Siblings Work in Business (82)
“Really…?”
Eun-ji asked in surprise, and the manager, looking up at the second-floor attic, replied,
“Yes. There are two rooms up there, right?”
“Wow, yes. That’s right.”
“One with a small window, disproportionately tiny compared to the room size, and another one with a larger window that gets a lot of sunlight, despite being smaller.”
It was so accurate that it gave me goosebumps.
“The larger room was used by the maknaes Eun-ji guessed correctly, and the smaller room was used by the hyungs.”
“Wow, really?”
“Yes. Ah, if you look at the floor in the smaller room, there should be a burn mark where the hyungs tried to make dalgona (honeycomb candy) with a lighter, secretly from the CEO, and burned the floor.”
“Oh, that’s right! Wow, that’s amazing.”
No wonder she was surprised…
There was a burn mark on the floor under the window, just like he described, as if from a cigarette.
I had covered it with a large rug because I didn’t like how it looked!
And that was where Choi Tae-hyun and Ji Ye-chan made dalgona?
The mark, which I had always disliked, now felt different.
It felt like listening to a legendary tale.
“The CEO rented that attic room and practically raised those five, supporting them.”
This was the first time I heard this story, something even the CEO hadn’t mentioned.
It felt similar to our story.
“Since when have you been with them, Manager-nim, that you know all this?”
“I haven’t known the CEO for long, but I’ve known Yeong-chan hyung for a long time.”
“Ah.”
“I moved to the countryside for a while, but we kept in touch.”
“Ah. Then you saw this place…”
“Whenever I visited Seoul, I’d stop by and hang out with the members in their room.”
“You must have been close to the CEO too.”
“Haha, the opposite, actually. We didn’t even know each other.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah. I’d visit whenever I heard he was out.”
“I see.”
“Haha, so when I came for the ‘Co-Sign’ recording, I was surprised to find out he was the CEO.”
When he came for the ‘Co-Sign’ recording…
He must be talking about when Lee Eun-ho and the CEO visited.
Back then, I envied Eun-ho for getting the opportunity to work with the senior, since I had to compose.
‘Not anymore, though.’
I was looking forward, rather than clinging to small opportunities.
If I worked with Lee Eun-ho, there would be countless opportunities like that.
I felt a sense of confidence and trust.
A chilly wind blew through the alley.
“Brrr, it’s cold.”
I suddenly felt a chill.
“A singer catching a cold is a disaster, so go inside.”
The manager said, rubbing his broad shoulders.
He looked like a big bear, and I couldn’t help but smile.
“Haha. You go ahead, Manager-nim. Thank you for the ride!”
“You’re welcome. Should I carry Eun-ho upstairs?”
The manager asked, pointing at Lee Eun-ho, who was still asleep.
Was he that tired?
It was the first time I had seen Lee Eun-ho not wake up even outside.
Eun-ji, glancing at Eun-ho, answered,
“It’s okay.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. I can easily carry him.”
The manager said okay, gave a brief greeting, and left.
‘Ugh.’
The moment I stepped onto the first step, after seeing the manager off…
I regretted not accepting his help.
‘He barely drank, why is he so heavy?!’
I tried a few more times, but… ugh.
I gave up after four steps.
“Wake up, Lee Eun-ho.”
This was impossible.
I sat Lee Eun-ho down on the steps before trying to wake him up.
Then, I raised both hands and smacked both his cheeks.
“Wake up!”
Smack!
“Wake up!”
“…”
Smack!
“Hey, you rockfish bastard! Wake—”
“Ow, ow! Fuck! —Up!”
Eun-ho, still drunk, his eyes unfocused, grumbled.
“Now that you’re awake, walk up yourself.”
“Walk up where?”
Eun-ho, his eyes half-open, looked back at the stairs.
“What? Why am I here?”
“Should I hit you again? I went easy on you just now.”
“…Don’t. Ow… I thought my face was going to fall off.”
As Eun-ho cradled his cheeks, Eun-ji glared at him with disgust.
“Are you trying to act cute? Seriously?”
“What nonsense…”
Despite his words, Eun-ho continued to whine, his hands still cupping his face.
Right. Arguing with a drunkard was a waste of energy.
Eun-ji tried to calm herself down and said as gently as she could,
“If you’re going to sleep, go home and sleep. Wake up and go upstairs. You’re heavy.”
“Heavy my ash. You’re the one who’s like an elephant.”
“…Do you want to die?”
“No, you— you don’t even remember the time I carried you… that’s so mean.”
“Hey, hey, hey!”
Just as Eun-ho was grumbling and trying to get up…
He stumbled and almost fell down the stairs.
This crazy bastard!
‘Ugh, seriously.’
I grabbed my heart, which had almost jumped out of my chest, and yelled,
“Get on my back! Now, damn it!”
I didn’t want to see my only sibling crack his skull after getting drunk.
