Summer Vacation Preparations
"Hey! Look at that! It's so pretty!!"
Go Dasom pointed at the flashy swimsuit store on the second floor and bolted off like a shot. Chaerin and Ji Yoon's eyes sparkled as they chased after her, while the left-behind Seo Juwon and Park Geon grumbled with world-weary expressions and trailed behind.
"Come on, why do we have to follow you guys to a girls' swimsuit store? We'll just check out stuff downstairs for us!"
"Hey, you're our pack mules. We don't need your opinions. Just shut up, follow along, and carry the bags."
As Chaerin and Park Geon bickered at the store entrance, Nam Siu and Baek Isul slipped away from the chaos, strolling through the air-conditioned mall where cool blasts of air poured out everywhere.
"Haaah... Feels like I can breathe now. This place is nice and chilly. Outside was brutal—I thought I was gonna melt."
Nam Siu sucked down his ice-cold lemonade through the straw with a sigh of relief. Beads of sweat still clung stubbornly to his forehead. No wonder—today he was wearing a long-sleeved shirt that clashed horribly with the blazing summer heat. He'd spent the morning changing outfits in front of the mirror dozens of times, primping to look good for meeting his friends downtown. The moment he stepped out the door, the scorching sun hit him like a brick, screaming that he'd messed up big time. But he couldn't be late, so he'd dragged his heavy feet through rivers of sweat.
"Who told you to dress that thick in the middle of summer?"
"Uh, w-well... It didn't seem that hot in the morning..."
Nam Siu scratched his flushed neck in embarrassment, and Baek Isul lightly flicked the sleeve of his thick shirt with her finger, adding indifferently,
"You should probably grab some thin summer clothes for everyday while you're here today. Not just swimsuits for the valley."
"Huh? Oh, uh... Yeah, I guess I should."
"Hm. Then after we girls finish swimsuit shopping, we'll all go pick out clothes for you."
With that, Baek Isul started walking toward the swimsuit store where Go Dasom had disappeared, leaving a stunned Nam Siu behind.
A short while later, Nam Siu shuffled awkwardly into the store and immediately dropped his gaze to the floor.
"Whoa, this color is so vibrant! Chaerin! You'd look killer in this!"
"Crazy, who'd wear a bikini to the valley? I'm just doing a rashguard."
The store brimmed with swimsuits in every hue imaginable, and the girls giggled as they held up tiny bikinis the size of palms. For an ordinary high school boy like Nam Siu, a women's swimsuit shop was a minefield with nowhere safe to look.
Where... where do I even look...
He barely managed to turn his head and glance sideways. Park Geon and Seo Juwon leaned against the wall, scrolling their phones like this was routine, grumbling at the girls who were taking forever to decide.
"Man, we'll be here till dinner at this rate. Hurry up already."
"Ugh, shut it! You guys aren't helping, so just go wait outside!"
Nam Siu wanted to mimic their nonchalance, but he couldn't pull it off. Heat kept rising to his face, so he edged toward the door.
"Guys, I'll just wait out—"
"Hey, Baek Isul! This soft pink bikini is perfect for you!"
"Go Dasom. Wanna die?"
Baek Isul swatted away the skimpy design Go Dasom dangled teasingly with a firm retort.
"..."
Nam Siu's escape attempt halted dead. For a split second, a wicked flash of imagination crossed his mind.
"Hm? Namjjin. Where you headed?"
Seo Juwon shot him a sly sidelong glance and grinned.
"N-no, nothing. We're all here together, so I should stay."
Nam Siu mumbled an excuse, hiding his burning cheeks. Seo Juwon chuckled and shoved his phone screen right in Nam Siu's face.
"Hey, what do you think of this item? Looks pretty good, right?"
"Uh? Y-yeah, it does..."
Thanks to Seo Juwon's quick save, Nam Siu glued his eyes to the phone screen and survived until the girls finished shopping. But they refused to show the guys what they'd bought, so Nam Siu never got to see Baek Isul's pick. With a twinge of regret, his steps turned toward the men's swimsuit store on the first floor.
"Hey, we're chilling at the cafe outside. Come find us when you're done."
Chaerin led the girls, each clutching shopping bags, toward a spacious cafe on the first floor.
"Yeah, go cool off with the AC. We won't take as long as you did."
Park Geon waved them off grandly. Once the girls were out of sight, the three guys strode into the men's swimsuit store.
It was drabber and plainer than the women's section—muted colors, simple designs—but for Nam Siu, it finally felt like he could breathe.
"Ahh~ Hey, what about this?"
Park Geon, wandering the aisles, snatched something and dangled it in front of Nam Siu and Seo Juwon. It was a blindingly fluorescent lime green Speedo.
"You psycho. No one wears that."
"Why not! Dive in once at the valley in this, and boom—alpha male of the stream. Girls'll swoon and faint!"
"Go Dasom'd be the one punching you out cold."
Seo Juwon smacked the back of Park Geon's head with a tsk. Park Geon grumbled at him while putting it back, but a goofy grin lingered on his face.
"Quit messing around and pick something. We gotta decide what else we're doing today too."
At Seo Juwon's words, Park Geon and Nam Siu obediently headed to the rashguard section. As they joked around picking rashguards and board shorts, Seo Juwon's eyes landed on Nam Siu, who was still fiddling with baggy short-sleeve tees.
"Hey, Namjjin. Why you stuck on those?"
