I was sitting on a bench, waiting for her. I had no idea how long it'd been, maybe twenty minutes. It felt longer. The store wasn't busy, but it was far from empty. Couples, groups of friends, parents with their kids—all passing through, browsing, chatting, shopping.
I watched them from my corner, trying to distract myself from the clock ticking away in the corner of my mind.
Eventually, I heard the soft clacking of heels on the polished floor behind me. I didn't need to look to know it was her. I could feel the warmth of her gaze on my back, a warmth that had become both familiar and unsettling in recent days.
"Jae-il, what do you think?" Mia asked. Her tone was light, almost playful. I turned to face her, and the sight that greeted me was enough to make even someone like me swallow my words for a moment. She was wearing a tight, black, strapless dress that ended a little above her knees, and the sight of her was… distracting, to say the least.
The fabric hugged her curves perfectly, accentuating every line and curve of her body. The neckline dipped low, showing off just enough of her ample cleavage to draw the eye, but not enough to cross the line from tasteful to provocative. Her legs, slender, so pale and smooth, stretched out from beneath the hem, ending in a pair of black high heels that added a touch of elegance.
"It looks... nice." I finally managed, keeping my tone neutral, my eyes carefully avoiding lingering on any one part of her for too long. "You look good."
She smiled, clearly pleased with the reaction she'd elicited. "Thanks. I knew you'd like it." She spun around slowly, letting me take in the full view, and I couldn't deny the way my pulse quickened as I watched her. Seriously, what the fuck. "This is one of my favorites. It's comfortable and stylish. Does it suit it me? Or would a different color be better? I couldn't quite decide between black and red."
"I don't think the color is a problem." I replied, choosing my words carefully. "Red is provocative. Black is mysterious. You look good regardless, Noona."
"Oh, you're too kind." She laughed, waving her hand dismissively. "Hmm, and tell me honestly, is it something I could wear on a date?"
The question caught me off guard. "A date?" I asked. "Are you seeing someone?"
She shrugged, her eyes never leaving mine. "Not at the moment. But a girl's got to be prepared, doesn't she?"
I chuckled. "Right." I tugged a little at the corner of my shirt, then replied. "But yes, it is something you could wear on a date. You're beautiful, Noona. Any guy would be crazy to turn you down." A little bit of flattery could help this whole thing end, but the words were too close to how I actually thought.
Her eyes flicked, soft and teasing, with the knowledge of that fact.
Mia's smile widened. "Damn right. I'm too hot." She said. Then, her voice softened. A shrug. "Maybe one day you'll get to see it firsthand.
"......"
See it firsthand? What does she—
She promptly turned around. "On to the next fit!"
I could feel the conversation turning, like a ship shifting course in a storm. And before I could blink, she was back in the fitting room.
"......"
God, was I becoming part of the problem as well? My beliefs, my own sense of morals, was it all being corroded by the little things? Was the fact I could even consider these things proof enough of that? I leaned back against the bench, staring blankly at the ceiling lights, their sterile glow prickling against my eyes. My chest felt tight. She tossed out words so casually that it was hard to give them meaning.
She'd spin the web in a clever way, always teasing and joking. Never letting her words settle long enough for them to become ambiguous before she'd turn the conversation around, or ran away... just like now.
And me? I laughed it off, like a good little brother should.
"Jae-il, I'm ready." She called out, her voice soft, almost hesitant. And I knew, right then, that something had changed. There was an unfamiliar note in her tone. "Come here, I can't exactly go out like this."
I stood up, quietly, and made my way over. The tent flap was parted slightly, invitingly. The space within dark. As I stepped inside, the scent of her, sweet and feminine, washed over me. The natural, clean scent of a woman would always be one of my favorite things about them. The fact that this errant thought came unbidden—with my sister as the recipient of it, no less—and remained defiant throughout was left unsaid.
After all, Mia was standing there, her back to the mirror, wearing a set of lingerie. Not the playful kind you see in store windows.
