By Zephyria 
A goal. That is the strength that allows one to endure a tedious daily routine that repeats like a hamster wheel.
For the goal of crushing Oh Seung-pyo, who tried to climb over his head, and not losing the top rank in the whole school, Jae-min studied harder than usual during exam periods. For the goal of becoming independent from home once he got to college, he endured his parents’ oppression, which stoked his anger, in the gaps of his time.
Once the goal of escape was established, life at the boarding academy, where freedom was stripped away and he was confined, wasn’t so bad. Waking up early to do simple exercises together, going straight into classes for special lectures, lunch, and then more special lectures. After exercising once more in the evening, he continued self-study until bedtime.
There were some students who regretted volunteering to come, but as the academy boasted about being a small, elite group, the students who had received excellent grades at their respective schools adapted to the environment quite well.
Jae-min was also spending his days faithfully without complaint, blending in with the other kids. Although his interest was entirely focused elsewhere.
The thought of leisurely leaving this place over the weekend made him chuckle randomly. At first, Jae-min had been intimidated by the weight of the word “running away,” but now, thinking of his bewildered parents or the teachers here, he felt cheerful, as if he were about to pull off the prank of a lifetime.
[I’ll be there by 8 tomorrow]
[I’ll take a taxi, so let’s move immediately]
[I’ve booked a really cool pension. It even has a pool lol]
Finally, Friday arrived. Checking Seung-pyo’s messages with a time lag, Jae-min also smiled. The abundance of emojis in the messages expressed Oh Seung-pyo’s excitement on his behalf.
When he first said he wanted to get out of here, he felt that it would be enough if he could just follow Seung-pyo to his house and stay there quietly for a while. But Oh Seung-pyo’s thoughts were different. He suggested that since they were escaping the academy and not returning home anyway, they should carry out the trip for just the two of them that they had dreamed of since before the break.
Gapyeong, Cheongpyeong, Chuncheon, Sokcho, Yangyang, Gangneung… While talking about how to spend the first summer break since they started dating, the two had opened a map and mentioned regions not too far from Seoul one by one. Whether they could actually go was a matter for later; just dreaming of traveling together was enough to keep them chatting happily.
To go on a trip while running away. He felt that no one but Oh Seung-pyo, who had brought a camping chair to school, could think of such a thing. Jae-min, forgetting his gloom, excitedly agreed.
To get here from Seoul by 8 AM, he had to take the first bus without fail. Thinking of Oh Seung-pyo, who would be moving busily from dawn to pick him up, he felt sorry, but at the same time, he felt reassured as if he had gained a formidable ally.
Before dating Oh Seung-pyo, he hadn’t realized. He hadn’t known that it could be this pleasant to know that somewhere in this wide world, there was one person who would take his side, shining clearly and brightly. Because he hadn’t known, he had never felt sad or regretful about the fact that such a person didn’t exist for him.
[Kk I’ll be out there so I’m not late. See you tomorrow]
The messenger window could only be checked for very brief moments, avoiding the teacher’s gaze during online self-study. Naturally, there was no time for long replies, so he left only the necessary words and quickly closed the window.
The day’s schedule ended only after 11 PM. As classes ended, the students, exhausted from staring at books all day, stood up noisily and headed to their designated dormitories. Although they had gathered from various places and met as strangers, some had already become close and walked in pairs or threes.
“It’s nice that it’s more comfortable than home, but it’s more boring than I thought because we can’t use our phones.”
“Hey, but don’t you feel like your eyesight is returning since you’re not looking at your phone? Is it just me?”
Jae-min was spending his prison life with the son of his father’s friend, whom he was somewhat acquainted with, and the boy he shared a room with.
He listened half-heartedly to the conversation the two were having, walking half a step behind. Because he was thinking of Oh Seung-pyo, whom he would meet tomorrow, the words of the friends in front of him flowed out of one ear. Noticing that Jae-min was distracted, the boys looked back.
“Why do you look so happy today? Did something good happen?”
“Me?”
“Yeah, it’s in your eyes, right?”
When the son of his father’s friend sought agreement, the dormitory roommate also nodded.
“Right, your expression has looked brighter than usual since this morning.”
“Did you go a bit crazy from being locked up and just studying?”
Despite the kids’ chatter, Jae-min just shrugged and smiled.
“It’s the weekend tomorrow, so we get to go out.”
“Are you going somewhere to play?”
Naturally, he couldn’t tell them his plan. Jae-min shook his head and made an excuse.
“Just home. My mother is coming to pick me up.”
“Do you like going home that much? I didn’t want to go home, so I just said I’d study here over the weekend.”
Jae-min laughed silently. The person who said he’d stay in this dormitory over the weekend because he didn’t want to go home was the son of his father’s friend.
Two old fossils who didn’t even know how their own sons thought of them, yet spent every meeting comparing and bragging about each other’s children—they naturally came to mind. He almost let out a hollow laugh at the absurdity, but thinking of the last image of his father, his mood soured, and in the end, he couldn’t even laugh.
“I think there are more kids not going. They say it’s always like that in the first week of the term.”
“I guess everyone hates going home. You too?”
“I was going to, but my mom told me not to and to study here. Instead, she said she’ll come tomorrow and bring some snacks.”
“She’s coming to bring outside food.”
The giggling and chatting only lasted while they walked down the hallway. The tired children hurried to prepare for bed as soon as they scattered into their rooms.
While his roommate washed in the bathroom, Jae-min organized his things. Since he would be leaving tomorrow, he packed everything he had taken out into his suitcase, leaving only the clothes he would wear in the morning and his toiletries. At first, he had planned to leave with the entire suitcase, but it looked too large and unnatural for luggage for a weekend outing. He moved only the essential items into a backpack.
It was a simple plan: wake up early, meet Oh Seung-pyo, and leave. But perhaps because it was his first time executing such a joint secret operation, his heart pounded like someone about to perform a breakout seen in a movie or novel. He never imagined such a thing would intrude upon his high school life, which he thought would flow quietly like a calm stream.
