Chapter 12

Chapter 12: The Class Trip with My Childhood Friend

—

Two weeks had passed since the group project day.

Yerin and I were now on the KTX, heading toward the East Sea.

‘A class trip, huh…’

I’d gone once during my first year, but the only thing I remembered was drinking—a lot of drinking.

The upperclassmen had pressured us to drink, and I ended up taking care of a completely wasted Chae-yeon. To me, a trip like that felt less like a vacation and more like labor.

‘But maybe this time will be different?’

Since it was just classmates, there’d be no upperclassmen to push drinks, and So-hee would undoubtedly take care of Chae-yeon.

‘So that just leaves…’

I glanced at Yerin, who was sitting beside me.

She’d already finished her third packed lunch and was now reaching for a convenience store kimbap. Just as she was about to take a bite, she looked my way.

“Want some?”

“No thanks. You go ahead.”

As I waved her off, Yerin tilted her head in confusion before resuming her meal.

‘Looks like she’s the only one I’ll need to keep an eye on this time.’

Yerin was the type who was terrible with alcohol but liked to act tough. Just a few drinks and she’d get drunk quickly, making her one of the high-risk people for this trip.

“…Why do you keep staring? You do want some, don’t you?”

Yerin rummaged through her bag and held out a triangular kimbap with spicy bibimbap flavor.

“I told you, I don’t.”

I pushed the kimbap away and reached out to remove a grain of rice stuck to the corner of her mouth. Then I got straight to the point.

“During this trip, try not to drink too much.”

“Huh? And why shouldn’t I?”

“Why do you think…?”

Just as I was about to tell her it was because I didn’t know what she’d do when drunk, she smirked mischievously and spoke.

“Oh, I get it. You’re worried I might get in trouble with some guys if I get drunk, huh?”

“What?”

How on earth did she come up with that? While I stood there speechless, Yerin reached over and patted my head.

“I get it, Si-hyun. You’re probably feeling protective, considering you have such a pretty friend by your side…”

I grabbed her lips and shook them, stopping her in her tracks.

“There you go again, talking nonsense. Just finish what you’re eating, okay?”

Once I let go, she snorted and gave me an exaggerated huff.

“You may treat me like I’m nothing special, but to other guys, I’m like a flower on a cliff, you know?”

“A flower on a cliff? Please.”

I gently tugged a lock of hair on the top of her head.

“If I barely pull, you’ll fall off in no time.”

Boing. Boing.

‘This is actually kind of fun.’

I kept playing with her hair until I realized she wasn’t reacting at all.

Maybe I’d gone too far this time. Just as I was about to peek at her face hidden under her bangs—

Swoosh.

Yerin suddenly leaned her head against my chest, her voice trembling as she spoke.

“If… If you think you can pick me, then go ahead and try…”

—

Once they got off at the station, Si-hyun and Yerin joined up with the other classmates who had arrived earlier. Among them were Chae-yeon and So-hee, and Yerin’s gaze narrowed when she saw them.

Squeezing his hand tightly, Yerin clung to Si-hyun with a determined look, as if she were afraid to let go.

Chae-yeon, noticing this, shot Yerin an icy glare, which only made Yerin cling to Si-hyun even more.

“Looks like everyone’s here, so let’s head out,” one of the group members announced.

The destination was sent to each person’s phone, and they began grouping up to take taxis with people they were close to.

“Shall we go?” Si-hyun suggested, and Yerin nodded.

The two got into a taxi with a female classmate they were friendly with, and they headed to the large supermarket where they’d be shopping.

On the way, the classmate in the front seat turned around and asked them a question.

“Are you two… dating?”

Blink. Blink.

The unexpected question made both of them blink in surprise.

A moment of silence passed.

Yerin had been about to wave it off, but then she lowered her hand, as if intrigued.

“Why do you ask?”

“Well, lately you two have been spending a lot of time together. There’s been some talk among the others that you might be secretly dating.”

Yerin nodded with a satisfied smile, then glanced at Si-hyun.

“Si-hyun, what do you think?”

“Well… Yerin and I are just long-time friends. It’s not like that.”

Yerin’s face fell into a slight frown, while their classmate continued with a dismissive wave.

“Oh, come on. There’s no such thing as ‘just friends’ between a guy and a girl. Everyone says they’re just friends, but deep down, it’s always something else.”

