Chapter 133: Busan (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 133: Busan (3)
After Ha Seo-rim left, only the four of us remained in the club room.
Me, Ji Nuri, Shin A-young, and Lee Sol. Just the four of us.
"What was that all about with Seo-rim?" Ji Nuri asked nonchalantly.
I brushed it off with a vague explanation. "Oh, it was nothing. She just felt bad about a mistake she made a while back."
"At the part-time job?"
"Yeah."
"Aha."
Ji Nuri lost interest, accepting the explanation without a second thought.
“……”
“……”
Lee Sol and Shin A-young, however, still looked suspicious. They didn't press for details, though. Perhaps it was because they were already close to guessing what had happened over the weekend.
Feeling the atmosphere grow a bit heavy because of me, I spoke up.
"Want to try some of this?" I held up the jar of plum extract toward the three of them. Looking at the amount, there was enough for everyone to have a cup.
"...What is that?" Lee Sol blinked.
"Plum extract."
"Did Seo-rim give it to you?"
"Yeah. She made it herself."
"...Oh."
They looked impressed to hear she had made it from scratch.
"Raise your hand if you want some."
All three of them raised their hands. It seemed they were more curious about the taste than being particularly fond of plum tea.
I turned on the electric kettle and prepared four cups.
Trickle.
I divided the extract among the cups. After a few spoonfuls, the jar was already empty.
"Here." I placed the steaming cups on the table.
"Whoo, whoo—"
The three of them gently blew on the tea. After letting it cool, they each took a sip.
"...Wow." A low exclamation escaped Lee Sol.
"Oh." I took a sip and felt the same way.
The taste was definitely different. Perhaps because it had aged more since the last time I tried it, the flavor was deeper and more refined. Was this from a different batch?
— She could probably be a chef...
Even Shin A-young, who usually only ate the finest food, offered her praise.
"Oh, right." While we were enjoying the tea, Ji Nuri spoke up. "I found a guardian."
She puffed out her chest triumphantly.
"...Already? Who?"
"The eldest son of our house."
Come to think of it, I remembered hearing that she was one of three siblings.
"Is he okay with going all the way to Busan?"
"He lives in Busan anyway, so it's fine. He works at a trading company there."
"Oh, really?"
That was a relief. Ji Nuri continued as she sipped her tea.
"Yeah... He won't be hanging out with us, though. He’s just going to help us check into the hotel."
"You guys must be close for him to do that."
“……?”
Ji Nuri’s expression shifted into one of genuine disgust, as if asking what on earth I was talking about. I guess they weren't that close.
"...If you aren't close, people don't usually agree to favors like that, do they?"
"Ah, it's because I used a wish coupon."
What was that now?
"Was it last Chuseok? That jerk broke my arm while we were messing around. I brought that up, and he agreed to help this time."
"...Is that why you came to school in a cast back then?" Shin A-young nodded slowly. She seemed to have a rough idea of what had happened.
Just what kind of 'messing around' leads to a broken arm? Were they practicing martial arts or something?
"You know how we have an extra ticket? I asked Ha Seo-rim about it."
"Seo-rim?"
"Yeah, she said she'd think about it."
"...Were you two close?" I tilted my head at Lee Sol's question.
"Not super close... but we chat enough at work."
I had just thrown the offer out there. I didn't actually expect her to say yes. Since we had one ticket left and I didn't have anyone else to invite, Ha Seo-rim was the first person who came to mind. I remembered her saying she had worked all through the school break and the only place she'd gone for fun was the Han River.
It had been weighing on my mind.
"It's not confirmed yet. I just wanted to see what you guys thought."
"I'm down." Ji Nuri was, of course, in favor. They were already on friendly terms.
On the other hand, I wasn't sure about the other two.
"...I don't mind."
— It's a bit awkward... but Seung-ho suggested it.
The Mini-Me nodded slightly. She seemed to be trying to be understanding.
"I'm fine with it too," Shin A-young agreed next. She didn't look thrilled, but I didn't sense any strong rejection.
Now, we just needed Ha Seo-rim to say yes.
*
Time flew by. Before I knew it, it was the evening of the CSAT.
[ Ji Nuri: Looking for one person to play a game right now. ]
[ Shin A-young: Me ]
[ Lee Seung-ho: Seoul Station by 9 AM tomorrow. ]
[ Lee Seung-ho: Don't forget. ]
[ Lee Sol: Got it. ]
[ Shin A-young: (Emoticon of a nodding puppy) ]
“……”
Ding, ding.
The notification sounds rang out. Ha Seo-rim sat in her living room, reading through the messages in the 'Busan Trip' group chat.
"...Ahem."
Ha Seo-rim rubbed her bright yellow bangs. She didn't know what to send at times like this. She wasn't particularly eloquent, nor did she have the type of personality that livened up a room. Even in the Band Club group chat, she usually just watched others talk.
Still, she had to reply.
[ Ha Seo-rim: Okay ]
Ha Seo-rim sent the short reply and turned off the screen. In the end, she had decided to go on the Busan trip.
...I got permission easier than I thought.
No, it was more than that. Her father had even given her pocket money, telling her to have a good time.
...I was just going to work if he said no.
