School Trip (12)
The last day of the school trip wrapped up with nothing more than wandering around the Jamon Exhibition.
"There's an amusement park right next door, and they stick us with an exhibition?"
Just so you know, the one grumbling next to me was Iri unnie. Our middle and high school schedules overlapped again today, so we ended up hanging out with Seonwoo and the unnies.
"Iri, we went to the amusement park together last time. Calm down."
"When did you two go without me?"
Seong Juyeon said it like she was genuinely hurt, and Gahee unnie laughed, asking them to tell her about it.
"Oh, you two didn't know. Last time, it was Yuyeong, Taeyang, and Iri."
"Huh? Hayan?"
Gahee unnie, who had been quietly listening, suddenly placed her hand firmly on Hayan unnie's shoulder, her face serious.
"Why didn't you invite me? Huh?"
It wasn't playful like Juyeon's—it was a real question laced with sincerity.
Iri unnie answered casually, like it was no big deal.
"We only had four tickets, and Yuyeong and Taeyang both wanted to go, so that was that."
"Hehe, sorry, Gahee. Let's go together next time."
The unnies didn't seem fazed by Gahee unnie's reaction at all.
Gahee unnie nodded emphatically.
"Next time, the unnies can go without me. I don't like it that much anyway."
She nailed the door shut on that one. No way did I want to get dragged along again.
"Taeyang, so where do you wanna go play?"
Gahee unnie kept pressing persistently.
The destination wasn't the issue...
"Play somewhere? Then count me in."
Yuyeong, who'd been eavesdropping, sidled up.
But Yuyeong, are you really okay sticking with me right up to the last day? On the bus, I'd suggested the girls should make memories together on the final day.
For some reason, though, she'd been grinning ear-to-ear since morning and wouldn't leave my side.
"I don't wanna go out for a while. Too much hassle."
She kept refusing, and the unnies and Yuyeong looked disappointed. Talk of places to go bounced around for a bit.
"Seonwoo, you not going anywhere?"
Hayan unnie asked Seonwoo too.
If he said he was going, I'd have to tag along. Annoying. I glanced over there.
As always, Seong Juyeon was next to Seonwoo. But Yuli was missing.
She usually stuck to Seonwoo like glue—where'd she go? No way she'd opened up to someone else in this short time.
Strange. I scanned around and spotted Yuli trailing quietly a bit behind us. She didn't look good.
"Huh?"
Maybe she felt my gaze—our eyes met.
"Uh... ugh..."
Yuli looked down and started trembling.
Because of yesterday? Yeah, I'd yelled at her over the phone like some thug, cursing up a storm. Scary enough.
"Yuli."
Hayan unnie went over to check on her, as expected.
The problem was...
"Huh?... Ah, what's wrong?"
"Huh? Why the formal speech?"
Once my little-brother image shattered, even that unnie's image turned terrifying to her.
Yuli trembled, scared of Hayan unnie.
"Huh? What's wrong, Yuli?"
"Eek! S-sorry!"
"Huh?"
Everyone around started noticing something off, eyes turning to Yuli.
"Sorry! I won't come near anymore!!"
Like a hysterical fit, Yuli hugged herself and bolted.
"I don't know what's up, but I'll go after her."
Seonwoo calmly chased the fleeing Yuli.
Juyeon's face twisted slightly, then she glanced at me and nodded toward where Yuli ran—like, you handle it.
Haa~ Driving me crazy. I thought the flags were all broken, but what's this?
"What now?"
"Looks like a misunderstanding. Should we chase her?"
"Seonwoo'll calm her down."
Still, better check the situation. Can't have Yuli's flags piling up needlessly.
"If you're going alone, I'll come too."
"Whoa, Taeyang!"
I bolted at full speed so no one could follow.
No idea where she went since this wasn't in the game, but I had guesses: secluded spots without people or light. I'd find her checking a few.
My guess was spot on. Soon, I saw Yuli huddled on a shadowy bench, shaking.
No sign of Seonwoo yet. He chased late, so I lucked out finding her first.
Hmm... Approaching openly might backfire. Hide and watch?
Before I could decide, our eyes met.
"Uh... s-sorry!"
"Wait a sec!"
I stopped her as she tried to stand. Can't have her running again.
Haa~ "Don't run. Just stay put."
"Ugh..."
Yuli covered her face like she was bracing for defense.
"I won't hit you."
At that, she cautiously lowered her arms. Her eyes were wet.
"Don't run. Just wait. Don't make it annoying."
I said that, then grabbed two drinks from the nearby vending machine.
Honestly, my image didn't matter. The more it crumbled, the less she'd tangle with me.
The problem was the unnies. If they got a thug image because of me, Yuli'd avoid Hayan unnie and the others too. Perfect if she avoided Seonwoo as well.
But if she avoided even Seonwoo like this, I wouldn't have to worry about her anymore. She'd be out of the heroine group completely.
"........."
"Why do I keep picturing her crying?"
