Grand Apology and Grandpa's Vast Seaside Domain
"Sorry, everyone... I swear, this time it really wasn't on purpose..."
I immediately started assessing the situation. 'All the teasing up until now, the hype-building, and then the abrupt end... I'm in deep shit.' It wasn't intentional, but what happened, happened. I had to start the broadcast by bowing deeply in apology.
With trembling hands, I picked up the tablet again.
"Phew, the second I hit it, my head's already down..."
[Streaming Started]
I hit the start button and immediately bowed my head low. The camera was probably just showing the top of my head right now.
Five more seconds... 4, 3, 2, 1... Now!
"I'm sorry!!!"
My voice echoed loudly across the wide open space. Did I yell too much? But I figured it needed to be this loud to convey my sincerity.
"I'm really sorry... My hand slipped and hit the end button..."
I didn't even need to look at the chat; that single TTS line said it all. This TTS was way too good. It sounded like a machine puffing on a cigarette... No wonder President Kim recommended it.
"Ah, thank you. I'm truly sorry. Who knew the end button would get pressed right then..."
The incoming chats weren't negative. But... I wasn't that panicked...? Ahem, okay, maybe I flailed a bit worrying about dropping it.
"Now I'll really dig back in... Starting with the jambalaya."
I scooped up a big spoonful of the red rice loaded with huge shrimp and veggies.
"Haaah."
Mm... damn, this is good. With every chew, the spices wrapped around my tongue, then the sweet-and-tangy tomato umami exploded. The veggies' sweetness was great, but the shrimp above all...
"Whoa... the shrimp... it's so chewy and springy. Kinda feels like fancy fried rice too."
Next up, the cod soup. I scooped some of the milky broth, blew on the steaming liquid to cool it, then slurped carefully.
"Kyaa-!"
The taste drew out an involuntary exclamation. Light, clean broth! Refreshing radish base! Ah, it'd pair perfectly with a shot of booze.
"This melts away all my fatigue. Makes me crave a drink..."
Come to think of it, I brought white wine thinking it'd go with seafood. Was it in the fridge? I stepped away briefly and grabbed it from the camper's fridge.
No wine glasses, just mugs...
"I did bring wine, but I don't know much about it, so I just grabbed something reasonably priced at the mart. What was it... Mos... Moscato, I think?"
"Kyaa... I think I scored big time. Honestly, I just bought it to look cool."
I jammed the opener I'd bought with the wine into the cork, twisted it until it expanded, then pressed down firmly with both hands. With a satisfying pop!, the cork came out.
Pop!
"Kuh... nice sound."
I'd heard you're supposed to savor the aroma first. I filled the mug halfway and sniffed.
"Hm. Maybe it's the outdoors, but I barely smell anything. Kinda floral?"
Ah, so that's normal. I thought my nose was dull. I brought the mug to my lips and took a sip.
'Oh, definitely got flavor.'
I swallowed. Grape notes and zesty citrus spread down my throat.
"Haa... yeah, it's good. Red wines always taste bitter to me, but this one's tasty..."
"Is that so? Soju's just tasty though..."
"Hmm... For camping, I prefer whiskey over soju anyway. Tequila, vodka too... I like stuff that burns going down."
"Alright, now the star: the charcoal-grilled shellfish~ Scallops and oysters incoming~"
Maybe from sipping wine while chatting, but my tongue felt a bit loose—in a good way.
I squeezed a bit of tube gochujang onto the gaping scallop and popped it in whole.
"Kuh... the charcoal smoke is insane. For real."
"Oyster? Yeah, it looked super fresh, and it's perfectly cooked."
As per TTS request, I picked up an oyster. Slurp— the chewy flesh sucked right into my mouth. Familiar sea scent and soft texture.
Ah, something on my lips. Checking the broadcast screen on the tablet, gochujang was smeared there.
"Oops, got some..."
Without thinking, I wiped it with my thumb, sucked it off with a smack, then cleaned my lips with the back of my hand.
...Huh? What're they on about? Probably just messing around among themselves.
Once I was nicely full, I sipped the warm cod soup and took a break. The beautiful night sea and the crackling bonfire in the brazier blended to amp up the camping vibes.
"Haa... this is the life. I could live like this forever."
Hm? Why I like camping...? I gazed at the horizon beyond the sea. Watching the faint twinkling lights in the darkness got me a bit emotional.
"Dunno... 'Just 'cause it's good' sounds lame, huh?"
How to explain...? "Coming out alone like this, cooking tasty food, staring blankly at the fire... it sorts out my messy head? Escapism? Haha."
Saying escapism kinda kills the mood. Normally I'd give a whole speech on camping's joys, but not tonight.
"I think I mentioned before... My dad loved camping. At least once a week, we'd pitch a tent on the hills behind home, boil some ramen... It just became a habit, y'know?"
I paused, choosing my words. Should I say more? It wasn't that exciting...
"Yeah... Honestly, a few months ago, barely anyone watched my streams. I wondered if I should keep going. It was just for my own fun, but now with all you guys chatting along... It's surreal and I'm grateful."
My life had flipped completely... If not for that lightning strike? If not for camping? Would I be job-hunting as planned?
"Punishment? Puhahaha!"
They must've cringed as hard as I did. The mood-lightening chats made me chuckle unwittingly.
"How ya gonna punish me? Kuhuhu... I can't do anything anyway."
Just as the banter with viewers was heating up, flashlight beams suddenly appeared from the dark woods, shining right at me. The light was brighter than expected, making me squint.
I could feel the viewers' confusion, and I was just as thrown. This was private land—no one should be here. What the hell?
"Wh-who's there?"
Cautiously calling out, a booming, intimidating male voice echoed from beyond the light in the darkness.
"Hey! This is private property! No unauthorized camping here! Pack up and leave now!"
The sudden loud voice left me flustered. Who could it be? Wait, maybe the group Grandpa mentioned managing the area?
Two burly men with flashlights strode toward me. They looked imposing, but I had nothing to fear, right?
I cleared my throat and said confidently, "Um, excuse me... I, I have permission to use this place..."
This wimpy punk! My own voice sounded so nerdy I nearly teared up. Felt like bold old Hangeol was wailing in the distance.
Even after I answered, the light didn't turn off. They came closer, eyeing me and my gear suspiciously.
The lead guy gruffly asked, "You have permission? Then do you know the owner's name?"
"Uh... Someone with the surname Han, character for 'gentleman'... My grandpa..."
The moment I finished, their tough expressions melted instantly. Like gentle puppies... no, big teddy bears.
"Ah! Sorry!"
Both bowed 90 degrees in unison. I stared at them, baffled.
Then they suddenly started thanking me.
"Before Mr. Han bought this area, it was full of illegal structures ruining the scenery. After he cleared them all and let our 'Blue Forest' group manage it, Geoje-do's become so beautiful."
"Blue Forest?"
"Yes. An environmental group made by Geoje citizens. We mainly maintain the island's natural landscapes."
Ah, so it was the group Grandpa mentioned. I should be the one thanking them for keeping it so pristine—making this unforgettable camp possible.
...Wait. What did they just say? Geoje-do... the whole area?
"Pardon...? Geoje-do whole area? This isn't just the wooded lot that's private?"
The man tilted his head, answering as if it were obvious.
"...? Mr. Han bought everything from that bridge over there to the entire coastline."
...?
My jaw dropped; I couldn't speak. Grandpa... you said it was just land for a vacation home with Grandma... But the entire coastline...? My mind couldn't process it. I just stared blankly at them.