ꜰɪɴᴀʟ ʙʀᴇᴀᴛʜ . ꜱᴡᴇᴇᴛ ʜᴏᴍᴇ ¹

XIX. ᴠᴇɴᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴏᴜᴛꜱɪᴅᴇ

"We need... to venture outside," Eun-hyeok announced to the tenants. "We only have five days' worth of food. We'll search the nearest convenience store first."

"Isn't it too dangerous?" Jae-heon asked.

"We made some preparations," Eun-hyeok replied. "Mr An scouted the area. And Mr Han and Ji-ji have been working on the car."

"Hang on, four-eyes," Byeong-il voiced. "Who's going, then? Are we drawing straws?"

"It's an important mission, so the ones most likely to succeed will go," Eun-hyeok explained.

ᶠYͧoͨᵏu

"You're not going out there," Sung-hyo declared as she followed her brother through the multiple hallways and rooms he walked down.

"I don't think I have much of a choice," Ji-ji replied. "I know how that car operates as I've been helping Mr Han with it."

"So tell someone else how to operate the thing!" Sung-hyo countered. "It's already worrying enough for me that Hyun-su is going out there. To have you both out there... what if one of you doesn't return?"

Ji-ji, however, smiled at his younger sister. "Even when you were seven and should've been focusing on your homework, you would always worry about me. What I was eating. What time I'd be home. Why I was late. I think you got that from Mum."

"No," Sung-hyo shook her head. "I got that from you. My older brother who would make sure I got through the school gates safely, even if you were already running late for work. You'd always sit down and help me with my homework, even if you had an outstanding project needed the next day. You always put me and my school life first... because I know you wanted me to go further than you. I know it was hard to drop out of high school... right before your final exams too."

"I had my other exams results to help me, though," Ji-ji pointed out. "And yes, I did want you to go further than I ever could. But that never meant I wasn't proud of the other things you did. I got an email from your teacher the day before... all of this. They wanted to try and help you continue your dream of being a drummer. I was going to tell you when I got back from work the next day, but then..."

"Then this all happened," Sung-hyo nodded, understanding. "I get it, don't worry. I'm not upset or anything."

"Good," Ji-ji nodded. "So now that you and I are sorted... what about you and Hyun-su?"

"What?" Sung-hyo said. "What are you talking about?"

"I don't know, you guys just seem to be very close," Ji-ji shrugged. "Especially after that power outage."

Sung-hyo tried not the grow flustered when she realised what had happened in the power outage. She'd gone to Hyun-su... and he'd had that night terror. They'd ended up cuddling each other that night.

"Did you sleep with him?" Ji-ji asked.

"Kind of..." Sung-hyo nodded, then noticed Ji-ji's wide eyes. "But not in that way!"

"So you're more than friends... or just friends?" Ji-ji asked, unsure.

"I'd say more... I don't know," Sung-hyo admitted. "We haven't really... talked about it. I mean, we kissed... twice, actually, but we never started saying oh, this is my girlfriend or hello, my boyfriend."

"Seeing as you both kissed, maybe you already took that step. However, admitting your feelings is another way to go," Ji-ji voiced. "Talk to him when we get back, okay? He's probably as conflicted as you are right now about this."