While my own brother didn’t even bother to reply, his friend was willing to skip class just to drive me to the charnel house. Just as Kang Euihyun had said before, I was the only one who would feel the loss if he stopped playing the role of an older brother.

“Isn’t it strange?”

The excitement in my voice and the bounce in my step couldn’t be hidden. I wasn’t sure if it was appropriate to feel this way while on my way to observe my parents’ death anniversary.

“What is?”

“That my mom is currently at home, yet I’m going all the way to the charnel house to greet her.”

I told Kang Euihyun that my mother had returned. He carefully observed the relief written on my face and simply replied that he understood, and with that, the half-day commotion came to an end.

“You should greet your father, too.”

Kang Euihyun was the only person who responded nonchalantly even when I brought up the existence of my mother’s ghost. Yoo Dokyeom, on the other hand, would shudder in horror if I so much as looked into thin air. Other people who knew my parents had passed away would likely react similarly.

“Today is Jeong Sujin’s birthday, isn’t it?”

I tested the waters casually as I climbed into the car and fastened my seatbelt.

“Aren’t you going there?”

“I’m meeting her in the evening.”

Of course. A man who bestows equal kindness upon everyone wouldn’t have dropped everything just for me.

“You’re quite busy. Taking care of this person, then that person.”

I grumbled openly, glancing back at the rear seat. There sat a paper shopping bag with a cosmetics brand logo on it. I didn’t even have to guess who the owner was.

It took an hour by car to reach the charnel house. As the surroundings became more secluded, I found myself glancing at my phone more frequently. Would Yoo Dokyeom arrive on time? Or had he already been there? Just for today, I wanted us to pretend to be siblings who got along in front of our parents. My mother would know the truth anyway, but I wanted to at least put on a facade.

“Dokyeom will probably be there,” Kang Euihyun said as he pulled into the parking lot. 

“He said he was buying new flowers.”

Kang Euihyun had been working hard as the mediator again. Between a pair of siblings with terrible personalities, he was struggling alone simply because he was the best friend.

When we went inside, just as Kang Euihyun had said, Yoo Dokyeom was standing in front of our parents’ urns. The wreath hanging in front of the niches had also been replaced with a new one.

“You’re here?”

Yoo Dokyeom greeted us upon noticing our arrival. It was a sorry thing to say to Kang Euihyun, but I was glad he was here. If it weren’t for Kang Euihyun, the Yoo siblings would have either parted without saying a word or, in the worst-case scenario, fought again in front of their parents’ ashes.

I tucked the letter I had prepared yesterday between the floral wreath. There was so much sorrow I wanted to pour out to my parents, but since I didn’t want to sob in front of Yoo Dokyeom, I wrote a letter every time I visited. The light-blue stationery was filled with a loneliness known only to me and my parents.

“Take my car when you leave.”

I was staring at an old family photo of us all together when I heard Kang Euihyun’s voice from behind.

“I’d be grateful for the ride. Taking the bus was far. Do you have plans tonight?”

“Yeah.”

“Girlfriend?”

“She’s not my girlfriend.”

Yoo Dokyeom let out a scoff. I pretended to fiddle with the envelope, trying to tune out the conversation happening behind my back.

“Are you still walking on eggshells because of Yoo Chaewon?”

But Yoo Dokyeom wasn’t the type to leave me alone.

“How long are you going to stay single because of her? What blood do you share with her? You’re just an older brother and younger sister acquaintance, so why can’t you date whoever you want?”

Yoo Dokyeom was the person who noticed my feelings the fastest after Kang Euihyun. At first, he ignored it, thinking it was just a child’s innocent crush, but as time passed and I continued to cling only to Kang Euihyun, he began to find my feelings creepy. He was also the one who hurled the harshest words at me, saying that there was no way I’d ever catch Kang Euihyun’s eye and that if my gender were reversed, I would have been reported to the police long ago.

“Want to come along?”

Kang Euihyun ignored Yoo Dokyeom’s nagging and asked a random question.

“Come along where?”

“To celebrate Sujin’s birthday.”

Sujin. He called her Sujin. I stared at the young Yoo Chaewon held in my father’s arms in the photo, chewing over Kang Euihyun’s low voice. It was a natural way to address her, but the reason my heart sank was because of the affectionate warmth in that voice.

“Why would I go there? You two should have some intimate time.”

“The more people celebrating, the better.”

“At this rate, you’ll even bring Yoo Chaewon?”

“If Chaewon is okay with it, she can come too.”

“Are you actually insane?”

I took my eyes off the photo and turned toward Kang Euihyun. There seemed to be no malice in the man’s handsome face. It was clear he hadn’t even conceived of some wicked plot to crush my spirit by showing me how cozy he and Jeong Sujin were.

Literally, he just needed many people to celebrate Jeong Sujin’s birthday. That simplicity tightened my chest in pain. Kang Euihyun couldn’t even imagine how many times his kindness trampled over me.

“Sure, I’ll go.”

“Hey, Yoo Chaewon.”

Yoo Dokyeom cut in, glaring at me.

“What are you planning to do there? Just go home quietly, okay? Don’t think about interfering with someone else’s relationship.”

“I’ve eaten with Jeong Sujin before. We’ve even visited an exhibition together. Don’t overreact.”

