Chapter 52
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Practice Your Lines, Oppa?
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But are you practicing your lines, oppa?
The last day of the trip dawned.
I'm the type who sleeps a lot anyway, but staying up late last night was the real culprit. Even with the alarm blaring and the production team's wake-up call, the sleepiness wouldn't budge.
...No way it's five minutes. Ten minutes, maybe?
Having already made up my mind internally, I turned away from the warm summer sunlight streaming through the curtains and curled up tighter. Right then—
"Iya~aaah."
A sound that piled on fatigue just from hearing it.
At the noise of light footsteps climbing the stairs, I let out a low sigh and pulled the blanket over my head.
Fine, time for a siege defense—
"Good moooorning~!"
Chaewon sang out.
Please don't do this.
"Iya~aaah, Kang Yumi~in."
How could anyone be like this first thing in the morning?
The brat grabbed my shoulders with a drawn-out exclamation and shook me back and forth.
It was infuriating to be woken up like this, but surprisingly, for the ever-proper Han Chaewon, yelling and shaking someone awake was apparently very polite and dignified.
If not for the cameras set up around here, she would've already thrown herself on top and shaken me even more violently.
...Ugh, just thinking about it sucks.
"Morning Angel has arrived~. Get up while it's still good, or Morning Devil might show up instead?"
"...You're already the Devil."
"...Oh really?"
Ah, I didn't mean to say that out loud.
"Go wash your face or something. Why come bug me...?"
"I'm just hyped up this morning! It puts me in a good mood~!"
"Devilish brat. I'm not in the mood."
"Then I'll hype you up!!"
The devil's spawn shook my shoulders hard before suddenly letting go.
...No way, a real suplex?
They say imagination breeds fear. Time dragged on with the brat doing nothing.
Overwhelmed by mounting anxiety, I peeked my face out without thinking, and...
Bam ba bam ba ba ba, ppa bam ra bam ba ra ba ba—!
The hellish trumpet blast that would make any vet convulse.
It blared right by my ear.
The brat who could make Satan himself flinch.
I'm learning exorcism soon.
"...You... you're... seriously, haa..."
Honestly, after a year and six months of that, my body didn't spring up automatically anymore, but...
That reveille tune was pure neurosis. Or trauma.
I couldn't stand even a second of it, so I pulled the blanket back over.
"Alright, Trainee No. 79, rise and shine."
She yanked the blanket off from the relatively easy-to-reach foot end and kept blasting the reveille right next to my ear.
"What're you doing, trainee? Get up and prep that haul set."
"...Even Hell would exile you in horror."
She could've just cursed me out right in my ear.
Breakfast was that haul set the brat had sung about, complete with salad.
I had no idea why the super common Western combo of bacon, eggs, and bread was causing such a fuss now, but if it tasted good, wasn't that fine?
Anyway, after a quick breakfast, we packed up and headed straight to the arboretum, our trip's final stop.
It felt even sunnier and hotter than yesterday.
Thanks to that, the plants' colors popped more vividly, and some of the exotic setups made it feel like we were in Europe, not Chuncheon.
In short, perfect photo spots everywhere.
"We gotta take pics, right?"
...And so on.
After wrapping up PD Yang's final mission—a treasure hunt—Chaewon and I were the last duo out of the five pairs to do interviews.
"You've both worked hard over this 1 night, 2 days."
"We're the ones who had a blast thanks to PD Yang and the crew's hard work. Truly grateful."
"It was so much fun, PD."
PD Yang bowed his head in thanks.
We bowed back with our own gratitude.
"That's all for the schedule. Mind sharing some quick thoughts? Yumin first, please."
"Spending time with Chaewon's close members and their besties made for some really precious memories. Hope there's a next time. Thanks again to the crew for the opportunity."
"Personal question: Ever thought about entering the industry?"
"I'm only lively around Chaewon. I'm quiet otherwise, no talent for it. Doesn't suit showbiz."
"And yet you shamelessly bluffed your way through that quiz?"
"...Was I shameless?"
I shrugged with a gesture, and the crew burst into laughter.
Truly grateful for their reactions right to the end.
"So, you're up for shows with Chaewon? That the takeaway?"
PD Yang's sharp analysis.
All I could muster was a wry smile.
Just like he said, I preferred my current daily life over showbiz, and had zero interest in solo gigs or content.
I glanced at the superstar childhood friend right beside me and nodded with a smile.
"If Chaewon wants it and I'm okay with it."
"Total gumdrop. My personal gumdrop."
Chaewon grinned, satisfied with my answer.
She gave her own crisp, concise thoughts, and then came a shared question for us both.
"Sum up what Han Chaewon means to you, Yumin. And vice versa for Chaewon. One line each?"
Tough to pin down precisely, but when pressed, the words came easy.
"The bond that changed my life. Thanks to her, I'm even on your content, PD."
I shrugged casually.
Light words, heavy meaning—Chaewon and the crew looked stunned.
For some reason, the crew's gazes on us felt warm and pleased.
Well, anyway.
"Thanks. Let's keep leeching off each other."
"...Yumin's got a silver tongue now? This guy's unreal."
Chaewon pointed at me, holding back laughter amid wordless gratitude.
Satisfied with the sight, I switched to waiting for her answer.
...Didn't realize at the time, but it's kinda nerve-wracking?
My mouth went dry; I wet my lips and waited calmly.
"One line from me should do it."
