[What's life anyway, just live as it comes]
[What's life anyway, just live as it comes]
When I got to work, Baek-ri saw the neck gaiter I was wearing and looked puzzled.
"What's with the sudden neck gaiter? It's not weird since it's for summer, but you don't usually wear one, right?"
"My wife just loves to shower me with affection."
I slid the neck gaiter down to show him, and there was a hickey on my neck. The neck is a sensitive area, so marks like this form easily.
I recover quickly, of course... but I intentionally held back so it would take time to fade, just like a normal person. I wanted to keep this one.
".....You guys are so lovey-dovey. No, wait, is honey dripping off you? I wish I had a girlfriend too."
"Then get one."
"I can't, that's why I'm saying that."
"There's no man in this world who can't get a girlfriend. If anyone dresses well and grooms themselves, at least the first impression will be good enough to go on a date or two. You can't say you can't get one without even doing that."
"You're already married, Hyung! A married man shouldn't say such cheap things?!"
"Well, we're just very lovey-dovey. Oh, and I've set the vacation schedule. Next week Thursday, Friday, Saturday, does that work?"
"Next week?"
I went to the department store, bought various things at the camping section, and rented a Starex. Sion got it, so I'm not even sure if we bought it or what, but the vehicle issue was resolved.
"We're going to pack meat and stuff, so just bring your body and clothes. It's summer vacation, so we have to play by the water."
"Hmm... I mentioned it to my parents last time, but I don't think they can go. Because of Father's work, and Mother needs to take care of Father. I think only Ruri and I can go."
"Really? Then the headcount is... me, Sion, you, Ruri, Seo-ae-ssi, Seong-hye, roughly like that? There should be some seats left."
The rented Starex is a 9-seater, so there are 3 seats left. It shouldn't be bad since we'll have plenty of room.
Baek-ri agreed, and just then, Seo-ae-ssi arrived for work.
"Hello, good morning."
"Ah, Seo-ae-ssi. About the summer vacation I mentioned before, I've set it for next week Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Is that okay?"
"Next week? Ah... that should be fine. Seong-hye is on vacation too, so she'll be able to go."
"I'll take care of everything else, so just bring your clothes, and that should be it."
A sudden worry crossed my mind. If we go on this trip, Seong-hye will be the only one her age, at least. Will she be able to have fun?
Kids that age need to play with other kids their age to have fun. Sion looks like she's around Seong-hye's age, but her mental age... honestly, I can't say they're similar, but she is childlike.
Even on vacation, there's a difference between going alone and going with friends. Since everyone else is an adult (even if there's a high schooler), it'll be hard for a child to really have fun.
I'll have to talk to Sion about that.
"Seo-ae-ssi, thanks for your hard work today. See you tomorrow."
"Yes, thank you for your hard work, Boss."
"Baek-ri, see you tomorrow too."
"Thanks for your hard work, Hyung. I'll tell Ruri about the vacation."
I finished business for the day and returned home.
Then I talked about this vacation. Everything else is fine, but I'm a bit worried about Seong-hye.
"Then why don't we go on the trip with other kids?"
"That would be nice. If only there was a friend to go with next week. Besides, it's not a friend's trip, it's a trip with the boss of the shop where their friend works, so I don't know if anyone would come along."
People are cold-hearted these days. There's so much crime, so not many people would readily go on a trip with strangers.
In the end, it's a matter of trust. I'm a person who keeps promises strictly, but a stranger wouldn't know that.
"Then I have someone in mind."
"Who?"
"Do you remember the kids who were kidnapped during the kidnapping incident last time?"
"Su-jeong and Aram?"
"Yes."
The two elementary school students who were kidnapped first during the incident where Sion was kidnapped. They were rescued safely and nothing happened, but they had to go back and forth to the police station like Sion for various tests and statements.
They were witnesses to the incident, but Sion protected them, so we didn't ask them deeply. Sion organized it well and testified to most of the facts, and with Lawyer Kim's help, we made sure the kids didn't have to do anything beyond the minimum statement.
"Since then, we've had occasional exchanges with those children's homes. I heard both of their parents are busy and can't go on vacation, so if I say I'll take responsibility and take them, it should work."
"If it's those two, they're around the same age, so they'll play well together."
Perfect. It's not just one, but two, so it'll be good if they play together. And playing is always more fun the more kids there are.
"Then I'll contact them."
Sion decided to contact Su-jeong and Aram separately. Since the conversation was over, all that was left was preparation. It's better to buy things like meat as late as possible, so I'll leave that, and just packing tents, clothes, drinks, blankets... that's half the battle.
"It's easy to go on a trip. I didn't know buying a mountain would be this good."
"Since it's private property, it'll be good to play on."
It's summer now, and with summer vacation on top of that, it's obvious that most beaches and valleys will be packed with people.
But if it's private property, there's no need to worry about that. We just need to have fun in a spacious place.
"The house will be empty. It was like that when we went to Japan, too."
"It was empty to begin with. Isn't it because only the two of us live here?"
"Hmm... should we raise a pet?"
A thought suddenly occurred to me. I've raised pets before, so it was natural to think of it. Fortunately, both Sion and I like animals.
