Chapter 25

I wonder if it really matters who sleeps next to me.

They're not doing anything, they're just sleeping.

If something happens, it'll be a big problem.

I scratched my head and ate the last of my crisps.

My sisters put down their empty beer cans and joined in the hunt for crumbs.

"...."

"...."

"...."

It was like we were playing a guessing game. The three of us stared at the table, keeping quiet.

We could hear the bell on the door of the shop ringing as customers came in and out, and after about three rings, someone spoke.

"Firstly, why is your sister still sleeping in the Earth room?"

It was the eldest Geumbi sister, the most imposing of us, who spoke.

Although I was lucky that the arrow had been deflected away from me, I was surprised to have been taken by surprise.

"Well, it's not really a reason, but I feel safer and more comfortable sleeping with Terra..."

"Why is that?""It's not that Terra's bed or futon is particularly good."

"It's not the bed linen, it's the Earth herself... it's the fact that she's soft to lie next to."

"What kind of aromatherapy is that? He's talking rubbish."

"What?! But it's true..."

Geum-Bi looked at me as if I were crazy, while Soo-Jung bit his lip and groaned.

But there was no more logical explanation, no more rebuttal.

"Of course. At the start, you had no choice but me, but that's not the case now.

Maybe it's because you're used to it, or because you've done it so many times.

Pavlov's experiment with his dog, who was fed every time a bell rang, later started salivating at the mere sound of the bell.

He slept so well whenever he slept with me that he now sleeps soundly whenever he's next to me, so it's a kind of addiction.

I understood what was going on more quickly than Soo-jung, who had taken a step backwards.

Then the bell at the store rang and, naturally, I stepped between them.

"Geum-bi is right, this can't go on forever."

"Isn't that right? She's finally saying the right thing."

"But... isn't it true that she's having a hard time lately? Yesterday she had a fight and today she took me aside to talk to me."

"That's true."

"So, until she calms down... I think it's okay to stay here for a while."

I said what Soo-Jung would have liked to have said.

She said that she would confide in her younger sister because she was in trouble, words that were hard for the older one to say.

"Even if it's addiction, it will end sooner or later. It's you, not anyone else. You'll be back to normal in a week at most.

I didn't have to wait for my mum to come home.

I wanted to support her for a few days because she was like a mum to me.

That was just my quirky, clever idea.

"Yangjie."

"Huh?"

"Are you secretly saying you don't want to split up with Soo-jung?"

"Huh? What I said wasn't that."

"What's the point?" "Isn't the main point that you're going to sleep with her tonight and tomorrow?"

"It wasn't that tight..."

"When you sleep, don't you toss and turn and struggle? Isn't that right?"

"Well, I wouldn't say it's completely true."

"Look, there it is!"

I don't think she understood how sincere I was.

Instead, she summarised it by saying that it was just a matter of behaviour.

"That's true for Earth, but it's also true for you."

"Eh, eh?"

"I realise you have a lot to deal with, but why Earth? It's your first day, but you can trust me and the others now, and honestly, that's how it should be."

"That's... true."

"Then why don't you do it? Is there a reason you're from Earth?"

"It just... happened to be the way it was."

"Then let's change that. If there's another option, there's no reason to stay on Earth."

After me, Geumbi encouraged Soo-jung to make a decision and get married.

But Soo-jung hesitated to answer, and Geumbi nervously snapped her fingers on the table.

A noise.A moment later, the doorbell rang again.

After thinking about it for a while, Crystal spoke.

"But you know what, it's gold."

"What's that?"

"So... who's going to sleep with me, Goldie? Are you going to sleep with me?"

"Why me? There's Hwayeon and Mokhee."

"The earth is against it, but you want me to stay with your much younger brothers? They don't even know what's going on?"

"So... just me. My room is pretty big, so it doesn't matter much."

"I think it will."

"What does it matter?"

"Well, you've been singled out for your anxiety many times on Earth."

"Huh?"

"I know, the Earth has been in and out of your room, and last night you even slept in your room.

"Well, that's all just... coincidence..."

"Didn't I tell you that when we say that, we don't give reasons?"

"Ugh."

As expected, the Crystal Sister was the Crystal Sister.

With one swing of the knife, Geumbi, who had always been strong, flinched. Suzy used the momentum to swing the knife at her throat.