Yoo Dokyeom looked at his friend, his face asking if I was serious.

“Does your girlfriend know? That she’s a crazy stalker who’s been chasing you for over ten years.”

“Did you finish greeting your parents?”

No one could beat Kang Euihyun at the art of changing the subject. Yoo Dokyeom could only sigh in absurdity, and I took one last look at my parents’ urns.

I still hated being an unwelcome guest, and being a pathetic supporting character who helps complete the protagonists’ love was more terrible than anything. However, I wanted to see a crack in Kang Euihyun’s composed face. I wanted to make the man, who ignored my devotion so blatantly, realize just how obsessive I am.

“Let’s stop by a flower shop on the way.”

I gave Kang Euihyun a sweet smile.

“It would be awkward to go empty-handed.”

***

While I had to put in constant effort to appear like a good girl, Jeong Sujin didn’t need to do that at all. If she had come out thinking it was a date for just the two of them, she might have struggled to manage her expression upon finding uninvited guests, but the woman seemed genuinely touched by the news that people had come to celebrate her birthday.

“Happy birthday, Unnie.”

“The flowers are so beautiful. Thank you, Chaewon.”

Holding the pink bouquet and smelling its fragrance, Jeong Sujin was beautiful even in my eyes. A similar kind of beauty to Kang Euihyun. They suited each other so well that I couldn’t understand why their relationship was still going nowhere. To use an old expression, they were a perfect match.

“I’m sorry for coming so suddenly. My sister kept saying she really wanted to see you, Sujin.”

Yoo Dokyeom smirked as he looked at me. He had noticed the inferiority complex inside me. He seemed genuinely happy that a woman with a beautiful face and a kind personality had taken the spot beside his best friend.

The birthday celebration took place at a restaurant with a relaxed atmosphere. Once Jeong Sujin went inside and took a seat, Kang Euihyun naturally took the spot next to her. Following them in, I was forced to sit opposite them. This was within the range of what I had prepared myself for.

“I didn’t manage to bring a gift, so dinner is on me.”

Yoo Dokyeom bragged while eating the pre-meal bread. Despite not attending his classes, not working, and living off the money his parents left behind, his specialty was pretending to be the son of a wealthy family wherever he went. I wondered why on earth Kang Euihyun was friends with Yoo Dokyeom.

“Oh, really? Then I’ll have to eat a lot today. You eat a lot too, Chaewon.”

Jeong Sujin consistently looked after me. I wondered how Kang Euihyun had introduced me. Did she think of me as something like a future sister-in-law? If so, that would be the worst.

The ordered food arrived, and the server brought out a cake with a lit candle. The meticulous Kang Euihyun had prepared the cake in advance. A bright smile spread across Jeong Sujin’s face under the yellow light.

“We have to sing.”

Yoo Dokyeom started the song, clapping his hands. 

“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you.” 

I watched Kang Euihyun’s lips. He would likely recite the next words without a second thought.

“Happy birthday to our beloved Sujin.”

It was as expected. Kang Euihyun didn’t place much weight on the lyrics of a song. The only ones conscious of it were me, with my nerves on edge, and the shy Jeong Sujin.

“Now, you have to make a wish first.”

At Yoo Dokyeom’s fussing, Jeong Sujin closed her eyes for a moment and then blew out the candle. I wondered what she wished for. To get together with Kang Euihyun? But she probably didn’t need to attach such a grand name as a ‘wish’ to that. Because for her, it was a future naturally given. That was the kind of wish someone like me would make.

“This is the first time I’ve seen Euihyun take care of a girl’s birthday. We’ve been friends since we were eight.”

Yoo Dokyeom chatted away excitedly, like a fish in water.

“He’s received many confessions in the meantime, but he never gave them a second glance. I even seriously asked him if he was gay once.”

The sound of Jeong Sujin’s laughter was clear and bright.

“Wow, if you’ve been close since you were eight, you’ve been friends for almost your whole lives. That’s amazing.”

“It’s because Euihyun has a good personality that he’s my friend. Where else in the world would you find a guy who puts up with his friend’s sister’s temper?”

“Temper? Chaewon is so kind.”

“Kind my ass. She’s just acting innocent because she’s in front of you. Once she gets home, she flips 180 degrees and has no respect for her brother or anyone.”

Yoo Dokyeom seemed intent on crushing my spirit right then and there. While Kang Euihyun remained silent, Yoo Dokyeom was the only one making a scene.

“Why? I’d like to have a sister like this. Chaewon is popular, right? I bet a lot of guys ask for her number.”

“A lot do.”

It wasn’t me who answered, but Kang Euihyun. The man, who had been silently eating, participated in the conversation for the first time.

“There are often guys who leave notes when she’s studying in the library. Posts also go up on the university community with her description, asking what major she’s in.”

“Wow, really? That happens in co-ed schools. We’re a women’s university, so that never happens.”

“She’s popular?”

Yoo Dokyeom let out a loud snort.

“If they knew her personality, they’d all run away. Who would want to stick by her?”

“There are some who can’t give up even if they know her personality.”

“Are they all brainless over there? Just drooling over a face.”

“They seem to have their heads attached. Seeing as they can’t just confess blindly.”