RE: Keep it in the Family (Secret Class) 187 — The Comet II

Su Ah's POV:

A multitude of stars. Thousands upon thousands of tiny lights speckled across the immense expanse above, forming a brilliant, luminous carpet stretching as far as the eye could discern.

Jae-il pointed his smartphone towards the celestial canopy, capturing a few shots. The sudden flash illuminated their faces as they crouched, admiring the breathtaking panorama. He scrutinized the results, a satisfied grin spreading across his face.

"Quickly now, before it starts raining again!" Su Ah urged, intertwining her fingers with his. She glanced around, orienting herself with the path they had traversed.

Naturally, their observation point wouldn't be here; their intended destination lay further ahead, higher up the trail.

Approximately ten minutes later, they reached a modest hilltop, elevated enough to grant a view over a dense treeline to the horizon, encompassing rolling hills and distant valleys. The hilltop offered ample space for telescope setup.

"You're practically a professional astronomer, aren't you?" Jae-il teased, observing Su Ah as she began extracting the tripod and telescope from their case, initiating the setup. The process was remarkably swift and uncomplicated, a testament to her prior experience.

"I do my best~"

He watched with amusement as Su Ah meticulously adjusted the telescope's mount, her tongue playfully peeking from the corner of her mouth in deep concentration.

"Alright. The coordinates are set. It should be in this vicinity..." Su Ah brought her eye to the viewfinder, fine-tuning the focus. The starfield resolved into view, a mesmerizing spectacle of remote suns. "Huh... I believe I've found it. Hmm~ Yes... the comet is precisely in the center of this section I'm observing. Oh, there it is!"

A gasp escaped her as she shifted to refine the view. Jae-il chuckled softly, smiling as his elder sister enthusiastically beckoned him to take a look through the scope. Su Ah then returned her attention to the eyepiece.

Tears welled unexpectedly in her eyes.

"See, Jae-il. Look, that's the tail, that subtle streak. And wow, it's much further along its orbital path than I'd anticipated. This is incredible. Truly breathtaking."

Jae-il took in the expression of pure wonder that softened her features. Her deep blue eyes seemed to radiate an inner light, sparkling brilliantly. The smile that gradually bloomed on her face was unparalleled, captivating Jae-il so much that he felt an urge to smile back, despite her not having glanced his way for nearly five minutes.

"Yes. Incredibly amazing, indeed." Jae-il responded, though his gaze wasn't directed at the sky or the stars, but rather at his own personal star. In that precise moment, witnessing her radiant face break into the most adorably goofy, delightful smile he had ever laid eyes on, Jae-il's heart swelled exponentially.

"Have you been tracking its progress?"

"Well, since the announcement was made, on a few occasions... yes."

"So, ultimately, coming here was just your elaborate scheme to get lucky, right?"

He fought to maintain a neutral expression, but after a few seconds, a faint smirk betrayed his composure. She let out a huff. "Don't even think about it, Jae-il! The pursuit of knowledge has never been this conveniently accessible, has it?" She wiggled her fingers, tracing an imaginary path from his abdomen upwards, across his chest and throat, finally reaching his jawline to give it a gentle pinch.

His chuckles intensified into hearty laughter as Su Ah playfully swatted his arm. "Ouch. Violence, Noona?"

"And still so utterly flippant, Jae-il? Can't you dislodge that thought from your mind and focus on the heavens?"

"The same could be said for you." He playfully jabbed a finger between her eyebrows, marking the slight crease. “I could have sworn you were more interested in my anatomy than the comet a couple of hours ago.”

Uh-oh!

Su Ah let out a groan, yet the grin persisted. She tugged him forcefully towards the telescope. "W-We're not discussing that! Now be quiet and observe! Do you see it? Do you see it? Comet Sinistra! Right there~" She blinked rapidly as Jae-il leaned closer to the scope. "Can you see it?"

Jae-il adjusted the focus, and instantly, it materialized. A soft, ethereal smudge of light. A minuscule, luminous head was trailed by a delicate wisp, extending behind it. "Wow..." he murmured, and he truly meant it. The sentiment extended beyond the comet itself, encompassing the entire profound experience. "It's beautiful."

"Right?! Utterly beautiful." Su Ah whispered, her gaze still fixed on the celestial display. "There's just something captivating about it."

