Grab the Regressor by the Collar and Debut!

Chapter 363. Jeju Island’s Blue Night (5)

Contrary to Yugeon’s expectations (or hopes?) that there might be another twist once they arrived in Jeju, Hajin hailed a taxi as soon as they landed at Jeju Airport.

Relieved that he wouldn’t have to take four flights in one day, Yugeon got into the taxi without knowing the destination, just following Hajin’s lead.

‘…It really is Jeju.’

They had returned, for real, to Jeju. The sights around Jeju Airport that had seemed so novel just hours earlier were still there, visible through the taxi window. Yugeon looked up at the now dark Jeju night sky.

“Driver, please take us to the Dongmun Market Night Market.”

“Sure~”

Hearing the mention of a night market, Yugeon remembered Hajin’s earlier remarks about “flatfish this” and “cuttlefish that.”

‘So we’re really going to eat sashimi?’

The only time Yugeon had eaten sashimi was when he’d snuck some while working part-time at a sushi restaurant. Without realizing it, he swallowed in anticipation. He remembered that aside from a kimbap roll he had eaten earlier, he had been running on an empty stomach all day. Normally, Yugeon wasn’t particularly interested in food, but now he felt like he could chew through rocks if necessary.

“Honestly, renting a car in Jeju is the most convenient, but we’re too young, and it’d be a hassle if we got into an accident, so let’s just take taxis today and tomorrow. Is that okay with you?”

“It doesn’t really matter to me.”

“Jeju has a lot of tourists, so unlike Seoul, you can usually catch a taxi without an app if you wait on a main road. Sometimes, that’s faster than opening the app right away.”

“…?”

Yugeon gave Hajin a puzzled look as he spouted random travel tips like a guide. But Hajin just shrugged, saying he was sharing because it came to mind. That attitude seemed a bit odd, but Yugeon quickly forgot about it, caught up in the excitement of his first trip.

-You know what’s most important when renting a car? The type of car? Gas prices? No, it’s the insurance. Don’t try to save 50,000 won only to lose 500,000. Just rent from a big company and get full insurance. You can’t put a price on safety.

-I sent you our lodging info via text. Accommodation apps have good deals, but official websites sometimes offer better packages. We’re staying in a private villa, not a hotel, because at hotels, you have to show your ID during check-in, and just in case….

-Hey, look. I’ll give you a rough idea of what we’re doing tomorrow. When planning a trip to Jeju, it’s easiest to divide the island into four quadrants: east, west, north, and south. You usually stick to one section to make the trip easier. So tomorrow, we’re going to focus on the northeastern part….

…But it was hard to forget with how much Hajin was talking.

Hajin chatted nonstop during the short ride to their destination. But it wasn’t exactly weird either—Hajin was always talkative.

‘Is this hyung excited about the trip too?’

Having honed his ability to endure his brothers’ endless chatter at home and in the dorm, Yugeon didn’t think much of Hajin’s babbling. Some of the tips were actually useful, and Yugeon made mental notes, just in case he visited again someday.

“Thank you, driver!”

“Thanks.”

The market wasn’t far from the airport, and the two of them got out of the taxi in no time. Jeju’s night market wasn’t as big as Yugeon had imagined, but it looked more vibrant than the five-day markets he sometimes saw in neighborhood alleys.

“Hungry? Let’s go. I’ll buy everything today. With the pocket money from my second dad, of course.”

Since it was a weekday evening, the market wasn’t too crowded. Hajin, wearing a ball cap, nodded toward Yugeon.

The night market lights merged with Jeju’s dark night sky, making it look as if stars were spilling from the heavens.

“…If we eat all that, we’ll have to run all the way back to the villa.”

“Come on, when you travel, you’re supposed to gain at least 3kg. It’s, like, a rule of travel law or something.”

“If Taehyun heard that, he’d lose it.”

Yugeon, wearing a mask, smiled and followed Hajin into the market.

—

Despite boasting earlier about conquering the night market, Hajin ended up being surprisingly practical in his food choices once they were inside.

-You shouldn’t just grab whatever when you’re starving. You have to eat something really good to avoid regret.

-Are you picking wisely because you keep imagining Taehyun with a baseball bat in your head?

-…….

Hajin avoided answering that question, but his choices turned out to be excellent.

They picked up sashimi, various fried chicken, kimbap, grilled lobster, and even donuts for dessert.

Once back at their lodging, they devoured every last bit of the food. Not because they were hungry, but because everything tasted amazing.

-Yah, yah, I’m not going to steal it. Slow down.

Yugeon realized that the sashimi he’d eaten before was nothing compared to the fresh sashimi here.

Up until now, he thought sashimi was just bland, chewy fish that you ate for the soy sauce or dipping sauce. But tonight, he finally understood what made truly fresh sashimi special.

—

“…Yugeon, Yugeon.”

“Mmm…”

“Hey, kid. You’re not getting up?”

Yugeon, who had passed out, burrowed deeper into the blankets to avoid Hajin’s hand trying to wake him. But, as if he had predicted this, Hajin effortlessly pulled the blankets off the bed, leaving Yugeon with no choice but to bury his face in the pillow. As Yugeon grumbled, Hajin pulled out his phone and played something.

**Bam↗ Bam→ Bap↘ Bam↘ Ba↗ Bap↘ Bam↘ Bam―**

The trumpet blaring throughout the room was far too familiar for something that shouldn’t have been.

