ReLife Player

[Hound (2)]

The morning of the spring picnic.

It was a busy morning at Eunha’s house. His mother woke up before dawn to prepare Eunha and Euna’s lunchboxes. Eunha didn’t want to leave everything to his mother, so he packed his lunch with Euna.

«Are you sure you can do well without me?»

«Are you sure you can do well without me going to the retreat?»

«I’m 12 years old!»

Euna pouted her lips. She’d even decorated Eunha’s packed lunch because she wanted to pretend to be her big sister for the day.

«Be careful out there.»

«Yeah, you too, Eunha.»

«Today’s Eunha energy boost complete!»

Euna inhaled the scent of fabric softener on Eunha’s clothes. She kissed Eunha’s cheek before leaving.

«Anyway….»

«You seem happy too, Eunha….»

«I didn’t say I didn’t like it.»

Their mother, who was watching the love between the two siblings in the kitchen, smiled.

Humbled, Eunha put the lunchbox Euna had packed into his bag with a calm demeanour.

«Ouch. Ohhh.»

«Eunae, you need more sleep.»

«Eunae must have come out to say hello to Eunha.»

I wonder if it’s because she’s been fussing since morning.

It was still time to sleep, but Eunae was crawling over, rubbing her sleepy eyes.

Eunha scooped her up and hugged her tightly.

«Ouch.»

«Eunae, shouldn’t you kiss your brother?»

«Awww.»

Eunae brushed her lips against Eun-ha’s cheek.

Eunha couldn’t hide his smile because his little sister was adorable.

Today would be a good day.

I received kisses from Eunha and Eunae since morning. Even though it was a normal morning, it seemed to sparkle unusually today.

«Eunae, daddy too.»

«Abu.»

«Eunae is sleeping now.»

«…I don’t know why my girls only like Eunha.»

«Haha….»

«Yes! Eunha will give daddy a kiss, right?»

…I can’t help it.

Eunha did what his father wanted him to do. «Now I’ve gotten a kiss from Eunha and Eunae too!» said Dad happily.

«Okay, bye.»

«Be careful.»

«Ugh.»

It was time to leave for Mount Bukhansan.

After packing, Eunha held his father’s hand as they left the house.

«You’re late!»

«You came out just in time.»

Eek, this was going to be bad.

Minji was waiting at the door.

Eunha suddenly remembered that they were supposed to go to the picnic in his father’s car.

Luckily, he was able to dismiss his suspicions with a poker face.

He drove off into the early morning, avoiding the commute, and it didn’t take long for them to arrive at the entrance to Mount Bukhansan.

«Eunha, do you have money?»

«Yes, my mom gave me 10,000 won.»

«Oh really? Is it a secret from your mom then?»

His father called out to Eunha as he got out of the car. He took his wallet out of his pocket and gave Eunha a 10,000 won bill.

«Go out with your friends and get something nice to eat! Dad knows from experience that it’s the worst when you don’t have any money but want to eat.»

«Okay, thanks, Dad.»

«And remember, don’t eat by yourself….»

Dad, that’s a story that made my ears perk up.

Eunha interrupted him.

«Don’t eat alone, share with others. Fighting over food is the stupidest thing to do, right?»

«Haha, you got it. Maybe I talked too much.»

Eunha didn’t know that his father was going to say the exact same thing. It seems like I’m getting old, he thought to himself as he chuckled. He waved goodbye to Eunha and turned the car around in the parking lot.

☆

The meeting point was Bukhansanseong Support Center. When Eunha and Minji arrived, their teachers were already holding up signs for their classes, 1-4. It didn’t take long for them to find their sign.

«Kids, I’m going to call your attendance numbers, and you need to raise your hands one by one!»

The appointed time passed. Miss Ji-na, who was holding the picket, called out the kids starting with number one. The close-knit group of children raised their hands each time their name was called and shouted back.

Everyone is here.

Miss Yoo Ji-na then led the class 4 children through the tour center. The morning’s agenda was to walk the perimeter path and visit the Daesemun Gate and Borisa Temple. (1)

«Kids, it’s time for lunch!»

After touring Borisa Temple, Miss Ji-na saw the children from the other classes making mats and called them over.

The children, who had been acting in groups, gathered together and were told to eat lunch near the borax shelter.

«Alright! It’s time to eat our lunch, lunch!»

«Food! Food!»

The highlight of the spring picnic was the bento, no matter what anyone said.