“You’re going to wash too, right?”
“Yeah.”
Jae-min entered the empty bathroom after switching places with his roommate. Standing before the sink and brushing his teeth, he leaned his face close to the mirror to examine his left cheek from various angles. The swelling from where his father had slapped him had completely subsided, leaving the skin white and smooth as usual. Jae-min curled one corner of his mouth into a bitter smile.
In the sense that they both did their bad deeds in secret, he and his father were similar. His father, who would lash out in a fit of rage only to pretend to be a good parent who respected his child’s autonomy in front of others. Ryu Jae-min, who pretended to be a flawless model student while operating a secret account that must never be discovered. It was an unpleasant commonality.
When he finished showering and stepped out, his roommate was lying face down on the bed, reading a book. While phones and laptops were banned, bringing in books they wanted to read was permitted, so his roommate always read for about an hour before going to sleep. Most of them were fantasy novels with flashy titles that Jae-min had almost never read.
“Is it good?”
“It’s awesome. I told you, you should read it. I’ll lend it to you.”
“Okay. Lend it to me next week.”
He wouldn’t be here by next week, but Jae-min lied with a composed face. Lying on his bed, Jae-min’s heart was fluttering like a young child awaiting their first picnic. Forcing himself to calm his racing heart for fear he might lose sleep, Jae-min closed his eyes tightly.
The next morning, when Jae-min opened his eyes, his roommate was still wandering through dreamland. This was thanks to the fact that there was no set wake-up time on weekends. To avoid waking him, Jae-min carefully finished grooming himself, put on his backpack, and left the room.
Even without waking anyone, there were quite a few children wandering the hallways and outdoors, taking early morning walks or huddling together to soak up the sunlight. A few children were already waiting in front of the office, seemingly there to apply for an outing.
He had been worried that applying for an outing so early would make him stand out too much if the place was too deserted, but it turned out to be a needless concern. Just as he was about to open the office door, a voice calling his name came from the side.
“Ryu Jae-min!”
One of the supervisors in charge of the students’ daily management was approaching hurriedly. Jae-min gave a slight bow.
“Hello.”
“Oh, you’re up? Your mother is waiting for you.”
“…What?”
“I heard you were going home for the weekend. Your mother has arrived in the waiting room. Let’s go.”
Taken aback, Jae-min blinked, his voice trailing off.
“My mother said she would be here by 9:00…”
“She said something came up this afternoon, so she came to pick you up a bit early. I was on my way to wake you, but you were already up. Come on. She’s waiting.”
Unlike the supervisor’s energetic tone, Jae-min’s face turned pale. Unable to follow immediately, he simply stared down at his wristwatch. There were still 20 minutes left until 8:00, the time he had promised Seung-pyo.
‘What do I do?’
Despite the chaos in his head, Jae-min had no choice but to walk with the instructor. He couldn’t exactly turn around and bolt from here. The walk to the waiting room was short, and sure enough, his mother was there, waiting and sipping tea. The supervisor greeted her with a smile.
“Hello, ma’am. Ryu Jae-min was already awake and getting ready to head out.”
“I thought he would be. He’s never been one to sleep in, even at home… Have you been doing well this past week?”
Meeting her for the first time in several days, his mother greeted her son kindly. However, the best Jae-min could manage was a lifeless response.
“If something came up, you could have just told me to come home next week…”
“How could I do that on the day I promised to pick up my son?”
Jae-min’s mother was unusually affectionate. Since the atmosphere had been poor the last time they parted, it was evident she secretly wanted to reconcile with her son.
On the other hand, Jae-min found it difficult to fake a bright expression in front of the mother he hadn’t seen in a while. He forced a smile, but it likely looked awkward to anyone watching. Thinking the shadow on his face was because Jae-min’s anger hadn’t subsided, his mother’s expression also darkened slightly.
“Shall we go by car? Let’s talk on the way.”
“Yes.”
Walking behind his mother, Jae-min’s mind became so cluttered it felt as if it might explode. He agonized over what to do, worrying if acting rashly would lead to him being caught in the middle of his escape and make the situation too big, or if he should just say he’d stay at the academy.
If he said he’d stay, his mother would likely try to have a long conversation with him here. And even at this moment, Seung-pyo would be on his way.
It took less than a minute to get from the visitor’s waiting room to the parking lot. His mother was already standing by the car, opening the driver’s side door. Staring at her blankly, Jae-min suddenly muttered to himself as if remembering something.
“I forgot. I left something in my room, so I’ll be right back.”
“Okay, sure. But Jae-min.”
As he turned to leave hurriedly, his mother called out to him.
“Leave your bag in the car. It’s heavy.”
“Ah… I was going to put the item in here.”
His mother nodded as if understanding. Jae-min quickly hurried back into the building. He gnawed on his lower lip in anxiety. His pace, which started as a normal walk, gradually quickened until he was practically running.
No matter how much he racked his brain, he couldn’t think of any other way. There was only one passage connecting the academy to the outside—the main gate—and the parking lot was situated between the building and the main gate.
In escape dramas in movies or novels, there are often dog holes or secret passages known only to the protagonist, but this wasn’t a real prison. There was no way a mundane boarding academy would have a secret passage.
But looking at it another way, because it was a mundane boarding academy and not a real prison, the precautions against students escaping weren’t particularly strict. Confiscating electronic devices and preventing them from holding personal pocket money was simply to ensure they weren’t distracted from their studies, not because they were worried students would evade surveillance to run away from home.
Jae-min exited through another door at the end of the hallway and looked around. Since it was still early, there wasn’t a single person in the backyard where recycling and miscellaneous items were gathered.
He never dreamed he would end up doing this. Jae-min let out an absurd sigh and threw his backpack with all his might over the wall. As soon as he heard the thud of the bag hitting the ground, he stepped on the wall with one foot and hoisted himself up. The wall wasn’t very high, so the tall Jae-min was able to climb over in one go.
