Chapter 14: The Unplanned Trip to Tongyeong

‘Senior? Is that Yoonwoo Senior?’

Yoonwoo chuckled softly, seeing Yeon-chae try to confirm his identity again, as if pestering him. ‘Yes, it’s me.’ After his quiet reply, silence settled between them.

Only the faint hum of machinery mingled with the soft sounds of their breathing. Yoonwoo couldn’t recall who spoke first after that, or what conversation unfolded.

Yeon-chae’s voice, carried through the phone, was slightly lower and richer than usual. Perhaps it only seemed so because it had been a while since he’d heard it. Listening to the gentle, ASMR-like murmur, Yoonwoo found himself nodding off.

‘…So, I’m thinking of taking a trip within the country. Since it’s vacation.’

‘Mmm-hmm.’

‘Can I come to you, Senior? Tongyeong is a famous tourist spot, too. They say there’s lots of delicious food because it’s by the sea. I heard some eel dish is famous there.’

Was eel famous in Tongyeong? Yoonwoo had always lived in Seoul, only staying in Tongyeong occasionally during breaks, so he didn’t know much about it. Pondering taking his weary siblings for a nourishing meal tomorrow, Yoonwoo stifled a yawn, hidden from Yeon-chae.

‘Huh? Can I?’

Yeon-chae pressed, his voice coaxing. Yoonwoo, not even attempting to pry open his hazy eyes, simply answered.

‘Yes, sure…’

‘Really? I can really come?’

His voice suddenly rose two tones, growing louder. Yoonwoo’s drowsiness receded slightly.

‘Huh?’

‘What about it?’ he thought.

‘I’ll leave tomorrow morning. I think I’ll arrive in the afternoon. You don’t have to pick me up at the bus terminal. Really.’

‘Oh…’

Yoonwoo blinked, the phone still pressed to his ear.

“You told me to come visit.”

Yeon-chae declared, standing stubbornly in front of the entrance, as if staging a protest.

It was true.

Last night, during their call before bed, Yoonwoo must have said something to that effect. Probably…

Setting aside the immediate problem of where Yeon-chae would sleep, Yoonwoo resolved to take him sightseeing. Since Yeon-chae was on a summer vacation trip, Yoonwoo felt an obligation to ensure he had an enjoyable journey, befitting his purpose.

“…We could rest a bit before going out. Or we could just stay home today and sightsee tomorrow…”

Yeon-chae mumbled, trailing off, but Yoonwoo’s thoughts were different.

“Tomorrow, you’ll be too worried about the bus schedule to relax. It’s better to explore a lot today and then take it easy tomorrow before catching your bus at the right time.”

“What? I’m leaving tomorrow? That fast?”

Yeon-chae’s thoughts also diverged.

As their differing opinions, born of conflicting dreams, failed to narrow, Yoonwoo’s brows furrowed further. Yeon-chae’s soft, mochi-like cheeks puffed out in a pout.

Yoonwoo, arms crossed, spoke first.

“There’s not much to see in Tongyeong. Two days are plenty.”

Yeon-chae retorted indignantly.

“It’s already afternoon today. If I have to leave tomorrow, I’ll only have the morning to sightsee…”

“That’s enough. It’s small here; you can see everything.”

“No, I want to go to Somaemuldo too.”

“What? Where’s that?”

“You live in Tongyeong and you don’t know Somaemuldo?”

“I don’t live in Tongyeong. My brother and I have always lived in Seoul; our parents just moved down here. So I don’t really know it either.”

“Then it’s perfect! We can go this time.”

Yeon-chae clapped his hands, his face beaming with joy. In an instant, his expression brightened, his excitement palpable. Yoonwoo felt himself being drawn in again, a sense of vexation creeping over him.

“I thought Senior knew the area well. Well, then we can explore together, like we’re on a trip, right? There are so many good places here. Lots of delicious restaurants, too… Did you have lunch? Let’s go eat grilled eel. They say it’s incredibly delicious, just grilled over charcoal with a sprinkle of salt.”

“Charcoal-grilled salted eel?”

Yoonwoo, who had been resistant, found his interest piqued. He wasn’t one to meticulously plan meals, but he loved good food more than anyone. He only skipped school lunches because they were unappetizing. The thought of eel had already crossed his mind last night during his call with Yeon-chae, considering taking his exam-studying siblings, so it sounded even more tempting now.

Yoonwoo cast a glance at the wall clock. It was two in the afternoon. His siblings wouldn’t be back from the library for a while, but…

His stomach, having only been filled with a quick toast and a banana for a late breakfast/early lunch, suddenly felt hollow. He decided it might be a good idea to go and try it out first, as a reconnaissance mission, before bringing his siblings later.

“…Where is it? Is it far?”

“It’s not far. It’s right here. Doesn’t it look delicious?”

Yeon-chae quickly thrust his phone forward, displaying a blog photo of a charcoal-grilled salted eel restaurant. Yoonwoo subtly glanced at the picture from the corner of his eye, but the sight alone made his mouth water.

Since he only came down for short visits during vacations, Yoonwoo was unfamiliar with Tongyeong’s geography. He couldn’t gauge if it was easily accessible by public transport. ‘What were the bus routes from the stop in front of the house?’ he wondered.

