For Haein, The Little Mermaid was her very first ballet performance.
But she couldn’t focus on it at all.
She thought she’d seen something amazing—people so beautiful it almost made her dizzy—but…
“What even is this situation?”
“Uh… I don’t know?”
“Seriously, what is this?”
Apparently, Siyul wasn’t any more focused than she was. Unsurprisingly, he was visibly irritated.
“Why is our date…”
“Shhh!”
First of all, the seating inside the theater was far too close to Lee Haeun and her fiancé.
Every time Haeun turned her head, she was practically looking straight at Haein and Siyul.
Which meant that for the entire performance, the two of them had to sit frozen in awkward silence.
Only when the 100-minute ballet ended and they slipped out into the lobby could they finally whisper to each other—but even then, they had to stay on guard in case Haeun popped up in the crowd.
“What, are we criminals now?”
“…But right now, I’m still your little sister.”
“Damn it.”
Siyul hadn’t expected to run into anyone they knew today.
Maybe it would’ve been better if he had introduced her as his girlfriend from the start.
But back then, that wasn’t their relationship—so it was a pointless regret now.
Siyul folded his arms in annoyance and grumbled.
“Do you know how hard it was to get today off?”
Haein had been looking forward to a romantic date just as much as he had. But clearly, the day hadn’t lived up to Siyul’s expectations.
And she knew exactly how much trouble he’d gone through to adjust his schedule just for this.
Since Haein’s full-time job was being someone’s pet cat, the only way she and Siyul could watch a performance together was to wait for a day when her owner, Taeil, was away.
That’s how much effort it took to make today happen.
Which probably explained why Siyul’s frustration had reached an all-time high. Haein had never seen him sulk like this.
He was usually the type to stay annoyingly cool in every situation—but now, just one disrupted date had him grumbling like a petulant teenager.
“Hey… Let’s just go on another date and do it right next time. That should fix it, right?”
“…Of course.”
Seeing a tall, handsome man sulking like a kid was… kind of adorable.
Haein wondered if something was seriously wrong with her. Like, maybe she had some kind of weird filter over her eyes.
“Next time, let’s go somewhere with no people!”
Thinking that a bit of contact would be fine between siblings, Haein gently clung to Siyul’s arm.
“Somewhere with no people?”
“Yeah! It’s hard to explain, but… being seen like this, in this appearance, with anyone other than you—it’s really uncomfortable.”
She didn’t know if it was because of the grim reaper’s curse or what, but she kept feeling this unshakable unease.
It was like someone had slipped a leash around her neck—and occasionally yanked it from behind as a warning.
Like a silent force was holding her back, telling her: Don’t do anything that might expose the secret.
Maybe it was simply the guilt of hiding something…
Pretending to be his little sister, even though that wasn’t what she really was.
“I don’t mind, but… are you okay with it?”
“Huh?”
“Going somewhere alone with me… when there’s no one around…”
“Ack! A-anyway! It was the tickets! The seats were bad, that’s all!”
Ah, right—this is the kind of guy he is.
Haein quickly pulled away from Siyul and changed the subject.
Ever since they started dating, the distance between them had vanished. And that was becoming a problem.
Maybe it was because of all the frequent kisses, but now every other kind of skinship felt too easy. Like her boundaries had gotten fuzzy.
“Yeah, I’ll give you that. Ugh, next time, I swear I’m not going anywhere with tickets that guy gives me.”
“Huh… Anyone watching would think you hate your owner.”
“…He probably doesn’t appreciate being called that either, you know.”
Haein realized it a second too late, but she still couldn’t think of any other way to refer to Taeil.
It felt weird to just call him by name now.
After all, Taeil had been her “owner” for nearly half a year—gentle, kind, and the person who taught her how to enjoy life as a pet cat.
“Then should I start calling him ‘Oppa’ instead?”
“Taeil?”
“Yeah!”
“…‘Owner’ is a hundred times better.”
Haein let out a small laugh.
This man… he was getting more adorable by the day. Even when he was pouting in jealousy, he looked ridiculously cute.
Not that she could say that out loud—he’d definitely get mad.
“Right? Besides, you say all that, but you actually like him quite a bit, don’t you?”
“Hmph.”
“I know you secretly think he’s charming.”
“Still just a guy…”
“There you are!”
And that was the end of their little moment.
Pushing through the crowd, Lee Haeun appeared out of nowhere.
The relieved look on her face made it obvious—she’d been worried Siyul might’ve left.
