* * *
Taehwan let out a short snort, as if he found it ridiculous.
“Oh, that’s music to my ears. Since it’s a request from Jung Jehee-nim, go ahead and waste a little for once.”
“What’s with that reaction! I can be wasteful too! You’ll be nagging me for spending too much money.”
“Exactly. Please, I beg you, let me nag for once. Even when I handed you a card, you didn’t even use it.”
“…Ugh.”
“I checked your card statement and started worrying you might be skipping meals. Why else do you think I even came to your house?”
“T-That’s because I ran into the aide and got treated to lunch…!”
“Even if you include that, I doubt you spent over a million won.”
“A-A million…? Wait, how do you even spend that much in one day?”
“See? Told you. You don’t even have the mindset to waste money.”
I was completely at a loss for words.
Isn’t spending a million won in a single day a bit much?
I only went out with some high school kids.
Just how much did he plan to splurge?
Of course, compared to the kind of money that makes people gasp, this was probably just pocket change…
While I was struggling to come up with a reply, Taehwan laughed and gave my back a gentle pat.
That kind, warm touch—so like him—melted the tension out of my body almost instantly.
“If you can’t waste it, I’ll do it for you. Just stay by my side.”
A voice as warm as his hand followed.
…Ah, seriously.
This is bad.
Taehwan always says the sweetest things at the worst possible moments, and it keeps making me soft.
Complacent.
I don’t want to leave this warm embrace.
But to become a proper adult, I need to stand on my own.
I can’t just settle down because it’s warm and comfortable.
Even if I end up roughing it out in the world, I need the courage to grow.
Someday, I’ll have to leave Taehwan’s side.
But just for today… isn’t it okay to relax a little?
Today’s a special day—I finally broke free from being a sidekick and became a real Hunter.
“…Yeah.”
I quietly leaned against Taehwan and rested my forehead on his broad shoulder.
It was a spur-of-the-moment suggestion, but in the end, it turned out to be the right decision.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say the timing was perfect.
Usually, it takes about a week to finalize a mentor.
Even if Choi Taeyang got selected immediately for some reason, with that ankle injury, he wouldn’t be able to move freely, and the schedule would be delayed anyway.
As for me, I had no injuries, and after what happened at the Wind Hole, my movements had become noticeably more agile.
I barely tripped when running anymore.
The therapist even recommended taking it easy for a bit, especially after everything that had happened.
In short, I had a full week off after completing rehab and before starting my life as a full-fledged Hunter—a perfect time for a camping trip, wasn’t it?
“Let’s start with the mountains, then swing by the sea before heading back. Oh right, there was a place I wanted to go with you… what was it again?”
As always, Taehwan was the kind of guy who got things done once he set his mind to it.
While holding me in his arms on the way to the parking lot, he was already searching for popular camping sites nearby—and before I knew it, he had one booked.
The moment we got in the car, he set the navigation, and even buckled my seatbelt for me.
“Alright, let’s hit the road. We’ll go somewhere chill for the first day and figure out the rest of the schedule later.”
“Huh? We’re going now? Aren’t we stopping by the house first?”
“I told you, this is a ‘waste-your-money’ camping trip. We can’t use anything from home. There’s a big supermarket on the way, so let’s get everything there.”
“But still…”
“Ah ah. ‘But still’ is banned. This trip’s rule is: even down to your underwear, everything has to be new. We’re not throwing it away after, so just bear with it. We can afford to splurge a little.”
I thought he was exaggerating for fun—but no, Taehwan was 100% serious about spending lavishly.
That said, he did have a point.
Even though the house was huge, it felt oddly empty and sterile—probably because it had been built and furnished with the assumption that I’d be getting around in a wheelchair.
Buying a few things wouldn’t hurt.
So we hit up a massive supermarket.
Between tents, ice boxes, gas burners, simple meals, drinks, and even the tiniest daily essentials, our huge shopping cart wasn’t just full—it looked like a mountain.
Taehwan and I even had to split it up and carry some bags ourselves.
Of course, we drew some stares, and if we hadn’t been wearing masks and hats, it might’ve caused a scene.
Thankfully, the car was big, and Taehwan wasn’t the type to usually carry much.
When we were wheeling the cart back to the parking lot, I was worried it wouldn’t all fit—but it did.
The car had been empty before, but after one trip to the store, the backseat was now packed full.
It was… oddly satisfying.
As I sipped the strawberry yogurt smoothie we’d bought at the store, I stared at the pile of stuff.
