I Became an Artist in a Romantic Comedy

Chapter 61

Entering the café, I felt it would be strange not to order anything, so I got myself a cup of coffee.

"Should I just get an iced Americano?"

Normally, I might have opted for an espresso to savor its distinctive bitterness, but today, I wasn’t in the mood for that. After ordering an Americano at the counter, I returned to my seat.

"Yoon-ah, introduce us."

"Why aren’t you an idol already?"

"You look way better in person than in pictures or videos..."

My sister’s friends were whispering about me, their eyes sparkling.

Hey, aren’t you all just 14 years old? Why are you already acting like this?

‘...Do elementary schoolers even think about romance?’

On second thought, maybe they do. Though, such things usually didn’t last long.

"Buzz off. He’s not available to any of you."

‘Dear sister, isn’t your mouth a little too sharp?’

Yoon-ah raised her eyebrows and glared at her three friends.

"And my brother already has three—no, four girlfriends—"

"Okay, stop right there. How far are you planning to drag me down?"@@@@

I quickly clamped my hand over her mouth to prevent her from going any further.

Lick.

She took the opportunity to lick my palm.

I pulled my hand away and wiped it with a napkin from the table.

"Ew, it tastes weird."

"Of course, it does. I put on sunscreen. And maybe consider how your friends are looking at us right now."

Her friends wore expressions that screamed, What on earth did I just witness?

"Um, do you two normally get along like this?" one of them cautiously asked.

Yoon-ah and I just shrugged simultaneously.

"There’s no reason for us to fight, so why would we?" she replied, nonchalantly.

"She’s super energetic, and even if she gets mad, she cools off quickly," I added, backing her up.

"Really? Most siblings are sworn enemies. At least, that’s how it is with me and my—ugh—relatives."

Where did you even learn words like ‘relatives’? Kids these days and their vocabulary are scary.

"But Min-ji, isn’t your brother the top student in the entire school?"

"Big deal. Being number one as a high school freshman isn’t that impressive."

Friend, if he’s number one, he’s doing remarkably well.

"And Min-ji, aren’t you also number one in your class? From the bottom?"

"Shut up, you moron."

‘...Is this how middle school girls talk these days?’

For sure, Ha Soo-Yul and Choi Ye-Seo never talked like this. Maybe it’s because they’re from different environments?

As I watched in bewilderment, Yoon-ah leaned in to whisper in my ear.

"Sorry. My friends are a bit... wild."

"They’re not just wild—they’re a full-on jungle."

My comment made Yoon-ah burst out laughing, slapping my thigh in amusement.

Ouch, that hurt, you know.

More importantly, Min-ji’s brother is the top student in school. Someone my age...

"Sis, what’s Min-ji’s last name?"

"She’s a Choi from Jeonju. Why?"

A Choi? Could it be her brother?

"Is your brother’s name Choi Seung-chul?" I asked quietly.

Min-ji’s eyes widened in surprise.

"Huh? How did you know?"

Wow, what a coincidence. An old connection popping up here of all places.

So, I tend to avoid burnishing and rely on layering instead.

"Did you get that, sister?"

"Got it, a little."

"Why are you mixing languages? Stick to one."

"Didn’t you say burnishing is about blending? I’m just blending languages."

That’s not quite the same thing. Our casual exchange seemed to fascinate the others at the table, who watched with curious eyes.

"Something about this feels like it should bother me... but weirdly, it doesn’t."

"You clam up too when someone addresses your chest."

"Shut up, you idiot."

...Maybe it does bother them after all. I pretended not to hear and turned my head away.

"Eek!"

"Sorry, Yoon-ah. Please stop glaring like that."

"Princess is angry, you crazy idiots."

I decided to just enjoy the situation. This must be how middle school girls have fun these days. Boys have their share of wild antics, like running through the rain dramatically. Why would girls be any different?

It’s just that... aren’t they freshly graduated from elementary school?

Still, I couldn’t help worrying a little about the future of these kids.

"Alright, I’m done coloring."

"Thanks, oppa. I’ll pay for the coffee."

"How much is one Americano anyway? Don’t bother."

"Come on, you came all the way here. Accept your little sister’s kindness, okay?"

With her persistence, it was hard to refuse any further.

Afterward, I helped the other girls with their assignments, spending the rest of the time offering tips.

"Phew, wow. If we didn’t finish today, we’d have been so doomed."

"I’m already doomed. I have to head to cram school now."

"Yikes..."

At some point, the clock had crept to 5 p.m. Yoon-ah’s friends said their goodbyes and left the café.

"Yawn."

"It’s almost dinnertime."

"Hey! There’s a separate stomach for dessert!"

"Keep that up, and you’ll end up skipping dinner and get scolded by Mom."

We stayed behind, killing time. Why were we still here? Because my sister was happily devouring a slice of cheesecake.

"You’ll gain weight like that."

"...Excuse me? I need to gain weight, actually."

Her sulky face wasn’t very convincing, so I chuckled softly at her irritation.

‘This feels just like something I’ve seen in America.’

Whenever you’re having a relaxing moment like this, there’s always something to spoil it.

But contrary to my expectations, the café remained quiet. Maybe I was just overthinking things lately. There’s so much to do, so much to think about, and I can’t hold onto it all at once. Like grains of sand slipping through my fingers, time flows regardless.

I wanted this peaceful moment to last as long as possible. I placed my hand on Yoon-ah’s head and gently ruffled her hair.

"Mm?"

Her cheeks were stuffed with a mouthful of cake. I had the urge to poke her puffy cheeks, but I knew that would just make her angry.

‘She’s too precious to let anyone else have.’

Can’t we just keep her in our family forever?

She’s only 13, but all sorts of thoughts crossed my mind.

"Have some latte with that. You’ll choke otherwise."

I grabbed a napkin and wiped her mouth. Yoon-ah could be a bit sloppy sometimes—ironic, considering how tidy she keeps her room.

After finishing the cheesecake, she beamed at me and grabbed my hand.

"Oppa, let’s go home!"

May this peace continue forever.