"Two unstable people together, do you think that's going to do much good?"

"That's... but big sister...."

"Besides, you leaned on Earth when you were in trouble, but asking me not to do the same doesn't make sense, does it? That's called naranambul, right?"

"No, it's not that. I'm just worried about you."

"What are you worried about? There's nothing to worry about between Earth and me."

"That's right, of course... woof."

Geumbi looked at me, then lowered her head.

I'm not sure if she thought it wasn't something to talk about here, or if she kept quiet because she'd done something wrong.

Maybe she was being considerate of me.I apologised, as I felt like I was making it a two-to-one situation.

I wasn't trying to ignore how she felt.

It was natural for me to see that a grown man and a grown woman slept in the same bed every night, even if they weren't related.

Also, I had recently got a criminal record that I can't reveal... Geum-Bi would have wanted to stop Soo-Jung no matter what.

If you had said it more gently, she would have understood," she said, "but you're a troublemaker in our family.

I don't know if Soo-Jung realised she had overreacted, but she didn't make any more attacks after the reverse gesture.

There was an awkward silence around the table once again, and now that we'd finished our beer and snacks, we couldn't just sit there and waste time.

"It's a nuisance for the temporary worker, so let's clean up, shall we?

I silently folded up the bag of snacks and collected the cans of beer.

Soo-jung followed me without saying anything to help clean up, while Geum-bi carefully put her own cans away without looking up.

Now that the rubbish is out of the way, it's time to get up.

But I was tired, so I asked the two sisters for their opinion one last time.

"I know I'm being a bit harsh, but you and Jinbi have your own opinions, so why don't we try to find a way to make them meet?"

"You mean like the way you said it before, Terra?"

"That's fine, and if you have a better idea, that's fine too."

Crystal thought about the way I'd said it, while Geumbi remained silent and seemed lost in thought.

I went into the shop, took my time with the recycling, bought the medicine for my hangover (which was far away) and left.

Jingle.

The bell rang loudly and my two sisters stood up from their seats.

However, they didn't leave the table, as if they still had something to say, and I put one of the endives in front of each of them.

"Goldie, do you have any other ideas?"

Crystal picked up the bottle first.

She unscrewed the cap, but didn't drink, waiting for Geum-Bi's answer.

"I've been thinking really hard, but I don't think it's there. But I think you're right, because it's an earth horse."

She finally looked up, ruffled her hair and picked up her drink.

I quickly did the same, opened the lid and made a toast with our glasses of beer.

"Sorry, Terra, I'm going to lean on you a bit more."

"I'll be your slave until you're better."

We talked some more, and I agreed to do what she said.

We promised to sleep in the same bed every night and took the medicine together.

The medicine was sweet, but it didn't make us feel better straight away.

Before the effects wore off, we smiled at each other without saying a word.

* * *

"Ahhh, the night air is nice. Walking soberises me."

"You're funny. Sister, you weren't even that drunk."

"Geum-Bi, you've been acting like a slut, are you going to carry on like this?"

"I'm sorry, but you were also being hard on me."

"Hmph, that's Sori. I said that to make sure, I'm sorry."

"Chit, don't you think it's better if you apologise gently?"

"Yes, that's why I apologised, so I could punish her."

"Anyway, you look like a fox with that innocent face."

"But... thank you for worrying about me. I love you, little brother."

"Aww, don't get too close. I'm hot from drinking, big sister!"

For better or worse.

On the way home, the sisters argued and apologised to each other, and finally held each other like lovers.

I thought to myself, "They seem to be 100 per cent sisters. Could it really be me?

If you asked me, I'd say no, but with two women who are exactly the same in everything they do.

I secretly wondered if I should do a paternity test and, if so, who I would compare them to.

"Terra, what are you doing? Your sisters have made up, you should come here and join them."

"No, why invite her? It's warm enough without her."

"Anyway, let's sleep in bed together. It'll be warmer with the duvet on, so let's practise."

"Don't practise anything, just put it on the floor. It's safer that way."

"Hmph, it's going to be a bit tight with three of us, but I'll think about your suggestion."

"Crystal, you shouldn't be drinking alcohol after taking a sleeping pill. Why are you sitting here thinking about this nonsense?

After all, it's my room and I shouldn't have to sleep on the floor.