Because of that, she had to find a substitute for her part-time job for the first time. Perhaps because she had covered for others so often, finding a sub wasn't that difficult.
It has been a while since I've taken a break...
Though she worked without a word of complaint, it didn't mean she never got tired.
“……”
Thinking back, things had been tough lately. Part-time jobs, studying for exams, and various other responsibilities. There had been plenty of reasons to be stressed.
She had also been a bit envious of the idea of going on a trip. Listening to Ji Nuri talk, it was impossible not to be.
...She really knows how to brag.
Ha Seo-rim's eyes narrowed. But since she was going with them now, she decided to let it slide.
The final reason was, above all else, that it was free. This was the most important part. Free. No cost.
"...Phew."
Ha Seo-rim had been horrified when she saw the train ticket prices. How could going to Busan cost so much? And the hotel prices were something else entirely. Even entering the game event cost money.
How many hours would she have to work to earn all that...? Ha Seo-rim counted the hours, folding her fingers one by one.
“……”
It was time to start packing for tomorrow.
"A bag..."
Ha Seo-rim turned her head and looked around the house. She didn't have any particularly useful bags.
"...I guess this will do."
Ha Seo-rim pulled the books out of her school backpack. A bit of dust had settled inside.
Thump, thump.
As she shook the bag out, dust drifted down to the floor.
"Hmm."
It was fine. Looking at the now-clean interior of the bag, Ha Seo-rim nodded with satisfaction. She packed her things one by one. Toiletries, a charger, a change of clothes, her wallet.
Ah, should I bring a towel too?
There wasn't as much to pack as she thought. Well, it was only for two days and one night.
"...That's everything."
She checked several more times to make sure she hadn't missed anything. Now there was nothing left to do. Ha Seo-rim flopped down onto the futon spread on the floor.
“……”
She blinked, staring up at the ceiling. How should she put it? It reminded her a little of her middle school graduation trip.
*
Rustle— rustle—
Early morning. Having woken up early, Ha Seo-rim moved about busily. Her younger sibling was still sprawled out on the floor, fast asleep. Ha Seo-rim grabbed her bag and put on her shoes.
"...Are you leaving now?" Her father came out of the bathroom, drying his hair as if he had just washed up.
"Yes." Ha Seo-rim replied as she adjusted her shoes.
"Alright, have a good trip. Call me when you get there."
"I'm heading out."
Whoosh—
As soon as she opened the door, a morning breeze that was more than just chilly—it was biting—hit her.
"Ugh..."
The weather had suddenly turned freezing. Ha Seo-rim pulled her padded jacket tight, tugging the zipper all the way up to her chin.
"I have to get to Seoul Station..."
Ha Seo-rim opened her map app. It said she should take a bus from here and then transfer to the subway. After confirming the route, she set off with calm steps.
*
"...Phew."
Ha Seo-rim let out a small breath as she got off the subway.
I barely made it off.
It was incredibly crowded today. Why were there so many people? The closer she got to Seoul Station, the more packed the subway became. She had been standing almost pinned against the door until she arrived.
Still, she had made it.
"Hmm."
Seoul Station. Looking up at the massive sign, Ha Seo-rim felt a strange sense of excitement.
“……”
She stepped inside the station and came to a halt like a stone statue. There were just so many people walking around.
It's chaotic.
Ha Seo-rim's eyebrows knitted together. Actually, she had never been inside the station before. She had rarely left Seoul to begin with, and her middle school graduation trip had been by bus.
I knew it would be crowded, but I didn't think it would be this bad...
Experiencing it in person was different. It was even more crowded in here than it was outside. It was almost dizzying.
But who was she? This level of congestion was no problem. She was a veteran of the lunch rush at her fast-food job.
Ha Seo-rim moved forward calmly.
"...I arrived a bit early."
There were still about 40 minutes left until the meeting time. She wondered if she had come too early. No, you never know. It was better this way in case she ran late.
Should I grab something to eat?
Ha Seo-rim felt a pang of hunger. She hadn't eaten breakfast because she had left in such a hurry. Looking around, all the nearby restaurants were full.
“……”
She searched on her phone to see if there were other restaurants. It would be faster than walking around aimlessly. She swiped through the screen, looking for a place where she could grab a quick bite.
While she was doing that...
“……?”
She felt a presence in front of her. Someone was looking around. She felt like someone was watching her. At first, she thought it was a coincidence, but it didn't seem like it. A figure that had been lingering nearby started moving. The footsteps drew closer.
"...Tsk."
A flash of annoyance rose within her. Ha Seo-rim narrowed her eyes and looked up.
"......Ah."
Just as she was about to ramp up her guard, her eyes softened when she saw who it was.
"...Oh, it really is Ha Seo-rim."
Lee Seung-ho was standing there. He’d given her a scare for no reason.
"Why are you all bundled up like that inside the station? I almost didn't recognize you."
"...Ah."
Come to think of it, she hadn't taken off her hood yet. Ha Seo-rim pulled off her hood and shook out her hair.
"You're early."
"I came early to grab some breakfast."
“……”
Ha Seo-rim nodded. That worked out well. It looked like they could eat together. She didn't like eating alone, anyway.
=========
Ha Seo-rim taking off her padded jacket hood