Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: Off on a Trip (3)
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Rattle-rattle-rattle—
The old-fashioned car shook as it pushed forward.
The road to the sea with her was long and rough.
"The road conditions are just unbelievable."
After the dimensional gates appeared.
Most people started flocking to live in Seoul.
Cities that were hard to manage fell one by one to the dimensional gates.
Because of that, no one lived outside of Seoul.
'Well, since no one's around to begin with, no need to maintain the roads either.'
Rattle-rattle-rattle—
The car jolted over cracked asphalt.
Hwaryeon seemed to find the vibrations fun and raised her arms high, shouting.
"Wooow, Daddy! This is fun! Let's go faster!"
"No."
"Why?"
"The car'll break down."
Slow and steady, safe driving.
My goal was to reach the sea without any accidents.
"Hwaryeon, let's do a quick dopamine detox. We've still got a long way to go, so you can sleep like Choryeon."
"Hmph, boring!"
Yi Hwaryeon.
Dopamine detox punishment: 1 hour.
Not liking it, Hwaryeon crossed her arms and pouted her lips like a duck.
'Now we can ride in peace.'
I focused on driving in the now-quiet atmosphere.
It had been a while since I'd driven, so I needed to concentrate.
"Feels nice speeding down an empty road."
I asked Suryeon, who was peering out the open window.
"How about you, Suryeon?"
"Nice. No humans. Cool breeze."
"The outside's not bad, right?"
"...Not bad."
And so.
I occasionally chatted with the kids as I drove toward our destination, the Incheon sea.
Before long, the sparkling sea came into view far ahead.
"Is that the sea?!"
Thump—!
Hwaryeon jumped up and yelled at the sight of it.
She stuck her face out the window to take it in.
"Wooow, that's the sea! But why's it blue? I like red better! Daddy! Can't you make it red?"
"I can. But not right now. You can see it later."
More importantly.
I pulled Hwaryeon's body back and said.
"Don't stick your face out the window like that. It's dangerous—you could fall."
"Hmph, what do you take me for?! You don't think I'm an idiot, do you?!"
...You are an idiot.
I swallowed the thought.
Then, I pushed my sunglasses up and took in the sea.
"It's been a while."
The sea sparkled like jewels under the sunlight.
Waves lapped, glinting with light.
In the rearview mirror, Suryeon gazed intently at it and murmured.
"The sea... pretty."
Suryeon smiled with satisfaction.
A smile that showed no regrets about coming outside.
'Good that she's happy.'
I hoped they'd all enjoy this beach trip.
With that thought, I gripped the wheel tightly until we arrived.
***
A beach under the scorching sun.
After parking, I grabbed the luggage from the trunk.
By then, the kids had all changed into swimsuits matching their colors and charged onto the sand.
"Sea! Here I come!"
"Wait for me, Hwaryeon sis!"
Pat-pat-pat—!
Hwaryeon and Choryeon ran across the beach with tubes on.
No people around, so they were in their horn-and-tail forms.
"Good thing it's a restricted area with no people. They can all relax and have fun."
"Yeah. No humans, so I like it too."
Unlike the others, Suryeon stood quietly by my side.
I asked Suryeon, who had a simple white cardigan over her swimsuit.
"Not going in, Suryeon?"
"Daddy, I like watching quietly. The sea's pretty."
Fair enough.
Maybe because it's been so long.
The sea really was beautiful.
Cool sea breeze blowing, gentle waves lapping, salty sea air filling my nose.
Suryeon seemed to like it as much as I did. She closed her eyes, breathed deep, and said.
"Feels good. No humans. Calms the mind."
"Guess you take after Daddy. I think so too."
"...Take it back."
She must not want to agree with me.
Suryeon immediately retracted her words.
Holding back tears, I walked to the beach and set up a mat and parasol in a good spot.
"I'll sit here."
Flop—
Suryeon sat in the parasol's shade, watching Hwaryeon and Choryeon play.
The two were dipping their feet in the water, then fleeing at the weird feel, repeating it over and over.
'They're all having fun. Gotta tell them not to go deeper.'
Heave-ho—
Parasol all set, now maybe I should head to the sea too.
I stretched lightly and started toward the water.
But.
Grab—
"Daddy, where you going?"
Suryeon, who'd been sitting under the parasol, grabbed my arm and stopped me.
She looked up at me with pleading eyes.
'I wanna go to the sea too, this is tricky.'
I pointed at the sea and answered.
"Was gonna go in. Why?"
"Stay here with me. We can just look at the sea."
"Aw, c'mon, we're at the beach—gotta get in, right? Or wanna come with me, Suryeon?"
Glance—
Suryeon eyed the sea sideways.
After a moment's thought, she nodded.
"If it's with Daddy... okay."
"Alright, hold Daddy's hand."
She must've been really shocked last time.
The proud dragon relying on me like this.
'Even dragons are kids at heart. Gotta accept that, right?'
Not like I've raised kids before.
It'll get better with time.
Thinking that, I took Suryeon's hand and headed to where the kids were playing.
Hwaryeon and Choryeon noticed us holding hands and looked over.
"Daddy's here... Why are they holding hands again?"
"Yeah, holding hands means you can't swim. Does Suryeon sis not know what swimming is?"
