Nakyuan Spaland (2)
“An elevator too, huh.”
The building had expanded to six stories above ground, and now it even had an elevator. Basement levels 1 and 2, plus six above ground—eight floors in total. I'd only invested 50P, but the floors had multiplied dramatically. It felt like the system was being generous since it was just a convenience facility without any major functions.
I decided to start from basement 2.
“Supply room.”
The entire basement 2 was packed with shower towels, hand towels, sauna suits, robes, toothpaste, shampoo, body wash, soap, lotion, toner, cotton swabs—every imaginable daily necessity and clothing item. What had been a tiny closet-like room before reconstruction had now taken over the whole floor.
Basement 1 was the men's bath, same as before. I checked the number of tubs with the executives, still fully clothed. The changing room lockers now had locks, so you had to get a key from the lobby to use them. With the building's expanded size, everything felt more spacious and comfortable.
The tubs had increased too—from the old three (hot, cold, and tepid event tub) to five: very hot, hot, cold, event, and herbal baths. The very hot one was over 43 degrees. I dipped a hand in briefly, and it scalded. All the tubs were a bit larger overall. There were spots deep enough to sit and scrub your back, and the existing saunas remained intact.
The second floor was the women's bath, identical in layout to the men's.
The third floor held dining and rest areas. Unlike before, it now had proper cooking equipment and a full restaurant.
“Yeah... this is what a spa needs.”
Inside the restaurant were four long cylindrical pots with lids. I lifted the first one: it was filled with sikhye, the sweet rice drink, with a thin layer of ice on top. The drawer below held familiar plastic drink bottles. I scooped some sikhye into one, stuck in a straw, and took a sip. It tasted exactly like the stuff you get at a bathhouse. Scooping it with a ladle made it feel even more authentic.
The other pots held cold green tea, iced coffee, and iced tea. I didn't know the refill rate, but the drinks automatically replenished. The fridge was stocked with cola, soda, sports drinks, banana milk, and more. Another fridge had microwavable dumplings and corndogs. There were even maifan stone eggs. And in one corner, a machine for boiling instant noodles.
“Hangang ramen!”
Han Byeol pointed at the machine and shouted.
“Hangang ramen?”
I tilted my head in confusion, and she explained.
“Master, you've lived in Seoul your whole life and never had ramen by the Hangang?”
“I've heard of it, but is this the machine for making Hangang ramen?”
Next to the machine were stacks of disposable containers, chopsticks, and ramen packs. Three varieties, labeled Nakyuan Ramen on the packaging: spicy, medium, and mild.
I wanted to try one right then, but held off to check the rest of the floors. There was a separate lounge for eating the ramen. The walls lined with eight massage chairs, stacks of mats and pillows on the floor. Perfect.
The fourth floor finally brought the jjimjilbang saunas: yellow earth room, salt room, charcoal kiln room, and ice room—four types. Each door listed the temperature. I poked the salt room wall with a finger and tasted it: salty.
Besides the saunas, the fourth floor had three water purifiers, single-person sleeping caves, and a platform for group lounging.
The fifth floor had more saunas, smaller than the fourth floor's, just two types: forest bath and herb room. Lukewarm temps, but stepping in filled your body with the scent of phytoncides. You'd sleep like a rock here.
Oddly, the fifth floor also had an arcade. Ten machines: fighting games, arcades, shooters—the classics.
Jeong Su-hwan spotted a fighting game and pointed with a grin.
“You good at this?”
“A bit, back when I was a kid.”
“Yeah? Sit down.”
A one-on-one fighting game duel kicked off right there between me and Jeong Su-hwan. I prided myself on playing this back in elementary school. All the executives cheered me on. It had been ages since I'd hit an arcade—last time was as a kid, getting beaten and robbed by middle schoolers after spamming cheap moves.
“Whoa... it's still here?”
My old favorite from elementary days was still there: a taekwondo character with flashy kicks. The graphics were way better than what I remembered.
“Guess I'll sit too.”
Jeong Su-hwan bowed politely and took the seat beside me.
Jeong Su-hwan picked a female character with swift motions. Something felt off. He didn't hunt around like I did—he manipulated the joystick like he knew exactly where she was from the start.
“...”
Random stage, game on. His female character sat and stood repeatedly in bizarre motions. His joystick mastery was leagues above mine—straight out of those pro YouTube videos I'd seen.
“That's more than 'a bit'...”
But I won the first round. Instinct told me: I wasn't talented; he was sandbagging hard, a blatant courtesy match.
“Don't hold back. Play for real.”
I said coolly, and he stood, bowing deeply.
“My apologies!”
Second round. He dashed low at the start, launched my character airborne, and unleashed merciless combos. New grabs I'd never seen. He slammed me into the wall, pummeled relentlessly, stomped my downed character, relaunched—pure class difference.
