Chapter 58: A Stroke of Strange Coincidence
It had already been ten days since discharge.
The first week of February had passed.
And tomorrow was the day when Seo Juhwan's independent living would begin.
The night before starting independent living.
Seo Juhwan's parents sat him down in the living room and spoke.
"Son, since you've decided to live independently, make sure you work hard at school. Tell us if you need side dishes."
Seo Aera looked at him with worried eyes and spoke. She seemed very anxious about her son starting independent living for the first time.
Seo Juhwan gave a bitter smile.
It was only natural for her to worry, as he had been a timid son who had suffered from all sorts of misfortunes until now. He could understand his mother's concern. Though he had changed a lot recently, to his parents' eyes, he would still seem like a small child placed by the water's edge.
However, his misfortune and timidity were things from before his regression.
To reassure his parents, Seo Juhwan smiled brightly on purpose and spoke.
"Haha. Don't worry. What you've packed is already more than enough."
"That won't last long. Tell us right away when the side dishes run out. If you only eat delivery food, you'll ruin your health."
Seo Jaepil spoke with a blunt expression and worry.
Seo Juhwan smiled softly. His father, who had readily permitted independent living, seemed to be worried now that the time had come.
Feeling embarrassed by his father's concern, which didn't express emotions strongly, he scratched the corner of his eye.
Seo Juhwan stood up and spoke.
"Mother, Father. Let me give you a massage before I go."
"Oh my, really? It's been so long since I've received a massage from my son."
"Hmm. What's that about? I'm not old yet."
"You really are. Just accept the massage your son is offering!"
"Ah, fine. I'll accept it."
When Seo Aera glared with widened eyes, Seo Jaepil immediately backed down. Even though she was short for a woman, Seo Aera was the strongest person in the Seo family household.
'Holy Touch. Lucy, can we exclude the excitement increase from this?'
[That's possible.]
Holy Touch has three effects.
The first is increasing the opponent's excitement level, the second is a massage effect. The third effect, which he hasn't used yet, is a mild healing touch.
Seo Juhwan activated the second and third effects of Holy Touch and kneaded his mother's shoulders.
"Ah. Son, your massage skills have improved? Did you learn it somewhere? Ah, that spot feels so good. Ah, it's so refreshing."
"Hmm. Making a fuss over just a massage."
Seo Jaepil murmured quietly, seemingly dissatisfied about being overwhelmed by his wife in front of his son.
But that was only for a moment.
"Huh! H-he, Juhwan you brat… Huh! Th-there, press that spot a bit more."
A more dramatic reaction came from Seo Jaepil than from Seo Aera. He had many tensed muscles from cooking all day at the tteokbokki restaurant. With continuous "huh" sounds, his expression became drowsy.
The next day.
Seo Juhwan bowed deeply to his parents and left the house.
Looking out the bus window, he thought.
'It's a familiar landscape.'
Though he had left Gwangmyeong, where his family home was, the landscape outside the bus window was still familiar.
It was the landscape from ten years ago, when he was attending university.
*
Second day of independent living, on the weekend.
Visitors came to Seo Juhwan's place.
"Hi, Oppa Hwan! I came to help!"
"Hey. I came to repay your favor."
Han Soo-ah and Seo Juhui had come to help organize his place.
Seo Juhui, who entered the apartment, looked around with surprised eyes and spoke.
"What? I thought it was obviously a one-room apartment, but it's a two-room? Oppa, did you take out a loan or something?"
"Where would I even borrow from?"
"That's true, but... it's just that a person who just got discharged from the military is living in a two-room, you know."
"I earned it from writing. Just think of it as your brother being more capable than expected."
"Seriously? You earned it from writing? Your skills are really good? Do Mom and Dad know?"
"Since they don't know, zip it."
"...Why are you only harsh with me? Isn't the temperature difference in how you treat Sua way too extreme?"
"What are you suddenly saying?"
Seo Juhwan looked at his younger sister with an incredulous expression.
Why was he only harsh with her? That was a seriously strange thing to ask. When had they ever spoken to each other softly and accepted each other's words?
Of course, when they were very young, they had been in an ideal sibling relationship—an older brother who took good care of his younger sister and a younger sister who followed such an older brother.
'Have I changed with her too?'
That ideal sibling relationship lasted only a moment. As they grew older, if they contacted each other once or twice a year, it was fortunate. They had become ordinary siblings.
...Now that he thought about it, it seemed like Seo Juhui had always been the one to contact him first.
Had he been too indifferent?
Seo Juhwan thought that she was his only younger sister, so he should get along better with her.
"Tchi..."
Seo Juhwan, lost in thought, and Seo Juhui, puffing out her cheeks dissatisfied.
Seo Juhwan placed his hand on his cute younger sister's face and pressed her cheek firmly, squishing it.
"Eep?!"
"What's with the cuteness act? Do you have a death wish?"
Separate from the thought that he should get along better, he couldn't condone his real younger sister's cute act.
Seo Juhui complained, wrinkling the corners of her eyes as if wronged.
"Geez. I'm going to tell Mom about the two-room!"
"Even if you tell her, I don't mind, but isn't it a bit annoying? You don't need a birthday present? I earned a lot of money."
"…Hehe. Oppa, where should we start cleaning? Should we start by sweeping the floor?"
"Alright, Jungsoon. Let's make it nice and sparkling."
"Yes!"
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