My Friend’s Little Sister is Special

“It’s because the kids like our Ye-rin. They must be feeling shy.”

Words my parents would say while hugging me tight and patting my back whenever I brought up school.

That it’s because our daughter is too pretty. That they’re jealous.

But.

—If they like me, they shouldn’t act like that…

I’ve never liked or loved someone, but I think I know this much.

If you like someone… shouldn’t you cherish and treat them preciously?

Like how mom and dad look at me with loving eyes. Like how my brother always protects me despite his grumbling.

For the kids around me to be acting this way because they like me… the way they looked at me wasn’t that warm gaze people have when looking at someone they like.

Am I still too young to understand?

I always kept these unresolved questions deep in my heart.

But I felt like I would only worry my parents who are so busy they can barely come home if I asked them.

I had no choice but to press it down deep in my heart. So no one would ever find out.

Deeply.

So deep that even I couldn’t discover it.

**

I don’t think it was like this from the beginning.

At first, there were definitely more kids who approached me with interest, saying my eyes were pretty and fascinating.

But at some point.

More kids started to fear my eyes or feel unpleasant about them.

When my eyes turned gray while I was with groups of kids, instead of being curious about why they turned gray.

They would ask why they turned gray. If I disliked being with them.

Each time, I’d say no. That I didn’t know why either.

The first few times, I could get by like that.

But as such incidents repeated once, twice, at some point everyone started avoiding me.

That’s when I realized.

That emotions that can’t be hidden are no different from a disaster.

The more my eyes shined, the darker my world was becoming.

My eyes, which everyone initially liked and found fascinating, had become an object of ridicule at some point.

Amidst all this, there was something that never stopped happening every day.

“Um… will you go out with me?”

Confessions from boys I didn’t know the names of, who I was seeing for the first time that day.

Since I couldn’t accept, I would apologize and refuse, and then.

At some point, these boys who had been rejected were taking the lead in bullying me.

“Hey, change your eye color.”

“…I don’t want to.”

“You actually just have gray eyes, don’t you? They’re always gray.”

“No, I’ve seen her eyes change color, I tell you.”

Boys snickering in front of me, making my eyes their topic of conversation.

Girls watching from afar, giggling.

What are they talking about? Are they saying I’m trying to get the boys’ attention again?

—Stop it, please.

Eyes like these… I didn’t want them either.

As those gray days continued.

One day, mom told my brother and me that we had to move due to her job transfer.

She apologized to us for it, but.

I sincerely told her it was okay.

Perhaps, just perhaps.

I could start anew there.

I tried to console myself not to expect too much, but I couldn’t help feeling excited and spent the night with a fluttering heart.

After leaving that place where I had only been hurt and moving to our new home.

On the day I went to the new school with a pounding heart.

I realized from the gazes directed at me.

It was the same here too.

Had my expectations been too high? The excitement I felt in the morning seemed like a dream now.

Perhaps the problem wasn’t the place, but me?

As one day passed. Two days passed.

By the time a month had passed, there was no one around me.

I felt a sense of stillness in the noisy classroom.

Like I was alone in a different space. That kind of feeling.

…It’s okay. I’m used to it now.

At least there’s no one bullying me now…

After finishing the long classes, I put on my bag and moved my heavy feet to go home.

Step.

Will I… always be alone like this?

Step.

No, I’ll have friends someday.

Step.

…When exactly?

With each step I took, the thoughts that came to mind made my nose suddenly sting.

I don’t want to cry. I really didn’t do anything wrong…

Although I tried to hold back the tears belatedly, once the first drop rolled down my cheek, I couldn’t stop the flow of tears.

“…Are you okay?”

The man who suddenly spoke to me from the side was wearing a school uniform, probably a middle school student.

…The same uniform as my brother.

Seeing me crying, he offered to take me home even though it was our first meeting, which made me recall what I was taught at school about not following strangers.

But the person in front of me didn’t seem to have such intentions. I wasn’t sure, but I could feel his concern for me. …His face also looked kind.

But he was still a stranger, so as I was about to refuse.

“…Are you by any chance Seo Jin-hyuk’s sister?”

I felt both surprised and curious that he had heard about me from my brother.

Why would my brother talk about me…?

My brother, who roughly knew about my situation at my previous school, would always stick close to me when we met at school, or wait in front of my classroom to go home together on days when his classes ended early.

And he had never brought his friends home, afraid that I might feel uncomfortable. …Surely my brother must have friends, unlike me.

Anyway, I couldn’t believe that my brother had talked about me to his friend.

He wasn’t the type to make me a topic of conversation out of boredom.