It was the first time in his life he had ever committed climbing over the wall. Without even taking a moment to enjoy the view from the top of the wall, Jae-min quickly threw himself down. After landing safely, he picked up his backpack and ran hard toward the main gate. The area near the main gate was quiet, suggesting his mother was still waiting for him to emerge from the parking lot.
‘I still have some time.’
Could he wait here without being caught until Oh Seung-pyo arrived? He was also worried that Oh Seung-pyo and his mother might run into each other. Since the two had greeted each other before, they might recognize one another. He already felt sorry for asking Seung-pyo to come all this way to help him run away, and he absolutely did not want his parents to find out that Seung-pyo was involved in this.
But there was no more time to worry. He heard a voice calling his name from inside the main gate.
“Jae-min! Where are you?”
Since Jae-min hadn’t returned, his mother had likely gone to check his dormitory room, noticing his absence sooner than expected. The instructor calling out with her was also clearly flustered.
If they couldn’t find Jae-min inside the building, they would naturally come out the main gate. The academy, which took only a small elite group of students, wasn’t wide enough to take a significant amount of time to search every corner.
What now? Jae-min bit his lip and stomped his foot, then reluctantly started moving. Waiting for Oh Seung-pyo in front of the main gate, where there was nowhere to hide, was not a wise choice.
* * *
A taxi stopped near the main gate of the academy building, located in a remote area. It was exactly 8:00. Looking out the window, Seung-pyo raised his voice in excitement.
“I arrived exactly on time. Please wait here for a moment. I’ll bring my friend right back.”
“I should have you pay for the trip here in advance. There are too many customers who say they’ll be right back and then never return.”
“Yes, here.”
Seung-pyo looked out the window while the taxi fare was being processed. The main gate wasn’t that wide, so he felt he should be able to see Jae-min from this position even inside the car, but the expected sight of Jae-min was nowhere to be seen.
While Jae-min, who should have been there, was nowhere to be found, two adults suddenly rushed out of the academy’s main gate, looking urgent. Seung-pyo, who was about to get out of the car, pressed his face against the window to observe the situation. The people’s expressions looked extremely anxious. As the departure was delayed, the driver turned his head curiously and asked.
“Aren’t you going to get your friend? I need to pick him up quickly so I can take you to the dak-galbi place. The place I recommend is way tastier than the one the student found on the internet.”
“Just a second. My friend was supposed to be out here, but I don’t see him.”
Despite the driver’s urging, Seung-pyo didn’t get out; instead, he crouched lower. This was because the two people, having spotted the taxi on a road with almost no traffic, were approaching.
Seung-pyo hurriedly pulled down his hat and scrambled to lie flat in the backseat. He didn’t forget to leave a request for the driver.
“Mister! If those people come and ask, please pretend you don’t know me! Pretend I’m a college student who fell asleep drunk!”
“What?”
While the driver was bewildered, people outside knocked on the driver’s side window. The driver rolled the window down slightly.
“Are you looking for a ride?”
“We’re looking for one of our students. By any chance, have you seen a boy who looks to be about high school age around here?”
“I haven’t.”
They peeked into the interior of the car through the open window and cautiously asked the driver.
“The person in the backseat is…”
“I picked him up this morning, and he’s completely wasted, so we’re just driving around in circles right now.”
“Ah, I see…”
They bowed their heads and retreated without further suspicion. Once the people moved away, the driver rolled up the window and looked back at the backseat with a suspicious gaze. He had granted the request for the moment because he had enjoyed chatting with Seung-pyo on the way, but he felt a lingering sense of unease.
“Student, you didn’t come all the way here to do something bad, did you?”
“No, it’s the weekend, so I planned to meet a friend who goes here and hang out. We agreed to meet at the main gate, but he’s not here.”
“Then try calling him.”
“Just a moment. Please wait a moment.”
It seemed things had gone sideways. Originally, the fact that they had secretly slipped out should have been discovered only after the two of them had moved far away from the academy, but now it felt as if Jae-min’s jailbreak had been discovered before they even met.
Since the area right in front of the academy was an open field, he must have taken cover somewhere to hide. Since he had no phone and no other means of contacting him, he probably hadn’t gone far…
Seung-pyo sank into thought while staring at a map app. Within walking distance from the academy, there were a few amenities like a convenience store and restaurants.
“Mister, please take me here.”
Seung-pyo held out the map on his phone toward the driver’s seat. The driver checked the distance and location and nodded.
In a space filled with tents of all shapes and colors, the smell of various foods being cooked from early morning filled the air.
Among them, the most stimulating to the sense of smell was the scent of bubbling ramen. When he escaped from the academy, he had been too nervous to realize he was hungry, but now his stomach was growling with hunger. Jae-min unconsciously swallowed hard.
Campers who looked like families glanced at the boy wandering the campsite with only a backpack. One of them gestured to him.
“Student, are you here alone? Do you want to come and eat with us?”
“No! I’m okay. I have someone I’m with!”
Startled, Jae-min quickly shook his head.
The place he had taken refuge in was the campsite he had noted on the day he first arrived at the academy. It had remained in his memory because it seemed funny that while some were being sent to be semi-forcibly confined, others were enjoying camping right nearby.
He had run here thinking it would be a good place to hide because there were many people, but now that he had actually arrived, standing around without a companion or equipment among people happily socializing in small groups made him feel more conspicuous and even miserable, causing him to shrink back.
Perhaps his appearance—walking while mindful of others’ gazes on an empty stomach—looked pitiful, as he had even been offered a share of food. Though embarrassed, Jae-min decided to take the opportunity to ask for what he needed most right now.
“Excuse me…”
“Hmm?”
Jae-min hesitantly approached the man who had just offered him food. The man, who was boiling kimchi stew for breakfast, turned his head.
“I’m sorry, but could I possibly borrow your phone for one call?”
“A phone? Why? Did you come camping without a phone?”
“Well… I lost it on the way here.”
Unlike when he had asked if he wanted to eat, the man’s expression became displeased when asked to borrow a phone.
