any case, it’s always your own way…”

I muttered and bit my lips. Actually uh… It wasn’t that we couldn’t do it even if we had to go by car. It could be done anywhere. It wasn’t just rubbing the body face to face, it was possible to just touch the lips and then let go anywhere. I replied to the message from Lim Dae-han.

Me: [We can do it, go to school in the morning and go to the canteen] 7:10 am

There was a science lab building next to the canteen stairs, and no one come there.

***

“…”

“…”

“…”

My older brother drove without saying anything, while Lim Dae-han and I sat in the back seat next to each other. Lim Dae-han cast a glance out the window. I looked at my older brother in the mirror before turning to Lim Dae-han, who was just showing his side view.

Actually, this was normal. Lim Dae-han, like my older brother, couldn’t be nice to anyone. Even when I saw my relatives, they were discussing behind my back why Young-han continued coming. Even yet, I lacked the personality to get caught up in the midst of the noise. I pressed my lips together and looked at them.

Tap.

Lim Dae-han flinched and tightened his fist when I touched his finger with my index finger. He stared out the window before shifting his eyes to me. Lim Dae-han smiled hesitantly as I smiled at him. ‘It’s cold.’ When I mouthed the word, Lim Dae-han patted the back of my arm with his hand. Unlike the outdoor weather, which had me sweating profusely, the air conditioner in the car made my entire body feel cold.

“…”

But that didn’t last long either. I looked into my older brother’s eyes in the mirror and suddenly our eyes met. I was about to turn my gaze quickly, but my brother spoke.

“Lim Dae-han.” “Yes.”

Perhaps he was waiting for the right moment to talk to him. When my older brother spoke to Lim Dae-han, he answered calmly, unlike me, who became stiff immediately. That was all my older brother had to say. I was afraid he’d act like an old person, but that didn’t happen. That was very fortunate.

It was fortunate that the back door, through which we entered side by side, was open in the early morning. My older brother was going to drive us all the way to the front of the building. Although there were few students arriving at school, it could not be said that many students arrived earlier than when we arrived.

Did he just have nothing to do at home and decided to drive me to school…?

I couldn’t figure out why a person who rarely came home throughout the first semester behaved like a stupid human once summer vacation began, but for the time being, I just tried to understand. It was very difficult to understand my older brother.

My older brother stopped in front of the school building. Lim Dae-han was the first to open the door.

“Thank you for taking me.”

Lim Dae-han thanked him politely, and I unintentionally smiled and giggled. My older brother’s brow furrowed. I was following along when my older brother called out, “Hey, Ki Young-hyun.” Lim Dae-han was waiting there, holding the door open for me. Before I turned to face my older brother, exchanged looks for a split second.

Half of my body was already out, and instead of responding, I simply looked at my older brother. He retrieved his wallet from the passenger seat and handed me a couple of 50,000 won bills.

“Buy something delicious to eat.”

“…”

When I was spaced out because I couldn’t tell if it was right or not to receive this, my older brother rushed my hand, saying, “Are you not taking it?” I eventually received the money and got out of the car.

“I will be back.”

“Yeah.”

My older brother responded briefly, and without waiting for us to enter, he drove all the way back and leisurely left.

“… Hyung gave me money to buy something to eat.”

I told Lim Dae-han as I stood in front of the building. Lim Dae-han lowered his gaze to the money in my hand.

“Would you like to go to the canteen and buy something?”

“What do you want to eat?”

“No… That’s not it…”

Actually, the old science lab next to the canteen was the intended location. Lim Dae-han stood motionless, unconcerned. He had no appetite in the morning because he had eaten so much for breakfast. I twitched my nose at Lim Dae-han, who couldn’t even understand what he was saying. Lim Dae-han then put his hand in his pants pocket, smiled, and turned his head.

“Let’s go to the canteen.”

“…”

He tapped my shoulder and walked away. I followed Lim Dae-han’s back.

“Hey.”

“Yeah.”

“It’s morning when we go to the canteen, so no one is there.”

“Uh, yeah.”

I whispered to Lim Dae-han, who continued to answer.

“There, that… today… You couldn’t kiss me in the morning.”

Lim Dae-han smiled once again. It even made a sound this time. Even if I stated he was laughing out loud, all he did was chuckle. I wrinkled my brow since I couldn’t figure out what was so funny. Lim Dae-han, who was smiling at me, placed his hand up and wrapped it around the back of my head, then gently came down and held the back of my neck like a massage. The nape of my neck hurt from his strong hands, but I was in a hurry and walked to the canteen with Lim Dae-han without saying anything.

***