As the children sat on the mats, each one showed off the lunchboxes they had brought from home.

«Wow! Look at Eunha’s bento!» (2)

«This looks so delicious!»

As the children walked around the room comparing their bento boxes, their eyes lit up when they saw Eunha’s.

Eunha’s lunch consisted of golden brown sausage and potatoes, his favourite bacon fried rice, and egg rolls. Euna had put a lot of effort into decorating it in the morning, and it looked mouthwatering even before he ate it.

Euna, when did you write this?

Then Eunha saw the ketchup on the bacon fried rice, and he gobbled it up.

Eunha, I love you.

-Euna

The message made him smile, but he was embarrassed to show it to the other kids.

«This is called siscom, right? Siscom~ siscom~» (3)

«Shut up. What about your lunchbox?»

Minji’s lunchbox was plain.

It was steaming.

«Hayang, your lunchbox is so pretty! But can you eat it all by yourself?»

«Hehe, my dad packed a lot for us to share.»

Hayang’s lunchbox was too much for her to eat alone. The children realized that the reason she was cringing as they hiked up the mountain was because of the five-story lunch box.

Each time she opened it, she found something delicious to eat. Sausages with split ends like octopuses, giant fried shrimp, and hamburger steaks as round as dumplings. Finally, fried rice shaped like the faces of cartoon characters left everyone in awe.

Hayang took it out of the bag and onto the plate in front of her, showing how perfect Mr.Jung’s workmanship and preparation were.

«I’ll eat it!»

«Wow, this is delicious!»

Minji and Eunhyuk were the first to touch the bento boxes. Eunha held out his chopsticks after they’d popped their food into their mouths.

Hmm, I see.

Jung Seok-hoon’s skills hadn’t gone unnoticed. His mana was recovering in small amounts as he ate the food he made.

«…Delicious.»

This was Seo-na’s first taste of Jung Seok-hoon’s food. It was just as delicious as the children had told her, and she wanted to empty her lunchbox. Moreover, it made her feel healthy.

But no.

That was strictly Hayang’s lunchbox. I couldn’t just reach into her lunchbox without thinking twice.

Awkwardly setting down her chopsticks, she bit into the first row of kimbap she pulled out of her bag. This morning, she had made tuna kimbap with leftover ingredients.

«Tuna kimbap? I want one.» (4)

«Eat mine.»

«I appreciate the gesture, but your mother’s cooking skills are…»

«You’re going to come all the way out here and argue with me?»

«Honestly, my mom’s the best, okay?»

«My mom makes delicious food too!»

Minji pushes beef kimbap at Eunha. He can’t help but take one, but he can’t tell if he’s eating kimbap or salt.

«What do you think? How do you like it?»

«Yeah, my mom’s the best.»

What happened to her taste, god?

She ate the salty kimbap nonchalantly. Eunha detached himself from Minji and shook his head. If Hayang hadn’t handed him Yuzu tea, he would have had salt in his mouth.

«Delicious!»

«This would be perfect with ramen!»

Meanwhile, Hayang and Eunhyuk are eating Seo-na’s tuna kimbap, and Eunhyuk, in particular, is shovelling it into his mouth, saying it tastes good.

Good.

Seona was relieved to see that the kids liked the kimbap she made for breakfast. All day, she’d been waiting for lunch to arrive, and now she could relax and hang out with the kids.

Until Sena showed up.

«Ugh, what’s that in your lunchbox?»

«Yeah, I know. Can you live on that?»

«It’s too ugly unlike Sena’s bento~»

Sena, who led the clique, sat down nearby.

Sena’s clique was in full swing. The man who had been following her since the morning had set up folding chairs for the children to sit on, and a parasol to protect them from the sun. A table was also set up.

«Ah….»

The bento the man brought made Seona feel intimidated. The comparison between her homemade tuna kimbap and the lunch box from Sena’s private chef was harsh.

«This is what a bento box should look like. Who eats that?»

«If you eat it wrong, you’ll get an upset stomach.»

«Even Jung-hayang’s lunchbox is no match for Sena’s.»

The kids in the clique raised their voices as if they wanted to be heard.

The sound of their giggles dampened the mood of the children who were eating lunch with Eunha.

So this is how it’s going to be?

Eunha was not one to sit still, and he was also quick to become annoyed. Sena insulted even the lunchbox prepared by his mother and Eunha.

Just as he was about to send her away…

«Cup noodles are the best! Cup noodles and kimbap are so delicious!»

