abcnovels
Chapter 43: Even When We're Apart, She Still Feels Close to Me (4)
Chapter 43: Even When We're Apart, She Still Feels Close to Me (4)
Chapter 43: Even When We're Apart, She Still Feels Close to Me (4)
TL: looloo
Schedule: 4/Week Wed-Sat
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A myriad of thoughts occupied me on the second day of our trip.
Even so, we leisurely spent the second day much like the first. Frolicking in the valley, trying to catch some crayfish, we eventually grew tired and stopped. For the record, we hardly caught any crayfish, and what few we did, we herded and caught with our hands. The net we used was rendered useless, its holes unfortunately larger than the crayfish. Absolutely amazing how simple-minded it all was.
So, after playing around for two or three hours, we returned home, idling with our phones or taking afternoon naps. Evening came, and once again, we grilled some pork belly, playing mobile games late into the night. The day passed in the blink of an eye.
And then, the day to return home finally arrived.
Heena gave me a wake-up call again this morning, but conscientiously, I stepped outside the room to take it. Afterward, I waited for the others to wake up, and we ate breakfast together. We wanted to play in the valley one last time before leaving, but sadly, raindrops began to fall from the early morning.
Consequently, the conversation shifted towards heading back earlier since playing in the rain was off the cards. Mrs. Uihyun, accommodating our wishes, agreed. After a brief discussion about our next steps, we decided to set off immediately. Frankly, aside from the valley, there wasn’t much difference from playing at home.
And for me, ever since waking up this morning, I had felt my heart pounding intensely all day.
Playing with friends here?
It was fun.
But, of course, I realized that without Heena, nothing in my recent life held significance. Particularly considering the thoughts I pondered alone yesterday, I decided to start putting them into practice from today.
[Heena: It’s a long drive, right? You’ll be tired, so go home, take another good nap, and rest well!]
Heena, who was pestering me about when I would arrive because she missed me so much even just this morning, sent this message, perhaps worrying about me when she heard I was returning early.
Of course, I had no such intention of resting. Because I missed her.
After boarding the car, and while sending brief messages every 15 minutes or so, I was filled with the real sensation of physically getting closer to Heena. A peculiar flutter filled my chest, and for some reason, I didn’t feel carsick today.
[Han Yeonho: Will you be at home today?]
[Heena: Yep. It’s raining, and... I’m going to study with a friend, so I'm getting that ready~]
I checked Heena's schedule one last time.
As always, there wasn’t any particular plan. It was a truly headstrong decision to just meet and think about what to do next.
[Kang Juhyun: Had a good time? Lol. What’s up, Yeonho. You even send messages now. Wanna meet next time?]
Replying to an old friend’s message from yesterday, I realized how crucial it was to take the first step, whether it worked out or not.
---
Raei Translations
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"Thank you! Goodbye!"
Expressing my gratitude to Auntie Uihyun who gave me a ride, I hurried down the road, umbrella in hand.
With steps as aggressive as my emotional state, I moved as quickly as possible, disregarding how the rain soaked my feet. Shortly after, I saw the entrance to Heena's apartment, a place I had visited before.
Since I had asked to be dropped off near Heena’s place, which isn't close to my home, I was able to arrive quickly.
-Drrrrr. And from across the apartment, I made a call, trusting, as always, she would answer promptly.
In response to my expectation, a reaction came even before the ringtone could sound a few times.
?Hello? Yeonho! What's up?
Hearing Heena call my name so brightly, my heart, refusing to calm, fluttered as I replied.
"I'm in front of your apartment right now."
?...Huh? Really? Why aren't you going home... Wait, no, hold on! I’ll be right out!
With that, I heard a flurry of movements before the call ended.
Even though I’d heard from my sister Yoonjung that girls need time to prepare, and showing up unexpectedly isn’t really a good move.
Still. Sometimes, impulses have their moments.
After all, not every action in life can be rationalized.
Listening to the rain, which brought silence around me, my gaze was fixed solely on the entrance from which Heena would emerge.
