Chapter 174
Because we moved our bodies too much yesterday, we all woke up screaming in the morning.
"Just five minutes... Just five minutes."
"Wow, my legs hurt more than when I practiced dancing."
"My arm hurts...."
"...."
While everyone was waking up noisily, Chae Eun-gyu stood firm, guarding his blanket, giving off the air of a hibernating bear.
I was wondering how to wake up Chae Eun-gyu in this state.
"Wait a minute. I have a good idea."
"I feel uneasy when Siyoon hyung says that."
"Leave it alone, and I'll handle the aftermath on my own."
Heo Yoo-bin, Chae Eun-gyu's roommate, looked at Kang Si-yoon with an anxious gaze.
As if he didn't care about his younger brother's worries, Kang Si-yoon showed off his healthy teeth and laughed.
"Look carefully, Yubin. When waking someone up, you have to wake them up like this."
"I wish you wouldn't imitate my tone of speech, Siyoon."
"I told you several times, it's going to be hard, Karis!"
"Ugh...."
Kang Si-yoon, who had become quite good at following my speech, grabbed Chae Eun-gyu's blanket with a meaningful expression.
And with a loud noise, he lifted the entire blanket up.
"Good morning, Eun-gyu hyung!"
"Huh, huh-?"
Chae Eun-gyu woke up, taking a sharp breath as a cold wind blew in out of nowhere.
It was good that they woke Chae Eun-gyu up with shock therapy.
However, there was one fatal problem: Chae Eun-gyu took off the bottom of his favorite pajamas because he felt hot while sleeping.
The moment I realized the situation unfolding before my eyes, Song Hyung-bin reacted one step before me.
"Blanket! Cover yourself with a blanket!"
"Ah. Aaaah! Cover it! Quickly!"
"You should have let it go, Kang Si-yoon!"
"Sorry!"
We deployed a bodyguard to prevent Chae Eun-gyu from being caught on the makeshift camera installed in a corner of the room.
Chae Eun-gyu, who was still half asleep, looked at the members with drowsy eyes, wondering what on earth was going on.
"Ah, ahahaha! Good morning, everyone! It seems like everyone has been busy doing something since morning, so let's close our eyes for a moment and listen to the sounds of nature...."
Yoo Minha, who was closest to the camera, barely managed to cover the camera lens with his face by raising his ankle.
Seriously, I wonder what kind of chaos this is from this morning.
"Guys...? What's going on?"
"Hyung, if you're up, put your pants on first! Quickly!"
"I'll wash up later and then put my...."
"No, hurry up!"
After making such a fuss since morning, we went down to eat breakfast, looking even more haggard.
But the confusion was short-lived as everyone regained their energy after eating the hot kimchi stew.
"It's so delicious when it was boiled with pork."
"As expected, Koreans have to eat this kind of thing to survive."
Kang Si-yoon, who was happily eating kimchi stew with rice, pointed at me while chewing.
"Do non-Koreans also enjoy the food here?"
"That guy is an honorary Korean."
"Oh, that's right."
"Can't we talk after we finish eating, Siyoon?"
"Hyungbin said that you are an honorary Korean, so why are you making me shut up?"
"Look at what you've done since this morning."
"No, honestly, it's Eun-gyu's fault for taking off his pants and sleeping―"
After a hearty breakfast, the real schedule for the second day began.
"We have to go back tomorrow already, guys. Doesn't time go by so fast?"
"I think it's only fast for the teacher!"
"Are you thinking to yourself right now that you want to go home quickly?"
"No, no. How could I possibly think that?"
As soon as we got on the bus, Manager Hyung was carpet-bombed by the members.
On the one hand, it was a bit sad, but as I said several times, he volunteered for this position, so he can't blame anyone.
"Anyway, today's schedule is less time-consuming than yesterday. We're going to stop by Cheonjiyeon Falls, then go to the Trick Art Museum, then have lunch, take a picture of Sangumburi, and then go to Maze Land, the last course."
"Listening to it like this, it's similar to yesterday, isn't it?"
"Because we had to take the plane yesterday. Let's take it easy today."
"Yes~."
"Of course. You didn't forget the punishment yesterday, right?"
Manager Hyung took out the wristband from his pocket with a very happy smile.
