episode_0022

After a hearty ssam* showdown,

the group stepped outside.

“Ugh… Did I eat too much?”

Sun, who didn’t just talk but really ate to the point of bursting,

Even though Gangcheol was known for chewing steel,

he was defenseless against the relentless ssam attacks filled with love that reminded him of a torture chamber.

“We’ll make sure to stuff you next time too, so be prepared.”

“Sun, I’ll… work harder too!”

“Sigh… This is dizzying.”

“By the way, isn’t it a bit lacking? How about having dessert? I heard there’s a nice place nearby.”

“Oh…? Really? I like sweet things too, so I want to go.”

“Hey! Wait a minute! You ate quite a lot already, are you going to eat again? Where did all that food disappear to?”

“Why are you saying that so prudishly? Don’t you know there’s a separate stomach for dessert?”

Did the women say that when they eat rice and then dessert, their upper stomach moves around to make more room?

Gulp.

Seeing them planning another round of eating in a glance, Sun quickly changed the subject.

“..Ah! How about we walk around to aid digestion before heading to the dessert place?”

Since it was obvious they would compete to see whose dessert was better, he made a quick decision not to be fooled twice.

“There are dessert places all around your neighborhood even after the math field trip ends, right? Isn’t it a bit disappointing to go out of our way here? We’re already tight on time for the meeting.”

“Hmm, you have a point, but stopping by won’t make us late for the meeting, right?”

“Right, right.”

However, the women couldn’t easily give in.

Just as men have a post-meal nap, women had sweet post-meal desserts.

It seemed like they would be dragged along without a choice.

Sun’s mind began to spin rapidly.

‘This is bad.’

‘If we continue like this, we’ll be dragged off to the slaughterhouse like sheep giving up on life…!’

‘Why do these girls always unite so well at times like this?’

‘Something… something good might come out of this.’

…

As he desperately rolled his eyes, he saw a familiar sign in the distance.

At that moment,

“Ah!”

An idea flashed through Sun’s mind like lightning.

“How about we go to the karaoke first?”

“Karaoke?”

“Ah, Sehee, as you said, if we go to the dessert place, we probably won’t be late for the meeting, so why don’t we stop by the karaoke and finish with dessert as a final course?”

“We haven’t been to the karaoke together in a while because of studying and all, right?”

“Hmm…”

“I’m… fine with it, but what about Yeonji? She might not want to sing.”

The situation bothered Sun, as Yeonji was passive despite being okay with it.

And that was a valid concern.

‘Ugh… Are we really going to that karaoke where only the cool kids gather?’

‘What should I do… What should I do?’

‘I only know anime songs I’ve been listening to in my room all the time…!’

‘I don’t know any songs to set the mood.’

‘If I sing some weird song and ruin the atmosphere… ugh.’

Even though no one said anything, Yeonji, already engulfed in anxiety, started sweating nervously.

When her complexion suddenly worsened, Sehee, noticing this, was about to reject the karaoke suggestion, but

“Ah… No! I don’t sing often either, but I don’t dislike it to that extent…!”

She gave the okay sign.

“Are you sure? You’re not pushing yourself too hard because of us, right?”

“No, it’s fine… I can’t leave you alone.”

“I’m really okay, so you guys don’t need to worry about me.”

‘If Sun wants to go, it’s hard to refuse.’

“Haha, is it settled then? Let’s shout out loud and have fun before dessert!”

‘Ha, these fools think I’m really going to the dessert place?’

‘I’ll try to delay as much time as possible at the karaoke and endure until the meeting time.’

‘You can do it, Kim Sun!’

Fortunately, Sun found temporary relief from the food torture hell.

…

…

And so, they arrived at the karaoke.

When people think of karaoke in Korea, they usually imagine a simple place where you sing, like a coin karaoke.

*Ssam: Korean dish where leafy greens are used to wrap meat or other fillings.

The karaoke here was a bit different.

Should I say it’s similar to Japan’s karaoke?

Along with dining tables, there were plush sofas.

Adjustable lighting at will.

A place known for its private space where couples and friends can comfortably enjoy themselves.

Endless ice cream and snacks to indulge in, along with a variety of drinks at the bar as a bonus.

“Wow, it’s been a while since I felt this cool and solid sensation.”

“Stop messing around and start singing already.”

“Do you really want to hear my song that quickly?”

“I guess you’re lucky if your ears are intact.”

“Huh? You don’t know anything even after all this time?”

“No girls fell for my charming voice, huh?”

With his confident gestures, Taeyang selected a rap/hip-hop song.

He chose an exciting and upbeat track to lift the mood.

And it was a hit song that had successfully surged in popularity through reverse trends!

♪~~

♪~~

♫~!!

Was it just boasting that the girls were impressed?

Taeyang’s rough yet solid voice, which had already passed through puberty at a young age, suited powerful hip-hop perfectly.

