Beep beep beep beep, beep-click.
This time I wasn't wrong. Mom's birthday. I confidently opened the door lock and stepped inside the house.
"I'm home."
Bang.
Before I could even take off my shoes, Ji-hye's room door opened. The punk ran out frantically with a tearful face.
"Brother! Why are you so late!"
Ji-hye grabbed my arm abruptly and checked me here and there. Looking at my face, lifting my arms, checking behind my back. Checking if my clothes were torn or if I had any bruises, she looked exactly like a nagging mother-in-law... no, like a mother who let her child out by the water.
"I was worried... I sent messages, why didn't you check? You didn't answer calls either! I thought something happened...!"
Tears welled up in the punk's eyes. It seems she was really on the verge of dialing 112 (police).
"Ah, it was on silent."
I took out my phone from my pocket and checked. 7 missed calls, 50 messages. I forgot I put it on silent because it's a national rule not to be disturbed when gaming or doing an IRL fight.
"And nothing happened. I just talked with a friend a bit and came back."
...We had a very deep and intense physical conversation. Thanks to that, the peace of the Rift was protected today as well. As an apostle of justice, I deserve to be praised.
"Haaaa..."
Only after hearing my answer did Ji-hye let out a deep sigh, leaning against the entrance wall as if her legs gave out.
"That's a relief... Really a relief... I thought someone grabbed Brother on the street..."
"Am I a kid? Getting grabbed."
I passed by the punk and entered the living room. The house was quiet.
"That aside, Mom's not back from work yet? Is she busy today?"
"Yeah... She said she'll be late because of some overtime work."
Ji-hye followed behind me closely, still soothing her unsettled chest. Her gaze didn't know how to leave me. Like she was monitoring me in case I disappeared.
Then suddenly, as if thinking of something, the punk's pupils shook.
"Um... Brother."
"Why."
Ji-hye hesitated while examining my complexion. It seems she was relieved I returned safely without suffering anything terrible outside, but was concerned thinking about her brother who must have suffered outside for that long time.
"Um... you were outside for a long time. Aren't you hungry?"
"Huh?"
"Brother... have you had your meal...?"
"...?"
Sudden honorifics attack. I stared intently at the punk.
"No. Didn't eat."
Earlier, after buying ice cream for the brats, I thought about buying a cup ramen with the remaining money, but I held back to just eat at home.
"T-Then how will you eat?"
"What do you mean how."
I was about to move toward the kitchen but paused.
Come to think of it, when I woke up this morning, a food tray was placed in front of my room door. I brought that in and ate it for breakfast... but I skipped lunch, and now it's time for dinner.
'Wait.'
The Fake Jin-hyuk of this world was a true hikikomori. A guy who didn't take a single step out of his room. Then how did he resolve meals when Mom wasn't home?
Did he starve? Or delivery? Seeing how the delivery person freaked out seeing a man earlier, it probably wasn't delivery.
I decided to be shameless. If you don't know, pretending to have dementia is best. If you're confident, you won't be suspected.
"How did I usually eat when Mom wasn't here?"
"...Huh?"
Ji-hye's eyes grew round. But I jerked my chin without changing a single expression.
"My memory is hazy. You know I've been a bit out of it lately."
"Ah... R, Right. Because of stress..."
Ji-hye nodded as if accepting it, then shyly fiddled with her fingers.
"I... used to cook... and bring it to the front of your room... Because Brother found it difficult to come out... And when I wasn't home either... Brother would eat simple instant food that was at home..."
"..."
Instantly, my thinking stopped.
What?
Who cooks? Seol Ji-hye?
The Seol Ji-hye in my memory was a bad cook who couldn't even measure water for ramen, making it the Han River, and created charcoal when frying an egg. No, leaving aside cooking skills, she sets the table for me?
In the original world, it would be normal for her to shout "Hey! I'm hungry! Give me food!" and smash my back, or sarcasticly say "You boil it, do you have no hands or feet?".
But...
—Brother, have you had your meal...?
My little sister, who used to act like she'd been shot in the head, suddenly turned into a polite, well-raised lady?
"...You?"
Without realizing it, a doubt-filled question popped out.
"Yeah... My skills are still lacking but... still I try hard to suit Brother's taste..."
Ji-hye blushed and rummaged to put on an apron.
"Um, wait a little bit. I, I'll make something tasty quickly. Is Kimchi Fried Rice okay?"
I stared blankly at the punk's back. That flashy knife skill, skillfully washing rice and starting to chop kimchi on the cutting board.
'F*ck...'
My friends got Thanos-ed and disappeared. But my little sister evolved into an angel.
Anyway, why on earth did the Fake Jin-hyuk of this world become a hikikomori in this environment? Looking at how the family treats me, it doesn't seem like they oppressed or abused him.
If anything, it might be overprotection. At least I thought he would talk a lot with his family, but it seems that wasn't the case either.