In an era where personal information leaks are common, Jae-min knew that a request to borrow a phone wouldn’t be taken at face value. However, the reaction was more blatant than expected. In a peaceful and joyful campsite, the man had begun to question the existence of a suspicious boy wandering aimlessly with only a backpack. Jae-min quickly took a step back.
“It’s okay. I’m sorry.”
It wasn’t very far from the academy, so if he lingered too long, he might be caught. As Jae-min quickly left the spot, the man tilted his head, watching him for a moment before turning back.
‘I need to contact Oh Seung-pyo, what should I do?’
Walking aimlessly among the happy people, Jae-min suddenly thought that the campsite might have something like a management office. There would likely be a public phone there for guests who, like him, had lost their phones.
As it happened, there was a campsite map on his way. The place labeled ‘Information Center’ was quite close from here. Just as he was about to run there with a sense of relief, someone suddenly pounced on him from behind.
“Gotcha!”
“Aaagh!”
Caught off guard, Jae-min flailed his arms. Turning around while breathing heavily, he faced the person who had let out a grunt and fallen away.
“What the!”
Jae-min, who had shouted defensively, now had his eyes widen in bewilderment. He quickly ran toward the person he had shaken off.
“Hey, are you okay?”
“Ugh… do you have eyes in the back of your head? How did you hit me so accurately in the solar plexus with your elbow…”
“Then why do you suddenly grab someone from behind! That’s dangerous!”
Seung-pyo, who was bent over groaning, and Jae-min, who had bent over in response, grumbled at each other before finally meeting eyes.
Because the plan they had spent days building had fallen apart, they had only just managed to meet, but they ended up arguing before they could share their joy. As their eyes met, the two of them began to chuckle softly, unable to tell who started first.
Like a duo that had successfully pulled off a great escape, they hugged each other tightly, then quickly pulled apart upon remembering they were at a campsite. Seung-pyo spoke first.
“You’ve been well, right?”
“Of course.”
“The taxi is waiting. Aren’t you hungry? Let’s go eat.”
“I’m on the verge of starving to death.”
“Is dak-galbi okay with you? The taxi driver said there’s a really delicious dak-galbi place.”
“I’m fine with anything right now.”
Jae-min’s steps became much lighter. Because as soon as Seung-pyo stood beside him, the anxiety that had made him mindful of his surroundings like a criminal vanished completely.
Walking side by side to get to the taxi, Jae-min passed in front of the tent of the man who had looked at him suspiciously earlier. Jae-min intentionally raised the volume of his laughter, as if to let him know that he had indeed come to the campsite with a friend.
“I missed you so much I couldn’t do anything.”
Once they had put some distance between themselves and the tent area, Seung-pyo finally whispered his true feelings.
I cried because I missed you so much. If he answered like that, he could have won a decisive victory in a ‘competition of affection to show who missed the other more,’ but Jae-min smiled and pretended to surrender.
“I studied my ass off at the academy.”
“I knew you’d be like that. I thought I was the only one being sincere.”
“But how did you know I was at the campsite?”
“If I were you, I would’ve come here too. I thought the convenience store would be the first place you’d go from the academy, and here there are lots of people and it’s easy to borrow a phone.”
Answering as if it were obvious, Seung-pyo frowned.
“That’s why we have to go quickly. People from the academy will probably come here soon to look for you.”
“Yeah.”
Far off in the distance, a taxi waited without leaving the side of the runaway boys. The two held hands and ran, hurriedly sliding into the backseat. Seung-pyo told the driver the destination.
“Mister, please take us to the dak-galbi place now!”
“Sure. Let’s go.”
The driver cheerfully started the car. The two were busy looking at each other and smiling silently, fiddling with each other’s hands, and poking each other’s sides.
Through the slightly open car window, the fresh scent of lush summer greenery drifted in. With bright sunlight and a clear blue sky, it was the perfect weather for running away from home.
* * *
The streets were lined with dak-galbi restaurants boasting history and tradition, but the taxi stopped in front of a restaurant that was smaller than expected. “Places like this are usually the real hidden gems,” Seung-pyo whispered.
“Thank you, mister.”
“Yeah, have fun, kids. The charcoal-grilled dak-galbi here is delicious, so make sure you try that.”
“Yes! Drive safely, mister!”
Leaving the taxi behind as it zoomed away the way it had come, the two entered the restaurant. Even though the main lunch rush hadn’t started yet, the inside of the shop was quite crowded. A delicious smell mixed with a hint of char filled the air in billowing clouds, and their empty stomachs began to announce their presence more loudly.
Luckily, a window seat was vacant. The two quickly claimed the table and ordered two servings of the charcoal-grilled dak-galbi recommended by the taxi driver and a bottle of cola. Only then did they look out the window with relaxed expressions. The view, with several well-grown trees standing there, wasn’t bad. However, Seung-pyo muttered with a bit of dissatisfaction.
“He said it was near the river, but I don’t see any river.”
“The scenery is great right now. The trees are big and cool.”
“True. We’re going to do water activities after eating this anyway, so it doesn’t matter if we can’t see the river. You’re not afraid of water, are you?”
Jae-min nodded. Far from being afraid of water, he had been the child who loved swimming lessons the most when he was young. Seung-pyo looked satisfied.
“I thought I wouldn’t be able to play in the water this summer, but it’s finally happening.”
“Are you good at swimming?”
“Yeah, I never took formal lessons, but I swam in the ocean a lot when I was little. My Grandmother lives by the coast.”
While they were talking, the ordered food arrived on the table. As the hungry boys tried to dive in with their chopsticks immediately, the server provided tongs and explained.
“It’s been pre-grilled, so you can eat it right away. But it’s tastier if you grill it a bit more until it’s golden brown and crispy over the charcoal.”
“Yes!”
Despite their spirited answer, as soon as the server turned their back, the two immediately tossed the meat into their mouths. After chewing and swallowing, Seung-pyo furrowed his brows.
“Amazing.”
