Trip (6)
“Ah—! It burns…”
“Hayan, you okay?!”
Soon, a commotion erupted from the kitchen.
“What happened?”
Seonwoo set down the grill tongs for a moment and headed to the kitchen.
“Yuyeong, watch the grill for a sec.”
“...Huh?”
I followed right after Seonwoo, drawn by the fuss.
“Ah, guys, sorry for nothing. It's no big deal.”
Blood was trickling from Hayan unnie's finger. A glance at the cutting board and knife nearby told me exactly what had gone down.
“Ugh... I'm sorry, it's my fault.”
Next to her, Juyeon unnie hung her head low, apologizing.
“If I wasn't so clumsy with the knife...”
Hayan unnie was pretty experienced in the kitchen. She wasn't some amateur who nicked herself while chopping. But she'd gotten this cut while helping Juyeon unnie—who'd begged to learn knife skills this time—and slipped up.
“I'm really sorry, Hayan!”
“It's fine. Just a little nick.”
“Let me see.”
Seonwoo stepped closer to check Hayan unnie's finger.
“Gotta disinfect it and put on a bandage. Bandages...”
Of course, no one around had any on hand.
If things played out like the game, this was where the choices popped up: hand it off to someone else and go back to the grill, or head down yourself to fetch bandages. That choice tied straight into Hayan unnie's affection level.
And Seonwoo's pick was...
“Hang on, I'll go grab some bandages.”
“Here, unnie.”
To keep him from screwing up, I pulled out the ointment and bandages I'd stashed in my pocket.
“Huh? Taeyang, you had bandages?”
“Yeah, just in case. Figured someone might get hurt prepping the BBQ gear.”
“Ah... haha, you're always so prepared.”
Seonwoo gave an awkward laugh and sighed in relief.
“Thanks, Taeyang~”
“It's good you're enthusiastic, but be careful.”
“Got it.”
“Juyeon, mistakes happen to everyone, so don't beat yourself up.”
“Thanks.”
And with that, the incident wrapped up.
With the prep done, all that was left was grilling and enjoying the BBQ on the hot plate.
“Ooh, Taeyang's great at grilling.”
“Last time, he grilled for all the unnies to make things easier.”
“Like a cooking manga protagonist!”
Grilling next to Seonwoo, the compliments made me a bit bashful. And looking at him, there was a twinge of bitterness.
Yeah, in the game, all this praise would've been his alone.
“Seonwoo's pretty good too.”
“You two done part-time at a BBQ joint or something?”
“Nah, I just grill a lot at home... You, Taeyang?”
“Same, just watched a bunch of videos.”
Well, we ended up grilling and sharing pretty amicably anyway.
“Here, unnie—it's undercooked.”
“Eh? It'll all be the same once it's in my stomach.”
“Then why not just eat it raw?”
“Ugh~”
“Taeyang, cut it out. Iri too.”
Nothing like a flag-raising affection event, so I felt at ease.
Until Yuyeong suddenly came trotting over with a wrapped lettuce leaf.
“Here, Taeyang. Ahh~”
“Huh?”
“Hehe. You can't eat properly while grilling. Ahh~”
I glanced away and caught Gahee unnie frowning slightly as she picked up a lettuce leaf and started wrapping one herself.
Things were getting tense...
“I'm good, you eat it... mmph.”
I glared at Yuyeong while reluctantly chewing the ssam she'd shoved in my mouth.
“Hehe, you're eating it good.”
“Don't just stuff it in like that.”
“Tasty, right?”
“...Jeez.”
“T-Taeyang?”
Sure enough, the voice I'd expected came from behind.
Gahee unnie stood there hesitating with her ssam, looking worried I might reject it.
“I've eaten, so give it to Seonwoo hyung.”
“Huh?”
Gahee unnie looked flustered for a sec and glanced at Seonwoo.
“I'm good, so Taeyang should eat plenty. He's still growing.”
Seonwoo flashed a friendly smile and passed.
Yeah, wasn't expecting anything there.
“Unnie, don't worry about me. Just eat comfortably.”
“Ah...”
Gahee unnie deflated a bit, but oh well. One ssam wouldn't ruin her trip.
“Hey, Kim Taeyang, just eat it once!”
Then, an unexpected ally showed up for Gahee unnie.
“What's so hard about it?”
Iri unnie suddenly scolded me, snatched Gahee unnie's ssam, and jammed it into my mouth.
“Mmph... mm.”
I ended up chewing. Couldn't spit it out now.
She'd crammed in three chunks of meat—more meat than veggies crunching between my teeth.
“Hehe, tasty?”
“......Yeah.”
“Jeez~”
Only then did Iri unnie pick up her chopsticks again, looking satisfied. But her face had a jealous pout as she ate her meat.
My attitude that frustrating, huh?
Whatever. Gahee unnie looked pleased.
“He eats it fine when you give it~”
“Taeyang, here!”
“Yuyeong, please just eat normally. This makes me uncomfortable.”
With those two gearing up for a lettuce ssam battle, I shut it down quick.
Not full, but I played it off as stuffed, and they backed off reluctantly.
“Ugh...”
Iri unnie paused while wrapping hers.
“Iri unnie, you full?”
“What? I could eat a ton more.”
False alarm—she shoved meat in and chomped away.
“Don't overdo it just to eat more.”
Meanwhile, a heartwarming scene played out nearby.
“Hey, open up.”
