117. My First MT, Away From Aki for a Night and Two Days…! (2)

After driving for several more hours, we finally arrived at the Gangwon-do pension.

The entire freshman class of the Department of Physical Education, including myself, got off the bus and split into two groups. After being assigned rooms for each group, we unpacked our luggage and headed out to the pension’s front yard. The yard was as big as a regular school’s athletic field.

I figured the administration chose a pension like this for physical activities because we’re from the Department of Physical Education… And my guess was spot on. Right after a late lunch, our department played all sorts of group games.

Starting with tug-of-war, the quintessential group game, followed by group jump rope, relays, obstacle relays, ssireum, and rooster fights. Listing them doesn’t seem like much, but with 40 people and each having athlete-level physiques, it took at least an hour to finish each game.

As a result, the final event game, co-ed dodgeball, started around 6 p.m., and the game ended close to 7 p.m. after our team’s girl finished her attack. A normal dodgeball game wouldn’t have taken this long, but special rules applied since it was a co-ed team.

“Ugh, so hot….”

Anyway, break time.

Somehow, I was one of the last ones left, so I just plopped down and flapped the neck of my t-shirt. Running around, concentrating on the flying balls, and even blocking them—it was no easy feat.

“Hey, good work!”

Someone held out a water bottle in front of me. Lifting my gaze, I recognized a familiar girl.

“Wooju, you run so well. Are you sure you got in through the student record screening?”

Noa.

She was the first classmate I became friends with, and she was also one of the last ones standing with me. I figured it was perfect timing since I was exhausted, so I smiled and took the water bottle.

“Yeah, thanks….”

“I brought a towel. Want to borrow it?”

“Oh, really? I’d appreciate it.”

“Here you go.”

Noa handed me the towel. I nodded in gratitude and took it to wipe off the sweat.

“Ah…. Dodgeball was so much fun. Right?”

Noa mumbled, naturally settling down next to me.

This time, the dodgeball game had a special rule. A handicap, you could say. Only the girls had the right to attack, the guys were strictly on defense. So, all game long, Noah seemed to enjoy a pretty relaxed match, sheltered by my defense. I guess that’s why he said it was fun.

Meanwhile, I felt like I was dying…

“I’m glad you had fun then…”

“Why? Didn’t you have fun?”

“No, I did. But it was so tiring…”

Since the attack right was only for the girls, if only guys were left, regardless of numbers, we’d automatically lose. So the burden mainly fell on the guys. And out of all of them, it was especially hard on me. Because not only Noah, but two other girls kept trying to hide behind me.

I don’t really know why they tried to get behind me when there were plenty of other guys. I guess my back view looked dependable or something.

“Well, you did look tired. But what are we doing for dinner later?”

“Hmm, I don’t know. Probably get together and drink?”

That’s why we came on this MT trip, after all. Noah seemed convinced, nodding slowly.

“Woojoo, can you handle your liquor?”

“If I pace myself by drinking water too, I can put away about two bottles of soju. How about you, Noah?”

“Me? One bottle of soju. If I push it… maybe one and a half?”

“Oh, wow. You can really drink? My girlfriend can’t even drink half a bottle.”

“Girlfriend? The girl you showed me in that picture?”

“Yeah. That’s her… come to think of it, didn’t you ask me to introduce you to my girlfriend the other day?”

“Oh, right. Did you talk to her about it?”

“No, I forgot.”

“What…?!”

Noah narrowed his eyes. I gave an awkward smile and took out my phone.

“Sorry, while we’re on the subject, should I ask her now?”

“You’re going to call?”

“No, I’ll send her a message. She’s in Japan right now, you know.”

“Huh, Japan? Why is she in Japan all of a sudden?”

“It’s her grandma’s birthday. She went with her family to celebrate.”

“Ah…”

I responded vaguely and looked at my phone.

[2 Missed Calls]

[Thes*♡ – 4:54 PM]

[Thes*♡ – 5:12 PM]

Two missed calls, three unread messages lingered. Aki had sent them while I was stuck playing co-ed dodgeball – a mandatory team-building exercise, courtesy of the department.

Nothing much in the content, though. The last message arrived thirty minutes ago. Aki was probably waiting, so I fired off a reply.

[Ugh, sorry! Just finished playing dodgeball!!]

[(Puppy kneeling with hands clasped, begging for forgiveness emoji)]

*Vroom-*

A message popped up right away.

[(Cat with a slightly smug expression, arms crossed, nodding emoji)]

[lol, it’s ok. But suddenly dodgeball, really??]

[They said it was for…cooperation. Honestly, I don’t know why we did it either lol. I thought I was going to die.]

[Ahahaha! Really? You must have survived a while then?]

[Yeah. I lasted a while, and they changed the rules a bit, which made it harder. Like, only girls could attack, and guys could only defend, y’know?]

[But everyone kept hiding behind me, so I ended up running around like crazy. I think I ran for almost an hour….]

[Hahaha!]

[Ah~ too bad. If *atashi* were there, I could have cheered you on!!]

[Good work, *Seobang-nim*~~ You must be tired~~♡]

“…Ah.”