The outside was crispy and savory, while the inside was moist and chewy. Jae-min, too busy chewing the meat, simply nodded in agreement. The admiration ended with a single word. In an instant, more than half of the dak-galbi vanished, and the full grill was empty in less than ten minutes.
After placing an additional order, Seung-pyo spoke up as if he had just discovered a new fact.
“But I think it would be even tastier if we grilled it a bit more crispily.”
“I’ve never had dak-galbi like this before. You know, I’ve only ever had the kind stir-fried with vegetables on a huge iron plate.”
Instead of answering, Seung-pyo gazed quietly at Jae-min with a smile on his face. Feeling awkward, Jae-min picked up the last piece of meat and asked.
“Why are you looking at me so cheesily?”
“I feel full just watching you eat.”
“What are you talking about after stuffing your face?”
While they giggled, the additional food was served. In the end, they didn’t leave the restaurant until they had completely cleared eight servings of dak-galbi and an additional order of makguksu.
Once their stomachs were full, the sliver of anxiety that remained was also filled. Jae-min felt completely wonderful. While he walked beside him, looking up at the sky with a relaxed mood, Seung-pyo was preoccupied with checking the next part of the schedule.
“Now let’s go to a cafe and then go do the activities. I’ve already reserved the activities too.”
“When do we go to the pension?”
“Check-in is at 3 PM. We can move to the lodging after we’re done playing. We’ll be wet after playing in the water, so it’s better to go straight there, shower, and rest comfortably.”
“You planned this out properly. You even did all the reservations.”
“While you were studying hard at the academy, I got everything ready for us to have fun. Aren’t I great?”
Come to think of it, he hadn’t said thank you yet. To his boyfriend, who had not only taken charge of planning the entire day’s itinerary but had also come all the way to Gapyeong on the first bus at dawn to help Ryu Jae-min escape the academy. Jae-min swallowed hard. It felt shameless to settle it with just words, but right now, a greeting was all he could give.
“Oh Seung-pyo, thank you.”
He wanted to say it more sweetly, but he was shy, so his voice grew small. However, Seung-pyo seemed sufficiently satisfied; he twitched his lips, trying to hold back a laugh, and instead looked awkward.
“Hey, why are you making a big deal out of this? It’s only because we’re still high schoolers; once I make money, I’ll do even better things for you.”
“I’ll do things for you too once I make money. I’ll definitely pay you back later.”
Jae-min’s tone as he made the vow was intentionally solemn. Through this opportunity, Jae-min realized anew. That in living life, money is indeed the most important thing.
Even now, if he only had money, he wouldn’t have needed to ask Seung-pyo to come pick him up, nor would he have needed to stay at home, playing along with his parents who tormented him at every turn. The most fundamental reason that made him resolve to endure it all until he went to college—even if it was petty and dirty—wasn’t because Ryu Jae-min was a model student, nor because he was a good boy who couldn’t openly defy his parents. Ultimately, it was because he didn’t yet have the power to earn money on his own.
“As soon as I go to college, I’m going to get a tutoring job and earn money.”
“Won’t your parents support everything even after you go to college? Your parents are rich.”
“I’m still going to earn it.”
“You ran away from home without a single penny, and now you’ve become obsessed with money.”
Seung-pyo chuckled. To him, Jae-min’s words probably sounded like the complaints of a young master who had run out of allowance. But instead of arguing, Jae-min thought that it might actually be true.
Regardless, thanks to being born as the son of wealthy parents, he had almost never experienced hardship due to a lack of money in his pocket. Jae-min felt that he would never be able to forget the series of experiences: asking Seung-pyo for help because he didn’t have the fare to catch a taxi, and being offered a share of a meal while staring at others eating. While his parents’ intention in sending Jae-min to a boarding academy was for entrance exam studies, ironically, Jae-min felt he had learned other parts of life.
The two caught another taxi and climbed in. When Seung-pyo gave the name of the cafe and asked to go there, the driver soon started the car. The cafe, famous for its great view, was right in front of the activity center Seung-pyo had reserved, so he said they could have a quick coffee here and then move immediately.
The cafe they arrived at was grandly large and designed so that one could look directly at the river from the outdoors. The interior of the shop was bustling with people who had come to get some fresh air for the weekend, but a seat happened to open up just in time. The two took a seat on the terrace with a bingsu—said to be the top-ordered item—and a peanut latte.
However, even after managing to secure a seat, they didn’t have a moment to let their butts touch the chairs. Unlike at the restaurant, where they were focused only on eating without proper conversation, this time the bingsu and latte were secondary.
“Try making a heart with your hand next to your face like this. It’s popular these days.”
“Isn’t that something only celebrities do? You’re asking me to do the weirdest things.”
“People come here to take photos. They said it’s a photo spot.”
The two were more absorbed in taking photos of each other against the backdrop of the wonderful scenery. They attached their phones to a selfie stick and took several selfies. However, their gaze gradually began to shift from the camera lens to the river water reflected on the phone screen.
If they only looked at the leisurely flowing river, it would have been a purely peaceful scene, but it was currently summer. Wakeboards and jet boats continuously created fierce waves, leaving cool trajectories on the calm surface. The hearts of the boys, who had visited the cafe wanting to enjoy a quiet date, were already cutting through the current before they had even finished their ordered drinks.
“What time did we reserve that for?”
Jae-min asked, pretending to be curious about the reservation time. Since it was a date course that Seung-pyo had planned with all his heart, he must have chosen this cafe carefully as well. He felt awkward suggesting they move to another place as soon as he arrived, having contributed nothing to the travel preparations.
“I reserved an unlimited all-day pass, so we can go whenever… want to go now?”
Seung-pyo answered as if he had been waiting. In the end, far from enjoying leisure, they hurriedly devoured the ordered food and headed toward the barge on the riverside where they could enjoy water leisure.
The barge floating on the water was almost the size of a small amusement park, decorated with large slides and vaulting boxes made of waterproof vinyl, not unlike a water park.
An employee in swimwear held out a price list and guided them to choose what to ride. Seung-pyo, looking carefully at the list, asked the employee.
