Chapter 196: The Sea Has Plenty to Play With!

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Translator Note

I forgot to put this in the note for last chapter but I wanna make sure I put it in here, this chapter also has images (AI again unfortunately… uuuuu…) and they are a bit lewder than this series usually gets. (My other series, Hidden Villain, is so much worse). I wanted to put a warning here for people to be at least aware of!

Finally, even Ra-hee unnie arrived, and the real water play began.

But even though it was called “water play,” there was a clear divide within it—between the outdoor faction and the indoor faction.

“Diiieee!”

“W-wait! Unnie! Water got in my nose… Glub?!”

“Hey! How dare you target our youngest?!”

“No, unnie! You always say Da-jeong is the only one who counts as the youngest, so why now… Gahk?!”

Unsurprisingly, Chae-yoon unnie and Yuna, as part of the outdoor faction, were leading the charge.

Unexpectedly, Jia unnie seemed to love water play, joining the two and splashing around like it was an all-out war.

Come to think of it, if Jia unnie enjoys water play this much…

Why did she want to go to the mountains instead of the beach?

That’s a little puzzling.

Splash— Splash—

“You’ve worked hard. Must be tiring playing with the kids, huh?”

“Tiring? Not at all. I’m having fun too.”

Meanwhile, So-eun unnie, who had been caught in the middle, had already run out of stamina and made her way back to shore, joining us.

Honestly, it felt less like she was playing and more like she was babysitting.

“Da-jeong, want a drink?”

“Yes! I’d love one.”

“CEO Kang, beer…? Are you sure? If something happens—”

“What’s the big deal? It’s just one can.”

With So-eun unnie joining, the indoor faction was complete again.

We settled onto the picnic mats and sunbeds, chatting away.

So-eun unnie seemed really worried about the beer in CEO Kang’s hand.

I don’t think one can would do much to the CEO, but… better safe than sorry.

Still, she did promise not to drink more than one, so it should be fine.

Come to think of it, I feel like So-eun unnie is staring at the CEO.

Does she want a drink too?

During meetings, she never struck me as someone who liked alcohol.

“Hey So-eun, why don’t you have one too?”

Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who noticed her gaze.

The CEO leaned over from the sunbed, pulling out another can from the cooler and offering it to So-eun unnie.

At work, she always called her using formal speech but today, she’s being casual.

Well, they did say they were close like sisters before.

“Oh, n-no. If I get drunk, who’ll look after the members—”

“They’re not three-year-olds. They’ll manage just fine without you. Have a drink.”

So-eun unnie hesitated for a moment, but after a light scolding from the CEO, she shuffled over like a penguin and cautiously reached out.

“Ah… W-well, just one can, then.”

“Good. And drop the formal speech. We’re on a trip—no need to be so stiff.”

“Okay… unnie.”

The CEO nodded with a “That’s more like it” expression.

Yeah, this feels way more natural

As I watched So-eun unnie gulp down her beer, I realized something felt very different about her today.

After a moment, it hit me, and I nodded to myself.

Ah, right—she’s not wearing her glasses.

Now that I think about it, she was wearing them on the train ride here.

“Come to think of it, I think this is the first time I’ve seen So-eun unnie without glasses.”

“Oh, you’re right. She usually always has them on.”

Was she embarrassed to be seen without them?

So-eun unnie smiled shyly.

“Is your eyesight really bad?”

“No, not that bad. I just have mild myopia and astigmatism, so I wear them out of habit.”

“Ahh…”

I see.

She looks prettier without them, though.

I wonder why she doesn’t wear contacts instead.

Kinda disappointing.

Aside from Ra-hee unnie, who had already been sitting on the sunbed with a drink earlier, the rest of us now had our own beverages—some even beer—in hand, quenching our thirst in our own ways.

“By the way, shouldn’t you take off that T-shirt? It’s soaked—must be uncomfortable.”

“My T-shirt?”

Then, the CEO pointed at So-eun unnie’s outfit.

Only then did So-eun unnie look down and sigh at her thoroughly drenched shirt.

“You’re right. Should I just wring it out and leave it on the sunbed?”

“Go ahead. The sun’s strong enough—it’ll dry in no time.”