There was indeed something captivating, and perhaps the allure wasn't solely tied to the stars. It wasn't entirely about the picturesque scenery either. Su Ah derived profound satisfaction not just from stargazing and astronomy; she was drawn to the seemingly impossible, relishing the challenge of exploring those elusive frontiers. Gazing at the night sky, she imagined the wonders hidden beyond, formulating questions that might never find answers within her lifetime, or even the next.

"It makes you feel rather insignificant, doesn't it?" Jae-il remarked, shifting his gaze from the comet to Su Ah's face as he quietly stepped away from the telescope. "In a good way, though."

"Pftt, what now? South Korea's beloved star player of the century faces self-reflection issues concerning his size?" Su Ah scoffed, her eyes half-closed in playful mockery.

Jae-il sniffed indignantly and playfully tapped Su Ah's backside, eliciting a surprised squeak from her. "Who's going to self-reflect with these muscles, hmm? Shall we perhaps show Comet Sinistra my—"

"Ah, you scoundrel, don't you dare!"

She protested as he smirked and wiggled his eyebrows, pretending to peer through the telescope while reaching for his crotch.

"Do not you dare sully my innocent comet with that enormous, monstrous, wicked penis of yours, or I will snap it like a pencil," Su Ah shrieked, laughter bubbling up despite herself as she playfully tackled Jae-il to the ground.

With her comparatively lithe and weaker frame, success was improbable, yet Jae-il tumbled down with her regardless.

Naturally, their mock fight resulted in her being pinned beneath her much larger and stronger younger brother, his hands restraining her wrists above her head.

"Jae-il, get off! The ground is damp! I'll catch a cold, and then you'll regret being foolish!"

Su Ah wrinkled her nose at him, feeling sticky and uncomfortable once more, and he likely felt the same, given their clothes were now as soiled as before. He burst into laughter, completely unconcerned.

She struggled and writhed, even kneeing him lightly in the side, until his breathless chuckles suddenly ceased, and she managed to push him aside. Jae-il, however, didn't release his grip easily, pulling her into a rolling motion that left him looming over her once again.

They stared at each other in silence for a few tense, drawn-out moments.

Then, once more, they both erupted in laughter, unbothered by the mud, water, and grime that had coated them.

"You truly are an imbecile," Su Ah teased, sticking out her tongue playfully. "Is this what you football players—" But Jae-il interrupted her words by pressing his lips to hers, kissing her deeply. Her eyes widened for a fleeting second before slowly drifting shut.

His tongue traced hers, as if chastising it for its previous defiance.

A surprised gasp escaped her throat before Su Ah let out a long sigh of pleasure, the kiss being utterly intoxicating. Kissing, and indeed every form of physical intimacy with Jae-il, was something she knew she would eagerly anticipate each day.

It would be agonizing to be unable to touch him whenever she desired, to refrain from kissing him whenever the urge struck, or to forgo any of the other activities she longed to share with him.

Now, she somewhat understood her Unnie's constant forwardness, her willingness to disregard caution simply to garner a moment of his attention.

It was a sobering realization – knowing that only within this secluded mountain sanctuary could they truly be themselves.

‘’

They could construct a secluded cabin, remove themselves from society, shed their public personas, and no one would ever know the difference.

Well, perhaps the press would erupt, and their families would certainly have a fit.

Why couldn't life be more straightforward?

Just as she began to succumb to the moment, he slowly pulled away. Her eyes accordingly fluttered open. "What is the matter? Have I not sufficiently stirred your desire for me to be ravaged now?"

"That... can wait for a later time. We should descend, Noona," Jae-il murmured as a distant flicker of lightning flashed.

The onset of a light rain further complicated matters. "Seriously?" Su Ah snorted. "Can this blasted mountain quiet down for just a moment?"

"We likely provoked divine retribution by attempting to fornicate in the bushes or something similar."

Su Ah groaned in disappointment but quickly gathered her belongings; spending the remainder of the night in that cave was out of the question.

Jae-il assisted her with the telescope and the bulk of the carrying. His gaze repeatedly flickered toward her, and a foolish grin remained plastered on his face as they worked in tandem.

Su Ah offered no comment, maintaining a proud, stern expression that completely dissolved under the impact of a cheeky wink he sent her way.

She uttered no further words as they made their descent, casting one final glance back in the direction they had come from, and towards the cave where they had shared those precious moments.

‘’ Su Ah mused as she followed Jae-il. ‘’