NLFSD Chapter 34

Chapter 34

“This is the countryside, right?”

“Well, yes, but I don’t think this atmosphere is bad at all. Chief Lee, what do you think of the island?”

“Hmm… I like islands.”

Lee Jiwoon was someone who had moved to Seoul for college. Unlike the noisy and crowded countryside where he grew up with his grandparents, Seoul felt lonely and desolate. On the surface, it was a glamorous city, but to Jiwoon, who had spent years cramped in a tiny studio room focusing on studying and finding work, the cityscape beyond the one-room window was nothing but a symbol of bitterness and melancholy.

“I like the countryside. Seoul just… I don’t think it suits me very well.”

“Then do you plan to live in the countryside later on, not Seoul?”

“Now that you put it that way, I’m not sure how to answer, but… for now, the countryside is closer to the life I want than Seoul. Peaceful, warm with human connection… Even this island proves it. If we had stayed at some luxury hotel downtown, maybe the manager would’ve given us antacids, sure, but in the end, it was the grandmother’s needle prick that cured me. That’s how I see it.”

A sea breeze blew, gently tousling Jiwoon’s hair. His thin, fine brown strands fluttered like a dance. Seo Taecheon’s eyes quietly traced the sunlight gracing Jiwoon’s squinting eyelids, then his nose bridge below, and finally, the now-rosy lips.

“Don’t you agree, Director?”

Jiwoon turned to Taecheon with a radiant smile, as bright as the sun itself. Taecheon nodded.

“You’re right.”

“Oh, that’s right! We need to take a photo. The GPS has to be on when we take it, or it won’t count.”

Jiwoon slapped his forehead with a loud smack and pulled out his phone. After turning on the GPS function, he adjusted the frame so that both he and Taecheon were included with the sea as a backdrop.

“Please, come a little closer.”

“Sure.”

Surprisingly, Taecheon complied without complaint. Their bodies drew nearer.

“Uh… I’m getting cropped out. Just a little closer, Director.”

Jiwoon stretched his arm, trying to stabilize the shot, but the height difference made it impossible. Reaching upward from below was too awkward for proper positioning.

“Forget that, give it to me.”

Unable to watch anymore, Taecheon took the phone and stretched out his long arm so both of them fit neatly into the frame.

“I’ll press it.”

Click.

The photo captured Taecheon and Jiwoon side by side.

“Huh? Director, I thought you said you never smile in photos!”

In the picture, Taecheon was smiling faintly. It was an expression anyone could see was genuine happiness. Jiwoon’s eyes widened in surprise as he stared at him.

“You’re right… I ended up smiling.”

A smiling Taecheon could not be described with just the word handsome; he looked like a god descended from the heavens, like a prince out of a fairytale. Of all the dozens of photos they had taken together so far, Jiwoon liked this one the most. Without even realizing it, his lips curled into a grin.

When they loaded the car onto the ferry and arrived at the passenger terminal, it was just shy of lunchtime. On the way back from Incheon to Seoul, Jiwoon kept nodding off.

“Mm…”

His head, rolling side to side, suddenly drooped forward. Taecheon reached out with his right arm, gently supporting Jiwoon’s head and guiding it back upright.

“Mnyaa…”

Even with his mouth open, Jiwoon murmured incoherently in his sleep. Taecheon chuckled softly at the sight.

Monday inevitably arrived, and Jiwoon’s commute began with Taecheon driving him to the bus stop as usual. It was the same weekday morning scenery as always.

But maybe because of what happened over the weekend, Jiwoon couldn’t help stealing glances at Taecheon’s hands.

“Do you need something?”

“N-no!”

Jiwoon frantically waved his hands.

“Then why do you keep looking at me so awkwardly—”

“I’ll just get off here today! Stop!”

“Hmm. Why don’t I just take you straight to the office?”

“Huh? But we usually commute separately.”

“We left early today. At this time, there’s hardly anyone in the underground parking lot. Let’s just go straight to the office.”

“Really?”

