Chapter Text
Shit. I died again.
Eunyung Baek looked up at the sky as the character's death sound played from his phone. The early morning air blew pleasantly on his skin, though he knew it would only be cool for so long. Summer was getting closer, and the time for beach trips and amusement parks was just around the corner. He pocketed his phone and made his way to his homeroom classroom. A voice called for him just as he arrived.
“Oh, Eunyung! Could you come here for a second?” His homeroom teacher waved him over.
“Yes yes~ I'll be right there,” he smiled, walking over to see what was going on, “You need somethin?”
“Well it’s not me, but the supervisor wants to see you in the office. They said to stop by around lunch time.”
Fucking great, Eunyung sighed internally, Just my luck having to spend my precious lunch in there of all places.
Despite his annoyance, he kept on the smile, “Okay, I’ll be sure to go there later.” He gave a short nod before heading back to his desk.
I wonder what the office could want with me. Maybe they’re kicking me out of that house lol. Eunyung chuckled at the thought, but it’d be a lie to say the idea didn’t scare him. It’s probably nothing important. He assured himself. They’ll probably just lecture me about my grades again. Deciding it was a later problem, he pushed the thought out of his mind and continued to pretend he was paying attention to the lesson.
~~~~~
“Isn’t it hard living in that house?” The supervisor asked him.
Here we go again.
Eunyung arrived at the office shortly after the bell rang, hoping to save as much of his lunch time as possible. For what felt like the millionth time, he prepared his defense speech for the house in his head.
“Of course n-”
“No, no, don’t lie,” the supervisor cut him off, “I didn’t call you here to convince you to move out. We’ve recently received an opportunity for you and the other students living there.”
Opportunity? Eunyung tilted his head.
“An opportunity? For me, Haejoon, and Juwan? What could we possibly have gained from living in that house?”
“Have you heard of Samsung’s latest item? It’s a tablet that they’ve been advertising for quite a while now. It’s said to help people plan the perfect vacation. They’ve contacted the school recently asking for students to sample their product and leave a positive review once finished.”
The supervisor looked at Eunyung expectedly. Eunyung, not knowing what this meant for himself, stared right back.
“Okay? So are they giving us a free tablet or what?”
“You could say that. To help you experience the tablet, they’ve offered to send you three on a full Galaxy Tab S8 Series vacation.”
Eunyung felt his jaw drop. “A vacation?! No way~ Are you sure we aren’t getting scammed or something?”
The supervisor shook his head. “I’m positive it’s what it says. They’ve already reached out to other schools and sent students there on vacation. I think you should take this opportunity while you still can. We’re offering it to you three because you've been living in that house the longest, and believe you could use the vacation.”
Eunyung was skeptical about the offer. He’s been screwed over in the past, but never by a large company. Was it really possible for him of all people to get sent on a vacation?
“I’ll tell Haejoon and Juwan about it when I get back to the dorm," Eunyung decided.
“I’m glad to hear it. I’ll be stopping by there later with some paperwork for all of you to fill out.”
They shared their goodbyes, and Eunyung left the office with a small buzz in his chest.
Seriously? A vacation? There's no way. It sounds too good to be true. He paused. But if it is… then I guess I better start packing lol.
He made his way back to the cafeteria, the feeling in his chest never getting any quieter.
~~~~~
“I’m here~”
“Welcome back!” “Hello”
Juwan and Haejoon greeted Eunyung as he entered the house. The two of them sat across from each other at the dining room table discussing a math problem Juwan couldn’t wrap his head around. Workbooks took up all the space on the table, so Eunyung settled himself on the counter instead.
“Hey guess what I heard today in the office,” Eunyung started.
Haejoon and Juwan looked up from their work.
“Oh?” Juwan asked, “What did you hear?"
Eunyung leaned forward. “Apparently the school wants to send us on some vacation lmao. Something about an advertisement for some big tablet company. Crazy right? As if some high school students would ever get the cha-”
Juwan jumped, eyes wide and hair bouncing up with him. “SOME BIG TABLET COMPANY?? Do you mean Samsung? I heard about them on the news! They’ve been sending students from all over Korea on vacations if they test out their new Galaxy Tablets. You’re telling me that you got an offer from them??”
