Trip (3)
After walking along the coast a bit, I spotted a train chugging along in the distance. It rolled by leisurely, like something out of summer, crossing right in front of us horizontally.
"Is this the railway?" Seonwoo said, peering at his phone.
It was the kind of rural track you'd see with pedestrian paths on either side, flanked by rusty barriers separating the walkway from the rails for safety. We were standing at a crossing where the path intersected the tracks. Unlike a quiet countryside spot, though, there were quite a few people out strolling.
"If we head left, we'll hit the shopping street!" Hayan noona added excitedly, rattling on about how the dessert shops had killer interiors.
"Noona, what about lunch?"
"Oh, right..." Hayan noona looked flustered, but everyone else acted like they'd seen it coming.
"Seriously, Hayan loses her mind the second she spots dessert," Iri noona said, and everyone chuckled. Hayan noona's face flushed a little as she ducked her head.
"I-It's not that bad!"
"Noona, you've been talking about desserts non-stop. You know that, right?"
I was starting to worry she might actually be addicted to sugar.
"Not every shop on the street is a dessert place anyway."
"I looked up a few good restaurants here too."
Seonwoo stepped forward into the middle of the group.
"So... anyone got something specific they wanna eat?"
He glanced around and approached Hayan noona first.
"I'm good with anything." Hayan noona was already zoned out thinking about desserts and waved him off toward the others.
"Cool... What about you guys?"
"Everything looks tasty. I'm fine anywhere."
"Meat! Let's do meat!"
"You forget we're doing a BBQ party tonight?"
"Oh..."
Seonwoo asked Yuyeong, then finally came over to me.
"What're you in the mood for, Taeyang~?"
His tone was... well, his usual smooth self. A bit awkward, but I had to answer anyway.
"How about pork cutlet? Iri noona said she wanted meat."
We had that BBQ tonight, so nothing too heavy, but cutlets should be fine. We'd all skimped on breakfast since we got here early, and we'd be walking a ton anyway.
"Pork cutlet... Everyone cool with that?"
Once we all gave the thumbs-up, it was decided.
"Thanks for thinking of me, Taeyang."
"No biggie."
Iri noona's thanks came in such a straight, sincere tone that I couldn't even tease her back. Once the awkward exchange wrapped up, she smoothly jumped back into chatting with the group.
And just like that, our group's formation shifted.
"Seonwoo, is that for real?"
"Totally. I searched it up—the spot next to it..."
Even after settling on lunch, Seonwoo was still dominating the conversation with Hayan noona right there. Juyeon noona was hovering nearby, eyeing a chance to butt in.
This wouldn't do.
"Taeyang, you okay?"
"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine, Gahee noona."
"Your face doesn't look great."
I must've made a sour expression without realizing it, seeing Hayan noona and Seonwoo getting chummy.
"Kim Taeyang, what's wrong now?"
Iri noona had sidled up too, now looking worried at Gahee noona's words.
"You sick or something?"
"I'm fine, seriously. You guys worry too much."
Once she saw I really looked okay, Iri noona let out a relieved sigh.
"Hmm... You do seem alright..."
"Yuyeong, can you move your hand from my forehead?"
Before I knew it, the whole group was focused on me.
"Taeyang, if you feel bad, tell noona right away!"
"Yeah, Hayan noona."
Maybe I should've faked being sick and stuck by Hayan noona's side? Nah, I'd just shake my head—they'd send me back to the dorms.
"I'm good! It's just the sun beating down."
"Hold on."
Gahee noona pulled a cap from her eco-bag and plopped it on my head.
"Thanks."
"Hehe, suits you."
How'd she nail my size perfectly? More importantly, Gahee noona seemed way more relaxed than before. Chatting with everyone had eased her up—no more stuttering or fidgeting. And after I warned her over the phone last time, her yandere vibes had dialed back too.
Just keep things chill like this for now. I was mulling over how to naturally tank Gahee noona's affection while everything stayed peaceful when Iri noona suddenly handed me a water bottle.
"Here."
"I have water too."
"Just drink it. Gotta stay hydrated in this weather."
Fine, it was polite to accept. I twisted it open and took a sip.
"Ah, sorry—I drank from it."
"...It's fine."
Man, that was rude of me. Luckily, Iri noona didn't seem to care; she took it back and was about to drink... then screwed the cap back on.
"Sorry, Iri noona. Mine's still sealed—wanna swap?"
"Nah, I'm just not thirsty right now."
She wouldn't take my fresh one either.
"Taeyang, if you're thirsty, just tell this noona anytime!"
Scratch that hypothesis—Gahee noona was getting excited again.
...Was Gahee noona always this pervy? Wait, yeah—in the game, she went off the rails over cute stuff sometimes.
"Don't you see I have water?"
"Taeyang, I have juice too~"
Yuyeong grinned mischievously, holding out an orange juice bottle. Yeah, she's just a perv, period.