*This* was what true healing felt like.

I was chatting over text, but it felt like I could hear Aki’s voice right next to me. A smile crept onto my face.

Noah glanced at me, then nudged my shoulder.

“You *are* going to ask, right?”

“…Ah.”

Right, that’s right. I was supposed to ask.

[lol thanks. I love you Aki!!!! (Puppy making a heart above its head with its paws emoji)]

[Oh! By the way, I have a friend who wants to get to know you??]

[Maybe you’d be open to meeting her and chatting? She’s really sweet!]

[A friend? Hmm, if it’s a guy I feel a bit umm….]

[Ah~ Don’t worry. She’s not a guy. She’s a girl, a girl]

[A girl…?]

[Yup. A girl. Her name is Hwangbo Noah, she’s in our department….]

[…….]

* * *

“…….”

Hwangbo Noah.

So, Hwangbo Noah.

Hwangbo Noah…….

“……Who is she?”

Aki’s fingers flew across the screen.

[Are you close with her, Darling??]

[Hmm. Not super close. We spoke for the first time at the welcome party after the entrance ceremony, and since then, we just exchange greetings.]

[Ah, is that so…?]

“…… Whew.”

Slightly relieved that they weren’t close.

The vigilance she’d unconsciously raised eased just a little. But she couldn’t let her guard down yet.

Aki pondered how to probe, then casually sent a message.

[I see. But why does she want to meet Atashi?? Have you two met before?]

[No, that’s not it. What happened was]

[During the welcome party, we were chatting, and she asked if I had a girlfriend. I said I did and showed her your picture, right?]

[Then she said you were really pretty and asked if I could introduce you. So I said I’d ask you directly and let her know.]

“Ah-ha….”

So that’s how it was.

She understood the situation, roughly.

The fact that this Hwangbo Noah had tested the waters with Woo-joo by asking if he had a girlfriend was a bit irritating…. But Woo-joo’s response was perfect, completely to her liking.

[How about it? Want to meet her??]

“……Hee-eung.”

They were in the same department, and they’d be running into each other often, so it wouldn’t be bad to impress upon her that there was a girlfriend present, right from the start.

Decided, Aki tapped at her phone.

[Alright. I’ll meet her once. Set the date after the MT…. How about, next week sometime? Could you ask her?]

[Next week? Got it. Wait a sec!]

[Yup, she’s fine with it!]

“Eh…”

What was that. How could she ask so fast?

[Your reply was really quick.]

[Ah, yeah. I’m right next to him.]

[He’s asking where would be a good place to meet. Where do you think we should go?]

“…”

Surely, it’s not just the two of them alone…?

Aki, sensing something… fishy, was about to ask for more details when— clunk— the car jolted, followed by a screech as it came to a halt.

“We’re here. Let’s get out.”

“Yes ma’am. Aki-ya, Daddy says to get out~”

“…”

“Aki-ya~?”

“…Ah. Yes?”

Aki, her face grave as she stared at her phone, finally looked up.

Her mother, in the passenger seat, beamed a smile as she gazed intently at Aki in the back.

“My little girl, why such a serious face?”

“Ah, it’s just, I had something to think about…”

“Hmm, is that so…?”

Her mother smiled knowingly, as if she understood everything.

“If you were so worried, why didn’t you just bring him along?”

“Huh? What, who? Who are you talking about?”

“Who else? Our Aki’s husband who’s away on his MT trip~”

“Ah…. That’s not it! I’m not thinking about him at all!”

“Sounds like you are. You’re wearing it all over your face~?”

“Ugh… No, I’m not! Mama…!”

“Heh. Really not? Really, really?”

“…”

“See? I knew you were worried~?”

“…Mama, I hate you!”

* * *

“……?”

What is this. Why no reply?

I did get the okay to meet up. But when I asked where we should meet, Aki doesn’t answer. And it’s not like she hasn’t read the message.

Knowing Aki, she wouldn’t ignore a message on purpose. I guess something must have happened, some situation preventing her from replying. I decided to wait patiently for her response.

– Hey, Joo Woo-joo! All the guys, gather ’round!

I heard a classmate shout from afar. I shot up, yelling back.

“What’s going on?”

– We’re splitting into two teams for arm wrestling. The losing team has to buy the drinks later, so hurry up!

“Ah, really? Got it!”

If it’s something like that, there’s no way I’m missing it. I shouted my reply and glanced at No-ah. He got up from his seat.

“Woo-joo, are you going to arm wrestle too?”

“Dunno. Depends? I’d rather not if I can help it. I used up all my energy earlier….”

“Well, you *were* running around like crazy a little while ago. But still, you could manage, right? You have pretty thick arms, Woo-joo.”

No-ah, glancing over my body, subtly reached out a hand. Seemed like he wanted to touch my arm, so I quickly turned away, saying:

“Uh-uh, what do you think you’re doing?”

“What? I wasn’t going to touch you? I was just going to give it a little tap, y’know?”

“Tapping, touching. Either way, no.”

“Ugh, you’re so difficult…. Fine, I won’t touch!”