Glare—
Hwaryeon and Choryeon's stares were intense.
It reminded me of something I'd seen online.
'Kids get jealous if you favor one. Guess it's true.'
Too much favoritism backfires.
I gently released Suryeon's hand.
"Ah..."
I heard Suryeon's sigh.
I approached Hwaryeon and Choryeon and asked.
"Just held hands walking over. What've you all been up to?"
"We've been dipping our feet in the sea! The water's super cool, Father!"
"Let's see how cool."
I kicked off my slippers roughly and dipped my feet in.
"Temperature's fine."
"Right? It's cool and nice! Glad we came to the sea, Father! Thank you!"
Choryeon grabbed my hand and beamed her thanks.
I turned to Suryeon, still back there, and said.
"Suryeon, come check it out. Sea's super cool."
"..."
Suryeon walked over with a pouty face, saying nothing.
Then, cautiously dipped her feet in the incoming waves.
Splash—
"Cool. Nice."
The corners of Suryeon's mouth twitched wildly.
Now we could venture deeper.
I quickly grabbed life vests and put them on the kids.
Hwaryeon complained about the discomfort.
"Ugh, the world never lets me be. This is uncomfortable!"
"Deal with it. You can't swim."
"I can! I can do it!"
"You don't even know what swimming is. Pride first leads to trouble."
One small mistake could be deadly.
"Don't wanna be the first drowned dragon? Be careful and stay out of deep water."
"N-No, I don't! I want the life vest!"
"Good thinking, Hwaryeon."
Didn't want to be Drowning Dragon No. 1, huh.
With that, I got life vests on the dragon kids.
Next, tubes on their bodies.
"Everyone, come here!"
Whoosh—!
"Eeek—! Let me gooo—!"
"Go play!"
Splash—!
I picked them up one by one and tossed them into the sea.
They bobbed around, pushed by waves, feeling the sea with their whole bodies.
Reactions were all good.
"Wooow! I'm floating on the sea! Take that, waves! I'll win!"
Hwaryeon headbutted the waves.
"The sea..."
Suryeon closed her eyes quietly and let the waves carry her.
"Father, is this how you move? Am I doing good?"
Choryeon splashed diligently, flailing her arms.
Far from swimming, but cute, so I let it slide.
"You're all doing great. That's how you play in the sea."
Good they're enjoying it.
Suryeon worried me most.
But she floated with her tube, one with the sea, eyes closed, surrendering to the waves.
'Guess I should join and play with them more.'
Splash—!
No life vest for me, I swam to Hwaryeon.
Nearing her, I splashed water at her.
"Take this!"
"Eek! Daddy, what're you doing?! Wanna go?! You wanna fight me?! No mercy!"
Splash-splash—
Hwaryeon angrily splashed back with both hands.
Whoosh—!
Her water hit my face hard.
"Hmph, how's that! That's me!"
"...Wanna see who wins?"
"Bring it!"
Hwaryeon and I had a soul-splashing battle.
No backing down, splashing each other relentlessly to claim victory.
"Hey! Don't bully Father!"
"Eek! Choryeon! You wanna get it?!"
Choryeon jumped in midway to help me.
But I beat Hwaryeon easily in the end.
Soaked, Hwaryeon covered her face and declared to me.
"C-Cheater! Just wait! Next time, no mercy!"
"You're weak, Hwaryeon."
"Argh!"
Fire types can't beat water types, after all.
As I played with Hwaryeon and Choryeon.
I suddenly checked what Suryeon was doing.
But.
"Suryeon?"
Suryeon was gone.
Couldn't spot her in the vast sea.
Only her life vest and tube floated on the water.
"Where'd this troublemaker go now...?"
Blink and she's vanished again.
Life vest and tube left behind.
Worried, I yelled at the top of my lungs.
"Yi Suryeon!! Where'd you go this time!!!"
My voice echoed across the sea.
Maybe because of that.
Bubble-bubble—
Bubbles rose right in front of me.
Then, something burst from the spot.
Splash—!
"Daddy, you called?"
It was Suryeon.
How'd she appear like that?
Startled, I asked her.
"What, Suryeon? Popping up from underwater... Thought you were gone... Why no tube?"
Suryeon answered right away.
"No need."
"Daddy said the sea's dangerous how many times—"
"Daddy, no need for tube. I can breathe in the sea."
"...Huh?"
Breathe in the sea?
Do dragons have gills?
Suryeon nodded like it was obvious.
"Yeah, Blue Dragons can breathe in the sea. Tried swimming—can do it. Was just resting under you."
"...You weren't sinking?"
"Yeah. Should've said earlier. Sorry."
Suryeon bowed her head slightly in apology.
Tension melted away.
Looking at her, I asked.
"...So, sea suits you okay?"
"Yeah, I like it. Perfect for a Blue Dragon like me. So... can I go out there, Daddy?"
A bit far, but.
She asked for permission.
If it's true, no danger at all.
"Go ahead. Don't go too deep. Come back if it's risky."
"Got it. Be back."
Curiosity overflowing?
Suryeon wagged her tail excitedly, swam off, leaving my side.
Swish-swish—whoosh—!
Seeing her like that, felt good we came to the sea.
'As long as no accidents...'
Still a long time till we head home.
Too early to relax.
Trouble always comes without warning.