The soft clatter of dishes stirred Sung Jinwoo from his sleep.
His eyes fluttered open slowly, sunlight filtering through the thin curtains and painting the room in pale gold. For a moment, he forgot where he was—then the familiar ceiling came into focus.
Home…
He sat up, rolling his shoulders. His body still felt fresh, but there is Just a dull exhaustion that felt… normal.
From the kitchen came the quiet sound of movement.
"Jin-ah," he murmured.
He stood, smoothing out his wrinkled clothes, and stepped into the living room.
His sister was at the table, finishing her meal. She looked up the moment she noticed him.
"Oppa! You're awake already?"
Jinwoo nodded lightly. "Yeah. What time is it?"
"Almost evening," she replied, then hesitated. "You… came back early today."
"I did."
Jin-ah studied him closely, her gaze lingering on his face, his posture, the way he stood so easily.
"You're not hurt," she said quietly.
Jinwoo blinked, then smiled faintly. "I told you. I'll be more careful.
Her lips pressed together, as if she didn't quite believe it—but she didn't argue.
Jinwoo walked to the table and sat across from her. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The silence was comfortable, warm.
Then Jinwoo reached into his pocket.
Jin-ah noticed immediately. "Oppa?"
He placed the Bank Card on the table, then slid a small stack of cash beside it.
"Take this."
Her eyes widened. "W–What? No, oppa, I can't—"
"It's okay," he said gently. "It's for you."
She shook her head quickly, pushing the money back toward him. "You work so hard already. We need it for rent, hospital bills, food—"
"I've taken care of that," Jinwoo interrupted softly.
She froze.
"…What?"
He met her eyes, calm and steady. "We're not struggling like before. Not anymore."
Jin-ah stared at him, confusion and worry mixing on her face. "Oppa… where did this money come from?"
Jinwoo hesitated only for a moment.
"I got lucky," he said. "And I'm stronger now. You don't have to worry so much."
She bit her lip. "You always say that."
"I know." His voice softened. "But this time, it's true."
Silence fell again.
Jin-ah stared at the money, her fingers curling slightly. She didn't touch it.
"I don't need it," she said quietly. "As long as you're okay… that's enough."
Something tightened in Jinwoo's chest.
He reached across the table and gently placed the money back into her hands.
"Just take it," he said. "Buy something you like. Eat well. Don't hold back because of me anymore."
She looked down, shoulders trembling slightly.
"…You've changed," she whispered.
Jinwoo smiled faintly. "Is that a bad thing?"
She shook her head quickly.
"No." Her voice cracked. "You're kinder. And… you feel safer."
Her fingers slowly closed around the money.
"…Just this once," she said at last. "But only because it's you."
Jinwoo chuckled softly. "Deal."
Without warning, Jin-ah stood up and stepped around the table.
"Jin-ah?"
She hugged him.
Tight.
Her arms wrapped around his waist, her face pressed against his chest. Jinwoo stiffened for a split second—then slowly, awkwardly, he returned the embrace.
Her shoulders shook.
"I was always scared," she whispered. "Every time you went out… I thought you wouldn't come back."
Jinwoo closed his eyes.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I won't make you feel like that anymore."
She hugged him even tighter, then pulled back, wiping her eyes quickly.
"…Don't disappear," she said. "Ever."
"I won't," he promised.
For the first time, it wasn't just a hope.
It was something he knew he could keep.
The small apartment felt warmer that evening.
And for Sung Jinwoo, that warmth mattered more than any reward the System could offer.
Jinwoo's arms tightened around her.
For a moment longer than before, he held her close—as if afraid that letting go might make everything fragile again.
Jin-ah was warm and her boobs against his chest making him realise that now she is no longer the little girl she was before, now she became a beautiful woman.
She was all he had left.
Their mother still lay unconscious in a hospital bed, trapped in an endless sleep. And their father—
His whereabouts were unknown. Gone without a trace.
The weight of it pressed quietly against Jinwoo's chest.
This is my family now. he thought. My responsibility.
He lowered his chin slightly, resting it against the top of her head.
"I'll protect you," he said, his voice low but unwavering. "No matter what happens."
Jin-ah stiffened for a moment—then relaxed, her grip tightening in return.
"I know," she whispered.