I didn’t intend to carry him, but I had no choice…
I squatted down on the stairs, and his heavy body slumped onto my back.
“Heh, you were going to do it anyway.”
I wish he would just shut up.
“If you don’t shut up, I’ll just leave you here to crack your skull.”
It wasn’t carrying; it was more like he was hanging around my neck.
If he had any strength, it would have been fine, but he was just dead weight, choking me.
“Ugh, damn it!”
As soon as we reached the top of the stairs, I dumped Lee Eun-ho on the floor, just five steps away from the attic room.
I had tried my best.
He could at least walk these five steps himself.
Bang!
Eun-ji opened the door and went inside.
The brown aluminum door rattled loudly.
‘I’m so thirsty!’
I was parched, so I went straight to the refrigerator.
I chugged half a bottle of water, and just as I was starting to feel alive again…
“Wow, it’s a star. A staaar.”
Lee Eun-ho’s voice, still sprawled on the floor outside, made the water I just drank evaporate from my head as steam.
I felt a throbbing pain in the back of my head.
“If I brought you all the way to the second floor, walk inside yourself, you drunken idiot!”
I opened my eyes, blinded by the light.
“Uh…”
I was staring at a familiar ceiling, but it wasn’t my room.
My head throbbed as I sat up.
I had a shot of soju from the CEO at the restaurant…
‘Uh…’
And Lee Eun-ji said she was playing some game with the seniors…
And after that…
I vaguely remember complaining to Lee Eun-ji on the stairs… or maybe not?
“Ugh…”
I felt a wave of nausea and muscle pain as I sat up.
All that from just one shot of soju…
I was in front of the door.
‘Why am I sleeping here?’
I looked towards Eun-ji’s room, hoping she knew the answer.
“Hey, Lee Eun-ji.”
Just as I was about to check on her…
A cloud of dust and paint chips fell from the ceiling as I took a step.
The familiar dust and paint…
I was suddenly confused.
“Hey, Eun-ji.”
“Ugh…”
Eun-ji, seemingly woken up by my voice, came out of her room, looking tired and disheveled.
“What did I…”
What did I do yesterday?
…I was about to ask, but I felt like I shouldn’t.
Lee Eun-ji’s expression was terrifying.
‘Did you just say “yesterday”? You?’
…Her eyes seemed to be saying that.
“Sorry, I… um… I must have done something.”
I felt embarrassed and a bit scared of her gaze.
Genuinely scared.
“…Go wash up and make some ramen. I’m dying.”
“But you didn’t drink yesterday… oh, w-would our little sister like some ramen? Just a moment…”
Wow.
I think I just saw something scarier than a ghost.
I ran to the bathroom.
After taking off my clothes, I saw how dirty they were, my shirt ripped at the back, and my pants filthy.
“Did I roll around on the rooftop…?”
Looking in the mirror, I was just as dirty as my clothes.
My hair, stiff with hairspray, was full of dust and debris.
I looked like a homeless person.
‘I need a shower.’
Just as I bent down to turn on the faucet…
「“If you don’t shut up, I’ll leave you to crack your skull.”」
「“Heh, you were going to do it anyway.”」
I flinched.
‘What… is this?’
Memories, memories I desperately didn’t want to remember…
…were coming back.
I almost fell down the stairs, and Lee Eun-ji carried me on her back.
And the memory of asking her to carry me and making that stupid flower pose with my hands…
「“Wow, it’s a star. A staaar.”」
…I must have been out of my mind yesterday.
I wish I were crazy.
「“If I brought you all the way up here, walk inside yourself, you drunken idiot!!!”」
It wasn’t a complete picture, but the main events seemed to be coming back.
And that was the problem.
I didn’t want to turn off the shower.
I was scared to leave the bathroom.
If I didn’t remember, I could have pretended nothing happened, but now I was mortified.
Just as I finished showering and was drying myself with a towel…
“Lee Eun-ho, are you not coming out?”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m coming. Just a second.”
As I came out, Lee Eun-ji was standing a few steps away, her hands on her hips, looking at the bathroom.
“Why? Do you need to use the bathroom? Go ahead.”
“No, I don’t.”
I asked carefully, but her expression remained unchanged.
“Lee Eun-ho.”
Don’t say my name.
I felt like I was suffocating.
“Do you remember yesterday, or not?”
“…”
I avoided her gaze.
“Slightly.”
“Only… the stairs.”
“Well, with all that you did, you should remember.”
Lee Eun-ji smiled.
That chilling smile was more terrifying than a scowl.
“I have a question.”
“What.”
“Do you remember anything that happened at the restaurant?”
The restaurant?
Did I do something there too?
I felt a cold sweat.
I was even more nervous because it wasn’t just Eun-ji who was there.
“Why?”
I asked cautiously, but Lee Eun-ji just stared at me.
“Why? Did I do something?”
Oh my gosh, lol they fr are siblings, when Eunho had to carry her he rejected help from their manager n regretted it instantly lol