"Huh? Nah, rashguards feel too tight for me. Just grabbing loose short-sleeve tees for swimming."
Park Geon and Seo Juwon both let out deep sighs at Nam Siu's innocent reply.
"Lord, this fashion criminal. Park Geon, grab that black rashguard set over there. Something body-hugging."
"On it! Time to unleash your hidden beast mode."
"N-no! I really don't wear stuff like th— Hey!!"
Nam Siu freaked and tried to bolt, but he was no match for the two physical monsters. They shoved the tight black rashguard into his arms and pushed him into the fitting room.
"No backtalk—just try it on and come out. Or we'll come in and dress you ourselves."
Swish—
Unable to resist Seo Juwon's threat, Nam Siu slunk inside. Moments later, the curtain parted with hesitant steps.
"Uh... Isn't this too tight? Can't even breathe right..."
Nam Siu awkwardly tugged at his chest and stomach as he stepped out. Instantly, Seo Juwon and Park Geon—who'd been snickering outside—froze.
"..."
"..."
Three seconds of dead silence. Then Park Geon's lips quivered, and he burst out laughing.
"Pffft...! Dude, you look like a black chopstick standing there!"
"Ah, shut up! I told you it was weird!!"
Nam Siu yelled, his ears beet red. Seo Juwon, chin in hand, bit his lip hard, shoulders shaking as he barely held it together.
"Kh... Ahem. Still, you can kinda see the workout gains. Like, a mouse tail's worth."
He patted Nam Siu's shoulder, struggling to keep a straight face.
"Skinny mode's too much for now. I'm suffocating just looking."
"Ugh, seriously... Never wearing this crap again!"
Nam Siu bolted back into the fitting room. In the end, they compromised realistically: the naturally buff Seo Juwon and Park Geon got their rashguards, while Nam Siu settled for loose waterproof hoodie zip-up and black board shorts for the water.
"Alright, let's go. She'll bitch if we're late again."
Shopping bags in hand, they headed for the cafe.
The big first-floor cafe bustled noisily, packed for a weekend afternoon, cool AC blasting everywhere. At a wide group sofa by the sunlit window, four girls were already chatting over shaved ice and drinks.
As the three guys ambled up with bags, Chaerin spotted them first, frowning deeply.
"You bragged you wouldn't take as long as us... Three guys shopping and you're this late?"
"Aigoo, I'm dying..."
Park Geon ignored her nagging, groaned dramatically, and sank deep into an empty sofa cushion.
"What? Late and now sprawling out like you own the place? What took so long!"
"Ah, Nam Siu's fashion show in the fitting room. You girls missed it."
Park Geon wheezed, holding back laughs as he recalled it.
"Y-you psycho! What fashion show did I—!!"
Nam Siu smacked his back in horror at the exaggeration, but the group was already roaring with laughter, picturing it. Meanwhile, Baek Isul quietly sipped iced tea at the end of the table, glancing at Nam Siu's bag and curving her lips faintly. The "fashion show" mention must've sparked her own silly imagination overlapping with his flustered face.
"O-okay! Everyone, focus!"
After the chaos died down, Go Dasom slapped her diary open in the table's center to rein things in.
"Clothes are done, so let's plan the valley trip for next week! Park Geon's grandparents' house from last year, right?"
"Yeah. Got grandpa's okay. Stream's right there—lounge on the yard platform, stargaze, grill meat like before."
Ji Yoon smiled faintly, reminiscing. Seo Juwon nodded along.
"Decided to go back? Sounds fun."
"It was a blast. Minus Go Dasom's watermelon binge that night—puked her guts out, had to prick her finger and everything."
"Ah, shut up! Seo Juwon!"
Go Dasom's face flushed crimson as she whacked his shoulder with the diary. Seo Juwon flopped onto the sofa pretending it hurt, sparking another round of table-shaking laughter.
Shared raucous memories from way back. Now, Nam Siu sat right among them, watching as if it were the most natural thing.
"I booked all seven train tickets, so send me the money. 9 AM train—meet at the station by 8:30."
"Got it. Meat and stuff we can buy there. Just pack light personal gear for now."
As Go Dasom and Seo Juwon checked details meticulously, Park Geon drawled from his deep sofa slump,
"Eh, whatever's there is fine. Just bring your body."
"You're the one I'm worried about, you beast. Train won't wait—run if you're late."
"Ah, I won't be! What, you think I'm always tardy?"
Park Geon pouted indignantly, and Chaerin glared, clenching her fist.
The boisterous seven's trip meeting wrapped up amid the racket. As they left the cafe, a thick summer sunset dyed the sky red overhead.
"See you at school!"
"Yeah, get home safe!"
At the intersection, they waved, scattering to their homes. In the lively bustle, Baek Isul sidled up to Nam Siu and whispered,
"Didn't get your summer clothes today."
"Huh? Oh, yeah."
"Let's go shopping just us later. I need some too."
An utterly unexpected new promise. Nam Siu's eyes widened—he'd thought she'd forgotten after brushing it off earlier. Leaving the dumbfounded Nam Siu, Baek Isul turned and walked ahead without waiting for a reply. He stared blankly at her retreating back, then drew a deep, thrilled breath.
Cicadas buzzed amid the asphalt's shimmering heat haze. Perhaps the hottest, most dazzling summer vacation of Nam Siu's life was nearly upon him.