"Our baby has grown so much..."
Even though she's already over 160 centimeters, Doa still seems like a child.
"Sigh."
Pinching the baby's tummy and cheek fat from behind feels so healing.
"But this development here still has quite a way to go before catching up to your unnie."
"Ah, don't touch me."
Hmm, was I around a B cup at this age?
Or maybe a full A?
Well, roughly about the same.
"What's important is from now on. Will our Doa strongly express the blessing of Dad's genes? No matter how daughters usually take after their fathers... Mom's genes always lurk like a hidden ambush..."
"Ah, seriously, unnie, you're such a perv."
"Hey."
Anyway, holding onto the annoyed Doa from behind like a doll, not letting go, sniffing the top of her head.
—Vrrr vrrr
My phone vibrates, interrupting me.
"What now."
[Caller—Kim Seoyun]
You again, Kim Seoyun.
"Sigh."
Guess I have to answer.
"Hello, Ms. Seoyun. What's the matter?"
—When are you coming? You said we're wrapping up today.
"Me? Around 8 o'clock? Anyway, by the time Naeun unnie finishes her schedule and gets to the dorm, it'll be right around that time—"
—Mm.
Click.
Ugh, that damn Seoyun.
I bet she called because she was bored without even looking—
"Unnie."
"Hmm?"
"You're leaving at 8?"
Ha, seeing this again, I can't help but laugh.
"Why, you don't like that unnie is leaving early?"
"Not really."
She acts cool and like she doesn't care, but the question itself gives her away. Doa's loveliness makes a laugh slip out naturally.
No matter how mature her head seems, she's ultimately a 14-year-old kid. That purity is so cute.
"I want to spend the whole day with our Doa too, but I'll have to leave by 7 if I'm going to leave at 8."
"What."
"Hmm?"
"Wasn't our princess going to sleep over for a night?"
Amidst this, my mother—a forty-something far from pure—brought over cut fruit, expressing regret.
"I thought you were here to rest for real since it's been so long..."
Well, it really has been too long.
It's been about half a year, if I'm exaggerating a bit.
"Sorry, I've been busy working on tracks lately."
At my somewhat cool attitude, Mom pouted even more and immediately started grumbling complaints.
"But your company is too much. You still have year-end stages and schedules. You should rest when you can... No matter how good earning money is, making you work on tracks during this busy time—from Mom's view, it really seems like too much."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah, from Mom's perspective..."
Well, honestly, here I should chime in and blame the company together with her.
"But I'm the one who made the schedule myself."
That's the truth.
"......"
"What."
"—Ah, why are you hitting me! What did I do! My head is a brain on a completely different dimension from Mom's, do you know how precious it is!"
"Oh my—! And I call this one a princess."
"Ah, take it back! Take it back! Think about all my money that contributed to Mom's skin getting better!"
In the end, while I was getting hit, Doa escaped from my embrace too.
"Is it good? I bought it because I heard you were coming today."
The only one remaining by my side, patting my sore spot and personally feeding me fruit, is indeed our dad.
"Uh-huh."
Sigh, our dad really has it hard too.
"I really feel bad for Dad."
"...Suddenly? What? Dad is fine though?"
"Honestly, dealing with Mom is hard, right?"
"Mom is nice when unnie's not around."
"Lee Doa, do you want to die—? Come here."
So puberty finally hits when you become a middle schooler. If I had been by Doa's side during her growth period, would she have turned out less twisted? Sad.
"Mom! Unnie is bullying me again!"
"Hey, Lee Dohee! I told you to stop bullying Doa!"
Mom, who had gone to the kitchen to prepare food, is scolding only me again.
"Sob sob."
"Our daughter hasn't changed after all."
"That's a good thing, right Dad?"
"Yeah, Dad likes it."
"As expected, Dad understands."
Maybe Dad really doesn't know.
That I, Lee Dohee, am actually quite mature inside.
"Dad knows. Rather than acting mature, throwing childish tantrums even as you grow old is the best filial piety to parents."
"Right, our daughter is a per~fect filial daughter in that sense."
"Hm, should I do Dad a favor and give him a kiss? Since I'm such a filial daughter."
"Really?"
"Of course! I can even do lips. Come here!"
What can't I do for Dad in terms of fan service from his daughter?
I'm a bit sorry about going to the dorm after just a few hours.
"Ah, of course. Consider it an honor. The only ones who have received kisses from me are Dad, Mom, and Doa."
"Oh my, has Dad totally hit the jackpot today?"
Honestly, it's a bit embarrassing since it's been a while... but seeing Dad smiling with the corners of his mouth stretched wide, I don't feel too bad.
"Alright, now I need to give Doa a kiss."
Our Doa, who had escaped my embrace.
"Ah, nooo—."
"Let's go, our baby~"
"Ah, unnie, stooop."
Coddling the resistant Doa, I dragged her to the room's bed and laid her down.
"Yawn... I'm sleepy."
I flopped on top of her.
"Ah, unnie, please stop doing this."
"I need to sleep like this... haaa-yawn."
"Ah, it's really heavy. I'm exhausted."
"Sob, unnie works so hard on her diet. I'm 50 kilos..."
"...Really?"
Huh? What's with that reaction?
"Hey Lee Doa, don't tell me you're about the same weight as unnie? No, hey, you're like ten centimeters? Nine centimeters shorter than me."
"Ah, I don't know, unnie is heavy!"
So it wasn't my imagination that I caught a bit of belly fat earlier.
"But it's okay, Doa, you're in your growth spurt. You must be about to shoot up."
"Ah, sto-op!"
You don't need to be that embarrassed.
"And unnie is just too skinny. Look at this. My abs are rock solid, right?"
"Ah, let go!"
