Siblings Work in Business (83)
“Not really.”
I finally relaxed.
“Why the long pause before asking?”
“It’s not about a mistake, but I won five wishes from the Toxin seniors.”
“Huh…?”
What was she talking about?
Eun-ji, seeing my bewildered expression, started explaining from the beginning.
So…
A senior suggested a game, and the game was ‘Guess Toxin’s maknae!’
And Lee Eun-ji guessed correctly…
“How?”
Toxin didn’t have a maknae, technically.
Oh Hyun, Joo Song-min, and Seo Seung-yeon were all the same age.
But I knew Lee Eun-ji hadn’t known their ages before the regression, only finding out later.
「“Lee Eun-ho! I heard from Ye-chan oppa today that everyone in Toxin except him and Tae-hyun are the same age! Did you know?”」
After becoming close to Ji Ye-chan…
Lee Eun-ji had excitedly told me this, while I was sulking out of jealousy.
That was after my debut, so at least two years later.
“How did you know?”
“Um… well, this is… going to sound unbelievable…”
Just as she was hesitating…
—Growl.
—Rumble.
Like true siblings…
Our stomachs growled simultaneously, interrupting the conversation.
“Let’s make ramen first.”
“You make it. You know what you did yesterday.”
“Of course. But continue your story. I’m listening.”
“Um… well, it’s a bit strange.”
“Just tell me already.”
I went to the kitchen and rummaged through the cupboard, taking out two packets of ramen.
We had been avoiding instant food for self-management, but today was an exception.
Eun-ji remained quiet while I boiled the water, seemingly organizing her thoughts.
“Aren’t you going to tell me?”
“Well… um…”
“What? What is it?”
I turned around, leaning against the sink, waiting for the water to boil. Sitting down felt awkward.
Lee Eun-ji was frowning, her thumb pressed against her forehead.
“It’s… going to sound crazy.”
“You’re always crazy.”
“Shut up.”
“I’m the crazy one?”
“Why?”
“I’m the one who sounded crazy when I told you about the regression.”
“Well, you did, for a moment.”
“Just a moment? That’s harsh.”
“Honestly, it was unbelievable.”
“Okay, okay. I was the same. Just tell me. You believed me, so I’ll believe you, even if it sounds crazy.”
Eun-ji looked up, surprised.
“You’re not the type to lie about trivial things either.”
“Aw… that’s a bit touching.”
“Bullshit.”
“My hard work paid off!”
“When did you even raise me?”
“Hehe.”
I felt a bit embarrassed.
I opened the ramen packets, avoiding Eun-ji’s gaze.
“Ye-chan oppa told me.”
“At the restaurant yesterday?”
I thought she couldn’t possibly mean that, but Eun-ji firmly said, “No.”
“Then someone else told you?”
“No. No one helped me back then.”
“Then what?”
“It was… a different time…”
“A different time? Explain.”
“It sounds crazy, but—”
“My regression story sounded crazy too, so just tell me.”
Eun-ji uncrossed her legs and pulled her knees up to her chin, continuing her story.
“I think I’ve been having dreams about that time, when you came back. Or maybe not?”
“It’s either a dream or not, what’s with the ‘or maybe not?’”
“Well, they were mostly dreams, but at the restaurant, it suddenly felt incredibly real.”
“Since when?”
“That… day when the black cat was on the second floor.”
“…Oh.”
The day I saw the hallucination of the pale Eun-ji.
It was one of the days I remembered vividly because I was so shocked.
“After that day, I had a dream where I became that cat, and then later, a dream where I was watching the cat—”
Eun-ji continued her unbelievable story.
She said she had a dream about the day she died, and in the dream, she ‘became the pale Eun-ji.’
To prove she wasn’t lying, she mentioned the page in my diary that I always read.
The page I read countless times.
When she recited the exact content of that page…
I had no choice but to believe her.
Whenever I was alone, I talked to the pale Eun-ji and broke down.
「“You have to keep your promises.”」
「“Even if I die, you have to live, you bastard.”」
I couldn’t even bring myself to die because of those words in her diary, telling me to live.
Eun-ji said she saw everything.
Even everything I did to make the hallucination of the pale Eun-ji disappear.
“I felt a bit bad. I wondered if you hated me that much.”
“You mean, ha… wait a second.”
This was a bombshell.
I was so shocked that I couldn’t process it.
The fact that it was actually Eun-ji, that agonizing presence…
I felt a mix of confusion and relief.
Meanwhile, the water for the ramen had boiled.
“Finish making the ramen. I’m hungry.”
“…Okay.”
Eun-ji said, lying down nonchalantly.
I tried to act normal, following her lead, and made the ramen.
Unlike my chaotic mind, the only sounds in the house were the bubbling of the ramen and the clinking of chopsticks.
