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Sung Jin-ah knew how great of a brother she had.
As all sisters do, she groaned at his overbearing care, whined at his hard flicks to her forehead, grumbled when he was being an annoying shit. She “borrowed” his earbuds, drank his canned coffee, and nagged at him to pick up fried chicken on his way home. She grumbled about him and his annoying need to be right all the time and how his stupid pride kept him from asking for help and how he was sometimes such a sourpuss that interacting with him felt like biting into a lemon.
But she knew how great he was. Not just in the way that he could be so much worse, but that even compared to any other brother, even the most wish-fulfillment brother-characters from a manga, none could measure up to Jinwoo.
Jin-ah pretended not to, mostly because she knew it made Jinwoo uncomfortable if she said anything, but she saw how much he did for her. Beyond just paying for her tuition and encouraging her to join clubs even though it was an extra expense, beyond cooking dinner for her most nights, beyond being protective of her when some creep came onto her at a convenience store. He also bought her favourite snacks around exam season and always kept fun drinks in the house so she had something to look forward to while studying. He insisted she get a hoodie at the mall, even though it was expensive. He let her practice hairstyles on him when she was thinking about cutting it into a bob.
She knew how great of a brother she had, and each time she had to see him come home wrapped in bandages and coloured with blood and purple bruises, her heart broke a little more. For the last four years, she’d had to get used to it, but even though trips to the hospital were rare, she still couldn’t get past the look of her brother in a hospital bed, scars and swelling showing how much he suffered doing his job, just so she could attend a good high school.
She couldn’t get used to it.
This last time had been the worst. He’d never been asleep for so long, and when she had gotten to the hospital after the association called her school to let her know, all she could think was please don’t be dead. He’d looked fine as he slept, dark circles under his eyes somehow lessened, even after the ordeal he supposedly went through. She hadn’t gotten the full rundown, god knows she would be grilling Jinwoo when he woke up, but from the limited amount of information she did get, he had been left in a dungeon that had killed twelve out of eighteen hunters. The other people that got out alive had told the Association that Jinwoo’s leg had been severed, and Jin-ah had never been so glad for healers.
Jin-ah knew how much Jinwoo cared and worried about her but she didn’t know if Jinwoo knew how much she worried about him.
At least the last few weeks, she hadn’t had to deal with the constant injuries. Jinwoo seemed so busy all the time and yet, he never came home with wounds anymore. It was good, don't get her wrong, but it was also weird. He was the kind of guy who tripped over a shoelace and suddenly needed stitches. Not to mention the weird growth spurt. She knew from her anatomy class that people could keep growing into their twenties but going from a lean, lanky hundred and seventy centimeters to one-eighty-five with abs in the span of three weeks was so not how that worked. Suffice to say, she was suspicious. Especially when he didn’t even seem to notice it until he tried to put on a shirt and it ripped when he moved his arms. She had wondered at first if he was taking some kind of hunter steroid or something—not that she thought Jinwoo would ever do that—but he was clearly as surprised as she was.
In the end, Jin-ah had to just chalk it up to hunters being weird. Awakened beings were all sorts of strange, even biologically, and even after ten years, biologists were still playing catch-up.
That said, she had to do something about his clothes. He’d already ripped three shirts and when she caught him buying sweatpants from a fast fashion site, she knew she had to shut that down.
Before his near death experience, they’d been struggling with cash. It was why Jinwoo was so adamant about keeping his job as a hunter, because even as dangerous as it was, even as an E-Rank, it paid better than anything else. But now, when Jin-ah had checked her debit card balance, she wondered if it was some sort of reverse scam, because there was suddenly three million won in her account. Jinwoo had just said he’d gotten a good haul from a few dungeons when she'd asked about the sudden influx of money. She’d raised her eyebrows and shrugged. As if that wasn’t suspicious.
But she had to ignore the weirdness, had to pack away her suspicion and skepticism lest her brother would respond like a kid with his hand in the cookie jar and try to hide whatever he was clearly hiding better.
That didn’t mean she couldn't take advantage of some of the weirdness. Especially the money weirdness. She knew her brother well enough to know he wasn’t involved in anything shady, so her only real question about the newfound cash was what to do with it. Jin-ah knew Jinwoo would have already put away money for tuition and bills and their mom’s hospital treatment, so it was up to her to decide what their discretionary income would be spent on. Her first priority was getting Jinwoo new clothes.
So on a Saturday she had demanded he take off from hunting (or whatever stuff he was doing these days), she dragged him to a department store with a promise that he would buy what she wanted within the budget. She had even pulled out the big guns, acting sheepish and disheartened about needing new clothes for school, like she was embarrassed about asking. Jinwoo had immediately offered to pay for shopping and had acquiesced when he dragged him to take her. He was so easy to read. And manipulate.
Jin-ah slurped at a smoothie as she walked toward the elevator. Jinwoo trailed after her, looking as though he had never been in a store like this in his life. Which… now that Jin-ah thinks about it, it had probably been a good few years. At least she had friends to go shopping with but her brother was kind of a loner.
She shuffled in and pressed the button for the fourth floor. Jinwoo nudged her. “You know that floor’s the men’s department, right?”
She huffed. Of course he noticed. “What, I can't wear men’s clothes? Sheesh, and here I thought you were progressive.” He rolled his eyes. He did have a point. Jin-ah did prefer women’s fashion and liked feminine clothing. But she had to lure him in somehow, or else he would refuse to look at anything.