This was sharper, sleeker. Lace that clung like it had been poured onto her, thin straps framing her shoulders, the rest leaving far too little to the imagination. Her skin looked paler against the dark fabric, every line of her figure drawn in high contrast.
For a moment, the noise of the store seemed to fade.
And then I forced myself to breathe. I managed to snap out of it before it'd be too obvious. "Noona…" I began, staring at her in the eyes. "That's… not exactly something you wear out here."
I also didn't like the thought that she could very well be buying this for someone else. I was a walking contradiction; maybe, in my not-so-kind mind, I'd rather Mia never got together with anyone. Too afraid of her liking me. Too afraid she might like someone else. Then again, acknowledging the problem was only the first step, wasn't it? Naming the beast didn't make it vanish.
She tilted her head, lips quirking into a half-smile. "It's just fabric, Jae-il. Less than that dress, technically."
"Technically." I said, making sure the tent was firmly shut behind us. "But technicalities don't stop people from staring."
"Let them." She replied, as if the thought amused her. Her hands brushed over the lace absently, like she was still getting used to the feel of it. "Besides… you're the one I wanted to see it."
I held her gaze for a moment.
"Congratulations." I said finally, with a faint undertone of resentment. "You've succeeded in making this awkward."
She laughed, the sound slowly fading into an unbothered grin. "Oh, come on. We're adults, right? We're past that." Past what, exactly? Proper behavior? She turned around, her fingers tracing the line of her collarbone, the dip between her breasts, the gentle slope of her stomach. Her eyes never left mine. "Well, what do you think? I've always had a hard time finding stuff that fits right, you know?"
I took a slow breath.
"What do I think about what?" I asked, deliberately obtuse.
"About this." She said, gesturing at her body. "About me."
"You look..." I started, searching for the right word. "Different. But no matter what you wear, you're still my sister. And that won't change."
She rolled her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips. "You're so boring, you know that? It's not that deep, dummy. Just say I look hot and we can move on." She turned to look at herself in the mirror, her hands resting on her hips, accentuating the curve of her waist, hips, and—
I leaned back against the wall, watching her. "If you're so confident about it, you shouldn't need me to tell you. You know you're attractive."
She chuckled, glancing at me over her shoulder. "But it's more fun hearing it from you."
I raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"Because you're honest." Mia replied, her voice dropping to a whisper as she stepped closer. "You wouldn't lie to me, would you?"
I held her gaze, feeling her closeness, the warmth of her skin, the faint scent of her shampoo. "Never."
She nodded, her expression softening. "Good. That's what I thought." She stepped back, turning to face the mirror again. "Okay, enough messing around. Help me get this thing off, yeah?"
She started to reach behind her, fumbling with the clasp of her bra, but she couldn't quite manage it. She let out a frustrated huff. "Come on, I can't do it myself. Don't be a jerk."
I stared at her for a moment as she squirmed with the bra clasp. "I'm out of here. Do it yourself."
"Asshole." She half-pouted, half-glared. "You're gonna leave me here like this?"
"Yes." I said flatly, turning to leave.
"Noona needs your help."
"Noona needs to learn to dress herself." I replied without looking back.
"Fine!"
"......"
The tent slid shut behind me. I heaved a deep breath. Why was this life so beautiful yet so frustrating? Damn Mia complicating things and making me feel things I didn't want to feel.
The rustle of clothing sounded out behind me, further confirming that she could, indeed, do it herself.
"I'm done, dummy."
I turned around, and she was dressed, her clothes disheveled and her hair slightly tousled, as if she'd thrown them on in a hurry.
There was a faint flush to her cheeks, and her eyes sparkled with something like amusement, like she knew she'd pushed me just a little too far.
"I'm gonna buy that, just so you know."
"I don't need to know."
She caught up to me, hands behind her back as she leaned slightly forward, blinking rapidly at me.
As we walked around one of the racks, we bumped into another couple, two young women—correction, two familiar young women.
"Huh? It's you?"
Go Bin, and, next to her, Dae Hee.