The first time I met Chiyo’s mother, she surprisingly didn’t resemble her daughter.
[Hello, I’m Chiyo’s mother.]
Putting looks aside, her polite Japanese greeting was so sweet that it caught me off guard.
[Thank you for always helping Chiyo…]
It felt like something out of a Japanese animated movie.
Speaking of which, Chiyo often claims she’s a very demure lady in Japan, but it’s a ridiculous assertion.
“Sigh… Seeing her mother, it weirdly starts to feel plausible…”
Maybe it’s actually the Korean patch that’s the problem.
“But didn’t Chiyo already learn some Korean before she came here? She spoke pretty well, right…?”
I still had questions, but asking Chiyo’s mother about the authenticity of her claims right off the bat would be rude.
So, I offered some formal pleasantries.
[No, no, we also receive a lot of help from Chiyo Unni!]
Chiyo’s mother reacted with a bright smile and a high-pitched voice.
[Oh my goodness, really…? That’s such a relief. My child has been a bit of a troublemaker and not very composed since she was little…]
So that was her biggest worry…
No need for water on that…
By the way, it seems like her mother is a fan of mine.
[I watched every broadcast when you were with Seven, especially the ones with Do-hee and Seo-yoon. At first, I just thought they were Chiyo’s friends, but they are both so cute and pretty and fun~ I’m just so happy they’re friends with Chiyo~]
The unnis were curious and asked about my conversation with her mother.
Especially Seo-yoon Unni.
“What did your mom just say? It sounded like something good?”
“Oh, she said she was totally my fan back in the Seven days. Said I’m cute and pretty.”
“Wait, my name was mentioned too! I heard it. Seo-yoon-chan.”
I hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“Ah… technically, she was more of a fan of me than you…”
“Really?”
“Yeah… I can’t lie about it…”
Simultaneously, Na-eun Unni and Woo-ah Unni stopped Seo-yoon Unni from getting all riled up.
“Hey, hey. Would you believe that?”
“Unni, just let it go.”
“Yeah, it’s just a joke, Seo-yoon.”
“Chiyo’s mother wouldn’t start our first meeting by saying, ‘Seo-yoon-chan is not that great, but Do-hee-chan is really good…’ in such a sweet tone, would she? Come on!”
“Oh…”
Smart move, Seo-yoon Unni.
“I guess after being pranked once, you build up some resistance…”
Back in the Seven days, I must have really made an impact when I lied during a Japanese broadcast.
“You’re really going to get it now.”
Ah, memories.
Honestly, being rolled up in a mat in the dorm back then was quite fun…
“Oops. Actually, she was a fan of both of us. She even looked up all your Japanese broadcasts, saying you’re super cute and pretty.”
“Actually, it turns out that my Unni and I were fans of each other. They even searched through all the Japanese broadcasts, and they say my Unni is super cute and pretty.”
When I told Seo-yoon Unni she’s cute again, she softened a bit.
“Ugh… I really need to study Japanese more seriously from now on.”
Thanks to that, Seo-yoon Unni’s motivation for foreign language study increased, which is a good thing.
Of course, she should focus on her English studies first.
Korean song lyrics have English in them, after all.
Anyhow, after a simple greeting with Chiyo’s mother,
Chiyo Unni and her mother had an emotional reunion at the accommodation.
The Unnis and I were ready to head out again.
Stopping by the accommodation was just a surprise for Chiyo Unni; we still had a vacation schedule left to meet our families.
In the meantime, Seo-yoon Unni started gathering whiskey, placing it carefully on the shelf.
As if it were some ridiculous fuss, while she wasn’t even going to drink it.
That whiskey was actually bought almost a year ago.
It was booze purchased at the duty-free shop early this year.
It was a trap set by the adult Ha-rang Unni who had turned 21 first.
“No, if you’re an adult, you should at least have some booze like this, right?”
There were three members of Seven who had just recently turned adult this year.
Chae-rin, Seo-yoon, and Sara Unni.
Of course, Chae-rin Unni ignored them as usual and went her own way.
“What are you saying, Unni? Stop talking nonsense.”
And Sara Unni wasn’t listening since she was stuck to me.
“Do-hee…! Since I’m an adult now…!”
“Oh, must be nice.”
The only person who got swayed was Seo-yoon Unni.
“Hmm… that’s not bad.”
I guess that whiskey would still be around by the time I turned 21, so I’ll have to drink it in celebration then.
*
On the way to pick up my Unni.
The click-clack sound of the car’s turn signal can be heard.
Strangely addictive and oddly sleepy noise.
Drowsiness began to take over, and Do-ah nodded off.
“Do-ah, sleep a little~ Dad will wake you up soon.”
“Mm…”
Do-ah laid out straight in the backseat.
Her eyes closed.
And when she opened her eyes again in a groggy daze, she was quite irritated.
“Hey, look at this girl?”
A playful voice.
“Your Unni just came in and you’re feeling sleepy?”
Still lying down, Unni climbed on top and wrapped her arms around her snugly.
“Aaah, stop it!”
With Do-ah’s habitual childlike whining,
Unni laughed more and kissed her.
Do-ah realized her mistake.
And then she adjusted her tone and said quite firmly again.
“Stop it. I said stop.”
In just a few hours, she’d be 14.
No longer a child, after all.
“Oho.”
Of course, Unni’s expressions of affection only grew stronger in response to Do-ah’s rebellion.
