Chapter 85
Chapter 85
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: How a Shark Became 105cm (1)
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We stepped out of the apartment complex where Grandma lives. Yoon-seul's steps were heavier than usual at first, but her expression soon brightened again.
Across the crosswalk outside the complex, a familiar face peered out from the passenger window of a parked SUV.
It was six-year-old Cha Yu-min, waiting eagerly for us siblings.
"Oppa, Yu-mi-ni's over there!"
Yoon-seul stretched out her hand, pointing the way.
Yu-min hadn't spotted us yet and was just staring blankly at the rare passing cars.
"You're right. Shall we hurry over?"
"Yeah! We gotta go quick. Yu-mi-ni looks bored."
Yu-min's face did look a bit dazed, for sure.
Led by Yoon-seul, who was walking faster than usual, we crossed the crosswalk and arrived at Teacher Mi-jeong's parked car.
I knocked on the driver's side window. She glanced at me, ran a hand through her hair, and smirked.
As always, she was dressed in matching tracksuit top and bottoms with sunglasses on. Few women in their thirties could pull off sitting in the driver's seat of a midsize SUV quite like her.
*Click.*
A dull sound rang out as the door locks disengaged.
We naturally opened the back doors and climbed in.
"Hello, Seon-saen-nim! And Yu-mi-ni!"
— Hi, Yoon-seul.
— Yoon-seul...
Just like that, Yu-min turned from the passenger seat with a bright smile, looking at Yoon-seul.
His cheeks were flushed pink.
I wondered if it was the heat, but then remembered the AC was blasting inside.
....
I'd never felt such intense rage before!
— Ready to head out? The resort address is the one you texted me, right?
"Yes, that's it."
— Okay, kiddo?
— Yeah!
At the simple cue of "kiddo," Yu-min sprang into action. He took Teacher's phone, checked the address, and punched it into the navigation.
It didn't look like something a six-year-old should be doing, but Yu-min handled his task with surprising skill.
"Yu-min's really nailing the assistant role."
— Of course! Whose kid is he?
— Mommy's kid.
Whose kid is he?
She must have thought it was a real question.
"Yoon-seul-i's Oppas are brothers."
The five-year-old chimed in from beside me.
Yu-min took his time inputting the address with the eagle-eye method, but eventually, it was set in the nav, and the SUV rumbled into motion.
"Vroom vroom!"
Yoon-seul, clearly liking the car, mimicked the engine noise while looking around the interior.
Teacher Mi-jeong and Yu-min.
Their joining us on this Gangneung trip was a perfect alignment of interests.
We had no car but free resort vouchers. They had a car but no vouchers.
Transportation is one of the biggest headaches for a Gangneung trip. It's not a city with subways everywhere, and buses don't run as frequently as in the capital area.
To get around, you need a car. But taxis? Too pricey.
We needed wheels.
Plus, staying at a Gangneung resort during peak season for a few nights costs a pretty penny.
A burden for any household.
Our interests matched up perfectly.
Of course, it wasn't just cold, hard logic.
"Yu-mi-ni still hot?"
— Nah... I'm okay.
"Yoon-seul-i'll fan you."
— Thanks.
Yoon-seul flapped her hands in front of Yu-min's face.
Whoever she takes after, her heart is so kind.
But.
....
I'd never felt such intense rage before!
— Joo-hyeon, your face is getting scary.
"Oh... is it?"
— I get the jealousy over my son, but how about we just marry these two off now?
"Absolutely not."
"Yoon-seul-i opposes too."
— Huh? You too, Yoon-seul?
"Yoon-seul-i's gonna live with Oppa."
"Heh."
The five-year-old's resolve was firm.
When adults teased like this, she always declared she'd live with Oppa even when grown up.
But to the six-year-old, it must have been a shock—Yu-min's face turned pale.
The gloomy six-year-old Cha Yu-min. His shoulders slumped like a wet puppy.
"...."
Seeing Yu-min like that stirred pity from the depths of my gut. He probably thought Yoon-seul rejected him.
"Yu-min."
— Yeah...
I leaned toward the passenger seat, speaking softly just between us.
"You know? Yoon-seul spotted you from across the crosswalk earlier."
— ... Really?
"Yeah. She likes you a lot. As a friend."
— Oh... Got it!
"She didn't say that because she dislikes you, so don't worry. Strictly as friends."
— Yeah, thanks! Hyung.
Yu-min brightened up again.
A bubbly smile played on his lips—cute enough to rival Yoon-seul's.
My little sister is the best, though.
We chatted idly.
The car pressed on.
Before long, the upbeat pop song playing from the car's speakers—chosen by Teacher Mi-jeong—filled the air with a fun, travel vibe.
Less than an hour after leaving Grandma's apartment complex, we arrived at the resort where we had the vouchers.
Built by a major corporation, it was new, huge, and luxurious—like several high-end apartments artfully fused together.
