My Girlfriend Is Very Good to Me

Chapter 41: Even When We're Apart, She Still Feels Close to Me (2)

TL: looloo

Schedule: 4/Week Wed-Sat

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With a sigh, I put my phone in a waterproof case and followed the path the kids had taken. They've probably already seen the video, so there's nothing I can do now. But now that inevitably my first interaction with her brother would be a video of me kissing the air...I don't know what to say.

Trying to erase the video from my mind, I continued walking.

The path leading to the valley wasn't neatly groomed, but it was cleared enough to walk through without too much inconvenience. After about 2-3 minutes, the valley came into view.

"Han Yeonho, come quickly! The water in the valley is freaking cold!"

"If we just jump in, won't we die of a heart attack?"

There wasn't another soul around. The kids who arrived first were shouting at me without even getting in the water yet.

Looking around, it seemed someone had built a makeshift dam by stacking rocks in the middle of the valley where the water flowed. It wasn't very big, but looked adequate for the five of us to play in.

Most striking was how clear the water was - the bottom was completely visible, making it impossible to gauge the depth.

Of course, since this place was man-made deep in the mountains, it wouldn't be deep enough to drown in.

"What are you scaredy cats doing over there? If you're a man, just go for it! Jump in first and see!"

After shouting vigorously, I approached the valley.

Not knowing the depth, I didn't jump right in. The moment my toes, still in sandals, touched the water...

-Yikes!

"Damn, this is freaking cold!"

Holy crap, it was freaking freezing.

I thought my feet were going to freeze off. Is this really a valley deep in the mountains?

I couldn't bring myself to go in any further. Now I understood why those kids were just standing there with the valley right in front of them.

But just standing around would waste our trip here. With the other four still just dipping their toes in lacking courage, I called out:

"Hey! This isn't working. Come gather around first!"

Uncle Gomo had just laid out a blanket nearby before going home. I gathered the loitering kids and made a suggestion:

"Let's play rock paper scissors for who has to jump in first?"

Let's just throw one kid in and go from there.

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Raei Translations

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Splash!

"Aaaaaahhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!"

Damn, it's freaking cold!

After getting trounced in rock-paper-scissors, I took a dive, trusting Uihyun's words that the deepest part was only up to our waist.

Damn it, figures. The person who suggests such an idea always gets the short end of the stick!

Even though the cold is supposed to get a bit better after a dive, I felt like I was going to die from the cold.

"Hey, you jerks! Hurry up and get in!"

"We're coming~"

"Are you just going to stand there?"

Seeing Kim Suhwang and Jung Yoonsung snickering, I wanted to land a punch on them, but my legs felt frozen and wouldn't move.

At least they had their calves in the water, but the sight of them barely wetting their hands looked utterly pathetic.

I really wanted to give them a piece of my mind, but I held back, thinking I might not be able to re-enter the cold water if I left now.

I decided to take a selfie in this state.

With shaking hands from the intense cold, I managed to snap a photo showcasing the stream.

I immediately sent it to Heena via chat.

[Heena: The water looks so clear~ Can you see any fish?]

I spent the entire day glued to my phone, and her reply came instantly.

[Han Yeonho: The place is quiet, no one around and the water's calm but so damn cold..]

My hands were trembling so much that I couldn’t type properly. As long as she got the gist, it's okay.

[Heena: Is it that cold? You brought a towel, right? Dry off when you get out! Don’t catch a coldㅠㅠ]

[Han Yeonho: Uh-huh...]

[Heena: My mom said you looked so cute in the video I showed her earlier~ She asked when you'll visit again. And my brother too!]

"....Oh crap."

A painful memory I tried hard to forget from earlier today seemed to fade with the cold.

[Han Yeonho: Really?]

[Heena: Yes! When you come over, we should all meet. You’ll drop by before the holidays end, right? So, we can meet then!]

[Han Yeonho: Okay...]

[Heena: Have fun~ If you catch a cold and I can’t see your face, I'll be sad... Got it?]

[Han Yeonho: Got it.]

Meeting Heena's brother, I guess I'll have to. The thought of meeting him after showing that video weighed heavily on my mind.

We exchanged a few more messages before she ended the chat, perhaps not wanting to keep me occupied for too long.

Splish!

"Wha- Ugh!! Who the hell did that?"

While dreading an upcoming meeting, I was suddenly splashed with water, which jolted me to my senses.

Looking around, I noticed four guys had surrounded me.

"Hey... um... guys, let's calm down and talk this out."

In the tense atmosphere, as if they were about to splash me again, my anger was momentarily quelled.

This situation felt eerily familiar, just like in the classroom.

"Are you seriously texting your girlfriend while we're here at the valley?"

"Do we really need to have a conversation with this douchebag, Yoonsung?"

"Totally unnecessary. What do you think, Hyunwoo?"

"Why not just dive in and enjoy? We came here to have fun amongst ourselves. Let's keep it that way."

