Trip (4)
“Noona, try to look straight ahead instead of down if you can.”
“...Okay.”
We stepped onto the glass panels little by little, moving forward. Gahee noona was sticking way too close, but what could I do? It wasn’t on purpose—she was genuinely scared. Right?
After crossing the bridge while she clung to me, Gahee noona started mustering her courage bit by bit. She gradually loosened her grip on my clothes and let go gently.
“Ugh...”
“Don’t push yourself too hard.”
But Gahee noona shook her head.
“I don’t want to be a burden to you, Taeyang.”
She stepped away from me, closed her eyes, took a deep breath, then turned her head to look around.
“...Wow.”
Only then did Gahee noona’s expression soften. We’d already reached the end of the glass bridge by then. It wasn’t really a bridge connecting two points—it ended at an observation deck-like platform. A circular glass-floored plaza sat right in the middle of the ocean, surrounded by breathtaking rocky cliffs.
“Beautiful.”
That one word summed up the view perfectly. Forgetting her fear, Gahee noona gazed at the scenery before turning back to me.
“W-wanna take a picture together?”
Her innocent, joyful expression made me nod without thinking. Please don’t look at the floor, I prayed silently.
As I approached at Gahee noona’s beckoning, someone barged in.
“Unnie, me too!”
“Sure, Yuyeong. Thanks for your help.”
In the end, we took one with the three of us to accommodate Gahee noona, then pairs, and before long, the other noonas joined in. This was my cue to bow out.
“Ah, then let me take one for you.”
Gahee noona took her phone back and lowered her head to adjust the camera.
“Whoa...”
Thud—
“Almost dropped your phone there.”
“Th-thanks.”
“Jeez.”
Gahee noona had glanced at the floor and panicked again. She’d been ignoring it unconsciously for a moment, but now that she was aware of the glass beneath her feet again, she froze.
“Haa~ Grab my sleeve.”
Now she was reaching out voluntarily.
“Gahee, don’t overdo it.”
Hayan noona tried to soothe her.
“Taeyang, this time I’ll take Gahee.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah. You and Yuyeong did enough.”
“Thanks, unnie.”
“...Thanks, both of you.”
Gahee noona let go of me and grabbed Hayan noona instead.
“Mind if I help too?”
“Hey, hyung...”
“Huh?”
“It’s fine. Noona and I got Gahee noona.”
Like hell I’d let him butt in now. Was he trying to cozy up to Hayan noona? Sure, nothing would happen over something like this, but it pissed me off anyway. Just play with Juyeon noona like a good boy.
“O-okay? Call if it gets tough.”
I sighed deeply and approached Gahee noona, who lightly grabbed the hem of my clothes.
“Thanks...”
“Don’t sweat it.”
Gahee noona looked fine, but Hayan noona’s expression seemed a bit complicated.
“What’s with you now, noona?”
“Huh? Oh, nothing. Let’s go, Taeyang.”
Min Iri silently watched the backs of Gahee and Taeyang as they walked away.
“......Get it together.”
Iri shook her head.
I already knew. That Taeyang and Gahee were getting close.
That’s why she couldn’t be honest with her own feelings. No, honestly, she was scared. She figured it was better to give up before their friendship cracked.
As her emotions nearly bubbled up again, Iri clutched her chest and moved her feet slowly. When had it started? From the moment she’d started seeing Taeyang as a man, her casual, sisterly behavior around her close dongsaeng had become embarrassing and hesitant.
But Iri had only vaguely realized her feelings... after noticing Gahee’s.
During the school trip, she’d just thought Gahee doted on Taeyang a lot, but she’d gradually picked up on how deep those feelings ran. She’d overheard Seong Juyeon whispering to Gahee. And seen Gahee’s flushed face. Plus, whenever Taeyang excitedly talked about visiting Gahee’s house... No, anyone could tell just from how Gahee gushed about Taeyang normally.
So Iri felt sorry toward both Taeyang and Gahee. Normally, she’d have approached Gahee first or helped like Hayan, but she stayed quiet because of it. She felt apologetic and awkward for some reason.
Finally, Iri understood what emotion she harbored. Gahee was pretty and kind, so Taeyang must like her too. More than a tomboyish noona like her... She’d confirmed it watching them on this trip.
So she had to be careful.
Maybe if I cheer them on, I can let go of these lingering feelings.
That’s what Iri decided. She didn’t want Taeyang, Gahee, or Hayan hurt over something like this. Forcing a smile, Iri shook off her bitterness. So no one would notice.
After the glass bridge, the next event was the cable car choice, right?
In the game, it started with Gahee saying she’d rest alone, so they should go ahead on the cable car. If Seonwoo wanted the Choi Gahee route, you picked to stay with her, maxing out her flag. That led to her opening up and confessing her past.
Pick the cable car option, and Min Iri stayed behind instead. The devs probably preferred that to focus on other heroines.
Anyway, the same scene played out now.
“I’m fine, so you guys go ahead. It’s a rare chance.”
Gahee noona said not to worry and that she’d wait.
This was Seonwoo’s choice moment, but...
“Shouldn’t at least one person stay?”
Seonwoo was just watching. More precisely, eyeing me to pair me with Gahee noona.
“I think Taeyang, Gahee’s day-one caretaker, should stay, no?”
Iri noona chimed in unexpectedly.