Beige walls painted meticulously, with pillars evoking ancient Greece standing tall at the first-floor entrance.
— Whoa... Joo-hyeon, where and how did you score vouchers for a place like this?
"Uh! Yoon-seul-i knows. Oppa did quizzes~ Got 'em all right. So the uncle there gave it as a gift."
— Quizzes?
"Yeah, quiz contest. Participated online last time, got lucky with second place. That was the prize."
— You can just get second in a quiz contest by luck?
I just shrugged at her pleasantly skeptical tone.
— Wow, Yoon-seul's Oppa is super smart.
"Right? Our Oppa's the smartest."
We navigated the resort's vast, maze-like parking lot and finally found a spot for the car. The orderly rows of spaces looked like a go board.
The staff directing the chaotic traffic between them looked a bit pitiful.
Holding Yoon-seul and Yu-min's hands, we headed straight to the lobby with Teacher.
The lobby was crowded and bustling.
So, for check-in, I used my head.
Teacher watched the two kids on some chairs. "Ugh... Oppa, come back quick." Yoon-seul seemed reluctant to let go, but it couldn't be helped this time.
I zipped through the line alone, grabbed the keycard fast, and got the basic rules rundown.
It didn't take long to reach the room.
Ours was family-sized—one step below VIP, but perfect for four. And a duplex, no less.
Stepping inside, the open ocean view hit us. The floor-to-ceiling windows, leveraging the duplex height, offered a stUnnieng panorama.
"Wow! Oppa, sea!"
— Ooh... Pretty.
The two kids kicked off their shoes excitedly and dashed inside.
Watching fondly, we neatly arranged their shoes and followed.
— Oh... The ocean view is legit nice.
"Yeah. For free, this is killer."
— What a steal. My student's got skills!
Teacher slapped my back hard. PE teacher through and through.
Rubbing my stinging back, I took in the ocean view.
The waves rippled in fine detail.
And the shimmering colors far out on the horizon.
"Yoon-seul-i's over there."
"You're right. Yoon-seul-i really is there."
— Yoon-seul-i's right here.
Yu-min tilted his head, overhearing us siblings.
Yoon-seul grinned triumphantly.
"Yu-mi-ni, that's the sea."
— Yeah.
"See the sparkly stuff far away?"
— Yeah.
"That's Yoon-seul-i!"
— That's Yoon-seul-i?
"Yeah! Super-duper smart glasses grandpa said so last time."
— I see. So Yoon-seul-i sparkles and is pretty? Awesome!
".... Yeah, that's right."
Yu-min threw a straight ball.
It seemed to land well with Yoon-seul.
She hesitated, glancing away from him.
Proof she was embarrassed.
....
I'd never felt such intense rage before!
— Joo-hyeon, your face is getting scary again.
"Oh... Really?"
— Just marry these two already? Then my grandkids would be total lookers—I'd be happy till I die.
"Yoon-seul-i opposes that."
— .... Hmph.
Once more, the six-year-old Cha Yu-min deflated.
Somehow, we'd looped back to the exact same exchange from the car.
**
Before heading to the beach, we unpacked first.
For a 3-night, 4-day stay, we'd brought plenty.
Daily necessities, underwear, clothes.
Electronics and such.
Yoon-seul had insisted strongly, so us siblings got the second floor.
The view from up there through the huge windows was art. But I worried about bathroom trips and asked if it was okay.
"Yoon-seul-i wanted to sleep on the second floor."
Couldn't ignore my sister pouting her lips, confessing honestly.
Luckily, Yu-min didn't care about first or second floor. Adults' opinions came second naturally.
— Joo-hyeon! Yoon-seul! Come down for a sec?
As we finished unpacking, Teacher Mi-jeong called loudly from the bottom of the stairs.
I met Yoon-seul's eyes.
We blinked in unison, shrugging.
Downstairs, a wrapped item sat on the sleek wooden dining table.
Red wrapping paper, neatly done—anyone could tell.
— A gift! For Yoon-seul.
"Ooh...! Gift."
Yoon-seul's mouth fell open in surprise.
Totally unexpected.
"What's the gift for?"
— Look, even if we're driving you two around... Staying here for free? Felt bad giving nothing. So I brought something.
Teacher Mi-jeong scratched her head, looking away.
Embarrassed, probably.
Beside her, Yu-min looked oddly expectant, eyes sparkling.
"Yoon-seul-i open it?"
— Go ahead! It's better than you think.
Teacher said confidently.
What could it be?
Gift-wrapped neatly, light weight, not too big.
Not mine, but Yoon-seul's, so knowing Teacher's personality, I didn't expect much.
*Rustle.*
*Rustle.*
The five-year-old clumsily tore at the paper.
She stubbornly refused help, insisting on doing it herself, so I let her.
Finally, the contents emerged in Yoon-seul's hands.
".... Shark fin?"
To clarify, not shark fin as in the soup ingredient.