“Our little baby has grown so much…”
Already over 160 cm, yet Do-ah still feels so childlike.
“Ugh.”
It’s so soothing to poke at the baby fat on her belly and cheeks from behind.
“However, she still has a long way to grow before catching up to her unni.”
“Ah, don’t touch me!”
Hmm, at this age, was I a B-cup? Or maybe more of an A-cup?
Well, it’s kind of similar.
“The important thing is from now on. Will our Do-ah strongly inherit dad’s genes? It’s true daughters usually resemble their dads… but mom’s genes are always lurking like a hidden threat…”
“You’re such a weirdo, unni.”
“Hey.”
I’m sniffing Do-ah’s hair from behind as she pouts in annoyance like a doll.
─Vroom Vroom
My phone vibrates and interrupts me.
“What now?”
[Sender-Kim Seo-yoon]
It’s you again, Kim Seo-yoon.
“Ugh.”
Guess I better pick up.
“Yes, Seo-yoon, what’s up?”
─When are you coming? Didn’t you say you’d finish up today?
“Me? Around 8? Anyway, it’ll be just the right time when Na-eun unni finishes her schedule and comes to the dorm—”
─Uh-huh.
Clunk—
Ugh, annoying Seo-yoon.
I can tell you’re bored, so you called—
“Unni.”
“Yeah?”
“Going at 8?”
Hah, seeing this makes me want to laugh.
“Why? Don’t you want her to go early?”
“Not really.”
She’s trying to play it cool, but it’s obvious she’s curious; Do-ah’s cuteness makes me chuckle.
No matter how much she matures, she’s still a 14-year-old kid, and that innocence is just too adorable.
“I want to spend all day with our Do-ah too, but I gotta leave by 7 if I’m going at 8.”
“What do you mean?”
“Huh?”
“Weren’t you supposed to stay overnight with our princess?”
In the midst of all this, my mom, looking decades out of touch, brings over some sliced fruit with a disappointed expression.
“I thought after such a long time, you’d take a break…”
Yeah, it has been a while. If I exaggerate, it feels like half a year.
“Sorry, I’ve been busy working on new songs.”
My somewhat cool attitude only makes Mom sulk even more, and she starts grumbling.
“But your company is really something. You’ve still got year-end performances and schedules, and you need to rest when you can… No matter how much money is appealing, making you work on your songs during this busy time feels excessive from mom’s perspective.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, from my view…”
Well, honestly, I should nod along and complain about the company with her.
“But I made the schedule myself.”
That’s the truth.
“……”
“What?”
“-Why are you hitting me! What did I do! My brain is on a completely different level than yours, and it’s precious!”
“Oh please! Don’t call yourself a princess.”
“Ah, cancel! Cancel! Think of my money that’s helping your skin look good!”
In the end, while I’m getting hit, Do-ah has escaped my embrace.
“Is it good? I brought this since you were coming today.”
Only Dad, giving me a pat and feeding me fruit from his own hands, stays by my side.
“Ugh.”
Sigh, my dad really has it tough.
“I really feel sorry for Dad.”
“…Suddenly? What’s wrong? Dad is great!”
“Honestly, it’s hard to please Mom, right?”
“When it’s just me, Mom is nice.”
“Do-ah, you really want to die? Come here.”
So middle school is when puberty hits. If I were with Do-ah during her growth period, would she have turned out less twisted? It’s sad.
“Mom! Sister is bothering me again!”
“Hey, Do-hee! Didn’t I tell you to stop bothering Do-ah!”
Mom, who went to set the table, is only scolding me again.
“Sniff sniff.”
“Our daughter hasn’t changed at all.”
“You’re saying that’s a good thing, right, Dad?”
“Yeah, it’s good.”
“Looks like Dad knows.”
Maybe Dad really doesn’t know how mature Do-hee seems.
“Dad knows. It’s the best filial piety to be a bit childish even when you’ve grown up.”
“That’s right, our daughter is a perfect filial daughter in that sense.”
“Hmm, should I throw in a kiss for Dad? After all, I’m your filial daughter.”
“For real?”
“Of course! I could give you a peck on the lips too. Come here!”
Is there anything I can’t do for my daughter’s fan service?
I do feel a bit guilty for heading back to the dorms after just a few hours.
“Ah, then. You should feel honored. The only ones who’ve ever received a kiss from me are Dad, Mom, and Do-ah.”
“Wow, Dad hit the jackpot today?”
Honestly, it’s a bit embarrassing since it’s been a while… but seeing Dad’s face break into a big smile makes me feel quite good.
“Alright, now I need to give Do-ah a kiss.”
Our Do-ah ran away from my embrace.
“Ah, nooo.”
“Come on, my little one~”
“Ah, no, sister!”
I dragged the resistant Do-ah to my bed and laid her down.
“Yawn… I’m sleepy.”
I sprawled over her.
“Ah, sister, please stop this.”
“I’m going to sleep like this… yawn.”
“Ugh, you’re so heavy. It’s hard for me.”
“Sniff sniff, sister is trying so hard to diet. I’m only 50 kilos…”
“…Really?”
Huh? What’s with that reaction?
“Hey Do-ah, don’t tell me your weight is similar to mine? No way, you’re at least 10 cm shorter than me, right?”
“I don’t care, sister is heavy!”
So that little tummy I felt earlier wasn’t my imagination after all.
“But it’s okay, Do-ah, you’re in your growth phase. Looks like you’ll be shooting up soon.”
“Ah, no!”
