GIJS

Chapter 175 Unexpected Encounter

The boys had thought that not many people would recognize them in America.

However, from the moment they landed at LAX, they realized just how famous they really were.

"Wow—!!"

"This is incredible—."

The airport was packed to the point where it was difficult to move. Among the young Koreans, there wasn't a single person who didn't recognize them.

What was even more surprising was that many foreigners also recognized them and approached them for greetings. Particularly shocking was the sight of rugged, bearded American men grinning widely as they asked for handshakes.

"Oh, you must be the Korean swordmaster!"

"Honor to meet you, Gracias!"

The boys were flustered by the endless requests for handshakes. However, Manager Lee Yong-jung seemed to have anticipated this situation.

"I expected this and made all the necessary preparations. If we hadn't coordinated with the airport beforehand, it would've been hard to get out of here."

"How did you know, Manager?"

"Kids, you're way more famous and popular than you think. You had a ton of international fans from the moment you debuted. Plus, the performances you guys do are exactly what international fans love. If you keep working hard for the next 2-3 years, you might even become more popular than Lunatic."

"No way."

"I'm serious. Did you see those muscle-bound guys earlier? We're the only group that can attract such manly men as fans."

"But can we really surpass Lunatic? Those guys are big on the Billboard charts."

"Why not? We can make it to Billboard too."

"It would be amazing if we could..."

"Hyun-su, your role is crucial. We need you to keep producing great tracks if we're going to make it to Billboard."

"Ugh, I'm not sure... I don't know when my streak will end. Don't rely on me too much."

"Haha, what are you saying? How could we not rely on a composer as dependable as you?"

"Ah, with you saying that, I guess I have to give it my best."

"Why don't you two just get married already? When are you sending out the wedding invitations?"

"Woong-ah, stop being jealous."

"Jealous? What jealousy? You crazy guy... Ew, that's gross."

Even in the car on the way to the hotel, the members and Manager Lee Yong-jung continued to chat non-stop. But once again, In-hyuk kept his mouth shut with a troubled expression.

Noticing In-hyuk's uneasy demeanor, Manager Lee Yong-jung gently spoke up.

"By the way, In-hyuk, didn't you say you were in LA and Seattle? It must feel like coming home."

"Ah, yes..."

"Hyung seems really off. He's been in a bad mood since earlier."

"No, it's not that..."

"Are you really worried about your gang identity being exposed? Don't worry, hyung. Even though we ended up in the West, the American West is huge."

"Just how scary were you in America to be this anxious? It's okay, hyung. You've turned over a new leaf and become a good idol."

At the members' teasing, In-hyuk forced a smile and nodded.

"Yeah, we've come all this way, so we should enjoy ourselves! Let's see fun things, and eat delicious food!"

Since they tried to accommodate everyone's preferences, the travel itinerary ended up being pretty packed.

First, they headed to the California beach, which was Si-woo's top choice. In the beautiful weather at the beach, the seven boys spent the entire day surfing and enjoying a leisurely day.

"Ahahaha, surfing is the best~"

"I can see why Si-woo hyung is so physically adept."

"Right? For someone who looks as fragile as paper, his sense of balance is amazing."

"But surfing is really awesome. I could live like this all year round."

"Yeah, totally~ It makes you feel so relaxed~"

"Someday, when we make a lot of money, it would be great if we could all live like this by the sea."

"Haha, I'd be up for that, as long as I have my brush and ink."

They spent the first day relatively relaxed, but from the next day onward, things got hectic.

The very next day, they set off for the Grand Canyon, which was Hyun-su's desired destination.

Since the Grand Canyon is such an expansive tourist site, they planned a three-day itinerary. Even the members who initially showed little interest in natural landscapes were awestruck by the grandeur of the Grand Canyon.

"Wow—."

"What is this, is this real? It doesn't look real; it's like graphics!"

"How is it? Amazing, right?"

"This is insane... Wow, I'm not usually into nature, but this place is something else."

"When you see scenery like this, it can even inspire new ideas."

"Hyun-su hyung is like an old man in some ways. Now I get why you and Gun-ja hyung are so close."

"Gun-ja, what do you think?"

"This... This is unbelievable..."

Gun-ja was also completely overwhelmed by the majestic scenery of the Grand Canyon.

"This is nothing like the serene mountain valleys I know. But it has a resonance unlike the landscapes of Joseon."

"Right? It's great, right? I knew you'd like it."

"Let's go to that spot over there too! Over there, in that valley!"

They spent three days trekking until they were utterly exhausted.

After taking a full day of rest at their accommodations, they headed to Anaheim's Disneyland, the dream destination for Tae-woong, Yu-chan, and Hyun-jae.

Still teenagers at heart, Yu-chan and Hyun-jae were ecstatic the moment they arrived at the world's best amusement park, Disneyland, darting around like excited puppies.

"Haha, kids will be kids after all."

Gun-ja smiled warmly as he watched the excited Yu-chan and Hyun-jae. Little did he know what fate awaited him.

"Hyung, let's ride the rides!"

"...R-rides?"

"Yes! It's Disneyland!"

