Good Night, Brother! - Chapter 2.8

After walking for a while, Eun Hyun, craving a cup of coffee, led her younger sibling to a cafe she had visited before.

She remembered the coffee being quite good, likely because they roasted their own beans. As soon as they entered, the rich aroma of freshly roasted coffee filled the air, pleasantly stimulating her senses. Standing side by side at the counter, Eun Hyun turned to her younger brother and asked, “What would you like to drink?”

“What are you going to drink, hyung?” “I’m getting an iced Americano.” “Isn’t it too cold for iced drinks?” “My brother only drinks iced drinks, even if he freezes to death.”

“Um… Then I’ll have an iced Americano too.” “You just said it’s cold.” “I just want to drink the same thing as my brother.” Eun Hyun laughed at her younger brother’s nonsensical reasoning, placed an order for two iced Americanos, and led them to a window seat. The warm sunlight streamed in through the large windows draped with slightly sheer white curtains. The cafe had an inviting atmosphere, one that felt better suited for visiting with a group rather than alone. With a curious expression, Yi Hyeong asked, “Who did you come here with?” “Once with Jinseo… Oh, actually twice.” “I see.” “Oh, the coffee is here.”

The buzzer flashed red, indicating that the drink was ready. As soon as Eun Hyun reached for the buzzer, Yi Hyeong naturally snatched it away. He returned to their seat after grabbing the tray from the counter, unwrapped the plastic cover, inserted the straw into the cup, and handed it to Eun Hyun. The entire process was so quick and smooth that Eun Hyun burst into laughter. “Hahaha, it’s nice having a younger sibling to serve me coffee with a straw.”

“You like it?”

“Yeah, I like it.” Eun Hyun sipped her coffee with a smile spread across her face.

Yi Hyeong widened his eyes in surprise as he watched a third of the drink disappear in a single sip through the straw. “Brother, why are you drinking so quickly?”

Eun Hyun glanced at her nearly empty cup, then looked up at her brother, flustered.

“No, I didn’t use to be like this… I think it’s become a habit. I drink it quickly to wake up before work. If I don’t have coffee in the morning, I’m like a total corpse. It’s basically a potion, a potion!” Eun Hyun laughed at her own joke, though it was true that she drank two to three cups of coffee a day on weekdays.

Yi Hyeong furrowed his brows, looking concerned as though he pitied her.

“Brother, is it hard going to work?”

“Everyone walks around like this, you know.” “I think the company my brother works for requires too much overtime work.” “Hey, everyone works overtime like this. But it’s still manageable.”

“Really?”

“But if I win the lottery, I’ll have to quit.”

At Eun Hyun’s words, Yi Hyeong’s expression stiffened, and he asked, “Really? If you win the lottery, you’re just going to quit?” “Oh, of course. But it didn’t happen this week either.”

Eun Hyun chuckled playfully and nibbled on the mini cookies provided as a service. At that moment, her phone, which was resting on the table, vibrated for an unusually long time.

The smooth LCD screen displayed the name Kim Seon Woo. Curious, Eun Hyun picked up the phone. “Hello?” “Jeong Eun Hyun. What are you doing?” “Right now? I’m outside. Why are you calling?” “Hey, are you really not going on a blind date?”

“Ah… What did I say before?” “Yeah, well, if you’re not doing it, I’ll find someone else to do it.” “Hmm…” “Hurry up and decide. I’m with a friend right now. If you’re not going, I’ll set it up with someone else.” Eun Hyun frowned, thinking it over, when suddenly a memory of a dream about her younger brother surfaced. Maybe I had a dream tainted with abnormal, frustrated desires because I’ve been without emotional contact with the opposite sex for so long. Maybe I need to share warmth with someone. After all, masturbation and real intimacy are completely different… Eun Hyun swallowed hard, her heart racing, and answered as if making a monumental decision. “I want to go on a blind date.” “Oh, what’s wrong? I see.” While on the phone, Eun Hyun could hear Kim Seon Woo arguing with his friend through the receiver.

“Oh, he said he’s going on a blind date.” “…I… decided… to… do it… for you?” “Yeah, this kid, he’s much more handsome than you.” Eun Hyun was about to laugh at their childish conversation when Kim Seon Woo spoke again.

“Hey, Eun Hyun, I’ll send you the girl’s phone number via text later. I’m hanging up.”

“Okay.” The call abruptly ended. Eun Hyun put his phone down on the table and noticed the tense look on Yi Hyeong’s face. His expression wasn’t good—he was staring at Eun Hyun coldly, his gaze sharp. “Yi Hyeong-ah, why is your expression like that?” “…Hyung. Are you really going to go on a blind date?”

“Huh? Yeah.”

“Why?” Didn’t we already have this conversation? Feeling awkward, Eun Hyun responded hesitantly.

“Just… It feels like it’s been so long since I’ve had a girlfriend.”

“You don’t necessarily have to have a girlfriend.” “That’s not true, but….”

“If you start dating someone through a blind date, will you even have time to date?”

“… …”

“My brother often works overtime and is so tired on the weekends that he can’t stay up late.”

“That’s true, but….”

“I’m worried about you. You’re already so busy, so why do you have to take the time to go on a blind date?” It’s because of you. It’s all because of you. I’ve been acting a little strange ever since you started living with me. Eun Hyun drank her cold coffee to suppress her frustration.

Yi Hyeong sat back in a crooked posture, letting out a long sigh as if demanding her attention. She didn’t understand why he was so upset or why he felt so strongly against it, but he wasn’t entirely wrong. It was hard to adjust to work, and even if she had a girlfriend, it was uncertain whether the relationship would go smoothly.

However, Eun Hyun didn’t like to go back on her word. She rarely made decisions lightly, so she couldn’t cancel what she had already told Kim Seon Woo about going on a blind date.

Spitting out the straw she had been chewing on, Eun Hyun finally said, “Well, since I already decided, I thought I’d give it a try.

Not everyone who meets someone ends up dating, you know.”

“… …”

Yi Hyeong’s eyes darkened. After that, as her younger brother grew quiet, Eun Hyun started telling random stories to lighten the mood.

Since she was an office worker, her stories naturally revolved around work. She began sharing a few funny episodes from her time at the company.

“So I ended up going on a business trip with that manager. I meant to book a twin room, but I accidentally reserved a double room instead. It’s funny.”

“…What?” Yi Hyeong, who had been listening half-heartedly, suddenly asked in a sharp tone. “Oh, you don’t get it? Usually, when guys go on business trips together, they share a room with two beds. But…” “But? A double room has only one bed. Did you switch to a twin room?”

“No. There was a festival going on at the time, and the hotel was completely full.”

“So what did you do?”

“What else could I do? I asked the hotel for extra bedding and just slept on the floor.”

“Ha…” I couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of my brother sighing in relief, as though the world had almost ended over something so trivial. A mistake like this wasn’t a big deal. “Yi Hyeong, ah, I didn’t get in trouble with the manager. Don’t worry.”

“… …”

Yi Hyeong looked at Eun Hyun with a complicated expression. After Eun Hyun chatted alone for a while, she stepped out of the cafe. Before she realized it, the evening had grown dark.

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