Seojin stirred awake and glanced up at Seolhyo beside him.
She had fallen asleep with her cheek resting on his head, a faint line of drool at the corner of her lips.
He couldn't help but chuckle and shifted his position.
Seolhyo woke the moment her pillow moved.
"…Are we there yet?" she asked, stretching her arms and legs..
Seolhyo noticed a trace of saliva and quickly wiped it, flustered.
"Not yet, I think," Seojin said, already rummaging through his bag.
He took out the snacks they had bought earlier and started eating.
She slipped the earbuds from her ears and tugged the other one from his as well.
Then she hugged his arm and leaned in.
"Feed me."
He raised a brow but held the snack to her mouth anyway.
Seolhyo bit into it with a satisfied hum, and for a few minutes they just ate like that while the train rocked gently.
"Why are you so clingy today?" Seojin asked, not used to her being this clingy.
"Got a problem with that?" she shot back, glaring up at him.
Her expression softened into a smile. "Seojin, I want to ask you something."
"What is it?"
"Will you answer me if I ask?"
"You have to give me something first," he said and before she could argue, he leaned down and kissed her lips.
"So, what did you want to ask?"
Seolhyo clapped both hands over her mouth and glared at him.
She glanced around at the other passengers, then relaxed when she saw no one was looking.
A laugh escaped her instead.
"Park Dong likes Irina, right? HEHE. I already figured it out, but I wanted to confirm it just to be sure."
Sorry, my boy but she's already paid, and I abide by my principles.
A man shouldn't take back his words.
Seojin chuckled. "Yeah. He definitely likes her."
"HAHAHA! I knew it! Kyaaa gross!" she said far too loudly.
"Are you going to tell Irina?"
"Nope. Let it be. Still, Park Dong's way better than her last grasshopper. Let's just ship them."
"Hahaha. I'd like to see him blushing and panicking."
Seolhyo's grin turned wicked. "I hated it when he pushed Yang Jinsu toward me back then. Now it's payback time."
Seolhyo suddenly frowned after hearing his name.
It had been so long he thought and mutter that guy name.
She looked at Seojin. "Anyway why did Yang Jinsu and Suwon fight? Weren't they close?"
"Beats me," Seojin said. "I was asleep at the time."
Seolhyo tilted her head. "He must've been acting tough like always. Ji Suwon was too nice for that."
"Enough about them," Seojin cut in, wrapping his arms around her. "You're making me jealous thinking of another man when Im here with you."
He pulled her into a hug and turned toward the window, eyes drifting to the passing scenery.
Seolhyo flushed, but she didn't push him away.
She only patted his head, then rested her head at her seat, watching the view outside with him.
-
The train soon arrived at our destination, and we all stepped down onto the platform.
Outside the station the heat hit at once.
Irina looked around, stretching her arms overhead. "Huh… this isn't as rural as I imagined."
Inseop, walking ahead while wiping sweat from his brow. "Take a few steps outside the terminal and it's pure countryside. Seriously, the weather's brutal today."
Park Dong adjusted his hat, squinting at the blazing sky. "Should we take a bus?"
Ono shook his head. "It's a short walk."
Irina raised a hand to the air and suddenly shouted, "To the stream! It's so hot I'm dying!"
Seolhyo frowned. "It's way too hot. Can't we really take the bus?"
But the others were already trailing after Ono toward the road.
After walking for twenty minutes the platform buildings had long disappeared behind us, replaced by open road and rice fields shimmering under the sun.
Park Dong finally snapped, sweat dripping from his chin. "When are we getting there? You said it was short!"
Ono, sweating just as much, answered bluntly, "Thirty more minutes."
"Ugh, we should've taken the stupid bus,"
Seolhyo stopped beside me. Her hair clung to her flushed face, eyes narrowed with exhaustion. "Guys, can we rest? I don't think I can walk in this heat."
"No way,"
"If we sit down now I might get heatstroke."
"There isn't even a patch of shade."
"Better to keep moving."
Seolhyo looked like she could faint any second.
I adjusted the guitar case on my shoulder and pulled my backpack forward.
Without thinking much, I took Seolhyo's bag from her hands.
"Hey that's heavy," she said.
I carried it anyway, crouching in front of her. "Hop on."
She blinked. "Isn't this too much? just carry my bag you don't have to carry me too"
"I'm fine," I said. "You're about to melt out here. Just get on."
She hesitated, then climbed onto my back, arms wrapping around my neck, her warm weight pressing against me.
Ono stared at us and muttered as he analyze him.
That's a great exercise for lower body. Plus all the weight pushes the body to its limit.
Suwon looked worried. "Will he be okay carrying three bags?"
Park Dong scoffed. "Let him be, That guy gonna be panting like a dog soon."
The others laughed and tossed more teasing comments while continuing down the road.
-
By the time we reached Ono's house, everyone was drenched in sweat and breathing hard.
Park Dong, panting like a dog, groaned, "F-finally… we're here. What kind of hellish struggle is this..?!"
He shot an angry look at Ono, who seemed mostly fine aside from the sweat on his face.
"Damn it, Ono you… we could've just taken the bus! I don't even have the energy left to play in the valley, for fuck's sake!"
Ono stared at him, clearly aware the suffering was his fault, then offered a flimsy excuse.
"Just think of it as a workout."
"I've seriously never seen such a lunatic!!"
Ono's gaze shifted to Seojin. He was sweating too, but still standing steady.
He's strong…
Park Dong looked at Seojin as well. "Why aren't you tired, you bastard? You're the one carrying a whole person and three bags!"
I just shrugged, not bothering to answer, and walked through the courtyard.
Park Dong turned his glare to Seolhyo.
She noticed and only smirked, stuck out her tongue, and laughed.
That pissed him off even more.
The rest of us gathered in the yard, watching Ono knock on the door.
"Father, I have arrived."
Everyone had the exact same thought.
Such formal speech…
Park Dong curiously stare at the house anticipating what kind of person was going to come out. What kind of father does this lunatic have…? For the first time, I'm actually curious about my friend's dad.
I'm getting nervous for no reason.
A moment later, the door opened revealing a man who looked exactly like Ono, only older, his expression calm and stern.
Park Dong frozen in shock.
That's Ono!?
Irina's jaw dropped.
Isn't that ono!?
The group greeted him as Ono's dad stepped down the short flight of stairs.
"Ah… hello,"
His gaze sweeping over us, looking at each face carefully. "Yeah, that's quite a crowd you brought. Must've been a tough trip. You all had it rough, huh?"
Inseop and Hyewon bowed politely.
"Hello, Ahjussi. Have you been well?" Inseop asked.
Ono's dad patted his shoulder. "Hmm… you're Hanseop, right?"
"It's Inseop…" he mutter trying to correct him.
What kind of name is Hanseop…
Hyewon, standing just behind him, clapped a hand over her mouth to hold back a laugh then failed and let out a quiet snort at his back.
Once inside, Ono's father led us through the house with brisk steps. "This room will be for the boys. Figure it out and make your own beds. That one over there is for the girls."
We nodded obediently, filing into our rooms.
But then, as if remembering something, he stopped and turned back to us, his tone suddenly sharper. "Whether you sleep together or not, it's up to you. I trust you won't do anything strange, but if I catch you doing something.."
Before he could even finish, they all chorused loudly,
"Don't worry, Ahjussi!!"
Satisfied, he gave a single nod and walked away.
They hurried to dump our bags in the rooms before gathering again around the dining table.
The smell hit us first greasy, savory, and mouthwatering.