After saying so firmly that it wouldn’t work, how did his mind change? I tried to rack my brain while blinking my unfocused eyes repeatedly.
But no matter how hard I thought about it, I couldn’t figure out the reason hyung-nim changed his mind.
– But if you say cheeky things like last time, I’m taking it back. Just because you did it once doesn’t mean doing it twice will be any different—that’s the most shameless thing I’ve ever heard in my life.
Hyung-nim’s nagging complaints continued, but I covered my mouth and held back my laughter.
Although the second kiss was tentatively blocked, I’d managed to protect the opportunity to spend time with hyung-nim in the future. I thought everything had flown away, but I’m really relieved.
Even if I can’t have dinner together with him for the rest of my life. If I could do even my bucket list before dying together with hyung-nim, I’d be more than happy.
Since I don’t know when my time will end, just that was enough to satisfy me.
– Hm? Hajin-ah. You need to answer that you won’t say things like that.
“Yes, I understand, hyung-nim.”
– Then let’s go inside and sleep now. You’ll catch a cold. It’s cold and you’re eating ice cream outside too.
My heart pounded at those sweet words. And in my head, still fuzzy with alcohol, a small question mark appeared.
Could it be that the push-and-pull worked?
If my push-and-pull made hyung-nim even a little concerned, and that’s why his mind changed……
Then, I had no intention of giving up on the second kiss.
“Who told you to make shameless demands from the start? You should have tested the waters first. Hajin shouldn’t do negotiations anywhere.”
Hyung-nim told me the reason for my last failure. He said it was because I asked for a second kiss from the start without testing the waters.
So this time, I had to move more slowly and more secretly.
***
Finally, it was the momentous first bucket list item.
I was going to dye my hair, but now that the day had actually come, I wasn’t particularly excited.
No, I was excited. But it wasn’t because of the dyeing—it was because I’d be spending time with hyung-nim. We decided to make time separately on a day with no classes to go to the salon, and today, after going to the salon, we were going to eat out together.
So that meant hyung-nim had cleared his entire afternoon. Just to spend time with me.
The place hyung-nim took me to restore my hair was a large hair salon located in Cheongdam-dong.
Coming to an unfamiliar neighborhood after living in a quiet residential area, the street itself seemed like a different world. It seemed to be a busy district, but the atmosphere was different from the university area. The sophisticated hair salon with an all-glass door exuded a luxurious atmosphere from the entrance.
When we opened the door and entered, a subtle fragrance brushed past my nose. The interior was neatly organized in white and gray tones, and lights sparkled on every mirror.
An employee approached. When hyung-nim said something briefly, the employee nodded and guided us inside. The distance was a bit far so I couldn’t hear the conversation well, but I could see hyung-nim talking familiarly.
I stood awkwardly and looked around. Everyone here seemed different somehow. Their clothes, their atmosphere.
“Hajin-ah, sit down for a bit.”
Hyung-nim headed somewhere, and I followed the employee’s guidance and sat in a chair. I was bewildered about what was happening.
After a moment, beyond the mirror, hyung-nim and some woman came into view. She seemed to be in her mid-thirties with a glamorous yet sophisticated atmosphere.
Seeing them exchange brief greetings, I could tell the two were close.
I caught hyung-nim’s voice saying ‘noona’ faintly in my ear. Just how close were they?
Then the woman looked at me and smiled. She seemed to say something, but I was too nervous to hear properly. I just bowed in greeting instead.
“Ah, hello.”
I learned a little later that the woman was actually the head director of this hair salon. And the two of them began to discuss my hair in earnest, leaving me, the person in question, out of it.
“A pure style. The baby absolutely needs to be in a pure style.”
It seemed like they’d start with a cut first, but I was dying of embarrassment because hyung-nim kept calling me ‘baby’ in front of other people.
“Hmm, I think it would be pretty if we went a bit more glamorous too? His features are distinct, so I think some length would be good, and the color—it’s just faded a bit unattractively right now, but his hair is naturally light even without bleaching, so it’s perfect hair for dyeing various colors. Now that I think about it, among the popular idols these days……”
“Absolutely not. Flashy idol styles don’t suit the baby.”
