Stuck With You// Kim Seungmin

8

Minju pov

The morning sunlight streamed through the kitchen window, casting a warm glow over our typical family breakfast. Dad engrossed in his newspaper, seemingly oblivious to the world around him. Mom fussed over Minho Oppa, showering him with affection as if he were the sun around which our family orbited.

While Dad and Mom were preoccupied, Minhee Unnie and I were locked in our usual showdown over the last piece of Mom's crispy fried chicken. It was an ongoing battle between us, our sibling rivalry in full swing.

"Minju, just let me have it this time," Minhee Unnie glared at me.

"No way," I shot back. "You always get what you want."

Mom finally had enough and stepped in. "That's enough, both of you! Minhee, act your age. Minju, show some respect to your older sister."

The scolding hung in the air as Minhee Unnie and I exchanged frustrated looks. We backed down, though, knowing better than to push Mom any further.

"You two never change, do you?" Minho Oppa remarked, shaking his head as he ate breakfast.

Minhee Unnie and I shot him a look, momentarily putting aside our rivalry to find common ground in our mutual irritation with our brother.

 "Why should we when we have the perfect example of maturity, little Minho, in the house?"Minhee unnie scarsticastilly glared at her younger brother in annoyance.

Minho Oppa rolled his eyes, clearly unamused but decided to say nothing since it was Minhee unnie. If it was me, I'm sure he would curse the shit out of me. Anyway, I'm glad that our oldest sister gave him a lesson.

As we walked to school, Minho Oppa and Chan Oppa were deep in their usual chat about the latest gaming trends and strategies. Seungmin, who'd been quiet until now, joined in with his thoughts on recent game updates. Meanwhile, I felt like the odd one out, wishing I could be part of a conversation that didn't revolve around games.

As we walked along, I couldn't help but reflect on how my childhood had been filled with these boys. They were amazing friends—practically like brothers—but sometimes, I wished for a girl friend to talk to. Someone who could bring a different perspective and interests to the table, giving our group a more diverse dynamic.

Lost in my thoughts, I mumbled, "I wish I had a girl friend to talk to about other things."

Seungmin overheard me and raised an eyebrow. "Girlfriend? What do you mean by that? Not like a romantic interest, right?"

My cheeks warmed as I realized my words might have come across the wrong way. "No, not like that! I meant a female friend to chat with. You guys always talk about games."

Chan Oppa chuckled. "Minju wants someone to talk girl stuff with! That's new."

Minho Oppa nodded in agreement. "Makes sense. She is a girl, even though she doesn't always act like it."

The three of them laughed, and I rolled my eyes. "You guys are too much!" I walked ahead, trying to keep some distance from their teasing.

As we reached the school gates, the chatter between Minho Oppa, Chan Oppa, and Seungmin got a lively boost as Hyunjin and Jisung joined us. Hyunjin was riding his skateboard, which instantly caught my attention. The thought of zipping through the morning on a skateboard seemed like a refreshing change from our usual routine.

"Hyunjin, can I try it?" I eagerly asked, already imagining myself gracefully gliding across the pavement.

Seungmin, however, interjected with a knowing look. "Minju, I think it's better if you stay off the skateboard. You might end up breaking something,"