To soothe Doa like that, ignoring all her grumbling and just hugging her tight while lying down, Doa soon gave up and relaxed.
"Let's take a nap like this until dinner."
She's been conditioned.
She knows resisting won't make me let go.
"...I'm really going to get so much allowance money."
"Who said anyone would give you any~"
Actually, the reason I was teasing Doa today wasn't just because her reactions were satisfying and cute.
"Doa."
From the start, part of the reason I stopped by home today was because I had something to tell Doa.
Mom has about 20 minutes left to prepare dinner...
"Doa, you'll be 15 next year, right?"
"Yeah."
At Doa's annoyed attitude, I playfully bit her nape.
"Oh, our baby."
"Ah, unnie, please stop. I'm tired."
Truthfully, a 2nd year middle schooler, 15 years old, might seem all grown up, but Doa still seems like a baby to me.
She's actually pretty young for her age too.
"What should unnie buy you for your birthday this time? A game console? A PlayStation?"
"...Hmm."
"Think about it slowly and text unnie."
Our Doa is a winter child born late in December, so while she'll be 15 next year, she's still only 12 by international age.
That's why when I look at our baby, worry comes first.
I probably worry more than Mom or Dad.
Rather, Mom and Dad might look at me and mistakenly think, 'Ah, kids grow up well on their own.'
"That's why unnie is so proud of our Doa."
"What, why is unnie suddenly like this."
At my out-of-the-blue words, Doa naturally started showing resistance.
"Our Doa is considerate even though she's young."
"Unnie, why are you like this... let go."
But I can't let go today.
"And hardworking."
Doa actually studies quite hard. Since elementary school, even if she wasn't top of her class, she was always in the top 10.
She worked hard learning flute too, and got into an arts middle school.
"Yeah, but thinking about it, Doa is too mature for her age... unnie is a bit worried."
Could it be that she learned this from watching me? The life I've shown in front of Doa must have been a bit harsh for a child experiencing everything for the first time.
"Unnie is a bit weird."
"Isn't that normal for me?"
"Is that so?"
"Hey, what do you mean 'is that so?'"
That's why when Doa plays Nintendo, it's such a relief.
When she asks me for allowance, I feel so good. Because it's so age-appropriate and childlike.
"But what unnie worries about most is that our Doa has such a kind heart that she always puts up with such an annoying unnie."
"Ah, unnie is really weird."
No matter how much I talk in circles like this, Doa will only half-listen.
"Our baby, do you want to stand on stage like unnie?"
"...Huh?"
It's not that Doa never showed any signs.
Everyone in the family knew.
"You got scouted on the street last time, right?"
"I don't really know..."
"Really?"
"...But a little."
"A little?"
Ever since my debut, whenever I asked Mom what Doa was doing, the answer was always that she was staring at me on screen.
"Doa, unnie fought with the members recently."
"With the unnies?"
"Yeah. We fought a little. While worrying about each other. Funny, right?"
Actually, it was a good thing I was doing idol activities. Mom and Dad must have been able to focus entirely on Doa all this time.
Maybe that's why Doa grew up so prettily.
"People are fundamentally emotional, so they fight over every little thing. Wars where tens or hundreds of thousands die often start over trivial emotions too."
"Yeah."
"But unnie is a bit useless and worried about Doa for no reason. Because you're the little sister I love so much."
Doa, who had been nestled in my arms, listened quietly to my words and nodded.
"I already worry about what if I say something mean to Doa..."
"But if Doa says you want to become a celebrity, unnie would probably worry even more."
"Because you'd be compared to unnie your whole life. Once it comes out, no matter what, the label 'unnie's little sister' would clearly follow you around for life."
"Then naturally, gossip will come out. Who's prettier. Who's better. Who's not as good. Genes or whatever. Those kinds of words."
"But even if our Doa does 100 times better than unnie, the same words will come out, right?"
"Most people usually attach emotions called nostalgia to familiar things and naturally attach rejection from unfamiliarity to new things."
Holding Doa tight like this and talking, I worry that I might be saying useless things.
I wonder if I'm saying these things just to alleviate my own guilt.
"Doa, but the worries unnie has right now might really be useless. I felt a lot of that while fighting with the members."
"...Yeah."
"But still, that's how it is. Unnie still worries about Doa, and worries about the members too. It doesn't work like my head wants it to."
So I laughed for no reason. Saying all sorts of things to a baby.
"Doa, unnie might seem foolish, but if there's something our Doa wants to try, and it seems reasonable, I'll try to help you with everything. Financially or whatever. When you become a college student, I might even be able to buy you a car."
"Yeah."
"But except dating. No boyfriend yet."
"...Huh?"
"What, don't tell me you have a boyfriend?"
"...I don't."
"Someone you like?"
"......"
"Hey, Lee Doa."
"I don't have one."
"You really don't, right?"
"Yeah."
Damn, it seemed like she hesitated.
"...Alright, got it. Ah, and no business ventures either. If you're going to do it, use your own money, got it?"
"......"
Don't look at me like that.
I'm saying this just in case.
"Anyway, what unnie wants to say is, if while going to school, Doa finds something you really, really want to do. But whether it's being an idol or a celebrity, if you're sure of it—then tell unnie."
"Yeah."
"Let's think about it slowly. It's never too late to become a trainee in high school or college. Got it?"
"...Got it."
I wonder how Doa took my words.
I don't know.
I just turned Doa's body around to face me.
With alert yet transparent eyes, a smile forms on her face.
"Aigoo, whose little sister is this pretty?"
"...Unnie."
She's so cute I could go crazy.
How can I share her with the world?
I can't—
"But I think the original is prettier. Unnie got camera massages, after all..."
"...What?"
"Seriously?
"Hey."
Well, at least in terms of self-esteem... our Doa has what it takes to become a celebrity...