Ji An glanced at the sulky Jenis.
‘If she asks if she’s being ignored, she should just say no. Why the sulking? It makes one feel sorry.’
It was surprising enough that Jenis, of all people, had deceived her mother, and on top of that, she wanted to come to her sister’s house.
Somehow, she didn’t feel like the violinist Jenis, but more like a close sibling, which made her feel touched and a bit strange.
Both her visit and the designer bag she brought must have been meant in good will.
Feeling like she had been overly sensitive, Ji An asked in a softened tone,
“Why the long face? Why did you want to come here?”
“Just because. Dad isn’t around… and I don’t have any friends to meet at this age because I’m always practicing violin. I’m just suffocated.”
The excessive protection from Eun Ji had isolated Jenis, leaving her without any friends.
She knew her mother’s struggles to make her the violin goddess Jenis, but there were times when she found it burdensome that her mother always prioritized herself in everything.
She had had a place to breathe due to the presence of her father, Jae Yoon, for the past few years, but she was worried about the future.
“Do you want to eat something? Do you know how to use a food delivery app? Have you tried it?”
“No, never. My mom doesn’t let me eat delivery food. I’ve heard that they deliver pretty much anything though.”
“It’s easy. Come here.”
Ji An pulled up the delivery app and held her phone out so Jenis could see the screen.
“Watch carefully. Choose the menu. Then add it to your order and pay. Simple, right?”
“Give it to me. I’ll do it.”
Ji An handed her the phone and leaned back on the sofa, biting back the question of why she was doing something she didn’t usually do.
It was surprising enough that Jenis had sought her out, but her mention of not having any friends to meet had stuck with her.
Feeling Ji An’s gaze, Jenis looked back with a smile and asked,
“Is dad doing well?”
“……”
When Ji An fell silent, Jenis continued.
“I talked to Dad but I deliberately didn’t ask about you. I thought my mouth would get me in trouble if Mom got angry.”
“Dad takes your calls?”
“He does. But I don’t do it often, afraid that Mom might find out… Seriously! I like Dad too. I’m still in a cold war with Mom. She doesn’t seem to be answering my calls.”
The year Ji An turned twenty, their father Jae Yoon retired from his company and joined the management for Jenis.
It had been over a decade, and just like the times when they used to go for walks at night while Dad drank beer and I drank cola, there seemed to have been many memories accumulated between Jenis and Dad.
It was only natural that Jenis would like Dad, but Ji An felt strange.
Ji An quietly watched Jenis engrossed in the delivery app.
She’s a good daughter to both Dad and Mom. And not a bad sister to me.
“If Mom finds out, you’re responsible, sister. Don’t make a scene like last time.”
Ji An mentioned the day of the founding ceremony, knowing full well that if Mom found out Jenis had skipped practice, she would get an earful.
When she put down her phone, Ji An asked,
“Did you order?”
“Yeah. The house next door is Attorney Yoon’s house, right?”
“No, he moved because of some circumstances… Did you hear that from Dad?”
“Who else would I hear it from? Whenever your name comes up, Attorney Yoon’s story always follows. Didn’t you know? Dad always takes your side. He said you’ve been through a lot.”
“All you do is tell me how hard it is for you. Asking me to understand… Why were you interested in my story?”
“Because you’re my sister.”
Lately, Jenis had been feeling increasingly guilty towards her younger sister Ji An.
When their mother suddenly collapsed during pregnancy, she had to quit her violin lessons.
When she pleaded with their mother that she wanted to resume playing violin, her sister, who was not long born, ended up being sent to daycare.
From then on, she was able to attend lessons and practice sessions while being cared for by her mother.
Would Mom have not resented my sister if I didn’t have the desire to keep learning the violin?
When Jenis chuckled softly while looking at the scar on the back of her left hand, Ji An asked her with a strange look.
“Why?”
“This scar, it’s from when you got hurt looking for the violin bow you hid. I thought it was a big deal at the time, but it seems like it wasn’t much of a deal.”
“I didn’t want to hear the violin.”
The scar was from when Ji An was hurt by a crystal frame falling onto her hand while she was taking out the bow she had hidden under the cabinet.
Ji An squinted at her, asking why she brought that up.
“Why? Are you not going to mention almost being kidnapped?”
“Really?… I was at the airport and suddenly got a call that you were sick. I was upset because I had prepared for the concours, and insisted on going with the teacher.”
“Really?… Don’t. When I hear that story, I feel bad as if it was my fault, even though it wasn’t.”
Ji An tried to stop Jenis, recalling the words she had heard countless times from her mother.
The Villainous Demon Lord Laid an Egg for Her (Female-Dominated)
Several months after transmigrating into a book, Yu Wu found herself facing the demon lord Li You, who could no longer conceal his dragon horns. With one hand on her aching waist and the other gripping a sharp sword, she stared at him.
The demon lord’s eyes were red with fury:
“This is all your doing! Today, I won’t rest until I kill you!”
Yu Wu rubbed her temples. Putting aside the taboo against bloodshed during pregnancy, wasn’t it this very man who willingly walked into her trap that day?!
Warnings:
- Male pregnancy.
- Height ratios are set to mirror typical male-female height proportions.
- Characters include a foot-loving demon lord and an eldest daughter from an immortal family’s concubine lineage.
