In the end, Cho-yeon sat alone in the seat next to our row until the very end, and the Five Great Kings sat in their seats the whole time with somehow dejected faces. I handed snacks to Hee-ae in between and waited to arrive at the lodging.
The bus slowly seemed to be leaving the highway, then a large building appeared right in front of the beach.
“The high school field trip lodging is right in front of the ocean?”
“The Five Great Kings-nim’s parents supported it.”
Wow, they really are precious insos. I almost forgot that the Five Great Kings are all chaebols. But even so, what kind of lodging is in an open place where you can see the ocean? The location selection is good too.
“Shi-dan.”
“Yeah.”
I gave up on common sense and handed In-sae another candy.
“Apple flavor.”
“Let’s stop eating….”
In-sae was disappointed but unwrapped the candy wrapper without complaint. At that level, I suspect candy addiction. He especially seems to show a tendency to be obsessed with apple flavor.
“We’ve arrived, so everyone get off.”
The bus finally stopped and the teacher spoke loudly. From here and there came the click sounds of unbuckling seatbelts. Cho-yeon was sleeping soundly, so I sent consecutive texts with just ㅇ.
At the vibrating sound, Cho-yeon cleanly opened his eyes wide. Then after checking the text, he unbuckled his seatbelt and got up. I thought he’d say something but it was unexpected. Cho-yeon’s face showed no change.
“Our lodging is really good!”
I heard Hee-ae’s voice speaking joyfully as if he’d run at any moment. I also unbuckled my seatbelt and shook the shoulder of In-sae who was falling back asleep. In-sae, now fully awake, also slowly got up.
“Get off slowly, slowly!”
The teacher shouted at the sight of kids rushing down like a flooding tide. Like excited puppies, the kids got off the car. I got off while properly keeping order.
Whether it’s the East Sea or not, the ocean was blue and pretty. Since it was becoming daytime now, the sand was gradually heating up and the ocean shone blue. The sound of waves crashing could be heard whoosh, whoosh all the way here. I opened my eyes wide at the smell of salt I could feel.
“I’m definitely taking photos of the Five Great Kings-nim and Cho-yeon-nim standing at the ocean.”
Lee Seung muttered quietly.
In-sae chewed on his fingers beside me. I used to have that habit too, but it’s better to fix it. I grabbed the finger In-sae was chewing and pulled it far away while making eye contact.
“It’s bleeding.”
“Do you have to specifically grab it and pull it away?”
Lee Seung, who had been watching from the side and was somehow very surprised, shouted. My friends didn’t say anything about it though. I made an expression that I didn’t understand. Lee Seung pressed me saying I should conduct myself modestly and whatnot. When I half-listened, Lee Seung gave up and sighed.
“Anyway, that habit is bad.”
“Yeah.”
“Look at Kim In-sae being indifferent too. Am I the only one flustered?”
Lee Seung said while hunching his large frame, but everyone ignored him. I patted his shoulder to cheer him up.
For the end of April, a fierce sea breeze passed through my hair. Hee-ae, who was thoroughly excited, abandoned his partner somewhere and clung to me. Hee-ae turned his head here and there excitedly in the blowing wind and looked at the lodging.
“Hee-ae, where’s your partner?”
“Mm.”
Hee-ae smiled gently and didn’t answer. Did you abandon them? I urgently searched for Hee-ae’s partner with my eyes. Fortunately, they were looking at photos among the fan club members. It didn’t seem like he abandoned them.
“Everyone gather. Let’s enter the lodging.”
When the other classes also gathered, the open space became crowded. The teacher shouted loudly while trying to calm the commotion. When the commotion still didn’t settle down easily, the teacher spoke even more resoundingly.
“If you don’t quiet down, you can’t go in.”
It became quiet as a mouse. Looking at things like this, the kids are really obedient. To quiet down immediately at the threat of not being able to enter. The teacher led us in triumphantly with a satisfied expression.
“The first floor is an auditorium. The lodging is from the second floor and we already assigned rooms, right? I hope there’s no one who doesn’t know.”
“I don’t know.”
“I’ll tell you. Shi-dan, you know, right?”
“Yeah, I know.”
I recalled how the lodging was assigned. Me, In-sae, Hee-ae, and one more person was the kid sitting next to Hee-ae. The Five Great Kings were in the same room as Cho-yeon.
Forgetting when he was refusing, Cho-yeon eventually softened and chose to go around with the Five Great Kings. The other kids were all in groups of 4, so I don’t know why they allowed pairing in groups of 6.
‘Isn’t it a common novel development that on field trips, you flirt with at least one person?’
But now I’m not really sure. I decided not to care and called In-sae, Hee-ae, and Hee-ae’s partner.
“Let’s just stick together.”
“Choi Seon-yoon! Seon-yoon. You’re okay with it too, right?”
“Of course!”
I’d forgotten the name, but it seems it’s Seon-yoon. I thought it seemed somehow familiar—he’s the kid who came to me during gym class and just drank water and left. Since he just drank water and left, I thought about calling him the spring rabbit on my own.
“Now, everyone go to your rooms and unpack.”
