The Textbook of a Lover - Chapter 49

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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49.
“Do-a, grill some meat for us.”
“Meat, meat, meat.”
“The meat Do-a grills is the best.”
The moment Cha-gyeong stepped away from the grill, Do-a shot a glare at those suddenly seeking her out.
“You can grill it yourselves!”
The instant she barked the words, those who’d never grilled meat before shuffled up to the griddle one by one.
Soon enough, shouts of “The meat’s burning!” echoed across the camp, but Do-a’s ears caught none of it.
Do-a found Cha-gyeong’s feelings confusing.
He said he liked her, but how much of that was genuinely true?
And if he really did like her, why did he let himself be swept away so easily by Na-hui?
At the same time, her own heart was equally muddled.
‘What is it that I actually want?’
She’d been the one to draw the line with Cha-gyeong, yet she despised seeing him beside another woman.
Especially one who’d stolen her ex-boyfriend and treated her with such venom.
But whether that dislike stemmed from hating Na-hui herself or from resenting the mere fact that he had another woman—she couldn’t tell.
The meal stretched on longer than expected, not ending until the sun had completely vanished beyond the ridge. Only then was cleanup finished.
Do-a and Su-jin stubbornly foisted the griddle washing onto Na-hui. To their surprise, Na-hui went along with it readily.
They soon understood why.
The grates she claimed to have scrubbed clean still had grease and charred meat clinging to them. She’d barely dragged a sponge across them.
“So you were planning to keep working us while pretending we’re doing well, were you?”
Do-a realized now that there had been bite to Cha-gyeong’s words back then.
Na-hui had very cleverly botched every single task assigned to her at camp.
“Well then, it’s time for the Night Hiking Mission. Everyone, gather for a moment.”
At the Meeting Organizer’s call, people began drifting toward the open space.
“You’ve all eaten well, I hope? Now comes the jewel of our Club—the night hike. Since doing the same thing every time gets tedious, we’ve added missions this year. And there are prizes to be won, I might add.”
As he spoke, the Meeting Organizer glanced at Cha-gyeong.
“Cha-gyeong here has generously sponsored the prizes. First place wins a Pure Gold Bar worth ten thousand, second place gets a latest-model Laptop, third place a latest-model Mobile Phone……”
Gasps of admiration rippled through the crowd.
Between the accommodation, the meals, and these prizes, anyone watching might’ve thought this was a Hyunshin Group workshop.
“But the penalties are just as steep. Of the three teams that finish last, one will prepare all tomorrow’s meals, another will handle all the dishes alone, and the rest will manage cleaning through waste sorting.”
The game’s rules were simple.
Pairs drawn at random would hike at night, searching out and completing Mission Cards hidden by the organizers throughout the mountain.
“Earlier, Na-hui was kind enough to help us shuffle the numbered Paper Slips.”
The Meeting Organizer held up a bundle of envelopes.
“I’ll hand these out one by one. Don’t open them—just wait until I say start, then everyone opens at the same time.”
The Meeting Organizer moved between people, distributing one envelope to each.
Do-a toyed with the envelope before her, then cast a sideways glance at Na-hui.
Na-hui held her envelope with an easy confidence. The Meeting Organizer’s mention of her helping prepare the slips kept nagging at Do-a’s ear.
“All right, open them now!”
The sound of tearing envelopes filled the clearing.
“Number three! Who has number three?”
Na-hui called out her number first. Moments later, Cha-gyeong raised his hand.
“Oh my, it’s just you and me, Cha-gyeong!”
Na-hui’s delighted voice rang through the forest.
Do-a studied Na-hui’s face. She wore a surprised expression, but her lips curved upward far too quickly.
If Na-hui had helped prepare the slips, she might have known the number assignments beforehand.
There was no proof. But for a coincidence, it felt far too smooth.
‘Either way, arguing won’t change anything.’
Do-a unfolded her slip thinking she’d accept anyone except Gyeong-jun. It read fourteen.
“Who has number fourteen?”
No one raised their hand immediately. Where were they? Could someone have gone to the restroom?
As Do-a wondered, someone far back slowly lifted their hand.
Without thinking, she clutched her head.
The hand belonged to Gyeong-jun.
* * *
The game began.
Everyone received a Lantern and dispersed toward the Hiking Trail. Do-a got one too.
The trail was dark from the very start. Even though she’d walked this path in daylight, the Lantern’s glow couldn’t pick out the familiar route.
“Hey, Do-a. You’ve got to walk together with me!”
Gyeong-jun called from behind, but Do-a pretended not to hear and kept moving forward.
She had no intention of winning this game. Her plan was to kill time alongside the others and come back to accept her penalty.
“Hey, you. What’s with the attitude? You can’t just wander off on your own like some reckless idiot.”
Yet Gyeong-jun kept following her anyway. Do-a turned, puzzled.
“Why? You don’t even like me. You don’t want to go with me either. Let’s just quit this game.”
Gyeong-jun’s face went rigid with shock. He clearly hadn’t expected her to say something like that first.
After a moment of silence, he found his voice and snapped at her irritably.
“Didn’t you hear what the penalties were? If you don’t cooperate like this, I get dragged into the penalty too! Why do you have to be so selfish?”
Selfish? What nerve.
That coming from you?
Fine. She’d let it slide this time and be merciful about it.
“I’ll take all the penalties.”
“What?”
“I’ll handle all the penalties if we forfeit the game.”
“That’s insane. You can’t do all the cooking, dishwashing, and cleaning by yourself.”
“I can. I’ll do it all. Agreed?”
He was truly unbearable, yet Do-a found herself so repulsed by him that she’d shoulder all his penalties. It was disgusting.
She hadn’t felt this way when he was chasing her for the money.
Gyeong-jun, stunned that she would go this far, stammered out his response.
“W-wait, what about the prizes? I want the prize.”
Unbelievable.
Do-a stared at him in disbelief.
“You’re asking for cooperation to win a prize from someone who’s so disgusted by being with you that she’s offering to take all the penalties? Do whatever you want. Whether you do the missions or not, I don’t care.”
With that, Do-a continued walking ahead.
Once she reached the middle of the mountain, she’d settle somewhere and wait until it was time to come back down, around the same time as the others.
Squelch, squelch.
Yet the wet footsteps kept following at a steady distance.
Do-a couldn’t understand why Gyeong-jun was still trailing after her.
‘Seriously, what’s wrong with him? Never mind. Let him follow if he wants.’
Thinking that, she pressed forward, and soon the trail narrowed.
Large rocks jutted from the ground here and there, and the soil was wet and slippery from the dew that hadn’t dried since morning.
Do-a tilted the Lantern forward to check her footing, taking each step carefully.
“Ah!”
Then a large stone her Lantern hadn’t caught snagged her toe.
Do-a tumbled into the wet mud.
“See? This is what happens when you charge ahead alone without a care. You end up like this.”
Gyeong-jun said this while suddenly grabbing Do-a’s wrist.
He meant to help her up, but goosebumps erupted across her forearm.
“Let go. I don’t need your help.”
At Do-a’s cold response, Gyeong-jun’s facial muscles twisted grotesquely.
Rather than releasing her, he gripped her wrist even tighter.
“Why do you have to humiliate my kindness like this? I’m trying to help you!”
“I said I don’t need it!”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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