The members, who belatedly recalled the nightmare of Hallabong yesterday, twisted their whole bodies and grimaced their faces.
"Oh, no!"
"I could have found it a long time ago, but what the heck is this because of Karis!"
"Hmm."
Only Ji Yoon-chul and I, who avoided punishment, were at peace.
I deliberately swept my chin in an exaggerated motion.
"Oh, that's really too bad."
"Oh, your expression is really unlucky."
The rule was that they had to wear a wristband and go with our manager, who was originally our teacher.
However, with as many as five people being penalized, carrying out the original penalty became virtually impossible.
So in the end, we were split into teams of 3 and 2, and were forced to form one team.
"...Why am I next to Siyoon here too?"
"Hey, why are you like that, Hyungbin, when we're sharing a room together?"
"I'm saying this because I'm sick of it, I'm sick of it."
Song Hyung-bin and Kang Si-yoon became a pair.
Yoo Min-ha, Chae Eun-gyu, and Heo Yu-bin lined up and linked their wrists like candies.
"Do we really have to go around like this all day, Teacher?"
"Yeah!"
"Ha...."
"Do we have to go to the bathroom like this?"
"Uh...."
Manager Hyung was momentarily taken aback by Yoo Min-ha's question.
Then he said the best answer he could give.
"You can do it!"
"That's irresponsible."
The first destination is Cheonjiyeon Waterfall, one of the locations for the school trip 'National Rules'.
According to Manager Hyung, many schools choose Cheonjiyeon Waterfall and Seongsan Ilchulbong as group photo locations for their school field trips.
So this time, the desperate fight to salvage a group photo began.
"One, two, three!"
"Seleste!"
Manager Hyung, who realized that the members' standards were very strict, took several pictures in succession from the beginning and showed them to us.
However, the members who only cared about their own faces kept giving X signs.
"I have a weird expression on my face."
"Oh, this came out okay, but Kang Si-yoon did a V and covered my face."
"Hey, this is good enough. Let's just leave it at this."
"Are you really a selfish person?"
Manager Hyung tried to take pictures that would satisfy everyone with a relieved face.
I clicked my tongue quietly, smiling for the camera.
I think the manager is the type who really buys and suffers.
Manager Hyung also seems to be the type who really suffers when buying things.
After a long time of suffering, we finally got a photo that everyone thought was okay.
"Oh, that was hard."
"I had a hard time standing on tiptoe...."
"Yubin is the one with the magpie feet, is this it?"
"Somehow, when I look at Karis and Yoon-chul, I look so small."
"... I don't think there's much of a difference."
"Hey, Ji Yoon-chul! You're the worst!"
Now Ji Yoon-chul is the one attacking Heo Yu-bin first.
It really is a remarkable development.
"Oh, I have a feeling the next schedule will be difficult too."
"Why, teacher?"
"Are you going to take a lot of pictures at the Trick Art Museum?"
On the way to our next destination, the Trick Art Museum, on the bus, our manager asked me with a pleading expression.
The members, for whom mercy does not exist in the dictionary, nodded with bright faces.
"Can you please take pictures of each other as much as possible?"
"That's true, but since my wrists are stuck like this, I think you'll have to take a few pictures of us."
"You're not planning on taking it easy and getting your salary, are you, Teacher?"
"I'll take a picture for you."
Just like yesterday, I sat next to Ji Yoon-chul.
While everyone was looking out the window and chatting with each other, I spoke to Ji Yoon-chul in a casual manner.
"Yoon-chul."
"Huh?"
"I think you've gotten used to talking informally now."
"... There's a camera in front here."
Ji Yoon-chul pointed to a small camera attached to the back of the front seat of the bus.
Throughout the trip, Ji Yoon-chul's complexion was very good.
He showed more excitement than before, although not as much as the other guys.
"What do you think, Yoon-chul? Does it feel like we're going on the school trip you wrote down as your wish?"
"...."
Ji Yoon-chul was silent for a moment after hearing my question.
Judging by the way his lips were slightly jutting forward, he seemed to be thinking deeply about something.
Finally, he opened his mouth and spoke very slowly.
"... I think this is what it feels like when you play with friends."
There was a lot contained in this one word.
Ji Yoon-chul, who started his life as a trainee at a young age, had no opportunity to make friends his age.
