The Trip (2)
“Taeyang must have it good. So popular.”
“Huh?”
I was utterly bewildered. So much so that I accidentally spoke formally without realizing it. Why was he suddenly acting like this? We’d never really chatted privately before, so it left me feeling a bit awkward.
“Why are you so surprised? I just said it because you seem to get along well with everyone.”
“Oh, yeah.”
“You’ve been keeping your distance from me this whole time, haven’t you?”
I was so flustered that polite speech slipped out again.
“You’re doing fine too, hyung.”
“Am I?”
Why did this guy suddenly look lost in thought? If he was having some middle school syndrome phase, I had zero interest in dealing with it.
“Well, whatever. Someone as cute as you would be the envy of anyone.”
Did Seonwoo even realize it? That I wasn’t just receiving cuteness—I was sensing a potential threat…
Of course not. He couldn’t know his own future, let alone mine. Seonwoo just laughed carefree as ever.
“You’re handsome too, hyung.”
“Thanks for the compliment, kid.”
I tossed out some half-hearted flattery and got up from the sofa. I grabbed a bottle of water to drink.
“So, who’s the girl Taeyang likes?”
“Pfft!!”
I choked hard, coughing my lungs out. What kind of conversation jumps straight to that with zero context?!
Seonwoo panicked and patted my back, apologizing.
“You okay? Sorry. Didn’t mean to spring that on you.”
“Hyung… what the hell’s gotten into you?”
“Haha, just wanted to get closer to you, Taeyang.”
That’s not the kind of thing you blurt out to someone you’re trying to bond with. Juyeon noona had done the exact same thing last time, leading to misunderstandings. Were childhood friends really starting to resemble each other?
“Actually… it’s been bugging me since that talk with Eunju.”
Seonwoo scratched his cheek, looking sheepish. Come to think of it, the last time we’d talked alone was back then. Eunju had suddenly burst into tears, spinning some tale about me bullying her, and dragged Seonwoo off.
“What’d Eunju say?”
“That you got close to some girl and ditched her.”
“……”
“Yuyeong, right? Seemed like it from the context.”
Unbelievable. Well, since it was her wild misunderstanding, she could spin it however. Eunju probably thought I rejected her confession because of Yuyeong. But she’d conveniently left out the details when talking to Seonwoo, twisting it to her advantage.
“She exaggerated on her own. She wanted us to go to the same high school, I said no. And Yuyeong and I aren’t anything like that!”
“Hmm~”
For someone who’d asked out of concern, his reaction was surprisingly indifferent.
“Yeah, it started sounding fishy the more you explained.”
I thought that’d be the end of it. Until Seonwoo grinned mischievously and asked again.
“So, which noona does Taeyang like?”
This persistent bastard. Not done yet?
I laughed it off. “No idea what you’re talking about.”
“Gahee and Iri both seem to like you.”
“What? Iri noona too?”
Gahee noona made sense, but Iri noona liking me…? Wait, was it actually true?
Before I could tilt my head and ponder, Seonwoo jabbed my side with his elbow.
Why was he suddenly like this? The Seonwoo in the game was sly, but not this playful.
“Tell hyung. I’ll help you out this time.”
How nice of him. Sure. But something about his pretty-boy charm made me suspicious. No matter how I looked at it, my gut screamed he had ulterior motives.
His bright, friendly facade felt… vaguely like the glimpse I’d caught when he was close with Eunju.
What was the smart play here? Naming any heroine would be insane. I wasn’t here to date—I was here to block things between Seonwoo and Hayan noona.
And then the paranoid thought hit: Is he targeting my sister and trying to win me over first…?
“The one I like… yeah, only my sister.”
“Huh?”
“I’m a total siscon, actually.”
“……”
Seonwoo’s face went blank for a second. Fair enough—if someone said that to me, I’d think they were nuts too.
“Huh?”
He looked genuinely confused. But I trusted he got the point: Back off my sister—I’m watching you.
“Pfft—explains why everyone says that.”
“Everyone?”
“Yeah, they joke that you’ve got some siscon vibes.”
Makes sense. He’d probably overheard the noonas teasing me about it.
“Hilarious. C’mon, time to go.”
Seonwoo checked his watch and stood.
“We should head out.”
“Yeah. Let me grab my stuff.”
