Chapter 27: First Trip with My Girlfriend (2)

    TL: looloo

    Schedule: 4/Week Wed-Sat

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    I arrived at Seoul Station by train. Having researched the route beforehand, I effortlessly headed to the ticket vending machine and collected the tickets Heena had reserved.

    We had plenty of time before departure since we set off early. We had taken precautions in case something unexpected came up, so I hadn''t thought about how to kill time here.

    I glanced over at Heena.

    "Do you want something to drink, even if we eat later?"

    It was 8 o''clock. Both Heena and I had agreed to skip breakfast. But since our throats might get dry, I asked if she wanted to stop by a convenience store.

    "No, I''m fine."

    "I''m okay too, but I did bring a drink from home in my bag."

    "Should we just head to our seats then? We only have to wait 30 minutes."

    "Sounds good."

    Following her suggestion, we made our way to the boarding gate. There wasn’t even a gate check, so we went straight to where our seats would be, allowing us immediate boarding once the train arrived.

    Despite the holiday season, there weren''t as many people around as I expected. I figured most people heading towards Sokcho might prefer taking a direct bus than the KTX.

    Anyhow, I was glad it wasn’t too crowded. Heena set down her suitcase and sat on top of it.

    I always thought suitcases were mainly for international trips, but seeing her now, I began to see them differently.

    You can pack a lot, pull it along when walking, and even sit on it like this.

    I couldn’t help but express my admiration.

    "Wow, that''s seriously convenient."

    "Right?"

    There were seats available a short distance away. But it didn''t matter. Heena looked cute sitting on the suitcase.

    "Yeonho, do you want to sit too?"

    "Huh? Should we move over there?"

    "No, right here."

    She got up from the suitcase and motioned for me to sit. Once I was seated, she nestled beside me on the suitcase, just like when we took a photo together in her room.

    I wasn''t as flustered as that time, but her scent still made my heart race.

    Unlike before, she didn''t face me but leaned against me. I wrapped my right arm around her shoulder, ensuring she wouldn’t fall. Her head rested between my cheek and shoulder.

    She opened her eyes slightly, and our gazes met.

    "Am I heavy?"

    "Not at all. I hardly noticed."

    "Is it okay if I stay like this?"

    "Of course. You can even nap here if you want."

    "Should I?"

    She playfully nuzzled my collarbone. That cat-like gesture made the corners of my mouth lift.

    Was she testing my patience? We hadn''t even boarded the train.

    Honestly, I felt like I could handle not just 30 minutes but 3 hours in this position. However, due to the slight instability of the suitcase, Heena got up after only five minutes.

    After that, we quietly moved to a nearby chair, sitting side by side, and began taking pictures again.

    After all, what remains of a trip are just photos.

    Poses forming a peace sign with our hands, concept shots of us holding down the brims of our hats, and pictures where Heena planted a kiss on my cheek.

    Time flew by. Especially the last picture, it''s one I''d want to keep forever.

    For a moment, I pondered how to store this data so I''d never lose it. In that brief span of time, our train arrived.

    We quickly grabbed our luggage and boarded the train, searching for our designated seats. Surprisingly, there were only a few people on the KTX, and judging by their casual attire, it seemed most were headed to a similar destination.

    "Heena, could you pass the suitcase? I''ll put it up."

    ---

    Our check-in time was at 2 PM. We might arrive a bit earlier, but surely they''d let us in about 10 minutes early, right?

    "Heena, is that the place?"

    "I think so? Let''s check it out."

    We entered a Western-style restaurant we had previously researched. A local hotspot known for its pork cutlet. I initially wanted to find something Heena would enjoy more.

    But before I could even ask, she remarked, ''Yeonho, you like this kind of food, right? Let''s have this for lunch then-'' and effortlessly chose a restaurant catering to my taste. I had no grounds to object.

    I ordered the pork cutlet set, while Heena chose spaghetti. Skipping breakfast and just having spaghetti seemed a bit much, but she never really ate that much anyway. Thankfully, this place also provided bread and soup before the meal.

    Heena has such a delicate frame that sometimes I worry when I see her eat only about half of what I consume.

    After a short wait, the bread, soup, and our main dishes arrived.

    From what I''d read online, these local delicacies are hit or miss – either they''re delicious, or they''re terrible. Fortunately, this place was on the delicious side. It''s hard to mess up pork cutlet anyway.

    But my girlfriend, while only halfheartedly picking at her spaghetti, was looking at me with a contented smile.

    "Is the pork cutlet good?"

    "It''s quite nice. Want a bite?"

    "Just one!"

    If my friends said something like this, I''d have teased them immediately. But seeing Heena, waiting like a little bird with her mouth open, I wouldn''t hesitate to give her my entire meal.

    I gently cut a small piece from the center of the pork cutlet and fed it to Heena with a fork.

    She chewed and with a pleased smile, said it was delicious. Then, she took a small forkful of her spaghetti and offered it to me.

    The spaghetti''s not bad either, right?

    I responded with a smile, indicating it tasted good, and swiftly finished my meal.

    Just as I was about to grab the bill to pay, Heena''s hand reached out to stop me.

    "Yeonho, let me cover this."

    "I''ll handle it."

    "No, you know the hotel my mom booked is expensive, right?"

    "I know, but..."

    "It’s not my money per se. Dad gave me a separate card and told me to handle our meals with it."

    "Hmm..."

    It felt unnecessary to argue when she put it like that. We had tried to save on this trip, but in the end, it felt like most expenses were handled by our parents.

    After all, our mothers had gone through some hassle to book the hotel because both of us were minors.

    "I should probably visit to express my gratitude later."

    "To our place? Drop by anytime."

    "Uh... isn’t your brother getting discharged from the military soon?"

    "My brother? He''s out by mid-July!"

    It seemed Heena and her brother were quite close. I wondered if he''d be okay knowing his younger sister is in a relationship. I''ve heard close sibling relationships like theirs are rare.

    After paying, we headed back to the terminal. Since we timed our meal well, we only waited briefly before boarding the bus.

    Knowing I tend to get a bit queasy on long bus rides, I kept to myself and relaxed into my seat.

    Heena seemed to notice, gently resting her head on my shoulder as we traveled.

    About an hour and a half later, the vivid blue horizon became visible through the bus window.

    Author''s Note:

    Travel at your own pace.

    Today, I became aware of readers who cherish my work in their collections.

    Thank you!

    Your comments and recommendations are always appreciated.

    Love you all!