And not much later, there she was, Heena, hastily rushing out in comfortable shorts and a cardigan.
With no one else around, she quickly spotted me and ran forward.
"Yeonho-yah~"
Before she could ask me what was happening again, I folded up the umbrella and embraced her as she leaned into me.
I, too, held her tightly in return.
Yep, as expected.
No matter how many pictures are received, videos are given, or video calls are made.
Seeing her in person cannot be compared, not even a bit.
Under the awning of a building, feeling Heena's small, soft frame with my entire body, I held her close for a moment.
"Listen, Yeonho. Over there, look..."
Interrupting what Heena was trying to say, my lips sealed hers.
Her eyes widened in surprise but soon relaxed, accepting the kiss.
As always, Heena wrapped her arms around my neck, sharing the kiss, and when we momentarily parted, our eyes locked in a tender gaze.
"I missed you so much, I came without saying anything; is that okay?"
At those words, I saw a tremble in Heena’s eyes, a feeling that seemed to go beyond being moved, somewhat choked up.
"You e anytime, always."
"Really?"
"Yep...Did you miss me that much?"
"I've been in big trouble, thinking about you all day."
In response to my genuine, unfeigned words.
Heena’s arm strength gradually increased, to the point where my neck almost hurt.
As if she would never let go.
"By any chance, do you have sweet words to say?"
"Should I not?"
"No! It’s a quota from now on! You have to do it every day!"
"Sigh, I've got homework."
With that, I too, held Heena's waist a little tighter.
In that moment, I wanted to convey my feelings, my impulses, just a little more.
So, I aimed for another kiss from her.
But then.
"Yeonho..."
"Huh?"
"Over there."
Heena spoke, lowering one arm and pointing towards the apartment.
Following her direction with a slight shift of my eyes, a man stood there, vacantly staring our way while holding an umbrella.
At a fleeting glance, he sported distinctive, handsome features and a cropped haircut.
Who is that...
"That's my brother."
"......"
Ah.
This is trouble.
---
Raei Translations
---
"Yeonho, you like chocolate, right? This one is so tasty! Ah~"
"...Ah-"
I take a bite of the cake Heena is feeding me, amidst the dense, somber air.
After that despondent silence, we followed Heena’s suggestion to enter a café since it was challenging to converse outside. We went to a place we frequently visited.
Heena and I sat side by side, and across from us, her brother, neither angry nor amused, looked at us with a peculiar expression on his face.
Incredibly.
The first time he saw my face was probably in that insane video of me performing a kissing motion.
Moreover, today he witnessed his little sister and I sharing a heartfelt hug and kiss in real time.
The fact that I’d shown such a thing to my girlfriend's brother made this moment feel like hell.
However, despite his expression, he surprisingly didn’t seem to mind witnessing that mushy display of affection. He casually conversed with Heena, with me sitting right in front of him.
"Hey, stop feeding him."
"Brother, be quiet. Yeonho must be tired from driving here."
"No, what the... Ugh, never mind. Your name is Yeonho, right? Can I speak informally to you?"
"Ah, yes! Of course! Thank you for the treat."
"Forget it."
The drink in front of me and the cake Heena was feeding me were all paid for by Heena's brother.
Although my nervousness prevented me from even touching the beverage.
"I kind of know everything since this girl talks so much about you at home... My name is Lee Heeseong. Just call me hyung."
"Yes, Heeseong hyung."
"You can ditch the honorifics."
"Well... It's our first meeting, so that's a bit..."
"No, I just never accept them. Nobody around me uses honorifics with me."
He seems genuinely annoyed, waving his hand dismissively.
My deeply ingrained respectfulness wouldn’t usually permit it, but refusing when he insisted so strongly wasn’t proper either.
"Alright then... no, just alright, hyung."
"You're getting it."
"Stop putting pressure on Yeonho, brother."
"......Does it bother you?"
"......No, not at all."
More than pressure, it’s awkwardness that’s dominant. Displaying my usual sociability is difficult, especially after the kiss scene we presented earlier.
