Falling For The Park Brothers' Sister ⚊ Nishimura Riki

Chapter Forty Eight

The crisp mountain air drifted into the tent as I carefully draped a small scarf over Maeumi. The little dog sniffed at it, his tail wagging in approval before settling down onto the soft blanket I'd laid out for him.

"There you go, Maeumi. That should keep you warm tonight," I murmured, giving his ears a gentle scratch. His tiny bark was like a response, and I couldn't help smiling at how content he looked.

On the other side of the tent, Sunoo was sitting cross-legged, meticulously applying his nightly skincare routine. The green face mask on his face gleamed faintly under the tent light, giving him an almost alien-like glow.

"Are you sure Maeumi isn't going to suffocate under all that?" Sunoo asked, breaking the silence. His tone was light, but his trademark smirk was already in place.

I rolled my eyes. "It's a scarf, not a boulder. He's fine."

Sunoo clicked his tongue and gave Maeumi a quick pat. "He's smarter than most people I know, but even he might need to breathe, you know."

"You're impossible," I said, shaking my head as I adjusted Maeumi's blanket one last time.

"And you're predictable," Sunoo shot back, the smirk now widening into a grin. He leaned back against the tent wall, crossing his arms as if settling in for something entertaining. "Speaking of predictable... let's talk about Jiyoo."

The name made me pause for a moment. I glanced at him, frowning slightly. "What about her?"

Sunoo shrugged, his tone far too casual for my liking. "Oh, nothing. Just curious if you really don't like her. You know, in that way."

The question made my stomach flip, though I couldn't tell if it was from surprise or irritation. "Why are you even asking?" I asked, trying to sound indifferent as I turned back to Maeumi.

"Because it's interesting," Sunoo replied, his grin widening. "You two seem close, and let's be real—Ni-ki used to glare at you like you were trying to steal his girl."

That earned him a laugh. "Ni-ki's just... protective," I said, shaking my head. "He gets like that with things he cares about."

"Things?" Sunoo teased, raising an eyebrow. "Are you calling Jiyoo a thing now?"

"You know what I mean," I said, rolling my eyes.

Sunoo tilted his head, clearly not letting it go. "But seriously, you've never thought about her like that? Not even once?"

I sighed, leaning back on my hands. The truth was easy enough to admit, but explaining it to someone as sharp as Sunoo felt like walking into a trap. "Jiyoo's great—she's funny, smart, and yeah, she's pretty. But I've never thought about her like that."

Sunoo's eyes narrowed. "Why not?"

"Because she's Ni-ki's," I said simply. "Even before he said anything, I could tell. And I respect him too much to get in the way of that."

Sunoo's expression softened a bit, and he nodded. "Okay, fair enough. But what if she wasn't Ni-ki's? Hypothetically."

"Hypothetically?" I repeated, giving him a skeptical look.

"Yes, hypothetically," he said, his grin returning. "If Ni-ki wasn't in the picture, would you?"

The answer came easily. "No. Jiyoo's a good friend, but that's all it's ever been for me. And honestly? That's all I want it to be."

Sunoo studied me for a moment, his expression unreadable. "So, it's not just about Ni-ki, then?"

"It's not," I confirmed. "She's important to me, but not like that. Besides, I don't have the patience to deal with her brothers. Especially Jay."