Would you say he had excellent stage presence?

As the opening act, Taeyang perfectly set the mood.

“Phew~ My skills haven’t rusted yet, haha.”

Wiping off sweat with a proud expression, knowing he did well.

“Well… not bad, considering it’s you.”

“Wow… Taeyang, you really seemed like a rapper!”

“Haha, thanks?”

After Taeyang’s performance,

Sehee’s reserved song began playing.

Sehee had chosen a ballad representing a fresh romantic relationship and love.

It was also one of the top songs on the charts.

“Oh~ After setting the mood so nicely, it suddenly feels stiff.”

“You’re clueless as ever, same as always.”

“…What! We came here together, so sing whatever you want!”

“Just shut up and listen.”

As they bantered, the song started.

As if explaining why she was confident even when handing over the mic,

“Oh…”

Sehee showcased exceptional vocal talent, distinct from Taeyang.

She embodied a deeply emotional and tender feeling, reflecting what she felt towards Taeyang now.

Would you say she was good at conveying emotions?

From slightly sarcastic and brusque to somewhat cute, her voice displayed a skill that ordinary people wouldn’t expect.

Meanwhile,

While Taeyang and Sehee enjoyed singing,

One person was trembling.

“Uh… uh-ah.”

Yeongji, who never thought everyone would sing so well.

Isn’t this far from ordinary?

As she realized her turn was approaching, her nervousness deepened.

However,

“I can do this… Everyone else is doing it, so what’s wrong with singing? I shouldn’t be this nervous.”

Does love change a person?

Yeongji wanted to show a better side to Taeyang and didn’t want to appear pitiful in front of her new friend, Sehee.

Unlike before, she wasn’t just thinking negatively but was making an effort to improve.

♪~~…

As she gathered her courage, Sehee’s song ended.

She decided to give it a try despite her uncertainties.

“As expected, your talent hasn’t faded, right? Your voice is still sweet as ever.”

“What’s gotten into her? She’s praising me so much today. Did the sun rise from the west?”

“Hey! What do you take me for?”

“Why didn’t Yeongji reserve a song…?”

“Oh, it took me a while to find it…”

Saying so, Yeongji picked up the remote control.

She looked clumsy handling the device, perhaps because she rarely used it.

After searching by title, she found the song.

It was an anime opening song that she might have heard once by chance.

Thump thump thump.

“Ah…”

♪…!!

Grasping her trembling heart, she finally started singing.

Singing in front of others turned out to be more embarrassing than she thought, so she closed her eyes and sang her heart out.

It felt like each line lasted a minute.

And how long did she sing for?

As she reached the end of her performance, finding a moment to pause, she glanced around discreetly.

“…”

“…”

‘… Was it that bad..?’

Rapidly reverting back to her crouched position, Yeonji remained silent.

“Ugh… I shouldn’t have intervened in this kind of situation.”

“I tried to change it, but I guess I can’t help feeling gloomy.”

“Someone like me…”

As her self-loathing reached its peak, voices started to reach her.

“Woohyo~! Is this the J-pop we’ve only heard about?”

“Yeonji sings well~!!”

“..Huh?”

Contrary to what she thought would be cold stares and insults, the reactions were completely different.

“….”

“Hehe..”

In a rather simple manner,

Her downturned lips began to turn up rapidly.

With growing confidence, she found joy in singing, a stark contrast to what she had anticipated.

As mentioned earlier, Yeonji didn’t exactly dislike singing itself. Occasionally, when she felt like it, she would visit a karaoke room alone and sing quietly, always cautious that her voice might leak out of the soundproof booth.

‘…’

‘It’s enjoyable.’

‘It’s so much fun.’

‘So this is what it’s like to hang out with friends.’

Suddenly, Yeonji realized that all the dark misfortunes she had faced until now were trials she had endured to meet such good people.

After that, they took turns singing duets,

“Hey, Kim Taeyang! Why are you taking my part in the song?!”

“Haha, isn’t the one who takes it first the owner? You’re too naive.”

“Who is this guy?”

They also sang together as a group of three,

“Scream~!!”

“Wow!!!”

The lively group had a blast, shouting their hearts out without a care in the world.

Later, Sehee, realizing they didn’t want to go to the dessert shop and purposely delayed, sought retribution for some minor(?) incidents.

Regardless, if it was fun, that’s all that mattered.

As they approached the meeting time, they headed to the agreed-upon gathering place.

On the last day of the trip, Sehee felt a bit wistful seeing it come to an end.

“It’s a bit sad that the school trip is ending so soon. Time really flies~”

“If I knew this, I would have enjoyed it more.”

“What are you talking about? The fun is just beginning now.”

“The schedule is over now, right? We’re heading back tomorrow, why continue having fun?”

“Huh? Obviously, we’re going to have fun together at the accommodation we didn’t fully enjoy yesterday, right?”

“..What?”