48. Summer Vacation Begins (1)
48. Summer Vacation Begins (1)
By the time So-jeong woke up, the sun had already completely set.
Her whole body still ached with muscle soreness, but at least she wasn't as immobile as when Baek-seol had brought her home.
As she slowly sat up, the porridge bowl she hadn't put away yet caught her eye first.
Thinking of Baek-seol who had seemingly casually but thoughtfully made porridge for her before leaving, So-jeong picked up her smartphone from the bedside.
'Just woke up.'
The '1' notification on So-jeong's message disappeared instantly.
'How are you feeling?'
She could almost hear Baek-seol's voice through the text, making So-jeong let out a small, soft laugh.
'Much better.'
'Aren't you hungry after just eating porridge?'
'I slept the whole day.'
'Right. Get plenty of rest.'
So-jeong looked at Baek-seol's message and lightly tapped the edge of her smartphone with her finger.
Baek-seol's text was short and concise, just like her usual way of speaking, but consideration could be felt within it.
Wanting to continue the conversation with her a bit more, So-jeong lightly tapped the on-screen keyboard again.
'Baek-seol, what are you doing right now?'
'Nothing.'
'What's that lol'
'Just thought, since vacation has started, it's okay to rest for a day.'
"Ah."
A small exclamation escaped So-jeong's lips.
She had been so preoccupied with finals and the subsequent amusement park trip that she had forgotten.
For a university student, the end of finals meant the end of the semester and the beginning of vacation.
The summer vacation for university students, incomparably longer than in high school, had already begun.
The first summer vacation she experienced as a freshman felt overwhelmingly long, but this third summer vacation just felt familiar.
'What are you planning to do this summer vacation?'
'Not really anything yet. How about you, So-jeong?'
'Probably get a part-time job?'
Tap tap. After sending the message, So-jeong tapped the side of her smartphone again with her finger.
The usual conversation. The usual topic.
That alone was satisfying, but So-jeong wanted to take one step further.
After closing her eyes briefly and catching her breath, So-jeong's fingers danced across the smartphone screen again.
'Hey, Baek-seol.'
'Yeah.'
'Do you want to go somewhere else during the vacation?'
'Sure.'
Baek-seol's reply was faster than usual.
'When? Where?'
Finding it fun and cute that she asked back like that, So-jeong unknowingly let out another laugh.
'Not sure yet. Let's decide together later.'
'Okay.'
'Sorry for bothering you while you're resting. I'll go now.'
'Bothering? You should rest quickly. Don't overexert yourself.'
'Okay.'
After sending a sleeping emoji, So-jeong laid her head back on the pillow.
Lying in bed, So-jeong stared intently at the 'Sure' Baek-seol had sent.
Although it was probably sent simply as an affirmation, to So-jeong now, those words resonated in her heart in a completely different way.
"......"
So-jeong carefully tapped on Baek-seol's profile.
<Baek-seol>
Below the default profile picture, her name was written in a minimalist style.
So-jeong gazed at the name for a moment, then tapped the area with the name and added a small character after Baek-seol's name.
<Baek-seol♡>
"......Hehe."
Changing the name like that to signify that they were more than just simple friends, that they were lovers who loved each other, So-jeong covered her mouth with her phone and giggled bashfully.
If she weren't still suffering from muscle soreness, So-jeong would have been stomping her feet and thrashing around on the bed.
This feeling of being both embarrassed and overwhelmingly happy was a first. Her heart was so elated she didn't know what to do, but she didn't exactly dislike surrendering to that feeling.
Bzzz—!
In the midst of enjoying the joyful ecstasy of the beginning of love, the smartphone she was hugging in her arms vibrated with a buzz.
Thinking Baek-seol had contacted her again, So-jeong brought the phone to her eyes.
"Huh?"
But it wasn't Baek-seol.
***
"Hwaahaa~! Having a two-month vacation means university students are really the best!"
Ha-na's voice rang out through the cafe like a bell.
"I really couldn't even imagine this in high school!"
"Ahaha, but you'll get used to it quickly."
Due to Ha-na's contact the previous night, So-jeong was out at a cafe in the morning.
For So-jeong, who, though much better than before, still disliked crowded places, Ha-na had chosen a cafe that was sparsely populated but had a nice view and sent the address to her.
Perhaps because of that, the cafe, with calm jazz music flowing, was almost empty except for So-jeong and Ha-na.
"You know it feels like it's been forever since I saw you, unnie, right?"