Following CEO Kang’s advice, she twisted the T-shirt tightly, flicking it a few times until it made a crisp snap, then laid it flat on the sunbed.

Fwip— Fwish—

“Hm? Ra-hee unnie, what are you doing?”

I’d been absentmindedly watching when a faint rustling sound came from behind. Turning, I saw Ra-hee unnie meticulously smoothing something onto her arms.

What’s that?

It looked slick, but it didn’t seem like the sunscreen Yuna had applied earlier.

“Applying oil. Figured I’d try tanning, since it’s summer.”

“Oh! Want me to help?”

“You, Da-jeong? I’d appreciate that.”

Even I’m not so clueless that I don’t know how tanning works—of course she’d need help reaching her back. Rolling up my sleeves, I got to work.

“Huh? Ra-hee, you’re trying to burn your skin?”

As we moved to the sunbed beside the CEO, the latter eyed us and tossed out the question.

“Yeah. Never tried it before, so I’m curious.”

“Well, fair enough.”

Ra-hee unnie began explaining while seated:

“Da-jeong, could you warm the oil in your hands first before applying it?”

“Got it!”

I’d watched her technique earlier. Taking the bottle, I poured a little into my palms, rubbing them together to heat the oil.

Now just spread it and— “Huh?! Unnie, why are you—?!”

Just as I moved to apply it, Ra-hee unnie suddenly sat up and slid the straps of her swimsuit top down. I yelped, covering my eyes.

Thankfully, she shielded herself with an arm and quickly lay facedown, avoiding disaster.

“Hm? It’s just us girls here. Plus, this swimsuit’s a bit tight—kinda stuffy.”

“B-but still…!”

“Pfft. Our Da-jeong’s so easily flustered.”

“Unnie’s just too bold…!”

Even among girls, stripping like that?! I’m not the weird one here. Nope.

“A-anyway, should I start?”

“Mm, please.”

Steeling myself, I focused on the task.

Swish— Swish—

“Not too cold?”

“Perfect.”

Her relaxed tone reassured me as she sank deeper into the sunbed.

Unnie’s skin really is flawless. She always envies my “baby skin,” but honestly, none of our members have bad skin.

“But unnie, why tan at all?”

“Hm? Just ’cause I’m pale from staying indoors. Wanna look healthier.”

“So you’ll get super dark, like in comics?”

“Not that much—just enough, like Chae-yoon or Yuna.”

“Ahh…”

True, their tones do look healthy—Yuna especially radiates vitality.

I imagined Ra-hee unnie with a light tan.

…Not bad. Kinda like those Western celebs who lean into the “sun-kissed and sexy” vibe.

Lost in thought, I worked faster, finishing sooner than expected.

“Hehe, all done, unnie!”

Pride bubbled up as she twisted slightly to smile at me.

“Thanks. You should be playing too—did I just bother you for nothing?”

“No way! I’m not even good at swimming anyway.”

“Ah, right. Want me to teach you a bit after my tan?”

“Wow, really? I’ll wait!”

Overjoyed at the idea of learning from her, I instinctively threw my arms up. Ra-hee unnie blinked at me, baffled.

“It’ll take a while. Sure you’re okay waiting?”

“Totally! I’ll build a sandcastle meanwhile.”

“Huh? Sandcastle?”

Puffing my chest, I sprang up. “I’ve always wanted to build a huge one at the beach! I even drew blueprints!” After washing off the oil, I grabbed my phone to show the sketch in my gallery.

Unnie muffled a whisper: “Ugh, how is she this cute? I wanna take her home.”

“Da-jeong, I could teach you instead?”

“Heh, no thanks! Sandcastles come first today!”

So-eun unnie had offered, thinking I needed a distraction, but I refused. Swimming can wait—this is my dream project!

“Why not build it together? We’ll even recruit that soggy bunny over there.”

“Huh? Bunny?”

CEO Kang pointed behind me. Turning, I saw—

“Da-jeonggg… Chae-yoon unnie’s bullying meee…”

A drenched, pitiful Yuna slouched toward us, looking like a drowned rat (or rabbit, if you squint). Sorry, Yuna—I can’t scold unnie, but let’s cheer you up with sandcastles!