33 — On the Offensive

Mia's POV:

"I won't blink!" She cried, childishly.

Jae-il raised an eyebrow.

She frowned, turning away and pouting a little. She wasn't being childish. She just... didn't expect to hear that. More like, she did expect that, but hearing it so bluntly made it hard to accept.

Made it hard to wrap her around that Jae-il could be away for a long, long time.

And, damn, he was talking so calmly too, as if this was all normal for him. It wasn't normal. Not at all! She didn't even want to consider him leaving her...

Her brother glanced at her face, reading her too easily.

"You don't like the idea." He said.

"No one likes the idea of people leaving." She replied, eyes fixed on the water. "Even if they know it's coming."

Mia could feel him watching her, feel him thinking. She wondered, with a sinking sense of dread, if he could hear her heart thumping.

If he could sense how badly it hurt her to even think about his leaving.

After a moment, his gaze turned back to the sky.

"Yeah... it's tough, right? I feel it too."

His words caught her attention, but she stayed silent.

"When I think of it, my heart hurts a little bit."

Mia held her breath.

"It hurts because I like being here, in this country, with my family and the people I grew up with. But I like football. I love it. And it's like I've never been this alive." Jae-il chuckled, smiling like a kid on Christmas Eve. "Maybe I'm crazy, I don't know, but when I think about that feeling I get when I step onto the pitch, the high from the goals... I want it more and more."

There was a moment of silence as his words echoed in the night air.

"That's why I have to do it. To leave. To take every chance to grow, and learn, and be the best." Jae-il stared at her, a soft smile on his lips. "That's why... you have to blink, Noona. Don't stop living just because I'm going to be away."

She swallowed, and nodded. "Yeah. I guess I should do that, shouldn't I?"

Reasonably, that was what any normal, sound of mind person would do. Pat him on the back and wish him the best. Why keep this beautiful bird caged when it's meant for far greater skies?

His lips raised in an amused smirk. "Not sure you have much of a choice in the matter, since it's not your choice to make."

Her eyes widened in disbelief. "Oi!" She splashed his face. He choked out a surprised cough, splashing her back in the face. "You punk." Mia scowled.

"Hey now, we're all adults here." He chided. "No need for such childish—"

"Like you're one to talk, you spoiled, overgrown, conceited, and—"

"I was complimenting your maturity."

She huffed. "You definitely weren't!"

Jae-il chuckled, holding his hands up. "Okay, maybe I wasn't."

Mia rolled her eyes and dunked his head. He came up spluttering, his dark, wet hair sticking to his face.

"Okay, okay." He gasped, laughing. "I'm sorry, Noona."

Her glare softened into a grin. She ruffled his wet hair affectionately. "Good boy."

They floated there, letting the water lap gently against their bodies. After a few minutes, Mia broke the silence.

"Can I ask you something?" She began, looking away, feigning disinterest. "It's a stupid question, really."

He tilted his head in curiosity.

"Go on."

Mia pursed her lips, but decided to roll with it; it's been a while since she last asked him this question. "Are you seeing anyone at the moment?" It was really a stupid question. It wasn't even her business whether he was dating or not. She felt the need to justifify herself. "I mean, I know you're busy. With football, I mean. And I get it, I really do. But now that you're the nation's obsession, there's got to be a lot of hot chicks chasing after you? Maybe in school? Or are you still as cold as ever?"

Damn sunny.eonni simply wouldn't leave her mind. If she was that down bad, then she could only imagine what a more unhinged animal might do. For example, Mia herself...

Jae-il laughed, and Mia felt her cheeks color. "Cold as ever? Do you really see me like that, Noona?"

She shrugged. "I don't know, sometimes I feel like you're not human. You're handsome, but you don't even care. You're talented, but you're so humble. You're smart, and I'm sure you're the most desired person at school. But you... well, you're just you, aren't you? You don't seem like you'd ever care about dating or stuff like that."

"Ouch." He winced, but the corners of his lips were still curved upwards. "You do have a high opinion of me, don't you?"

