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When Jisung signed up to be a chaperone for his daughter's school field trip to Busan, he did not expect to be stuck with the worst person the whole time.
Lee Minho.
Unfortunately Lee Minho's daughter is a golden angel who Jisung loves like she were his own. The girls have been best friends since they were toddlers, waddling about the park together.
Han Dayun and Lee Jieun were two troublemaking peas in a pod.
Jisung has just arrived at the bus when his daughter, Dayun, comes running towards him, away from where her class is crowded together, with Jieun, giggling about god knows what this time.
"Hey Dad! Is Minho here yet? We want him to teach us how to make arrows with these sticks we found!" And they are, in fact, waving small sticks around pretending to have a wand duel.
"No, I don't think so. I'll come find you girls when he does though." Jisung smiles at the girls as they run away, giggling again, shouting gibberish spells at each other.
Jisung had driven both the girls here as Minho was forced to stay at work late, thankfully the girls teacher was also one of their mutual friends, Bang Chan. Jisung’s best friend, Lee Felix, was also along for the trip as the first aider and teacher for the other class on the trip.
"So tell me again why you and Minho hate each other?"
Speak of the devil. Felix comes and stands next to him still keeping an eye on his class.
"He's your brother, don't know how you can stand him" Jisung scoffs and turns to Felix who laughs at his statement.
"Well, if you got to know each other I think you'd actually get along" Felix, again, laughs at Jisung's misery about his older brother but shrugs it off once more.
“You say that every time we’re forced to get along.” Jisung scoffs and rolls his eyes at Felix before they both make their way over to the gaggle of kids being herded onto the coach by Chan and another parent who Jisung had met briefly at school events.
Chan briefs the kids on the etiquette expected from them on the coach as Felix briefs the three parents on board on their duties when they arrive at camp which can be summarised to, get everyone to the campsite safely and with all their luggage.
Jisung watches Dayun and Jieun sit down just behind the front seats before watching Chan squeeze Felix’s shoulder with a charming smile before he moves to the back of the coach to keep an eye on the rest of the kids. Jisung takes a seat in front of his daughter next to the blonde man.
“Ready for four hours of screaming kids?” Felix turns to Jisung who is already grabbing something from his bag. He pulls out two pairs of headphones. One black, and one green, showing them both to Felix.
“Of course.” Jisung puts the black pair over his brunette hair before handing the green pair behind him to Dayun. She had insisted on bringing hers and Jieun’s favourite card games, as well as her half of the matching plushies that Minho had once bought them years ago. So, there was no room in her backpack for her headphones or asthma medication, even after Jisung had pleaded with her to bring a bigger bag. But she complained, because it wasn’t ‘pretty enough’. Even at the age of fourteen she’s still concerned about looks over practicality.
The four hours passed by mostly without incident, a couple of boys ended up feeling motion sick so Jisung and the only other parent that came on the trip, Kim Soyeong, swapped with the boys so that they could both sit near Felix.
Once they got to Busan, all the adults came off the bus and Jisung and Soyeong helped unload the luggage as Chan and Felix did a headcount and another health check.
With all the teens and luggage accounted for, Chan led the group on a short trek to the campsite where two instructors met them.
“Hello everyone. Welcome to Geumjeongsan Geopark. I am Kim Seungmin, this is Yang Jeongin and we will be your instructors over the course of these two weeks.” The taller instructor, Seungmin, introduced them both with a sweet smile. Jeongin took over introductions “During this camp, you’ll learn survival skills and teamwork, you’ll also learn how to have fun without your phones!” a chorus of groans washes over the group of kids as the adults chuckle at their agony. “It’ll be fun! I promise and when we’re not on activities you’re welcome to have some downtime on your phones. I know I will.” Jeongin winked at the teens and laughed again.
Jisung thought he could actually see a gleam of sparkles come from this man’s smile. Jeongin looked around the same age as him, but how could he look so stress-free? Jisung would give anything to smile as if the sun lived in his soul. To feel that same warmth that his daughter gives him from someone else?
Jisung shook his head to wipe away those thoughts. He didn't have the time or energy right now to think about anyone else. He was too busy with Dayun and her energetic personality whenever she’s not at school or at Minho’s, where she spends practically half her time.
“Right then,” Seungmin claps his hands after Jeongin’s finished making jokes with the gaggle of kids. “If Mr. Clown here is finished with his comedy routine then we’ll head over to the tents and get everyone settled before heading to the main tent for dinner. Adults, if you wouldn’t mind following Jeongin. Kids, follow me!” Seungmin spins on the spot and starts walking away to a large area of the campsite with all the kids following him.
