Chapter 201: A Party on the Cruise!

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Since it was summer, it was still quite bright outside even a little past 6 o’clock.

It was around the time when the sunset was fading, painting the sea with beautiful autumn hues.

Just imagining walking on a boat over such a sea made happiness bubble up inside me.

“Wow, the sea is so pretty.”

“Right? It’s a different vibe from the morning.”

“It’s kinda blood-tinted, doesn’t that look cool?”

“Hell yeah.”

Even while moving to board the ship, we chattered nonstop.

As usual, Yuna would say something silly, Chae-yoon unnie would scold her, and if the two started bickering, the other unnies would step in.

CEO Kang, as always, strolled leisurely ahead by herself.

Following Ra-hee unnie’s guidance, we arrived at a small dock-like area.

There was a wooden plank bridge, and at the end of it floated a single boat—

The moment we saw it, our jaws dropped.

“Whoa…!”

“Holy…!”

“The boat’s huge.”

“Wait, are we really boarding that?”

And for good reason—the boat was way bigger than expected.

It wasn’t a Titanic-sized mega cruise ship, of course, but compared to the modest boat we’d imagined, it was downright shocking.

Not only was the cabin a three-story structure, but the deck itself was so spacious that even with all of us on it, it wouldn’t look crowded.

It was way bigger than the cruise Jia unnie and I saw on the Han River not long ago.

“…How much did you even prepare for this?”

“Preparation? I just brought it because everyone said they wanted to ride.”

Seeing this, the CEO clicked her tongue, looking utterly dumbfounded as she let out a dry laugh.

Meanwhile, Ra-hee unnie, the one who arranged all this, remained perfectly calm, as if she’d just pulled out a car waiting in a parking lot.

“Let’s board first. We should eat dinner soon.”

“Yay! Da-jeong, let’s hurry!”

“Y-Yuna…?! Wait…!”

As Ra-hee unnie, the owner of the boat, gestured for everyone to board, Yuna suddenly grabbed my hand and sprinted full speed ahead.

It felt like being swept up in a whirlwind.

“Oh, it’s so pretty…! Right, Da-jeong?”

“Uh, yeah. It’s pretty. And it feels super spacious.”

The moment we stepped onto the deck, Yuna burst out with reactions.

Dragged along by her, I panted lightly and nodded.

The boat itself was incredibly clean and sleek—almost like a house placed on the water.

A house with an endless sea right in front of it, offering a unique view.

[Announcement: “Good evening, everyone. I’m Captain Park Sang-jae, your pilot for today.”]

“Ah! Scared me…!”

The moment we all stepped onto the deck, an unfamiliar voice came from somewhere, making Yuna jump and cling to me.

Startled myself, I reflexively held onto Yuna’s arm and looked around.

“Pfft, that’s our pilot’s voice. Or rather, our captain-slash-pilot. Look over there.”

Seeing us clinging to each other like twin mice startled by a sudden cat, Ra-hee unnie chuckled and pointed somewhere.

Beyond a semi-transparent glass window, an elderly man with a white beard was watching us.

“Oh, so that’s where it was coming from.”

“Let’s wave quickly!”

“Wooow!”

“Please take care of us!”

Perhaps a bit shy, the captain hid his face slightly and smiled as we jumped around, waving enthusiastically.

After the brief greetings, the boat slowly began to move.

Since it was my first time on a boat, I’d taken motion sickness medicine from So-eun unnie, but the deck was so steady it felt unnecessary.

Whoooosh—

“Wow, the wind’s so cool.”

“Feels like it’s not even summer anymore.”

“After being cooped up at home with just AC wind… this is amazing.”

As the boat gradually picked up speed, the refreshing breeze made everyone squint and enjoy the moment.

Even for me, feeling such cool wind in the middle of summer was a first—it felt magical.

Even portable fans only blew warm air these days, making real cool wind a rarity outside of AC.

But apparently, that wasn’t entirely true.

“You must all be hungry. Let’s eat while sightseeing. I’ve set it up on the second floor.”

“Huh? There’s a separate dining area on the second floor?”

While we were lost in admiring the sea, Ra-hee unnie’s casual remark made everyone widen their eyes.

I’d assumed we’d be eating on the deck.

“Yeah. Since it’s open too, it’s actually better for sightseeing while eating. The wind’s too strong out here anyway.”

Oh, right.

Sure, the breeze felt nice now, but if it got too strong, food might fly away.

Plus, the sea view from the second floor probably had its own charm—I was looking forward to it.

“Oooh, can’t wait! Let’s go, unnie!”

“Hey! You’ll trip!”

“Ugh, these kids…”

And I wasn’t the only one excited—Yuna immediately grabbed Chae-yoon unnie’s hand and dashed toward the cabin.