I should have listened when Heena tried to tell me something before that kiss!
"Anyway... I've heard a lot about you."
"Kind of scary to think what stories you might have heard."
"I saw the video you sent yesterday, too."
"I apologize for defiling your eyes..."
"What are you talking about? It was so cute!"
While I offered my apology sincerely, Heena raised her voice from beside me.
It's fine if only Heena finds it cute, but to another person, especially a man, it was undoubtedly a terrorizing video.
In any case, while navigating through the awkwardness, exchanging a few words here and there, Heena picked up her phone and stood up from her seat.
"I'll be right back after taking a call from Mom."
Saying so, Heena walked toward a corner of the store. It seemed like she might also take a quick restroom break, judging by the direction she was heading.
In other words, she wasn't coming back anytime soon.
I sipped through the straw of my just-started fruit juice, slightly lowering my eyes.
While I was feeling the awkwardness and choosing words to say, fortunately, Heeseong hyung initiated a topic from his end.
"She wasn’t originally like that, you know?"
The introduction was a bit out of the blue.
"But she changed suddenly about two or three months ago. Probably since she started dating you."
"Ah, I've heard that from your mother...heard it."
Honestly, it was hard to speak informally because it was our first in-depth conversation. Nonetheless, I continued without minding whether or not he understood my hesitation.
"Even though we're siblings, she used to just occasionally go out with friends or quietly study. I was curious because she changed so much."
"But she seemed like that from the first time I met her..."
"That's why it’s even more interesting. I wonder what she saw in you. She says it was love at first sight... Ah, I'm not saying there’s something wrong with you."
Hmm. A valid question, and I had nothing to say.
"We talk often, but I only hear about it through conversations."
Heeseong hyung spoke up to this point, wearing a strange expression.
"I also heard stories from when you two went on a beach trip."
"?Pfft!!!"
I spat out my drink.
What?!
It was clear what that story meant. Surely, she didn’t tell her brother that kind of stuff?!
"Ah, of course, I didn’t hear it from Heena, but rather, indirectly through Mom and Dad. But, does she tell her parents that kind of stuff? I was surprised when I heard it."
"Phew..."
I agreed with hyung while also feeling relieved. Even Heena, surely... It was shocking enough that she’d tell her parents, let alone her brother.
"Anyway, whatever. We do have fights, but after all, I’m her brother. There were worries, but...also things to be thankful for."
"What things?"
"To be frank, my sister is quite good-looking, isn’t she? Yet she made that choice. Her mind is sharp, but unexpectedly, she seems to lose it when it comes to you."
"...She does seem to have that side to her."
"If it were my girlfriend and me, I would have definitely teased her."
To be honest, hyung seems to have a very playful vibe from the outside. To the extent that if I had seen him on the street, I might have subtly avoided him. However, while talking about his sister right now, Heeseong hyung truly felt like a brother.
"I both understand and don’t, but as a brother, I was thankful. It's better seeing her now compared to when she only studied. It seems like you think a lot about her too. Has she talked about meeting me once? I just wanted to say that."
Furthermore, the gentle smile and the way he continued talking somehow overlapped with Heena’s image, making me think, they really are siblings.
"Even before being discharged, I damn heard a lot about you through messages and calls, and even after coming back, hearing about you all day can be somewhat irritating at times."
"I am really sorry..."
"It's fine."
When I bowed my head to apologize, feeling somewhat ashamed due to Heena’s well-anticipated mischief, he snickers and lets it slide.
"Keep dating well in the future. You'll experience all sorts of things while dating, but I'm not going to spout nonsense like 'don’t make her cry.'"
"If Heena cries, it’s always going to be my fault."
"...The way you two talk is incredibly similar.."
Seeing the disapproving shake of Hyung’s head somehow eased the tension, allowing a subtle smile to grace my own features too.
Despite being quite a different type compared to Heena, Heeseong hyung revealed similar aspects.
For some reason, he really grew on me.