“Did you enjoy the performance? It was wonderful, wasn’t it?”
“Ah, yes.”
Why did this outgoing, friendly beauty feel so uncomfortable to be around?
She wasn’t a bad person. She didn’t act mean or rude.
Maybe it was just that… she had no sense of awareness.
“We should hurry before the café gets full. Shall we go now?”
“Didn’t you want to ask me something? It’s about Taeil, isn’t it?”
“…Yes. How did you know?”
“It’s not hard to guess.”
Unlike someone else, Siyul was extremely quick on the uptake.
And right now, he wanted nothing more than to get rid of Haeun so he could have a peaceful moment alone with his girlfriend again.
“We’ll pass on the coffee. Just get to the point.”
“Oh… right here?”
“Yes.”
“But I was the one who asked to meet… I’d at least like to treat you to something.”
Haeun glanced around uncomfortably at the busy lobby, clearly unsettled by the chaos after the performance.
But for Siyul, the idea of spending more time with her was far more unsettling.
Haein, anxiously fidgeting and repeatedly trying to hide behind his back, looked utterly pitiful.
“I don’t like coffee. So, what is it you want to say?”
“Well, it’s just…”
“If you don’t get to the point soon, I’m leaving.”
“It’s about Taeil… I was wondering if you knew how things were going with him…”
What, that’s it?
Siyul, unimpressed, responded blandly to the question that was well within the range of what he’d expected.
“He seems to be thinking about it seriously.”
“And in your opinion… how does he seem?”
“I don’t know? I mean, how would I know?”
“But… you’re very close to him…”
Why was she blushing as she said that?
Lee Haeun spoke with a strange nuance, as if she’d touched on something sensitive.
Siyul, who was usually quick on the uptake, couldn’t for the life of him figure out why, and it left him puzzled.
“…Well, yeah, but aren’t you closer to him than I am?”
“I’m just a friend. It’s not like we’re living together or anything like you two…”
“That just sort of happened.”
Their house had burned down, leaving him with nowhere to go. Sure, he could’ve found a new place easily—but he hadn’t.
Taeil had offered, and it had seemed like a good opportunity, so Siyul moved in. And here they were, even now. That was all.
“Would you… be able to talk him out of it?”
“…Me?”
“Yes.”
“Why… me?”
“Because I think if it’s you, he might actually listen.”
What kind of ridiculous request was this? If anything, he was the one who wanted Taeil to go. Siyul let out a dry laugh.
To anyone listening, it would’ve sounded like Taeil and he were in some kind of relationship.
“I wouldn’t do that. It’s his decision to make.”
“But wouldn’t you… hate being so far apart from him?”
“Huh?”
Haeun spoke like someone on the edge of a cliff, barely coherent. She couldn’t even make eye contact, as if she felt guilty for asking this of him.
“You’d miss Taeil too, wouldn’t you? It’s not like he’s going to Japan or somewhere close—he’s going to Africa… who knows when you’ll see him again…”
What the hell was she talking about? From earlier, their conversation had felt just slightly off, like it kept missing the mark.
“Uh… I mean, sure, I might miss him. But it’s not like I’ll die from not seeing the guy… Isn’t that a bit much?”
Even Haein sensed something was wrong now. That said it all.
“I guess… maybe it’s because I’m a woman. If it were me… I’d miss him a lot. I’d feel anxious, and…”
Something was definitely off.
Only then did Siyul begin to catch on to what Lee Haeun might be thinking. He didn’t want to imagine it, but… no way, this woman couldn’t possibly—
“Um, sorry, just to make sure…”
“Yes?”
“I have a girlfriend.”
“…Really?”
Was that supposed to be a shocking revelation?
“Yes. I do.”
For some reason, his voice came out stiff with anger, and Haein, realizing what was happening, stared at him with her mouth wide open.
“Oh… Is she just for show…?”
“I kissed her yesterday. And if the opportunity arises, I plan to do it again today.”
“Pardon…?”
It was only then that they realized—Lee Haeun had been seriously misunderstanding something. For example…
“Don’t tell me… you thought I was gay?”
“Oh my! I-I’m so sorry. I just assumed… I thought it was a secret…”
And she clearly really believed it. How could someone be so utterly convinced?
Haein’s face paled—not because she believed her ‘brother‘ was gay. That much was impossible.
She’d bet ten fingers on it—he absolutely wasn’t.
“Secret or not, I like women.”
It wasn’t surprising that Siyul, unable to hold it in any longer, ground his teeth in frustration.