“I wonder how much our Do-ah has grown! Hehe.”
Still, Do-ah couldn’t push Do-hee away.
If she even nudged her slightly, Unni would sulk.
It was a habit learned since childhood.
“Do-hee, isn’t Daddy going to hug you~?”
“Ah, wait a minute. There’s an order.”
Above all, if the older sister gets sulky, Dad gets sulky too.
It was already a pre-set family hierarchy I was born into.
I had to adjust accordingly.
And I was the youngest who was trying hard for peace.
Of course, it was possible to say this because there was something to give, like the birthday present Do-ah prepared a few days ago.
*
The bell rang on New Year’s Eve.
“Happy New Year!”
“Our princesses~ you’ve both turned a year older~? Our little one is 14, and our star is 18~”
Our family shared New Year’s wishes while clinking drink glasses.
“Mom, congratulations on turning 42~”
“Can you be quiet?”
Just when the mood was nice, the violent mom acted as if she was about to smack someone.
Even when congratulating her, she’s like that.
“Dad, congratulations on turning 46~”
On the other hand, Dad received my congratulations happily and gently.
“I’m so glad to spend the New Year together with my daughters. Thank you for the congratulations~”
“Right? It’s not easy to get a congratulations from Korea’s most famous teenager, Do-hee Lee.”
This balance seems to be the harmony between Mom and Dad.
Sweet Dad and spicy Mom.
Thinking back, Mom was so kind when I was a baby, but nowadays when we meet, she just seems to want to slap me…
How did it turn out this way?
Sigh… Is it postpartum depression from giving birth to Do-ah?
Well, it started to seem that way since then.
When I was five years old.
I feel like it’s not my fault at all…
Meanwhile, Dad poked my cheek with his finger.
“I think Dad would be even happier if Do-hee gave him a kiss on the cheek…?”
Dad wanting affection suddenly seems cute.
“Confirmed.”
Dad’s face lit up.
Of course, I didn’t get up from my seat.
I nudged Do-ah who was beside me.
“Do-ah, Dad wants a kiss.”
“Ugh…”
Do-ah, the baby, let out a big sigh.
“Hmph, they say sighing invites misfortune, you know?”
“Sis sighs all the time. She keeps whining on the phone.”
Quite a cold analysis from Do-ah.
“Sis is burdened, okay? If you keep complaining, you’ll turn out like Mom?”
In the end, Mom smacked my head again.
“Ugh… I have the genius brain of a composer, a scholar, a piano prodigy…”
“You’re really asking for it.”
If I stayed quiet, I felt like I’d get hit again, so I started talking to Do-ah again.
“Hey… Do-ah, speaking of the phone, you haven’t been picking up Sis’s calls on purpose lately, right? Even if you didn’t see it, you should call back if there are missed calls. She calls whenever she has a moment because she misses you, you know.”
“Even if I have a boyfriend, I wouldn’t call three times a day.”
“Y-you… do you have a boyfriend…?”
“… Do you have a boyfriend…?”
Really…?
Do-ah has a boyfriend?
This is hell… absolute hell.
“Even if I had one, I wouldn’t go around saying it! I’m completely single!”
Do-ah, acting all prim and proper, stood up and hugged Dad like she was seeking refuge.
And then, following Dad’s gesture, she gave him a peck on the cheek.
No matter what, in the end, our Do-ah gives Dad a kiss just like I said.
At 14 years old, she’s grown so much—can a 12-year-old really be this cute?
“Mom, how tall is Do-ah now?”
“Our baby… Do-ah, how tall are you? 158~?”
“No, I’m 159.”
Do-ah said it coldly.
158 or 159, it’s all the same.
‘Wasn’t I around 165 when I graduated elementary school?’
Since Do-ah was born in December, there’s almost a year difference…
But still, she seems smaller than me.
Lucky, but… sad.
I can see Do-ah’s slightly more mature face with my own eyes.
The chubby cheeks have slimmed down a bit, her face shape has become sharper… those puppy-dog eyes that used to be all bright and cheerful are now turning into cat-like eyes.
“The cute Do-ah at 140 and 150… not being able to witness such transformation with my own eyes… this sadness confirmed through the pictures left by Mom… it’s the only regret of being an idol… truly hellish…”
I cuddled up to Mom and sobbed.
Mom, comforting me, spoke in a sad tone.
“Do you think I’m unaware?”
“Mom sees Do-ah growing every single day…”
Mom tightly held my hand.
“Oh dear… I’m always checking the news to see if our firstborn is okay, making sure nothing happened to her…”
“I call you and Dad first every day.”
That’s what they call a filial daughter.
Unlike cold Do-ah.
“You never tell us if you’re hurt… sigh, when did our silly child grow up like this…”
It’s been since I became part of the debut team at 15 that I’ve been apart from Mom.
“Mom…”
I softly lifted my head away from Mom’s embrace.
“Spending the first day of the new year with you is already three years… sigh, when did you grow up so well…”
Mom tightly grasped each of my fingers.
“Mom…”
Mom’s gaze was deep as she stared at me.
“Yeah, speak… what’s wrong, our daughter?”
Still, I should say what I need to…
“When I was 15… I started living in the dorm, right…?”
“Yeah, you did when you were 15…”
“But back then…”
“Yeah…”
“At that time… I was already taller than you… I was 168… and to be honest…”
“Ah, don’t hit my head! That really hurts!”
In South Korea, even slander might count as defamation.
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