Why?

I was curious. Why my brother had talked about me to this person.

As I ended up going home with him out of curiosity, one thought occurred to me.

…Why is he watching my reactions so much?

I could feel him constantly glancing at me from the side.

How should I put it, like a butler who wants to take care of every little thing…?

Maybe it’s because I’m his friend’s sister… I thought as I put the ice cream he bought me in my mouth.

…It’s delicious.

I felt a bit happy since it had been a while since I ate something with someone on the way home from school.

“Is it good?”

“…A little.”

…Oh my!

Startled by the sudden question, I felt like he had seen through my feelings and unconsciously responded a bit coldly.

Then, seeing him droop at my answer, I immediately regretted it.

Ugh, no. It’s really delicious…!

It’s just that this kind of thing is so rare that I’m feeling shy…

When I hurriedly gathered courage and spoke honestly, I felt relieved seeing him grin with satisfaction.

Phew… Thank goodness…

As I raised my head in relief, I saw his gaze silently looking at me.

Oh, he’s not appeased…?

“Are you upset…?”

When I asked out of concern, I reflexively covered my eyes at his words that he was looking at my eyes.

…Calm down. You should be used to this by now, Seo Ye-rin.

This person would also say it’s strange. It was something I was already used to… used to, so I prepared myself mentally to avoid getting hurt.

“Huh? No? They’re really pretty.”

…Pardon?

Did I… mishear?

I doubted my ears for a moment.

Wondering if he was sincere, I cautiously looked at him, and his face, eyes sparkling, looking only at me, was like.

As if he was shouting that he was sincere.

At his words that my eyes were pretty. At his words that he wanted to know my emotions.

Words I had wanted to hear so badly, I almost burst into tears, but. Because it was a happy day.

That word,

I had waited for that word for so long.

I held it in, and held it in again. Today.

Because it was a happy day.

It was enjoyable.

Talking with someone who didn’t say my appearance was strange, but said it was special.

If there was just one complaint…

…Why doesn’t he ask for my name and age?

I know he’s my brother’s friend, so I know his age and can call him o…ppa, but.

This person doesn’t know my name or age.

…Is it because we’re just meeting once today? Is that it?

…I hate it. It seems like I’m the only one who wants to know more.

I sent pleading gazes several times as if saying “Won’t you ask me?” but each time, this o…ppa who changed the subject was a bit irritating.

…Surely he’s not doing this on purpose, right?

Though I was also unable to call him oppa and kept speaking without a subject…

Ugh, I don’t understand why it’s so hard to say “oppa” to this person when I say it every day at home.

Finally, overcoming my embarrassment, I found out that oppa’s name was Han Woo-jin.

Han Woo-jin, Han Woo-jin… Han Woo-jin O…ppa. Han Woo-jin Oppa.

Hmm, I might. I might like it a little.

As I was secretly repeating the name I had learned with difficulty, we arrived at my house.

Already?

The house that always felt so far away.

It felt so short that I wondered if we’d moved without me realizing it.

…I want to walk a bit more. Not knowing when I’ll see him again.

Can we meet tomorrow too? Can’t I see you tomorrow? …I want to meet again.

Although it’s too early to say I like him, my pounding heart was telling me that I wanted to know more about the oppa in front of me.

After pondering how to convey the many words that came to mind, eventually.

I brought him to our house to prevent him from running away.

The result was a huge success.

While trying to hide my incessantly pounding heart, I gathered courage and told him to come again next time.

Only after hearing oppa’s response that he would come again did I feel at ease.

“Uuuu~…”

I collapsed in my room with my legs giving out, covering my flushed face.

Just try not to come.

…I’ll hate you. A lot.

“Oppa.”

“Yes?”

“Do you also look at dirty things?”

“PFFT!!!”

Ah, I should have asked later.

I felt a bit sorry seeing oppa spitting out the water he was drinking.

“What… are you suddenly saying?”

“Han Woo-jin Op…pa said you look at dirty things too.”

“That crazy bastard, to my little sister….”

He’s not denying that he doesn’t look at them either.

Seeing that neither of them could bring themselves to lie to me that they don’t look at such things, a smile formed on my lips.

“Oppa. I’ll keep it a secret from mom and dad, so can you do me one favor?”

“No, I didn’t say I look at them…. So what’s the favor?”

“Can you ask Han Woo-jin Op…pa to come over tomorrow like today?”

“…I’ll be at academy tomorrow and coming home late?”

“Yes, I know.”

“…Huh?”

That day, my brother wore an expression as if his world had collapsed.