episode_0055

“Pajeon is served~”

Not long after, the food we ordered arrived along with the pajeon. Perhaps feeling a sense of closeness to us or simply being that kind of person, the lady owner who was outside since there were no customers behind us personally brought it over, explaining how to enjoy the pajeon and even cutting it for us.

“Oh, so the kids are students, and you? College student? An adult now?”

“Haha, I’m not their sister, I’m their mom.”

“What? Oh my~ Are you lying about being old now? No matter what, I won’t fall for that joke. Haha.”

“I’m serious….”

The familiar pattern of surprise, explanation, and understanding unfolds. However, the dialect added a different flavor to the conversation than usual.

“Wow, envy-worthy. You look so young.”

I smiled politely and said,

“Anyway, let’s dig into the pajeon. Shouldn’t the kids’ mom have a glass of soju then?”

Actually, soju, or makgeolli, is a carbohydrate-rich drink. It’s quite a strong beverage among alcohol types and since we already had plenty of food on the way, I declined.

“Just wait. If one bottle is too much, I’ll get you a complimentary glass.”

Saying this, she went to an elderly gentleman from the hiking club we saw earlier and requested a glass of soju. It was clear from this gesture that she was a regular here.

“Here, have a taste. This makgeolli is only sold in this neighborhood, and it’s quite good.”

Makgeolli has a very short shelf life compared to other alcoholic beverages, often produced and consumed locally. It felt like a product utilizing local specialties, as Dayoung mentioned yesterday.

Taking the offered glass of makgeolli, I took a sip and was hit by its unique fermented aroma and tangy taste.

“Whoa!”

You know how sometimes the taste you imagine just by looking at food doesn’t match reality? Nowadays, makgeolli tends to be less sour and more sweet, but this one had a strong sourness and a distinctive smell. It caught me off guard with its unexpected taste.

However, it seemed to pair well with greasy foods like pajeon.

“Mmm, delicious. Thank you.”

After thanking the owner, I took another sip of makgeolli, finding that it complemented the food well. While enjoying the drink, I felt someone’s gaze and saw Dayoung looking at me. She was staring intently at the glass of makgeolli in my hand.

“This is not okay.”

It might be acceptable for parents to allow their children to drink when they’re alone, but serving alcohol to minors in public was unacceptable.

Dabin, not understanding what we were talking about, started alternating gazes between me and Dayoung.

“Just one sip. Just to taste it. I’m curious.”

Understanding Dayoung’s intention to try the alcohol, Dabin intervened.

“What are you saying, sis! No way!”

Dabin, with his good-boy complex, tried to stop Dayoung. But the owner, who was watching nearby, chuckled and said,

“Hahaha, oh, just give her a sip. It won’t suit her taste anyway. Trying it won’t hurt, right? Or should I get you another glass?”

Even getting a free drink like this was embarrassing enough, but seeing her about to rush to that table as if she would really bring back another glass, I quickly handed the glass to Dayoung, warning her.

“Just one sip.”

She took the glass with a grin and immediately brought it to her lips.

“Ew! It tastes awful!”

Yesterday, I drank beer heartily, hoping for a good time, but as expected, makgeolli didn’t quite hit the spot. Even though I’ve been drinking for a while, it was a bit challenging for me, and Dayoung didn’t seem to enjoy it.

“Hahaha! Yeah, seems a bit strong for young folks like you.”

The owner chuckled as he watched Dayoung’s reaction.

Anyway, I took another glass and slowly started my meal with pajeon.

Despite feeling a bit out of place in the lively atmosphere of the restaurant with kids in tow, I surprisingly enjoyed the meal more than I thought, perhaps because the food was decent.

“Ah, that was delicious.”

Dayoung leaned back against the wall, patting his stomach.

“I thought I wouldn’t eat much since I had noodles for breakfast, but when did I finish it all…?”

Dabin looked surprised as he stared at his empty plate.

I didn’t finish the noodles as I was full, not because they weren’t tasty, but because I focused on the pajeon.

As I got up to leave after sitting for a while, the owner approached me.

“Did you enjoy your meal?”

“Yes, it was delicious.”

Dayoung smiled at the owner, who patted his back.

“Come again next time, even when you’re adults. I’ll give you a special makgeolli service then.”

Dayoung seemed impressed by the sight of him cheerfully drinking makgeolli, but he declined, saying he just wanted to eat pajeon.