I don't know. How would I know what thoughts that guy lived with in his room. I should fiddle with the guy's phone after eating. There must be some clues there. It would be fortunate if porn comes out.
Suddenly, a corner of my chest ached.
'...I wonder what happened to the me of the original world.'
A passing question. If I am here, did the loser Fake Jin-hyuk of this world cross over to there?
If that's the case... that bastard is f*cked. A guy who only acted tough in his room here, dropped into that rough wild South Korea? He's probably getting ripped off by bullies, or crossed the Jordan River from cardiac arrest as soon as he made eye contact with a convenience store part-timer noon.
Or, there is another possibility. I played a certain game in the past, maybe like the protagonist there, only my personality data was copied and overwritten onto this world.
'What if I'm actually like a data fragment?'
"Ah, don't know. Let's just not think."
I shook my head vigorously. What's the point of thinking complicatedly. It's not a problem that will be solved by me pondering quantum mechanics or parallel universe theory here. Something must have happened. It's an era of everyone for themselves.
Thinking too much is my flaw. Sitting there calculating all sorts of possibilities I don't need to.
I shook off the random thoughts, pulled out a dining chair, flopped down, and tossed out indifferently.
"Hey, anything I can help with?"
Ji-hye's knife work stopped abruptly. The punk turned around in fright.
"Ah, no...! It's fine...!"
It was a reaction as if I had asked 'Shall I blow up the kitchen?'.
"Brother just rest comfortably! Even sitting must be hard, you can go into your room. I'll bring it when it's done."
"..."
Is she being sarcastic...? How could sitting be hard. I'm not a newborn baby. I was dumbfounded anew at how weak men of this world are perceived to be.
But it would also look funny to insist on working when someone is refusing.
"Hmm... Really? Then good luck."
I added while leaning back against the chair.
"Call me if you need to lift something heavy or if a lid won't open while doing it. Don't struggle."
"Y, Yeah... Thanks, Brother."
Ji-hye nodded looking touched, then focused on cooking again. Sizzle sizzle, the sound of kimchi being fried and a savory smell filled the living room.
I propped my chin up and watched that sight. A world where men are precious. A world where a younger sister sets the table.
'...Not bad.'
This unfamiliar tranquility, I didn't hate it as much as I thought.
A moment later, steaming Kimchi Fried Rice was placed in front of me. Even a soft-boiled fried egg was placed perfectly on top of the fluffy rice grains. The visual is a pass.
"E, Eat well, Brother."
Ji-hye sat opposite the table, clasping her hands and staring at me intently.
"What are you looking at. It's burdensome... Aren't you eating?"
"Ah... Yeah, I'll eat too.."
The punk lifted her spoon but her gaze was still fixed on my mouth. The momentum to observe the process of me chewing and swallowing in real-time.
'Eh, I don't know. If I care, I lose.'
I scooped a big spoonful, broke the egg yolk, and put it in my mouth with the rice.
Chew chew.
"..."
Gulp.
"...Oh."
Better than I thought, no, it's quite tasty. The sour taste of kimchi was properly balanced with sugar, and the rice grains weren't mushy but fluffy. It was doubtful if this was really made by the cooking-disaster Seol Ji-hye in my memory.
I tossed out indifferently.
"Pretty good."
"R, Really? Does it suit your taste?"
Ji-hye's eyes shone sparklingly. If she had a tail, it would have been spinning like a propeller.
"Yeah. Edible."
"That's a relief... I was worried what if it was spicy..."
Only then did Ji-hye seem relieved and took a spoonful of her rice.
I moved my spoon silently. The speed at which the plate emptied was quite fast.
It wasn't exactly exercise... but swinging the toy hammer with all my might to educate that elementary schooler, Kang Min-ji or whatever, seemed to have emptied my stomach. As expected, implementing justice requires physical stamina too.
Clink.
Before I knew it, the spoon scraped the bottom of the empty plate. I smacked my lips and held out the empty plate.
"Give me a bit more."
"...!"
Ji-hye's expression brightened brightly. She seemed much happier than when I said I got accepted to college. No, come to think of it, back then she looked like she lost her country. Is this a world where eating one more bowl of rice is more filial than going to college?
"Yeah! I'll give you more right away! Eat lots!"
The punk ran frantically to serve the remaining Kimchi Fried Rice in the frying pan. Watching that excited back, I let out a chuckle.
Is it something to be that happy about just asking for one more bowl of rice? Just how little did the Seol Jin-hyuk of this world eat.
'...Well, good for me.'
I thought while drinking a sip of water. I lost friends but gained a younger sister who feeds me well.
As expected, life is equivalent exchange.
You were right, Edward Garlic. ...No, was it another guy?
Well, whatever.
"Brother, here it is. Eat well."
My sister put down the steaming plate.
I should just eat.
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