Jisung turns to Jeongin who is looking at the five adults, still with the biggest smile Jisung’s ever seen. “Hello, everyone! Lovely to meet you, and it is wonderful to see you again!” Jeongin says this as he goes to hug Chan and Felix. Jisung catches Felix’s eye after this but Felix just looks away and ignores Jisung’s raised eyebrow.
Jeongin and Chan walk ahead in the opposite direction to where Seungmin led the kids. The rest of them hurry to pick their bags up again and follow after them. They walk through a thicker part of forest and over a small wooden bridge which opened up into a grove of a few glamping tents each spaced quite a ways apart from the other. Each tent was decorated with woollen and crochet bunting. The beige outer lining of the tents had patches sewn onto them to create a bohemian look which Jisung thought was very cute and definitely in season if Felix or his brother had anything to say about it.
“I assume you’re Han Jisung?” Jisung jumped at the voice that was a lot closer than he remembered it being and turnt to find Jeongin standing there.
“Uh, yeah that’s me.” Jisung bowed politely to Jeongin.
“Felix has told me all about you. Him and Chan like to visit us sometimes. Chan is my step-brother as well- I can see the confusion in your face haha.” Jeongin stated all of this very quickly which nearly gave Jisung whiplash before he actually processed what Jeongin had told him. But he laughed at how he was able to read his facial expressions so easily.
“Ah, so that’s how you know the Aussies. So did you live in Australia with them?” Jisung talks as Jeongin leads him over to one of the far tents.
“No, our parents met after we’d both reached adulthood and Chan had already moved to South Korea by then for university. I still remember the first time he told me how he and Felix met, it was like something out of a romance novel.” Jeongin laughs at the memory, which Jisung can attest, they both do make the story sound overly romantic for them still being “just friends” after fourteen years.
Jeongin stops outside the far right tent, “Anyway, this is your tent. Your roomie hasn’t arrived yet so make yourself comfortable for now and we’ll meet back up in an hour.”
Jisung thanks Jeongin for walking with him and steps inside the tent, looking around. The inside of the tent is just as nice as the outside, crochet buntings hang from every corner and twinkling fairy lights wrap around the wooden beams that are keeping the tent standing. There’s also a couple of dressers in the tent which both have an assortment of items on them, including a lamp either side with a shade that mimics a stained glass window.
Jisung puts his bag down on one of the beds and places his backpack on the bench near the entrance. He sits down on his bed and flops back to rest his eyes for a bit.
Just then Felix walks in and flops down next to Jisung.
“Chan’s changing.” was all he gave as a reason before letting out a long, tired sigh.
They lay in silence for a couple of seconds before Jisung asks the question that’s been on his mind since they got on the coach.
“So, what’s happened between you and Chan?”
Felix turns his head to face Jisung, drumming a pattern onto his stomach with his fingers
“What-what do you mean? Nothing’s happened. Why would you ask such a thing?” Felix tries to laugh at the end but it turns into more of a groan as they both replay what he just said in their heads “Nevermind, I know why…” Felix sighs again.
“You know I’m not gonna say anything to him or anyone else right? We’re best friends, you’re more important to me than anyone here- well, apart from the girls.” Jisung and Felix both smile at that before Felix’s smile is turning into more of a frown as he chews on his lip.
“Nothing has happened, genuinely-” he pleads as Jisung raises an eyebrow at him again, “-He’s just been more touchy recently, I get that he broke up with his ex-girlfriend a couple of months ago but why did he have to change his behaviour around me? Is it a good thing? Is it bad? I genuinely can't understand what made the switch in his brain for him to warrant needing so much more physical contact from me. We have quite a close physical relationship anyway but it’s just-” he sighs once more “-it’s confusing and I’m scared I’m going to do or say something I’ll regret” Felix finishes his ramble with his hands covering his face and pressing into his eyes so that he doesn't cry.
Jisung has seen this behaviour hundreds of times at this point, seeing as they’ve been friends for the past eight years. He knows that Felix’s feelings for Chan have been haunting him for years at this point, ever since Felix realised he had a crush on Chan when he was twenty. Jisung wasn't there at the beginning but he can bet that if he was, this is the exact same rant he would’ve said back then as well.
He didn't know Chan as well as he did Felix, but he’d been around the guy long enough to count him as a close friend so he expects he knows what’ll happen if Chan continues this behaviour, but if only Felix could see how he’s acting around aside from the physical contact. Chan is always watching Felix, waiting for him to need assistance with any small thing so that he can swoop in and be the charming knight in shining armour.
“Felix, I’m gonna be so honest with you now.” Jisung sat up and Felix followed, waiting with wide eyes for Jisung’s response to his rant. “You’re an idiot.”
Felix blanches and Jisung huffs a laugh at the way his facial expression morphed from agony to betrayal in a split second.
