The Protagonist's Party is Too Diligent

Whenever I stopped at a rest area, I almost always got udon.

It wasn’t because I particularly liked udon or anything like that—it was just that udon tended to be reasonably priced and unlikely to disappoint. After all, the udon they sold at these places used factory-made noodles and broth anyway.

Ramen made me think, “Why pay this much for instant noodles?” And the jjajangmyeon never tasted quite right. I never even considered any of the other menu options. I mean, no one goes to a rest stop expecting gourmet cuisine.

Still, it’s not like I’d criticize the others if they ordered something different.

But even without me saying anything, most of the girls ended up ordering udon too. Only Mia chose something else—pork cutlet.

None of the girls here could really handle spicy food. Claire could manage it better than the others, but that didn’t mean she liked it.

So ramen from a place like this probably tasted pretty spicy to them. Naturally, they gravitated toward milder options.

I briefly thought that maybe these girls were more suited to another country than Korea, but then again—it made sense.

They were from the West, after all. It was only natural that heavily traditional or spicy Korean food would be hard for them.

At least there were a few non-spicy options available here. That was a relief.

“This is a little more serious than a place you’d just stop by to take a break.”

Alice said that while eating her udon, glancing around leisurely.

Maybe because it was a weekday, the place wasn’t crowded. Not empty, but not busy either.

“During holidays, this whole area gets packed. Just finding a seat is a struggle. Sometimes it’s better to skip the food court and just find another restaurant.”

“Really?”

Alice sounded like she couldn’t quite imagine it.

“Well, I guess it makes sense in a city like ours, but still... Cars must be everywhere across the country. If policies aren’t made with the future in mind, there are bound to be all sorts of problems down the line.”

Charlotte said that, her tone thoughtful.

Well, she probably knew more about this kind of thing than I did, so I didn’t butt in.

These days, Alice and Charlotte had been studying together a lot—sharing opinions, discussing various topics. That was a good thing. They might not be able to apply everything directly, but learning about this world’s history could definitely help them navigate future events more effectively.

Still—

“Come on, we’re on a trip. Do we have to talk about stuff like that now?”

Claire sounded slightly exasperated.

“Look at Mia. She’s just enjoying her food without a care in the world. You guys should learn how to relax and have fun too.”

As Claire said, Mia was savoring her pork cutlet with the purest expression of delight. It probably wasn’t anything special, but you wouldn’t know it from her face.

“I do feel a little bad... but I guess it’s just how I’ve lived my whole life. It’s not easy to let go, even after spending over two months here.”

“Same here. I’ve lived that way for as long as I can remember... But even so, I’m really glad I met you all.”

“No matter how we spend our time, it’s not like we’re in any rush. Whether it’s studying or political debates—just enjoy yourselves while you can.”

The girls all nodded in agreement to my words.

*

If I chose udon for a meal at a rest stop, what about snacks?

I usually bought buttered potatoes.

Sure, I could make them at home anytime, but they were more effort than they were worth. And even if I wanted some while out, there weren’t many places that sold them.

Sometimes I’d go for squid, or a hot bar... basically, I preferred snacks that were a hassle to make but awkward to find elsewhere.

Of course, I wasn’t the only one picking snacks.

Claire, Alice, Charlotte, and Mia all came back with their arms full after I gave them my card and told them to get whatever they wanted.

The table we’d claimed was completely covered in food.

It felt like we were throwing a party before even getting to the campsite.

If I’d been doing this with childhood friends from back when I was in my thirties, I probably would’ve felt a bit self-conscious. They were all the same age as me back then, and honestly, if we’d spread out all this food and dug in like this, we would’ve looked like pigs.

But now we were all teenagers—no, administratively speaking, we were women in our twenties.

And just by appearance, we didn’t exactly look Korean. Foreigners, in every sense. Maybe that gave us the boldness to just enjoy ourselves.

The table was piled with chicken skewers, tteokbokki, walnut cakes, donuts, hot bars, hot dogs... A mix of things that tasted great at rest stops and things people would scoff at as “Why bother coming to a rest stop for that?”

But honestly... did it matter?

As long as we were having fun. We were on a trip, after all.

Especially watching Mia munch happily with her eyes sparkling—no matter what the food was, it didn’t really matter.

“Is it okay to eat this much before we even get there?”

Alice asked, a bit worried, though it was a perfectly reasonable concern.

“Don’t worry. Once we get to work, we’ll get hungry all over again.”

Claire also made a perfectly reasonable point.

Right. We might technically be in our twenties on paper, but our bodies were those of teenage girls.

We’d definitely be hungry again soon.

“She’s right, Alice. We’re on a trip. No need to overthink it.”

“You’re one to talk. Weren’t you the one Claire scolded earlier?”

Alice shot back, but Charlotte just ignored her and grabbed a chicken skewer.

*

About an hour after leaving the rest stop, we arrived at a seaside campsite we’d reserved in advance.

“Well? Good job on the booking, right?”

“Yeah, we spent a while deciding, but it looks like you nailed it.”

Claire and Alice had handled the reservation. Claire had been eager to drive, and ever since they’d heard we could get a car, the two of them had enthusiastically researched camping gear. They were by far the most invested in the trip.

That didn’t mean the rest of us weren’t enthusiastic.

Charlotte, Mia, and I spent time figuring out the rest—what we’d eat, what roles we’d each take to make things run smoothly.

Not that we planned it all down to the minute. In fact, the other two were so passionate that we felt a bit sheepish watching them.

Still, it worked out as a kind of natural division of labor.

It was autumn.

Perfect weather for camping. And it was a Monday—not a holiday or anything. Naturally, the place wasn’t crowded.

The spot Claire and Alice had booked was close to the water. You could see the sea from right where we stood. If you stepped out of the gravel campsite, the sandy beach stretched out right in front of you. Coming here in summer would probably be impossible—the crowds would be insane.

It really was a beautiful spot.

All five of us pitched in to set up the tent. It was our first time doing it ourselves, but we’d laid out all the parts and run a simulation beforehand. And aside from Mia and me, the other three had strength and stamina well beyond normal, so it only took about an hour to finish setting everything up.

The tent stood right next to the car. We hadn’t bought any special gear for sleeping in the car, but the tent was big enough for all five of us to sleep comfortably.

“Sis, let’s go to the beach!”

“...If we step into the water in this weather, we’ll freeze to the bone.”

“Just dipping our feet is fine! You’re wearing slippers too.”

At Claire’s insistence, I let her drag me toward the water.

Ssshhh—

The sound of waves was refreshing.

The sea was blue, and the sky matched it in intensity. I was glad we’d left early. If we hadn’t, we wouldn’t have had much time to enjoy this view.

Following Claire’s lead, I dipped my toes into the sea.

Even with slippers, the sand worked its way between my toes. The water was chilly, just as expected, but still bearable.

That unique smell of the ocean filled the air.

“What do you think?”

“It’s beautiful. Truly.”

“Yeah. Really beautiful.”

Claire and I stood side by side, just staring out at the sea.

Click.

We heard a shutter sound from behind us. Turning around, we saw Alice holding a camera.

We’d bought it just in case we decided to film a vlog. It was a beginner-friendly model, lens and all.

“I want a turn too!”

Claire ran over to Alice. Each of her steps left a clear footprint in the sand.

She took the camera from Alice and immediately started taking pictures of her.

Alice might’ve been a bit flustered, but I was sure the photos would turn out well. Claire was /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ the one behind the lens, and the subject was Alice.

Even if it had been someone else.

Photos of us having fun like this—there’s no way they wouldn’t be beautiful.

And someday, when we looked back at them, they’d be a treasure trove of memories.