Chapter 291: Seum-man-tyu
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 291: Seum-man-tyu
"Yawn."
Three hours since takeoff.
I distinctly remember being exhausted before boarding the plane, but at some point, my sleepiness completely vanished.
I keep yawning, yet I don't want to sleep. It’s that feeling where your body is tired, but your mind wants to stay wide awake.
Choi I-seo, in the seat next to me, had fallen asleep long ago. It’s still fascinating to see her sleeping perfectly upright and stiff, wearing her sleep mask, exactly as she was earlier.
How can anyone sleep like that?
I was lying down watching anime on my phone when I felt a presence.
Seo Ye-rin, whom I thought was asleep, was resting her chin on the seat partition, looking down at me.
"What?"
"I'm bored."
"That’s why I told you to bring something to kill time because you’d be bored. Just go to sleep."
"I'm not sleepy either."
"What about Yoo Ah-rin?"
I remembered Yoo Ah-rin bringing a foreign novel, claiming she’d read on the plane—which was very unlike her.
"She’s using it as a pillow."
Figures.
I’ve never seen anyone who says they’ll read a book on a plane actually do it.
Maybe my Big Hyung was the only exception?
"There’s a monitor in front of you. Watch a movie or something."
Every seat in first class is equipped with an AVOD—a touch-screen monitor for personal use.
"I already watched one," Seo Ye-rin grumbled, pouting.
"Then what do you want me to do? What are you asking of me?"
I frowned as I asked, recalling the things she had said before we boarded.
"I just came to see you because I was bored. Should I ask them to make us some ramyeon?"
"You can have a drink, too. Not too much, obviously. Wouldn't drinking make you a bit sleepy?"
"Hmm, Woo-jin-ah, would it be bad if I squeezed in and lay down next to you?"
"Are you joking?"
Even if this is first class—meaning the seats are spacious—squeezing two people into one seat to lie down together is a bit much, isn't it?
The flight attendants walk by quite often, too.
"I was just saying."
Why did that feel like she was actually serious?
Seo Ye-rin slunk back to her seat.
I continued watching my anime for a bit, then headed to the restroom. On the way, I glanced at the other first-class passengers.
Most of them are our group.
Since first class has limited seating to begin with, most of the faces were familiar.
The first person I saw was Choi Jin-ah.
She was watching a movie, wearing a pair of very expensive-looking headphones instead of the ones provided by the airline.
She looked like a child, holding a glass filled with a green liquid—likely melon juice—with both hands, sipping through a straw.
As I walked past, I playfully nudged her headphones off. Choi Jin-ah looked up at me with a dazed expression.
"Wh-what is it?"
"Just because."
"……Are you an elementary schooler?"
"You just looked like you were enjoying yourself a bit too much alone."
"Just go already."
Choi Jin-ah put her headphones back on and went back to her melon juice. I caught a glimpse of the screen; it was a typical romance movie.
Next to Choi Jin-ah was Oh Yun-ji. Yun-ji was already fast asleep.
Seeing her in a deep slumber after working so hard lately made me feel a bit relieved.
Moving to the next row, I found Senior Ju-hee. She had ordered ramyeon and was just about to put a bite in her mouth when our eyes met.
"You're enjoying yourself."
"A-ahem. Is there anything making you uncomfortable?"
"Are you a flight attendant now?"
"……."
I approached her with a smile.
Seeing her relaxed and enjoying herself made it feel easier to talk to her.
"Senior, this is a vacation. I’m not going to do anything dangerous, and there won’t be anything for you to step in for."
"……."
"And I heard Big Hyung asked you for some strange favors? But I’m not going to cause any trouble. I’m just going to get some good rest and come back."
I leaned my arms on the partition and smiled at her.
"You should relax your shoulders a bit, too, Senior. It feels really awkward, like I’ve drifted apart from a senior I’m actually close with."
"Sigh."
Was she thinking the same thing?
She slowly set down her chopsticks and looked up at me.
"Then what should I do?"
"Just be like you were at the university. You’re my English Department senior and my Captain."
A small smirk escaped her lips.
However, the fact that she didn't give a verbal answer suggested she was still deep in internal conflict.
I patted her on the shoulder and continued.
"I'm the employer, right? Then you should follow my lead. If you keep using formal language with me as a bodyguard from now on, I'll give you a pun—!"
I was about to say "punishment," but then I stopped.
I caught a glimpse of the martial arts tournament she was watching on her screen and quietly swallowed my words.
"—actually, I won't. Ahem, I don't want to get beaten up for no reason."
Why is she watching stuff like that even while eating?
I mean, it’s not that it’s weird, but at this point, isn't she basically a woman born for combat? Like the goddess Athena or something.
Seeing me back down out of fear, Senior Ju-hee chuckled and nodded.
"Fine, I get it. I'll try to be more relaxed, at least for this trip."
"Exactly! That’s the spirit!"
"In exchange, I have things the Vice Chairman asked of me, so I’m going to stick to those strictly. You know what I’m talking about, right?"
She meant preventing me from causing trouble.
"I know. Don't worry."
