Ryu Family Trip # 2
Ryu Family Trip # 2
"Yeah. Good to see you. You been doing well?"
Ryuna smiled and came over to greet me warmly.
She was dressed casually—blue shorts and a white shirt. The kind of outfit that practically screamed "older sister" vibes.
But look at those superhuman muscles.
She had a model's body, but a superhuman's power—brimming with magical energy—wasn't proportional to muscle mass at all. With a figure like that, she could still unleash extreme power. Compact muscles, to put it simply.
Yeah, she's strong.
"Heh heh heh, of course. I've been eating all the chicken I want, you know? Been doing real good. Thank you, ma'am."
"Really? I'm glad you've been eating well."
And I'm glad too.
"If there's ever anything you want to eat, just let me know anytime."
"And you, ma'am, if there's anything you want to know about Ryu, just say the word. I'll scan it all for you and send it straight your way."
"I knew I could count on you."
As if she liked the sound of that, Ryuna grinned and glanced toward Ryu. She’s a terrifyingly doting older sister, I tell you.
"Oh, by the way, has our Cheon-hwi made any other friends?"
"Well, that's kind of a gray area. Since the start of the semester, he's had this burning rivalry with a guy named Si-hoo, but... he kind of lacks social skills, so he doesn't actually talk to him."
"Oh, is that right?"
The moment we started talking about Ryu, she leaned in slightly, rested her hands on her knees, and gave me her absolute, undivided attention.
So this is what an older sister is like?
From what my friends who actually have big sisters tell me, big sisters are supposed to be some kind of monster or freak, like a moth or a grasshopper. But just look at Ryu's older sister. She's practically the picture-perfect definition of one.
You lucky bastard!
"What the hell are you talking about...!"
Anyway, maybe jealous of our warm conversation, Ryu started shaking his fist.
"Good grief, Ryu, man, why so angry?"
"Shut up!"
"Hey. Are you getting jealous because I'm talking to her? Huh?"
"Wh-what?!"
His face instantly flushed bright red.
"You bastard! Shut your mouth right now! Who's jealous?!"
But looking at his expression, I was getting pure, undiluted rage, not jealousy.
Of course, I wasn't buying it.
"Heh heh heh, looks like I hit a nerve, you little shit."
"Why am I listening to this crap from a bastard like you on vacation! You Taliban bastard! I'll throw you right out!"
"Whoa? Hey. Wanna spar? For real?"
—Shaak.
I dropped into a martial arts stance immediately.
"Ryu. You jackass, if I beat you just once, I'm 4th and you're 5th. You think you can handle that?"
"Ha...!"
Surprisingly, I was ranked 5th in our year.
Which meant if I went up just one spot, I could beat Ryu. I'd gotten a lot stronger, and with my new gear on, I felt like I could at least put up a fight.
Honestly, my blood was boiling to spar with Ryu again. Fighting a guy who literally only thinks about smashing me—that's exactly how you rack up experience points.
"You really are absurdly overconfident. Do you still not realize that even though our ranks are only one apart, our actual skill levels are nowhere near each other? You're an idiot, as always."
Ryu said it like he couldn't believe me, holding his head in his hands.
I wanted to break that arrogant nose of his.
"Heh heh heh, look at that confidence, Ryu. Hey, you really think so? You have no idea how hard I've trained... The moment we fight, you'll realize it. My strength and your defeat."
"It was shopping, not training! If you're relying on your gear, forget it! Even with all that crap on, you're no match for me! More importantly, I'll never, ever in my life come to realize I'm weaker than scum like you!"
Wait, really?
Would I really not stand a chance at all? I thought, in theory, if I wore all my gear and fought, I might have a shot.
"Hahahaha! Such overflowing confidence, Ryu! Then bring it on! I'll show you the true power of gear!"
"I'll shut that mouth of yours!"
Of course, there was no way we could actually fight.
"Cheon-hwi? I get you're excited, but it's about time to go."
Ryuna put a hand on Ryu's shoulder as she said it.
"Who's excited?! Stop getting the wrong idea! I'm not even a little excited!"
"But it's been a really long time since I've seen you like this. Ho ho ho, I'm so glad we brought Geun-cheol along. He's got you this worked up already."
"Tell me about it, sis."
Right then, Ryu's younger sister, Ryu A-yeong, approached.
"Oh, look at you. Long time no see, Ryu A-yeong."
"Long time no see to you too. Are you still friends with that weirdo?"
"What's wrong with being friends?"
The moment Ryu's younger sister Ryu A-yeong appeared, she started dealing damage to Ryu as naturally as breathing.
I saw it last time too, but Ryu suffers every day at home because of his personality.
"I mean, Ryu's a bit weird, yeah, but deep down, he's a really kind and warm-hearted guy. Being friends with a guy like that... it's only natural."
"That's the first time I've ever heard that."
"You'll be hearing it a lot from now on."
"Ryu, your friend says you're kind and warm-hearted. Is that true?"
"Shut! The! Hell! Up!"
If you want to shut me up, you'll have to beat me.
"Here, have some."
"Thanks."
The moment A-yeong saw me, she shared the snacks she was holding. She was doing exactly what a real little sister would do.
"Now this is a real little sister."
Totally on a different dimension from a brat like Kitty.
