part 29

Bzzzz~.

I plugged the hairdryer into the camping generator. 

Slowly, I began to dry my hair. 

I had taken a shower just before bed, and my hair was still damp. 

In truth, there was no need to wash my hair again at night. 

I regretted my unnecessary fastidiousness. 

But somehow, I didn't want to go to bed without washing my hair. 

It didn't matter.

But to Seung-rok… I didn't want him to see me like that.

I had finished my shower, and now Seung-rok was taking his turn.

Since we had rented out the entire campsite, as long as me and Hayeon were inside the camp, it was ours alone. 

With Hayeon already in dreamland, it was essentially just the two of us.

Alone together in this vast campsite. 

It was the first time for us.

Though I had been staying at Seung-rok's house, we did not live together.

I lived in a separate building, after all. 

There was an underground passage connecting us, but I never felt the need to use it. 

The garden was too beautiful to bypass. 

In essence, my living quarters were separate from Seung-rok's.

Even though it was less than a minute's walk, it was undeniably a different building.

So, I never felt like we were living together.

But now, being cramped together in this tiny tent, it felt different.

How should I put it? 

The fact that we were going to spend the night in the same space suddenly felt very real.

Bzzzz~

Lost in thought, I realized my hair was finally dry enough. 

Just then, I heard a rustling sound outside. 

Seung-rok must have finished his shower and returned.

"Are you done with the hairdryer?" 

Seung-rok asked from beyond the tent.

"Yes, I'll give it to you! Come in."

Seung-rok opened the door slightly. 

Outside stood a man who looked unfamiliar. 

Perhaps it was because I was used to seeing him always neatly groomed. 

In his pajamas, Seung-rok looked like a different person. 

His hair was only towel-dried, giving him a relaxed vibe.

Everything about him seemed natural, almost disheveled. 

Usually, even at home, he dressed impeccably, his hair always perfectly styled with pomade. 

This slightly unbuttoned version of Seung-rok felt like someone else. 

I found myself staring at him, feeling an unexpected awkwardness.

Seung-rok looked at me with a calm, expressionless face and said, "Give it to me."

"Oh, yes, here you go."

I quickly reached out and handed him the hairdryer.

As soon as he took it, Seung-rok started drying his hair with practiced movements. 

It was clear he had done this many times before. 

His short hair dried quickly. 

As soon as he finished, he grabbed his sleeping bag and headed outside.

"Wait!"

Without thinking, I called out.

Seung-rok turned his head sharply.

"Why?"

His cold gaze pierced through mine. 

Instinctively, I averted my eyes slightly as I continued.

"Come in."

"You said you didn't want to sleep in the same room with a man."

His words were blunt.

Though his expression didn't change at all, I felt as if he was angry with me. 

Although he had no reason to be angry.

"Well, on second thought, it's not like you're going to consume me or anything. And with Hayeon here, who cares? We can sleep together. I'll sleep here, and you can sleep over there."

Seung-rok turned his gaze to Hayeon, who was sleeping in the middle of the tent. 

She was sprawled out in a large 'X' shape. 

If you listened closely, you could hear her soft, rhythmic breathing. 

Seung-rok let out a small laugh.

Seeing him remain silent, I added.

"It's nice for a family to sleep together. You, and Hayeon."

"We sleep together every day."

With that, Seung-rok slowly closed the tent door. 

He then took his place on the opposite side of Hayeon from me. 

After surveying the area for a moment, he slipped into his sleeping bag. 

Soon, he turned his back and began to sleep.

"Good night," he said, leaving just those words behind.

A sigh escaped my lips.

I closed my eyes, trying to sleep.

But it was hard to sleep.

I kept hearing sounds that I usually didn't notice.

The sound of the wind.

The sound of Hayeon's breathing.

And even the sound of water from somewhere. 

Sharing a sleeping space with others made me aware of every little noise.

The more I focused on these sounds, the further sleep drifted away.

I wondered if I should just give up on sleeping altogether.

I turned my gaze to the side. 

At some point, Hayeon had rolled over and was now snuggled up next to her father. 

They looked like a cicada clinging to a tree. 

Watching them sleep so closely together, I couldn't help smiling.

Not my daughter, nor my man.

Yet here I was, smiling. 

I didn't know why. 

But somehow, I felt a little more at ease.

Eventually, my eyes closed. 

Finally, I drifted off to sleep. 

It was the first time in a long while that I had slept so soundly since my mother collapsed. 

It felt as comfortable as sleeping with family after a long time.

***

Chirp, chirp.

The sound of birds woke me naturally. 

Usually, I was forced awake by the alarm.

So my mind felt foggy and unclear. 

But today was different. 

My whole body felt refreshed, as if the fog had lifted. 

Maybe it was the bright sunlight greeting me, or the deep sleep I had in nature. 

Or perhaps it was because I had slept in without an alarm for the first time in ages.

…Alarm?

Alarm!

I suddenly sat up, realizing something was wrong. 

