Chapter 70
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 70
Chapter Title: Scatter, Cherry Blossom Ending
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After that, without any particular commotion, Su-hyeon and her friends got off at Ttukseom Resort Station and arrived at the park right in front of the station.
Contrary to their expectations of immediately feeling the festival vibe along the cherry blossom path hugging the Han River—"You can sense the festive atmosphere right away!"—they were met with a somewhat desolate scene.
"……."
"The flowers are pretty much all gone."
"Yeah."
The trees still had a smattering of cherry blossoms clinging on, giving them a fresh, greenish tint.
"Eh, we saw plenty of cherry blossoms at school anyway. There's tons of other stuff to check out, right?"
Min-ji said this with forced cheer.
Her words differed a bit from her earlier pitch, but no one wanted to dampen her effort to boost the mood.
"For now, should we walk along and see what's around?"
"Yeah, still plenty of time before the lighting show kicks off."
The four of them strolled slowly through the park, taking in the festival atmosphere.
There weren't many blossoms left on the trees, but the ground was carpeted with fallen petals.
Every time people took a step, the petals scattered in neat trails.
"Hey, looks like something's going on over there."
Min-ji pointed to one spot.
A decent crowd had gathered.
"Wanna check it out?"
Drawn by curiosity, we headed toward the throng.
As we drew closer, a vibrating thrum hit our bodies, followed by the sound of music.
"It's busking."
Ji-eun said.
We picked a less packed spot and pushed forward, where a band came into view—amps and instrument cases laid out on the ground.
"In this day and age, no AR, just straight amps... Total classic."
Perfect timing—the previous song wrapped up, and they looked ready to launch into a new one.
"Hey, this one!"
A bouncy intro rang out, and Min-ji's face lit up.
"Whoa, I listened to this nonstop as a kid."
"Right? 'I call your name over and over~'"
Ji-eun murmured nostalgically, while Ga-eun straight-up hummed along to the lyrics.
As her friends soaked in the performance, Su-hyeon just stared at the stage with an awkward expression.
The playing was definitely pleasant, but...
'What song even is this...?'
The tune the band was playing was one of those massive hits that blasted in every cafe back when it dropped.
But Su-hyeon never had occasion to drop into a cafe back then.
Not that there weren't any in her rural hometown—it was just that she had zero reason to go, and no one to go with...
For reference, the song had come out ten years ago, right after Su-hyeon finished her first year of high school and had slipped into a deep hibernation phase.
"Su-hyeon, you know this one, right? Masterpieces like this never get old, no matter how many times you hear 'em."
Min-ji said.
"Ah... Yeah? Uh, sure? I... don't really know pop songs."
"Huh, for real? This was huge."
"Was it? Must be 'cause I grew up in the sticks...? Haha."
The performance ended to applause, and the next track flowed out.
Another famous one, apparently—even the other onlookers were belting it out in chorus, having a blast.
Su-hyeon, of course, could only clap awkwardly.
"Not having fun, Su-hyeon?"
"No, it's fun! Just... I don't know current hits well."
"Current...? This dropped when we were in elementary school."
Min-ji cocked her head.
"Ack, I mean... Truth is, I'm not big on music."
"Oh? Wanna bail after this one then?"
"No, I'm good."
The vocalist had just finished the song and cracked open a water bottle to chug it down.
In the meantime, the guitarist grabbed the mic and tossed out some banter.
"Alright, next up, we're diving a bit further back. Got something special for the guys this time. If you're around our age, you've definitely heard it."
"Ooh? What is it? A dudes-only song?"
Min-ji tilted her head.
The whole band looked like they were just past thirty.
Probably an office worker band?
A song those-age guys would dig?
The crowd started refocusing with curious eyes.
In the hush, a soft electric guitar riff spread out.
Everyone was just guessing what it might be when—
"Ooo-ooo-"
The vocalist's crisp intro hit, exploding into a blistering guitar onslaught.
'This is...'
The leaves sprouting from Su-hyeon's scalp stood straight up.
