Side Story 2 (Part 1)

“Wow, the view is amazing!”  

Through the wide glass wall above the pool, the vast blue East Sea stretched out before them. The sky was clear without a single cloud, and the sparkling ocean reflected the sunlight.  

“This place is nice.” 

Juhan remarked as he looked around.  

They had come to a pet-friendly pool villa for their summer vacation. The secluded villa, located in a quiet area, was a large two-story house with luxurious and clean facilities. The ocean view through the glass wall was stunning, making it feel like the sea itself could wash away all worries.  

She hurriedly ran upstairs to check out the second-floor bedroom before coming back down.  

“Do you like it, Yebom?”  

Hyunho asked as he brought in their luggage.  

“Yes, I love it! You picked a great place.”  

She liked it so much that she felt as though she could live there forever.  

“Chapssal!”  

Chapssal excitedly sniffed around, exploring the surroundings.  

“Wait a moment, let’s show Chapssal where the bathroom is.”  

“Okay.”  

Since it was a pet-friendly place, it was equipped with essentials like dog pee pads, food bowls, and cushions. Hyunho took Chapssal and gently guided him to the bathroom, speaking in a soft voice. Soon, Chapssal lifted one leg and relieved himself.  

“Chapssal is a genius….”  

“Aww, good job!”  

Hyunho showered Chapssal with praise.  

“Let’s eat first. I’m hungry.”  

“Sounds good! We’re having barbecue, right?”  

“Yeah, let’s head out.”  

“Let’s go, let’s go.”  

They hummed a cheerful tune as they stepped outside.  

Next to the fenced garden, there was a white gravel area with a barbecue grill. Juhan moved the cooler from the car trunk and began setting things up. Yebom helped with the small preparations, moving around the area.  

“Watch your ankle.”  

The moment her foot slightly sank into a soft spot in the gravel, Juhan immediately spoke up.  

“Okay.”  

“Just sit down.”  

“No, it’s fine. I need to set up the lettuce too.”  

Juhan looked at her with an expression that clearly showed he wasn’t reassured.  

He was worrying too much. It had been ages since she hurt her ankle—three years ago, to be exact. Although she occasionally twisted it after that one ligament injury, it happened less and less frequently and wasn’t something worth worrying about anymore.  

“Don’t worry, I’m done now!”  

“Alright.”  

Only then did Juhan relax and start the fire.  

“Look at the ocean!”  

She sat down, marveling at the sea while enjoying the ocean breeze.  

“Guys.”  

Soon after, Hyunho came out with Chapssal.  

“Yebom, can you give Chapssal his food?”  

“Sure!”  

While the two men grilled meat and seafood, Yebom prepared Chapssal’s food. The dog quickly devoured the pre-portioned meal and couldn’t take his eyes off the barbecue grill. The smell of grilling meat was so enticing that it seemed like Chapssal was about to drool. Yebom sat down and held Chapssal tightly in her arms, looking down at his adorable face.  

“Looks like Chapssal wants some too.”  

“Anyone would think we were starving him.”  

Juhan glanced at Chapssal in her arms, looking slightly exasperated.  

“I’ll give him a little. I set some aside without seasoning.”  

Hyunho smiled as he responded.  

“Yeah, if we don’t, he might start crying. Chapssal’s on vacation too, so let’s give him something delicious.”  

Her cute little dog. She hugged him tightly, rubbing her face against his like he was a three- or four-year-old child.  

“Try this first.”  

Juhan placed freshly grilled meat on a plate for her.  

“Thank you. You guys should eat too.”  

“Yeah, blow on it and eat slowly.”  

She blew on the steaming hot meat and took a bite.  

“It’s so good!”  

“Haha, it’s delicious because it’s grilled over charcoal. Try the shrimp too, Yebom.”  

She felt so happy….  

Eating meat and shrimp while enjoying the beautiful seaside view felt like heaven.  

They grilled a generous amount of food—meat, sausages, shrimp, and scallops—and ate until they were stuffed. Even Chapssal, who had been watching them with a longing gaze, got a few pieces of lean meat without any seasoning. After roasting marshmallows for dessert, they patted their full stomachs.  

“Going on vacation is the best….”  

Relaxing and eating delicious food was pure bliss. Hyunho playfully patted her stomach on her behalf.  

“Wow, you ate a lot.”  

“Am I a belly general again?”  

“…Don’t tease me.”  

She pushed Hyunho’s hand away, trying to stop him from touching her slightly protruding belly.  

“I like it. It feels so nice being together like this.”  

Hyunho had a family-oriented side to him; he loved being together and doing things as a group. That warmth of his felt comforting and endearing.  

“Not going to work and just relaxing is amazing.”  

Juhan’s comment poured cold water on the sentimental moment.  

“Let’s swim a bit to digest.”  

“Good idea. Let’s clean up first.”  

Chapssal ran around freely in the safe, fenced grassy area. They threw a ball for him occasionally as they did a quick cleanup.  

Back inside the villa, they dressed Chapssal in his swimsuit.  

“He’s so cute!”  

Chapssal, wearing a bee-themed life vest and swimsuit, was the cutest thing in the world. The yellow background with dark brown stripes matched his light brown fur perfectly, and the tiny white wings on the back were absolutely adorable.  