Startled, Eunyung waited a second before answering. Geeze what’s got him all worked up? He’s acting like I just won the lottery or some shit .
“Yeah…” he started, “I got an ‘offer.’ Or more like we got an offer. The supervisor called me into the office earlier to tell me about it. Said they feel bad for letting us stay in this creepy house, so they’re making it up by sending us on some random vacation."
Juwan stood with his mouth opening and closing. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. It was a once in a lifetime chance to get sent on a vacation by a big company. Especially one as nice as he’s been hearing on the news. All of the students had been provided with free housing, food, transportation, and even a small allowance for souvenirs and snacks. Is he crazy? Does he even realize how lucky he is? Wait didn’t he say all three of us got the offer? Does that mean that we all get to go on this vacation??
A minute passed in silence as Juwan tried to wrap his mind around the situation. Slightly concerned, Haejoon stood up from his seat and guided Juwan back down to his chair. Once Juwan was settled, Haejoon looked back to Eunyung.
“Is it really like you said? That they’re offering to send us on a vacation? Honestly it sounds a bit too good to be true."
Eunyung glanced up from his phone. “Yup~ That’s what they told me. I felt the same way about it. You’d think we would’ve heard more about it before right?”
“Yeah it is a bit strange. It would be the first time I’ve been on a vacation...”
A knock on the door interrupted their conversation and Juwan's internal crisis. Haejoon stood up, opening the door to find the supervisor standing on the porch with three folders.
“Good evening boys! I’m here with the details for the trip you’ll be going on.” The supervisor entered the house, handing each student a folder with their name on it.
Opening them up, Eunyung, Haejoon, and Juwan found multiple documents. Some were official contracts and others were advertisements and itineraries for the vacation. The contracts covered their mode of transportation, housing, and other money/security details for the trip. Advertisements showed photos of sandy beaches with clear water, beautiful temples, and fun tours available to them.
“This… is for us?” Haejoon questioned, seemingly overwhelmed with the amount of information in his hands.
“Yes it is. Didn’t Eunyung tell you about it? Samsung has chosen this school to advertise their Galaxy Tablets, and we have chosen you three to go on this trip,” the supervisor crossed his arms, “That is, if you actually want to go. You three don’t seem too excited about this. If you don’t want this chance, then I’m sure there are plenty of other students who would appreciate it muc-”
“NO! No! Of course we want to go!” Juwan interrupted, “We’re honored to have this opportunity, sir! Please let us go on this trip!” He held the folder to his chest and bowed down. From his position, he looked back at Eunyung and Haejoon. Do not ruin this! He glared.
Reluctantly the two bowed their heads down too.
“Yes~ We’re very grateful for this opportunity,” Eunyung hummed.
“Please let us go.” Haejoon added.
The supervisor clapped his hands. “Alright! That’s more like it!” he grinned, “Read over those documents and get them filled out. You have about a month before the trip. If you have any questions, ask before it’s too late.”
They shared their goodbyes, and watched the supervisor retreat into the forest before shutting the door behind him. They sat in silence for a few moments until Juwan spoke.
"You guys… do you really not know anything?"
"..." "..."
He sighed. "Man, I can't believe we almost missed out on this… It's been on the news too! Dozens of students in Korea have gone on free vacations and now we get to too! Aren't you guys more excited??"
Juwan placed his folder on the table and opened it up. "Look at this! Clear blue waters and soft sandy beaches! And that too! I've always wanted to visit this temple!"
"Look at this guy getting all excited lmao," Eunyung piped, "I had a hard time believing it at first, but now that it's in front of me I've got no choice but to believe it." He felt his lips tilt upwards. His leg bounced and the subtle feeling in his chest grew until it couldn't be ignored anymore.
Eunyung was excited.
"All right! Then I guess we better start planning, huh?"
"Yeah, that's what I'm talking about! Let's make this the best trip ever!"
It was Haejoon's turn to smile. A real vacation, he thought, And with friends too. This house turned out to be much better than I first thought.
