Chapter 36 : Travel (2)

Some foods tasted better in certain settings. Like instant ramen eaten by a stream, while still wearing damp clothes. The ingredients were the same, but the setting somehow enhanced the flavor, adding a touch of magic to the spicy broth.

I wrung out my wet clothes and walked over to Yang Jaehoon, who was busy cooking ramen.

“Need any help?”
“Almost done. I made ten packets. Think that’s enough?”
“It might not be. Judging by the writer’s size, he could probably eat three by himself.”

Jaehoon had always been quiet, almost invisible in the drama club. But on this trip, he was a star, a culinary hero. A cook on a camping trip was like a beacon in the dark. He smiled.

“You have a point. I’ll call you when it’s ready. Go have fun.”
“I am having fun. Hand over the ladle.”

I took the ladle and started filling paper cups with ramen.

“Ooh, ramen!”

Junseok, who had emerged from the stream, grabbed a cup and slurped down the noodles, giving a thumbs-up.

“This is amazing. Do they teach you how to make ramen in culinary school?”
“I just made it normally. You’re exaggerating.”
“No, seriously, this is better than my mom’s.”

This kid had no manners, praising ramen over his own mother’s cooking.

“Hey, you shouldn’t be eating that yet. We need to serve the writer and Yuri Noona first.”
“It’s better to eat it while it’s hot.”

Junseok grabbed two cups and walked away, yelling,

“Saeron-hyung! Yuri-noona! Ramen delivery!” (TL Note: Hyung is a term of respect for older brother, used by males)

I resumed filling the cups. Someone held out an empty cup. I looked up to see Gu Yuri.

“Daughter-in-law, refill, please.”
“You like it?”
“Of course, I do. Jaehoon, you’re such a good cook. Want to marry your Noona?”

Jaehoon’s ears turned red at Yuri’s teasing. I smirked.

“Stop teasing him. Still haven’t found a boyfriend?”
“Hey, I have standards. And I’m single by choice.”
“That’s what they all say.”

Yuri finished her ramen and held out her cup for a refill. She suddenly seemed to remember something.

“By the way, those two… Junseok and Chaerin? Are they… not getting along?”
“Why?”
“They’re not exactly fighting, but… they’re avoiding each other. It’s… awkward.”
“They’re still doing that?”

I frowned. I had hoped they would have resolved their issues by now. It had been two months.

This wasn’t good. We needed to resolve this if we wanted to continue working together in the drama club.

“They’re acting like children.”

Yuri tilted her head.

“Well, they are children.”
“I guess… you’re right.”

Thinking of them as children made their behavior slightly more understandable. Yuri chuckled.

“So, how’s that technique I taught you working out?”
“It’s… helpful.”

I nodded. Her advice had been invaluable. If she hadn’t taught me how to control the pace of a scene, I wouldn’t have been able to handle Hyelin’s fall.

“Good. When you get interviewed, mention you learned it from the famous actress, Gu Yuri.”
“If you want people to know who you are, maybe drop the ‘famous’ part.”

Yuri frowned at my teasing. She seemed to have gotten used to my sarcasm. She sighed and changed the subject.

“How did Dojun do?”
“He completely went off-script. Didn’t you hear?”
“You have to tell me these things. What did he do?”

I recounted Dojun’s… unconventional performance at the Theater Festival. Yuri’s initial amusement turned to shock, then to a resigned chuckle.

“He’s crazy. And you… you just went along with it?”
“I’m more forgiving than I thought.”

Yuri, still reeling from Dojun’s antics, covered her eyes and shook her head. Then, a thought seemed to occur to her, and she looked at me intently.

“Daughter-in-law… you… you really should consider becoming my daughter-in-law.”
“What?”
“You’re the only one who can handle Dojun. Just… sacrifice yourself for the greater good and save my little brother.”
“Should I just kill him? It would be self-defense.”
“…I ship you two.”

Yuri wisely shut up at my cold response. I heard screams and turned to see Saeron throwing the boys into the stream.

“They’re having fun.”
“Saeron’s still a kid at heart. Are you really working on a project with him?”
“I am. Wait… he’s younger than you?”
“He might look old, but he’s only in his mid-twenties.”

The wonders of nature. My jaw dropped. I couldn’t believe it.

After showering and changing into dry clothes, we all collapsed, exhausted. We woke up at 6 p.m.

Saeron, who had gone to speak with the owner of the pension house, woke us up.

“Time to start dinner. The owner started the grill.”

I poked Hyelin’s cheek. She had fallen asleep with her head on my lap. Her cheek was so soft and squishy that I almost didn’t want to wake her up.

“Hmm… what…?”
“Hyelin, time for dinner.”

Jaehoon was in charge of making kimchi stew, the girls were setting the table, and the boys were making rice. I grabbed the tongs and scissors and started grilling the meat. The sizzling sound was satisfying.

Saeron, grilling meat across from me, said,

“You seem like a pro. Ever worked at a Korean barbecue restaurant?”
“I’m a pretty good cook, actually.”
“Let someone else take over after a while.”
“I’ll eat while I grill.”
“It’s still a lot of work.”
“I’m used to it.”

Saeron chuckled.

“You’re weirdly disrespectful, but your manners are impeccable.”
“Is that a compliment?”
“It is.”
“I know.”

I smiled. Saeron scratched his chin.

“You seem like you’ve…lived a bit.”
“How did you know? Unlike you, a writer who spends all day cooped up inside, I have a decade of work experience under my belt.”
“Right…”
“It’s true.”

We continued chatting as we grilled. He noticed something and frowned.

“Why do you keep checking your phone? Hiding a secret boyfriend?”
“No, it’s just…my dad isn’t answering.”
“Does he want you to contact him?”
“No, the opposite. I told him to check in whenever he went out drinking, but he hasn’t. He’s probably taking advantage of me being away.”

Saeron’s face paled. He scratched his chin.

“Maybe he’s not drinking.”
“I doubt it. I asked my mom to let me know if she thought he was drinking, and she hasn’t responded. So…”

A spouse’s intuition was more accurate than any detective. And my mother’s silence only confirmed my suspicions.

Saeron shuddered.

“That’s scary. I’m never having kids, especially daughters.”
“Who said they’d let you have any?”

I smirked, checking my phone again, tapping my foot impatiently, my anxiety growing with each unanswered message. My father’s disregard for my simple request infuriated me.

Saeron glanced at my grill.

“Hey, your meat’s burning.”

After dinner and cleanup, darkness had completely enveloped the sky. We started discussing our plans for the night. Trips were always like that; elaborate plans beforehand, then aimless wandering once you arrived.

Gu Yuri, fresh from her shower and dressed in her pajamas, walked over.

“Where’s Saeron?”
“He took the car keys and left a while ago. Maybe he went to buy ice cream?”
“Really? I should call him and ask him to get me some.”

Just then, Saeron returned, carrying two black plastic bags, a wide grin on his face. The clinking of bottles echoed with each step he took.

“I thought kids these days only drank… dew?”
“D… Dew?”

Hyelin, curious, walked over to him. Her hand froze as she peeked into the bag, revealing green glass bottles.

“Wh… What is that?”
“Soju.”

Hyelin’s face fell at his answer. Gu Yuri’s eyes narrowed.

“Park Saeron.”
“Yes, Noona?”
“You’re the best! Let’s get this party started!”

I covered my forehead with my hand. Bringing these two as chaperones might have been a mistake.