Chapter 105

“It’s the sea!”

“The sea……!”

“Waaaaah!”

“Kyaaaa!”

Splash—! Splash—!

Water droplets leapt up with loud sounds and sparkled dazzlingly.

The two who had thrown off their shoes and rushed straight into the sea the moment we arrived at the beach.

Naturally, they were Kwak Jae-gyeom and Ha Yu-ju.

I laughed incredulously at that energetic sight and neatly arranged the shoes rolling around as they pleased on the sandy beach.

Meanwhile, Han Ji-su, who had finished setting up the parasol, bowed his head to Baek Sa-ra and said,

“I will go too.”

Baek Sa-ra, sitting in the shade of the parasol, nodded, and Han Ji-su also strode toward the sea.

It was only mid-June, but it was hot enough, and the sky was sharply bright.

Thanks to that, both the sand of the white beach and the waves of the sea were dazzling.

“Kyaak!”

At the high scream, I turned toward the sea and saw Kwak Jae-gyeom lifting Yu-ju and throwing her.

Ha Yu-ju flew nearly 1m above the surface of the water before falling.

No, that kid has not even finished wrist rehabilitation yet.

Can’t you play a little more gently?

I laughed incredulously again and went beside Baek Sa-ra.

Then Baek Sa-ra looked up at me and asked,

“Lord Otter, are you not going into the sea?”

“Ah, I am fine.”

I do not particularly like getting wet with seawater.

The saltiness, or the sand that sticks when you come out.

On top of that, right now…….

“If I go into the sea now, I do not think I will be able to come out gracefully…….”

I glanced to the side as I spoke.

At a spot some distance away from where the parasol was set up, Cha Si-eon was there, wearing none other than a Hawaiian shirt and shorts.

That beach man, even wearing sunglasses, was sending silent pressure toward me.

“Aha…….”

Baek Sa-ra nodded as if she understood the situation.

“If you learn from Team Leader Cha, you will improve quickly. That person is good at survival swimming too.”

“Of course that would be true, but I do not want to be rolled around even on vacation…….”

At my honest confession, Baek Sa-ra burst into laughter again.

Cha Si-eon had remembered the time I had nearly drowned at the bottom of the Han River.

And it seemed he thought teaching me survival swimming was his duty.

Perhaps because of that, even while we were traveling by car, he had repeatedly said words like “swimming,” “accelerated,” and “lesson” to me like sneezes.

And now, after arriving at the sea, he seemed to be watching for an even more serious opportunity.

“True, if you came to rest, you should rest.”

Perhaps understanding my grievance, Baek Sa-ra patted the seat beside her.

Baek Sa-ra, who gave me the seat beside her, was wearing a rash guard with a black base and white accents.

The top was a long-sleeved thin zip-up, and the bottom was short shorts.

On top of that, her long hair was braided into one plait, so from her appearance alone, she looked like a veteran surfer who had come to enjoy the waves.

Compared to me, who had roughly put on shorts and a shirt, she looked quite serious, so I asked Baek Sa-ra too.

“Ms. Baek Sa-ra, are you not swimming?”

“I came here to guard you, after all. So I should be beside Lord Otter.”

“Ah, if you cannot go into the sea because of me…….”

“No, I like sitting here like this too.”

“Uwaak!”

At that moment, a scream came from the sea again.

This time, it was Jae-gyeom’s voice.

Kwak Jae-gyeom and Han Ji-su were grabbing each other and rolling around, and amid that, Yu-ju was splashing seawater only onto Jae-gyeom’s face.

It seemed to be retaliation for being thrown earlier.

At Jae-gyeom’s helpless suffering as he sputtered because of that, Baek Sa-ra and I laughed together.

This was a quiet beach somewhere on the East Sea.

I was currently on vacation.

Because there was what I had requested at 「National Museum of Korea」, and because it would take time to make additional 「Big Cat」 rings, Manager Kwon Mu-seop gave me a week of vacation.

But when I actually received vacation, the situation developed in a completely different direction from what I had imagined.

My original vacation plan was to go to the house I had left empty until now, clean it once, and rest deeply.