“Chapssal has become the Great King Bee.”  

Yebom hurriedly grabbed her phone and snapped several pictures.  

“Princess!”  

“He’s male.”  

As Juhan walked by, he casually threw out a comment. Of course, Yebom already knew that, but the word “princess” had just slipped out naturally.  

“Fine, Prince! Great King Bee, Chapssal the Prince.”  

“You really like the word ‘great king.’”  

“Me?”  

“You even called my d*ck the ‘Great King d*ldo.’”  

“…….”  

Ah, seriously….  

“Chapssal might hear you.”  

“What would he understand?”  

“Chapssal understands everything humans say. I’m just trying to have a pure time with my dog….”  

Juhan scoffed.  

“Pure? Coming from you, even a passing dog would laugh.”  

Yebom stood up and smacked Juhan on the shoulder. His rock-solid, muscular shoulder didn’t budge an inch. She then turned and walked over to where Hyunho was organizing their belongings.  

“Hyunho, Juhan keeps teasing me.”  

“Huh? What’s he teasing you about?”  

“…….”  

She couldn’t bring herself to answer.  

“Hug me.”  

“Okay.”  

Even though her request for a hug came out of nowhere, Hyunho stopped what he was doing, opened his arms, and hugged her tightly. He planted a flurry of kisses on her parting hair. In his warm embrace, she found comfort and acted a little spoiled.  

“I’ll go change into my swimsuit.”  

“Alright.”  

Yebom lightly showered in the bathroom and put on a sky-blue checkered bikini. The bikini, which was barely different from underwear, made her feel a bit embarrassed. Even though it was just the three of them, and they often wore even less—sometimes nothing at all—she still felt shy.  

Looking in the mirror, her smooth, white arms and legs stood out, along with her full chest peeking over the bikini top. Her slightly round belly was visible above the bottom piece. She decided to wear a white bathrobe over it. The oversized robe, which fit like a sack, covered her body as she stepped out.  

“Welcome back, Yebom.”  

The two men had already changed into their swimsuits and were inflating tubes. Chapssal, sensing that they were about to play in the water, excitedly paced around them. Since there was only one pump, the two took turns inflating the tubes. Yebom walked over to the pool ladder and removed her robe.  

“…What the hell.”  

Juhan suddenly sprang to his feet, tossed the pump aside, and approached her. His expression was blank, but his eyes scanned her body with an intense gaze.  

“…Can’t we do it once before swimming?”  

“No!”  

This was exactly why she had covered herself with the robe. Based on experience, “once” never ended as just once. She quickly ran away from Juhan and dove into the pool.  

“Ah, it’s cold.”  

The pool water was colder than expected, making her body shiver. She waded in, splashing water onto her arms and shoulders. Juhan followed her, laughing as she fled. As she splashed her way forward, Juhan eventually caught up and hugged her tightly from behind.  

“Kyaa! Hahaha!”  

Her screams and laughter echoed. Juhan’s bare upper body was warm against her back.  

“Princess.”  

“Huh?”  

It seemed like he was mimicking her earlier words, but the word “princess” coming from Juhan’s mouth was so out of place that even a passing dog would laugh.  

“Belly General Princess.”  

He muttered as he playfully patted her belly.  

“It’ll flatten after swimming. Let’s swim with Chapssal.”  

Yebom moved in the water toward Hyunho and Chapssal. Hyunho, who was still pumping air into a tube, looked up and smiled at her when their eyes met.  

“You look like a mermaid, Yebom.”  

Hyunho’s cheesy comment was something she was very used to.  

“Or maybe a water fairy.”  

She wondered what the difference was.  

“Haha, let’s swim! Come in quickly!”  

“Okay, just a moment. Here.”  

Hyunho handed her a tube, and she eagerly slipped into it. The bright yellow tube, filled with air, became her shield against Juhan as she floated on her stomach and kicked her legs enthusiastically. Feeling the gentle resistance of the water, she swam to the other side. Swimming after so long was fun, and laughter naturally bubbled out.  

“Hahaha! Try swimming; it’s so fun!”  

“Is that swimming? You’re just dog-paddling.”  

Ignoring Juhan’s comment, she continued to kick her legs energetically. He dove underwater and swam freestyle, cutting through the water with ease. His broad, muscular back reminded her of an orca.  

Soon, Hyunho joined them and called out to Chapssal. The dog barked excitedly from the edge of the pool but hesitated to jump in.  

“Chapssal.”  

Hyunho picked up Chapssal and slowly dipped his legs into the water. Immediately, Chapssal began paddling with all four legs.  

“Hahaha, he’s so cute.”  

“He’s good, isn’t he?”  

“Yeah, let go of him.”  

Hyunho carefully released his hands from Chapssal’s sides. The dog floated and swam on his own without sinking.  

“Hahaha.”  

Yebom swam alongside Chapssal, mimicking his doggy paddle. Juhan and Hyunho, who had both learned to swim as children, swam effortlessly without tubes. Meanwhile, Yebom watched them and Chapssal as she kicked her legs. She couldn’t stop laughing; she felt so good. The refreshing sound of water and the sensation of it enveloping her body were delightful.