Chapter 79: Summer Vacation Begins (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 79: Summer Vacation Begins (1)
*
Summer vacation had finally begun.
I looked out the window. The scenery was a stark departure from the usual school-day grind. With students—who should have been stuck in classrooms—wandering the streets in casual clothes, it truly felt like a holiday.
The season of rest and play had arrived for everyone else. But for me...
"We're almost out of fried food over here!"
An urgent shout came from behind me. I spun around instantly.
"Yes—coming right now!"
I was in the middle of my part-time job. Standing in front of the deep fryer, I was sweating buckets as I dropped batch after batch into the bubbling oil.
Wow.
Earning a living really wasn't easy. Moving without a moment's rest, time flew by in a greasy blur.
"..."
As the rush finally began to taper off and the customers thinned out, I finally managed to snag a short break.
"Phew..."
Taking a long-overdue breather, I sank into a chair in front of the employee break room.
"It's tough, isn't it?"
I turned toward the voice to find a girl standing there. Her name was Choi Su-hyeon, a high school student a year younger than me.
"Here."
She held out a disposable paper cup filled with ice-cold cola.
"...Thanks. I really needed this."
I gave a small nod and took the cup. I drained it in one go, the carbonation stinging my throat in the best way possible.
"Phew—"
Now I felt like I could actually breathe again.
"But is it okay for me to just drink this?" I asked. I’d taken it because she offered, but it was store inventory, after all. Was she paying for this out of pocket?
"It's fine. Don't worry about it," she said with a light shrug. "The manager told us we could drink as much as we want while on shift. Oh, but we can't take any home; we can only have what we drink here."
"Really?"
It seemed to be a small employee perk. It was news to me—Ha Seo-rim hadn't mentioned a word about it.
"It's only going to get busier from here, so drink up and find some strength." Her eyes turned self-deprecating.
I offered an awkward smile in return. It wasn't just her problem; we were in the same boat.
"..."
Tap, tap—
Just then, the sound of firm, rhythmic footsteps approached. Ha Seo-rim walked over, her expression sour.
"...Don't you have work to do?"
Ha Seo-rim stood tall, planting herself directly between me and Choi Su-hyeon.
"..."
I checked the clock. It was exactly the end of my scheduled thirty-minute break. When had time slipped away like that? Regardless, she was incredibly precise. She had pounced the very second my break ended.
"Up we go—"
I stood up immediately, cracking my stiff neck from side to side. I’d been planning to get back to it anyway.
"..."
Ha Seo-rim nodded, then whipped her head toward Choi Su-hyeon.
"If you're finished resting, don't just hang around. We're running low on cups and lids, so go restock the inventory."
"Oh... okay, I'm on it."
Choi Su-hyeon scurried away to avoid the snapping Ha Seo-rim.
— "...Is Seo-rim interested in Seung-ho?"
I caught Su-hyeon’s muttered thought as she retreated. But it wasn't like that at all.
— "..."
Ha Seo-rim's Mini-Me—the small, manifested avatar of her subconscious—shot a sharp glare at me. Her interference wasn't born of affection, but rather intense wariness.
— "Hitting on a girl the moment I look away..."
"..."
That was a bit of an unfair misunderstanding. She was the one who approached me.
I avoided Ha Seo-rim's gaze and headed out to the hall. Since I was out here anyway, I figured I'd start cleaning up the seating area.
— "I can't take my eyes off him for a second."
Ha Seo-rim's gaze followed me like a spotlight.
— "...Because girls like Su-hyeon, who don't know any better, might fall for him in a heartbeat."
I had absolutely no intention of doing anything of the sort. But Ha Seo-rim had already made up her mind about me. She intended to keep a constant, watchful eye on my every move.
"..."
While cleaning the hall, I watched Ha Seo-rim return to her own tasks. It was fine for now; it didn't really bother me. Besides, I didn't want to bring up the past if I could help it. It was just that if this behavior escalated, I felt like I'd eventually have to clear the air with her.
Or, I could just wait for the misunderstanding to resolve itself naturally.
*
"Good work today...!"
Exhausted, I changed back into my casual clothes. It was finally time to clock out. Without exception, everyone was finishing their closing duties with faces haggard from fatigue. The pace of work had been relentless.
"...Good work."
Ha Seo-rim gave a blunt bow and brushed past me.
— "Hmph..."
Her Mini-Me didn't look like it thought I'd done "good work" at all. It stuck its tongue out and hissed like a cat with its fur standing on end. Maybe it was because the creature was so tiny, but instead of feeling annoyed, I just found the whole thing absurd.
"..."
I left for home with a hollow laugh.
Ding!
The phone in my pocket vibrated.
— Lee Sol:(Hamster emoticon with sparkling eyes)
A text from her.
'It's already tomorrow.'
Come to think of it, I had plans with Lee Sol. I'd been so buried in work that I'd lost track of the days. If I wanted to be functional for tomorrow morning, I needed to get home and pass out.
I quickened my pace toward home.
*
— Lee Seung-ho:What time do you want to meet tomorrow?
A single text from Lee Seung-ho.
"Hmm..."
Lee Sol lay sprawled facedown on her bed, agonizing as she stared at the message.
'I want to see him as soon as possible, though.'
