My Friend’s Little Sister is Special

“…Is it true?”

“It’s true, I’m telling you…”

Ye-rin’s sudden call just before I fell asleep.

For some reason, I felt like I shouldn’t answer while lying down, so I quickly sat up on the bed before answering.

Actually, I did feel a bit wronged. No, I felt very wronged.

The Saturday plans were to meet up with elementary school friends, and while we usually hung out with girls too, this time it was going to be just guys—that was the first reason.

The second reason was…

Wait, why am I explaining myself?

It’s like ordering meat at a restaurant without thinking and being scolded for ordering meat on my own…

But if I said this outright, it would be like declaring “Ye-rin, let’s fight.” So.

I had no choice but to convince Ye-rin by covering the five Ws and one H: who, what, when, where, why, and how.

…Once again, I realized that Ye-rin could be a bit troublesome.

Fortunately, my sincerity seemed to get through to her, as her voice had softened compared to when she first called, even though she still seemed suspicious.

“Huaaawn…”

Maybe because the tension was gone.

I yawned without realizing it.

“…Are you sleepy, oppa?”

“…A little?”

I was just about to fall asleep before this, and.

I couldn’t bring myself to say that your scent on my bed was making me drowsy.

“Can’t we talk a little longer…?”

Sleep. How do you do that again?

Even Ye-rin sounded sleepy, speaking in a more languid voice than usual.

As she whispered in my ear with a pleading voice mixed with aegyo, as if afraid of being rejected, I couldn’t possibly say “no” to that.

“…Sure. I could talk all day.”

“But you said you were sleepy…”

“That’s just a figure of speech.”

“Tch, liar… I bet next you’ll say you’ll pluck the stars from the sky for me…?”

“Should I pluck them for you?”

“Pfft, what does that even mean…”

We both chuckled at the silly joke.

And so, we exchanged various stories in a calm atmosphere.

How our day was.

What we did after returning home.

Bit by bit, we shared our daily lives with each other.

As we continued talking, my eyelids were starting to droop when suddenly, before I knew it.

“…I miss you.”

I was surprised by the sudden sincerity that came out, but I couldn’t take back words that had already been spoken.

“Hmm, what do you miss…?”

“…Your eyes.”

“My eyes…?”

“…Yes. When I see them while we’re talking, it’s like, well…”

As I pondered for a moment how to express my feelings properly, it suddenly came to me.

“Ah, this is it. It makes me happy. Just looking at them.”

“…Happy?”

“Yes.”

“I’m not a monkey in a zoo…”

“Wait. That’s not what I meant…”

“Hehe, I know… I was just joking.”

“Please don’t joke like that…”

Seriously, I almost jumped up from my seat again because I was so startled.

Ye-rin must have felt my genuine surprise because I could hear her chuckling.

“Don’t laugh…”

Click.

Huh?

Suddenly the call ended with a click.

Did she hang up because I told her not to laugh? What’s with the timing?

Did Ye-rin’s phone battery die? Why did it have to disconnect right when I was speaking, leaving things so unsettled?

Sigh.

Should I call back? Or should I leave a message saying good night?

While I was lost in thought, staring at my phone, it soon vibrated with a buzz.

[Seo Ye-rin]

Ah. So that’s why she hung up.

Like this afternoon, Ye-rin seems to enjoy surprises.

Okay. Making a mental note of that.

“…Hello?”

“Can you see me well, oppa…?”

“Wow…”

“Oppa…?”

“Oh, y-yes. I can see you, very, very well.”

So well that it was almost blinding. It was a problem how well I could see.

“Really…? That’s a relief… this is my first video call…”

Through the screen, I could see Ye-rin smiling with relief.

“So, what do you think…?”

“…About what?”

“You said you missed me…”

You, who made a video call right away despite being unfamiliar with it, after I said I missed you.

You, who waits for my answer like a cat that’s embarrassed but wants to be praised.

How could I not miss you?

“You’re beautiful, incredibly so.”

“…Not just that it makes you happy?”

“That goes without saying.”

“…It does?”

“Yes, it does.”

“Hee, then that’s good…”

I filled my eyes with your image on the screen, smiling contentedly.

Like a cherry blossom in full bloom.

I probably wouldn’t forget anyway, but just in case I missed even a little bit.

And so, in the soft moonlight illuminating our rooms.

We quietly fell asleep gazing at each other until our phone batteries died.

**

“Huaawn…”

…I’m dying.

After falling asleep while talking with Ye-rin late into the night, I felt like I was going to die from sleepiness.

—But it was worth it, right?

I admit. Honestly, I enjoyed it so much I’d want to do it every day.

I’ll just die of sleepiness, whatever.

Anyway, as I dragged my tired body to the café where we were meeting, I saw some familiar faces…huh?

“Hey, Kang Yu-ri, what are you doing here?”

“Oh, Han Woo-jin, you’re early for once?”

“Anyone listening would think I’m usually late. No, but wasn’t today supposed to be just guys meeting up?”

“What, you don’t like me being here?”

“No, that’s not it…”

As far as I knew, today was supposed to be just three guys meeting—Kim Yo-han, Lee Woo-ram, and myself.

But when I arrived at the meeting place, Kang Yu-ri was there.

