Vacation Beach Trip # 5
Vacation Beach Trip # 5
'Kim Geun-cheol...!'
Lee Si-hoo fumed inwardly.
'Same-sex friend my ass!'
The way he only looked after Leona and Yu-ri was truly infuriating beyond belief.
He probably dotes on them because they are girls, so would it kill him to dote on her a little too?
Of course, with a superhuman's strength, carrying a bag or two was nothing. She could carry a hundred of them. But as a woman, Lee Si-hoo wished Kim Geun-cheol—who knew her real gender—would show her that kind of friendly consideration.
When she thought about it, the people in this world who knew she was a girl were her mother and key members of her clan. And apart from them, only Kim Geun-cheol knew.
On top of that, the only person who could openly treat her like a woman was Kim Geun-cheol alone.
But what?
Same-sex friend?
You're a guy so I'll treat you casually?
'This is unbearable...!'
After molesting her breasts like that, he had the nerve to spout bullshit about being same-sex friends.
Logically speaking, Kim Geun-cheol's attitude of trying so thoroughly to protect her secret was truly something to be grateful for. But even as she thought that, Lee Si-hoo felt the impulse to be treated like a woman.
'Isn't there some way? Should I just be honest? That I'm cross-dressing, but my gender identity is female? And that I want to be treated like a woman? No, that's insane. If I say that, it'll sound like I'm confused about my gender identity... I'm a woman, body and soul!'
Lee Si-hoo was in turmoil.
'Even though I'm cross-dressing... I'm originally a woman, and I want to live as one. But wouldn't saying that make him feel burdened? It's too deep a personal matter... No. Geun-cheol is an idiot, so he might just go 'oh, okay' and move on.'
To think she had to appeal to that fool—who spouts off about treating her like a guy and a same-sex friend as if it's the ultimate act of consideration to protect her secret of hiding her womanhood—that she secretly wants to be treated like a girl.
Anyone would agree this is lunacy.
'I have feminine urges too... no, wait, it's natural because I am a woman! And saying it like that makes it sound like I'm conscious of Geun-cheol as a member of the opposite sex!'
Amidst that confusion, Lee Si-hoo walked right behind Kim Geun-cheol, glaring at his back.
'Anyway, he knows I'm a girl but treats me way too much like a guy... I'll have to show him what's what one of these days.'
What exactly that 'what's what' would be was still unknown.
* * *
"Spicy fish stew? Nice!"
Woo Yu-ri voiced her agreement to Kim Geun-cheol's suggestion.
Currently, Woo Yu-ri was glued to Kim Geun-cheol's side, almost on the verge of wrapping her arms around his.
'Woo Yu-ri, aren't you being a little too bold?!'
Leona felt like she wanted to bite down on a handkerchief. Woo Yu-ri was acting way too unguarded under the pretext of being his master.
Earlier, while playing at the beach, hadn't she blatantly hugged Kim Geun-cheol, or thrown him while hugging him, or pinned him down with her body weight and dunked him underwater?
And she did all that so shamelessly while wearing a bikini!
A physical assault!
It was driving her insane!
'And that bastard Kim Geun-cheol is just taking it all in stride!'
Every time Woo Yu-ri in her bikini hugged him, he was grinning like an absolute fool. He pretends he isn't, but she knows everything. Wasn't he completely failing to control his gaze because he kept paying attention to it?
'Come on! Properly! Huh? Huh? Like this, like this! Don't you get it?!'
She was incredibly frustrated.
Thinking back, she hadn't even played properly with Kim Geun-cheol at the beach earlier. Because Woo Yu-ri was acting so audaciously, Leona had just gotten distracted interfering and then they ended up wrestling frantically to test their skills against each other.
'It was fun though.'
Wrestling in the sea against someone of Woo Yu-ri's caliber had been truly enjoyable.
'...No, not that.'
If things had gone according to the original plan, she would have been teasing Kim Geun-cheol and having the time of her life. Wasn't the beach and the bikini for exactly that purpose? But without even being able to utilize that weapon properly, it was already mealtime.
'Well, fine. There's still plenty of time to play. I'll find a way to drag Kim Geun-cheol over somehow.'
Leona thought to herself.
'You have to do as I say, Kim Geun-cheol.'
Kim Geun-cheol is someone who shouldn't be pushed around by anyone else.
"Hey! Leona! The spicy fish stew place is right here! We going in?"
"Spicy fish stew, huh... Sounds good. Let's go in right away."
"Hehehe, I'm looking forward to this, you know?"
Even so.
Seeing him look so absurdly happy at the thought of eating spicy fish stew made all her frustration vanish completely.
'Feed the kid first, then play.'
* * *
—Bubble, bubble.
As the bright red spicy stew began to boil, its distinctive spicy aroma and the clean scent of fish started to waft up. If I soak this steaming hot white rice in that blazing red broth...
That's the kind of thing you'd die for.
"..."
My mouth watered involuntarily.
The bubbling red broth. And enoki mushrooms. Tofu. Onion. Pepper. Radish. Topped with green water parsley and crown daisy.
My throat already feels refreshed.
—White-fleshed fish.
That's what drives me crazy. The white-fleshed fish is currently caked with red pepper powder. And as it sits there like that, it's cooking in the heat...!
The spicy flavor is soaking in nicely.
