School Trip (End)

The final day of the school trip, day three in the morning. Hungover ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and half-asleep from the night before, the kids were leisurely packing their bags when their homeroom teacher, Ha Taemu, wandered room to room, urging them on.

"Hurry up, hurry up—if we move fast, we get home early~ If we're late, our class will be the last to leave!"

The students groaned at his words but scrambled to get moving anyway. Soon after, the bus loaded with students and luggage pulled away from the lodging.

Seo Juwon, slumped in the back seat, leaned his head on Nam Siu's shoulder.

"Ugh... my stomach's killing me..."

"Yeah, who chugs like an idiot? You should've paced yourself and passed out."

Nam Siu let his groaning friend use his shoulder quietly and gazed out the window.

"Guess we're heading straight home now? Now that it's ending, it was fun, but kinda feels empty."

"Dude, if they said go back to the museum or climb the mountain again, you wouldn't say that."

They both chuckled at that. Bathed in the lazy morning sunlight, the bus carrying the kids glided forward, destination undisclosed.

"Oh, shit. Gyeongju World!"

"Yo, let's bolt. The lines are gonna be insane."

Thinking they'd head straight home, the kids had been slouched and dozy—until the surprise destination: Gyeongju World, the school trip's grand finale. Even those drooling in their seats from exhaustion scattered like the wind at the sight of the amusement park's flashy entrance, forgetting three days of fatigue.

Juwon and Park Geon were already beelining for the rollercoasters.

"Yo, Siu! Hurry or we'll be in line forever!"

And of course, his friends wouldn't let Nam Siu slack off. But today, as he trailed them, he kept feeling a strange gaze and presence at his back, tilting his head in confusion.

"Huh? Isul. Didn't you hate heights?"

"Doesn't matter. I'm riding."

In the rollercoaster line—where she'd normally be chilling in an air-conditioned café scrolling her phone—Baek Isul had squeezed into the cramped, noisy queue, sticking right behind Nam Siu.

His eyes widened at her stubborn reply. She always avoided heat, crowds, noise. Heights were her nightmare—yet here she was, following him. Scratching his cheek in bewilderment, Nam Siu soon broke into a goofy grin at the sight of her behind him. It just felt nice.

"O-okay! Let's ride together then. Crowded, so stick close here."

The group split—Juwon and Geon ahead, Nam Siu and Isul behind—snaking through the line until they reached the boarding platform.

"Kyaaaa—!!"

Screams rained down from above as they neared, and Isul's shoulders trembled more with each one. Her face was ghostly pale.

"Isul, you sure? You don't have to. I can skip and wait with you below..."

"Shut up. I said I'm riding."

She irritably clutched his shirt sleeve. Terrified as she was, there was one ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠reason she'd crammed into this hellish line:

'If I'm not here, some vixen'll snag the seat next to him.'

Sure enough, Juwon and Geon's tall, handsome frames drew most eyes, but some flicked sneakily to Nam Siu behind them. Each time, Isul tightened her grip, blocking those shallow stares cold.

Nam Siu, oblivious to it all behind him, didn't notice.

"Next two, board please!"

Finally their turn. They sat side by side, the heavy safety bar locking down. The train clanked upward toward the dizzying peak with mechanical groans.

Clunk, clunk.

"Hnn..."

Terror-stricken, Isul squeezed her eyes shut and bowed her head. Nam Siu fidgeted anxiously beside her, then gently overlaid his hand on her white knuckles gripping the bar.

"I-if you're scared, squeeze my hand."

"...!"

His rough, warm touch made her flinch, eyes cracking open. Amid the wind-whipped hair on the steep track, he gazed at her with worry.

The coaster crested, hung, then plunged vertically. Instead of screaming, Isul crushed his hand in hers. Heart pounding wildly— from the drop, or the heat of their grip?

"Hah... hah..."

Safely off the ride, legs jelly, Isul collapsed on a nearby bench to catch her breath.

"Puhahaha! Yo, Baek Isul, your face was priceless!"

"If you're scared, wait below like a good girl. Had to follow and ride anyway. Whew."

Juwon and Geon, who'd disembarked with them, pointed and laughed mockingly at her dazed state.

"..."

Too wiped to retort, Isul glared murderously from under her bowed head. Their cackles cut dead at that feral stare.

"... Ahem! Shall we hit another ride?"

"Y-yeah. Good idea. Siu! Stay and look after Baek Isul. We're out!"

Sensing mortal peril, they averted eyes awkwardly and bolted naturally from the group.

"Huh? Hey, wait for m—"

Nam Siu started after them cluelessly—

Grab.

Someone tugged his shirt hem from behind, tentative but firm. Turning, he found pale-faced Isul staring up, blood not fully returned.

"...You leaving? Without me?"

The usual aloof Baek Isul was gone. Damp bangs, dark eyes loosened from the ride's aftershocks. That defenseless upward gaze was lethal to Nam Siu, whose resistance to her was already zero.

"Wha—?! N-no! Not going! Of course not!"

His face flushed crimson, waving hands frantically.

"Where would I go? Uh... I'll grab something cool to drink and churros. Rest in the shade here—just five minutes!"

