Kasumi’s POV

I don’t believe this! It’s Myungsoo Oppa and his family! They want to adopt a girl. Of course, I should’ve known! Myungsoo Oppa always been complaining and whining about how he always wanted a little sister but his parents never gave him one. Well, until now, I guess. But what . . . I am so busted.

Halmeoni frowned, confused. She turned to me. “Wait, Sumi-yah, do you know them?” she wanted to know.

“He’s from the same school, her boyfriend’s best friend,” Luna replied for me.

Myungsoo was still staring at me in disbelief. Zico stayed quiet for once and I was glad that he chose not to say anything. Finally Myungsoo spoke up. “Kasumi . . . do you . . . live here?” He glanced around and I remembered clearly everything he and the other members of Infinite said about living in orphanages.

I looked down. “I live here,” I mumbled.

“You live here?” he repeated disbelievingly. I could hear the hurt in his voice. He wasn’t mad because I lived in an orphanage. He was mad because I didn’t tell him. He wanted to know why I didn’t.

I couldn’t trust my voice so I just nodded mutely.

He turned to Sulli and Luna. “You girls live here too,” he said the obvious in disbelief. “You knew where she lived all this while and you acted like you didn’t.” He gave a dry laugh.

“Look, we —” Sulli started to say.

But Myungsoo cut her off, continuing, “It all makes sense now. Now I know how you know everyone, Kasumi. It’s because they all live here.” He stared accusingly and angrily at me. “How could you not tell us?”

I shrugged, uncomfortable.

“It’s not a big deal,” Amber said quietly.

“Not a big deal?” Myungsoo said incredulously. “How could it not be such a big deal when just the other day we were —” He stopped, knowing that if he continued, he would be offending everyone, including Halmeoni. So he glowered at me instead, gesturing to Zico. “So you told him instead and not your own friends?”

“I actually found out about it,” Zico spoke up, defending me.

“I was going to tell you,” I insisted and he snorted. “I was,” I added indignantly, my anger rising up. “But after what all of you said about living in orphanages that day, I’m surprised that you still want to look for a sister. Are you saying that you’re a hypocrite now?”

He looked defiant. “I said some, not all!” he protested. “And I’m not the one who kept all those secrets from her friends.”

“I kept secrets because I didn’t want people to pity me when I tell them about it!” I fumed, glaring at him with such anger I had never felt in my life before. Ugh! He was so . . . he was being so stubborn!

I wanted to strangle him.

“And it’s also because you don’t trust him.”

I glowered at him. “Do you honestly think that I would still tell you after listening to what you guys said?” I asked him in a low but stern voice. When he did answer, I said coolly, “Yeah, I didn’t think so.”

“You still should’ve said something to me,” he went on.

“I tried,” I snapped, thoroughly frustrated.

Neither of us said anything for a moment, our anger cooling off when we realized that both of us were in the wrong. He should never have said anything about orphanages and I should’ve told them sooner.

“What’s going to happen now?” Mrs. Kim spoke up hesitantly, looking at Myungsoo.

“Well, if you still want to adopt a girl,” Sulli spoke up, “you can adopt Kasumi. I mean, you guys are practically like siblings, anyway.”

Luna nodded in full agreement.

I glanced over at Myungsoo who was studying me with thoughtful eyes. Anger was gone but I could tell he was still hurt that I didn’t tell him. I looked away, thinking. Myungsoo was like a big brother to me, more than the others. Could I really be okay with having him as my big brother for real?

“What do you say?” he said. “Be my sister . . . for real?”

I hesitated. “Can we talk about it? In private?” I added.

He nodded and I led him up to my room. When I closed the door behind me, he was amazed by my walls. I didn’t say anything and waited for him. It was a normal reaction for everyone who walked into my room for the first time.

“You’re talented,” he said, awestruck.

“Look, you can’t tell the others about this,” I pleaded and he looked at me, frowning. “I’ll tell them myself. I think it’ll be better for me to tell them instead of telling them by announcing that you want to adopt to be your little sister.”

He was still frowning.

“I should at least tell Woohyun Oppa about this,” I said quietly. “Please, Oppa. I’ll tell him once school reopens. But for now, please, don’t say anything.” I pondered over it. I looked at Myungsoo.

I wouldn’t mind being his little sister. That way, I was going to really be his little sister, and I didn’t have to move schools. I get to stay with Woohyun and I could always still come back to the orphanage to visit.

“Oppa,” I said and he looked at me. I took a deep breath, knowing that this was a very big step for me. “It’s going to be really hard, leaving this place. I mean, I’ve lived here all my life, ever since I was a baby. It’s my home. When I got older, I kind of lost any dream I had about being adopted. But now . . .”

He nodded understandingly. “I get it,” he said softly, “I do. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that you actually lived in an orphanage and that the old lady downstairs was your ‘grandmother’. But this is perfect, Kasumi, don’t you see that? You know I’ve always wanted a little sister, and that I loved you like my own. I guess maybe this is fate saying that we’re just meant to be siblings.”

“I think so too,” I confessed and smiled timidly at Myungsoo. “Which is why I want to be your little sister.”

A broad smile appeared on Myungsoo’s handsome face and he walked over to me, giving me a big hug. “I’m glad,” he whispered into my ears.

I pulled away. “Under one condition,” I said.

He raised an eyebrow.

“That I don’t move in with you after I’ve told the others about this,” I told him. “It’s just for another week or so. Besides, I do need time to pack my stuff and . . .” I turned to my walls, “. . . say goodbye to all this.”

“Trust me, I think I can work a way for you to do the same with the room at my house,” he said excitedly. “I mean, it won’t be the same, but at least we can make it look similar so that you won’t . . . uh . . .”

I laughed, knowing what he meant, and this bubble of excitement was bursting inside of me. I was getting adopted by the one person who was so much like a big brother to me! I don’t believe this!

He kissed my forehead. “I can’t wait,” he whispered.

“Me too,” I whispered back, a thrill of excitement going down my spine.

“Are you okay?”

I looked up and saw that Zico was standing by my door. It was later, when Myungsoo and I had told everyone that I was going to be adopted. We agreed that his parents would sign the papers after I’ve told Woohyun about this. When they left, I went back up to my