After that, I planned to do bank business, report that I was alive to the few acquaintances I had, and browse a bookstore for the first time in a while.

But Manager Kwon Mu-seop gave me an unexpected proposal while giving me vacation.

He said I had suffered until now, so I should at least go see the sea, and that if I wanted, he would reserve a private vacation pension on a quiet seaside for me.

However, considering my safety, the condition was that Cha Si-eon, Kwak Jae-gyeom, Baek Sa-ra, and Han Ji-su would come with me as security personnel.

To state the conclusion first, I could not refuse this proposal.

Because the moment Kwak Jae-gyeom heard this, he bounced around like a country puppy.

He called me “Hyung! Hyung! Hyung!” with eyes full of expectation, and that sound was so much like an excited barking puppy that I could not bring myself to say I would not go…….

Yu-ju joining in here was the inevitable order of events.

Jae-gyeom asked whether we could bring Ha-ma too, and Yu-ju also raised her hand high, saying she wanted to go.

As for me, well, my quiet vacation had already gone down the drain, so I did not care if Yu-ju came along.

Cha Si-eon, being Kongjwi who knew grace, automatically passed.

Perhaps Manager Kwon Mu-seop was also bothered by Baek Sa-ra being the only woman among a group of men, because he gladly allowed Yu-ju to accompany us.

And so we came to the sea in a noisy rush.

It was sudden, but seeing the wide-open sea was nice.

I should look at it a lot while I have the chance.

Because perhaps this might be the last sea I see with human eyes…….

“What is wrong?”

“Nothing, nothing at all…….”

When I groaned with my face covered by my hand, Baek Sa-ra asked why.

I dry-washed my face to hide my wretched gloom.

At that moment, the trio who had been swimming and playing in the sea suddenly came out of the water.

Are they done playing already?

Uh, no way…….

Surprisingly, the trio began approaching Team Leader Cha as if they had conspired to do something.

Are they planning to drop Cha Si-eon into the sea?

I immediately stopped my self-torment and focused on the fascinating sudden event.

The trio slowly surrounded Team Leader Cha.

But is Yu-ju participating too?

As I thought, surely not, Yu-ju held out both hands toward Cha Si-eon.

It was a gesture saying, it would be better to entrust your phone or watch to me.

Perhaps accepting that consideration, Cha Si-eon removed the palm-tree-patterned shirt he had been wearing over his top and handed it to Yu-ju.

Then Kwak Jae-gyeom and Han Ji-su charged at him at the same time.

But, oh dear.

Thwack—!

Cha Si-eon immediately drove Han Ji-su, who had charged at him, into the sand first.

“Ugh, Team Leader……!”

Han Ji-su screamed after being struck down by Cha Si-eon’s knee.

I had no idea where exactly he had been hit, but he could not get up and rolled around on the sandy beach.

Meanwhile, Kwak Jae-gyeom, who had wrapped his arm around his Team Leader’s neck, was dragged up along with him when Cha Si-eon straightened his body again.

With that, Kwak Jae-gyeom simply became someone being carried on the Team Leader’s back.

Jae-gyeom is pretty strong too, but I guess he is no match for Kongjwi…….

Jae-gyeom hung on for a moment, then realized it had failed and got down on his own.

Then he timidly patted the Team Leader’s T-shirt, which had become wet because of him.

But even if he did that now.

Thwack—!

“Huk, Team Leader! Puha!”

Cha Si-eon tripped Jae-gyeom by the foot, knocked him down, then pressed and rolled that brat around.

Like coating injeolmi with soybean powder, he dressed him in sparkling sand clothes from head to toe.

Wow…… even when two agents charge at him, that happens.

It was not even new anymore, but Team Leader Cha really was amazing.

And every time I confirmed Cha Si-eon’s true strength like this, a question naturally followed.

What on earth did Ms. Baek Sa-ra, sitting beside me, do to earn the title of Patjwi?

I was curious, but I could not bring myself to ask.

After finishing his suppression, Cha Si-eon received the Hawaiian shirt back from Ha Yu-ju.

Looking at that conqueror, I shook my head.

