Chapter 42: Even When We''re Apart, She Still Feels Close to Me (3)

    TL: looloo

    Schedule: 4/Week Wed-Sat

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    I''ve just finished eating, competing for meat with those I once called friends. Their appetites were truly something else.

    After the meal, we all pitched in to clean up and wash the dishes. The grill was so stubbornly dirty. I thought to myself that I should probably avoid working at a BBQ place in the future.

    With the chores done, there was not much left to do. So, I took a brief stroll around for digestion, then retreated to my room to fiddle with my phone.

    As I relaxed, dusk approached quickly. The growing darkness was accompanied by a cool breeze, and the symphony of chirping insects added a lovely ambiance.

    Although there weren’t many physical activities to do, having a phone in hand meant there was never a dull moment. Some were focused in web comics, novels, or videos, while others gathered for a group mobile game.

    I joined in the fun for a while and exchanged chat messages with Heena in between.

    [ Han Yeonho : It''s getting colder as night falls. You were right; I''m glad I brought an extra layer. ]

    [ Heena : Told you! Always listen to me from now on! ]

    [ Han Yeonho : Have I ever not listened? ]

    [ Heena : Never~ Good boy! ]

    [ Han Yeonho : Woof woof! ]

    [ Heena : Are you pretending to be a puppy? Next time we go to an amusement park, you''re wearing dog ears, okay? ]

    [ Han Yeonho : Only if you wear cat ears. Deal? ]

    After our chat, there was a brief pause before Heena sent another video. I was wary of my nearby friends making fun of me if I played it aloud, so I moved to the bathroom to watch.

    [ Heena : (In the video) Meow~ ]

    The clip showed her winking and mimicking a cat''s meow. It was so endearing I felt a twinge in my chest.

    My girlfriend sure knows how to pull at my heartstrings.

    But I wondered, if she ever did a cat cosplay, how would she wear the tail and where?

    ---

    Raei Translations

    ---

    The first day passed like that. We all gathered in one large room, playing games until fatigue took over and one by one, we fell asleep.

    While playing, I gradually drifted into slumber, and despite the lack of an air conditioner, I was lulled into a deep sleep by the cool mountain breeze coming through the window.

    -???~

    From my phone, set to vibrate, a song I used as both an alarm and ringtone began to play.

    With a slight frown, I gently opened my eyes, only to realize that it was already morning.

    "I slept like a log... that was amazing..."

    Upon recognizing it was morning, I reached for my phone that continued to ring near my pillow.

    I hadn''t set an alarm since the start of the vacation, so it was clearly a call. Wondering if it might be Heena, I checked and sure enough, it was her.

    But it wasn''t just a regular call. It was a video call.

    "Yawn~"

    Stretching out my yawn, I pressed the call button. I wasn''t overly concerned about my just-woke-up appearance; she had seen it before on our beach trips.

    "Hey, Yeonho! How are you?"

    "Mm, hey..."

    As soon as I accepted, there was Heena on the screen, waving at me in her slightly oversized pajamas.

    Her relaxed appearance was endearing. Seeing her speak and move in real-time, rather than in a picture or video, gave a comforting feeling.

    "Did you sleep well? Seems I woke you up. Sorry~"

    "It''s okay, I was going to wake up soon anyway."

    "Yeah... I just woke up and immediately wanted to see you. So, I called right away. Is that okay?"

    Honestly, for someone who claimed she''d just woken up, Heena''s hair looked perfectly in place, unlike how it was at the hotel.

    However, I held my tongue, not wanting to point out her clear little white lie. Pretending it was unplanned while looking prepared was kind of cute.

    "Thanks for calling~ Seeing your face makes me feel great."

    Her unique, slightly silly giggle echoed back.

    To me, that giggle wasn''t silly at all, but rather adorable.

    "The path is really steep... Watch your step, Yeonho! Be careful not to fall! Maybe just put your phone down and walk!"

    But seeing how worried Heena looked because of the treacherous path, I soon returned.

    We passed some more time and had lunch, then headed to the valley.

    Today, we just waded a little or went fishing for minnows with a net.

    "Hey, over there! Catch that sneaky little minnow!"

    "That was a clumsy move, seriously!"

    "It''s escaping!"

    "Can we eat it if we catch it?"

    I giggled as I filmed the guys making a big fuss over one tiny fish.

    Buzzing sound -

    [Heena: At the valley again? Be careful! Even if it looks shallow, it''s easy to slip and fall!]

    While I was filming, messages kept vibrating on my phone and appearing on the screen.

    Switching between watching my friends play and reading the constant stream of messages, I was lost in thought.

    I did reply to most of Heena''s messages, but not all of my responses were thoughtful.

    Often, I''d send brief replies when busy or gaming. Even today, I''d check and reply, but sometimes with just a word or two.

    Yet Heena never seemed bothered. She never asked for lengthier responses, just consistently sent messages, never giving up.

    Thinking about it made me feel a bit guilty. I was the type to become deeply involved with people, unable to easily distance myself, whether in romantic relationships or with friends.

    If someone earnestly asked a favor, I found it hard to refuse – a trait I suppose many have to some degree.

    I recalled a casual question from Yoonsung in the past: "Do you still talk to Kang Juhyun?"

    It had been a while since I heard that name. He was undeniably my close friend in middle school.

    Thinking about why we drifted apart, I remembered it was simply because we went to different high schools.

    But diving deeper into that memory, Juhyun did try to stay in touch for a while even after we went to different schools.

    However, maybe because I thought we wouldn''t see each other often, I gradually responded less and less until we lost contact altogether.

    Perhaps if I had reached out a bit more frequently, even considering the inconvenience, I might have made the effort to visit. If I had been that involved, at some point, I wouldn''t have been able to simply let go.

    However, by saying that, I was pushing the responsibility of our broken relationship onto Juhyun.

    If only I had taken one more step forward, if only I had shown a little more interest.

    Perhaps, he would have been with me on this trip.

    In that sense, Heena is approaching me, ignoring all circumstances and distance.

    Always on my mind, impossible to ignore or forget.

    Of course, there are distinctions between a girlfriend and a mere friend. But still,

    It''s something I''ve always felt deeply.

    I''ve always been thankful for their effort. No matter how I act, they always came back to me no matter what.

    And in that sense, what I should strive for, perhaps, is a basic attitude even before considering Heena''s consideration.

    Instead of just waiting, I should also take a step forward.

    "Should I try?"

    I stopped filming those fools and before replying to Heena, I hovered my thumb over my chat friend list, hesitating.

    But soon, gathering courage, I look at the profile picture of a friend I haven''t seen in ages.

    [ Han Yeonho : Kang Juhyun! How have you been? ]

    After nearly a year, I finally initiated contact. I wasn''t even sure if he''d reply to such a conscience-less message. And even if he did, it might be hard to return to our old relationship.

    Even without my replies, Juhyun from the past and Heena now, they both made more efforts.

    Maybe they always felt a bit anxious when reaching out.

    With those thoughts, I mustered the courage to send the message. After replying to Heena, I approached my friends who were focused in fishing.

    "Seriously, you haven''t caught a single one yet?"

    "... This guy''s technique is totally outdated..."

    What are these idiots talking about?

    Author''s Note:

    Dear readers! Our relationship is safe!

    We declare once again; there will only be sweet, lovey-dovey moments, without any drifts.