"Shut up." She muttered, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Alright, alright. Well, to answer your question, no, I'm not seeing anyone. I'm not interested in dating right now. That doesn't mean I'm opposed or not attracted to girls."

Mia's eyes widened, and she quickly looked away.

She didn't want him to see the relief written all over her face.

"Oh, I see. So... why is that?"

"Mia Noona, I'm fifteen. I'm busy with school and football. I barely have time to breathe. I don't even want to imagine what dating might bring. I don't want to waste my time on something like that." He sounded almost wistful, like there was a part of him that really wanted to experience this type of unstalked romance. No flashing lights. No headlines. "Maybe when I'm older, and more established, I'll think about it."

"Oh... so... would you want to date someone who's older than you?"

A pause, in which he seemed to realize the questions hid some sort of ulterior, ugly motive. Ah, if only he knew. She felt sorry, really. Floating there, semi-naked, thoughts so impure they were pratically a war crime against morality and social convention. She marveled at the audacity of her own mind.

Jae-il didn't need to think too deeply about it. "Sure, why not. Maybe a Brazilian model, or an Italian artist, or an American actress. Or even a Korean idol." She raised an eyebrow at that last one; everyone wanted to date a beautiful idol. He chuckled. "But right now? Come on, Noona, you've seen the way some of them stare at me, right?" He rolled his eyes. "I don't want to be a trophy boyfriend. The problem with being so famous is that you never know if people like you for you, or because they see you as a status symbol. Maybe it's something I'll never really know."

"Are you fine with that?" Mia whispered.

"Fine?" He repeated. "I don't think 'fine' exists in situations like this. There's no neutrality in being watched, measured, dissected… in having every affection questioned for its authenticity. So no—I'm not fine. But that doesn't mean I'm powerless. It just means I understand the rules better than anyone else. Then again, it'd be a first for me too. So maybe one day you'll see a big ass scandal about me. And you'll probably read it in three different languages."

"Idiot." She giggled, throwing a water bullet straight at his face. She licked her lips, watching the amusement thickening on his lips. Those damn lips. "And I guess I understand that. And... well, I've never, and I'd never, see you like a status symbol. Just know that."

There was more to that statement than he could possibly know.

He smiled. "I do. That's why I love talking with you."

Her chest warmed, and she felt her cheeks heat up. She waved her hand. "Yeah, yeah. You're just saying that."

"No, I mean it." His voice was soft, genuine. "You've always been real with me."

Not always.

Still, she felt the warmth in her chest grow. She cleared her throat, looking away. "Thanks. I'm glad you think so."

He smiled again. "Of course. I don't say things I don't mean, you know that."

Mia did. Jae-il was honest to a fault. She'd never known him to lie, not even to spare someone's feelings. She sighed, relaxing. It was nice, talking like this. It had been a while since she'd been able to just relax and talk with him.

"So, umh, since tomorrow's our day off, do you have any plans?"

"Not really. I was going to go for a run, and then maybe visit that cafe down the street for breakfast."

"By yourself?"

"Being alone isn't a problem, you know." He said, shrugging lightly. "It gives me a chance to think and reflect."

"Ah, whatever. Let's go together. I'm bored and you're boring."

Mia bit her bottom lip, gauging his reaction. He didn't look upset or annoyed. In fact, he seemed surprised.

"Sure, I don't mind. It's been a while since we've spent time together."

"Right?" She said, smiling. "Then we could, I don't know, go eat something, and then go to the mall? I could help you choose some trendy clothes! Oh, oh! And a movie, of course. Let's watch a movie."

Jae-il raised an eyebrow. "What is this? A date?"

Mia clicked her tongue. "Tsk! Jae-il, since you'll be leaving for overseas in a year or two, we won't have much time to hang out like this anymore. I want to spend as much time with you as possible before you leave." She swam even closer to him, running a manicured finger along the gap between his bulging pecs. "You know what I'm saying?"

His eyes narrowed, but he didn't push her away. "I guess."

"You guess?" She pouted. "Don't you wanna hang out with me too, huh?"

