The system was under extreme stress.
Since Danoh was busy helping her uncle prep for the evening rush at the restaurant, I had been tasked with a mission I was wholly unqualified for: "chaperoning" the new couple. I had brought Harin and Doyoon to a small, aesthetically pleasing cafe that Harin had been obsessed with for months.
Currently, I was sitting across from them, staring into the dark depths of my Americano as if it held the answers to the universe. In reality, I was trying to ignore the two-person circus happening three feet away.
"Doyoon-ah, you have a little bit of foam right here," Harin said, her voice dropping into a tone so sweet it was practically radioactive.
She leaned forward, using her thumb to wipe a speck of latte foam from the corner of Doyoon's mouth. Doyoon didn't just smile; he turned into a puddle of absolute mush.
"Thanks, Harin-ah," he whispered, looking at her like she was a rare celestial event. "The foam... it tastes better now."
I nearly choked on my coffee. "It's milk, Doyoon. It's the same milk it was five seconds ago."
Neither of them heard me. They were locked in a staring contest of pure, unadulterated "lovey-dovey" energy.
"Harin-ah, try this strawberry cake," Doyoon said, picking up a fork with shaking hands. "It's almost as sweet as—"
"If you finish that sentence with 'you,' I am leaving this table," I interrupted, my voice as cold as a server room.
Doyoon froze, the fork halfway to Harin's mouth. He looked at me, then back at Harin, and then—with a level of bravery I didn't know he possessed—he fed her the cake anyway.
I watched Harin chew, a soft, genuine blush on her cheeks. I realized then that I was seeing a version of my sister that didn't exist in my database. This wasn't the girl who kicked me in the shins when I touched her laptop. This wasn't the girl who stole my hoodies.
When did she grow up? When did the "bug" that used to follow me around turn into a woman who could look at a boy with that much tenderness? The realization hit me with a strange, heavy weight. My sister was changing, and for the first time, I couldn't calculate the outcome.
"Oppa, stop staring," Harin said, finally breaking the spell to look at me. "You're making Doyoon nervous. He already thinks you're going to execute him."
"I told him I'd break his legs," I reminded her. "The execution is only if he repeats that line about the cake."
"He's just being sweet!" Harin defended, reaching over to pat Doyoon's hand.
Doyoon took her hand and—I kid you not—interlaced their fingers right on top of the table. "It's okay, Harin-ah. I know Hyung is just... protecting the system."
I stared at their joined hands. "You're lucky the Wi-Fi in here is fast, or I'd be much more annoyed."
Suddenly, Doyoon leaned in closer to Harin. "Wait, you have something on your eyelash."
He reached out, his face inches from hers. I felt a twitch in my eye. This was getting out of hand. The emotional overhead was reaching critical levels.
"Doyoon," I said sharply.
"Yeah, Hyung?"
"There is a fly on the window behind you. Focus on that. Give the girl some oxygen."
Harin burst out laughing, a bright, clear sound that filled the cafe. She looked at me, then at Doyoon, and then back at me. "You're just jealous because Danoh-unnie isn't here to hold your hand, aren't you?"
"I am not jealous. I am observing a social anomaly."
"Sure, Oppa. Keep telling yourself that."
I looked at my watch. Twenty minutes until we were supposed to head to the restaurant. Twenty more minutes of Doyoon calling her "Harin-ah" and Harin acting like he was a hero instead of a boy who once got his head stuck in a staircase railing.
I pulled out my phone and sent a quick text to Danoh.
[15:42] Hanbin: Emergency.
[15:42] Danoh: What?! What happened? Is everyone okay?
[15:43] Hanbin: No. They are holding hands. There is strawberry cake involved. I am dying of an emotional overdose. Please hurry.
A second later, she replied with a string of laughing emojis.
[15:44] Danoh: Hang in there, my Ice Prince. I'll save you in twenty minutes. Bring the 'children' over now!
I stood up, grabbing my coat. "Alright, social hour is over. The restaurant is calling. If I see one more 'sweet' look, I'm making both of you walk."
Doyoon scrambled to his feet, still holding Harin's hand. "Yes, Hyung! Ready to move!"
As we walked out, I watched them skip ahead of me, Harin swinging their joined hands. My sister was growing up, and the boy next to her was an idiot, but as I saw the way he looked at her—as if she were the only thing in the world that mattered—I realized the system was actually quite stable.
But I was still going to break his legs if he made her cry. That was a non-negotiable constant.