“Haha! Makgeolli is only good when you’re in the mood. How about honey makgeolli?”

“Oh, is there such a thing?”

Dayoung glanced at me, trying to figure out if it was a joke or not, and I nodded quietly.

“Well, then let’s try it!”

Seeing a first-year high school student speak, I couldn’t help but think that Dayoung’s future might be filled with the green light of alcoholism, which made me sigh deeply.

After bidding farewell to the owner, we left the restaurant.

Looking at the time, it was already 1 o’clock. If we returned to the hotel, it would probably be around 2 o’clock. Even if we used the pool immediately upon returning, considering the hotel’s operation divided into four parts, it seemed better to enter part 3 starting from 3 o’clock.

“How about playing in part 3 for a while, then going to the hot springs in part 4? Sounds good?”

Dayoung suggested going to the hot springs in the morning, but I thought it might be nice to enjoy the infinity pool now, swim in the pool, and watch the night sea from the spa in the evening.

“Should we? Then tomorrow, wake up early for breakfast, check out, leave our luggage at Busan Station, have lunch nearby, cross over to Songdo, take the cable car, eat sashimi or grilled clams at Taejongdae, and head back. How does that sound?”

It seemed that the schedule from this afternoon to evening was set for a water play full course. Can my stamina handle it? No, more importantly, can I withstand the gaze of others wearing only a swimsuit?

Such worries suddenly crept in.

“But it’s just the three of us playing; do you think spending nearly six hours playing in the water will be fun?”

Considering that each session lasts about 3 hours, we would likely play in the outdoor pool in part 3 and in the spa in part 4. Thinking about it, I wondered if I should enjoy the spa for 3 hours.

“It’s okay. We can take pictures, huh? Take pictures. And… record videos, and before you know it, time will fly by!”

Oh dear… Dayoung seemed completely absorbed in the idea of taking pictures.

“Save me.”

“Hey, how about having some fun and then going to the arcade? I saw it yesterday, they even have separate gaming facilities. Since there are many arcade games and dance games, it wouldn’t be bad to play together.”

When Davin proposed a suitable compromise, Dayoung also agreed after a moment of contemplation.

“Yeah, let’s do that. Have some water fun, eat dinner, go to the arcade, and finish off with the spa. Decision made! Ta-da!”

Once the schedule for the day was set, we immediately called a taxi. We took the taxi to the hotel upon arrival. Before entering the room, we stopped by the front desk.

“Excuse me, I have a question.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I plan to use the outdoor pool. Are there separate changing rooms?”

“No, ma’am. There are no separate changing rooms. Please change in your room, wear the provided robe, and take the dedicated elevator to the outdoor pool.”

“Oh, I see. Thank you for letting me know.”

“Haha, you’re welcome. Have a great day.”

It would have been a disaster if we hadn’t asked and just went ahead.

Turning back, I relayed the information from the front desk to the kids before heading to our room. Once inside the room, we decided on designated areas for changing clothes. Dayoung and I changed outside, while Davin opted for the shower booth.

After Davin grabbed her swimsuit and entered the shower booth, she handed me two robes from inside.

Taking them, Dayoung and I began changing into our swimwear. I pulled out my swimsuit from the suitcase, undressed, and put it on. However, I wasn’t used to wearing a bikini yet, so I needed Dayoung’s help.

“Wow… Wonderful.”

As I changed into my swimsuit, Dayoung exclaimed with thumbs up, impressed. Even though she wouldn’t admit it herself.

However, while Dayoung’s face seemed innocent, her body contrasted sharply, making my reflection in the mirror truly striking. Yes, in our terms back then, it was dynamite itself.

“Well, breasts are breasts, but how are they so securely fixed like that?”

Dayoung couldn’t help but admire the cover-up skirt wrapped around her waist, flowing down to her legs.

“Your hips are really wide, but wow, impressive.”

“Enough with the admiration, put on the robe quickly. Davin is still waiting.”

Although the hotel shower booth was spacious, we were more comfortable outside, so I gently urged Dayoung to put on the robe and opened the door to the shower booth.

“Are you done changing?”

“Yeah. Let’s start moving slowly.”

Looking at the time, it was exactly 2:55. It would be perfect timing once we arrived.

And so, we finally headed towards the outdoor pool, which was the original purpose of this staycation – an infinity pool.