"Calm down. He might have been texting his parents. Right, Yeonho?"

As they whispered, something in their eyes seemed off. Shin Uihyun always acts innocent, but he's the most aggressive of the lot.

The tension was palpable.

"Of course, I was texting my parents about how we're doing!"

There was conviction in his voice, but the coldness of the water was unmistakable. Even after being in for a while, the chill was palpable.

He flashed a bright smile, showing his teeth and even giving a thumbs up. But there was doubt in the air.

"Yeah, right. I know you hardly text your family. Didn't you say you texted your mom as soon as we got out of the car? You probably had nothing better to do."

Jung Yoonsung, the real jerk. My so-called friend for the past 5 years. Thanks for nothing, jerk.

Before another word was said, Kim Suhwang dramatically swung his arm and yelled,

"Great waterfall punch!"

Splash!

Was that the sound of him splashing the valley water with his hand?!

Using his big, brutish hand, he pushed the water towards me like a tidal wave.

"Hey! Don’t...!"

Overwhelmed by the sudden attack, I could barely catch my breath, when someone next to me exclaimed in fake admiration.

"To perform such a move in the valley...!"

What the hell are you talking about, you idiot?

But that was just for a moment. Everyone joined forces and drenched me completely.

"Drown him!"

"Damn coward, trying to woo your girlfriend’s friends...!"

Rejected once, and you're at it again? Damn it!

"Hey, guys, stop... I can't breathe...!"

Ignoring whatever I said, they ruthlessly continued their onslaught.

After what felt like an eternity, and after swallowing more water than I'd care to admit, their water antics finally came to an end.

By then, I'd somewhat adjusted to the cold water. The chill wasn’t as piercing.

After about two hours of playing, everyone was exhausted and we decided to leave the valley. Although tired, it felt too early to leave. I thought of sitting by the water and chatting, but the cold made it unbearable after stepping out.

And honestly, after a water fight, there wasn’t much left to do. If the water had been a bit warmer, we could have tried to catch some of the creatures we saw. Maybe we can try that tomorrow.

One downside to this mountainous valley, as opposed to a beach, is the lack of leisure shops and goods. It felt more like a healing trip than a fun getaway.

Moreover, it took us a significant amount of time to drive here. With evening approaching and the sun setting quickly in the mountains, we decided to head home, albeit a bit reluctantly.

"Wow, it's so great that the house is close by."

The short journey back after having a lot of fun was a massive advantage. The river water was better than sea water, as it didn't leave a sticky feeling.

Even the bathroom was spacious and clean, which made showering comfortable. The hot water seemed to be even better than at home.

"Come out after you shower! We're grilling pork belly in front of the house!"

"You're amazing... Thank you!!"

They had even prepared meat to grill outside while we were playing and showering. It made me think we should have brought a gift when we arrived. They take care of us so well, even though we're just friends of their niece.

It felt just like visiting a grandmother's house, so cozy.

While dressing after my shower, I checked the messages from Heena.

[ Heena: It might be a bit hot outside, so make sure to wear your top. Take care! ]

[ Heena: Want to video call while you shower? Might be boring alone. ]

[ Heena: Just kidding~ :> ]

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Raei Translations

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[ Heena: My family and I decided to dine out to celebrate my brother's military discharge! Remember that place we passed by last week? ]

[ Heena: (Picture) ]

[ Heena: How's this outfit? If you like it, I'll wear it on our next date~ ]

[ Heena: Guess you're still showering.. I'm leaving soon, so we'll chat later! ]

[ Heena: I ]

[ Heena: love ]

[ Heena: you ]

[ Heena: ♡ ]

[ Heena: (Emoji of a puppy making a heart with its paws) ]

It hadn't been long since our last chat. We had texted before leaving the valley and again before showering.

Still, seeing our rapid-fire messages made me feel like Heena was right there with me.

It seemed like I spent half my time playing and the other half chatting with Heena.

Seeing her message spelling out "I love you" one letter at a time made me smile as I stepped outside.

True to form, the guys finished showering in no time and were now staring intently at the grilling meat, as if they were village dogs waiting for food.

Their sight made me chuckle. It was fun. It had been a while since we hung out somewhere other than the PC room. The hospitality of Uihyun's aunt and uncle made it all the more fun and healing.

But still,

I wondered if I was influenced by Heena's enthusiastic feelings.

Even though we saw each other last night, and since dating, there have been few days we haven't seen each other,

I missed her again.

Being able to see someone anytime yet choosing not to is a completely different feeling than wanting to see someone but being unable to because of distance.

Heena, who constantly sent messages and photos as if to ensure I never forgot about her, was certainly adorable.

But maybe messaging isn't quite enough.

Author's Note:

An episode without Heena probably lasts until the next episode. I thought about stretching it to episodes 4 and 5 but condensed it.

Of course, while Heena isn't physically present, she's always there in spirit!

Thanks always for the many comments, attention, and recommendations!! Love you!! So much thanks!!