“It’s still crazy no matter how many times I look. People might think we’re evacuating or something.”
“Ooh, that’s not a bad concept. Sounds fun.”
“Wait… Hey. Even as a joke, evacuation’s a bit…”
“C’mon, can’t we at least enjoy the concept a little? Even if we ever did have to evacuate, you’d be the first one charging to the front lines and saving people, Jung Jehee.”
“…”
“And I’d follow right behind you. So what if I joke a little… yeah?”
“Here. Try this. It’s good.”
Taehwan knows me way too well. I can’t even argue with him.
Still, I really appreciated that he could so easily say he’d go out to the front lines with me if something ever happened…
I honestly don’t know how someone like him ended up in my life.
Trying to shift the topic, I handed him the smoothie I was drinking and gently nudged the straw toward his lips.
He took it and sipped without hesitation.
Whether it was fortunate or not, Taehwan didn’t have much of a sweet tooth, but if it was something I was eating or drinking, he’d gladly share it.
I guess he just liked sharing with me.
For someone so big, he had this oddly babyish side to him—it was kind of cute.
“Oh. We’re here.”
“Eh? Already?”
“Yeah. Let’s get out.”
We hadn’t even left the city yet, or at least it didn’t feel like it.
We were on the outskirts, sure, and the parking lot was fairly wide, but it didn’t seem like the kind of place a campsite would be.
Still confused, I followed Taehwan out of the car.
All I could see were large buildings—no mountains, no water.
Honestly, it looked more like a gymnasium than a campsite.
“Is this really the camping site?”
“Yup. Come on.”
Taehwan grabbed a bag stuffed full of the food we’d bought and took my hand.
He didn’t even bring the tent.
Was it too big to carry?
Planning to come back for it?
I could’ve helped if needed.
Just as I opened my mouth to say something, the trunk slammed shut with a loud thunk, and I ended up half-dragged by Taehwan toward the entrance.
I barely managed to keep up with him.
“Do you have a reservation?”
“Yes. It should be under ‘TJH0417.’”
“…Confirmed. You can choose your spot and place this flag there. We’ll send you the rest of the information by message, but to give you a brief rundown…”
One of the staff members started explaining various things necessary for camping.
I wasn’t really sure, but I guess this was a campsite after all.
I was just standing there listening when Taehwan suddenly tapped me and shoved a flag into my hand.
That gesture…
It meant he’d take care of listening to the instructions and let me know later, so I should hurry in and claim a good spot.
That’s what my internal big data—compiled from twenty years of living with Im Taehwan—was telling me.
I happened to be curious about what kind of place this “campsite” really was anyway, so I grabbed the flag and headed in.
“Wow…”
Just past the modest entrance, a wide space opened up.
For a second, I wondered if it led outside through some hidden corridor, but no—it was a full indoor camping site, probably set up inside a repurposed gym or auditorium.
The lighting was dim, and the whole place looked like a movie or stage set.
Decorative stars hung from the ceiling, and the gravel-covered floor was neatly sectioned off with tents and tables.
Each tent had warm, reddish lighting that gave the place a cozy, intimate vibe.
A huge screen installed on one wall showed a flowing stream, and speakers hidden throughout played the sounds of running water and chirping insects.
Behind the screen were the restrooms, showers, and a convenience stand—cleverly concealed so as not to ruin the immersive experience.
‘This is… really something.’
Who knew places like this even existed now?
I was still wide-eyed and taking everything in when I remembered my mission.
I had to plant this flag in the best spot I could find.
Luckily, it looked like there were still plenty of open spots.
Well, that made sense.
Even though this was close to the city, it was far from any major downtown area, and it was still early—people wouldn’t be off work yet.
Other than us, I only spotted two or three groups: some couples, and a few women who seemed like friends.
I wandered around, peeking at where flags were already planted, then stepped back to get a bigger picture of the layout.
‘Where would be the quietest?’
Neither Taehwan nor I were fond of drawing attention.
“Miracle child” or whatever—there’d been plenty of gossip over the years, and even when he didn’t try, his large frame tended to draw stares.
So, near the convenience area was out.
Somewhere farther from the entrance would be best.
A secluded spot would’ve been ideal, but of course, those prime areas were already claimed.
So much for getting here early. I was hoping to lock down a spot before Taehwan got here, but maybe picking one together would be better…
I stood there, zoning out, debating what to do—when suddenly, the air shifted.
A quiet buzz went through the people nearby.
It wasn’t the bad kind, more like murmurs of admiration.
* * *