“Hyung, the two of us are riding; what’s fun?”
“Just the two of you friends? Then I recommend the Flyfish. See over there? The one that looks like a big kite.”
Where he pointed, two people, lying as if bound to a large, flat vinyl boat, were floating high into the air, screaming. The vinyl boat was connected to a motorboat running at high speed. Seung-pyo’s expression became serious.
“Do they really fly away like that? I have a fear of heights.”
“You won’t fly away. It only lifts a little, so it has nothing to do with a fear of heights. Ride it now. Everything else has a wait, but this is the only one with no wait right now. This is also a popular ride, so normally it takes a long time to ride.”
At the word that there was no need to wait, the hesitation vanished. As the two walked following the employee after choosing their first ride, their eyes were as sparkling as a first-grader about to enter elementary school.
They were high-spirited until they put on helmets and fastened the fronts of their life jackets, but once they were faced with the yellow vinyl boat floating on the water, Jae-min began to tremble slightly. Perhaps because he was only used to amusement park rides built with sturdy steel frames, everything prepared for water play looked too flimsy. He wasn’t afraid of water, but he didn’t want to fall into the water against his will. Jae-min pointed to the boat and confirmed.
“This has passed safety inspections, right?”
“This friend is sharp. Of course. It’s all passed, and we check it every morning.”
Unlike Seung-pyo, who was wearing shorts that came up to his knees, Jae-min was wearing long pants that came down to his ankles because he had come straight from the academy. The employee pointed to Jae-min’s attire and asked.
“But student, don’t you need to change your clothes? You’ll get very wet while playing.”
“Yes, it’s okay. I’ll just change later after I’m done playing.”
“Alright. Both of you go down and lie down. Just hold onto the handles tightly. Even if you fall into the water, it’s okay because you’re wearing life jackets.”
The wide, flat boat had two recessed spots side-by-side so that two people could lie down. Once Seung-pyo stepped down first, the nervous Jae-min quickly stepped down as well, not wanting to be outdone. The boat was sturdier than it looked; even with two grown high schoolers on it, it didn’t tilt or sink.
As they lay down on the boat, the cold moisture clinging to the floor seeped into their bare skin and clothes. But since they thought they would get soaked anyway, the chill felt refreshing. The two continued to laugh for no reason, repeatedly looking up at the sky and then at each other.
“We really picked the right day. We get good seats everywhere we go, and even though there are so many people here, they say only this one has no wait.”
“I think today’s weather is the best.”
They felt so excited that they wanted to assign meaning to everything in the world. The sun, now fully in the middle of the sky, shone directly down on the river.
The water’s surface, sparkling dizzily as if covered in scales made of light, was dazzling just to look at. The two boys squinted slightly. Just as the scattering light seeped into their fluttering hearts, the signal was given.
“Here we go! Hold the handles tight!”
Vroooooom—!
A chaotic roar of the engine sounded. The motorboat leading the way gained speed as soon as it started, and the vinyl boat where the two were lying also began to slide rapidly over the water, pulled along. With the sparkling river and the deep blue sky in front of them and their bodies being yanked backward—a strange sensation that could never be felt on land—Seung-pyo and Jae-min laughed loudly, repeating screams in between.
“Aaaaaah!”
The screams grew louder when the boat the two were lying on finally soared high into the air. Looking down at the river from an upright position, even though they hadn’t risen that high, the thrilling feeling—like riding a roller coaster—made their voices naturally grow louder.
The boat that had soared into the air fell back to the water’s surface the next moment. Splash! A huge surge of water sprayed in all directions, and it was inevitable that water would pour over the two people lying in the boat. As the river water, which had risen like a fountain, covered their entire bodies, laughter clearer than the blue sky burst out.
“Driver, faster!”
Seung-pyo shouted at the top of his lungs. The engine noise was so loud that it was uncertain if the boat driver heard Seung-pyo’s voice, but right on cue, the boat began to gain speed again. As their bodies rose even higher than before, their cheerful screams grew louder accordingly.
Jae-min opened his eyes wide. All that caught his vision were the vast river and the sky. The sense of liberation when flying lightly without anything blocking the way was hard to put into words. He felt as if he could fly away like a bird just like this.
He didn’t know how long it had been since he had screamed like this. He wasn’t as scared as at first, but Jae-min intentionally raised his voice every time he rose and fell. Whenever he screamed, the rusty crust that had been stuck in his heart for the past few days seemed to fly out with the scream, swept away by the current and disappearing as foam.
They wanted to fly for a long, long time, but the time spent running over the water was not as long as the wind. However, the expressions of the two people who got off the boat had changed 180 degrees in a short time. Their faces, completely soaked in water, were much brighter than before, and it was as if all their worries and anxieties had been washed away, like laundry that had come out of a washing machine rather than a boat. Seung-pyo’s tone, elevated by joy, quickened.
“Isn’t this crazy? It’s fucking fun!”
“What should we ride next? Let’s pick quickly.”
Everything looked fun, to the point where it was impossible to rank them. The two unconditionally chose the ones with the shortest wait times. After riding the Disco Pang Pang, where several people climb onto a round boat and shake at high speed on the water; the Waffle Boat, where they had to hang on while lying face down as it sped across the river; and the Peanut Boat, which they rode sitting down, the two finally challenged the wakeboard, where they had to stand on a small board and ride the current.
Compared to Seung-pyo, who picked up the knack relatively quickly, Jae-min repeatedly lost his balance, slipped off the board, and fell into the water. Seung-pyo, who was taking photos and videos of Jae-min from the motorboat, burst out laughing every time.
“Why do you keep falling! You have to keep standing; you can’t just slump down because you’re scared!”
Ignoring Seung-pyo’s teasing, Jae-min persistently repeated the process of getting back on the board, and finally succeeded in riding the board, creating waves behind him like a surfer. Seung-pyo captured every moment of Jae-min riding the current with a wide smile, even letting go of one hand with ease, on his phone.