Chaewon suddenly stood up.
Not just me next to her—PD Yang mid-interview, the camera director, and the rest of the crew all stared in baffled surprise...
You glanced at me, a smile playing on your lips.
"I love you, Kang Yumin~!"
You snatched my hand and whooped.
Her playful sincerity echoed through the quiet arboretum...
"Let's keep getting along~!"
Her beaming smile, my frozen shocked face, and our linked hands with matching couple bracelets—all captured on camera.
"If you're gonna do that, why not just announce we're dating all over the neighborhood?"
"Should we?"
"...Eek, sorry. I'm not ready for that yet."
After all filming wrapped.
The crew was busy packing up, while we cast got an hour before the train and were free to roam the arboretum.
It was the weekend, but the place was vast and off-peak season, so the forest paths were empty except for us.
"Every time you say stuff like that, my heart really races."
The topic was that love confession.
"'Cause I'm too pretty and cute?"
"No turn signal on this top scholar of the modern era."
"Aw~. No one even noticed, seriously? I said it so playfully—who'd think it was a lover's confession? They'll just see it as affection for our 15-year friendship."
"...You really think that?"
You were too hyped on the confession to notice, but I saw it?
The "Whoa, these MZ kids are wild on and off camera" looks.
PD Yang even eyed us like, "Fine, if you wanna go public, I'll set the stage"—pure madness.
Hmm. This airs exactly three weeks from now, and I'm back at school two weeks after...
Already sweating at the thought of Korea heating up.
I'll go nuts. More messages incoming.
I sighed deeply at the snowballing mess.
"...Should we be holding hands right now?"
"No one's around. What's the problem?"
"You never know when someone might show up."
"It's fine. These trees will guard us."
"You're no druid."
We all drank the same milk—why's yours curdled?
I shot an admiring glance at the brat's fresh nonsense today and loosened my grip slightly...
Of course.
No intention of letting go.
"Never seen a boyfriend try to drop his lovely girlfriend's hand."
"You haven't lived 23 years yet. I'll hold on plenty later when you're sick of it—so let go now."
"I wanna hold hands now~."
"...Why's my Chaewon acting so childish?"
I swallowed a wry smile and met her eyes.
"We kissed."
Your expression turned serious, mismatched with your sparkling eyes.
"...Kissed?"
"We just kissed yesterday and nothing else. Early romance flames don't die on that."
In short, pent-up frustration.
The most blatant, instinctual excuse I'd ever heard left me dumbfounded.
...Is she serious?
Too earnest a gaze for a joke, fingers fidgeting too much.
We locked eyes wordlessly; you didn't look away either.
This was the brat who, even at home binging time, stuck to my side with some body part always touching.
Someone who loved skinship that much, after nearly a week apart with zero contact...
Yeah. Must've been unsatisfying.
Nodding at yet another unknown side of my girlfriend, a laugh slipped out.
I like skinship too—ideally, keep holding hands—but here?
"Kiss me. Then I'll let go right away."
Sensing my intent to firmly postpone, my girlfriend proposed first.
Hand-holding vs. kiss.
Kiss is obviously more intimate, but...
This was Han Chaewon, who chased ssangssangba for two weeks straight.
If it's gotta happen anyway, overthinking just wastes time.
"Don't plan to devour me with this later."
I leaned in with a loose grin.
"Then satisfy me starting now."
You wrapped your arms softly around my neck.
"You're no kiss expert, boyfriend."
Distance closed in an instant.
Our noses brushed softly.
"You'll satisfy me, right?"
Your eyes, nose, lips.
All reflected in mine.
"I can. But..."
You slowly closed your eyes.
"I said it'd be trouble—not that I won't satisfy you later."
I murmured low and shut my eyes—
Crash, thud—!!
The quiet arboretum shattered; I whipped around instinctively...
"...I said split up and keep watch. Lee Yerin, why'd you trip...?!"
"Be honest. Minah or May—which one drummed my back like a drum? Can't help but thrash when it hurts."
"...Sorry, unnie. Me."
"...You too?"
They hunted culprits without a care for being caught.
Even better: the members dusting off like nothing happened and standing up.
Not some 2010s romcom—caught mid-kiss attempt by girlfriend's friends behind a tree?
"...Ah."
My jaw wouldn't shut.
"—M-Members?!"
"Good afternoon, friends."
"We were on lookout. For other people. You two should thank me."
"R-Right...! We weren't just watching you kiss...!"
"...Sorry. I can't pretend to be as bold as you unnies."
Her bandmates showed varied reactions to Chaewon's tomato-red flush—seven years together.
"“...”"
But the mood sank fast.
"...Wanna keep going?"
Is that what you say, Serin?
"R-Right! You're adults, a couple. Think we'd bat an eye at you kissing?! "
...Maknae Minah's eyes trembled wildly as she spoke.
"Kissing in public is common abroad. Just keep going like that. Hey, this spot even feels like rural France—perfect immersion."
Yerin's always quirky, but weird in a special way.
Yeah, she's a real oddball.
"R-Right! And this isn't the first time we've seen, so it's fiii—?!"
May's mouth clamped shut in panic.
I stared blankly at Serin desperately covering it...
"Uh, yeah. You kiss well?"
Why the thumbs up?
"...How many?"
"Say just us?"
"...Haha. Gotta dig my own grave."
"But are you practicing your lines, oppa?"
Is that the priority, Yerin?