Ep. 59
I was dumbfounded.
I never imagined that Heena’s parents would come along too.
How could I have predicted this?
However, everyone except me seemed to know, as they naturally went inside and took their seats.
The parents had already contacted each other over the phone when we went on our beach trip, so there was hardly any awkwardness.
It seemed like Yoonjung noona [older sister or female friend] was already considered our daughter-in-law.
“Oh my, having three sons must be really reassuring~”
“Reassuring? Heena is so smart and capable that we don’t have to worry about her.”
“Our kids don’t have any charm… I wish we had a son like Yeonhoo~”
My mom, contrary to her usual chic demeanor, was having an embarrassing conversation with Heena’s mom.
“Our Heena is always causing trouble…”
“Not at all. Yeonhoo comes over to your place to study all the time; we should be the ones thanking you.”
“Thanking us? Oh, this is a new bottle of Scotch I got recently. How about we start with a drink and talk about the kids?”
Drinking already when the sun is still high?
Anyway, my dad and Heena’s dad exchanged greetings like that, and the parents gathered around the kitchen table.
And the rest of us.
“Sunhoo, can you connect this?”
“There are so many wires.”
“Just connect two to the TV. And do you have another TV?”
“Do you guys always think about playing games as soon as you get together? Seriously… Han Jungwoo! Why are you going over there!”
“Games.”
“Do you want to die?!”
My brothers and noona were also gathered in front of the TV, noisily connecting the game console. Seeing that, it seemed like I was the only one who couldn’t get into the spirit of the situation.
What is this? This warm and friendly atmosphere, like relatives visiting?
While I was trying to make sense of this unknown situation, Heena gently sat down next to me and nudged me.
“Yeonhoo, what’s wrong?”
“Wait, was I the only one who didn’t know about this?”
“I thought your mom would have told you, so I didn’t say anything.”
“Seriously, I had no idea.”
This isn’t some kind of surprise. Why didn’t anyone tell me?
-Kiss
Speechless and dazed, Heena suddenly kissed me on the cheek. Boldly, in a place where both our families were present.
Startled, I looked around and whispered, trying to keep my voice down.
“Not now…!”
“Everyone knows about us anyway…”
“Still, doing this in front of our families is a bit much.”
I felt like I wouldn’t be able to show my face if our parents or Heena’s parents found out about this.
They probably heard a lot from Heena already, but telling them and actually showing them are completely different feelings.
“You did it in front of oppa [older brother].”
“That was an unintended major accident…”
“I liked it.”
I still don’t bring up that topic with Heesung hyung [older brother]. It’s too awkward.
Anyway.
“It feels like our relatives came to visit. The atmosphere at home is completely…”
“In a way, isn’t it true?”
“What?”
At my question, Heena brought her face closer and smiled. A hint of allure in her expression.
“In a few years, we’ll be family.”
That’s not wrong, but! I think so too!
“But how did you end up coming?”
“My parents said that since you and I were going to hang out anyway, it would be a good time to meet your parents.”
“Hmm… that’s true, but…”
“So I contacted your mom and asked if it was okay, and she said yes.”
“My mom is so cool.”
“Let’s have a formal meeting between the families this time.”
“……”
Is she joking? Isn’t a formal meeting supposed to be in a more formal setting?
I don’t know for sure, but those people already drinking Scotch wouldn’t be talking about that, would they?
I was breaking out in a cold sweat at the unbelievably fast development when I heard a voice calling us from the living room.
“Don’t just play there, come here~”
They had already finished preparing for the game, setting everything up and looking at us.
At those gazes, I got up, thinking, ‘Well, what can I do since it’s come to this?’ Maybe it was resignation.
Even if they had told me in advance, there was nothing I could have done. It seemed a bit early, but it was what I wanted in the end.
I sighed softly and held out my hand to Heena, who was sitting next to me.
Okay, unexpected people came along, but we gathered to have fun, so let’s play.
“Heena and I are definitely on the same team, so keep that in mind when you divide up.”
“That’s right~ Please take care of us!”
“Oh~ Jungwoo, us too?”
“Separate me from him. Please.”
“Hey!!!!”
—
Leaving aside the minor issues.
Everyone gathered in the living room and enjoyed playing games. Mario Kart, a perfect game to play together.
Heesung hyung [older brother] even got another Switch to match our numbers. He also added several more Joy-Cons [Nintendo Switch controllers]. Not only that, but because there were several men gathered, their actions were amazing.
They moved the TV in the master bedroom to the living room and set it up so that everyone could play the game together in local play.
Thanks to that, six of us were talking and immersed in the game.
“Heena!!! That, you’re not going to use that on me, are you?!”
“What should I do~ I want you to do something for me now.”
“I think I know what that is, but not now!! I’ll do it later, so!”
“Hmph, later won’t do.”
Heena had hardly ever played games, but after a few rounds, she was surprisingly familiar with operating the kart. I had never played this game either, but I still had some experience, and it felt like she was doing better than me.
