The bell rang with its usual sluggish chime, but Class 2-3 was unusually noisy for a Monday morning.
Mr. Choi entered with a thick folder tucked under his arm and a rare sparkle in his eye. He tapped the whiteboard with a marker, drawing all eyes toward him.
"Everyone, quiet down. I've got something very important to announce."
That worked better than usual.
Even Daewon sat up a little straighter. He'd been doodling mountains in the corner of his notebook, his thoughts floating to a certain umbrella-blue girl sitting two rows away.
Mr. Choi smiled. "Our annual school trip is tomorrow."
The room exploded.
"WHAT?!"
"No way - it's tomorrow?"
"Are we going to an amusement park?!" someone shouted.
Mr. Choi held up a hand, laughing. "Calm down. No rides or roller coasters. This year, we're heading to Mount Seorayeon."
"Mount... what?"
"It's a beautiful mountain area two hours from Seoul," Mr. Choi continued, pulling down a projector screen. "There's a lodge where we'll be staying overnight, trails, lakes, stars... and best of all, no Wi-Fi."
"NOOO - !"
"That's basically a survival challenge!"
Mr. Choi ignored the drama and clicked the remote. Pictures of the misty blue mountains, blooming flowers, and a shining lake filled the screen.
"Mount Seorayeon is famous for its peaceful scenery and clear skies. We'll leave early tomorrow, hike, do team challenges, and have a bonfire night. Then return the next day."
Some students looked skeptical. Others already whispered about s'mores and ghost stories.
Daewon blinked, surprised to find himself... excited.
And then he looked at Aera.
She was watching the screen quietly, that small thoughtful look on her face. Her eyes, when the lake photo appeared, seemed to soften like she was already there - standing beside it.
When she caught him watching, she tilted her head, then smiled.
His heart thumped so fast he nearly dropped his pen.
"Bring hiking shoes," Mr. Choi added, "a warm jacket, and your best behavior. No sneaking out at night, no phones after lights out, and don't forget your toothbrushes."
"Will we have roommates?" someone asked.
"Yes. I'll assign them later today."
Groans.
"Can we request?" asked another.
"No," Mr. Choi grinned. "This is a bonding opportunity. You'll survive."
The bell rang.
Daewon barely noticed. His mind was already drifting to tomorrow. A lodge in the mountains. Bonfire flames. Quiet walks under stars.
And Aera, just maybe, beside him.
The bus rumbled steadily along the winding road, carrying Class 2-3 into the heart of the mountains. Outside the windows, pine trees stretched toward the sky, and occasional cherry blossoms flickered past like shy confetti.
Mount Seorayeon waited in the distance, cloaked in early spring mist - its slopes serene, like a sleeping giant wrapped in clouds.
Inside the bus, energy buzzed. Students chattered, traded snacks, played quiet card games, or gazed out at the passing landscape. Near the middle row, Kang Daewon sat with his backpack tucked at his feet, sketchpad across his lap, and one earphone in.
Across the aisle, Yoo Aera was pressed against the window, her chin propped on her hand, watching the scenery slide by. She wore a light blue hoodie and had tied her hair into a half-ponytail. When she caught him glancing over, she gave a small, polite smile - barely a twitch at the corner of her lips.
It still made his heart skip.
In front of them, Minjae turned around in his seat, grinning. "So! Mountain hike, scavenger hunt, bonfire, and cabin sleepover. Who's gonna cry first?"
"You," Daewon replied, deadpan.
"Me? I am a man of steel," Minjae said, patting his chest proudly.
"You cried during the horror movie last week."
"There was a ghost grandma, Daewon."
Aera let out the tiniest giggle behind her hand, and Daewon couldn't stop himself from smiling. It already felt like this trip was going to be different.
By the time they arrived at the base of Mount Seorayeon, the air had turned crisp and clean, filled with the scent of pine and wildflowers. The teacher, Mr. Seo - thankfully still wearing his slightly crooked checkered tie - stepped off the first bus and raised a hand for attention.
