I’m Not Doing This With A Friend

From that day on, Luca came every day as if taking attendance stamps.

The door was tightly closed as usual, but Luca didn’t mind.

Even a few days ago, he brought a children’s fairytale book and read it aloud. As if to let me hear it.

…Reading it loudly.

When I rolled up a tissue and put it in both ears, Luca’s voice became faint as if almost inaudible.

I fell asleep again, contented with it.

After a few more weeks, I naturally woke up at the time Luca came.

Unable to resist, I approached the door nervously.

Planning to pour out sharp words. Suddenly, a phrase Luca was reading echoed in my ear.

“The boy who was hurt by the girl’s words never looked for her again.”

The timing was not good.

Doesn’t it sound like a word aimed at me?

…Yes. It wouldn’t be good to pour out harsh words to a younger brother, even if it’s a year apart.

I sighed deeply and rested my forehead on the doorstep and spoke in a ruthless tone.

“If you want to read it out loud, just read a book of herbs instead of fairy tales.”

Maybe because it’s been a while since I spoke, the voice that came out of my throat was a little strange.

It seems that I have rested a bit. Still, it was not difficult to grasp the meaning and understand it.

Perhaps surprised by the sudden voice, there was no word heard through the door for a while.

“…Eh. Who reads something so boring?”

After waiting for several dozen seconds, that was the only answer I heard.

“Don’t ever come back again.”

I went straight to bed and pulled the covers up to my head.

Again, it wasn’t about dealing with him.

✿

After telling him not to come again, he didn’t really look for me afterwards.

As time passed, I might have regretted what I said a little bit.

But it’s already spilled…

How many months have passed like that?

When regrets fell. Luca suddenly appeared and greeted me casually.

After summer vacation, I went to the academy. As soon as winter break came, he came to me again.

Before going to the academy, I should have spoken a little bit.

There was resentment, but I thought it was fortunate that Luca didn’t stop because of my words.

Luca went out to read a children’s fairy tale book, just like a few months ago.

If I had said that, he would have read the herbal medicine book at least once. I was stubborn in a strange place.

It was around the time when the end of the story was approaching, and, as usual in fairy tales, ‘And lived happily ever after.’

“Luca?”

Someone’s appearance didn’t bring the story to a conclusion.

“You’re here again?”

“Yes, I was talking to my sister.”

Erhan’s bewildered voice could be heard.

“Isn’t it hard to say that your monologue is a conversation?”

“No, I’ve really talked to my sister before!”

“What? Really?”

I could easily guess that he was looking at my door.

He must have wondered what kind of wind suddenly blew.

“More than that, aren’t you bored in the hallway alone, Luca?”

“How can you say that I’m alone? I have my sister here.”

“Leen doesn’t answer.”

“Then, brother, stay with me every day. As I entered the academy, the time we could spend together decreased a lot, right?”

“…Well.”

He seemed troubled, but surprisingly, the answer came out quickly.

“Yes, it’s my brother’s request. There’s nothing I can’t do!”

“Wow!”

“But you know I don’t have a lot of time because I have a set schedule every day, right?”

“Yes, I know!”

‘Phew‘, I sighed deeply.

There seemed to be one more annoying person. Erhan’s words were not an answer to save the day.

He really started visiting my room with Luca every day.

If there’s one more difference, now, instead of reading a children’s book, we had a normal conversation.

“Luca. Did I see something great this morning? I wonder what it is.”

“Yes, I’m curious! What is it?”

“My mother went to the kitchen to make cookies…!”

“What?! You were just watching that?”

“Pft, hahaha! What’s with that look on your face that the world seems to have collapsed? Mother will be disappointed when she sees it.”

“Then you can eat everything that’s served for me.”

“…I’m sorry. But I stopped her from making cookies, so please let it slide.”

“Ugh… Yes, you seem to be deeply reflecting on yourself, so I’ll be generous this time!”

I heard a small laugh from Erhan, probably because Luca, who pretended to be serious sounding stern, was cute.

It was a conversation that felt just how close the two of them were just by listening to them.

I felt a twinge in my stomach…