You don’t have to be that embarrassed.
“And you’re just skinny. Look at this! My abs are super solid, right?”
“Ugh, stop it!”
I ignored all of Do-ah’s grumbling as I held her tightly to me, and she soon gave in, relaxing her body.
“We’re going to nap until we eat together.”
It’s learned behavior.
She knows that resisting won’t help.
“…I’m really going to get a lot of allowance.”
“Who’s going to give you allowance~?”
Honestly, the reason I’m bothering Do-ah today isn’t just that her reactions are cute and delicious.
“Do-ah.”
The real reason I stopped by today was because I had something to talk to Do-ah about.
Mom is setting the table, and we have about 20 minutes left…
“Do-ah will be 15 next year, right?”
“Yeah.”
I playfully nibbled on Do-ah’s neck, sensing her annoyance.
“Aw, my baby.”
“Oh, please don’t, unnie. It’s hard for me.”
I know that at 15, in 2nd year of middle school, she should be grown up, but Do-ah still feels like my little baby.
She’s actually younger compared to her peers, too.
“What should I get you for your birthday? A game console? A PlayStation?”
“…Hmm.”
“Take your time thinking and just message me.”
Our Do-ah was born late in December, so even though she’ll be 15 next year, she’s technically still only 12.
Watching her makes me worry a little.
I probably worry more than Mom or Dad do.
They might mistake it for me being a responsible sibling who believes that kids grow up just fine on their own.
“So, I’m really proud of our Do-ah.”
“What’s up with you, unnie?”
Of course, Do-ah started rejecting my sudden compliment.
“Our Do-ah is so considerate, even though she’s young.”
“Unnie, why are you like this… let go!”
But today, I won’t let her off the hook.
“And hardworking too.”
Do-ah studies quite hard; she’s never been first in class since elementary school, but she’s always in the top ten.
She also diligently learns the flute and got into an arts middle school.
“Yeah, but thinking it over, Do-ah is too mature for her age… it worries me a bit.”
I wonder if she learned that from me. My life in front of Do-ah has probably been a bit harsh for her, considering she’s just a little kid seeing everything for the first time.
“Unnie, you’re being weird.”
“Is that not normal?”
“Is it?”
“Hey, what’s with ‘is it’?”
So when Do-ah plays Nintendo, it puts me at ease.
When she asks for allowance, it feels nice. She really behaves her age.
“But what I’m most worried about is that our Do-ah is kind enough to always put up with annoying unnie like me.”
“Oh, unnie, you’re so strange.”
Even if I spin around and say things like this a hundred times, Do-ah will barely pay attention.
“Our baby, do you want to try standing on a stage like unnie?”
“…Huh?”
The truth is, Do-ah hadn’t shown it, but nobody in the family was unaware.
“You got scouted for street casting last time, right?”
“I’m not sure…”
“Really?”
“…But maybe a little.”
“Just a little?”
Since my debut, every time I asked Mom about what Do-ah was up to, she always answered that Do-ah was looking at me on the screen intently.
“Do-ah, I had a fight with the members recently.”
“With the unnies?”
“Yeah. Just a little. We were worried about each other. Funny, right?”
I’m actually relieved that I’m an idol. Mom and Dad probably focused all their attention on Do-ah during that time.
Maybe that’s why she grew up so beautifully.
“People are naturally emotional, so they often end up fighting over silly things. Sometimes, wars that kill thousands or tens of thousands of people start over the pettiest of feelings.”
“Turns out, wars where tens of thousands of people die often start over feelings that aren’t a big deal.”
“Yeah.”
“But, it’s a little unnecessary, but I can’t help but worry about Do-ah. Because she’s my beloved little sister.”
Do-ah, nestled in my arms, quietly listened to my words and nodded.
“What if I say something mean to her? I’m already worried…”
“But, if Do-ah says she wants to become a celebrity, I think you’ll worry even more.”
“Because I’d be scared she’d be compared to me for life. Once it’s known, the label of ‘sister of the idol’ will stick for good.”
“Then naturally, it’ll lead to gossip: who’s prettier? Who’s better? Who’s worse? Genes and all that nonsense.”
“But even if our Do-ah is a hundred times better than me, would those comments still come up?”
“Most people attach memories to the familiar, and naturally reject the new because of the unfamiliar.”
As I hugged Do-ah tight and spoke, I began to question whether I was saying something unnecessary.
Am I just trying to alleviate my own guilt by saying all this?
“Do-ah, but these worries of mine might really be unnecessary. I felt a lot of this while fighting with the members.”
“…Yeah.”
“Still, that’s how it is. I’m still worried about Do-ah, worried about the members. It just doesn’t work like my brain tells me.”
So I laughed for no reason. Talking about random things with a kid.
“Do-ah, I might seem silly, but if you find something you really, really want to do in school, whether it’s becoming an idol or whatever, just let me know.”
“Yeah.”
“Take your time to think about it. Even if you enter as a trainee in high school or college, it won’t be too late. Got it?”
“…Got it.”
I wonder how Do-ah took my words.
I really don’t know.
I just turned Do-ah’s body to face me.
Her eyes sparkling but transparent, her face breaking into a smile.
“Wow, whose little sister is so pretty?”
“…Sister.”
So cute, it drives me insane.
How do I share her with the world?
I can’t─.
“But honestly, I think I’m prettier. You got that camera treatment, right…?”
“…What?”
“Serious?”
“Hey.”
Looks like our Do-ah’s self-esteem… has all the potential to become a celebrity.
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