---
Raei Translations
---
"Sorry~ Took a bit longer, didn’t it? The call dragged on...Yeonho?"
Heena, returning to her seat a bit later than expected, called me, but I was so focused on the conversation with Heeseong that I couldn't pay attention.
"Wow, bro, you haven’t been discharged for that long, have you? Already aced this?"
"There was a time I considered going pro in gaming, you know."
"There are pros for this kind of game?"
"Just saying. Figure it out."
A little while ago, I was covertly finding his personality likable, and since he’s Heena’s brother, I felt very at ease with him. Above all, after chatting, I realized that he loved gaming almost as much as I did.
A magical topic that, for most guys, can rapidly close distances. Even our game tastes were similar, so our conversation was incredibly smooth.
In some respects, even more so than with my own brothers. While my brothers mainly played online games, I enjoyed single-player games a lot when I was alone.
Heeseong was the same.
"I wanted to play that too, but I don’t think it would run on my computer."
"A guy who’s never been in the army hasn’t tried Elden Ring? Is your graphics card crappy?"
"It’s not that bad, but it's been a while since I got it. It's from the 1000 series."
"That must be tough, then. No PlayStation either?"
"Of course not..."
"Do you want to try it at my place later? The first thing this brother did after being discharged was to fully set up a computer."
I felt my heart being pierced by that gentle offer.
"Oppa!!"
"Yeah."
"...Yeonho?"
"Ah, you’re back?"
"......"
Although Heena sits down and calls me again, I briefly respond and refocus on the conversation with Heeseong.
"But I planned to study with Heena for the rest of the vacation..."
"You’re not doing it every day, are you?"
"That’s true."
"Come on the days you’re not. Do you have to come only to see her? I’ll give you my phone number, so contact me in advance if you're coming."
"Whoa, really? Thank you!"
While happily entering his phone number, suddenly the table shook slightly.
What’s happening? As I looked around, I saw Heena, trembling.
"......Go home."
"Huh?"
"Oppa, go home now! Yeonho and I are going to have a date!!"
"Oh, why the hysteria all of a sudden? We’re having a good time, aren't we?"
"Quickly!! Yeonho! Am I important, or is brother important?!"
Hey, this is some crazy ultimatum.
At the same time, I wondered if this was a real side she showed to her family.
It wasn’t just a loud voice, but a shrieking that I could never mimic.
"Of course, it’s you."
"Then, what's more important, me or the game?!"
"......You."
Oops.
Heena, who usually never brought up such things about gaming, caught me off guard, so my response was slightly delayed. She was always so understanding about me playing games.
Not a worry, but a fluster had caused that brief pause, and how that was perceived by Heena, her eyes welled up with tears as her face turned a bright red.
However, Heena’s anger afterward was not directed towards me.
"Oppa, just go!! Leave!!"
"Whoa, your boyfriend likes gaming more than he likes you and you're angry with me? That’s pretty unreasonable."
"I said get out!!!"
"Ah, fine. Hey! Contact me later!"
"Sure~ Bye, bro!"
"Go away!!"
Once Heeseong, driven away by Heena, disappeared from view, only then did her eyes turn towards me.
Her eyes conveyed not so much anger, but more of a 'I’m really upset right now', so I hastily threw out an excuse.
"Heena, you know you’re much more important to me than the game, right?"
"...Are you sure?"
"Of course! I just got flustered because you don’t usually say things like that. Is there something bothering you?"
"......Then don’t just say it, show me with your actions."
With that, Heena clung to me.
It took a lot of effort to soothe her. I gave her numerous kisses, held her tight. I engaged in all sorts of physical affection.
And continuously voiced my excuses.
'I tried to get along with Heeseong hyung because I see you as my sister too.'
'Then! Why would I go there without you? If I go, it will only be when you’re there.'
And so on.
Sigh.
Come to think of it, I impulsively went all out because I wanted to treat Heena better.
What on earth have I done?
Author's Note:
I just used Elden Ring because it’s a game name I've heard a lot lately.
I'm definitely not playing it or anything. Really.