Watching them, the CEO shook her head in exasperation.

But, CEO Kang…

This time, even Chae-yoon unnie has a right to be frustrated.

And Yuna’s cute, so just let it slide.

Clunk— clunk—

Moving inside and climbing to the second floor, we found a space enclosed by low fences.

The walls were made of transparent glass, offering a clear sea view while blocking the wind.

“Isn’t this too luxurious, unnie?”

“Feels like I’ve become a wealthy heiress…”

“Who’s feeding whom? Gotta prepare properly.”

But what really caught our eyes were the dishes laid out on the table.

No idea when or who set it up, but it was piled high with enough food to break the table.

Even CEO Kang and So-eun unnie, who rarely showed much expression, stood there with their mouths hanging open, stifling laughs.

So of course, Chae-yoon unnie and Yuna, who had the biggest reactions among us—

“Holy— no way! Unnie! Lobster, it’s lobster!”

“Hey, is it really okay for us to eat this? Won’t our stomachs freak out?”

“It’s fine, unnie! Gotta treat ourselves sometimes!”

We buzzed around the table, too excited to sit still.

“…Sorry about this, Ra-hee.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

When CEO Kang pressed a hand to her forehead and apologized, Ra-hee unnie just smiled and happily guided everyone to their seats.

Whoaaa…

So this is the legendary lobster.

CEO Kang had taken us to fancy places before, but lobster? That was like mythical-tier food.

“There’s wine and champagne too, so help yourselves. I told the staff to stay out, so let’s relax.”

While I was still figuring out how to eat the lobster, Ra-hee unnie’s words eased the mood, and we dug in. The food was piping hot, as if timed perfectly for our arrival.

“CEO Kang, care for a glass? It’s quite good.”

“Sure. So-eun, you too.”

“Of course.”

“Might as well, since it’s a special occasion.”

Me, Yuna, and Chae-yoon unnie were too busy devouring the food, while everyone else sipped wine. The three of us weren’t big on alcohol, so this was the usual dynamic.

Ah, except So-eun unnie.

She never drank at company dinners either.

Well, until yesterday, anyway.

“Wow, this lobster is insane…! Da-jeong, try it. It’s a whole new world!”

“Huh? Uh, how do I eat it?”

I’d been nibbling salad and bread, but Yuna, already attacking the main dishes, shoved something huge at me—the stuffed lobster.

Clueless, I hesitated until Yuna mimed tearing it apart with her hands.

“Just bite it! It’s just meat and cheese.”

“O-Okay… nom.”

I took a bite, and—

“Whoa, look at that cheese stretch!”

“Mmfbluh?!”

The cheese pulled into a long, glossy strand, reaching all the way from Yuna’s seat to mine. I caught the end with my fork and stuffed it into my mouth.

“Whoaaa…!”

“Good, right?”

“Yeah, it’s amazing!”

It was a new world. The ingredients were simple—just lobster and cheese—but the tender sweetness of the meat and the rich, savory cheese created something magical.

So this is why the cherries freaked out about it!

Hehe, I gotta brag to them later.

“Hehe, CEO Kang. Look—Da-jeong’s probably jotting it down in her notebook again.”

“Hm? Oh, the one she mentioned on stream?”

“Yep. She writes down stuff to tell the cherries about. Isn’t that cute?”

“Everything she does is cute. Always so endearing.”

I caught Jia unnie and CEO Kang whispering, but their voices were too low.

Probably just praising the food, right?

“Ah, the wine’s aroma is lovely.”

“Right? It’s one of my favorites.”

“Coming from you, Ra-hee, it must be exceptional.”

Watching them sip wine and trade sophisticated remarks made me oddly wistful. I wanted to join in—to say something cool and grown-up too.

“Unnie, should we have champagne?”

“Ooh, yes!”

“……!”

Just as I was stabbing my steak in resignation, Chae-yoon unnie and Yuna’s conversation caught my ear. My eyes lit up.

Wait—champagne is like fancy sparkling juice, right?

I’ve heard families drink it with Christmas cake!

And it’s elegant… Maybe I can pull off a cool one-liner too!

“Y-Yuna, can I have a glass too?”

“You too? Here.”

“Thanks!”

See? Even Yuna, who knows I’m lightweight, didn’t hesitate. That means champagne is safe.

Glug glug—

The translucent bubbles sparkled in the slender glass. Okay, time to be suave.

“Let’s make a champagne toast! Cheers!”

“Cheers!”

“Hehe, cheers!”

Clink!

I grinned, tilting the glass to my lips—and drained it in one go.

“…Ghk!”

Hwee… Why do I feel so warm?

Guess champagne really is delicious.