As I rummaged in my bag for a change of clothes, Seonwoo patted my shoulder lightly.
“But seriously, tell me anytime. Hyung’ll help with your love troubles.”
We were alone—why whisper? My siscon declaration must’ve come off as a joke.
—————
“Why are the guys taking so damn long?”
Iri noona was the one grumbling sharply.
“Iri noona, you feeling better?”
“Huh? Uh… yeah… More like, you guys wasted our waiting time!”
Thank god—Iri noona was back to her usual self. Phew. I’d been worried, but her energetic side was the best.
“Sorry. We were just chatting.”
Seonwoo placed his hands on both my shoulders, as if to say, right?
“Hmm… what could guys possibly talk about…”
“Seonwoo, you didn’t drag him off for dirty talk, did you?”
Juyeon noona snatched Iri noona’s playful jab and turned it on Seonwoo.
“What? Come on, who do you think I am?”
The two started bickering again. Same as always.
“Taeyang, you put on sunscreen?”
“Yeah, slathered it on good.”
I’d made sure to apply it thoroughly with Hayan noona before Yuyeong and Gahee noona showed up.
“Alright, let’s head out?”
We thanked Juyeon noona’s relative at the front desk again and stepped outside.
Day one wasn’t the beach—we were doing the tourist spots. This coastal town had plenty: lighthouses hugging the shore, rail paths, and more.
“Follow this rail all the way, and we hit the shopping street.”
“Hmm…”
“There’s a famous cake shop with soccer ball cakes…”
“For real, unnie?!”
Yuyeong latched onto Hayan noona, chattering about desserts. My sister and her sweet tooth.
Iri noona chimed in beside them, while Seonwoo and Juyeon noona bickered ahead over directions—stuff you could Google, no less.
And Gahee noona…
“Taeyang, nice weather today, huh?”
Desperately scraping for conversation topics.
“Why? What’s up?”
Our eyes met, and Gahee noona lit up, startled but delighted. If she weren’t a yandere, she’d be perfect.
I glanced away, toward Seonwoo. In the original plot, he’d be walking with Gahee noona here.
Following Love Chain’s flow: Day one sightseeing was the Choi Gahee flag, night after dinner was Kim Hayan’s. Day two at the beach: Seong Juyeon flag. Final dawn: Cho Yuli flag.
Well, “was” for at least two. Yuli didn’t come, and Gahee noona was glued to me instead.
Normally, he’d chat her up while casually defusing things with Juyeon noona and claiming the seat beside her. But Gahee noona’s flag was already doomed.
“Where’d you wanna go, noona?”
“Huh? Oh, I know a place.”
Show her some interest, and she beamed like she’d die happy, shoving her phone screen in my face.
Thankfully, not my photo as wallpaper.
“This glass bridge—you can see right through to the water below.”
“Yeah?”
“It’s in the middle of the ocean, and sometimes whales pop up! Super thrilling, right?”
Not trying to raise Gahee noona’s affection. Just… since I’d wrecked her flag, I wanted her to enjoy the trip anyway. Even if it meant a little risk.
—Truth is, this is my first trip like this with friends this year.
Choi Gahee had a backstory like Yuli’s. Born into the elite, she grew up in flashy emptiness—lonely. Her soft nature made people fawn over her, which creeped her out. Hard to make real friends.
So she begged her parents for a normal high school life. They agreed, she moved here incognito—no one knows she’s conglomerate royalty.
Freshman year was rough adjusting, but sophomore year paid off with this trip. She’d have fun with Seonwoo, confess her worries to him alone. Even a line about it maybe being her last carefree trip.
I’d shattered that key flag, so no need for the deep talk. But I could still make it a fun memory. She shouldn’t miss out obsessing over me.
“Sounds fun.”
“Right?!”
“…Gahee noona. Uh, too close.”
“Oh, sorry, Taeyang!”
“It’s fine.”
Of course, I kept my distance. Let her in too easy, and I’d never escape.
We chatted at arm’s length, sightseeing. Would’ve been nicer if the group talked more together. Even Yuyeong was busy yapping with Hayan noona.
I timed it to call Hayan noona over, aiming for a four-way chat.
Then I felt eyes on me. Turned—Seonwoo smiled warmly, then looked away.
That gaze had been on me and Gahee noona.
No. Seonwoo.