Chapter 62: Let's Go on a Trip (3)

Rattle, rattle—

The old car shook as it moved forward. The journey to the sea with this vehicle was long and rough.

"The road condition is terrible."

After the dimensional gates appeared, most people started living in Seoul.

Cities that were difficult to manage fell one by one due to the dimensional gates. Because of this, no one lives in areas outside of Seoul.

'Since no one travels here anyway, I guess there's no need to maintain the roads.'

Rattle, rattle—

The car shook due to the cracked asphalt. Hwaryeon seemed to enjoy the vibration, raising her arms and shouting.

"Wow, Dad! This is fun! Let's go faster!"

"No."

"Why?"

"The car might break down."

Slowly and safely, without accidents. My goal is to reach the sea without any incidents.

"Hwaryeon, let's do a dopamine detox for a while. We still have a lot of time. You can sleep like Choryeon."

"Hmph, that’s boring!"

Lee Hwaryeon. Dopamine detox punishment for 1 hour.

Hwaryeon, displeased, crossed her arms and pouted like a duck.

'Now we can go in peace for a while.'

I drove the car, focusing in the quiet atmosphere. It had been a while since I'd driven, so I needed to concentrate.

"It's nice driving on an empty road."

I asked Suryeon, who was looking out the open window.

"Suryeon. How do you like it?"

"It's good. There are no humans around. The wind is cool."

"Is the outside okay?"

"...Not bad."

And so, I drove towards Incheon Beach, our destination, occasionally chatting with the kids.

Soon, we could see the sparkling sea in the distance.

"Is that the sea?!"

Jump!

Hwaryeon shouted loudly upon seeing the sea. She stuck her face out the window to look at it.

"Wow, that's the sea! But why is it blue? I like red! Dad! Can't you make it red?"

"We can. But not now. You'll be able to see it later."

More importantly, I pulled Hwaryeon's body back in, saying.

"Don't stick your face out the window, it's dangerous. You might fall out."

"Hmph, what do you take me for?! You're not treating me like an idiot!"

...But you are an idiot.

I swallowed the words that came to mind. Then, I pushed my sunglasses up and took in the view of the sea.

"It's been a while since I've seen this."

The sea sparkled like jewels in the sunlight. Waves shimmered gently.

In the rearview mirror, I saw Suryeon intently observing the sea, muttering.

"The sea is beautiful."

Smile—

Suryeon said this with a satisfied smile. It was a smile that showed no regret for coming outside.

'I'm glad she's satisfied.'

I hope they can enjoy this beach trip.

Thinking this, I gripped the steering wheel firmly until we reached our destination.

***

On the beach under the scorching sun.

After parking, I unloaded the luggage from the trunk. Meanwhile, the children had changed into swimsuits matching their colors and charged towards the sandy beach.

"Sea! Here I come!"

"Let's go together, Hwaryeon!"

Pitter-patter!

Hwaryeon and Choryeon ran on the sandy beach with their tubes. Since it was a restricted area with no people around, their horns and tails were visible.

"It's good that there's no one here since it's a restricted area. Everyone can enjoy themselves comfortably."

"Yeah. I like that there are no humans around."

Unlike the other children, Suryeon stood quietly beside me.

I asked Suryeon, who was wearing a simple white cardigan over her swimsuit.

"Aren't you going, Suryeon?"

"Dad, I prefer to watch quietly. The sea is beautiful, isn't it?"

Indeed. Maybe it's because it's been a while since I've seen it, but the sea is beautiful.

The cool sea breeze, the gentle sound of waves, the scent of the ocean in the air. Suryeon seemed to like the sea as much as I did, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she said.

"It feels good. No humans around. It feels calming."

"Suryeon must take after me. I think so too."

"...I take it back."

Does she not want to have the same thoughts as me? Suryeon immediately retracted her statement.

Holding back tears, I walked to the sandy beach and set up a mat and parasol in a suitable spot.

"I'll sit here."

Plop—

Suryeon sat in the shade of the parasol, watching Hwaryeon and Choryeon play. Hwaryeon and Choryeon were repeatedly dipping their feet in the seawater and running away from the strange sensation.

'They're all having fun. I should tell them not to go in too deep.'

Alright—

Now that I've finished setting up the parasol, should I go into the sea too?

I was about to stretch a bit and walk towards the sea. However,

Grab—

"Dad, where are you going?"

Suryeon, who was sitting under the parasol, grabbed my arm to stop me. She looked at me with pleading eyes.

'I want to go to the sea too, but this is troublesome.'

I pointed to the sea and answered.

"I was going to go into the sea. Why?"

"Stay here with me. We can just look at the sea, can't we?"

"Come on, we came to the beach, shouldn't we go in? Or, Suryeon, do you want to come with me?"

Glance—

Suryeon glanced at the sea from the corner of her eye. After thinking for a moment, she nodded and answered.

"If it's with Dad, I'll go."

"Alright, let's go holding Dad's hand."

She must have been really shocked last time. To think that this proud dragon would show such a dependent side towards me.

'Even if they're dragons, kids are still kids. Should I think of it that way?'

You'd have to raise a child to know. It'll naturally get better with time.

Thinking this, I held Suryeon's hand and headed towards the sea where the kids were playing. Sensing our presence, Hwaryeon and Choryeon looked in our direction, holding hands.

"Dad's here... Why are you two holding hands again?"

"That's right. You can't swim if you're holding hands. Maybe Suryeon doesn't know what swimming is?"

Glare—

Hwaryeon and Choryeon's gazes were unsettling. Seeing this, I remembered something I'd read on the internet.

'They say children get jealous if you give special treatment to one. I guess that's true.'

Too much favoritism can backfire. I gently let go of Suryeon's hand.

"Ah..."

