Chapter 124

Chapter 124

[Flowering Night (4)]

A foreign car races down a highway.

The foreground is pushed back, and a new one appears.

It too was pushed back.

Driving down the deserted highway, the foreign car slowed down at the entrance to Chuncheon City.

Up the winding asphalt road, there was a symbol of a morning glory flower.

It was the symbol of the Dawn Group.

Welcome, arent you tired after traveling since dawn?

You, too. Sorry for calling you to such a remote place.

Dont be sorry. Its my job as a hotel manager.

Lee Jeong-in was waiting for him at the front door when he got out of the private car.

Lee Jeong-in extended his hand, and Byung-in shook it with a smile on his face.

It was from now on.

It was the beginning of the twist that would change everything.

Life is more like a novel than a novel, and you never know until you read it to the end.

So, my sweet, silly, good little brother-.

Its tough. Should we talk about this early in the morning?

That sounds good.

I wonder what choice youll make then.

The second day of the retreat.

After dinner, the kids enjoyed a campfire on the grounds behind the hotel.

The hotel is surrounded by bushes.

At night, when they had to rely on the hotels lights and starlight, the bonfire they built up high blazed brilliantly.

The kids played games according to the instructions of the training camp instructors and shed tears in the end.

It was because the training camp instructors asked them to express their gratitude to their parents in Seoul.

Of course, there were kids who didnt cry.

Eunha and Suna quietly watched the kids who were crying.

Starting now, we will begin the Courage Test.

Here is very dark, unlike Seoul. Its so dark that you could get hurt, so please follow the instructors instructions.

The training camp instructor explained the Courage Test to the kids who were enjoying the campfire.

The Courage Test was a challenge where they had to bring back a droplet prepared by the instructor from a temple connected to a path that was now falling into ruins.

The Courage Test was done in pairs of two, one boy and one girl.

The kids drew lots from the box that Im Dohon brought out.

Number 4.

Minji looked at the paper drawn from the box and glanced around.

The girls were talking to each other about how many times they had drawn.

Among them was Shin Min-young.

The kids who had volunteered to cooperate with her discreetly approached Eunha, who had drawn a paper from the box.

How about you, Eunha?

Number 11.

Anyway, No Eunha, hes like that.

Minji nodded knowingly, looking at Eunha, who seemed annoyed.

The girls didnt know what kind of person Eunha was. If they simply described him as cool, they would feel alienated and hurt once they found out the truth.

So, it was a bit pitiful for Shin Min-young, who drew number 11 and was trying to switch numbers.

Still, Im a little jealous.

Its a very courageous act to confess your feelings to someone you like.

Isnt confession the most beautiful act in this world?

I also Ah, what am I thinking?

Im getting too deep into this.

Minji shook her head and turned to her partner.

Huh? Youre number four too?

Yeah. Youre my partner.

Minji sighed softly when she saw the boy with the same number as her.

He was one of the children who had been infected by No Eunha.

He was mimicking him in speech and behavior, but he couldnt match him in any way.

Eunha had been feared by the children in first and second grade.

The incident where he broke Jin-senas spirit in first grade was still often talked about.

But in third grade, things changed a bit.

The rumors about him faded away, partly because of Minji and the other kids efforts, but also because some kids recognized his abilities.

Eunha complained about everything, but he did what his teachers told him to do.

He acted like an adult, sometimes taking the initiative to lead the children in pranks.

He didnt pay attention to his surroundings, but he noticed things that others didnt, or cared about people in trouble.

As the kids got older, they saw things in him that they hadnt seen before.

And his popularity peaked in fourth grade.

The number of times she was asked by girls to introduce them to Eunha or invited to play with him was countless.

The path is so dark.

Yeah.

Well, whatever. Lets just get this over with and go home.

Sigh.

The boy walked unsteadily.

Minji could see it.

The boy, who seemed to act as if everything was bothersome, was now absorbed in trying to finish the courage test, too conscious of it.

He was clumsy and artificial.

No match for No Eunha.