But I'm a dog person, and Sion is a cat person. Compared to me, who likes dogs that are affectionate and loyal, Sion likes cats that are aloof and cute.
Of course, I like cats too, and Sion likes dogs too, so in the end, it's just a difference in preference.
Anyway, we have a house, and when I'm not here, Sion is alone, so it would be lonely, so I thought it would be nice to have a pet.
"What are you going to raise? A dog? A cat?"
"I'm fine with either. Both have their advantages."
"I like cats."
"Deciding what to raise is good, but where to bring it from is also important."
The most common method is to go to a shelter and bring one. Depending on the house you live in, the species of animal you can raise varies, but since our house has a front yard, we can even raise a large dog.
Dog or cat... that is a strictly important issue. It was like a major issue, like choosing between mom or dad, or Jajangmyeon or Jjamppong.
"If I could be greedy, I'd like to raise a dog-like cat."
"Ah, then I'd like that too."
The reason I like dogs more than cats is because they are loyal and affectionate. Dogs are good at running up to you when called, panting and acting cute, but cats mostly ignore you even when called.
It's not that cats don't have affection, but it's true that they have less than dogs.
"Let's think about the pet issue slowly for now. If there's a connection, we might even meet a stray cat somewhere and bring it home."
Life is unpredictable. I've had animals I ended up raising unexpectedly, so who knows where we might meet a stray cat.
"I'm looking forward to this vacation. Aren't you?"
"Yes, I'm looking forward to it too."
Sion and I smiled happily thinking about the upcoming vacation.
A week went by quickly. The shop had a sign up saying we were going on vacation from a few days ago, so the customers would understand.
I woke up early in the morning and got ready for the trip. I left Sion to sleep a bit more and moved the meat and frozen foods from the refrigerator to the icebox.
There's nothing special about the frozen food. Sausages, dumplings, or store-bought kimchi, that's all. Honestly, most of it is meat, meat.
Beef, pork, chicken, and a significant amount of each part. If there's leftovers, there's leftovers, but I decided to pack enough so there wouldn't be a shortage.
I also packed butane gas, a burner, and a grill plate. Just in case, I also packed charcoal and a barbecue grill.
Honestly, all there is to do on a trip is play in the water and eat. Ah, let's also pack a big plastic bag for trash collection.
"Are you up already?"
"What, why did you get up instead of sleeping more?"
"I woke up in the middle. Shall I help you?"
"No, it's all ready anyway. If you can't sleep, it's better to wash up first."
"Understood."
We decided to pick everyone up at their respective homes rather than gathering. That way, it's just inconvenient for me, but it's comfortable for the people going together.
Sion washed up first, and I checked to see if I missed anything. Hmm... Aaaaaah! I almost forgot that!
"Ramyun! How could I forget ramyun when going to play in the water!"
I was thinking about expensive and delicious meat, so I didn't think about cheap and delicious things. Ramyun eaten after playing in the water is one of the best delicacies, right up there with banana milk drunk after a bath.
I thought about which ramyun to take, and chose the most common Shin Ramyun. I also added a small pack of six eggs to put in it.
Once that uneasy feeling went away, I was sure I had packed everything. Even without a list, relying on my gut is enough.
"I'm all washed up. Is the preparation finished?"
"Yeah, let's go pick up the kids now."
Sion was wearing a light dress. A pure white dress and even a straw hat... Kk?! I feel like I've seen this somewhere else!
Get out of my head, Kujirax!
Driving the Starex with Sion felt even more risqué. It's not a Hiace, but it's a van, so it's the same.
"Who are we picking up first?"
"First, we're going to Baek-ri's place. Then Seo-ae-ssi, and finally Su-jeong and Aram. The kids' parents will come to see them off, so it's better to see the faces of the people they're going with."
"That was a good choice."
I was driving a van instead of a sedan, but there was no problem driving it. In a civilization that was more advanced than Earth, I've even flown spaceships, so a car like this is ordinary.
Since it was dawn, there weren't many people, so I was able to arrive in front of Baek-ri's house quickly.
"Ah, Hyung, over here!"
"No, I told you to just bring your body and clothes, so why did you pack so much?"
"My mom packed it for us to eat on the way. She packed a lunch box for us to eat lightly, so we can eat it on the way."
"Yahoo! Thanks for letting us spend the vacation together today, Boss Oppa! I thought I'd be stuck studying for the CSAT, but this is a relief!"
"You two are energetic even though you woke up early in the morning. Anyway, get in. Sit anywhere."
"Hmm... then should I sit in the back seat? Are there more people to pick up?"
"Yeah, about four more."
"Then it would be easier for the next person to get in if we go inside."
Baek-ri and Ruri went into the very back seat. On the way in, Ruri met Sion and greeted her.
"Annyeonghaseyo!"
"It's been a while. Have you been well?"
"Sion Unnie is still small. Honestly, if you weren't older than me, I would have rubbed against you, petted you, and doted on you."
"I'm way past the age to be treated like that."
"As they say, everyone has different tastes when it comes to being sexy or pretty, but cuteness is an absolute truth!"