“Originally it was just going to be us, but Yu-ri said she was bored and wanted to come, so we invited her. Why? It doesn’t matter, right?”

I had nothing to say to the looks from the two guys as if asking what the problem was.

The moment I told a certain little sister that only guys were meeting today, she would have made a fuss asking if we were dating, so I couldn’t.

…It should be fine, right? It’s not like I lied. It’s fine as long as I don’t get caught, right?

Ah, it’ll be fine, whatever.

I gave up thinking about it and ordered drinks as we sat down.

As soon as we sat down, since we had only recently entered middle school, everyone seemed to have a lot to talk about, and the conversation continued non-stop.

“So, our homeroom teacher…”

Ding~♬

Kim Yo-han, who was enthusiastically telling his story, suddenly stopped mid-sentence and his eyes widened.

“…What about the homeroom teacher?”

“Wow, what the…?”

“What’s wrong with this guy?”

“Hey, discreetly look behind you. She’s seriously gorgeous.”

So that’s why he was acting strange—he saw a pretty girl?

How pretty could she be?

Maybe before, but after meeting Ye-rin, my standards for beauty have become quite high…

“……Huh?”

Shi…shit. Why are you two coming out of there?

When I looked back, I saw the person who had changed my standards of beauty and my sister.

One was glaring at me, and my sister next to her was mouthing words.

‘Nice’

‘Job’

This damn… I had told both of them I would be meeting here today, but I never thought they would actually come, so I was even more flustered.

To make matters worse, the two of them sat at the table next to ours, very obviously making sure I noticed them.

I want to die.

Unaware of my feelings, my other friends were giggling and enjoying the sight of those two, saying how pretty they were, which just made me envious.

Buzz-

My phone vibrated.

I didn’t want to check it, but feeling like something worse would happen if I didn’t, I reluctantly took out my phone.

[Seo Ye-rin]

-You said it was just guy friends hanging out.

Squeeze.

I squeezed my eyes shut as soon as I saw the message. The overwhelming feeling of being wronged made it impossible to open my eyes.

I didn’t know either, I didn’t know!

“I’m screwed…”

“Hey, Han Woo-jin. What’s suddenly wrong with this guy?”

“…It’s just something.”

“Woo-jin, are you sick?”

My heart is sick.

“It’s not that. But Kang Yu-ri, from now on, you’re not allowed to talk to me…”

At my completely unreasonable demand, Kang Yu-ri asked incredulously:

“What are you suddenly saying? How can we not talk when we’re together?”

“I don’t know either. Just don’t talk to me if I tell you not to, will you…”

Seeing me spouting nonsense in resignation, the two guys beside me chimed in:

“This guy is funny. What, did you get a girlfriend or something?”

“That’s impossible. How could he get one? I don’t even have one.”

“You deserve not to have one, you bastard.”

“Is he crazy or what?”

If it were just a girlfriend, I wouldn’t even worry about it.

Since it wasn’t, I was contemplating what to say to the two bickering guys when Kang Yu-ri, who had been quiet, spoke with a puzzled expression:

“Wouldn’t Woo-jin be capable of getting one?”

“What?”

“WHAT?”

“なぁに?” (What?)

“W-what? Why are you all looking at me so scarily…?”

As three startled heads whipped toward her, Kang Yu-ri was taken aback.

“Kang Yu-ri, are you sick?”

This bastard Kim Yo-han. What’s wrong with me?

I felt like punching Kim Yo-han, who was asking as if he had heard something completely absurd.

But honestly, I was curious about what she would say next, so I held back.

Being called ‘a guy who could get a girlfriend’ by a female classmate the same age. How could I not be interested?

“No, honestly, among you guys, Woo-jin is the best…”

Seeing Kang Yu-ri speak with a matter-of-fact expression, as if asking why she had to state the obvious, honestly.

—YESSSSS!!!!!

I know, right!!!

“Hey, Han Woo-jin, how the hell is this guy the best!!!!”

“Right, I’m much better! What nonsense! Are your eyes crooked, Kang Yu-ri?”

“Whoa, whoa, calm down, my pathetic—I mean, friends. Being ugly isn’t something to be ashamed of.”

“Ah, I really want to kill this guy for his expression and tone.”

“You’re not that great, wake up, you bastard.”

“Whoa, whoa, don’t use such strong words. It makes you look uglier—I mean, weaker, friends.”

“You son of a b—”

“Huh?”

Maybe because it was Kang Yu-ri, a girl, ranking us instead of us ranking each other as usual.

Seeing the two guys fuming and puffing up, I grinned and teased them gently, which resulted in unspeakable curses and flying fists, but.

Hmm, ugly guys really do have bad personalities and bad habits too.

At this moment, I felt like I could take it all with a smile-

Scrape

“…Se-ah, I’m going to the bathroom.”

“Okay~ See you when you get back~”

Ah.

Even though they were sitting two tables away, why did everything from the sound of the chair being pushed back to their conversation seem so clear?

Seeing her staring at me while slowly making her way to the bathroom.

“……Hey, I’m going to the bathroom too…”

“Just go home.”

“Don’t come back, you bastard.”

“You jerks…”

Leaving behind these guys who were freely cursing without understanding my feelings.

I trudged toward the bathroom like a cow being led to the slaughterhouse.