I gave her a confident thumbs-up. Feeling much lighter, I started chatting with her a bit more.
"But Senior, have you ever been on a plane before?"
"Me? No, this is my first time. I haven't even been to Jeju Island. I never imagined I’d suddenly be going on a business trip to Hawaii."
"Then how did you pack? Did you buy new clothes and a suitcase?"
"The Vice Chairman gave them to me. He was surprisingly thoughtful. Since it’s a business trip, he prepared everything so I wouldn't have to spend any of my own money."
"Are you good at swimming? I think we’ll be swimming a lot there."
"I know how. I'm actually quite good. If you fall in, I can rescue you in no time."
As expected of Captain Ju.
The woman is the definition of reliable.
"But unless one of you falls in, I don't think I'll be doing much swimming."
"Hey, you never know."
In a swimming pool, there’s no such thing as senior-junior hierarchy.
I imagined coaxing the others to push Senior Ju-hee into the pool, but she seemed to read my mind and scoffed.
"Think you can pull it off?"
"……."
It did seem impossible.
I could only see a future where the moment I lunged at her, I’d be the one flying through the air.
"Did you pack a swimsuit?"
"A black rash guard. They sent a few, but I only brought that one."
"Man, rash guards are so well-made these days that everyone only wears those."
"Then what? Should I wear a bikini? Me?"
"……Well, maybe not."
Honestly, it didn't really matter what kind of swimsuit she wore. I was just making small talk.
"Ah, the ramyeon is all bloated now."
"Just order a new one. What’s the big deal when you’re in first class?"
Looking at the noodles that were so swollen they were practically climbing out of the cup, Senior Ju-hee made a dissatisfied face and handed it to me.
"It's your fault, so you eat it."
"Ahem, Bodyguard Min Ju-hee?"
"Shut up, Junior."
"Yes, ma'am."
She really was back to her old self.
I quickly took the ramyeon and was about to head back to my seat when I locked eyes with Choi Jin-ah, who was standing and watching us.
She was standing there, sipping her melon juice through the straw.
She had definitely been watching a movie just a moment ago, but now her full attention was on us.
"What? Is there a problem?"
"No, sip. It’s just that this looks more interesting than the movie. Sip."
That slurping sound is getting really annoying.
"Want some ramyeon?"
"Sip, sip."
"……."
"Sip, sip."
"I asked if you wanted some ramyeon."
"No thanks."
She plopped back down into her seat.
The way she intentionally delayed her answer was irritating. I considered smacking the back of her head but decided to just let it go.
On my way back, I saw Yoo Ah-rin sleeping on the book she had brought.
Watching her sleep, with only the faint sound of her breathing, made it hard to look away.
I set the cup ramen down by Ah-rin’s seat and reached toward her head.
"Your neck will hurt if you sleep on a book. Use a proper pillow."
I supported her head, pulled out the book, and tucked a pillow underneath. I couldn't stop staring at her peaceful, sleeping face.
As I watched her intently, Yoo Ah-rin’s tongue suddenly poked out.
"Whatcha lookin' at?"
"Weren't you asleep?"
When I asked the girl who was now sticking her tongue out at me, Yoo Ah-rin kept her eyes closed and replied with a grin.
"Just woke up."
"Eat some ramyeon. I brought it because I thought you might be hungry."
"Oh? Really?"
Yoo Ah-rin snapped her eyes open and sat bolt upright.
I took that as my cue to make a run for it.
Finally, I passed by Choi I-seo, who was in the seat next to mine.
She was still sleeping in that perfectly rigid posture.
I wondered how she could possibly sleep like that, and out of curiosity, I gently pulled her arm to the side.
"Mmm."
Immediately, Choi I-seo’s arm snapped back to its original position.
"That’s wild."
This time, I pulled her leg to bend her knee, but it also returned to its original state.
Is she some kind of roly-poly toy?
I was grinning, about to try something else, when...
"Didn't you get hit enough earlier?"
A warning came from Choi I-seo, who was still wearing her sleep mask.
Realizing I’d woken her up, I decided to just give her chest a quick squeeze before dashing back to my seat.
"Kyaak?!"
Startled, Choi I-seo jumped, clutching her chest with both hands.
As I sat down, cackling to myself, Yoo Ah-rin reached my seat before Choi I-seo could.
"Do you want to die?"
Yoo Ah-rin held out the ramyeon, which was now so bloated it looked unappetizing.
She actually brought this all the way back to me.
"You better eat this before I shove it down your throat."
"Ramyeon tastes better when it's bloated."
As I started eating the lukewarm noodles, I heard Choi I-seo’s voice from the side.
"Ah-rin! Hit him for me, just once!"
"Why? What did this idiot do now?"
"Ah, that’s… ugh, just hit him!"
Since Yoo Ah-rin’s gaze shifted toward me, pressuring me to explain what I’d done...
"Grope and dash."
I just answered honestly.
"Okay, let's put the ramyeon down. Don't want to spill it."
Watching Yoo Ah-rin crack her knuckles, I began to eat the ramyeon a little more slowly.