Translator: Elisia
Editor/Proofreader: Wojo
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After being rejected several times, I decided to give Sara a bit of time.
Sara was showing such a detached reaction toward life because she probably didn’t know much about it.
The best way to give her something to wish for was to let her know that it’s not bad to want all of it.
“So, you chose this place?”
So-hee asked me.
The outfit So-hee was wearing was her usual maid uniform.
However, the apron she would have usually worn over it was missing.
It was now April, and the weather was finally starting to warm up.
The cherry blossoms planted along the streets were already blooming in full glory.
It wasn’t cold enough to wear a coat, so neither Yang Hye-in nor So-hee, who had followed me, were wearing coats.
Still, since it was work hours, both were in their maid uniforms.
It was clear from So-hee’s buttoned-up shirt.
Without the apron, the maid uniform looked more like a professional outfit.
Of course, since it was a black shirt rather than a white one, the atmosphere felt a bit subdued…
But, despite Yang Hye-in’s neutral expression, So-hee looked so bright that the mood wasn’t all that heavy.
“Wow, it’s been ages. This is the first time since middle school.”
Ha-neul, next to me, said that.
…Wasn’t she a middle schooler just four months ago?
If we’re talking about graduation, it hadn’t even been three months yet.
“Was the last time I came here about two years ago?”
…Coming once every two years seems fairly often, no?
The last time I came here must’ve been about six or seven years ago.
If I had a girlfriend, I could’ve come here for a date, but… unfortunately, I didn’t have one.
Coming with a bunch of friends felt too dreary, and taking my nieces and nephews would have been exhausting.
It’s not like I hated amusement parks.
If anything, I liked them.
I just wasn’t the type to visit regularly.
Well, no one in my circle was the type to take a day off and visit an amusement park either.
Usually, when we had free time, we’d just gather and drink.
Going far was a hassle, and after vacations, we’d have to go straight back to the company and work like dogs, so no one really thought of taking tiring trips.
Not sure about women, though.
“Wow…”
Soo-ah’s eyes sparkled as she got out of the car.
Right, if you come all the way to an amusement park, you should feel a bit excited.
Don’t you think?
‘…Well, I did visit when I was a kid.’
…Isn’t it a bit sad to only enjoy things once in life?
I almost sighed seeing Sara’s indifferent expression but held it in.
Well, she probably came here before with Choi Na-kyung.
…It feels a bit strange to say this, but this is the theme park that “Ye Sara would inherit.”
More precisely, she owns shares in the company that operates this theme park.
Some of the land in the park was also owned directly by the former chairman and jointly managed with Chang-eon Savings Bank.
It’s impressive to think there are places in Korea where you can claim, “This is mine.”
Even if it’s not a theme park, she probably owns at least one apartment in prime real estate across every major city.
If I wanted to, I could probably find a place to sleep anywhere in Korea.
It’s like one of those jokes from a comedy show, “I’m in pain, so I’ll just buy the hospital.”
“…Haa.”
And having so much means that no matter where you go, you’re constantly reminded of it, which makes it hard to enjoy anything purely.
Wasn’t it said that this country is too small to handle a family like the Eugene Group?
The more I leave the house, the more I realize how true that is.
…
But still, do I really have to think about this when I’m out to have fun?
“Well, let’s go then.”
When I said that, the kids—except for Yang Hye-in, who seemed to have forgotten how to smile—grinned widely.
*
The reason I chose the amusement park was simple: I couldn’t think of anywhere else to go first.
It’s more efficient to pick one place to go than aimlessly wandering around looking for something to do.
The problem was, outside of amusement parks, there weren’t many places that offered such simple and straightforward fun.
Art galleries and museums would only bore someone with no interest in them.
I don’t like exercising, and Sara probably dislikes it even more.
She always made a disgusted face whenever she exercised with Nam Da-un.
I thought about going to a skyscraper with an aquarium and a shopping center, but Sara didn’t seem interested.
Well, she might like the aquarium, but shopping?
No way.
She’s the type who doesn’t care about money.
She only has a few outfits in her closet.
She doesn’t even enjoy eating.
Though I’ve managed to help her gain some weight recently, she used to be so thin it was pitiful.
That’s why I chose the amusement park.
It’s a place with a unique atmosphere that makes you want to come back once you’ve visited.
A place that feels oddly detached from the rest of the world.
Even a city amusement park could evoke such emotions.
Perfect, if I do say so myself.
It’s a place where you can see, eat, and experience all sorts of things, not just focus on one.
Moreover, this was the first time Sara had come here with friends, so I thought it might make her want to come again in the future.
But I overlooked one important fact.
“…I’m going to die…”
I muttered, lying flat on the ground.
Yes, literally flat on the ground.
“Are you okay?”
Ha-neul asked as she patted my back.
No, I wasn’t okay at all.
I had overlooked the fact that Sara’s body was much weaker than others.
I don’t know if it’s because she was born this way or because she grew up almost completely neglected, but Sara’s body had no strength in terms of stamina or health.
Maybe it’s because she died once and came back?
Even though I worked hard to get her in shape and put some weight on her, there was no way a body that had been frail for over a decade could become healthy like others in just three months.
Fortunately, she didn’t throw up after one ride on the roller coaster, but she was incredibly dizzy.
‘…’
Even Sara, who usually pouted whenever she was displeased, was silent.
It seemed like the rides were torturous for us.
Maybe her semicircular canals or cochlea had problems in addition to her physical stamina.
I was seriously thinking about this when—
“C-Customer, are you okay!?”
I heard someone running toward me in panic.
And it wasn’t just one person.
I barely managed to lift my head and saw male and female employees in the park uniforms looking down at me with pale faces.
“…”
That’s right.
I had overlooked not only Sara’s physical condition.
The real owner of this amusement park was Sara.
Of course, the employees here couldn’t possibly not recognize her.
Sara hadn’t been managing this place frequently, and most of them probably hadn’t seen her since she was very young, but…
There’s the internet, and recently Sara’s face had been all over online news outlets.
Sara doesn’t have a common face.
It’s not just because she’s pretty, but her unique atmosphere, her eyes, and her features are distinctive.
So, if the real owner of the park appeared in the news, and if that news spread enough to be of interest to the employees, it wouldn’t take long for the staff to recognize her.
Among the uniformed employees, there was even an older man with gray hair, dressed in a proper suit.
…Do people like that personally manage the park?
Could it be that they rushed over here as soon as they found out I was in the park?
“…”
Gritting my teeth, I forced myself to stand up.
Thankfully, Ha-neul, standing beside me, discreetly linked arms with me, supporting me enough so I didn’t stumble.
“No, I’m fine. I just ate something…”
“Could you tell us where you ate? We’ll take immediate action.”
No, this isn’t the military.
Ever since the staff recognized me and I asked them to treat me like any other customer, they’d been acting like this.
They were ignoring the lines of people waiting and trying to fast-track me in, offering a personal escort.
I had no idea how to decline, so I just left it alone.
Even now, the number of staff following me was increasing.
“…”
Glancing around, I noticed passersby were sneaking looks at me.
Does it look like I’m acting entitled to them?
‘…’
Though Sara was inside me, at moments like this, it felt like she was watching me closely.
As if she were standing beside me with a ‘I knew this would happen’ type of expression.
“…”
I felt stubborn.
I was determined to make sure Sara was satisfied today.
‘Go ahead, do your best.’
Sara said indifferently.
For some reason, even though her voice sounded indifferent, it felt like she was giggling.
Was it just my imagination?