“Have you seen the way that guy acts around you? It’s getting kinda unbelievable that you’re not together at this point.” Jisung watches as he can see Felix’s mind thinking back to all the years of friendship he has with Chan, but still turns up blank. “Just pay attention to what he does for you on this trip and then if you’re not together by the end, you owe me a hundred won.”
Felix laughs at the bet, stands up, and stretches. “Okay, bet.”
“What are we betting?” As soon as Felix had stopped talking, Chan entered the tent and walked over to the two of them, putting his arm around Felix’s shoulders who makes direct eye contact with Jisung the entire time, trying to prove a point he doesn’t even understand.
“Who can unpack the fastest.” Felix covers when Jisung doesn’t say anything with a smug grin on his face.
“Oh, you are so on Han Jisung, come on Lix. We have a bet to win.” Chan tugs Felix along all three of them laughing as the two Aussie’s leave his tent again.
As soon as they’ve left, he lies back down again resting his arm over his eyes to stop the sun from burning them. He’s going to rest for a few more minutes as there’s no real bet. Well about unpacking at least.
He’s disturbed a few minutes later when someone enters the tent. He opens his eyes and sits up quickly when he sees who’s just entered his tent.
None other than Lee Minho himself.
Minho stares directly at Jisung and blinks hard a few times
“Uh, hey. Some kid told me this was my tent.”
Jisung is shell shocked to say the least. Did Chan know? Did Felix- Scratch that, knowing Felix it was probably his arrangement.
“Oh, okay. Welcome?” Jisung awkwardly scratches the back of his neck before gesturing to the other bed opposite to his.
“Thanks.” Minho’s voice is back to deadpan when talking to Jisung, as it has been since that fateful night they met on Felix’s birthday.
The black-haired man comes in and places his suitcase neatly on the bed before instantly starting to unpack.
Jisung doesn’t understand how he can act like he’s so perfect when he actually hides a dark side. Sometimes that memory creeps up On Jisung at the most inopportune times and makes his blood boil. He once scared his daughter as his face turned so red from a high blood pressure as the memory snuck up on him whilst he was playing with his daughter and her dolls a few years ago.
Minho continues to unpack, basically ignoring Jisung’s entire existence at this point so he decides to leave and check up on the girls and to let Jieun know her dad’s arrived.
As he leaves the tent he spots two other people who he briefly recognises as other teachers at the school. Hwang Hyunjin, the theatre and arts teacher. And Seo Changbin, the P.E teacher. He doesn’t greet them as they’re busy in a charming discussion with Chan and Felix.
Jisung walks to where Seungmin had led the group of twenty or so teens earlier and quickly spots his girls as they’re running around still shouting made up spells at each other with the sticks they found earlier. Only this time Jeongin seems to have joined in with their mischief.
“Dayun, Jieun!” The girls whip their head around and instantly run over to Jisung who has to hurriedly open his arms to catch the two teens as they don’t seem to be slowing down the closer they get to him.
“Careful! You nearly killed me then!” Jisung laughs at the girls as he’s nearly knocked off balance but catches himself reflexively.
“Hey Dad! We got Jeongin to play witches with us!” Dayun jumps up and down excitedly retelling the game animatedly.
“Wouldn’t he be a witch though sweetheart?” Jisung questions his daughter.
“It’s 2025 Dad, don’t be so presumptuous.” Ah yes, nothing like getting scolded by your thirteen year old daughter. Jieun laughs at her best friend before running off again past Jisung. He turns around lightning fast to make sure she’s safe ad sees what it is that she bolted off for.
Minho is walking towards them looking as perfect as ever. His perfect gait. His perfect clothes. Perfect hair. Perfect face. Jisung would pay good money to see him be knocked off kilter for once.
Minho hugs his daughter as she runs up to him, looping her arms around his neck. Jieun had always missed him whenever he was out of town for a few days due to his job keeping him busy so whenever that happened she would spend the entire time either at her grandparents house in Incheon or Jisung’s small two-bed in the middle of Seoul.
Jieun ends up dragging Minho back over to where Jisung stands still watching them. Dayun is already meeting them halfway and Minho, again, stoops down to hug her. Even if Jisung hates the guy, he’s got to admit that at least he’s a good dad and cares about Dayun as well ever since Jieun had dragged her round to their apartment after school one day.
All three of them meet Jisung where he stands and the girls run off again to go run around the campsite with the other kids.
“Thank you, for dropping her off earlier.” Minho speaks out of the blue so it shocks Jisung to hear him talking directly to him.
“Of course, always.” Jisung thinks Minho’s too uptight for his own good, but he would never in a million years have any prejudice against his daughter for her father’s behaviour to him.
With that Minho nods and walks off to join where Camp Guides are gathering the kids and the rest of the adults. He turns back to Jisung “Coming?” he asks using his head to gesture to the group ahead, Jisung sighs and starts walking.
This will be a long two weeks, he can already tell.