“Iri noona...”
“What? You gonna leave a lady alone?”
“Then Iri noona stays too.”
“Huh?”
“You’re Gahee noona’s friend, so it’s only natural, right?”
I turned Iri noona’s prank back on her.
“Forget it. You and Iri just go.”
“Gahee, wanna hit the cafe nearby with me?”
“Unnie, I wanna stay with you too.”
Unlike the game, Lots of people sincerely offered to stay with Gahee noona this time.
“Ahaha, then it’d be weird for us to go alone.”
Seonwoo seemed ready to give up the cable car. Couldn’t he see Juyeon noona’s disappointment next to him?
I sighed deeply.
“Fine, Hayan noona and I’ll stay. Everyone else, go ride it.”
Sending just Seonwoo and Juyeon noona would look weird anyway. I sent Iri noona and Yuyeong too.
“I’ll take tons of pics for unnie.”
“Take care, Taeyang~ Look after Gahee noona well.”
Why was Iri noona acting weird all of a sudden? Anyway, with everyone off on the cable car, things quieted down.
“Sorry, guys!”
“No worries. Gahee, I actually wanted to check out that dessert place.”
“Noona, aren’t you eating too many sweets?”
“It’s a trip—once won’t hurt.”
She’d gain weight... but Hayan noona had zero flab. A metabolism that didn’t pack on pounds was straight-up cheating. I’d been stressing over my recent gain. Because I was turning into someone’s ideal type.
I glanced at that someone.
“Yeah, let’s wait there.”
Gahee noona seemed purely happy, no yandere vibes. Had she fully recovered? If her affection for me had dropped enough to exit Yandere Stage 1, that’d be great.
We sat at the waffle cafe Hayan noona pointed out.
“Noona, dinner’s soon, so you know.”
“I’ll hold back...”
We ordered one waffle to share with coffee.
“Be right back.”
Gahee noona headed to the bathroom. Leaving just me and my sister.
I was casually eating the cream off the waffle when Hayan noona said something unexpected.
“Taeyang, you’re not tired?”
“Huh?”
Tired? Maybe from crossing the glass bridge with Gahee noona.
“Gahee said she felt uncomfortable.”
“Oh... You were worried about that?”
I’d thought Hayan noona was too busy chattering to care while we were together.
“Yeah, if it bothers you, I can stay with her.”
“It’s fine. Gahee noona’s been careful since that day.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Don’t worry—just have fun with her.”
I didn’t want our friendship wrecked because of me. Hayan noona wouldn’t let something like this ruin things with Gahee noona, but tension between people could still make things awkward.
“I just want both of you to enjoy the trip right now.”
“My little bro’s so sweet~”
Hayan noona gave some throwaway praise. I didn’t think I was that sweet. Pushing away Yuyeong or drawing lines with Gahee noona proved I wasn’t the nicest guy. Whatever—Hayan noona didn’t know my calculating side, so she just patted my head.
Gahee noona returned soon after.
“One sec, phone call.”
Hayan noona grabbed her phone and stepped outside. Leaving me alone with Gahee noona.
“.........”
I glanced at her. In yandere mode, she’d fidget and huff at me, but now, nothing.
“Sorry for everything, Taeyang.”
Instead, she apologized with a bittersweet look.
“I said it’s fine. I wanted some quiet time anyway.”
“This was my first time trying something like that.”
“Challenges are good. Glad you did it.”
“Thanks. I pulled it off because of you.”
Gahee noona smiled brightly. At least her expression had eased. Better than the scared or guilty looks from before.
Silence flowed between us for a while. A quiet I couldn’t have imagined between us just a month ago.
But Gahee noona broke it, smiling bitterly as she spoke seriously.
“Even you can see I’m clumsy in a lot of ways, right? Like last time, when I approached you wrong and made things hard.”
Hmm... Gahee noona seemed to think her yandere outbursts stemmed from poor social skills.
“It was a bit overwhelming, yeah.”
“Haha...”
She laughed awkwardly, then opened up.
“Truth is, this year’s the first time I’ve traveled with friends like this. Guess I got too eager without thinking.”
“......”
“First time making real friends my age, too.”
Gahee noona met my eyes, smiling warmly as if at ease...
“Wanna hear a special secret just from me?”
“Nah. You don’t have to say.”
“Huh?”
I answered without hesitation.
“Not that curious.”
I already knew, and hearing it would just raise her flag. No interest in stealing Seonwoo’s route, so better draw the line.
She blinked at my disinterested vibe.
“Not curious?”
“Nope. Wouldn’t change anything.”
I played it cool. Couldn’t help if she was disappointed.
“...Yeah, it’s fine if I don’t say it then.”
“Huh?”
Why the touched look? That’s not it...
“Thanks.”
Why thanks all of a sudden?! Was she mistaking my refusal for consideration?! What do I say? Deny it, and she’d call me tsundere. Ask for the secret now? That’d raise the flag.
Ugh...
“What were you two talking about?”
Hayan noona returned while I agonized over my response.
“Just thanking Taeyang.”
“Looks like the others are wrapping up.”
“Yeah, let’s head out.”
I couldn’t clarify, and the conversation ended there.
“Haa~”
I sighed deeply as we left the shop. Screw it—dinner time now. Hayan noona’s flag awaited, so I’d deal with that.