Again, Sokcho.
The morning that brightened after the great misunderstanding of the monsters.
In the room right next to where Shiyeon was asleep.
Mary was soundly asleep, exhaling colorful breaths.
The one who entered that room was none other than Shiyeon.
Shake, shake, shake.
The girl who can’t wake up unless she’s the first to be woken up was shaking Mary, who was asleep in the blanket.
Considering the usual mornings when they go to school, the situation had turned upside down.
“Mary, wake up….”
“Umm….”
Hearing Shiyeon’s pitiful voice, Mary barely gathered her senses.
With a strange groan, she slowly raised her upper body.
It was hard to believe that Shiyeon would wake up earlier than the alarm… and she was now rummaging for her smartphone.
No matter how much she fumbled with her eyes closed to find where her smartphone had rolled to, she couldn’t reach it.
With one eye tightly shut, she blinked her other eye towards her smartphone.
‘Did the alarm not go off…?’
When she pressed the power button, the bright light of the smartphone, which seemed particularly bright in the morning, covered her face.
That light, which usually didn’t seem bright, felt blindingly bright in the morning.
She squinted her other eye, finally able to see the screen.
The time was 6:48 AM. The alarm was set for 7.
Shiyeon really had woken up super early.
‘…Was she that eager to go?’
With one eye tightly shut, she looked at Shiyeon with her other squinted eye.
Instead of looking sleepy, she looked completely awake, as if she had been up for hours.
Kids are really selfish.
They can wake themselves up on the days they’re looking forward to.
It would be nice if they could be like this when they go to school on weekdays too.
“Mary, if you’re awake, let’s go to the sea!”
“If we go now, it’s too cold… let’s eat breakfast first.”
Shiyeon grabbed her arm, insisting on going to the sea immediately.
Shaking a little but still feeling groggy, Mary suggested that they should at least have breakfast first.
No matter how much it’s summer, the morning air is cold.
If they went out now and caught a cold, it would be much more troublesome.
“Ugh.”
Shiyeon puffed her cheeks in disappointment.
She was cute enough to snap Mary to attention, but no means no.
Mary poked her inflated cheek, letting the air out.
“Phew.”
As soon as she poked her cheek with her finger, a silly sound escaped.
It was an indication of how much she had been looking forward to the sea.
Since they had come all the way to Sokcho.
They had to let Shiyeon play and eat as much as she wanted during their stay.
“Let’s eat just a little.”
“Okay!”
Even saying they would eat just a little, looking at her body, it wouldn’t be much anyway.
As soon as she opened the fridge, various drinks caught her eye, along with instant foods that could be heated in the microwave.
Among them, she took out a vacuum-sealed carbonara spaghetti and read the instructions.
These days, refrigerated products are so well made that there’s no need to poke holes; she can just put it in the microwave as it is.
Beep, the microwave turned orange inside.
The vacuum pack swelled like the body of a jellyfish, trembling as if it would burst soon.
Beep, beep, beep.
With three mechanical sounds that were devoid of emotion, the vacuum pack inside the microwave shrank instantly.
With her thumbs and index fingers, she grabbed the hot plastic bowl and took it straight to the dining table.
The edge of the plastic bowl she wasn’t holding tilted as if it would collapse downward.
“Ouch!”
She endured the unexpected heat covering her fingertips and brought it to the dining table.
Once she set it down, she felt the heat of the object again, realizing it was hot.
Next, she took two forks from the container holding the utensils, sat down in a chair, and shared one with Shiyeon.
As soon as she tore open the vacuum pack, white steam soared upwards.
The 7 AM alarm rang on her smartphone.
Within three seconds, she turned off the alarm and speared the udon-like spaghetti with her fork.
“Delicious.”
With the thick udon-like spaghetti in her mouth, both she and Shiyeon mumbled.
It was really a small amount, but for children, this was enough.
After slowly finishing their preparations, they headed outside to see the sea, just as the sun began to warm the ground.
“Wow.”
“The sea—!!”
The bustling sandy beach and sea, illuminated by sunlight, were completely different from the night sea they saw when fighting the monsters.
Feeling excited, Shiyeon changed into her swimsuit at a nearby changing room and bounced on the sandy beach.
The swimsuit covering her chest felt a bit awkward for Mary.
It felt like unnecessary pressure covered her upper body.
If she hadn’t known, it wouldn’t have mattered, but she started to miss the swimsuit that only covered the lower body.
Paying for the umbrella that was set up for shade, they placed their various belongings in the overly spacious shade for children.