The homeroom teacher brought us to the right hallway of the second floor and spoke. The kids seemed confused and tangled for a moment, then quickly found their rooms and entered. We opened the door marked room 214.
“Wow….”
Hee-ae exclaimed. Even though only 4 people are sleeping here, the room is quite spacious. Is this the power of chaebols? This isn’t the level of a high school field trip lodging. Hee-ae and Seon-yoon walked around here and there in the room with quick steps. I dragged my suitcase and stood it against the wall.
“There’s one bed!”
Seon-yoon peeked his head out from the small room and said.
“It seems like two people can sleep together.”
He said while pointing at the bed. Then the remaining two people can spread blankets on the floor.
“Really? I’ll take the floor.”
I quickly claimed the floor. The kids can sleep on the bed, I’ll sleep on the floor. I spoke confidently while firmly resolving.
“Let’s play rock-paper-scissors.”
In-sae said while looking at Seon-yoon and Hee-ae. After tying a few times, the match finally ended with Hee-ae losing.
“Will the floor be okay?”
“Yeah, it’s fine! It’s also next to Shi-dan… That, what I just said—Shi-dan is my good friend!”
Hee-ae, who looked strangely more excited, trailed off in the middle then made excuses. He covered his face with his hands, feeling shy. I laughed at Hee-ae’s words, but his still thin outfit bothered me.
“Open your suitcase.”
“Huh?”
Hee-ae obediently opened his suitcase with a question mark on his face. I picked up Hee-ae’s outerwear that was neatly folded on top.
“A bit.”
“Huh?”
“Wear it when you go around.”
I spoke in broken words and handed Hee-ae the outerwear. Hee-ae, who received it inadvertently, said it was okay as if flustered.
“It’s okay though.”
“You’ll catch a cold like that. Put it on before I dress you myself.”
With a somehow resigned face, Hee-ae quietly put on the clothes. Recently he’s been sticking to Lee Seung to learn fan club activities, and even his expressions are becoming similar.
I smiled with satisfaction while watching Hee-ae put on the outerwear. No matter how much he gets hot easily, it’s still cold and he’ll catch a cold going around dressed like that.
“You were really going to dress Shi-dan if he didn’t wear it?”
In-sae asked mischievously. I also casually answered back with “yeah.” Somehow Seon-yoon, who was beside us, quietly buttoned up his cardigan. He seemed to feel guilty since he was also dressed lightly. In-sae looked at him with interested eyes.
“I was joking.”
When I blocked it in advance, In-sae made a guilty expression. I shook my head and asked.
“What did the teacher say we’re doing today?”
“Since it’s the first day, he just said to play on our own. He said to only go around up to the beach over there.”
I didn’t bother hiding my dumbfounded expression. Does this place have no safety awareness? What kind of place lets kids loose to play freely?
“Does that make sense?”
“Huh? Other high schools do that too though.”
Where is that other school again? If I were a parent, I would have filed a complaint out of concern for safety accidents. As I was inwardly objecting, I thought this is an inso world so what can I do, and decided to just abandon normal thinking.
It seems like it’ll help my mental health to just pass it off as “this kind of thing can happen since it’s inside a novel.” I let out a laugh with a hollow expression.
“You really laugh a lot.”
“Do I?”
Did I laugh too much? I tried to put away my smile and be expressionless.
“No! I didn’t mean it was bad. Rather, the kids really like when you smile….”
“Shi-dan.”
Through Seon-yoon who was flustered and waving his hands, In-sae bent his tall height slightly and spoke. I told you not to interrupt people when they’re talking. I looked at In-sae questioningly for interrupting Seon-yoon’s words. I guess it’s candy again.
“Stop eating candy.”
At my words, In-sae showed noticeably disappointed signs. It’s a bit refreshing since he’s always indifferent. I couldn’t help but laugh and gave In-sae one candy that was left in my pocket. Seon-yoon also didn’t say it was bad, so I guess I can just smile comfortably.
“This is the end.”
I said while brushing off my hands. In-sae nodded and for some reason didn’t eat the candy but just put it in his pocket. He usually eats it as soon as I give it, so I wonder what’s up. Hee-ae quietly approached from the side. His eye level, which was similar before, feels like it’s gotten higher.
“Did you get taller?”
“Huh? Yeah!”
When I asked because he seemed taller than before, he said he really did grow. I felt a strange bitterness. My height hasn’t particularly grown, but I guess the kids around me are growing because it’s their growth period. Hee-ae stretched his arms out once and yawned. I looked at Hee-ae with envious eyes at the words that he got taller.
“It seems like you’ll soon be 180cm? I’m still 176cm.”
“Does Shi-dan like being tall?”
“Wouldn’t it be good to be tall?”
Hee-ae agreed with my answer. As expected, it’s good to be tall. With that, silence flowed for a moment as we unpacked. Finally finishing organizing, I looked at the kids resting and asked.
“Want to all go see the ocean together?”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
They’re so cutee
So
Shi-dan 176 cm
Hee-ae (almost) 180 cm
In-sae 181(?) cm or more