Checking my phone, I saw the alarm was off. 

It was already past 8 o'clock. 

I hurriedly opened the tent door. 

Outside, Seung-rok was already up. 

Not just standing there, but preparing breakfast with a portable stove and frying pan. 

The toast was already made, and he was now frying eggs.

"I turned off the alarm," 

Seung-rok said bluntly.

"Why did you do that?" 

I asked, stepping outside, feeling a bit guilty.

"We're camping. No need for an alarm. It's good to sleep in," he replied nonchalantly, turning back to his cooking.

I sighed softly, feeling a twinge of guilt.

I knew how expensive this camping trip must have been.

Seung-rok had covered all the costs.

Driving for 10-20 minutes wouldn't even cover the cost of a meal. 

Even last night's dinner was all prepared by him, leaving me with nothing to do.

I had thought making breakfast would be my only task.

After all, café brunches were my specialty.

But even that had been taken away by Seung-rok.

Feeling a pang of guilt, I quickly racked my brain for something to do. 

Soon, an idea came to me.

"Then I'll wake Hayeon. She needs to wash her face and brush her teeth."

Seung-rok shook his head.

"Why?"

"It's already eight o'clock. She should have been up by now."

Seung-rok gave a small, dismissive laugh.

"It's the weekend. She can sleep more."

With that, Seung-rok turned his attention away from me and focused on the frying pan, pouring all his concentration into cooking.

It was strange.

Normally, Seung-rok was obsessively controlling about his daughter's schedule. 

From morning to night, he tried to manage every aspect of her day. 

One of my main duties was to report Hayeon's daily routine to Seung-rok. 

Hiring me as a golf coach to make his six-year-old daughter play golf every day wasn't something most parents would consider.

But now, he was suddenly letting the child relax. 

It seemed his attitude had changed a bit. 

I watched Seung-rok closely. 

It wasn't just his behavior that was different.

His appearance had changed too. 

He was wearing comfortable training clothes, just as he had after showering yesterday. 

His slim figure made the casual outfit look stylish.

But it was a stark contrast to his usual meticulously put-together fashion. 

He even looked different facially. 

His hair was neatly down.

Normally, he looked like a clean-cut crooner, but today he had the air of a college student. 

He even seemed a bit naive.

Still, cut though.

Irritating.

"It's done," he said, turning off the stove and looking at me.

"Shall I wake the child then?" I asked.

Seung-rok frowned slightly at my suggestion.

"Why are you so eager to wake her? Let her sleep as long as she wants. Today, let's just take it slow and have breakfast together."

With that, we set the table. It was a simple meal: sunny-side-up eggs cooked to perfection, warmed bagels, and a salad of thinly sliced carrots seasoned with olive oil and salt. But eating in the midst of nature made it feel like a feast. Without Hayeon, who usually made a mess due to her picky eating habits, the atmosphere was much calmer. The sounds of birds and water filled the air. Sometimes, this kind of tranquility wasn't so bad.

"Your cooking is delicious," I complimented Seung-rok.

His cooking was always by the book, perhaps too much so. It was tasty, but lacked any surprising elements, making it something I didn't particularly want to learn. Still, considering it was prepared by a K-pop idol, it was more than impressive.

"You don't look like you mean it," he teased, sipping his coffee.

Unlike me, he didn't eat a full breakfast. He would just have a couple of boiled eggs and that was it. I often wondered how he maintained such a muscular physique on such a sparse diet, but I figured he knew best.

After our simple meal, I rolled up my sleeves, insisting on doing the dishes and cleaning up.

"Please, let me handle the cleaning!"

"If you insist," Seung-rok said, stepping back immediately. I had expected him to offer some resistance, but he accepted my offer without hesitation. It was hard to tell if he was being considerate or just lazy. Leaving Seung-rok behind, I went to the sink and washed the dishes and utensils. When I returned, he had boiled water and made coffee.

"Try this," he said, handing me a cup.

It was a hand-dripped coffee, prepared while I was doing the dishes. My mood lifted instantly, like a fool. The coffee had a pleasant acidity and was excellent. I felt warmth spreading through my body, not just from the drink but from Seung-rok's thoughtfulness. As I was lost in these thoughts, Seung-rok suddenly took out his phone and checked his reflection.

"What's up?" I asked.

"I need to do a YouTube live broadcast. Just want to freshen up a bit before going live," he said, pulling out some wax from his bag.

By "homework broadcast," he meant a YouTube live session. As an idol, Seung-rok frequently did live broadcasts. Today, he planned to do a spontaneous live session in nature. Of course, Hayeon and I were to stay out of sight. I didn't mind, but watching him try to style his hair with just his phone as a mirror seemed a bit pitiful.

"Let me help you," I said, moving closer and taking the wax and hairdryer from him.

I looked at him closely. It was the first time I had seen his bare face in broad daylight, without any products. I swallowed hard. His face was dazzling, almost making me feel like his surroundings were glowing.