Yerin eagerly nodded at the classmate’s reasoning, then looked up at Si-hyun with a hopeful gaze.

“Is that… true?”

Si-hyun turned to examine her face, as if verifying her intentions. Seeing her cheeks begin to flush, he spoke slowly.

“Well, you’re not entirely wrong, but there are exceptions. To me, Yerin is more like family than anything else.”

Thunk.

The words felt like a hammer to Yerin’s heart, and her face drained of color as she looked away.

But as she reached for the hidden “secret weapon” stashed deep in her shopping bag, she made up her mind.

During this trip, she would make Si-hyun see her differently.

—

After finishing their shopping, the group walked for about 15 minutes until they reached the rented pension.

The pension had three spacious rooms, enough to accommodate those who planned to stay up all night drinking as well as those who preferred sleep.

Once everyone had unpacked, they started preparing to head down to the beach. Having finished getting ready first, Si-hyun left the pension and walked down the stone steps.

Tap. Tap.

These steps led directly to the beach, a private spot the pension owner had proudly described as a hidden gem.

‘It’s so hot…’

Si-hyun, dressed only in navy trunks, trudged down the steps, feeling the slightly sticky sensation of sunscreen on his skin.

Once he reached the end of the stone pathway, he saw an empty stretch of sand and set up a parasol he’d brought from the pension.

Sitting under the parasol, he watched the gentle waves roll in.

‘Perfect day to relax.’

As Si-hyun lost himself in the view, he heard loud voices approaching from behind.

It seemed like the other classmates were finally arriving, but Si-hyun kept his gaze fixed forward. Suddenly, someone sat down beside him.

“Yerin…”

Turning his head, he froze as soon as he saw who it was.

He’d assumed it was Yerin sitting beside him, but he quickly realized he was mistaken.

“Tch. You think I’m Yerin?”

The person sitting next to him was none other than Chae-yeon.

Annoyed that he’d mistaken her for someone else, Chae-yeon gave him a deadpan look and spoke in an indifferent tone.

“This was the only shaded spot, so I sat here. Don’t get any ideas.”

Si-hyun considered making a snarky comment back but decided to ignore her instead.

Who knew how much time passed like that?

When he stole a glance in Chae-yeon’s direction, he suddenly stiffened.

‘That swimsuit… That’s the one she wore in Japan.’

Back then, Si-hyun had begged her to go to the hot springs with him just to see her in that bikini.

Chae-yeon had always acted annoyed but ended up going with him every time, creating some of his fondest memories.

‘Of all things, why did she have to wear that…’

Caught between nostalgia and lingering feelings, Si-hyun buried his face in his knees as he felt his face heat up.

Meanwhile, Chae-yeon, watching his reaction from the corner of her eye, allowed a small smile to play on her lips.

Taking advantage of the moment, she pulled something from her pouch.

Pop.

The sound of a lid being opened piqued Si-hyun’s curiosity, and he glanced in her direction.

‘Sunscreen…?’

He didn’t understand why she hadn’t applied it back at the pension, but what she did next definitely caught his attention.

Sssst—

Chae-yeon started spreading the white lotion over her skin, beginning with her neck, then moving down to her collarbone, her slender waist, and finally her soft-looking thighs.

Applying it slowly and deliberately as if she were putting on a show, she suddenly turned and locked eyes with him.

“Why do you keep staring?”

“…I just happened to glance over.”

Awkwardly, Si-hyun turned his head away. Though the flutter he felt was a mere remnant of past feelings, it was enough to unsettle him.

‘Annoyingly beautiful, as always.’

As Si-hyun grumbled inwardly, Chae-yeon stared at his profile, her gaze dropping down.

After studying the sunscreen in her hand for a moment, she spoke up.

“Give me your hand for a second.”

“Huh? Why?”

Without waiting, Chae-yeon took

his hand and squeezed some sunscreen onto his palm.

Then, she turned her back to him, sweeping her hair over her shoulder to reveal the pale skin of her neck.

“I can’t reach back there, so could you put some on my back?”

With that, she untied the string of her bikini top, letting it fall loosely against her as she held it in place with one hand.

“W-what…”

The unexpected request left Si-hyun frozen, his throat dry and his eyes wide.

“…Come on.”

Chae-yon took his wrist and guided his hand to her back.

Unlike her usual passive self, she was taking a more active approach this time. She was boldly—and clearly—trying to seduce him.