I heard Suryeon's sigh. Then, I approached Hwaryeon and Choryeon and asked.

"We just came holding hands. What were you all playing?"

"We were just dipping our feet in the sea! The water is so cool, Father!"

"Shall we check how cool it is?"

I casually took off my slippers and dipped my feet in the sea.

"The temperature's not bad, is it?"

"Right? It's nice and cool! I'm glad we came to the sea, Father! Thank you!"

Choryeon held my hand and brightly expressed her gratitude. I turned to look at Suryeon, who was still behind us, and said.

"Suryeon. Come in and check it out too. The sea is really cool."

"..."

Suryeon walked over with a sullen face, saying nothing. She carefully dipped her feet in the incoming waves.

Whoosh—

"It's cool. I like it."

The corners of Suryeon's mouth twitched. It seemed like we could go a bit deeper now.

I quickly brought life jackets and put them on all the children. Then, Hwaryeon complained about the discomfort.

"Ugh, the world never leaves me alone, it's uncomfortable!"

"Bear with it. You can't swim, remember?"

"I can do it well! I can!"

"You don't even know what swimming is. Too much pride can be dangerous."

One small mistake could be life-threatening.

"If you don't want to be the first dragon to die by drowning in the sea, be careful and don't go to deep areas."

"I-I don't want that! I'll wear the life jacket!"

"Good thinking, Hwaryeon."

She doesn't seem to want to be the first drowned dragon.

So, after putting life jackets on the dragon kids, I then put tubes around their bodies as a second measure.

"Everyone come here!"

Lift—!

"Aah-! Let me go-!"

"Go in and play!"

Splash—!

I lifted them one by one and threw them into the sea.

They floated in the sea, sometimes pushed by waves, feeling the ocean with their whole bodies. Their reactions were all pretty good.

"Wow! I'm floating in the sea! Bring it on, waves! I'll win!"

Hwaryeon started headbutting the waves.

"The sea..."

Suryeon closed her eyes quietly and let her body ride the waves.

"Father, am I moving correctly? Am I doing well?"

Choryeon was splashing around, swinging her arms vigorously. It didn't look much like swimming, but it was cute, so I decided not to say anything.

"You're all doing well. That's how you play in the sea."

I'm glad they're all enjoying themselves.

I was especially worried about Suryeon.

Suryeon was quietly closing her eyes and letting her body ride the waves, as if she had become one with the sea while wearing the tube.

'I should go and play with the kids more.'

Splash—!

I went into the sea without a life jacket and swam towards Hwaryeon. Then, I approached Hwaryeon and splashed water at her.

"Take this!"

"Aah! Dad, what are you doing! Are you challenging me?! You want to fight?! I won't go easy on you!"

Grin—

Hwaryeon angrily splashed water at me with both hands.

Splash—!

The water Hwaryeon splashed hit my face.

"Hmph, how's that! This is me!"

"...Shall we see who wins?"

"Bring it on!"

Hwaryeon and I engaged in a battle of souls. Without backing down an inch, we splashed water at each other, moving vigorously to determine the winner.

"Take that! Don't bully Father!"

"Aah! Lee Choryeon! Do you want to die?!"

Choryeon intervened in the middle to help me. But in the end, I could easily beat Hwaryeon.

Hwaryeon, covering her soaked face, declared to me.

"Th-That's cheating! Just wait! I won't go easy on you next time!"

"Hwaryeon, you're weak."

"This is so annoying!"

As expected, fire types can't beat water types.

While playing with Hwaryeon and Choryeon like this, I suddenly checked to see what Suryeon was doing.

However,

"Suryeon?"

Suryeon was nowhere to be seen. I couldn't find her in the vast sea. Only the life jacket and tube Suryeon had been wearing were floating on the sea.

"Where has she gone now...?"

This troublemaker.

She disappears somewhere again when I take my eyes off her for a moment, and she left her life jacket and tube behind.

With a worried heart, I shouted at the top of my lungs.

"Lee Suryeon!! Where did you go again!?!?!"

My voice echoed across the sea.

Perhaps because of that,

Bubble, bubble—

Bubbles started rising right in front of me. And then, something popped out from where the bubbles were rising.

Splash—!

"Dad, did you call me?"

It was Suryeon.

How did she appear like this again?

Surprised, I asked Suryeon.

"What's this, Suryeon? Suddenly appearing from below... I thought you had disappeared... Why aren't you wearing your tube?"

Suryeon immediately answered my question.

"Because I don't need it."

"How many times did I tell you the sea is danger-"

"Dad, I don't need to wear a tube. Because I can breathe in the sea."

"...Huh?"

Breathing in the sea? Did dragons originally have gills?

To my question, Suryeon nodded as if it were obvious.

"Yes, Blue Dragons can breathe in the sea. I tried swimming and found out I could do it. So I was just resting quietly under you, Dad."

"...You weren't sinking?"

"Yeah, maybe I should have told you earlier. Sorry."

Suryeon apologized, lowering her head slightly. The tension completely dissipated.

Looking at Suryeon, I asked.

"...So the sea suits you?"

"Yes, I like it. It's a perfect space for me, a Blue Dragon. So, I was wondering, can I go over there and come back, Dad?"

It's a bit far, but… Suryeon asked for my permission.

If what Suryeon said is true, it shouldn't be dangerous at all.

"Go ahead. Don't go too deep. Come back if it gets dangerous."

"Okay. I'll be back."

Maybe because her curiosity was overflowing, Suryeon swam away excitedly, wagging her tail, leaving my vicinity and going far away.

Swoosh—!

Seeing her like this, I thought it was a good decision to come to the sea.

'As long as no accidents happen...'

There was still a lot of time left before we had to go home. So, I think it's too early to let my guard down completely.