"I'll just watch, just watch..."

"Aww, what are you saying? You have to join us—!!"

Kyaaaah—...

As he screamed on a terrifying ride, Gun-ja was reminded of the nightmares of Tamra Land.

Yes, amusement rides were indeed still brutal and terrifying.

Even though he thought he had adjusted somewhat to life in this world, rides still made his legs tremble. Moreover, these relentless minors dragged their hyungs all over the place without tiring.

"Hey, hyung! Are you running off by yourself again!?"

"It's because of my height..."

"Hey, staff! Staff! He's standing on tiptoes!"

But no matter how much Gun-ja stood on his toes, he could never reach 195cm, so he ended up having to ride all the rides with the minors.

"Ugh, ugh..."

"Huh? Hyung, were you really that scared?"

"I-I have weak nerves..."

"What do you mean, someone who can flip in the air on a tightrope is scared of a ride!"

"Sniff sniff..."

After experiencing various attractions, they headed to the 'Avengers Campus,' Tae-woong's dream destination. From the moment he first teamed up with Yu-chan and Gun-ja, Tae-woong had been obsessed with the Avengers.

Tae-woong even brought a Spider-Man costume. As he swung from place to place and tumbled around in his Spider-Man outfit, tourists kept snapping photos.

"Wahahahaha, I am the Korean Spider-Man~"

"...Let's pretend we don't know him."

"At least he's wearing a mask..."

After finishing their tour of Disneyland in Anaheim, they headed to LA's Chinatown the next day. The reason was to participate in the annual calligraphy contest held there, which was, of course, Gun-ja's wish.

Swiish, swoosh—

"Ooooh..."

"Unbelievable!"

As expected, Gun-ja's calligraphy stood out like a crane among chickens.

Although the people in Chinatown didn't seem to recognize Gun-ja, they cheered for him even more than they would for an idol because of his beautiful appearance and calligraphy skills.

"Wow—."

"First place, absolutely first place!"

Dominating all other participants overwhelmingly, Gun-ja won a $2,000 Chinatown gift certificate, and he smiled brightly as he looked at the members.

"Guys, let's go eat something delicious!"

"Yay!"

After feasting on rich Chinese food in Chinatown.

The members returned to their accommodations, soothing their overly full stomachs with ramen and kimchi.

"Ugh, Chinese food is tasty but too greasy."

"Yeah. Kimchi really saves the day."

"By the way, hyung, where do you want to go? Tell us quickly."

"I want to visit the high school I attended."

"That's a no..."

"Why not? You keep saying no, and now I'm really curious."

"Hmmm, then can we plan the last stop for you?"

"Sure, I don't mind."

"Okay! How about this, everyone?"

Tae-woong and Hyun-su showed the members a webpage.

"A beer festival?"

"Yeah. It's in the outskirts of LA, and you can try different beers and enjoy fun snack booths."

"But what about Chan and me? We're minors..."

"It's fine. There's a lot of non-alcoholic beer too. Let's go, let's go!"

With Tae-woong and Hyun-su's strong persuasion, the seven boys' last travel plan was decided.

Even though none of them were particularly into alcohol, once they arrived at the festival, the lively atmosphere had everyone excited and enjoying themselves.

"Hey guys, don't drink too much."

"Yes, Manager! We'll just have one drink each!"

"Wow, this non-alcoholic beer tastes just like apple soda!"

"Hey! This isn't non-alcoholic!"

"Oh no, oh no, my mistake."

After spending some time wandering around the booths, sampling beers, listening to acoustic live music, and meeting various people, the boys noticed something unusual.

"Hey, doesn't that booth look a bit strange?"

"Why?"

"It seems empty compared to all the other crowded ones."

"Hm, maybe the snacks there aren't very good?"

"I'm curious now..."

"Why be curious? If there's no one there, it must not be good."

"But that's what makes me even more curious. How bad could it be to have so few people?"

"Really? I guess it does sound a bit intriguing."

Persuaded by Hyun-su's comment, they headed towards the empty booth.

"Hm?"

In-hyuk stopped in his tracks, sensing a familiar smell and feeling a jolt of alarm.

"...Could it be?"

"In-hyuk, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, never mind."

Despite In-hyuk's uneasy expression, the others continued towards the booth.

"Hello, what kind of snacks do you have here..."

As they approached the empty booth and inquired in simple English,

"Huh?"

"Who's here?"

The formidable figures sitting inside the booth stood up.

Each appeared to be over 190 cm tall, dressed in black leather jackets and pants, with sunglasses and thick beards.

"Ugh, ugh..."

"Ah, haha, maybe we should just leave..."

Just as Hyun-su was about to turn away, a large hand, like a wok lid, grabbed his shoulder.

"Did you come looking for us?"

"Yeees—!?"

"It's a bit disappointing if you're leaving without saying anything. Come on, stay for a bit..."

At that moment, In-hyuk stepped forward, grabbing the large hand and confronting the imposing figure.

Recognizing In-hyuk's face, the figure lowered his sunglasses slightly and widened his eyes in surprise.

"...Oh?"