Chapter 13: On the Other Side of the Curtain

Siheon’s expression hardened at Kangeun’s difficult confession about Miryeong, and he went into his room without a word.

He seemed to have opened a book but wasn’t turning the pages.

Then, he silently helped prepare lunch, and when Kangeun pushed him to go rest, saying a hurt kid shouldn’t be doing such things, he just bit his lip and went back into his room.

Before bed, Kangeun brought up Imo Miryeong’s words again, thinking she should talk to Siheon more.

But then he had turned his back and laid down just like that.

As Kangeun, who had been watching Siheon’s mood, finally burst into tears, Siheon shot up with a startled expression.

He then rushed over to wipe Kangeun’s tears.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”

“What are you sorry for, Noona.”

“For not even asking you, for trying to keep you by my side just because I wanted to…”

Siheon shook his head and took Kangeun’s hand.

He then tilted his head and met Kangeun’s eyes intently.

“Noona, do you want to send me to that woman?”

“What…?”

“Do you not need me? Are you going to throw me away?”

“What are you talking about! Why would I throw you away?”

Kangeun denied it strongly and squeezed Siheon’s hand, which was holding hers.

Over Siheon, who was looking at her, the image of the young Siheon, crying and begging her not to abandon him on the day Miryeong stole the money and ran away, overlapped.

“If that’s not it, then don’t ever bring up that woman’s name again.”

“Siheon-ah, I… I feel sorry for you.
Because I told Imo I didn’t want to send you away just to satisfy my own greed, I feel so sorry for you for that…!”

“Am I, something you’re greedy for?”

“Huh…?”

“I asked if I’m a person you’re greedy for, Noona.”

A gaze that felt a little persistent seemed to dig into Kangeun’s gentle eyes.

As if the only answer he wanted was one.

“Siheon-ah, you…”

Kangeun, who had finally stopped crying, finally brought out the words that were inside her without holding back.

“You’re the first person I’ve ever been greedy for in my life.”

“…”

“I didn’t want to lose you.
I, I, Siheon-ah… Sob…!”

Siheon pulled Kangeun into a strong embrace.

Kangeun, whose body was pulled by the sudden force, carefully placed her hands on the floor, worried that Siheon’s injured shoulder and arm might be strained, even in her surprise.

As far as she could remember, it had been a very long time since the two of them had hugged.

It was because they had naturally become cautious of each other as Siheon had grown up.

“…”

A sigh escaped her without her realizing it.

Kangeun blinked her large eyes at the hug with Siheon, which was different from what she remembered.

In the past, Kangeun would hold the young Siheon in her arms and comfort him.

She would hold Siheon, who came up to her chest or her shoulder, and pat him while stroking his hair or eyebrows.

But now, it was different.

The generous embrace that was more than enough to envelop her, the broad shoulders and chest, the long and sturdy arms, felt awkward.

He was definitely the Siheon she knew, but it felt strange.

It wasn’t that she felt unpleasant and wanted to push him away.

She was just flustered by the different feeling from before.

Rather than a sense of comfort and affection, the hug was filled with a sense of desperation and tenderness, which made Kangeun’s cheeks flush red.

“Don’t abandon me.”

“…Don’t say that.”

“Say you understand.”

“…I understand.”

She couldn’t force Siheon any longer, who said he would rather have a red mark on his name than go to his mother.

In fact, Kangeun was the one who didn’t want to part with Siheon more than anyone else.

Kangeun nodded her head and was wondering what to do when Siheon’s voice, suppressing a tremor, continued.

“I’ll grow up quickly…”

Kangeun raised her hand and stroked Siheon’s soft hair, which seemed to be trembling slightly.

Even though his body had grown so much, Siheon was still her precious younger brother.

It was natural for Kangeun to comfort Siheon.

How long had she been held by Siheon?

Kangeun, waiting for both Siheon and herself to calm down a little, lifted her eyes, which were red and sore from crying so much, and scanned the room.

It was the room they had used together since Siheon first came to this house.

After he had grown up a bit, Siheon had once tried to use the big room with Kangeun’s father out of consideration for her.

But Kangeun’s father, Seongho, was always drunk and rambling.

He would shout and cry in his sleep, and when he saw Siheon, he would curse at him.

Then one day, he grabbed Siheon by the collar and wouldn’t let go, and Kangeun had to rush in and pull them apart for a long time.

From that day on, Siheon shared a room with Kangeun again.

It was Kangeun’s insistence that made the protesting Siheon lie down in her room.

And the next day, Kangeun, who had returned from school, saw a summer blanket hanging across the middle of the room’s ceiling and smiled.