Even Yugeon, who was a heavy sleeper, found himself sitting up straight, as if by instinct, his body reacting before his mind caught up.

‘What… what is this song? Hypnosis?’

As he groggily opened his eyes, he saw Hajin standing in front of him with a triumphant smile.

“I knew you’d react. Memories are a scary thing.”

Seeing that devilish grin, Yugeon remembered where he had heard that trumpet before.

This was…

“Wait, did you serve in the army, despite being the family’s breadwinner? Wow, this country is seriously messed up.”

…It was the bugle call used to wake soldiers in the military.

At twenty years old, Yugeon had only known about the military through webtoons and dramas, but now the distant memories of his “past life” were flooding back, forcing him to wake up. Groaning, he checked the time on his phone.

**<06:30 AM>**

“Why are you waking me up at the crack of dawn…?”

“You went to bed early yesterday. I let you sleep longer than usual. Get up, hurry. We don’t have much time.”

“Seriously…”

Yugeon hadn’t expected a relaxing vacation after Hajin explained the rough itinerary yesterday, but still…

It had been so long since he’d slept comfortably without his younger brothers wrestling him awake, that his body was resisting. Hajin dragged him to the bathroom, saying:

“We’re not leaving immediately, so just wash your face quickly.”

“Where are we going? At least tell me that so I can prepare.”

“Can’t you see how swollen your face is after last night’s snack? We’re going for a quick workout to sweat it out.”

Hajin handed him his workout clothes.

“When did you even take this out of my bag…?”

“You’ll shower after the workout anyway, so just wash up quickly.”

“Alright…”

Yugeon assumed they’d be going for a light jog, maybe a lap or two around the area. No big deal—it was something he often did back at the dorm.

A good place, good weather, a good morning.

But there was one thing Yugeon overlooked.

“Ten minutes. That’s all I’m waiting.”

“I said I’m coming.”

…The guide for this trip was none other than Kang Hajin.

—

As soon as Yugeon finished washing up and came out, Hajin handed him his phone, which he had already packed, and hurried him outside.

There wasn’t even time to grab a wallet. Yugeon might have found this strange, but he was too captivated by the fresh morning scenery of Jeju.

“Let’s run along the coastal road. How does that sound?”

“I don’t mind.”

Having never been to Jeju before, Yugeon obediently followed Hajin’s lead and started jogging along the coast.

The black basalt rocks, the dark blue sea, and the clear skies filled with cotton candy clouds made everything seem more refreshing. Yugeon didn’t even realize how far he had run—over an hour from their lodging.

“Phew, should we take a break? Aren’t you hungry?”

“I thought we were running to burn off last night’s meal.”

“We’ve burned it off, so now we need to eat again. Luckily, there’s a famous bracken hangover soup place nearby.”

Hajin

pointed toward a restaurant near the coast.

Yugeon, who had heard of Jeju’s famous bracken soup through various media, teased him.

“Bracken soup in Jeju is like eating pork soup in Busan, isn’t it?”

“So, have you ever had pork soup in Busan?”

Shrugging his shoulders, Yugeon headed toward the restaurant first.

“No, it’s my first time.”

“Your first trip should start with the basics, kid. Let’s go.”

Even though they had eaten so much the night before, the smell of food hit him as soon as they entered the restaurant, and he suddenly felt hungry again. After all, they had been running for an hour.

“Auntie, we’d like to order!”

The restaurant’s menu had more options than expected.

After some deliberation, they ordered a bowl of bracken hangover soup, a bowl of bone soup, and a medium-sized platter of dome meat. If he had come alone, he wouldn’t have been able to try so many dishes.

“Let’s dig in.”

“Yeah, enjoy.”

The food came out quickly, and each dish was a new experience for Yugeon.

It was both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. But his first thought as he started eating was this:

‘Grandpa would love this.’

The tender meat and deep broth were exactly his grandfather’s style.

The restaurant, with its glass wall offering a view of the sea, had a cozy atmosphere. The side dishes were lightly seasoned, and the prices were reasonable.

“What are you thinking about so deeply while eating?”

“I was just thinking it’d be nice to bring Grandpa here.”

“Really? He likes this kind of soup?”

“He loves it, but doesn’t get to eat it often because of his health….”

For the first time since he had confided in Hajin about his family, Yugeon brought up his family in conversation. He hesitated after realizing what he had said, but Hajin simply continued eating without making a big deal out of it.

“Really? Then you should bring him here sometime. Take the whole family on a trip.”

“…Easier said than done.”

“Well, at least there’s one easy thing in life.”

“…….”

Hajin’s words could be taken as nonsensical, but Yugeon chose not to argue.

“You never imagined you’d wake up to see the Jeju sea this morning, right? That’s just how life is.”

Hajin smiled, placing the last piece of meat into Yugeon’s bowl. As Yugeon ate the tender, chewy meat, he remembered a similar moment.

Back when someone had placed lettuce wraps onto his spoon.

‘Did the Yugeon of back then ever imagine he’d be here now?’

Yugeon smiled and took a big bite of the meat Hajin had offered. The soft texture filled his mouth.

Watching him fondly from across the table, Hajin rested his chin in his hand.

“…Yeah, you’re right.”

It was a satisfying start to the day.