Eunhyuk held up a red cup noodle in one hand and a thermos of hot water in the other.

«Cup noodles?»

«Didn’t you pack a lunch?»

Sena frowned. She couldn’t understand why he was eating cup noodles.

On the other hand, Minji stuck out her tongue when she saw the cup noodles, haetban, and yubuchobap that Eunhyuk took out of his bag.

«Mom says cup noodles are the best?»

«Well, cup noodles are the best.»

Your mother must have found it bothersome to pack a lunchbox.

Eunhyuk, this bastard, since when did Eunhyuk receive treatment as if he were my child?

Eunha vowed to cut back on the hell training for now.

Regardless, Eunhyeok was enjoying his cup noodles.

«Captain, the soup is so delicious! Do you want to try some?»

«…I think it would be delicious with kimbap.»

«I actually brought some ramen with me.»

«You should have told me! Here’s some water!»

«Thanks.»

It was none of his business what Sena’s faction ate for lunch.

Eunhyuk’s cup noodles caught their attention, and the spicy, appetizing smell made even Eunha swallow his saliva.

Seo-na was the second to take out the cup noodles. After receiving water from Eunhyuk, she was waiting for the ramen to cook.

«…Oh, there’s a pull. They’re selling it at the canteen.»

«I thought it was sold at the canteen, Captain!»

«I’ll go to the canteen then. Does anyone here want some instant noodles? My dad said to buy something for you guys today.»

«Me, too! I want a cup noodle!»

«Me too.»

Minji and Hayang quickly raised their hands. Eunha, who had deep pockets from his parents’ allowance, counted the number of cup noodles he needed to buy.

They weren’t the only ones who wanted to eat cup noodles.

«Me too! I want to go to the canteen!»

«Who wants to go for cup noodles?»

«Me! I’m going for the spaghetti!»

«You fool, Jajangmyeon is the best!» (3)

«Shin Ramyun is also delicious!» (4)

Starting with the boys in class 4, the first graders, and even children from other elementary schools rushed to the canteen.

The canteen was booming with cup noodles, and Eunha, who was the first to run to the canteen, was able to secure a cup of noodles.

«Cup noodles were the best.»

«Of course, it’s cup ramen!»

«I should bring cup ramen next time too!»

No one paid attention to the lunch boxes made by the exclusive chef anymore. Even the children following Sena were tempted by the sound of slurping noodles.

«Eek…!»

Sena hit the folding table tightly with her fork.

☆

«What the hell!»

The hiker who climbed Mount Bukhan Baegundae looked down and panicked.

Black figures were running down below.

«Why are monsters here…!»

Seoul is protected by a cocoon. While there are still monsters inside the cocoon, they are far less frequent than before.

Furthermore, the mana detection system deployed over Seoul hasn’t been able to keep up with the ubiquitous mana and monster outbreaks.

But what about those things running from the bottom of the mountain?

The hiker, who hadn’t received any communication, turned away with a trembling gaze.

He had to escape to survive.

In a rush, the hiker trudged back down the path he’d come.

«Ugh!»

His foot slipped and he rolled down the mountain,

«Thud…! Hic…!»

He came face to face with a horde of monsters coming up the other side.

«Sa, save me….»

Red eyes with no pupils. Lips twitching, they hovered low, showing their hostility.

«No…please…uck…!»

There was no mercy for the monsters, and even if there was, they had been starving for days.

They lunged at the hiker before he could scream. Their razor-sharp teeth tore into the hiker’s body.

The hiker’s body was no longer intact, as several of them had pounced.

CRRRRKK

The horde of monsters gnawed on the dripping flesh.

Still, their hunger was unsatisfied.

Having tasted blood, they now seek to devour their own kind.

Move forward. Ahead. Go down. To the south.

If there is no one to lead the pack.

Go forward. Forward.

Descend. South.

The leader commanded.

Crawl.

Grrr.

The herd replied.

The herd ran down the mountain in unison.

(1) Borisa Temple

(2) Bento: is a Japanese term for a single-portion meal or lunch box, typically consisting of rice, fish or meat, and cooked vegetables. Bentos are usually prepared at home or purchased from a convenience store or bento shop and are packed in a compact, partitioned box for easy transport. They are a popular and convenient way to enjoy a balanced and nutritious meal on the go in Japan.

How I think Hayang’s bento looks

(3) Jajangmyeon

(4) Shin Ramyun