Ha-na said after sucking on her smoothie until her cheeks hollowed.
"It hasn't even been a few days since the semester ended, but I already miss you, you know? So I couldn't help but call you to meet. Hehe. I didn't interrupt anything, did I?"
"Interrupt? I don't really have any plans yet."
"Ah, unnie, so what are you doing during vacation?"
"Nothing specific in mind. Maybe getting a part-time job?"
"Oh, what kind of part-time jobs do you usually do? You said you'd never worked at a convenience store before."
"I... usually prefer jobs where I don't have to meet people much."
So-jeong said, counting on her fingers.
"I sometimes take on simple translation work... and there's also a bookstore I always go to for part-time work during vacations."
"A bookstore? Aren't bookstores usually crowded with people?"
Ha-na asked, tilting her head.
"Ah, the place I go to is a private bookstore."
"Aha......"
"Yeah. I just handle organizing books there, so I don't have to interact with people."
"You said you often go to bookstores even on weekends, unnie? But working part-time at a bookstore must mean you really like books."
"Yeah. Bookstores are usually quiet... and it's good because when I focus on reading, I don't think about other things."
"Seeing that, you might have been good in Creative Writing or Korean Literature instead of Law."
"Ahaha, I have a different dream I want to achieve."
After taking a sip of coffee, So-jeong spoke up first this time.
"Ha-na, what about you? Do you have any plans for vacation?"
"Of course!!"
Ha-na exclaimed with sparkling eyes.
"My first summer vacation as a university student! I already have dozens of travel plans! I'm going to Europe next week."
"Ahaha, that sounds really fun."
"By the way, unnie, aren't you going somewhere with Baek-seol unnie? It's a waste to just work part-time."
"Ah, that's......"
At Ha-na's words, So-jeong recalled the time she went out with Baek-seol just a few days ago.
There was no way Ha-na would miss So-jeong's expression, her face flushing red with an almost audible *poof*.
'Huhuhu, guess I didn't really need to bring it up.'
Amused by the refreshingly naive reaction, Ha-na grinned widely to herself.
"And please be sure to tell that 'friend' of yours who asked me for love advice the other time. Tell her to let me know how things are going occasionally."
"Ah, ahaha, yeah, okay......"
Ha-na looked at So-jeong, who was hastily taking a sip of coffee while averting her gaze, with a beaming smile.
"You should also go to the beach or a swimming pool sometime this summer, unnie. Or festivals and such places would be good too."
"Uhm, but those places have a lot of people......"
"Ah, right, unnie doesn't like crowded places."
"Ah, but I'll... think about it."
So-jeong said with a rather determined expression, nodding her head.
"I can't just avoid them forever...... After all. I also want to become someone who can get along with many people someday... maybe not as well as you, but still."
"Hehe. You're cool, unnie. You're a good person, so you'll become like that quickly."
"Thanks. It's thanks to you and Baek-seol."
"I'll help you anytime if you need it. But,"
Ha-na raised one finger with a *click*.
"You mustn't forget that getting along well with people you already know is just as important as meeting new people, right?"
"Yeah, thanks."
"As they say, summer is the perfect chance to develop relationships! Let's be brave and go for it actively!"
Exclaiming with a passionate voice as if it were her own business, Ha-na pulled out a tablet PC from her bag.
"Actually, this is the reason I called you out today."
"What's this?"
"I researched and compiled all the places worth visiting this summer, just in case you might want to go."
"All of them? Wasn't that too much work?"
"Researching and organizing this stuff is one of my hobbies, so it's totally, totally fine. Now, look here first, there's an amazing cafe here, see?"
Pushing the PC's screen towards So-jeong, Ha-na showed her a picture of a beautifully decorated cafe.
"You'll really like it!"
***
"......So."
A few days after So-jeong met Ha-na, So-jeong and Baek-seol were standing in front of the cafe Ha-na had recommended.
"This is the place that kid Ha-na recommended? She told us we absolutely had to come?"
"Uh, yeah... The location is definitely right, but."
So-jeong checked her smartphone once more and nodded.
Baek-seol looked at it, then looked at the pink advertisement board placed in front of the cafe's terrace and frowned.
"......What on earth is she thinking?"
Written on the ad board with flashy decorations were the words: <With your couple & best friend! You know our love lasts forever, right?! Get your True Love Verification and get 30% off summer season limited menus!!>
"Sigh......"
Just reading the words was already giving Baek-seol a headache.