“What is this.”

“…It’s uncomfortable for you, Noona.”

“I’m fine.”

“…I’m not fine.”

“I see. Our Siheon is going through puberty. You’re all grown up?”

“…Don’t say it like you’re teasing me.”

Kangeun, who had decided to respect the opinion of Siheon, who had become noticeably less talkative, bought a cheap curtain a few days later, and Siheon hung it up.

Although the silhouette of the person on the other side of the thin curtain was visible, they had both tacitly pretended not to notice and had lived while respecting each other’s space as much as possible.

It’s been a whopping ten years.

They had lived together for ten years.

Because they only had each other, they had been able to endure loneliness and pain.

‘How could we part ways after all that.’

‘How could we… how could I live without you.’

“Siheon-ah…”

“Yeah.”

“I can’t breathe…”

“Just one minute. No, three minutes. No, just five minutes.”

How come the time isn’t decreasing but increasing?
Kangeun chuckled at Siheon’s rare display of childishness and patted his shoulder.

Her mind was in a mess with the money problem that needed to be solved right away, but she didn’t want to let go of the current sense of peace.

Maybe a good idea would come to her if she thought about it with a clear mind tomorrow morning.

Kangeun, who had closed her eyes, feeling tired from crying, decided to think positively.

“Siheon-ah, shall we, hold hands and sleep for a change?”

“…Huh?”

Siheon, who had been holding her with all his might as if it would be a disaster if he let go, looked down at Kangeun with a dazed expression.

It was an expression she rarely saw, so a smile spread across Kangeun’s face as well.

“Like this.
Huh?”

Kangeun moved over to her space where the blanket was spread and drew the curtain.

Then she stuck her hand out from under the curtain.
Just for today, she wanted to go back to the old days and fall asleep holding Siheon’s hand.

“What are you doing.”

As she tapped the floor as if to urge him, a chuckle could be heard from behind the curtain.

Then, a large hand soon grabbed Kangeun’s hand tightly.

“You’re too strong. Relax a little.”

“I don’t want to.”

“What…”

“Hold it like this for now.”

The two, holding each other’s hands tightly, said nothing.

Kangeun, who had been trying to calm her messy heart with her eyes closed in the silence, suddenly realized the warmth of Siheon’s hand, which was hotter than hers, and turned her head in that direction.

Then, as if he had been waiting for her to look his way, Kangeun’s body was pulled close to the curtain by a pulling force.

“Ah…”

Kangeun, who was instantly pressed against the curtain, held her breath.

Was it just her imagination that she had met an intense gaze through the thin curtain?

Kangeun, who had quietly pressed her lips together, couldn’t even turn her head and looked at where Siheon was likely to be behind the curtain.

Then, for some reason, she felt a faint ticklish sensation rising from the soles of her feet and gradually spreading upwards.

It felt like her face and neck were tingling and getting hot.

‘This is a little strange…’

“Ah, I didn’t turn off the light.”

At Kangeun’s words, which barely broke the silence, Siheon let out a chuckle from behind the curtain.

Siheon let go of Kangeun’s hand and got up to turn off the light.

In the meantime, Kangeun moved a little away from the curtain she had been pressed against and lay down.

She lifted the hand that had been held by Siheon and gently pressed it against her heart, which was beating faster than usual.

It seemed she had been startled.

Thud, finally the light went off and Kangeun, who was quietly observing the dark room, listened with her ears pricked up to Siheon’s movements as he lay down, staring at the ceiling.

Unlike other days, it was a night where she was strangely sensitive to sounds and touch.

“Noona.”

At Siheon’s low and powerful voice, Kangeun’s eyes widened and she turned her head towards Siheon.

She was unconsciously clutching the blanket tightly.

“Huh?”

“Give me your hand.”

“Ah, yeah.”

Kangeun carefully extended her hand towards the large hand that had come over from under the curtain.

Then, unlike before, Siheon’s touch as he gently held her hand was cautious.

A sense of calm came over her like magic.

“Noona.”

“Yeah.”

“I’m sorry.”

“…What are you sorry for.”

“Everything. I’m sorry for everything.”

“For being young. For being powerless. For making things hard for you, Noona.”

“No. Don’t think like that. I’m living because of you.”

Hearing those words, Siheon didn’t say anything more.

He just gently rubbed Kangeun’s fingers and the back of her hand as if stroking them.

It was something Siheon used to do every night before he fell asleep, holding Kangeun’s hand when he was young.

Kangeun smiled at the forgotten ticklishness and closed her eyes.

While thinking that she couldn’t part with Siheon, no matter what.

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