Chapter 82
Chapter 82
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 82
Chapter Title: Sports Festival #14
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While eating, I took a sip of water and gauged the atmosphere around us.
Everyone was eating more demurely and quietly than usual.
I had a rough idea why.
They were probably being cautious in front of the mothers.
But even so, something was still bothering me.
I picked up a piece of kimbap and casually spoke to the red-haired girl sitting next to me.
"Are you feeling sick or something?"
"...Huh? Me? No? Why do you ask all of a sudden?"
Hong Yeonseo blinked in surprise, clearly not expecting me to call out to her like that.
I silently stared at the lunchbox in front of her.
It looked no different from everyone else's around us, including mine.
...Normal, right? No, that's Hong Yeonseo's.
"It's not... like that."
She caught on to what I was getting at from my pause and gaze, her face turning red.
"Ugh. I'm just eating a bit slower, okay?"
She whined before tossing a piece of fried chicken into her mouth.
I see.
Even Hong Yeonseo was putting on a ladylike act in front of the mothers.
Come to think of it, she didn't always come across as that brash and carefree.
She could act her age properly around the other girls in class.
It was just a side we didn't see much around us.
Still, I didn't think it was her wearing a mask to keep distance from others.
If anything, it was just her adjusting her behavior based on how comfortable she felt.
I had my own moments like that, so I could understand it perfectly.
That said, with those three ladies, she didn't need to go that far.
When I hinted as much, she seemed to get it and slowly went back to her usual self.
"This kimbap... is delicious."
Seong Yurin said after chewing a piece thoroughly.
...No way this was her first time trying kimbap.
Probably not.
I'll just believe she meant it because it really was tasty.
Lee Soyun must have thought the same, because she suddenly asked Seong Yurin the same question in surprise.
Sure enough, Seong Yurin chuckled and denied it.
She'd just said it because it was genuinely good.
Our mom's cooking skills were top-notch, so the food went down easy.
Thinking about it, not many people probably brought homemade food to a sports festival like this.
In my past life, we'd usually just grab kimbap, chicken, or pizza from stores.
It was a bit unusual, but I preferred this over takeout anyway.
Mom looked pleased watching us all eat well.
Oh, and this seasoned vegetable side dish is amazing. Perfectly bittersweet to cleanse the palate between richer bites.
Mom, who had been eating a short distance away, smiled and called out to us.
"Is it good? I whipped it up in a rush after grabbing groceries this morning, so I didn't even get to season it properly. Hohoho..."
...That was 100% a lie.
She was the type to taste and adjust her dishes five or six times per recipe.
Just like the kids putting on airs, she was probably doing it because they were around.
"Yes! It's delicious. Especially this seasoned veggie side—it's totally my taste. Could you share the recipe later?"
Coincidentally, Lee Sea pointed at the same namul I'd been enjoying and said she loved it.
You've got surprisingly mature tastes, huh.
...But I think I was the only one who's touched it much.
Anyway, Lee Sea loved cooking enough to join the cooking club, so she hit it off with Mom right away.
"Ah... I'm stuffed."
Eating outside on a picnic mat made even simple food taste like honey, so I'd gone a bit overboard.
My stomach was full in no time.
Any more and it'd mess with the afternoon schedule, so time to stop.
This was the best part of sports festival day.
The languid, drowsy lunch break.
Knowing it was playtime made everything feel relaxed.
It was a weekday, so lounging like this felt extra nice.
Especially on a beautiful day like today.
I wrapped my utensils in the cloth and set them aside, then deliberately moved to a spot with a bit of sunlight.
Everyone gave me puzzled looks as I suddenly got up.
"Huh? Ijin, where are you going?"
"Sunbathing."
"...Pfft. Sunbathing, huh?"
Lee Sea burst out laughing at my response.
Lee Soyun muttered beside her like it was ridiculous.
"You say the weirdest stuff sometimes."
"You guys should try it."
She pouted at my words.
"UV rays are bad for your skin."
"We put on sunscreen."
"Still."
No matter what she said, I couldn't give up this pleasantly warm feeling.
I closed my eyes and tried to nap.
"Wake me when lunch is almost over. Got a match."
"Yeah, got it."
I was just about to drift off, using my arm as a pillow, when my head suddenly lifted.
"Hold on..."
"Hm?"
"...Use this as a pillow. It won't be too hard."
Blinking, I saw it was Seong Yurin.
She slipped the small sports bag she'd been carrying under my head and gently laid me back down.
"Oh. Thanks."
Now my arm wouldn't go numb.
True to her word, it wasn't hard.
I didn't know what was inside, but it wasn't too squishy—just the right firmness for sleeping.
...Except one thing. The nice scent from Seong Yurin was a distraction, but I tried my best to ignore it.
With my eyes closed, the surrounding chatter became a lullaby, and I fell into a nap.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Ijin, you asleep?"
"Yes. He's out."
Seo Ijin's mom approached and gently stroked his head.
"Our boy's handsome even when he's sleeping."
She gazed at him with a soft smile, then turned to the girls to express her gratitude.
"Thank you all for looking after my son. He's mature for his age, but hopeless at making friends. I'm so glad you girls are around. His dad and I are always busy, so we've worried a lot about him."
"Hehe. It's been almost ten years now."
"Actually, Ijin looks after me more..."
"We love hanging out with Ijin!"
"...Thanks to Ijin, I've made lots of friends too."
They all chimed in like a chorus.
Ijin's mom burst into a satisfied laugh at Lee Sea, Lee Soyun, Hong Yeonseo, and Seong Yurin's responses.
"Our Ijin sure is lucky. Surrounded by such kind, pretty, and cute girls."
They all shared warm smiles and chuckled together.
"...I won't meddle in your lives, girls. Do your best, okay?"
They all understood Ijin's mom's words and bowed their heads.
"...Yes, ma'am."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "...Nngh."
A voice echoed through the dark haze of my mind.
"Wake up."
"Groan."
The distant sound grew closer.
At the same time, my body was being gently shaken.
That snapped me awake, my head clearing in an instant.
I opened my eyes to see Lee Sea waking me.
"Ah."
"You're up?"
I rubbed my eyes out of habit and sat up.
"Yeah... It was short, but I slept deep."
"Seemed like it."
Guess I was more tired than I realized.
It was real quality sleep.
Good thing I didn't have coffee first—would've kept me up all night.
It was a trick I used often for work: coffee plus nap boosts sleep efficiency scientifically.
"You're not overdoing it, right?"
I shook my head at Mom's concern.
"No, I'm fine. Sometimes a short nap just hits right and leaves you refreshed."
Checking the time, lunch wasn't over yet.
Perfect timing.
I stretched my stiff neck and loosened up properly.
Seong Yurin’s bag helped, but it wasn't a real pillow, and even on the mat, the ground was hard. Better to shake it off.
Soccer match coming up. Gotta stay in top condition.
As I stretched, voices came from behind.
"We'll take good care of him, ma'am. Don't worry!"
"Hoho. You girls are so reliable."
...Looks like Mom and the girls got closer while I was out.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Alright, I'll head out first."
An hour before the match, I'd agreed to meet the team early, so I got up to leave.
"Okay! We'll cheer for you—do your best!"
"Fighting!"
I headed to the soccer field amid their send-off.
No idea why, but everyone seemed chummier after my nap.
Good for them, but I was curious what they'd talked about.