"Alright, listen up! We'll hike a light trail to the camp lodges. Your groups are already assigned, so stick together. You have maps and emergency snacks in your packs. Don't run, don't wander off, and -"
"Don't fall in love on the mountain?" Minjae whispered loudly.
" -don't ignore instructions," Mr. Seo finished, glaring in his direction.
The students laughed and hoisted their backpacks. Daewon ended up walking near Aera again - not by design, just... naturally. They walked side by side as the trail curved gently upward, past sun-dappled rocks and patches of blooming forsythia.
"You okay?" Daewon asked softly when they paused at a rest stop.
Aera nodded, brushing her hair from her cheek. "It's nice here. Quiet."
"It reminds me of one of your drawings," she added a moment later. "The one with the trees bending toward each other."
He blinked. "You remembered that?"
She tilted her head, her voice nearly a whisper. "I remember a lot of your drawings."
Daewon looked away, ears warming. His fingers itched for his pencil, but he kept walking instead.
By late afternoon, they reached the campsite - a clearing surrounded by trees, where wooden lodges sat in neat rows like tiny cottages. There was a small lake nearby, its surface still and glassy, reflecting the cloudy sky above.
Bags were dropped, snacks traded, and sneakers kicked off with tired sighs.
Later, the scavenger hunt began in teams. Daewon and Aera were grouped with Minjae and Nari, a cheerful girl who treated everything like a game show.
"One pine cone, three clover leaves, a photo of a butterfly, and a feather!" Nari read from their checklist. "Daewon, draw the butterfly if we can't find it!"
Minjae groaned. "We're doomed."
They darted through the woods like playful kids - Nari skipping ahead, Aera quietly observing, and Daewon falling behind more than once, distracted by the way the late sunlight filtered through her hair.
Eventually, they found everything - though the feather came from a very unbothered duck by the lake, which Aera coaxed gently while Daewon hovered nearby, nervous for her fingers.
As they returned to the cabin, cheeks flushed and shoes muddy, Minjae slung an arm around Daewon's shoulders.
"You're smiling too much, man. You gotta control the face muscles."
"I'm not," Daewon muttered.
"You are. I'll call you Happy Hyung from now on."
Aera just looked away, hiding a smile of her own.
That evening, the bonfire crackled in the center of the clearing. Students circled around on foldable chairs or mats, roasting marshmallows and singing off-key to an old pop song Mr. Seo had brought on a Bluetooth speaker.
Daewon sat beside Aera near the edge of the circle, both cradling warm cups of citron tea. The light from the fire flickered on her face, softening her features and casting shadows that danced across her cheeks.
"This is kind of nice," she said quietly, watching the flames. "I used to think school trips would be noisy and uncomfortable."
"They kind of are," Daewon said.
"But it's not so bad," she finished, smiling a little. "Because of who I'm with."
He turned toward her, heart thudding so suddenly he thought maybe the fire had echoed it. A gust of wind swept through the trees, sending a sprinkle of petals down from the canopy overhead.
Daewon hesitated. Then, carefully - so carefully - he reached out and brushed a cherry petal from her shoulder.
She looked up at him, eyes wide, but didn't pull away.
"Thanks," she said softly.
And then, very softly - so soft he thought he imagined it -
"I'm glad I came."
Later, the students retired to their lodges. Boys and girls were in separate buildings, of course, but the air was still filled with whispers and laughter long into the night.
In his bunk bed, Daewon lay on his back staring at the wooden ceiling.
He scrolled through the pictures on his phone - some blurry shots from the hike, a group selfie where Aera looked straight into the camera for once. And then a candid photo Minjae had taken without permission: Daewon looking at Aera, a faint smile on his lips.
He hadn't even realized.
> Minjae: Caught in 4K, bro.
Daewon rolled his eyes.
But he didn't delete the photo.
Across the campground, in her lodge, Aera sat by the window with a blanket over her shoulders. Her phone buzzed quietly in her hand.
> Daewon: Thanks for today. Daewon: I liked walking with you.
There was a pause. Then:
> Aera: Me too. Aera: You draw feelings. But I think today... you lived one.
She pressed her hand over her chest.
It was too quiet. And too warm.