The time he could go to school was also limited.
It was very likely that he would feel alienated and subjected to severe discrimination and jealousy within his agency.
That's why he kept silent, observed others, and suppressed his emotions.
I smiled and squeezed his arm once.
"It's enough that you felt that way."
"... !"
Ji Yoon-chul lowered his head and hid his gaze from me.
Then he raised his face and spoke in a sincere tone.
"...Thank you."
While Ji Yoon-chul and I were having a deep conversation, the bus arrived at the Trick Art Museum.
There were many photo zones here that created various optical illusions.
"More, more! In places like this, we have to take more exaggerated shots!"
"Oh, like this?"
"Is this correct?"
Kang Si-yoon took photos of the members with great enthusiasm.
Heo Yu-bin, Chae Eun-gyu, and Yoo Min-ha stood in the photo zone where they were sucked into the shark's scary mouth and made the most surprised expressions possible.
I have never seen Heo Yu-bin's eyes grow that big before.
"Oh my, I'm tired. Come on, Karis! Go quickly!"
"I never said I would take a picture―"
"Hey, what are you talking about! Go quickly!"
Even I, who had been standing still, ended up standing in the shark photo zone in surprise.
Kang Si-yoon, who was checking the angle, suddenly stopped as he was about to ask me to take a similar pose to Heo Yu-bin.
"... Hey, it looks like you went into the sea to catch a shark instead of being eaten by one."
"Am I not posing at all?"
"It's just the atmosphere. It's almost like Theseus."
"That's right. I feel like the image quality is different only for you."
Kang Si-yoon even mentioned the name of a brave hero from Greek mythology.
And Song Hyung-bin, who was standing next to him with his wrists tied together, also joined in.
"Stop being surprised and try a pose like you're catching a real shark."
"Is this what you mean?"
"Oh, oh! That's it!"
I don't know how I came across on the phone camera, but the members who had gathered were all amazed when they saw the pictures.
"Can we make a statue of Karis like this?"
"No matter how I take a picture, it comes out well."
"After all, the best scam in life is the face...."
After spending a lot of time taking pictures at the Trick Art Museum, we moved on to our next destination, Sangumburi.
Jeju Island's Oreum, which resembles a crater, boasts an overwhelming view.
"This is really cool!"
"It's so breezy up here."
"Are we going to walk all the way, Teacher?"
There was a large walking course that circled the crater of Sangumburi.
We enjoyed our rare leisure time and took in the beauty of nature with our eyes.
Thanks to being connected by wristbands, we were able to walk slowly as one body.
The remaining schedule is to visit Maze Land after dinner.
Because it was summer, the sun stayed up until quite late, but by the time we headed to Maze Land, it was starting to get dark.
"Is it okay to go at this late hour?"
Song Hyung-bin asked the most fundamental question on his way to Maze Land.
Manager Hyung, who heard this question from the front seat of the bus, just smiled in an unknown way.
The moment he saw Manager Hyung's face, Kang Si-yoon, who was quick-witted, immediately noticed something suspicious.
"This smells bad again. No, teacher. We had a hard time finding Hallabong yesterday too. But do we have something else today?"
"You'll know when you see it, guys."
I also felt a little suspicious of our manager laughing so openly.
What on earth could possibly be happening in Mazeland that would make Manager Hyung, who has been harassed all day, smile so evilly?
"Okay, let's get down!"
We got off in front of Jeju Maze Land, which boasts a huge maze, and looked around.
Because it got dark so quickly, the atmosphere was very eerie.
"Wait a minute! Is there something written over there?"
Yoo Minha saw the sign at the entrance to Maze Land and ran straight there.
"Hey, Min-ha! My hand! My wrist hurts!"
"Oh, right! I forgot!"
"You're forgetting the most important thing."
"Yubin, if you say that, it won't work!"
We hurriedly followed him and instinctively realized what kind of content was prepared when we saw the suspicious object hanging on the sign.
"It's, it's a ske, skeleton!"
"Ha, I knew it."
Heo Yu-bin froze when he saw the skeleton with white bones.
Kang Si-yoon, who had sensed something suspicious earlier, scratched his head with a look of despair on his face.
And Chae Eun-gyu said with a nervous laugh that it was meant to be.
"The special feature on Nablyang is coming out here."
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