I ran into the house to avoid Geum-bi's authoritative opinion and Soo-jung's head scratching in thought.

But that didn't change the fact that the two of them would soon be together in the same room.

"Hey, Yang Jiuzhi, I'm going to wash up first, so don't go into the bathroom."

"Awww, you're the first one in, but Ji-joo, if you don't mind, could you put some bed linen in the room first?"

I went to the bathroom to cool off, but Geum-bi's insistence and Soo-jung's antics forced me to turn back.

"Just wash up first, sisters, it's getting late, so don't take a long shower."

"Hmph, thanks. Goldie, are we going to wash together after all these years?"

"Don't be silly, you go first, I'll wait."

"Aww, you were so keen to get in there. Come on, now!"

"Oh, you're too old and awkward. I've already said I won't... Awww."

On the plus side, I was hoping that the shower time would be a little shorter, since my two older sisters were in there together.

But my hopes were dashed when the clock struck one o'clock.

"Hmph, that's good, get in there, Terra~."

"Come on, clean yourself up so you don't smell of alcohol."

The two of them stood closer together in the shower and didn't even think about getting out, arm in arm.

I thought to myself, "If this is how it's going to be, I really don't need me," as I soaped myself in the cool water.Late at night, my worries about whether or not this was the right thing spread like vapour.

"I don't know, I don't know. It's what we do day and night. It's nice to see two people at the same time.

Sisters are sisters, and that's all there is to it.

I left the changing room, determined to lose if I got embarrassed, and Soo-jung was waiting for me on the sofa.

"Sister, why aren't you in your room?"

"I forgot to dry my hair in the changing room. Geum-bi used the hairdryer on the second floor first and I was waiting to use the one on the first floor."

"Geum-bi, how long have you been drying your hair? It's been at least 15 minutes since I came in."

"Oh, of course I came down long before you, but besides... I wanted to see my sister's face after she washed while I was waiting."

Suzu made a noise and tilted her head slightly.

Her cheeks were resting on her hands and the way she looked at me, using the room's dim light as a beacon in the darkness... it was as if she was expecting something from me.

Well, I guess they weren't wrong about the fox.

I walked quickly towards Crystal Sister, as if hypnotised.

I held out my hand to her.

"Ikcha!"

"Kaha, our district is the best, after all."

I pulled my sister's arm, who was about to sit down, and lifted her up.

"Don't answer, just do me a favour. You didn't want to get up because you were still feeling tired after your shower, so don't make excuses."

"Sorry, my hair isn't dry yet, but I didn't want to go upstairs and you looked like you were going to leave any minute."

"Yes, yes. Right, go and dry your hair now, or you'll catch a cold."

"Thank you for your concern. Isn't it true that my brother is the best? Hehe."

"I tell all the children the same... I'll take the compliment. See you later."

I sent my wet-haired sister to the cloakroom and went into my room.

But even here, I couldn't lie down in peace, because Geumbi, who had a blank expression on his face, blushed.

"Why are you coming now, it's already too late."

"Come on, I was much quicker than you two."

"You're a boy, you should have been faster because you have shorter hair."

"You're more than just your hair, and I can't switch off the lights until Crystal's hair is dry."

I had already switched off all the lights except the one on the bedside table, but that didn't seem to satisfy Geum-Bi, who just wanted to sleep.

But I took my time applying the lotion, using Soo-jung as a shield, and for some reason she stopped questioning me and kept quiet.

"...."

"...."

It was night, but the room was quiet.

I was embarrassed, so I listened to the sound of the hairdryer in the changing room to see when it would stop. Then I heard a voice coming from the back.

"...Hey."

"What is it, sister?"

"Terra, are you... okay?"

"Huh? What?"

"Me and... had such a thing yesterday, why are you so indifferent?"

"Eh? Uh, no..."

I hadn't expected him to bring it up now.

I turned round, embarrassed, and saw Geumbi hiding behind the pillow with a red face.

"You always support Soo-jung and make strange suggestions."

"That's all it means..."

"I keep imagining things... ugh."

With that, she buried her face in the pillow.

The noise of the dryer hadn't stopped yet, but I didn't know what to say.

So I went to her side.

The closer I got, the more red her pointed ears became, but I didn't stop.

We were so close that I could put my finger tip between us.

My hand, which was hidden in the dark, started to gently rub her shoulder.