Kitty's cute, sure, but strictly speaking, she's more of a pseudo-little sister. A real little sister is someone like Ryu A-yeong.
She's cute and gentle.
"Anyway, shall we get going? Cheon-hwi. Why don't you sit nicely next to your friend?"
"Don't talk to me like I'm a child! And I'd rather ride in the trunk than sit next to him!"
"The trunk's pretty big, right? Wanna get in together?"
"You crazy bastard!"
Actually, even I thought getting in the trunk together was a bit much.
"Cheon-hwi! Get in the car! We have to go now!"
At that point, Ryu's parents came out of the car. They seemed to have been busy with something inside.
"Oh, hello. I'm Kim Geun-cheol, I greeted you once before. Thank you so much for inviting me today."
"Don't mention it. We should be thanking you. That Cheon-hwi's been refusing to come for so long... to think we had to drag a friend into it. He's an idiot, I tell you."
The chairman of Ryuseong Group and one of the top ten superhumans in South Korea, the hero Ryu Seong.
He was just an ordinary father.
He was so ordinary he was talking like any middle-aged man. Of course, how he acts at home and at work must be very different.
"That's right, thank you, Geun-cheol. If it weren't for you, that Cheon-hwi would have holed up alone in his room all vacation again with no friends."
Ryu's mom was a superhuman too, but she was an ordinary mother.
"No way, Ryu's been locking himself in his room every break?"
"That's right."
"This won't do! Ryu! Get over here!"
"You...!"
Ryu trembled in agony, but with not just his older sister but his mom and dad right there, there was nothing he could say. He shut his mouth and came over next to me.
"Cheon-hwi. It's good you're getting along with your friend, but show some cooperation when we're together as a family. Got it?"
"When have I ever acted weird... Yes, Dad."
It was weirdly fascinating to see him answer so obediently.
"Let's get in then."
"Yes."
And so I got into the Ryu family car.
"This is a big flying car too."
It was different from Leona's, but it was also a sci-fi car that looked amazing. Truly amazing. Anyway, I sat with Ryu in the middle. On either side of Ryu were his designated bullies: me and Ryuna.
—Whirrr.
The car lifted into the air the moment we sat down.
"Our skin's touching. Get away from me."
"Cheon-hwi. You mustn't talk to your friend like that."
"This is me toning it down...! You keep treating him like my friend, but he's not! He's my enemy, not a friend!"
He's lying.
"Don't believe him, ma'am. He says I'm his enemy, but he's the one who bought me fifty meal tickets at the start of the semester as an 'apology.' He's got a real warm heart."
"Oh my."
"I shouldn't have given you those!"
His face was burning like he was about to explode, and for some reason Si-hoo's face came to mind.
Her crazy cow tits... Come to think of it, every time a breast-related issue came up, she'd blush so hard it put even Ryu to shame.
Just popped into my head for no reason.
—Vwoom!
Anyway, we headed for the valley.
* * *
The place we arrived at was kind of like a military resort. You know, like one of those Armed Forces hotels near recreation areas. The only difference was that this resort was built for superhumans, not soldiers.
Anyway, this valley in Gangwon-do was a specialized recreational facility exclusively for superhumans. They'd basically turned the whole valley into a professional resort.
"Wow, I didn't know places like this existed in Korea."
It was huge and majestic.
There was a waterfall, and a waterfront so big it put beaches to shame. According to the monument out front, superhumans who loved to play had teamed up with geologists and smashed the terrain into place with their bare hands.
"Cool, right?"
"Yes. I never imagined a place like this existed in Korea. And they say superhumans actually made it. It's incredible."
"Our father lent a hand when they were building it back in the old days."
"What?"
"Because he had the power to do it."
Good heavens.
To think the valley was made by Old Man Ryu Seong.
Looking over, he was wearing sunglasses, leaning against the railing with his elbows up, enjoying the breeze with his wife and Ryu A-yeong.
One of the ten strongest men in South Korea and the chairman of a major corporation, yet with his family, he looked so down-to-earth. And they say Ryuseong Group weapons are the best.
Anyway, off to the side, Ryu was alone putting coins into a telescope.
"Uh, ma'am? Ryu's putting coins in a telescope right now."
"He likes that sort of thing."
"The more I see, the funnier it gets. I haven't put coins in one of those since I was a kid."
"He is rather innocent. Heh heh."
That's true.
"But Geun-cheol?"
"Yes?"
"Have you ever been dragged off to Namsan?"
"Wait, you got a full report on that?"
I figured she'd know, but she just came right out and asked. I looked at her face and Ryuna was just smiling.
"That surprised me. But you're in that, too, right, ma'am? The Special Operations Division."
"Yes, that's right. Agent Ham Woong-cheol caused you a lot of trouble."
"You know him?"
"He's an agent in the Special Operations Division, so I know of him. He's quite versed in brainwashing techniques."
"He did say that."
"I don't mean to cover for my own people... but, well, there are actual cases like that. People getting brainwashed and such. He broke the law in the process of uncovering it."
"Heh heh heh, so I got chewed out by the instructor a lot. You see this? I bought it as compensation for dealing with him and the instructor."
"You bought something nice."
But then Ryuna, who was looking straight at me, said something.
"It seems Instructor Lee has taken a liking to you, Geun-cheol."
Instructor Lee?