Just as Ruri and I hit it off, Sion, who has a similar personality to me, also hits it off with Ruri. So they giggled and greeted each other.
We moved again and went to pick up Seo-ae-ssi and Seong-hye.
"Ah, Boss!"
"Hello, Seo-ae-ssi. Hello, Seong-hye?"
"Hello! Ajusshi!"
My body is still in its 20s, so it's a bit much to be called Ajusshi, but once a man goes to the military, he's treated like an Ajusshi, so there was no basis to deny it. Besides, I look old... Kk, it's sad.
Seong-hye also went inside and greeted Ruri and Baek-ri, and Seo-ae-ssi sat in the middle seat.
Finally, Su-jeong and Aram, since they both live in a similar neighborhood, we decided to gather them together and take them, so we just had to go there.
There were two adults who seemed to be guardians at the meeting place. It was probably close to work time, so the fathers couldn't come because they had gone to work.
Sion got out of the car before me and greeted the two people she was already acquainted with.
"Hello?"
"Ah, Sion-ssi, hello? Is this gentleman your husband?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Hello, my name is Choi Ak. Are you Su-jeong and Aram's mothers?"
"Ah, yes..."
Because of my eyes, I usually ruin the first impression, so I tried to greet them brightly and introduce myself. Since I became a Transcendent, even if my appearance is normal, my eyes are always dead, so my impression is fierce, but this is because the essence of my soul is revealed, so it can't be helped. There are genetic factors, but the essence of the soul comes first.
"Hello, Ajusshi."
"Ah! That person from last time... Ugh! No, nothing!"
Su-jeong noticed it already and was calm, while Aram seemed to have just realized it and tried to say something, but soon covered her mouth and changed the subject.
Even if I wore the Raccoon Man mask, people who have met me before can roughly tell. To be precise, people who have met me as Raccoon Man and just me can tell that we are the same person.
That's why my friends don't realize that I'm not Raccoon Man. As if a 10-year friend would believe that a masked superhero holding tuna and causing a ruckus was their friend.
"We will take good care of the children. There's another child of similar age, so they'll play well together."
"But I'm worried if the children's safety will be okay."
"Yes, not much time has passed since that incident last time..."
The mothers of Su-jeong and Aram seemed very worried because of the kidnapping incident last time. If I revealed that I was Raccoon Man, it would be an easy problem to solve, but I couldn't do that.
I decided to sell out Baek-ri and Ruri, and pointed to the two people who were fooling around in the car.
"Do you see those two who look like siblings over there? One is an employee at our shop, and the other is his younger sister. Both are Force Users, so an incident like last time will absolutely not happen."
"Ah! Is that so? Then I'm relieved. Please take care of them."
"Our Aram is a child who needs a lot of help... please take care of her."
"Don't worry. Then see you on Saturday."
I said goodbye and put Su-jeong and Aram in the car. And since everyone who was supposed to ride was on board, we departed for our destination.
Since it was my first time going there, I asked Sion again before putting it into the navigation system.
"What did you say the mountain was called? Du, Du, what was the mountain called?"
"It's Duryusan."
"Ah, right."
I didn't buy a lot, just a couple of peaks around the valley, so it's not big. But given the size, it's not a level that can be bought for 100 or 200 million won.
I typed Duryusan into the navigation system and my fingers stopped for a moment. Trembling, I refused to think.
"Where did you say?"
"Ah, this is the right Duryusan."
"Gwaaaaaah!!! To get there, I have to pass by the unit I served in! Gwaaaaaah!!!"
"Ah! Hyung is showing military rejection symptoms! It's the rejection symptom that only soldiers who won't even pee in the direction of their base show! It's certain!"
"How do you know that, Oppa?"
"Because I was the same kind of soldier...! Ugh, that son of a bitch Company Commander!"
"Please refrain from swearing since there are kids here."
"Ah, I'm sorry."
Baek-ri also realized his mistake and went quiet when he realized Seong-hye, Su-jeong, and Aram were there.
"What's the big deal about 'son of a bitch'. Kids these days go around saying worse things anyway."
"Uh...? Uh?"
"Even elementary school students these days know everything they need to know."
Su-jeong said it flatly. Indeed, thanks to the information society, even elementary school students gain a lot of information, and the guarantee that there won't be swearing among them is like expecting a miracle.
"Anyway, let's go! We'll eat lunch at the rest stop today, and then we'll eat dinner there."
"Why are we eating at the rest stop?"
"Honestly, there are a lot of delicious things at the rest stop, but there are also a lot of things you haven't been able to eat, right? On this vacation, don't worry about money and buy whatever you want."
"Waaaaah!!!"
"Yes! I'll buy Delimanjoo, which I didn't eat much of because I got sick of it after a few, so it was a waste of money!"
"Ah, that's delicious. But like you said, if you eat a few, you get sick of it because of the sweetness..."
"Me! Me! Me! Butter squid! Mom didn't buy it for me because she said it's not good for my health!"
"I'll buy it all for you, so don't worry and just think about what you want to eat!"
I said, calming down the kids who were already excited by the atmosphere.
This is the real taste of a trip!