“…That’s right. He likes women.”
Even Haein, who had been silent all this time, chimed in. Only then did Lee Haeun realize just how wrong her assumption had been.
It was honestly impressive that a human face could turn that red.
“Ah, uhh… Oh no, I just… I saw you two living together and, well… it seemed obvious…!”
A misunderstanding is one thing, but this was so wildly off the mark that they didn’t even know where to begin correcting it.
That was when Lee Haeun’s fiancé, previously nowhere to be seen, came rushing over in a panic.
While Siyul stood speechless in disbelief—
“Haeun! We’ve got a problem. I think we need to go now.”
“Huh?”
“Something’s wrong with the car.”
“…But it’s valet parked?”
“Apparently, someone else scratched it while moving another car. Seriously, this is infuriating.”
“Wha—? Let’s go together! I-I’m so sorry. Really. I’ll apologize properly next time—I’m truly, truly sorry!”
In her embarrassment and urgency, Lee Haeun practically fled the scene.
The two left behind had no words. None.
They sat in silence for a long time.
“……”
“……”
The lobby, once bustling with people, had gone quiet.
________✧⑅˖♡∘˚˳°↝^._.^_________
Much later, they returned to the car, half in a daze. Siyul was the first to speak, though even he had lost his usual composure, unable to find the right words.
He looked like a man who had just lost his soul.
“So, what you’re telling me is…”
“……”
“She thought I was gay… and Taeil…”
“…Maybe there is some hope for my owner.”
Haein looked just as devastated. The conclusion they’d arrived at, after all that, was far from encouraging.
Siyul let out a hollow laugh and shook his head.
“Haha! If I’m gay, then yeah—he’s completely hopeless.”
“But you’re not gay!”
“…Why would she even think that?!”
They ended up yelling inside the car, shouting at no one in particular. This woman—Lee Haeun!
“I don’t know either!”
It was one hell of a misunderstanding. Lee Haeun had perfectly convinced herself that the man she liked was gay.
And by extension, since he lived with Siyul, she’d lumped Siyul into that category too.
Siyul felt like dying from the sheer injustice of it all, but even that wasn’t as bad as what Taeil was dealing with.
“Weren’t Taeil and Haeun friends for a long time?”
“Since high school, I think?”
“And she still got the wrong idea?”
“Well, I mean, he does seem a bit herbivorous, and he’s totally uninterested in women! I heard he’s never even dated before…! He’s so indifferent to girls… but I always thought it was just because he liked her!”
Sure, Taeil was a model gentleman, had no apparent sex drive, and came off as overly pure. Haein had also occasionally wondered if maybe, just maybe, he didn’t like women.
But that was just because he was so… boringly virtuous. He wasn’t lecherous, he kept his distance, and he had such good manners it created a natural wall.
Trying to defend Taeil, Haein suddenly found herself understanding why this misunderstanding had taken root.
“Arghhhh!”
“What now?!”
“He does kind of seem gay…!”
Half in despair, Haein shouted as if she were about to cry.
It made sense, really. He was such a romantic that he had eyes for no one but Haeun. From her perspective, it may have seemed like he had no interest in women at all.
He’d known her for nearly a decade, and she was basically the only woman in his life. Watching him all that time, she’d clearly developed some strange certainty.
Maybe that was the problem—they’d known each other too long.
If she’d never seen him in a relationship over all those years, it was natural her suspicions would turn into conviction. And now, with him moving in with an older man instead of settling down with a woman…
“Wait. That guy’s still a virgin…”
“What the hell?! Why would you even bring that up?!”
“I joked once, asking what he planned to do with his virginity. I mean, the guy was practically a hermit—no women in sight! Think about it—he seemed so safe, even you were allowed to date him!”
“Well…”
“Honestly, I did wonder a few times. I mean, there do seem to be a lot of openly gay people in his circles… but then again, that’s normal for artists…”
As Siyul muttered on, growing increasingly convinced of nonsense, his complexion went pale—just like Haein’s. This was… not good.
Haein’s voice trembled.
“I just remembered something…”
“What?”
“Haeun got engaged… right after you moved into Taeil’s place.”
“…You’ve got to be kidding me.”
What kind of absurd situation was this?
Siyul pressed his aching head again, but it did nothing to help.
Haein had tried to keep some distance, but now, all she could do was lean her head weakly against his shoulder.
“Kang… I… I feel kind of dizzy.”
“Yeah… me too.”