They rode and rode again, riding the fun ones twice. By the time they returned to the ticket office after enjoying water play to their heart’s content all day, the sun had leaned far to the west. The two were soaked from head to toe, as if they had just been fished out of the river.
“Ah, seriously, that was fun. Let’s come again next time.”
“I think today was the most fun day of my life.”
Jae-min’s voice was bright, as if he were still exhilarated. Seeing Jae-min more excited than expected, Seung-pyo, who had planned everything diligently, also felt proud and smiled naturally.
“The most in your life? That’s enough to be an anniversary. Let’s make today an anniversary starting next year.”
Seung-pyo smiled, showing his teeth, took off his life jacket and helmet, and shook his short hair.
He was merely shaking the water from his hair with his hand, but perhaps because of the damp t-shirt clinging tightly to his toned body, or perhaps because of his handsome profile, the trivial action looked exceptionally striking. Jae-min’s eyes, which had been sparkling with joy, went blank. Why is this guy unnecessarily so handsome?
Standing there silently staring at his boyfriend, he suddenly realized and looked around. Whether it was just his imagination or not, he felt as if more than one or two people were staring at Oh Seung-pyo.
“Why are you taking off your life jacket already? Keep it fastened.”
“You took yours off too, so why?”
Seung-pyo asked back with a bewildered expression, walked a few steps, and this time, he snatched Jae-min’s life jacket and draped it over his shoulders.
“You keep yours on. You’re soaking wet, so everyone’s staring.”
“Not me, you.”
“Look properly. They’re looking at you.”
The pointless and draining argument didn’t last long. Jae-min placed a hand on his flat stomach. The dak-galbi he had eaten until he was stuffed had long since been digested while he fought the rough currents.
“I played for so long that I’m hungry again. You okay?”
“Want some cup noodles? Cup noodles are a must after playing in the water. Let’s eat and then go check into the pension. We can grill some meat for dinner.”
Three minutes after pouring in the hot water and closing the lid. While waiting for the spicy and salty cup noodles to cook, the two of them stared down at the table, swallowing hard.
When they opened the lids, hot steam billowed out. Sitting on the damp chairs of the convenience store, they inhaled the noodles as if they were disappearing in the blink of an eye, then hurriedly stood up to head to their destination.
There were showers at the water park, but it looked too crowded. The two decided to give themselves a rough rinse at a public tap and wash properly once they got to the pension. After quickly changing clothes in the dressing room and gathering their things to leave the beach, a pleasant lethargy washed over them. It seemed like it would be perfect to check into the lodging and roll around for a bit on a cool, crisp bed.
‘Since it’ll just be the two of us at the lodging, we can kiss, too.’
Seung-pyo hurried his pace, a mischievous smile playing in his mind. The pension he had carefully chosen and reserved was waiting for them.
* * *
Entering the newly built pension in high spirits, Seung-pyo’s expression turned bewildered as he stood before the check-in counter. He asked the owner again, as if he couldn’t believe what he had just heard.
“Permission?”
“You both said you’re high school students. In that case, you need a guardian’s permission.”
“No, then you should have checked that when I made the reservation. The payment went through without any verification process.”
“It’s written in the precautions. Look.”
The pension owner held out a tablet displaying the online reservation screen. At the very bottom of the reservation window, a small warning was written: ‘Guardian permission is required for stays consisting only of minors.’ Seung-pyo let out a sigh.
“How could you write it so small! It’s barely visible!”
“It doesn’t require some grand procedure; you can just get permission over the phone right now. Just let me speak with a guardian for a moment. If a problem occurs while you’re staying here alone, I’m the one who has to take responsibility, so I have no choice.”
“Can’t my Hyung do it? He’s a college student.”
“A parent, or if that’s not possible, a school teacher.”
The owner standing at the counter shook his head. The two looked at each other, feeling troubled. Jae-min, who had run away from home, naturally had no one to contact, and it was impossible for Seung-pyo to contact his father, who was currently on a boat in some unknown sea. Since they were essentially runaways, they couldn’t exactly try to butter up their homeroom teacher.
As if trying to change the grim atmosphere, Jae-min smiled.
“Oh Seung-pyo, let’s just get a refund and go home. I don’t necessarily need to stay overnight. Today was really fun.”
But Seung-pyo couldn’t give up easily. He leaned against the counter and pleaded with the pension owner.
“CEO, is it really not possible? We’ll really be quiet. We won’t drink alcohol or anything.”
“I’m telling you this because I’ll be in trouble if even a single problem arises.”
“Ha, CEO. Really? For real?”
After several bouts of haggling, Seung-pyo accepted that the situation wouldn’t change and let out a deep sigh. The smile vanished, and his expression became blunt.
“Give me a hundred percent refund without taking any cancellation fees.”
“You’re the one who didn’t read the precautions…”
“You should have written such important information in red so it’s clearly visible. If it’s not a full refund, we’re not leaving. We’ll just spread out sleeping bags and sleep right here.”
When Oh Seung-pyo, who stood nearly 190 centimeters tall, frowned, the words felt considerably threatening despite being no different from a child’s tantrum. With a face that suggested he had encountered a nightmare customer, the pension owner took the card from Seung-pyo and quietly processed the cancellation.
Walking away from the pension he had worked so hard to reserve, Seung-pyo grumbled weakly.
“Ah, I shouldn’t have mentioned school. If I’d stayed quiet, he would’ve thought I was a college student.”
“It’s okay. What does it matter if we don’t sleep here?”
“Still… I planned this as an overnight trip. Sorry I didn’t check properly.”
“What are you sorry for? You were busy preparing everything on your own.”
Seung-pyo, who had been gloomy, suddenly widened his eyes as if another idea had struck him. He whipped around to look at Jae-min and brought up a new plan.
“Do you want to go to the sea now?”
“Huh?”
“My grandmother’s house is on the East Coast. Let’s call her and if she says we can come, let’s go. If we leave right now, I think we’ll arrive around evening. It’ll be too late for swimming, but it’ll be nice to just see the ocean. If we wake up early tomorrow morning, we can go swimming then.”