The guys who recognized it started grinning and murmuring among themselves.
Some were even there with their kids and wives.
The song in question was one of those tracks that echoed nonstop in every PC bang at the time.
It was the theme from a game that blew up back when soccer briefly stole basketball's thunder.
Korean title? Time Bomb.
Su-hyeon found herself humming along without thinking.
She barely knew the lyrics beyond the highlight chorus, but the melody was seared in after hundreds, thousands of plays.
Ga-eun snapped Su-hyeon out of her intense nostalgia.
"You like this kinda song, Su-hyeon?"
Su-hyeon realized her slip-up too late.
"Nah, just... it's super catchy.... Heh, heh heh hum~."
"Dude, your head leaves were spinning like crazy—I thought they'd take off."
"Eek."
She slapped a hand to her scalp to hide the leaves, but it was way too late.
"Su-hyeon, you......"
Min-ji eyed her suspiciously too.
"Uh, um...."
Gulp.
Is this a dangerous spot?
Su-hyeon's heart started pounding. Cold sweat beaded at the thought her disguise—gender, age—might unravel.
Min-ji, who'd been staring quietly, flashed a grin.
"...You're into these old pop tracks, huh?"
"Huh."
"What a hipster. Knows zilch about Korean songs but clocks old pops instantly."
"Ah?"
Right.
An old game theme—super niche, guys-only fad—no way trendy 20-year-old college girls would know it.
Lyrics were basic English anyway, so to anyone unfamiliar, it just sounded like upbeat pop.
"Kinda fits her vibe."
Ga-eun nodded in agreement, but Ji-eun immediately shot back.
"Fits what? She looks like she'd belt out Pinkfong or Baby Shark."
"Heh, yeah."
"Ah, haha...."
Baby Shark's still a thing?
Anyway, lucky they misunderstood on their own.
'Still, linger too long and something might slip.'
"Uh, should we check out other spots? Kinda wasteful sticking here."
"Huh, yeah? Could listen a bit more."
"Looks like they're going full oldies now—we wouldn't know 'em. C'mon."
"We? But you do, Su-hyeon."
"L-let's go!"
The friends paused, puzzled for a sec, but mercifully didn't dig deeper.
"Eh... sure? Saw some mini-games back there."
"That one? Balloon darts—bet they give prizes for pops."
The group headed to the nearby balloon dart booth.
Phew.
Nearly an hour later, the Han River landscape began to shift.
The sun, which had been scorching the water, was finally dipping out of sight.
The buskers had packed up before they knew it, and the crowds had thinned out too.
"Boat time now."
At Ji-eun's words, they headed to the boat launch.
"Two-two? Four?"
"What two-two? Let's do four."
"One four-seater, please."
"Yes, thank you! Grab this and head right along the path—we'll guide you."
Min-ji handled payment as rep, and they followed the signs to the dock.
"Watch it, Su-hyeon—you might actually squeeze into a gap."
"I won't?"
Hm.
The gaps were kinda wide.
She tried lowering her leg onto the gently rocking boat, but the height difference was bigger than expected.
A little scary, but no choice...
Only way was a half-jump aboard.
She steeled herself to leap—when a staffer suddenly hoisted her up.
"Ugh."
"No jumping. Dangerous."
"S-sorry."
Busted.
"Just say when you're boarding—we'll help."
"Yes...."
The boat glided smoothly across the calm Han River.
The sun had vanished, but stars were twinkling to life on the water's surface.
A procession of countless boats strung with colorful lights made for a pretty poetic sight.
"Not bad, huh?"
"Everyone, look over here. One, two, three...."
True to form for college girls in their prime, they all whipped out their phones to snap pics.
Twisting this way and that made the boat wobble a bit.
"Still kinda disappointing, though."
"Why?"
Min-ji, mid-pose, let out a wistful sigh.
"No cherry blossoms at all—feels less like a blossom fest and more like we just came for a boat ride."
"Yeah, would've been perfect with a few more petals."
Ga-eun nodded.