He chuckled, and she felt the rumble in his chest. "Of course, Noona. I'd love to."

She smiled, leaning back. "Good. You'd better. Or I'll cry."

"You're such a drama queen."

"I'm serious." She huffed. "I would. And then you'd feel bad and you'd have to come and comfort me."

"Oh really?"

"Yes, really." She said, crossing her arms over her chest, pushing those swollen babies up. She saw Jae-il's eyes flicker downwards for a brief moment before snapping back up. She felt a little thrill of satisfaction at catching him looking.

"Well, I'll make sure to never make you cry then." He said, a little absent-mindedly.

Mia grinned, feeling a little giddy.

So giddy, that tentatively, she paddled forward until there was no more space between them, and gently wrapped her arms around his shoulders. It wasn't the first time, but it was the first time in a long, long time. She didn't feel like stopping, either.

"Hey." Mia whispered into his ear, pressing her body against his. Her cheeks were on fire, but who'd be able to stop her now? God, it felt so good being this close to him.

Jae-il stilled. Was it the sudden physical contact or the way her breasts fused with his chest? Whatever it was, he was frozen, his face a mask of surprise.

"Noona?"

"What. Can't a sister give her baby brother a hug every now and then?" She asked innocently, looking up at him from under her lashes.

"Right." He said slowly, not relaxing in the slightest. She could feel the tension. The coiling of his muscles. "Nothing wrong with that."

There was a weirded out glint in his eyes; something she had seen only when they were kids.

Mia's heart rate quickened as she held him tighter. Her fingers played with the hair on the nape of his neck.

"Mmm..." She hummed contentedly. "You're so warm... you know, you're like a space heater."

Jae-il shifted, his body still tense. "That's... nice to know."

"It is."

Was she going overboard?

Ah, who cares!

She deserved some reward for being a good girl, didn't she? 'Cause she was getting fucking tired of it. Tired of being a good sister.

Mia rested her head in the crook of his shoulder and sighed, her eyes closed. She could feel the way his breath hitched in his throat.

She was enjoying this. Enjoying being in his arms.

Her nails bit into his skin, a little too hard. Her amber eyes seemed to glow dangerously under the pool's lighting. Her lips parted. A breath was released right on his skin.

"Noona." Jae-il promptly pushed her off. He stared at her. He really stared, eyes searching her own. He opened his mouth to say something, then stopped, seemingly thinking twice about it. She merely blinked at him, clicking her tongue in mock disappointment.

"Ah, why'd you push me away?" Mia asked, feigning hurt.

"Sorry." He said. Didn't even mean it. "But I'm getting pruney, so I'm heading off. You should do the same."

Mia sighed, disappointed. "Alright, fine. Just remember, tomorrow we're going out. Okay?"

He nodded, though she wondered if the glint in his eyes was regret or involuntary arousal.

They both climbed out of the pool. She climbed out first, making sure to arch her back a little more, and give an extra wiggle of her hips. She didn't know if he gave her ass an eyeful or not, but this wasn't seduction at all!

She wasn't trying to lure her own younger brother, she was merely stretching a little.

Definitely.

"Goodnight, Noona." Jae-il said, a little hurriedly. He ran a hand through his hair as he sighed.

"Goodnight." Mia replied, smiling.

She watched him go, a little dejectedly. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted. She really went on the offensive.

And, gosh, being able to hug him again after so long...

So fucking worth it.

She was still on cloud nine when she got to her room. She threw herself onto her bed and let out a long sigh.

Her heart was still racing, her body tingling. She could feel the wetness between her legs. She was a little excited. A little scared. A little confused. It was still a jumbled mess of thoughts and emotions she was battling with.

It wasn't fair.

Not to her, because she didn't ask to have the hots for her baby brother.

And to him, for having to deal with her disgusting obsession.

Mia simply couldn't stop herself. She had always been strong, stubborn, and independent.

Seriously—she didn't want to do anything 'bad'.

But there wasn't anything 'bad' in enjoying a little more time with him, right?

'Fuck.' She thought to herself.

She was really fucked.

Her fingers got to work once again.