There was no doubt in her voice. No fear.
Just trust.
Jinwoo closed his eyes.
The power the System had given him… the strength, the levels, the money—it all meant nothing if he couldn't protect this small, fragile world waiting for him at home.
Monsters, dungeons, gates—
He would face them all.
As long as Jin-ah could live without fear… as long as she could smile like this—
That was enough.
Slowly, the two of them pulled apart.
Jin-ah wiped her eyes and laughed softly, embarrassed. "You're acting like an old man, oppa."
Jinwoo smiled—a real one this time. "Maybe I am."
She tucked the money carefully into her bag, then looked at him again.
"…You'll come home today too, right?"
"Every day," he replied without hesitation.
Looking at his sister who now became a beautiful woman and in a few years she will be married to another man, thinking this jinhwoo filled with rage and helpness as he don't want her loose to any one else.
Seeing Jinah's smile. It was a radiant, genuine thing, full of love and relief, and it struck him with the force of a physical blow. For years , he had hovered on the brink of death, and this smile, this person, was the reason he had clawed his way back. The thought of losing her, , was a pain far greater than any wound the dungeon could have inflicted.
His heart hammered against his ribs, a frantic, primal rhythm that drowned out everything else. He saw her not just as his little sister, the girl he'd protected, but now he look at her as a woman. A beautiful, vibrant woman who was the center of his world. The lines of duty and familial love blurred, consumed by a desperate, overwhelming need to make her his, to possess, to ensure she could never be taken from him.
In a single, fluid motion, he stood and closed the distance between them. Jinah looked up at him, her smile faltering slightly, confused by the intensity in his eyes. "Jinwoo? What—"
His words were cut off by his lips crashing down onto hers. It wasn't a gentle, brotherly peck. It was a hard, demanding kiss, born of desperation and a newfound, terrifying power. He poured all of his fear, his relief, and his possessive love into that single, forceful connection.
Jinah froze, her body rigid with shock. Her hands flew to his chest, intending to push him away, to protest this unthinkable violation. But as his lips moved against hers, a fire ignited deep within her. The shock melted away, replaced by a dizzying wave of emotion. This was her brother, her hero, the man who had come back injured every time for his family. The raw, unbridled passion in his touch was terrifying, but it was also intoxicating. Her resistance crumbled, and her hands, instead of pushing, clutched desperately at the fabric of his shirt. She kissed him back, her own inexperience and confusion giving way to a matching fervor.
They broke apart, gasping for air. Jinah's face was flushed, her lips swollen and her eyes wide with a storm of disbelief and a dawning, forbidden excitement. Jinwoo's chest heaved, his dark eyes burning into hers.
"I can't lose you," he rasped, his voice thick with emotion. "I want you ." He cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs stroking her cheeks. "I don't see you as just my sister anymore, Jinah. I love you. I love you as a woman."
The confession hung in the air, shocking and absolute. Jinah's breath hitched. Her mind reeled, trying to process the words, but her heart was screaming its assent. All her life, he had been her protector, her rock. Now, he was offering her something more, something deeper and more profound than she had ever dared to imagine.
Seeing the acceptance in her eyes, Jinwoo's movements became slow, deliberate. His hands trembled slightly as they moved from her face to the collar of her simple t-shirt. He gave her one last, searching look, and when she didn't pull away, he hooked his fingers under the hem and drew the fabric up over her head.
The shirt fell to the floor. Her skin was smooth and flawless, glowing in the soft light of the apartment. He reached behind her, his fingers fumbling for a moment with the clasp of her bra before it came free. He slid the straps from her shoulders, and the garment joined her shirt on the floor.
Her breasts were perfect, round and firm, her nipples pebbling into hard points in the cool air, or perhaps from the intensity of his gaze. He knelt before her, his eyes never leaving hers, and hooked his thumbs into the waistband of her shorts. He tugged them down, along with her simple cotton panties, leaving them in a pool at her feet.
Jinah stood before him, completely exposed. Her body was a masterpiece of youthful curves and toned muscle. Her hips flared gracefully from her narrow waist, and her long, slender legs seemed to go on forever. She was breathtakingly, undeniably sexy. She was his. And as he looked upon her, Jinwoo felt not just lust, but a fierce, protective, and all-consuming love.