“Shall we go now? We can go quickly and then rest.”

“Mmm, should we…”

And so, Yeon-chae took his wrist, pulling him out of the house. The hot summer sun pricked his cheeks.

The eel restaurant Yeon-chae led him to overlooked the sea through a panoramic glass window. It was a weekday, and the odd afternoon hour meant Yoonwoo and Yeon-chae were the only customers. As their table was set, Yoonwoo craned his neck, gazing out the window in admiration.

Though he spent every vacation at his parents’ house, Yoonwoo had never truly seen the sea in Tongyeong, always busy looking after his siblings who were deep in their studies.

“This place is truly beautiful. I meant to bring my siblings here, but I’ll have to come with Mom and Dad when they return.”

“Right? And the food is incredibly clean and delicious.”

Yeon-chae, who was visiting Tongyeong for the very first time, boasted as if the restaurant were his own. Yoonwoo found himself a little dumbfounded, then couldn’t help but smile at Yeon-chae’s adorable, bragging cheeks.

Ultimately, the charcoal-grilled salted eel was so delicious it brought tears to his eyes. True to its name, it was a simple dish of eel placed on charcoal and seasoned with salt. Swallowing a bite with a few thinly shredded pieces of ginger, a savory, rich, and subtly oily flavor spread throughout his mouth. There were several dipping sauces, but there was no need for them. Yoonwoo thoroughly enjoyed the pure taste of the eel, simply seasoned with salt.

“It’s so delicious… Was eel always this good?”

“Is it delicious? Really?”

“Yeah. It’s incredible. I feel like I could live on this forever.”

His belly full and round, the world seemed beautiful. Even Yeon-chae, who had shown up unannounced, insisted Yoonwoo had invited him, and then declared he was staying overnight, seemed somewhat endearing. Yoonwoo reached out and gently tapped Yeon-chae’s cheek in praise. Yeon-chae, his face like an excited kitten, rubbed his cheek against Yoonwoo’s palm. Then, he spoke in a pampered tone.

“So… let me stay over.”

“Oh, okay!”

“Tomorrow, let’s take a boat to Somaemuldo.”

“Yeah, let’s do that. Ah, but it’ll be quite late by the time we get back…”

“They also have seasoned grilled eel here. Are you really full? Do you want to try just a taste as a palate cleanser?”

“Oh, really? Then maybe just a little?”

” Three more servings of seasoned eel, please! Senior, if it gets too late, the last bus to Seoul will be gone.”

“Just stay over then. We’ll go up the day after tomorrow.”

“Then, shall we?”

“Let’s!”

The owner expertly replaced the grill over the charcoal. The red-seasoned eels sizzled to a golden crisp on the hot plate. Despite having been breathing heavily from fullness moments before, Yoonwoo’s mouth watered.

“Will three servings be enough?”

Yoonwoo asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

” two more servings, please.”

Yeon-chae said, his eyes crinkling prettily. On Yeon-chae’s round, clear cheeks, fragments of sunlight pouring in from the window shimmered brilliantly.

Yeon-chae ordered five more servings of eel to go, saying they were for Yoonwoo’s siblings. What’s more, Yeon-chae paid for the entire meal. He had excused himself to the restroom during their meal and settled the bill then.

Yoonwoo, who had pulled out his card, looked at Yeon-chae with a bewildered expression when the owner told him it was already paid. Yeon-chae, engrossed in his phone screen, was oblivious, chattering away to himself.

“For dinner, let’s go here. They say it’s a seaside restaurant.”

“This is a seaside restaurant too…”

“This is an eel place. That’s a raw fish place.”

“What is it with you? Did you come just to eat?”

“I came to feed you.”

“Huh?”

“Shall we go here now? This cafe has a great view, and their shaved ice is delicious. The strawberry tart is famous, too. Senior, you like things like that, don’t you? Sweets.”

“…Shaved ice?”

“And the strawberry tart, too.”

“Shall we?”

Though his stomach felt ready to burst, Yoonwoo once again succumbed to Yeon-chae’s temptations. After stopping at the cafe for dessert, he was far too full for any sightseeing, feeling as though he could collapse into sleep at any moment.

That afternoon ultimately unfolded in such a manner. Yeon-chae, supposedly on a trip, showed more interest in food than in touring, allowing Yoonwoo to discover all sorts of Tongyeong eateries he hadn’t even known existed.

They returned home late that night. Despite having done nothing but eat, fatigue washed over them. After showering, Yoonwoo paused, contemplating the neatly folded pile of bedding. Yeon-chae, whom he had directed to the other bathroom, had not yet emerged from his shower.

‘So where do I sleep?’

Yeon-chae’s wide-eyed face, asking that question, replayed in Yoonwoo’s mind. Indeed. Where should he put him?

If they were to separate based on secondary gender, his alpha twin siblings and Yeon-chae could share the large room, while Yoonwoo, a beta, could sleep separately in the smaller room. However, his siblings and Yeon-chae were strangers, and since Yoonwoo was not an omega but a beta, there was no strict reason to separate their sleeping arrangements.

Yet, the awkward feeling from their summer MT still lingered, making the idea of Yoonwoo and Yeon-chae sharing a room uncomfortable.