I squeezed my eyes shut. Hyung-nim’s voice couldn’t have been more firm.
“What? What do you mean it doesn’t suit him? Your brother’s face is already an idol, you’re being completely unreasonable.”
“Just because it suits him doesn’t mean he can do any hairstyle. What if weird people start swarming around him because of his appearance?”
“Weird people?”
The director laughed as if to say what nonsense. I bit my lip and lowered my head.
What kind of people does hyung-nim think would swarm around me……
“To be precise, the baby has a face that wouldn’t look out of place displayed on a prestigious university’s homepage. Neat and pure. Any hair that doesn’t ruin that image is fine.”
“Hyung-nim, please stop……”
“Why? I need to properly restore the hair Hajin ruined.”
As soon as I said one word, I shut my mouth again. Looking at it now, it seemed hyung-nim didn’t just slightly dislike my poodle hair……
Meanwhile, the director still seemed to have a different opinion from hyung-nim. She suggested a few more options, then finally shook her head as if she’d lost. Then she met my eyes through the mirror and said,
“I’ve never had such an overprotective guardian before. Next time, I hope our brother comes alone.”
“That won’t happen. Who knows what kind of hair he’ll end up with if left to his own devices.”
From earlier, hyung-nim had his arms crossed and looked like someone in the middle of an important business negotiation. Of course, from the position of power showing not an inch of compromise.
Actually, while listening to this embarrassing conversation, one question arose.
Then does that mean hyung-nim will go with me every time I go to the salon from now on?
‘I hope so!’
While I was jumping to conclusions and growing my expectations, hyung-nim continued explaining about the hair. He showed something on his phone—maybe my past photos—and continued the explanation. Especially, how to do the hair color was the key point.
“Dark enough but not too dark, and not too bright like a delinquent either—a pretty faded brown that’s moderate. It must be similar to his original hair color.”
“I think I can get the color to come out similar, if not exactly. What about the perm? It’s natural enough that I think it’s fine to leave it, should I straighten it?”
“It’ll damage his hair, so it’s better to leave it. This much is cute too.”
“Okay, leave the perm as is.”
“The baby’s hair texture wasn’t originally like this. It used to be so nice.”
Something about a pure image—I’ll give up on that kind of talk, so I just wished he’d do something about calling me ‘baby’ first.
The voice that unhesitatingly said ‘baby’ was so nonchalant that it was even more embarrassing. My face, with only my neck showing because of the cape, was turning bright red as if about to burst. It looked even redder in contrast to the completely white salon.
“Now go over there. Geez, so fussy!”
The director shook her head and began to work on my hair in earnest.
After the hair started, hyung-nim sat at a table prepared in the back and took out a tablet. It seemed he was going to work while I was getting my hair done.
After the cut ended, I was waiting with the dye applied, and at some point my eyelids became heavy.
Is it because I stayed up late last night doing assignments? Why am I so sleepy……
I was nodding off when I came to my senses. As soon as I opened my eyes, I looked for hyung-nim with my eyes.
Without even needing to turn my head, I could find hyung-nim in the mirror.
Hyung-nim, who had definitely been sitting earlier, was standing behind me, holding his phone and looking at me.
Hehe.
This was an unavoidable reflexive reaction. Meeting hyung-nim’s eyes through the mirror, I immediately smiled brightly. And then some sound followed.
Click-.
“……Hyung-nim?”
I couldn’t help but open my eyes wide. What was my current state? I had dye slathered all over and was wrapped in plastic wrap.
And I just now, I think I smiled really stupidly……!
“Hm?”
Not knowing what was going on inside me, hyung-nim raised his eyebrows nonchalantly as if asking what was wrong. I couldn’t help but ask in shock.
“Hyung-nim, did you just take my picture?”
“Yeah, because you’re cute.”
Click again. Right before my eyes, hyung-nim casually took one more picture of me.
That action was so quick and unhesitating, as if it wasn’t his first or second time taking photos before.
