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Nothing says "chaos ahead" like the words "overnight school trip."
It's the one event where Korean students pretend to be mature adults but end up fighting over ramen flavors, peeking into the girls' room, and somehow turning a group hike into a near-death experience.
As for me?
Well, I was planning to spend the trip quietly. Just observe, eat some snacks, maybe use the mind-reading phone to prank Jun-Pyo.
But life, as always, had other plans.
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The Bus Ride of Doom
The class gathered in front of school, luggage in hand. Our destination? A random countryside pension with no Wi-Fi, wild chickens, and mattresses thinner than my phone case.
"Yo, Ji-Hoon!" Jun-Pyo waved at me, dragging a suitcase that looked suspiciously like it had been packed by his mom in 30 seconds.
"I brought snacks, toothpaste, and... uh... four pairs of socks. That's enough, right?"
> "Wait… did I pack underwear? OH NO. WHAT IF I DIDN'T PACK UNDERWEAR?!"
He froze mid-step. I patted his shoulder.
"You'll be fine. Worst case, borrow from the teacher."
He screamed.
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Inside the Bus
I chose a seat near the back and activated the mind-reading phone.
Buzz.
> "If this bus crashes, at least I won't have to do the group presentation."
– Minji. Again, very romantic.
> "I'll fake a fever on arrival. They won't make me hike if I collapse gracefully."
– Hyun-Woo, our class president. Flawless logic.
> "I hope I sit next to Minji. If I fart, I'll jump off the bus window."
– Jun-Pyo. My best friend. My headache.
We hit the road, and chaos erupted fast.
Karaoke microphone: flying.
Someone's ramen spilled into someone else's bag.
One student tried to plug in a rice cooker and tripped the power.
It was beautiful. Like watching monkeys in a high-budget zoo.
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Arrival at the Pension
The place was… rustic.
And by rustic, I mean there was a sign that said:
> "Don't feed the goats. They bite. Hard."
Jun-Pyo and I were assigned a room with three other boys. All loud. All smelly. All obsessed with who would be brave enough to confess to a girl during the trip.
Jun-Pyo sat on the floor, deep in thought.
> "This is it. This is the moment. I'm going to confess… to Minji."
I turned slowly. "You... what?!"
"I know, I know, she's way out of my league," he whispered. "But if I don't say it now, I'll regret it forever!"
> "Also, if she rejects me, maybe I can become a monk. That's plan B."
"You skipped plan A and went straight to spiritual awakening!"
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The Night Games
That evening, we gathered by a campfire, holding paper cups of warm juice and pretending to enjoy the teacher's horror stories.
But we weren't afraid of ghosts. No, no.
We were afraid of what was coming next:
Truth or Dare.
The bottle spun.
Students whispered.
One boy was dared to eat a raw garlic clove. He cried. Heroic tears.
Then...
"Jun-Pyo! Truth or Dare?" Minji asked, smiling.
"Dare," Jun-Pyo said boldly.
> "I regret this. I REGRET THIS."
Minji grinned. "I dare you… to confess to someone here. Honestly."
The group: "OOOOOOOOH!"
I turned to look at Jun-Pyo. His face was pale. Sweaty. Shaking.
> "I'm going to die. My lungs are collapsing. Send my ashes to my dog."
And then he turned…
"Minji… I—"
Minji blinked. The crowd froze.
"I—uh—I really like… your new haircut! It's... very... symmetrical!"
Silence.
> "Abort! ABORT! I'm such a coward!"
– Jun-Pyo's mind screamed.
The group burst into laughter. Even Minji chuckled.
Jun-Pyo pretended to drop his cup so he could crawl into the shadows.
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Later That Night
Back in the room, Jun-Pyo lay face down on his mattress, groaning into his blanket.
"I had one job," he muttered. "One. Job."
> "Maybe she'll think I was being mysterious. Maybe she'll fall in love with my cowardice?"
I didn't say anything. I just offered him some banana milk and a pat on the back.
"Don't worry, Jun-Pyo. At least you still have your dignity."
> "Nope. She crushed it with one blink. RIP me."
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Meanwhile, in the Girls' Room…
> "He was cute when he panicked. Like a confused hamster."
– Minji.
My jaw dropped.
She liked it?
> "Too bad he didn't say it clearly. Might've given him a chance."
Oh.
My.
GOD.
Should I tell him?
Should I not?
Nope.
I smirked and tucked myself into my sleeping bag.
This was too good to ruin.
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