RE: Keep it in the Family (Secret Class) 34 — This isn’t a Date, Just Sisterly Affection

I found myself in the sa position I'd been in the night before—staring at the ceiling of my bedroom, wide awake.

The sun hadn't risen yet, the sky still cloaked in its darkest shade of blue. The room was quiet and still, save for the sound of my own breathing and the occasional rustle of bed sheets as I shifted and rolled in my bed. My eyes were wide open, unblinking, fixed on the blank expanse of the ceiling above .

It wasn't that I couldn't sleep. It wasn't that I was tired, or that I was having trouble falling asleep.

It was that my mind was too active, too full of thoughts and questions and worries. And at the center of it all, was Mia. A stubborn, fiery woman. Twinkling, mischievous eyes. A rare type of beauty that was impossible to look away from. Butter-yellow hair; not dyed out of so desire to be unique or different, nor was it that rebellious spark to go against nature, but rather to fit a vague criteria of which woman I might take interest in.

It had been so long since then, yet she still regularly dyed it. Did she simply grow fond of the color? Was it a re habit? Or was it a subconscious decision, a way of telling she was interested?

I didn't want to look too deep into it, for fear of finding the answer I dreaded. It was an elusive thing, sothing I ignored when we were kids, because back then it hardly seed important.

But now, in this perfect, sleepless mont of introspection, I couldn't help but wonder if I should have paid more attention to the little things. The glances, the smiles, the touches. I thought it was sowhat normal, even though my relationship with Su Ah was vastly different, but who was I to compare the dynamics of one to the other?

They were different people, and I was the only common denominator.

And yet…

I didn't know. I didn't know what to think, or how to react.

There were two possibilities. The first one was that I was reading too much into it, and that I was overreacting. It wasn't uncommon for siblings to be affectionate with one another, and it was possible that she was simply expressing her love for in a way that was familiar and comfortable for her.

The second possibility was that I was right, and that she did have feelings for that went beyond the bounds of familial love. But that, to , would be the worst possible outco. It would complicate things between us in ways I didn't even want to think about.

The thought of it made my chest tighten with dread.

I didn't want to think about it, but I couldn't stop. My mind was running in circles, trying to find a way to reconcile these two possibilities, and I couldn't co up with a clear answer.

Her smile. The slightest narrowing of her eyes. Her skin.

Her hugs. The way she touched , held .

The way her ass—

I felt my pulse quicken, and I quickly smoldered that thought.

I wasn't easily stressed out. I've pointed a gun to a man's head before, and I've had a gun pointed at mine. I've killed a man, and I've nearly been killed. But this was different.

This was Mia. This was my sister. This wasn't a ga. This wasn't a battle. This wasn't a war.

I rubbed my throat as I swiftly got up from bed. Waiting for sleep was straight out pointless, right now. Besides, despite everything, I did promise Mia we'd go out today.

In fact, it'd be a good chance to see the way she'd act. If my suspicions were correct or not.

...

I took a quick shower. Brushed my teeth. Dried my hair. Slipped into a casual outfit consisting of a black shirt and jeans.

Then, I went downstairs.

There, in the kitchen, I saw my mother. She was busying herself, filling the coffee pot with water and setting it to boil. She turned around at the sound of my footsteps, her face brightening with a warm smile as she saw .

"Good morning, dear." Eun Ha said cheerfully. "You're up early. Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes. I hope you're hungry."

"I am, actually." I replied, taking a seat at the kitchen counter. "What's on the nu?"

"Your favorite: high protein pancakes." She said, turning back to the stove. "Oh, and I got this for you as well. Don't overdo it with these things, though~" As she said so, she placed a cold can of white monster on the counter in front of . Zero sugar, zero calories. Perfect for a pre-workout boost. And she knew I loved it.

"Thanks." I said, popping it open.

She humd happily as she worked, mixing the batter and pouring it into a hot pan. "So, what are your plans for the day? Do you have any practice sessions scheduled?"

"Nothing special." I said, taking a much needed sip. "Just gonna hang around town. I think I'm going to watch a movie later on today. Oh, and I'll be with Mia Noona."

"A movie? How fun! I haven't been to the cinema in ages. Your father and I used to go all the ti when we were younger. We'd see all the latest releases, hold hands during the scary parts." She chuckled, flipping the pancakes with practiced ease. "I'm not sure how your sister roped you into spending ti with her, but I'm glad you're not spending all of your ti off training yourself to the bone like you usually do. You're still so young, you need to enjoy these monts. Have fun with it, alright? You deserve so relaxation."

I huffed, closing my eyes. "You're right. I'll be more mindful."

Eun Ha smiled brightly.

"You deserve so relaxation as well, mom." I said, off-handed. My conversation with Mia yesterday did make think that I'd likely not be able to spend as much ti with my family as I wanted to. "Perhaps I can convince you to co along next ti, yeah?"

Her eyes widened at this, and she let out a soft chuckle. "That's sweet of you. I'd love to, dear."

The conversation tapered off as Eun Ha focused on cooking.

Within minutes, Mia ca sauntering down, not in her usual casual wear, but in a tight-fitting dress and heels, a small purse dangling from her shoulder. She was always stylish, but this was a step beyond. Her butter-yellow hair was tied into a side-ponytail, her eyes sparkling as she saw . "Ah, good, you're here." She said, her voice soft.

I nodded, a little taken aback by her outfit.

She glanced at my mother, who was too busy cooking to pay much attention to us. Then she slid onto the seat next to mine, placing her purse on the counter. "So... I was thinking that, after breakfast, we could head to the mall first. I know a great store that sells really nice clothes. I could help you pick out so stuff. What do you say?"

Mia leaned forward slightly, her eyes locked onto mine.

I took another sip of the monster; God only knew how much I needed it. "Yes, that sounds good."

"Great." She said, her smile widening. "We could also check out so of the new releases. I heard there's a horror movie coming out that looks pretty good. You like horror, right?"

I raised an eyebrow. "I'm surprised you'd want to watch sothing like that."

"Why?"

"I thought you didn't like scary movies."

She shrugged. "I like being scared. It's exciting. Plus, if it gets too much for , I can just hold onto you, right?"

I stopped halfway through a sip. "?"

"Yeah." She said, a playful twinkle in her eye. "You're my baby brother. You'd protect your Noona, right? Hold close, tell it's going to be okay."

I froze for a second, then sighed. "Of course."

"You'd better." She grinned, poking in the side. "Or else."

I rolled my eyes.

This was the type of thing I didn't know if I should take seriously, or brush off as a joke. In fact, it was hard to tell whether or not she was just ssing with or if she actually ant it.

It was a strange feeling, not knowing where I stood with her anymore.

Straight out confronting her about it wasn't an option either. That'd be the nuclear option, and I didn't want to risk blowing things up if I could help it. At least not until I had so more solid evidence that there was sothing going on, and not just being paranoid.

Mia quietly nudged with her elbow, looking at with a playful, wild grin. One side of her face was partially hidden behind a curtain of buttery-yellow hair. "I'm looking forward to today." She said softly.