"Water's what you need to stay healthy."
"Here."
"Gahee noona, I said I have water."
After killing that looping skit, I glanced over at Seonwoo.
"Hey, Seonwoo, gimme your water."
"Huh? What? Just drink yours."
Over there, Juyeon noona had successfully wedged herself between Seonwoo and Hayan noona using the water topic. Helpers make it so much easier.
I let out a quiet sigh of relief and kept walking.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Gahee noona still looking wistful. Iri noona and Yuyeong were chatting away again, but Gahee noona hung back.
"Gahee noona, isn't that lighthouse pretty?"
"Oh? Yeah, it is."
"Wanna snap a pic? No one's around."
"Sure!"
Trips are supposed to be fun.
"Come on, Taeyang."
Gahee noona switched to selfie mode and beckoned me like it was natural.
"Nah, someone might come. Just the background."
She nodded at that.
"Gahee unnie, doesn't that spot look nice too?"
"Perfect for background shots."
"But I'm getting hungry~ Can we pick up the pace?"
"True, Iri's on the track team—she could sprint there in three minutes flat if she wanted."
Thankfully, Yuyeong jumped in, letting Gahee noona ease back into the group chat naturally.
Phew~ Now I can relax a bit.
If Gahee noona could enjoy the trip like this and I could just focus on Hayan noona, it'd be perfect. Actually, Hayan noona didn't need much watching right now—her big flags didn't trigger till evening at least.
We ate lunch without issues, hung out at the lighthouse, and even stopped by the dessert shops. Hayan noona and Seonwoo kept their distance—I was watching—but nothing too close, especially with Juyeon noona around. Gahee noona wasn't showing any yandere signs toward me either, just sneaking glances like on the bus. Not scary yet.
If we kept this vibe through the trip, we'd be golden.
...That's what I thought when a crisis hit that could stack Choi Gahee flags out of nowhere.
"Next up's the glass bridge Gahee noona mentioned?"
"Yeah."
"Ooh, cable car station right next to it?"
Everyone perked up at Iri noona's comment. Cable cars slicing over the ocean weren't an everyday thing.
The problem? Gahee noona's face was paling more and more.
I knew why. She was scared of heights. Not deathly so, but enough that suggesting the glass bridge herself was bold. The views were stunning, and with friends around, she wanted to push through her acrophobia.
But at the bridge entrance, Gahee noona froze.
"Gotta wear these shoe covers from here on."
"Gahee, you okay?"
Hayan noona noticed first and rushed over.
"Ah... haha, yeah. Nothing."
"Scared of heights?"
I nailed it, and Gahee noona turned away, embarrassed. She'd been the one hyping it up earlier—whales swimming below, total thrill ride.
"I want to go, but... Sorry, guys!"
Just like I'd predicted: she wanted the views and to conquer her fear, but...
"You sure you can do it...?"
"Unnie, don't push yourself."
"Wanna take a break?"
Even with everyone's concerned looks, Gahee noona shook her head.
"I can do it!"
While clutching my shirt hem.
"Noona..."
Couldn't shove off someone trembling like a leaf. In the game, this was where Seonwoo helped her—holding his hand up the bridge to kick off her main event.
"Yeah, hold tight to Taeyang and go slow."
But right now, that jerk Seonwoo was egging my flag on. Was that seriously his look—like he wanted me stuck with her?
"No, I..."
"Taeyang?"
Gahee noona's desperate voice shut me down. She was gripping my shirt tight, close enough that her damp, quivering blonde ojou-sama vibes hit my protective instincts hard.
"Sorry. I shouldn't depend on you."
"...Haa~ Hold on."
"Huh?"
Saying I had acrophobia wouldn't fly. We'd ridden that tall Ferris wheel at the amusement park together before. And later events would complicate it too—after this, everyone else heads to the cable cars, leaving just Gahee noona and one other. If I bailed with height excuses, it'd be just us two.
Not that the group wouldn't dump her on me at the cable cars anyway.
"Unnie, if it's too much, grab my hand too."
"...Yeah."
Good thing Yuyeong was pitching in.
"Want us to help?"
"Nah, you noonas go ahead."
Yuyeong and I supported Gahee noona from behind as we inched across the bridge.
Thud thud thud—
"Eek... M-Mommy!"
Gahee noona suddenly dropped Yuyeong's hand and clung to me full-on.
"Haa~ It says not to run."
Some kid ahead had been jumping on the glass.
"See? Uncomfortable, right? Just sit here, noona."
"I'm fine, go on. You wanted to see it so bad."
"Yeah..."
Flags aside, I didn't want to ruin her trip. If even I ditched her like Seonwoo was supposed to help, it'd sour her memories.
"Sorry for dragging you into this."
"It's cool."
Encouraging her bit by bit, she started mustering courage past the midpoint.