Minji looked up at the night sky.

Outside the metropolitan area, the night sky was crystal clear.

The moon lit up the darkness, and the stars twinkled.

I wonder what I think of Eunha.

I dont know.

I didnt have an answer.

I would deny it, but Eunha was the moon that lit up the night sky.

Strangely, I couldnt take my eyes off him.

Like walking down the street and absentmindedly looking up at the night sky.

She was always looking for Eunha.

So were her friends.

Friends are special.

They make me happy every day.

I wonder how long this happiness will last.

She didnt want to think about it now.

Rattling the bell, she looked back up at the boy who was coming up behind her.

If you get scared, do you want me to go first? Or do you want to go first?

The boy blushed as he came up the stairs, out of breath.

He rushed over and took a bell from the box.

He held the bell up with an air of triumph.

Youre supposed to be my mate, wheres something scary about this?! Im not scared of you at all, so follow me!

A boy who, while being afraid of her, still tried not to reject others.

Seona smiled gently.

Good kids gathered in her class this year too.

Seona looked up at the night sky.

She wondered if her friends had successfully completed the courage test.

Kaaaak-!!!

Dont keep screaming. Its annoying.

I-Im sorry.

Stop sticking to me.

This isnt how its supposed to be.

Sin Min-young was perplexed when she saw Eunha confidently striding ahead.

The plan she had in mind wasnt like this.

Up until now, everything went according to plan for Eunha and the courage test.

All that was left was for her to cling to him in a protective manner while they were alone in the dark.

But it didnt go as planned.

Min-young didnt intend to scream, fall, or even shed tears while walking along the path leading to the unknown temple.

It wasnt acting.

She was genuinely frightened by the darkness where she couldnt see clearly, and she screamed involuntarily even when she encountered traps set up by the instructors.

So, she tried to rely on Eunha.

She wanted to rely on him, but Eunha gave her no opportunity.

For instance, when she tried to hold his hand because she was scared, he responded with,

Dont act so scared; hold your dropped flashlight.

Or, if she tried to stick too close to him out of fear, he said,

Ha, I want to finish this quickly. Its not like Im here to babysit. and moved ahead on his own.

As time passed, Minyoung became increasingly anxious.

While walking together, she still felt like she was left alone in the darkness.

E-Eunha, Im scared. Can we go a little slower?

She was truly terrified.

Min-young called out to Eunha, who was climbing the stairs while trembling.

He turned his head and said, Ha.

He sighed, looking annoyed.

She shivered at the mere fact that he sighed.

Now she could tell.

The annoyance mixed with the sigh.

Okay, Ill take it slow. Lets just get this over with and go home.

Uh, okay.

Still, Im glad.

For listening to me.

Min-young patted her chest.

Climbed the stairs, at the end of the stairs was a crumbling niche, and in front of the main hall was a box containing a bell.

Its over. Now we just need to take this and go back, right?

Yeah.

Now, half of it was done.

Min-young smiled, happy to have gotten the bell.

Eunha was already heading down the other side of the road.

If only she could take a break.

Min-young hurriedly followed him.

Uh, Eunha!

What?

Before going down the stairs, Min-young called out to Eunha.

He was in a position to look up at her as he had already started descending the stairs.

Well, I I

Min-young placed her hand over her chest.

Now was the time.

It was the perfect opportunity to confess her feelings to him.

She had planned to confess her feelings to him here.

It was a thought,

Im.

But you know.

Huh?

Eunha said suddenly.

It was the first time he had spoken to her.

Min-young looked up at him, surprised and happy at the same time.

You, what was your name again?

Uh?

What did she just say?

Shin Min-young thought back to Eunhas words over and over again.

ah.

After thinking about it over and over again, what came out was a small sigh.

You dont even care about me.

A gaze that made her feel humble and pathetic.

Min-young couldnt say anything.

She felt like tears were coming.

It was too much. It was just too much.

Min-young remained frozen in place, her eyes following Eunha as she started down the stairs again.