Normally, Taecheon would drop him off precisely at the midway bus stop or subway station, but today he suggested going together. For Jiwoon, it was not only less tiring but also an opportunity to spend a little more time with him, so he gladly accepted.

Apparently, leaving early truly paid off; the car crossed Cheongdam Bridge without traffic and reached the office quickly. After pulling into the underground parking lot, Jiwoon waited for a moment when no one was passing by and darted out of the car.

All the way up in the elevator, Jiwoon couldn’t shake the fluttering in his chest.

What is this? I can’t quite put my finger on it, but… BBG feels different. He’s treating me more gently than usual, definitely more attentive.

“Why is he acting like this all of a sudden…?”

Lost in thought, Jiwoon absentmindedly stared into space as he walked. Even when he arrived at his floor, sat at his desk, and exchanged half-hearted greetings with his team leader and manager, his thoughts remained with Seo Taecheon. So much so that he didn’t even notice Deputy Min had come in and sat next to him.

“Jiwoon!”

“Why is he acting like this….”

“Jiwoon?”

“Oh! Yes, Deputy Min, you’re here.”

“What’s with the blank stare?”

“It’s nothing. Guess my brain’s on strike because it’s Monday.”

“Oh wow, same.”

Deputy Min Hye-kyung chuckled behind her hand.

“So, how did things go over the weekend?”

“Huh?”

“You know, your friend’s friend’s friend. The one stressing about relationship progress. Did they move things along?”

“Oh…”

Right, I’d asked Deputy Min for advice, pretending it was about “a friend’s friend’s friend,” about how to advance an ambiguous relationship. How am I supposed to answer this?

“Did they get what they wanted?”

Deputy Min giggled, eyes crinkling.

“Well…”

Jiwoon hesitated at her question. When they first planned the trip, had they achieved their original goal? The answer was no. They hadn’t crossed the physical boundary they were aiming for.

But was there no progress at all? That wasn’t true either. They had hugged in bed, gone on date-like outings…

“Uh… They did meet up, but it’s kind of ambiguous. They didn’t quite get there yet.”

“Really? That’s a shame.”

As Jiwoon offered an awkward smile, his phone buzzed. A notification popped up — and the Sukrye-dungie mascot was dancing wildly on the screen.

This is the most intense dance I’ve seen. What’s going on?

Over the past few months of using Try Thinking It Over, Jiwoon had noticed that the mascot, Sukrye-dungie, swayed gently when sending normal reminders, but danced frantically when it was something urgent.

…Who even thought this pointless feature was necessary? What a waste of tax money.

Clicking his tongue, Jiwoon tapped the mascot. A message appeared:

Please upload your travel report ASAP! Attach before-and-after photos along with a review of at least 1,000 characters by midnight today. Otherwise, you’ll lose a significant number of points for this month!

According to the overseer’s earlier explanation, many people abused the couple-travel program, so inspections were strict. They verified whether the couple really went together and to the designated location through the submitted report, making timely submission essential.

Fine… I’ll write it.

Jiwoon imagined the score he would get if the report passed. It seemed likely he’d earn just enough to pass this month’s stage with an average rating.

He had anticipated a score increase when planning the trip, but when it came time to actually write the review… he didn’t want to.

If I finish this stage, that means stage two, then three are waiting. Then four and five will pass in a blur. And once we clear stage six… our divorce will be finalized.

“Haa…”

He was sick of Sukrye-dungie and everything about it.

At the same time, Seo Taecheon was in his office reviewing a report when his phone vibrated heavily. A text had arrived from Gangnam Center Sukrye Overseer:

This is a group message to all participants from last weekend’s trip.

Please write your travel journal with your spouse. If your discussions about separation were sincere, you’ll receive passing points. Your stage-one pass status is currently uncertain, so please take this seriously.

“…”

He had already guessed their score would be borderline. After all, aside from writing the journal, they had been lax with the other missions.

He could simply tell Jiwoon to write and upload the report, and the matter would be resolved easily — but he didn’t want to do that. Taecheon deleted the message and instead picked up his desk phone, dialing a number he’d been calling more often lately.

“It’s me. Have you finished surveying the wedding venues?”