Meeting in the morning seemed better than the afternoon. If they met early, they could have lunch together. After the main activity, if things went well, maybe even dinner...
"..."
Ahem. It was a perfect schedule.
Lee Sol kicked her legs against the mattress, trying to suppress the giddy smile threatening to break out. The duvet rose and fell with her excitement.
[Should we meet at 9? | ]
Lee Sol typed into the chat box.
[At 9 | ]
Tap, tap, tap.
She deleted it.
'9 o'clock... 9 o'clooock...'
Lee Sol's eyes narrowed. She crossed her arms and groaned. The question was... could she actually wake up by then? That was the real concern. She managed to drag herself to school somehow, but this was a weekend morning. That was a different beast entirely.
"..."
Lee Sol made her decision. She slowly opened her eyes and edited the text.
— Lee Sol:Should we meet at 10?
Lee Sol acknowledged and accepted her own nature. She was almost certain to oversleep. In that case, it was better to push the schedule back a bit.
"Mm...!"
Lee Sol sat bolt upright. Only one problem remained.
What was she going to wear?
Creek—!
She flung her closet doors open. Since she had been on a bit of a shopping spree lately, the closet was more packed than ever.
'Since we're going out, I should wear the best thing I have.'
Lee Sol lined up her outfits and tried them on one by one, turning this way and that in front of the full-length mirror.
"Ummm..."
She tilted her head, dissatisfied.
'...Something's not right.'
It didn't feel right. Nothing was hitting the mark. It wasn't that the clothes weren't pretty—she just felt like there might be something even better hidden somewhere. Soon, the clothes she had discarded covered the entire bed.
"Ah..."
Seeing the mess, Lee Sol pressed a hand to her forehead. When was she going to clean all this up? Just thinking about the laundry made her head ache.
'...Maybe I should look for some inspiration.'
She didn't even have a sense of what the "standard" was for an occasion like this. She hopped onto the internet to see what other people wore for reference.
[When going on a date...]
Pause—
"..."
Lee Sol's fingers froze. The words she had typed stared back at her from the search bar.
Come to think of it... this was a date.
She had told Lee Seung-ho there was something she wanted to try and asked him to go with her, but...
'That's right.'
What they were doing tomorrow was undeniably a date. Seeing the word typed out made it feel real all of a sudden.
"..."
Lee Sol's lips twitched. A deep crimson flush crept up to her ears.
Flop—
This wasn't the time for a meltdown. She dove back onto the bed, burying her face in the pillows.
*
The next day.
The street was teeming with people passing by. Lee Sol sat alone on a bench near the subway station, staring blankly at the crowd.
Click— tap—
She turned her phone screen on, then off.
Click— tap—
She checked the time again.
Click— tap—
Just one more time.
"..."
It was 9:30 AM. Time was crawling.
In the end, she had arrived far too early. She had woken up early without even meaning to. If she had known her body would betray her like this, she should have just said 9 o'clock.
"Excuse me."
Instead of sitting here bored, maybe she should scout the area?
"Excuse me...?"
No, maybe she should find a good lunch spot in advance. Yes, that would be a better use of her time...
"Excuse meee."
A hand waved back and forth in front of her eyes. It wasn't Seung-ho.
Lee Sol turned her head.
"Hello."
A man was standing there with a practiced, smooth smile. As expected, a stranger.
"How old are you, if you don't mind me asking?"
"..."
Anyone could see he was trying to pick her up. She had been caught in a troublesome situation. Lee Sol racked her brain for a way out.
"...I'm a high school student."
"Oh? Really? Me too. What grade are you in?"
She thought he would back off, but instead, it became a conversation starter. Having found common ground, he became even more proactive.
"I really like your style, so if it's not too rude, could I get your number?"
"No."
"...Ah, do you have a boyfriend by any chance?"
"..."
Lee Sol's brow furrowed. A sudden surge of annoyance bubbled up.
"If you don't have a boyfriend—"
"Sol."
A familiar voice cut through the air. Lee Sol's eyes widened at the sound.
Lee Seung-ho was standing there, blinking calmly. "Who is this? Someone you know?"
"No." Lee Sol shook her head vigorously.
"Really? Then let's go."
"Okay!"
Lee Sol quickly scurried to his side. The man who had been bothering her lingered awkwardly, but she didn't give him a second thought. Her mood, which had been plummeting a moment ago, soared instantly. A soft smile lit up her face.
"You're out early," Lee Seung-ho noted as they started walking.
Lee Sol let out an awkward laugh. "It just kind of happened."
"You didn't wait long, did you?"
"Not at all!"
In truth, she had been waiting for over thirty minutes, but she decided to take that secret to the grave. If she told him, he’d just feel guilty for no reason.
"..."
Lee Seung-ho's expression turned skeptical. Did he notice?
"...But are you sure you'll be okay?"
"With what?" Lee Sol tilted her head.
"...I mean, you said this is your first time."
"It's something I've wanted to try for a long time. And I don't have anyone else to help me but you."
Lee Sol took the lead, her steps light as she headed toward their destination. The place she had wanted to visit with him at least once...
The ice rink.
=========
(!Signboard!)
(Scroll down for AI illustrations!)
=========
(Lee Sol Date NEW)
(Lee Sol Pigtails 1)
(Lee Sol Pigtails 2)