~~~~~
A month passed quickly and it was finally time. Juwan, Eunyung, and Haejoon impatiently waited at the front gates of the school for their taxi to arrive.
“Look! There it is! Let’s grab our bags and put them in the trunk.” Nearly bouncing with excitement, Juwan greeted the driver and placed his bags in the back. He hung black sunglasses on the collar of his green Hawaiian shirt and stuffed his phone into khaki shorts.
“Isn’t that the same outfit you wore for the sports festival, Juwan? How did you manage to get a hold of it?” Haejoon questioned. He was dressed similarly, but his shirt was orange and he opted for khaki pants instead of shorts.
“Seriously, I'm curious about the same thing. You bought the blue and orange shirts for me and this guy,” Eunyung pointed to Haejoon, “but I have no idea where you found that outfit again.”
Juwan tsked at them while waving one finger, “C'mon… You guys are asking so many questions! Isn’t it more important that we're all dressed for vacation?”
“Well I guess that’s true,” Haejoon conceded, “But at least let me pay you back fo-”
“Nope! None of that! Let’s hurry up and get in the car before the driver leaves us behind.” Juwan closed the trunk and made his way to the front seat before Haejoon could stop him.
Eunyung grinned and placed a hand on Haejoon’s shoulder. “Lighten up lol. A shirt isn’t the end of the world. And besides, doesn’t this color look good on me?” He teased Haejoon, turning his head to the side and tugging at the fabric.
Haejoon untensed his shoulders and looked at Eunyung. “Yeah… well any color looks good on you really.” He said without much thought.
A warm pink dusted Eunyung’s face as he registered the response. The hell? I wasn’t expecting him to get all soft on me. Recomposing himself, he laughed in agreement and entered the taxi with Haejoon following close behind.
The ride was quiet but peaceful. Juwan made conversation with the taxi driver while Eunyung played on his phone and Haejoon stared out the window. Haejoon was excited for the trip, he really was. But he couldn’t help but regret never getting this chance with his mother. He used to promise to take her on a nice trip when he was younger, but now… he wouldn’t be able to get that chance.
His shoulders sagged. His mood dampened more and more the longer he thought about his regret. The trees outside seemed to fade from bright green into gray, before blurring out altogether. From the corner of his eye he saw Eunyung shift, but didn’t pay it any attention. The world grew cold, and Haejoon’s thoughts consumed him as he continued to stare blankly out the window. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. Maybe I should jus-
A feeling on his hand shook him out of his head. Eyes refocusing, Haejoon directed his gaze to the weight that was pressing against his hand in the middle seat. Tan skin met pale as Eunyung’s hand laid on top of Haejoon's.
“Are you okay?” Eunyung whispered, the concern in his voice startling Haejoon. He paused, seriously considering the question before closing his eyes and nodding his head.
“Yes… I’m okay. Just thinking a little bit before the trip,” Haejoon breathed. He sat back in his chair and refocused his thoughts. No. I’m lucky to be where I am. Mom wouldn’t want me to waste a chance like this.
Eunyung stared at him for several seconds before leaning back as well. “Good,” he sighed, “I can’t let your ass bring this trip down for the rest of us. What if you get us sent back to the house?”
Haejoon glared at him, but didn’t move his hand. “Fuck off. If anything it’s probably going to be you that gets us sent back there,” he bickered. He was thankful for the distraction from his previous thoughts.
Raising his other hand over his chest, Eunyung feigned shock and retorted, “Me? I can’t believe you would say that. I would never do anything that could cut this trip short.” He turned his head to the side dramatically, barely containing the snicker that followed.
Haejoon smiled a little, “Sure asshole, whatever you say. You know-”
“Guys, look we’re here! I see the airport just over there!” Juwan turned to the backseat, excited to inform his friends of their arrival. His eyes caught a blur of movement before seeing Eunyung and Haejoon sitting with their hands in their laps. Okay? That’s kinda weird, he thought.
“C'mon… What's up with you two now? Don’t tell me you’ve already gotten into a fight?” Juwan pouted. These two would be such close friends if only they weren’t fighting each other all the time.
Eunyung recovered first. “No way~ What are you talking about? We never fight each other. Right Haejoon?” He looked over at Haejoon, willing him to get it together and answer Juwan.