He hustled her deeper into the bench's shadow, then dashed to the snack stand panting.

"...Didn't say buy food. Just stay by me."

Isul pouted at his reliable retreating back. But her pursed lips soon softened into an unstoppable pretty curve.

Nam Siu, one hand hauling a lemonade carrier, stood at the churros stall.

"Sir! Two churros, please."

Glancing back at the bench post-order, he locked eyes with Isul's piercing stare from afar. He grinned idiotically, waving wildly.

"Hey, you're Nam Siu ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠from Class 1, right?"

Then—a tap on his back. Turning, a girl in flashy clothes held her smartphone, smiling.

Nam Siu startled, whipping around to check behind and around him. Was someone else there? Nope, just him waiting for churros.

"Uh... me? You calling me?"

"Pfft. Who else is here?"

She giggled at his bafflement. His wide clear eyes and flustered vibe seemed to charm her more.

He thought fast: 'Oh, right.'

Other girls had approached him like this before.

"Oh, uh, if you're after Juwon or Geon's number, they're that way, so maybe ask them direct—"

"Huh? Why would I want your friends?"

She stepped closer, amused and incredulous.

"Then... me? What about?"

"We've bumped into each other the past two days, didn't you notice? You're kinda my type anyway—looks nice."

"...?"

Her blunt affection blanked his brain. Smirking, she thrust her phone's numpad screen at him.

"So, not your friends'—yours? Wanna get to know you."

"Uh, th-that, I..."

Her direct hit turned his face tomato-red. Lips flapping in shock, he backed up—

"Kid! Churros up!"

Two steaming, sugar-dusted churros popped from behind him.

"Ah, thanks!"

Handing them to the girl, he turned to leave—

Slurp.

The lemonade carrier in his right hand lightened suddenly.

"Ahh, refreshing. Nam Siu, my churro."

"Huh? Oh, yeah, here."

Isul—who should've been on the bench—sipped his lemonade casually. Then she glued to his side, hooking her arm boldly through his. Close enough her soft chest brushed his arm.

"...!"

Nam Siu's face ignited anew.

"Oh... crew, huh. Sorry."

He hadn't sensed it, but Isul's killer aura cowed the girl into an awkward smile and hasty retreat.

As she vanished, Isul nibbled a churro, unhooked, and glanced up slyly.

"Said just get churros and drinks, come straight back."

"N-no, I was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠heading back, but she just—"

"Whatever. Hot. Shade."

She snapped curtly but stuck to his side. Usually he trailed her like a puppy; today, roles reversed oddly. Clueless, ears burning scarlet, Nam Siu beamed like he'd won the world, savoring Gyeongju World arm-in-arm.

Her warmth against his arm mingled sweetly with churro scent, wrapping him in bliss.

But their thrilling duo neared its end. 3 PM. Time to head back to school after all rides.

"Everyone, to your class buses! Headcount, then we roll!"

At the teachers' orders, Isul dragged her heavy feet to the Class 2 bus reluctantly.

Window seat in back, her expression sank dark—gone was the park's bold poise.

'In the end... couldn't ask.'

She'd clung to him all day, but never broached the blind date. Every time, her voice stuck. Asking felt like admitting she liked him.

'He's not really meeting some other girl... right?'

Class 1's bus rolled into view outside. Defeat and anxiety over his unchanged heart choked her again. Forehead to glass, she gazed down glumly.

"Phew, safe~"

"...?"

Suddenly, the empty aisle seat beside her sank as someone plopped down. A familiar, soothing scent wafted. Startled, Isul whipped around—Ji Yoon's spot taken by panting Nam Siu.

"You...! Why're you here? Not on Class 1 bus?"

"Swapped with Ji Yoon on the sly. Class 1's too loud, so we traded."

He shrugged off his hood casually, grinning. Uninvited, yet here he was. Her churning gut eased like magic.

Clunk. The bus rolled out smoothly. Kids dozed off one by one; silence fell.

Pretending to watch outside, Isul tossed her pent-up question casually.

"...So, that... blind date. You going?"

"Huh?"

Her sudden jab made his shoulders twitch.

"Wh-how'd you know?"

His startled eyes met hers; she crossed arms nonchalantly.

"Dunno. Everyone knows."

A lie—only Juwon and he knew. Her voice was calm, but clenched fist betrayed her.

He leaned back, eyes closing.

"Jeez. What if she spreads it? Cut it off right away."

"...Cut it off?"

She turned, querying.

"Yeah. How with some stranger? Embarrassing stares too. And most of all..."

Meeting her eyes carefully, his usual smile.

"This is nice as is."

"...!"

She jerked her head away fast. Facing him now, she'd surely avert first.

"...Idiot."

But her face wasn't glum anymore. Glass-reflected lips curved uncontrollably.

Soon, highway hum and pleasant drowsiness hit. Slip.

Isul plucked one wireless earbud, gently slotting it into dozing Nam Siu's ear. Soft acoustic filled them quietly.

She leaned her head on his shoulder slowly, naturally, eyes closing. He didn't shy from her warmth, tilting to rest lightly on her crown.

Afternoon sun filtered through, blanketing the dozing pair cozily. Their rowdy three-day school trip drew to a sweet close.