"Oh my, our Kim Geun-cheol looks like he's about to shoot lasers from his eyes."
"Seriously, if I could eat this right now, I'd eat it even if someone threatened to beat me to death."
"Wait, you want to eat it that badly?"
Yeah.
I'd eat it even if you told me to eat and die.
"Fufufu, well, I can see why. Ah. I think it's ready to eat now. Here, Kim Geun-cheol? Eat a lot."
—Swish.
Leona, who was sitting next to me, picked up a bowl and ladle and very neatly filled it with broth, fish, and vegetables before setting it down in front of me...!
The fish flesh is so incredibly plump.
"Leona... are you really giving this to me?"
"What, would you rather I put it here and tell you not to eat it?"
"No! Thank you, Leona!"
"Just eat it."
This is the Archangel herself!
"Here, here. I'll serve everyone."
Leona served Yu-ri and Si-hoo as well before finally filling her own bowl. This is, what, Doctors Without Borders-level humanitarianism. She's just so radiant.
"Ah fuck. This looks goddamn delicious."
"Hoo, hoo. It's hot."
Yu-ri and Si-hoo said while blowing on their spoons.
I also scooped up some white rice on my spoon, then soaked it deep in the spicy stew broth.
Saliva pooled in my mouth. And using the chopsticks in my other hand, I flaked off a piece of fish meat and gently laid it atop the rice.
And then.
—Nom.
"...!"
The instant I took a bite, a refreshing taste spread throughout my entire mouth along with the scorching heat.
"Hoo! Hoo!"
Hot breath burst out. I rolled the food around on my tongue and chewed slowly. The fish meat was tender, and the broth was rich yet refreshing. A taste that drives you insane.
"Whoa, fuck. It's freaking delicious. Wow. This right here is what eating spicy fish stew at the seaside is all about."
And that's not all.
In front of me, grilled cutlassfish was also laid out.
Shall I try deboning this too?
The moment I thought that.
"Kim Geun-cheol? Do you even know how to debone a fish?"
Leona, sitting next to me, spoke softly.
"No. Are you kidding me? Of course I know. What am I, a baby?"
Did she think I couldn't even do that?
"Hmm, really? Then go ahead."
"I'll show you."
I immediately reached out with my chopsticks to debone the grilled cutlassfish.
But maybe because it had been a while, it wasn't going well—
"Ah! Ah! He doesn't get it! He can't do it! Can't debone a fish!"
"Wha, what?"
"It can't be helped! I'll debone it for you, so just watch and learn!"
"What the!"
Suddenly, Leona extended her own chopsticks, deployed her sword aura, and began deboning the cutlassfish incredibly cleanly!
"Good heavens! Crazy! Leona, what are you doing!"
"This is how you debone a fish to get the real taste!"
—Swoosh!
True to her words, the bone and flesh of the cutlassfish were being separated perfectly! Without a single part breaking, large chunks of flesh were being dismantled cleanly!
"Here! Eat it!"
Having deboned the fish, Leona picked up a steaming, plump chunk of flesh and placed it on top of my rice bowl. For a split second, the side of Leona's head passed before my eyes.
"Can I... really eat this?"
"Eat it quickly!"
"Sniff!"
Is this the heart of the Holy Mother?!
Deboning all the fish for me!
I had no choice but to eat it while nearly crying. The slightly salty taste of the cutlassfish was surely because of my tears.
"Leona, thank you so much! Sniff! I think I'm gonna cry!"
"Just eat it. There, now that I've finished deboning! Woo Yu-ri and Lee Si-hoo, give me your plates too!"
"Kya!"
"Thanks, Leona."
Immediately, Yu-ri and Si-hoo marveled and held out their plates. Both of them had faces lit up with smiles. Leona put the meat onto their plates.
"Seriously, you're like an actual mom. No, how do you debone so well?"
"This much is basic."
"Somehow you seem to use chopsticks better than me, a native Korean. Does that even make sense?"
"I learned properly from my mother. Hehe."
Yu-ri giggled as she picked up a piece of cutlassfish and ate it.
"Whoa, it's good. Hey. Seriously freaking good. This."
"Right. I think this place is really delicious."
Si-hoo was the same. Both of them were eating hurriedly and enjoying it. So I tried to start eating again, but wait.
"What the."
There was already a fresh piece of fish on my plate!
"Leona! If you give it all away like this, what are you going to eat!"
"I'm already taking care of my own here. Stop worrying and just eat. If it's not enough, we can order more."
There's no goddess like this goddess!
"Hehehe, no but seriously, it's exactly like a mom and son. Isn't it? Lee Si-hoo?"
"Mmhm. It definitely looks that way."
Honestly, I'm at the point where I'd believe it if Leona said she was actually my mom.
"Who's a mom and son! You always say that just because I deboned a little fish! Hmph! I'm not deboning any more for you now!"
"Ah, I'm sorry!"
Oh crap!
Yu-ri immediately started begging, but Leona acted like she didn't hear a thing!
"Yu-ri, please! A word can repay a thousand gold, come on! If Leona doesn't debone for me, how am I supposed to go on living!"
As soon as I scolded Yu-ri, she looked at me as if I was pathetic.
"Hey, hey. I'll debone it for you, so stop bitching, you bastard. Give me your plate."
"Yes!"
The fish meat is getting duplicated!
"Ugh...! Woo Yu-ri...!"