“Wait, grandmother? Your grandmother?”
“If you’re okay with it. It’s not a pretty building like this; it’s an old house, so it’s a bit uncomfortable. But it’s right in front of the sea.”
It was too sudden. To suddenly have to greet Oh Seung-pyo’s grandmother.
Jae-min also had grandparents, but he had no happy memories of visiting their homes or spending time with them. Usually, when he met his grandparents, it was with a large group of relatives, and the atmosphere was generally stiff and strict, regardless of whether it was the paternal or maternal side. Because of this, he and his Noona had often spent the nights before such visits secretly complaining to each other about how they didn’t want to go.
Seeing how easily he brought up going to his grandmother’s house, it seemed Oh Seung-pyo’s family wasn’t like that, but he was still nervous. However, Jae-min also felt it would be a waste to return to Seoul just like this. His suggestion to go back to Seoul had been to comfort a depressed Seung-pyo whose plans had fallen through; it wasn’t what he actually wanted. Jae-min made up his mind.
“I’m okay with it.”
“Really? Anyway, even if I go, my grandmother just hangs out with her friends at the senior center. She’ll give us food but won’t pay much attention to us. You can just relax, so don’t worry.”
Seung-pyo immediately made a call.
“Yeah, Halmae. Who else? You don’t recognize your grandson’s voice?”
Seung-pyo’s tone became more playful than usual. Jae-min stared at him with a sense of curiosity. It wasn’t as if he were speaking a foreign language, but Seung-pyo using the unfamiliar term ‘Halmae’ made him seem, for the moment, like someone from a different country.
The call wasn’t long, and Seung-pyo hung up with a triumphant smile, as if he had expected this result.
“She says we can come. She said since I’m coming with a friend, she’ll make something delicious, so she told us to come over.”
“I feel like I should buy a gift.”
“The fact that I’m paying a surprise visit to a bored old lady is the gift.”
“Who do you think you are?”
Joking around, the two caught a taxi. While waiting for the taxi that would take them to the intercity bus terminal, Jae-min pointed to Seung-pyo’s hand.
“Can I use your phone for a second?”
“Ah, a call? Of course.”
Seung-pyo handed over the phone. Before making the call, Jae-min sent a text message first.
[Noona, this is Jae-min. I’m using a borrowed phone, can you talk for a second?]
A moment later, the phone rang. Jae-min hesitated before pressing the call button.
“Noona.”
—Where are you? What’s going on? Mom called me too.
“Ah, you already got the call. I guess so…”
His voice was full of anxiety. He should have told her sooner, but he had been so caught up in playing that he was late in contacting her. Feeling sorry, Jae-min bit his lip before continuing.
“Did you hear everything from Mom?”
—She just said you suddenly disappeared from the boarding academy. She asked if I’d heard from you or if I knew where you went.
“I only went to the academy because Father forced me. So I just left on my own. I’m not going back today. You can tell Mom that.”
Silence flowed through the receiver.
—You didn’t actually run away, did you?
The disbelief was openly carried in his Noona’s voice. Jae-min’s cheeks flushed slightly with embarrassment.
“Yeah.”
—…If you’re not going back, where are you going to sleep? If you have nowhere to go, come to Noona’s house. I’ll keep it a secret from the house.
“No, I have a plan. I left the academy today, ate delicious food, and had a great time.”
—You really set your mind to leave, didn’t you?
Instead of answering, Jae-min flicked a pebble at his feet. The small stone rolled along before coming to a stop.
“I’ll go back later, but I’m going to sleep at a friend’s house today. I think the sparks will fly toward my friend if Father and Mother find out, so please keep this a secret between us.”
—Hey, of course I’ll keep it a secret. Do you think I’d actually tell them?
His Noona was laughing. As if a long-standing indigestion had finally cleared, leaving her feeling refreshed. Jae-min also gave a bitter smile. Come to think of it, Oh Seung-pyo wasn’t the only person in this wide world who could be called his ally.
—You’re amazing. I couldn’t even think about running away when I was in high school… Do you need anything? Should Noona send you some money?
“No. I don’t even have my wallet right now, so I can’t use it even if you send it.”
—What? What are you going to do without a wallet?
“That’s why I called a friend.”
—You have a friend who would come all the way there just because you ran away from home; you must have attended school well enough.
At those words, Jae-min’s nose tingled. Once I go to college. Once I become an adult. Perhaps because he had thought that for so long, from some point on, life before becoming an adult felt like nothing more than a preparation stage or a rehearsal for what came after, but it was a foolish thought.
Nineteen years from birth until turning twenty. How could he have tried to spend such a long time as a mere practice for the future? Looking back at just today, the days before meeting Oh Seung-pyo felt like a black-and-white movie compared to how vividly today sparkled.
—Where is your friend’s house? Tell me, at least. Just in case something happens.
“Yeah. I’ll ask for the address later and text you.”
—Okay. You’re really okay, right?
“Of course. I had so much fun today.”
—If you say so, then I’m happy too.
A taxi with its reservation light on was approaching. Hurriedly, Jae-min wrapped up the call.
“I have to get in the car now. I’ll contact you again later.”
—Okay. If anything happens, you can call me here again, right?
“That won’t happen, but yeah.”
After hanging up, the two hurriedly climbed into the taxi. As he handed the phone back to Seung-pyo, he found Seung-pyo looking at him with a touched expression.
Was there something in what he said that would make Oh Seung-pyo feel touched? Jae-min asked the reason with a suspicious look.
“…Why?”
“You just talked to your Noona, right? She said she’d send you pocket money because you’re staying with a friend?”
“Ah, yeah. Noona works at a company. But I told her it’s okay because I can’t use it right now anyway.”
“The difference between people is really… really huge… I want to show this to Oh Seung-yeon.”
Seung-pyo sighed and grumbled. Although he didn’t know the exact details, he could guess roughly what had happened, so Jae-min gave a bitter smile again. The blazing sunlight was cooling softly.