And with that amazing skill, my girlfriend mercilessly launched a turtle missile at me.
I was hit and could only watch as my ranking plummeted to the bottom in an instant.
Heesung hyung [older brother] burst into laughter at my frozen expression as I watched that.
“Hahaha!!! Goodbye, Han Yeonhoo! You know the rules, right? The last place has to do a penalty!!”
“What?! No, where did that come from?! You’re right in front of me anyway!!”
“What did you say~? I can’t hear the nonsense of the lowest ranked… Oh? Hey, Lee Heena, why are you stopping? Why are you holding a turtle and suddenly stopping!”
“Don’t tease Yeonhoo.”
“Hey!! You wrecked me, and this isn’t right!!”
Heesung hyung [older brother], who had been laughing heartily, was also torn to shreds by Heena’s turtle missile.
Justice was alive.
“Puhahahaha!!! What? Who’s the last place now?!”
“Seriously!! She wrecks her boyfriend and then does that to me!”
“Yeonhoo~ Let’s go together~”
“Yeah! I don’t think we can catch up with those guys anyway, so let’s go together!”
Thanks to that, Heesung hyung [older brother] became the lowest ranked, and Heena and I ran side by side in front of him.
“The fight for the lower ranks is really pathetic.”
“I agree.”
Sunhoo hyung [older brother] and Jungwoo hyung [older brother] were quietly going back and forth in 1st and 2nd place.
“Han Jungwoo, why are you so good at blocking?! Die!”
Yoonjung noona [older sister or female friend] was relentlessly targeting Jungwoo hyung [older brother] right behind him, but he wasn’t easily giving in.
In the end, after going back and forth until the end, the final ranking, excluding the AI, was Jungwoo hyung [older brother], Yoonjung noona [older sister or female friend], Sunhoo hyung [older brother], Heena, me, and Heesung hyung [older brother].
Noona [older sister or female friend] was furious that she had made it to 2nd place thanks to the final sprint but couldn’t catch Jungwoo hyung [older brother].
“I should have smashed his head…!”
That’s brutal, really.
Anyway.
“Where did the person who said the last place has to do a penalty go~?”
“Where did it say to do it during the game? Let’s put a penalty on the next game.”
Heesung hyung [older brother] was shamelessly brushing it off as I teased him.
I was dumbfounded by his face, which showed no shame, but I didn’t need to be too serious about the game, so I just let it go.
“Penalty? Come to think of it, I have that!”
And only after the game was over did that word catch her ear, and Yoonjung noona [older sister or female friend] clapped her hands once and ran into Jungwoo hyung’s [older brother] room.
Soon, she came out with something in her hand. Clothes with noticeable red and white colors.
Oh? Red clothes for Christmas?
“This! Santa cosplay! I originally brought it to make Yeonhoo wear it, but should we do it as a penalty?!”
“Oh~ That sounds good. Should we do that? Hyung [older brother] and Sunhoo, are you okay with it too?”
“Yeah. I won’t lose anyway.”
“Me too.”
“I’m hearing for the first time that you brought it to make me wear it? What are you talking about? And where did you get that?”
My brothers lightly agreed as if it were nothing, but I was bewildered by the thunderbolt-like words.
Next to me, Heena spoke in a rare, strong tone.
“Shall we start soon? I’m ready.”
Heena, who was sitting upright with the Joy-Con [Nintendo Switch controller] tightly in her hands, had eyes that were burning fiercely.
Anyone could tell that she was overflowing with the will to make me wear that.
“Hey, Heena. Let’s cooperate…”
I trembled at her burning will and made a suggestion, but.
“The competition must be fair and square.”
It didn’t work at all.
Well, I only need to beat one out of five people, right? It’s nothing.
“Then let’s start the penalty game! Everyone ready? This is just one round!”
In the newly started game with those words, the desperate dogfight like the previous round.
Did not continue.
There was only unreasonable bullying.
“No?! What are you doing, Sunhoo hyung [older brother]!!!”
“Heh~ Han Yeonhoo just happens to be in front of me. Sorry~”
“What are you sorry about when you came right behind me on purpose!!”
“Oops, my hand slipped… Oh! Yeonhoo is in front of me!”
“Heesung hyung [older brother], don’t play tricks!!”
“Heesung, throw it quickly! I’m going too!!”
“I’ll throw it and get out~ Noona [older sister or female friend], come in~”
“No………”
They were taking turns messing with me. Not subtly, but just openly.
Even while we were doing useless things and barely moving, Jungwoo hyung [older brother] and Heena were a whole lap ahead and then approached me.
And mercilessly tried to body slam my cute Luigi.
“Please! Hyung [older brother]! Don’t do this!! Heena!!!”
“Fall, down below.”
“Yeonhoo! Don’t resist and just fall!”
“……”
After confirming that I had fallen, I simply gave up, watching the two of them wait near the respawn point and then bump into me again.
How can I not be in last place?