That crybaby had spent the whole school trip crying at night. Seemed like an outcast in her class too.
Haa~
Got too attached? Sounds ridiculous, but sympathy for Yuli had crept in somehow.
Fact was, I still needed to pry her from Seonwoo, but abandoning her like this felt wrong.
If she got close to the unnies, she could do better at school. Plus, ditching a loner would tarnish the unnies' images too.
So the The World Is Still Warm! operation had to continue.
"Feeling calmer now?"
I held out the drink. Yuli still shook as she took it carefully.
She flinched when I sat next to her on the bench—like a predator had plopped down.
"Because of yesterday?"
"Huh? Oh, that wasn't on purpose..."
Her voice choked up. If she cried now, she'd think I made her.
I glanced around before speaking.
"I won't hit you. I don't go around beating random people."
Of course, my tone stayed flat and bored.
"Yesterday I was pissed, so ignore the crap I said."
"...Okay."
"And the unnies are nice people, unlike me."
"Huh?"
"I got twisted somehow, but they're not like that. Seonwoo hyung... whatever."
"Ah, okay..."
"The unnies don't know I'm like this, so keep it secret."
"........."
"Got it?"
I glared intimidatingly, and she nodded way too much.
"Yes. I... won't say anything."
"Just ignore me and hang with the unnies. Otherwise, it'll feel like it's my fault, and that'll piss me off more."
"Yes. I'll try."
"Then we're good. Let's head back."
Whew~ One thing down.
Yuli still feared me, but not the unnies now. No signs of running, so I called Hayan unnie right away.
"Unnie, found Yuli unnie. She seems calmer now."
"Yuli unnie, no calls?"
"Ah, um... My phone broke yesterday."
[...Phone's busted, can't call.]
Apparently, she dropped it last night and it shattered. Fancy case with all the bling, but still broke easy?
Yuli unnie pulled out her phone as proof. Screen was smashed—must've hit a rock.
That explained no SNS chat reply yesterday.
"Gotta fix it or get a new one later."
Even if she'd run elsewhere, no way to check time or contact without her phone. With her personality, she'd never borrow from a stranger, let alone talk.
Would've been bad if I'd missed her.
We returned safely to the unnies.
"Yuli, you okay?"
"Ah, yeah. Really sorry, everyone! My fault!"
Yuli bowed her head in apology.
The kind unnies and Seonwoo let it slide easily. Hayan unnie even asked if she'd done something wrong.
Juyeon looked a bit uncomfortable, but it was resolved, so she moved on.
"Sorry, everyone!"
But Yuli kept apologizing, nearly pissing me off. Juyeon told her to stop, and she finally cowed down.
The school trip was finally over. On the bus home now.
I felt exhaustion in my weary body and summed up the trip in one word.
"Fucking exhausting."
"I had a blast~"
Yuyeong, still full of energy, grinned brightly.
Then she subtly leaned her head on my shoulder.
I shrugged it off, of course.
"Aw~ You're tired, but this much is fine, right?"
"No."
"You could lean on my shoulder too. Way comfier mutual~"
Listen to this? Straight-up bold now.
Giggling from behind. Boys and girls alike staring, cooking up weird rumors.
Yuyeong's friends and mine teaming up to enjoy the show.
I glared at them.
"If you're that desperate for romance, date each other."
The mixed group eyed each other, then went blegh!
"Romance is for hot couples only."
"Watching others' love lives is more fun."
"Am I your clown?"
"Taeyang, chill. Guys, knock it off."
Yuyeong reined them in, but with a smug, proud look. Definitely enjoying, not stopping.
"Saying it again: we're nothing."
"But you stuck together the whole trip."
"That was 'cause my unnie and her friends like Yuyeong, so we hung out."
"Hmm... Friendly enough with your blood sis to tag along on a school trip?"
"My unnie acts like she doesn't know me outside."
Why drag us into your bad-sibling rumors?
Anyway, trying to clear it up, I realized they chased fun over facts and gave up.
Sigh~ "Exhausted."
No accepting Yuyeong's feelings ever, so just endure a bit. Made me even more tired.
After that, I crashed on every flight and bus ride home.
Day after the trip ended. Weekend, so I was lounging in bed, savoring the peace, when unnie knocked and came in.
"Taeyang, you gonna roll around all day just 'cause it's the weekend?"
"Tired, I said. Just got back from the trip."
"Not enough stamina?"
Hayan unnie poked my side playfully.
"Quit poking. So what's up?"
"Taeyang, you had that promise with Yuyeong."
"Promise with Yuyeong? Oh, the last-chance thing?"
I'd allowed her to stick to me the whole trip as a final chance.
She'd looked so chipper saying bye yesterday—I figured she'd forgotten. Didn't expect her to reach out first.
But why contact Hayan unnie, not me?
"She said you accepted her feelings."
"What? The hell?"
Flustered, I peeked at unnie's phone.
"Gotta message her and reject it now."
Damn those cookies.