The elevator dinged and they stepped out. Jin-ah hummed. “Let’s start with something nice. Maybe a suit? Some nicer trousers?” She stalked off toward the dress section and cleared her throat when she didn’t hear Jinwoo behind her. She heard a sigh and begrudging footsteps and she knew the jig was up. But he was the best brother she could ask for: weak to her whims.
“Look, I’m doing this for you. As your sister, I don't want to see you as a sad bachelor who only has me to cry at your funeral because no one will date you when you constantly wear sweats with holes in them. So we are going to look for a new wardrobe for you, because somehow you have a money tree and can afford it, and maybe get you a haircut. And maybe some cosmetics.”
Jinwoo sighed. “Jin-ah, I don’t need this stuff. Okay, maybe I need some bigger shirts and longer pants. But a suit? Makeup? When am I going to use any of that?”
Jin-ah paused at a mannequin and looked at the navy suit it displayed. “Who knows. But this is something that will make me happy. I’m the one who has to look at your ugly face all the time, the least you could do is have some nice clothes. Besides, if you don’t do this with me now, I'll have to guess what looks good and what size fits and buy them and I’ll spend way more money than I will if you cooperate now.”
She looked up at him seriously and narrowed her eyes, the threat evident on her face. Jinwoo’s lips were pursed and his eyebrows were inching together like caterpillars. Hmm. Maybe she’d have to look into somewhere he could get his done.
He sighed. “Fine. But it’s coming out of your discretionary budget, since it’ll make you so happy.”
She mimicked him. “Fine.” She stuck out her tongue at him.
“Hi, is there something I can help you with?” Jin-ah turned to the woman standing off, impeccably dressed and clearly a service assistant.
“Oh, no I think we’re-”
“Yes, we’d love your help!” Jin-ah interrupted. “My brother,” she gestured to Jinwoo, “needs some of everything. I have a few million won budget,” she ignored the choking sound from Jinwoo. “And I would love your help finding some things that will suit him.” This would probably eat up her newfound allowance for fun things, but it was worth it, even if just to see her brother’s face.
Jin-ah turned to her brother with an expectant expression. You agreed. She smiled at him after he sighed and nodded reluctantly.
The woman turned to Jinwoo and looked him up and down. Even in joggers and a baggy sweater (that honestly wasn’t so baggy anymore), she could see broad shoulders, a small waist, and long legs. “Of course, miss. My name is Park Yu-na, and I’d be happy to help you two find some excellent pieces.”
Jin-ah felt accomplished. She had established herself as the customer and Jinwoo as a mannequin. All according to plan. She’d have Ms. Park on her side.
“Thanks! I was thinking we’d start with finding a suit for him?”
Jin-ah had never been huge into shopping, always getting bored pretty quickly, but shopping for someone else was more fun. And Ms. Park was on the same page as her, which helped. Jinwoo had been more tolerant than she’d expected, even putting up with changing back and forth between two pairs of trousers three times.
Jin-ah looked up and down at the awkwardly standing Jinwoo, hands tucked in the pockets of slim, navy trousers that looked almost tailored on him. They had picked out a cream turtleneck and a soft grey overcoat. Jin-ah narrowed her eyes and turned toward the three pairs of shoes Ms. Park held out. “I’d recommend the black leather with the silver buckle. Pairs nicely with the belt and we can find some silver accessories as well.” Jin-ah nodded at Ms. Park's sage advice, rubbing her nonexistent beard.
“Very movie-star, I like it.”
Jinwoo seemed to have gotten over his discomfort a few outfits ago and was now just going along with it. Jin-ah nodded, satisfied. Her brother deserved to indulge in some nice clothes, and he seemed to finally not be vehemently opposed to looking like an adult instead of a broke college student. She eyed his height and stared at the jawline that had not been that sharp two months ago. She couldn't lie, Jinwoo was actually looking not bad. Maybe he wouldn’t be single forever.
Jin-ah handed Jinwoo the bags of carefully folded clothes to carry. He rolled his eyes but took them, grimacing at the sheer number of bags. She mentally checked off the list. Nice clothes, check; jeans, check; coats, check; shoes, check. She’d taken a look at a few accessories but she knew Jinwoo wasn’t much of a jewelry guy and hated hats with a passion. She’d made due with a couple pairs of sunglasses and a nice watch.
He walked out of the store in much better shape than he walked in, and Jin-ah was preening with pride at the attention he was getting. Every envious stare, every sharp inhale of awe, every blush her brother didn’t even notice was another stack on her pride. Maybe she should become a personal stylist when she was in college…
“Okay, onto the next floor.”
“Wait, the next floor?”
Jin-ah shot him an incredulous look. “You thought we were done? Oh, Jinwoo. This is a makeover day and clothes were just the first step. I still have a million won. I am going to make you into a respectable young man even if it kills me.”
And by the end of the day, she had. Jin-ah happily packed away the dozen shopping bags in the car. She had succeeded in her mission and had even overshot, having been able to cajole Jinwoo into even giving some of his own opinions. Granted, they were short and vague, but at least he said which cologne he preferred. Jin-ah was under no illusion that Jinwoo would stop wearing his usual clothes, but now at least he had the option of a new hoodie and sweatpants that weren’t thinning at the knees. He didn’t have to tell her where he was getting the money or what he was doing all the time, but damn if she wasn’t going to make him take advantage of the perks of whatever it was.
He had always sacrificed so much for her. He’d always been such a good brother. At least today, she had been able to be a good sister, too.
Jin-ah looked at him from the passenger seat with a gleeful smile. “So… did you have even a little fun?”
He looked at her, then rolled his eyes back to the road. “Maybe a little.” Her mouth dropped in a smile.
Jinwoo huffed. “Happy with yourself, are you?”
“Yeah, pretty much.”