“Hey, Lee Eun-ji.”
“Yeah.”
We started talking again after I placed the finished ramen on the table.
Eun-ji just replied, her eyes fixed on the ramen.
“So, do you remember her too?”
“Oh, you really believe me now?”
“How can I not, after you told me all that?”
Eun-ji grinned.
“I’m glad. I’m glad you’re not crazy.”
“Seriously. So, do you remember her?”
“Who?”
“Aeseul.”
“Aeseul? Who’s… ah!”
Eun-ji, who had been about to ask, started slurping her ramen instead.
Since they say you shouldn’t disturb even a dog while it’s eating, I waited.
I also took a bite, focusing on the broth.
After a while, Eun-ji finished her noodles and continued,
“You mean the cute one who almost fell at the shop? The one you had a crush on?”
“A crush? What? No way.”
“Oh, really?”
The heavy atmosphere from moments ago had vanished.
“Why are you suddenly asking about her?”
slurp
“Was there… something… between…”
slurp
“…you and her?”
slurp
“Eat or talk, choose one.”
“You asked.”
“Well, there was something between you and Aeseul. A lot.”
“Like what?”
Like what?
So many things came to mind, besides music…
But I didn’t say any of them.
“…Just… music-related stuff.”
“Oh.”
I vaguely deflected the question.
It was better for Eun-ji not to know about this, both then and now.
I tried to change the subject by picking a fight.
“Why are you eating it all by yourself?”
“You already forgot about my suffering yesterday after I told you a story?”
“…Here.”
That didn’t work.
—
“I’m going to work.”
“Okay~”
Eun-ji finished her ramen and went to her room, closing the door.
Normally, the one who didn’t cook would do the dishes, but today, I did them, since I was the one at fault.
♬A single flower on the table
Looks especially red today♬
Just as I finished the dishes and put the pot away…
Ji Ye-chan called, as if on cue.
♪♬♪♬♬
As I answered, I heard an unfamiliar melody in the background, as if he was calling in the middle of working.
“Hello.”
“Hey, Eun-ho, are you busy?”
“No, I just finished what I was doing.”
I replied, looking at the dripping pot I had just washed.
“You remember I said I’d give you two songs yesterday?”
“Yes.”
“That’s good. I was worried you might have forgotten because you were drunk—”
“Haha… you saw it before. I have low tolerance…”
“Right. When we were working on ‘Co-Sign,’ at my favorite galbi place, right?”
“Yes.”
“You only had half a glass of soju that day. Honestly, I thought you were faking it.”
I thought I drank a lot back then, but it was only half a glass?
“I guess you know now, after seeing me yesterday…”
“Haha, you saw it firsthand. Anyway, enough about alcohol. I’m sending you the two songs now. Email or KakaoTalk?”
“KakaoTalk is more convenient, but please send them via email. Eun-ji is sensitive about her music, so it’s better that way…”
“Okay. I’ll send them to the email address you used for the ‘Co-Sign’ project.”
“Okay.”
I heard the clicking of a mechanical keyboard, as if he was sending them right away.
“Tell Eun-ji I’m counting on her.”
“Eun-ji should be the one saying that to you, Senior. Thank you.”
“Save your thanks for after you’ve decided on the songs.”
“Um, okay. Haha.”
I couldn’t bring myself to say empty words like “It’ll be great” because I didn’t know what Lee Eun-ji would think.
The senior, seemingly having nothing else to say, ended the call with a brief farewell.
Knock, knock.
“Hey.”
I knocked on Lee Eun-ji’s door to tell her.
“Just come in.”
At her reply, I opened the door. Her room, which was usually a pigsty, was surprisingly clean today.
I pushed aside the hairbrush, cosmetics, and empty bottles scattered on the floor with my foot and approached Lee Eun-ji.
“The senior sent the songs he mentioned yesterday.”
“Oh, let’s listen to them. I don’t want to use my phone, can we play them on the computer?”
“Yeah, I’ll log in to your email.”
“Tell me your ID.”
…I hadn’t thought about that.
“Just give me the keyboard, I’ll type it in.”
“Just tell me. The cord is short.”
“I’ll type it for you. It’s a bit embarrassing to say it out loud.”
“What’s so embarrassing about it? Just tell me.”
“I’ll send it to you on my phone. Just check it.”
“Just tell me! Why are you being so stubborn?”
Because I have my reasons!
…I couldn’t say that.
Unable to resist her insistent gaze, I finally said my email address.
“Ugh, seriously…”
I mumbled, mustering my courage, and Lee Eun-ji pressed me impatiently.
“…What? I can’t hear you. Speak clearly. Stop mumbling.”
“It’s ‘JohnMoteunho’ (Very Cool Eunho)!”