I hadn't landed a single hit. Utter defeat.
“...We didn't come to game. Gotta check the other rooms.”
I stood, and the other executives glared at Jeong Su-hwan—like, read the room.
“I'm good at this one!”
Han Seol piped up excitedly.
“What's it called?”
“Air hockey!”
Her eyes sparkled. The flat-puck table game from arcades—air hockey, apparently. Next room had one air hockey table, two ping-pong tables, and a billiards setup for pocket pool.
“This is a real spa. Shall we hit the top floor?”
Surprisingly, the sixth floor was a hotel. Four rooms, each with TV, comics, air purifier, bathroom—the works. Guest stayovers.
“Stairs too?”
We climbed to the rooftop and gasped in unison. A beautifully landscaped garden vibe: swinging benches, foot bath, open-air tub. A small wooden hut housed a steam sauna.
“Whoa... so romantic.”
The plain old bathhouse had transformed into a comprehensive paradise for 50P. Not a penny wasted.
“Tonight, just the executives... hospital director, housing reps. Open to residents tomorrow.”
“Yes!”
The spa party kicked off right there. Chefs included, of course. Han sisters at the lobby desk handing out sauna suits and locker keys like real staff. Post-bath, we slurped chef-boiled ramen on the third floor. Regular ramen, but elevated by their touch—delicious. Sipped sikhye while arcading and ping-ponging. Awakeners were near-pro; I stuck to the normie reps.
Later, I gamed one-on-one with I-rang in the arcade. Spare time: Jeong Su-hwan tutored me on fighters. Circuited the saunas, sweated it out. Hunger hit again—soft tofu stew. Post-meal, I-rang and I vegged in massage chairs when Han Byeol approached.
“Master, you gotta try the rooftop tubs.”
“Now?”
“Go alone. We'll hit it later. I-rang, play with sis!”
She scooped up I-rang and left. Consideration for my solo enjoyment.
Changed into a sauna robe, headed up. Foot bath, solo swing, then opened the steam sauna door.
Screech.
“Eek! You scared me!”
I yelped as the door swung open.
“Y-you're here...”
Han Seol shyly raised a hand in greeting.
“How long have you... No, why are you here?”
“Well...”
She bowed her head.
“Don't tell me.”
Han Byeol sent me up here for her. She'd noticed the weird vibe between us lately.
“Do-hyun, sit... I have something to say.”
“...”
She started as I sat beside her.
“That day you held me when I awakened... I was so happy.”
“Well... we've known each other longest.”
Awkward. The air was thick. My pounding heart—would she hear it?
“Since then... things felt off between us. But I loved it, so don't worry!”
“Really? Glad to hear.”
Silence. I fiddled with an hourglass pointlessly. Five minutes passed.
“One favor?”
“Hm? What?”
She turned, eyes locked on mine.
“Like that time... hold me?”
“Uh...? Yeah?!”
I'm dense, but not that dense. Trembling hands pulled her into an embrace. My face burned.
She whispered in my arms.
“Do-hyun, your heart's racing.”
“Yours too...”
As if scripted, we parted and stared close-up. Eyes closed. Lips met.
Over 30 minutes in the sauna before emerging.
“Do-hyun, you okay?!”
“Just the heat.”
Cool breeze snapped me back. My first kiss—intense, in a sauna. Somehow more awkward now.
“Head down?”
She grabbed my sleeve, pulled a card from her pocket.
“Dizzy? Rest in a room below first?”
“...”
I swallowed. Thoughts raced: Is this real? Tonight? For real?
Deep breath. Man up.
“Just to avoid misunderstanding... 'rest' means...”
“Yes. Exactly what you're thinking...”
“...”
A huge hurdle for a noona-soler like me. I hesitated; she blurted.
“I'm brand new there, so no worries!”
I clapped a hand over her mouth.
“They'll hear downstairs! Word choice, please...”
Her eyes welled up.
“Haa...”
I took her hand.
“Yeah. Let's rest.”
At breakfast, I nodded off at the table like usual. Woke at 5 a.m. in the sixth-floor room, roused sleeping Han Seol, snuck back to the mansion.
“...”
Historic first deed done.
“O-oppa, up late working last night?”
“Huh? Oh... yeah.”
I-rang had slept at Na Hye-won's. Han Byeol served breakfast with meaningful smiles, glancing between Han Seol and me.
We avoided eye contact during the meal—not awkward, exhilarating. Han Byeol kept staring, words on the tip of her tongue.
Post-meal, adults sipped coffee; I-rang milk. Finally, Han Byeol spoke.
“I just wanted to ease the awkwardness, gave you two alone time... but no way...”
“What're you getting at?”
She set down her cup.
“You two didn't...”
“Hey! Kid's here!”
I frantically covered I-rang's ears. Han Seol choked on her coffee.
“Oh my...”
Na Hye-won murmured over her cup.