Cringe Overload and the Onsen Escape Plan
Huh, something feels off? "Aaaargh! Crazy bitch! Crazy bitch! Crazy bitch!" I kept pounding the innocent blanket, shredding it to rags. Maximus was staring up at me pitifully from under the bed, but I had no time to care right now.
"Uwaaaah!!!" I buried my face in the pillow and screamed. So this is what it feels like to want to die of embarrassment.
Should I call the boss right now and beg him to take the video down? ...No way. It's already over a hundred thousand views. Pulling it now would just spark rumors of "controversy deletion" and make things even weirder.
Embrace the inevitable? Winners enjoy it? Total bullshit. No matter how I thought about it, I couldn't enjoy this mess. I wasn't a winner. Just a third-rate drunk who'd lost all sense of self and floored the accelerator.
"Ughhh... Maximus, what am I gonna do..." I pulled the blanket over my head, denying reality.
But... sooner or later, I'd have to check. The public's reaction... or more precisely, Camp Gallery's take on it. With trembling hands, I unlocked my smartphone and logged into the community.
"Please, just let it die down."
I squeezed my eyes shut and tapped the Camping Gallery. The top posts popped up immediately. I clicked one.
...Gwangnyeon? Phew, okay. That's not too bad. But curiosity killed the cat, right? I only have myself to blame for clicking the next one.
I clicked another one, unable to stop myself.
"......"
My grip on the phone went slack. The confirmation kill. Gwangnyeon. Oppa. Boss picks. Fatal stains etched in scarlet letters on my 20s bombshell life.
"I'm screwed."
That short phrase summed it all up. I couldn't stay here anymore. I needed to escape this horrific reality, this suffocating black history air.
I needed physical distance. Let's run away.
Healing camping had turned into black history camping, so this time, I had to head somewhere truly anonymous. For real healing.
I bolted upright and plopped down at the computer. "Where to?"
I pulled up a map. As far as possible. Where no one knew me. Jeju Island popped into my head first—blue seas, clean air. But I shook my head.
No Jeju. It's still Korea. Probably no one would recognize me... but psychologically, no peace.
Domestic was out. Overseas only.
"China? Hong Kong?" Too chaotic and noisy. What I needed was quiet and peace.
"Something more resort-like... Saipan? Guam? Cebu?" I scrolled through resort photos. Emerald seas, white sands. Nice, but... no camping vibe. I wasn't here for a hotel stay; I wanted my own time in nature.
Then, a search suggestion caught my eye.
[Kyushu, Japan: Onsen Campground]
"Huh?"
The photo was stunning. Vast grasslands—more like a high plateau, shot from an angle overlooking below. But what really hooked me was the nearby onsen village.
"Onsen...?"
Come to think of it, I'd never been to a proper hot spring. Even as a guy, it was just bathhouse hot and cold tubs—no luxury soaking in an open-air bath gazing at snowy mountains.
Fire-gazing at the campsite, then sizzling in hot springs that evening or next morning... Just imagining it made me melt. This was it. Perfect.
But... I don't speak Japanese? I'd never traveled abroad. After the change, I found a passport rummaging through drawers, but zero exit stamps. A closet passport, basically.
"It'll be fine... right?"
Hey, it's the 21st century. One smartphone translator app, and I could communicate anywhere. Trust in the translator gods! Plus, I'd heard from friends that Japan has good Korean signage.
Decision made, urgency hit. I wanted to leave now. No, I had to. Staying longer might kill me with shame.
But I couldn't just bail solo without a word... Gotta tell the boss. I called "LightManho GodBoss."
The line rang a few times before connecting.
"Yes, Areum! Good morning. The video reactions are scorching hot."
"Guhk..." Straight gut punch from the start...
"Ah, yes... Boss. It's, uh, too hot. Like, I'm burning up."
"Hahaha! Popularity comes from attention, after all. O Seokgyun is thrilled too."
...He's not the one with black history, so yeah. Me? Ugh, no. This chat could go forever. Change topics...
"Um, Boss. Any schedules tying me down soon?"
"Schedules... One sec."
Keyboard clacking came through. Please, please, nothing.
"No major shoots lined up. Just wrap the Rakgurakgu gear pickup, and you're free for a bit. What's up?"
"Phew, good. Actually, I was thinking of... not running away, but taking a trip."
"A trip?"
"Yeah. Cool my head... overseas maybe."
"Ooh... overseas, huh..."
A weird excitement crept into Kim Manho's voice. Unsettling.
"Where you thinking?"
"Japan. Place with onsen and campsites..."
"Japan!"
His voice jumped an octave. Why's he thrilled I'm bailing?
"Great idea! Overseas camping content always explodes. Japan has killer camping culture—tons to see. Brilliant plan!"
"...Huh?"
I blanked out. Wait, Boss. I said vacation, not content.
"Boss... I just wanna rest..."
"Areum's first overseas camp—subscribers will love it! You're amazing! Planning this before we even suggest it!"
"Pl-planning...?"
"Travel vlogs are trending—simple camera, no fuss. Smart move."
"N-no... that's not..."
Aargh! He wasn't even listening. Planning? Smart? I just need healing, not shooting...
"I can already see the subs and views rolling in!"
Subs, views. Sure, this video boosted them, but strike while the iron's hot, right? Overseas camping is a cheat code. Company-backed trip saves cash too...
I'm going anyway—filming won't hurt, right?
"But Areum, you speak any Japanese?"
"Nope. App translator's fine..."
"Apps are okay, but reservations or emergencies could be tricky."
True. Tech's advanced, but face-to-face issues? Stuck.
"So, my suggestion..."
What now?
"How about going with Nana?"
"Huh? With Nana?"
Familiar name threw me. Why her?
"No, I wanna heal solo quietly..."
"Nana speaks Japanese fluently."
"...For real?"
"Yep. High school friend from Japan exchange—practiced so much she's near-native. No interpreter needed."
Tempting... Im Nana fluent in Japanese? Hard to picture, but she's full of surprises. Volleyball prodigy, all-sport ace, great cook. Japanese fits.
Human translator... No app fiddling—just instant interpreting? Trip quality skyrockets. Plus, solo overseas nerves? With Nana, way safer.
"I'll call Nana."
"Hahaha! Perfect. You two together? Killer visuals. Safe travels!"
I hung up and stared at the screen.
...Huh? How'd it turn out like this? I was planning a solo escape healing trip...