“What a harsh person. The kids are asking him to play, so he should play a little.”

“He might think that was playing with them in his own way.”

“That is even scarier.”

While Baek Sa-ra and I expressed regret over Team Leader Cha’s character, the trio overcame their failure and rose again.

Then they began creeping toward us.

What is it? Is it me this time?

No, do not come. I do not want to go into the sea……!

It was when I was wondering whether I should run away.

“Just sit where you are, Lord Otter.”

Baek Sa-ra spoke beside me in a leisurely voice.

Then she quietly watched the trio approaching us.

That was all she did, but the three people naturally changed direction and returned to the sea.

Then they began playing in the water happily again.

After subduing three people with only force of presence, Baek Sa-ra smiled brightly at me.

Yes, so that was how it was.

For some reason, understanding everything, I looked at the sea with distant eyes.

It was summer.

---

The unwritten rule was to grill meat on the first evening of a trip.

According to that national rule, we were heating charcoal and washing vegetables when Jae-gyeom and Yu-ju returned from shopping at a nearby mart.

“We are back!”

“Why did you buy so much?”

I asked, looking at the heavy box Jae-gyeom was carrying.

We had already bought everything to eat and drink at the pension during the day.

However, we had forgotten marshmallows, so Jae-gyeom and Yu-ju had hurriedly driven out and back.

So I thought they would buy one or two bags of camping marshmallows, but why was he carrying something so grand?

“Since we were shopping, we bought some more drinks.”

For some reason, Kwak Jae-gyeom set down the box with a determined expression.

Inside it were cans of beer packed full.

“We are grilling meat by the sea. We cannot really eat only meat.”

……Jae-gyeom said, seeking our agreement.

But before Jae-gyeom could gather public support, Cha Si-eon appeared.

“What is this?”

“I, uh, thought maybe one can each would be all right…….”

“Did you come here to play?”

“No, sir. I am sorry.”

In the end, Kwak Jae-gyeom crumpled without resistance.

Oh dear…….

When Jae-gyeom stepped back dejectedly, Yu-ju cut in without reading the room.

“Then I, who came using vacation, will take care of this.”

“Put it down.”

“Yes, sir.”

Cha Si-eon gave a short order the moment Yu-ju lifted a can of beer.

And Ha Yu-ju gave up on the beer at the speed of light.

After doing that, Yu-ju glanced at me and Baek Sa-ra.

It seemed to mean she wanted help, but mm.

I thought it was right to follow the decision of the person in charge here.

Leaving the beer in the box like that, we grilled meat and various other things.

Food eaten outside while listening to the sound of waves was special.

But Jae-gyeom and Yu-ju still seemed regretful.

“Meat without alcohol…….”

“My throat is choking…….”

“I can hear you.”

But even if they grumbled, it did not work at all on Cha Si-eon.

Even his appeal forbidden, Jae-gyeom made a gloomy face, ate ssam wraps, peeled and ate shrimp, and even slurped down cup noodles. Then, as if something occurred to him, he abruptly stood up.

“Ah, right!”

What is he trying to do now?

Jae-gyeom quickly went into the pension and brought out his tablet.

“Deputy Manager shared photos during the day. She said to look at them while we play.”

“Photos?”

“Old photos from the Bureau.”

Yes, Jae-gyeom.

It is hard to sit face-to-face with Team Leader and eat meat while sober, is it not?

But considering that, you really ate well.

And separate from Jae-gyeom’s flailing, the subject of old photos was rather interesting.

So we focused our gazes on Jae-gyeom’s tablet.

“Uh…….”

But when he actually opened the photo, we could not help being flustered.

Because no one had known the first photo would be Cha Si-eon with a nosebleed.

What is this photo?

Feeling awkward, we examined the photo.

Cha Si-eon, with short hair, was covering his blood-covered nose with one hand while holding the back of someone’s neck with the other.

Had there been a fight?

But the opponent is a little small?

The person in a dynamic pose, caught by Cha Si-eon.

“Uh……?”

We were flustered once again.

The one going toe-to-toe with Cha Si-eon in the photo was none other than Baek Sa-ra.