'Fair point. Would've been way prettier with blossoms.'
"So let's come back next year!"
"Pfft, all that buildup for that?"
"Eung, I can't live without you guys~"
"Ugh, so cringy. Haven't even had a drink."
"Gasp, how could you say that to me...."
"Kyaa! We're tipping!"
"Pffft."
Su-hyeon watched her friends dissolve into giggles, quietly lost in thought.
They might come again next year like Min-ji said, but that was then—this was now.
She didn't want to put off the moment's vibe till next year.
Plus, she always seemed to be on the receiving end—she wanted to leave her precious friends with an unforgettable memory too.
She cautiously scanned her surroundings. Confirming no one was watching, Su-hyeon gently extended a hand to touch the water.
Not strictly necessary, but maybe it'd transmit the power better this way.
She'd never tried from this distance before—zero confidence.
Even just a couple nearby trees would do.
If it made her friends happy for a moment, that was plenty.
She drew up the warm power buried deep inside.
A tiny ripple spread from her palm.
"What're you doing? Gonna fall in?"
Ga-eun's voice jolted her eyes open.
"Ack. Th-there was a f-fish...."
"Fish? Where?"
"You'd get dragged right in by a fish. Heh heh."
Brushing off Ji-eun and Ga-eun's teasing interest, Min-ji warned with a straight face.
"You really gotta be careful, Su-hyeon."
"...Why?"
"Short arms and legs—you'd never make it forward. Blub blub blub heh heh heh."
"Pfft...!"
Everyone burst out laughing at Min-ji's goofy swimming impression.
Everyone except Su-hyeon.
"......"
As Su-hyeon pouted, a river breeze swept in from somewhere.
Riding it, a single white petal fluttered down to land on the back of her hand.
"Huh...?"
A surprised voice from somewhere.
Everyone looked up at the sound.
"Whoa!"
"Eh."
And Su-hyeon panicked.
An unbelievable sight.
Cherry trees lining both riverbanks were bursting into bloom all at once.
In seconds, the entire riverside vanished under a pink cloud of blossoms.
Petals swirled on the spring breeze, drifting into the boats around them.
"Insane...."
The petal rain and rippling reflections of the colorful lights made it feel like they were suspended in the sky.
No one pulled out phones—instead, they drank in the scene with their eyes.
"This is what cherry blossom fest is all about!"
Min-ji finally came to and let out a whoop.
Cheers echoed back from boats nearby in response.
'Way bigger scale than I thought...?'
They were ordinary trees, not demon beasts, but the power had unleashed on a scale dwarfing the exhibition hall demo.
They were far off, so she'd deliberately amped it up more than planned.
Was that the issue...?
...Everyone's thrilled, so probably fine?
As she grinned smugly with happiness bubbling up, Ga-eun—still entranced—turned to Su-hyeon.
"This was you, right, Su-hyeon?"
That snapped Min-ji and Ji-eun to attention too.
"Oh yeah. It's Su-hyeon's power."
"Right, she made flowers move on the first day of class."
With three sets of eyes on her, Su-hyeon squirmed a little.
"H-heh.... Wasn't planning on this big."
"How could you just use your power like that? Coulda been real trouble."
"Sorry...."
Ga-eun was probably talking identity, not Awakener law penalties.
But oblivious Min-ji and Ji-eun pivoted to a different angle.
"Psh, we just keep quiet—no harm done. They really gonna complain over this?"
"The crackdowns are intense, yeah, but there's talk of reverse discrimination too. Wasn't she E-rank? E-ranks can even do that?"
"Saw entertainers pulling similar stuff—probably varies by power?"
"Maybe? Eh, probably."
"Uh, yeah, what.... Guess it's a low-effort power."
"Pretty cool~."
"Totally. I'd kill for a fun power like that instead of something scary."
'Phew......'
Fortunately, non-Awakener Min-ji and Ji-eun seemed to lose interest there.
Su-hyeon forced an uneasy smile as she listened to her friends chat.
Somehow, today felt full of near-misses.