“Um… right of course not Juwan. I promise that me and him won’t get into a fight on this trip.” Haejoon stared at Juwan, who seemed skeptical but decided to let it go for now.
“Alright, whatever you two say,” he replied, “But I’m watching you two. Anyways, we’re here now so let’s get our bags from the trunk and catch our flight.”
Avoiding eye contact, Eunyung and Haejoon got out of the back seat and followed Juwan to the trunk. Despite not looking at each other, both shared the same thought.
Why did I pull away so quickly?
~~~~~
“Row 11, 12, 13… Oh! Here it is row 15. And we got placed next to the window, nice!” After an hour of security checks, baggage drops, check-ins, and last minute bathroom breaks they finally made it to their seat.
“If it's alright with you guys, I'll take the aisle seat. I like to get up and down alot, so it’ll be easier if I just sit there,” Juwan offered, not wanting to annoy the other two.
“Works for me, I’ll sit wherever. Haejoon, where are you sitting?”
“It doesn’t matter to me either,” Haejoon answered Eunyung, “You decide.”
“Geeze both of you are hopeless,” Juwan interrupted, “Haejoon you go ahead and take the window seat. The view from when we’re in the air is pretty nice.”
“Are you sure? Then should’n-”
“Too late it’s decided. I’ll take the aisle seat, Eunyung will take the middle, and Haejoon you get the window.” The taller students complied, not wanting to make this a bigger deal than it needed to be. Fifteen minutes passed before the pilot instructed the passengers to fasten their seatbelts and prepare for takeoff. Haejoon gripped his armrest. God I hope I don’t discover a new fear of heights. He chose to think of other things, his first thought going to the moment he shared with Eunyung in the car.
I still can’t explain it , he thought, he just put his hand on mine, so why did I freak out when Juwan looked at us. Was I worried? I didn’t want him to know what I was feeling because he always makes a big deal out of it. Eunyung could tell sure, but it’s different with him. He understands my feelings. So was I flustered then? But why would I be flustered about that bastard?
Haejoon glanced to his side to sneak a peek at Eunyung. The plane took off only 15 minutes ago, but the first year had already plugged in his headphones and closed his eyes. Is he asleep? He took this chance to glance at the presumably sleeping student. His chest rose up and down in a peaceful, steady rhythm. Gold bangs fell in front of his face, partially covering his eyes. The same gold dusted his eyelashes, giving him the appearance of a sleeping angel. Haejoon snickered.
Angel? Yeah right. This fucker is anything but that. He looked out the window. Juwan was right, the view from above the clouds was incredible. Green land spread out beneath him, giving way to houses, cities, and mountains. Everything felt so small when he was up here. Even so, he always happens to be right there whenever I need him. Haejoon relaxed, enjoying the view from his seat until he felt a weight against his shoulder. Hm?
He froze at the sight. Eunyung really had been asleep, and now he was resting his head on part of Haejoon’s shoulder. Ah, what is he doing? I should tell him to get off. He lifted his other arm to wake him, but hesitated. On second thought, maybe I should let him rest. Is he comfortable? Haejoon shifted his body, careful not to wake the sleeping figure next to him. There, that should do it. Haejoon sighed, taking in the warmth of Eunyung’s body next to his.
I’m glad I didn’t move him, he admitted to himself, this is actually kind of nice. Haejoon started to feel drowsy too. He made himself comfortable and closed his eyes, allowing sleep to overtake him.
While the other two slept, Juwan kept himself busy with the Galaxy Tab Samsung had lent them for the vacation. Wow, this thing really has everything, he thought while scrolling through the countless planning tools and movies prepared for the trip. He leaned forward to share his findings with the other two.
“Hey guys! Do you wanna watch thi-” Juwan started before pausing at the sight in front of him. Eunyung and Haejoon napped peacefully, both of them using the other as a pillow.
Wow… they sure look comfortable, he thought while snapping a photo to tease them later. They were acting different in the car too. I wonder if somethings going on between them? Juwan leaned back into his seat, picking a movie to watch during the two-hour flight.
This is going to be an interesting trip.