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Waking up on the second day of a school trip hits different.
You're cold.
You're grumpy.
And someone definitely snored like a lawnmower all night.
In our room, Jun-Pyo looked like a ghost who failed to haunt anyone.
His hair was sticking up like broccoli. His eyes were sunken.
He stared at the ceiling and whispered:
"Did I really tell Minji her haircut was symmetrical?"
"Yes," I said.
He screamed into his pillow.
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The Morning Disaster: Where's My Underwear?!
As we packed our bags for the group hike, chaos erupted.
"WHO STOLE MY UNDERWEAR?!"
Everyone froze. The voice belonged to Jae-Hwan, the tall, overly confident guy who thought protein shakes were a personality.
"I left it drying outside last night, and now it's GONE!"
> "What if it flew away?"
"Maybe a pervert stole it!"
"Is this how horror movies start?"
I turned to the phone.
"Did you see anything?"
> "A goat took it. No, seriously. A goat ran off with his underwear at 3:12 AM."
"What kind of goat steals boxers?!"
> "A lonely one."
I nearly died laughing.
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The Group Hike of Doom
The hike began at 9 AM.
Our class lined up like soldiers preparing for war.
The mountain trail was long, uphill, and full of suspicious insects.
Coach Jung led us, yelling from the front like a gym commander with a whistle obsession.
"No stragglers! And if anyone faints, I'm leaving them there!"
"Sir," I whispered, "that's illegal."
Jun-Pyo hobbled next to me, already sweating like a broken fountain.
> "I should've eaten more. My soul is escaping. My kneecaps are crying."
"Want water?"
"I want an ambulance."
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Halfway Up: The Great Goat Chase
Suddenly, from the bushes—
"BAAAAA!"
A goat burst out.
In its mouth… was a pair of striped underwear.
"THAT'S MINE!" screamed Jae-Hwan.
The goat ran. He chased it.
We chased him.
Coach Jung chased us all.
The scene looked like a village festival sponsored by absolute madness.
"STOP CHASING THE GOAT!" someone screamed.
> "Why are they chasing a goat in gym uniforms? Are we in a drama?"
– Minji's thoughts, watching from the top of the hill.
Meanwhile, I was running and laughing so hard I couldn't breathe.
The goat jumped over a fence, underwear still flapping like a victory flag.
Jae-Hwan collapsed to his knees, weeping. "That was my favorite pair…"
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Back at the Pension
After somehow surviving the hike (and the goat), we returned to the pension, bruised, exhausted, and emotionally disturbed.
Coach Jung muttered:
> "These kids are the reason I cry in the shower."
Jae-Hwan refused to speak.
Jun-Pyo swore off hiking forever.
I… was busy reading people's thoughts and eating shrimp crackers.
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Later That Night: Truths and Confessions
After dinner, we had a small campfire to "bond."
The teachers sat sipping instant coffee while we roasted marshmallows and tried to pretend we weren't enemies during exam season.
Jun-Pyo sat beside me, still sulking.
"Ji-Hoon, should I confess properly tomorrow before we leave?"
I shrugged. "If you want to."
> "What if she laughs? What if she cries? What if she throws a marshmallow at me and walks away?"
Meanwhile, Minji sat with her friends nearby.
> "Should I ask Jun-Pyo if he's okay? Or will that make it worse? Ugh, why is he kind of cute now?"
Again. The thoughts didn't lie.
These two were a slow-burn rom-com waiting to happen.
And I was the only one with the popcorn.
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Phone Buzz: Final Message of the Day
> "Congratulations, Ji-Hoon. You survived goats, confessions, and missing underwear. Tomorrow, we return to normal life. Are you ready?"
"No."
> "Too bad. Welcome to high school."
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