“Huh? Seong Juyeon, what's this about?”
“What's this about? Figured you'd be grateful?”
Juyeon unnie grumbled but succeeded in feeding Seonwoo his ssam. He chewed without complaint, and she watched with satisfaction.
“Tasty?”
“Yeah, this meat's great—the juices are rich.”
Not the answer she wanted; she pouted. But she didn't make a fuss. That was just Seonwoo's usual vibe.
“Taeyang.”
“Yeah?”
“Here, ahh~”
This time it was Hayan unnie.
Come to think of it, this wasn't in the game.
No heroine affection boosts here, but Seonwoo got his harem moment: Juyeon feeding him first, then Gahee and Hayan cooing over how cute, and finally hesitant Yuli stuffing his mouth too.
No big flags or events, but I'd been a little worried Hayan unnie might feed him. Guess it veered off?
I took it without resisting.
“Mm, tasty.”
“Wait, Kim Hayan! Why'd you steal mine and feed him?!”
Iri unnie rushed over late and confronted Hayan unnie.
No clue why Hayan unnie pulled that, but even as Iri unnie fumed, she just laughed it off cutely.
Stealing food like that must've pissed her off bad—her face was puffed up.
Better soothe her.
“Iri unnie, chill. Plenty of meat.”
“Ugh... seriously... it's not that...”
Still, snatching someone else's ssam wasn't cool.
I set down the tongs, wrapped one myself, and held it out.
“Here, fair now, right?”
“Huh?...”
Thought she'd take it happily, but Iri unnie hesitated and looked away.
“I'm good.”
“Don't complain later. Take it.”
“I'm not a kid, over something this small...”
“Arm's getting tired. Or should I force it in?”
Her eyes wavered at my ssam-holding arm, lips twitching.
Hungry but pride getting in the way.
I pressed the ssam right to her lips without waiting.
Finally, she took it.
“Ah~ I wanna eat Taeyang's ssam too~”
“Yuyeong, if you're bored, hand over those mushrooms?”
“Tch, only looking out for Iri unnie.”
“Want this unnie to make you one, Yuyeong?”
Thanks to Hayan unnie distracting Yuyeong, I grabbed the tongs again and started on the mushrooms.
A gaze prickling my back from elsewhere made my spine chill, but I ignored it.
“Taeyang.”
But of course, Gahee unnie—who wouldn't miss this—called my name.
“Uh... yeah?”
Here she comes, probably begging for one too. I racked my brain for a response.
“Didn't you say you were full?”
“Yeah?”
Oh, that angle.
Gahee unnie approached with a ssam in hand.
Her eyes... damn, they were losing their spark a bit.
What trigger did I hit this time?
“I'm stuffed. But it's from my big sis, so...”
Meant no reason to be jealous since it's family, but Gahee unnie's vibe screamed, 'I don't care—eat mine obediently.'
I pretended not to notice the ssam and said,
“Anyway, my stomach's churning.”
“Huh? Taeyang! You okay?!"
Just that, and she dropped the ssam, rushing over all worried.
Too serious—did I pick the wrong play?
“I'm fine, probably too much meat. I'll skip the rest.”
“Here, drink.”
I took the cola she poured in a panic.
“Better now. Really. Don't worry.”
Backfired—her clouded eyes lingered as she fretted beside me.
“Taeyang, stomach still bad?”
Even Yuyeong came over.
“No, it's nothing now. I said don't worry.”
Rejecting one ssam snowballed the mess.
“Taeyang, wanna head in and rest?”
Seonwoo suggested from watching nearby.
“No, really just overate. I'm fine.”
Try to shine without me in some side field? Can't show weakness before Hayan unnie's flag.
Luckily, the BBQ party ended without issues, and cleanup time rolled around.
And the churning stomach excuse? Not a mistake.
Unexpectedly turned into a win.
“Hayan, rest. We'll handle cleanup.”
“Huh? But we all...”
“You did almost all the kitchen stuff.”
“Unnie, you gonna wash dishes with that finger?”
“Rubber gloves...”
“No way. Go rest~”
Iri unnie pushed Hayan unnie out.
“Seonwoo, you grilled and cleared plates, so just tidy the fire pit and rest.”
“That okay?”
Everyone insisted on doing their share, shooing Hayan unnie and Seonwoo to relax.
The game scene where Kim Hayan and Choi Seonwoo finally get alone. Start of her flag, you could say.
And.
“Taeyang, you rest too. Stomach acting up, right?”
“...Sorry. Thanks then.”
“If your stomach's bad, let's go to the hospital together.”
“Gahee unnie, aren't you overprotective?”
Did Gahee unnie catch Iri unnie's traits?
Caused needless worry, but it let me wedge between Seonwoo and Hayan unnie.
“Good work, Hayan unnie.”
“Yeah, you too, Taeyang. Seonwoo too.”
They shooed us to the terrace for some air, so the three of us sat on a beach bench.
“Ah~ so full.”
“Fun day, right?”
“Yeah.”
We reminisced about the day's trip while the two got sentimental on the bench.
If things deepened here, it'd lead to serious talk between worried Hayan unnie—fretting over leaving chores to the others—and Seonwoo.
But with me in the middle, no chance.
“Still, nice they gave us a break. Wanna grab ice cream later to share?”
“Yeah?”
I couldn't help but be shocked at Hayan unnie's cheerful smile.
Kim Hayan... was veering off-script from the expected flag.