Though she was worried about Shiyeon, they had to go to the sea together, but there was no one to watch their things.
That glorious duty would be left to their mascots.
After all, it was a busy beach during vacation season, with so much noise blending together.
Even if someone saw her talking to the mascots, they’d just think the kids were talking to toys.
“This wallet is your lifeline, hold it tight… If anyone other than me or Shiyeon touches it, scream like an alarm, got it?”
Though there was no response from the mascots, Mary sensed the natural nodding of the Gomtaengi as an acknowledgment.
“Okay.”
Wearing her swimsuit, she headed to the air pump station with the floppy tube.
It cost 3,000 won just to inflate it once.
‘What the hell.’
Mary recalled the 6,000 won that slipped away and cursed inwardly.
It’s a world where you even have to pay for air now.
Isn’t this the creative economy? 3,000 won for a few pumps?
It’s so easy to make money, huh?
Some people fight while flying through the night.
She returned the wallet that had been tightly held in the mascots’ hands to her place, and with Shiyeon’s beaming smile, they headed to the sea.
“Make sure to hold the tube tight, okay?”
“Okay!”
“Now let the water slowly soak in.”
With the tube with handles fitting around her waist, they waded into the cool waves right where the sea met the sandy beach.
From a distance, it looked proud, but in some ways, it felt strange.
A kid giving another kid advice.
In contrast to the hot weather, the sea water was cold.
Or rather, maybe it fit perfectly because it was?
‘Feels good.’
It felt like stepping out of a sauna and plunging straight into a cold pool?
Though it was a cheap thrill, it had been so long since she immersed herself in seawater at the beach.
When she thought back, it had only been a few visits during her childhood with her family in a past life.
“Yay! Hehehe.”
As Shiyeon also threw herself into the sea, she burst into a bright smile, gleefully splashing around while leaning against the tube.
Thinking about it, no one really knows why they’re happy, but it would have been nice to just enjoy it.
Shiyeon was only feeling the emotions Mary had experienced in the past.
“Isn’t it great to be at the sea?”
“Yeah!”
Just a casual question brought an immediate, bright, enthusiastic answer back.
Yeah, if you’re happy, that’s all that matters.
Leaning against the tube for a while, they held the handles with one hand, feeling the warm sunlight on their upper bodies.
The cool flow of the sea and moisture caressed their lower bodies.
This was harmony, just the right amount to be perfect.
Except for one thing: her long hair getting soaked.
“Eeeek—!!!!”
So, while they floated like jellyfish close to Shiyeon, a strange sound came from the sandy beach.
‘What is that?’
Curious, Mary lifted her head and looked in the direction of the sound, which seemed to come from under their umbrella where their things were.
The sound was so loud that a chubby, balding uncle who was touching their belongings jumped back in surprise and left as if he were fleeing.
As he ran away, he was under the scrutinizing gaze of others.
From the sound and the suspicious behavior of the man, anyone could tell he was a thief touching someone else’s stuff.
The uninvited guest, who had taken advantage of the vacation buzz, was sent away thanks to the Gomtaengi’s efforts.
Mary lay down, leaning on the tube, and applauded the Gomtaengi for the satisfactory alarm sound.
‘Good job.’
And so, two hours went by without her knowing how they played.
The tireless Shiyeon poured all her energy into the sea, and just as her small meal was catching up with her, her stomach began to grumble early.
“I’m hungry….”
In response to Shiyeon’s plea of hunger, they carried the tube and shuffled back under the umbrella, placing it in a suitable spot.
With the Gomtaengi’s gleeful expression, the thumb from the clenched fist was raised.
When feeling hungry at the beach, it’s all about that.
Mary retrieved the wallet the Gomtaengi had tightly held as a lifeline, buying two small cup ramens from the stalls openly set up at the beach.
The man who gave them boiling water filled the cups with soup and water, stacking them in two layers and placing wooden chopsticks on top.
Carefully supporting the cup ramen tower with her chin to prevent it from toppling, she successfully returned to the shade under the umbrella.
“Let’s eat ramen!”
After soaking their bodies in water for a while, this tiny cup ramen.
This would remain an unforgettable memory, so she decided to share this special taste with Shiyeon.
Pulling the film that was folded at the entrance, the cup ramen lid popped open.
Peeking from beyond the lid was the bright red broth and white steam.
Slurp, slurp.
As the noodles vanished down her throat, she was moved.
Why was this cup ramen so specially delicious after soaking their bodies in water?
