GIJS

Chapter 187 The Enthusiast Perfectly Embodies the Mountain

High school student Yeonji had lived a life far from hiking until she met Gunja.

However, an enthusiast's life tends to change according to their favorite's preferences. Yeonji's interests gradually shifted in line with Gunja's endless love for mountains and rivers.

What kind of place could this mountain that Gunja is so obsessed with be?

Curiosity arose, but when it came time to go hiking, she felt nervous. Although she had friends who liked Gunja, Yeonji was the only true enthusiast willing to follow his taste for mountains.

It was also too embarrassing to join a hiking group organized by the fan community. Yeonji, who had been quite a social figure in the fan community, worried that showing weakness at the hiking event would lead to gossip about her lack of true dedication.

In the end, Yeonji decided to ask her parents.

"Mom, Dad. Can I join you for the hike this weekend?"

"Of course, you can!"

Her parents welcomed her with open arms. Until then, Yeonji had taken it lightly.

However, hiking turned out to be no easy task. Just waking up at 6 AM was a challenge.

In the morning, Yeonji packed a small lunch with her parents, prepared a thermos with warm tea, and checked their hiking clothes, shoes, and equipment.

Even though her family chose a relatively easy trail for Yeonji, they prepared thoroughly.

"Yeonji! You can't wear just any shoes."

"Ugh, these are a bit heavy."

"Still, you need proper hiking shoes for the mountain."

Thanks to this, Yeonji was already exhausted by dawn.

Her usual weekend routine involved watching the 7IN YouTube channel, checking Gunja's personal SNS, looking at Tweety feeds, and laughing at interesting comments in the community, and then going to sleep around 5 AM. Now, waking up at 6 AM was quite a shift.

Moreover, her parents didn't seem to consider driving themselves. For them, taking the bus was part of the warm-up for hiking. As a result, Yeonji had to nod off on the bus and constantly bump her head against the support pole.

"Ha, I guess she's really sleepy."

"Yeonji, Gunja oppa is watching."

"Eek..."

"That oppa likes hiking too. Don't you think you should make the most of this?"

"No..."

Despite trying hard to pull herself together, early morning hiking was no easy feat.

Yeonji only wanted to quickly check out the trail, take a few pictures, and then head back, but it seemed her parents had different plans.

The problem was the newly opened restaurant near the trail entrance.

"Hey, it looks like they were doing construction, but now there's a restaurant."

"Yeah. They did a really nice job with it."

"I'm a bit hungry. Should we have some acorn jelly before we go, honey?"

"Sounds good. If you're hiking, you should try acorn jelly and potato pancakes."

"Huh?"

"Yeonji, let's eat some acorn jelly!"

"But, weren't we supposed to be hiking?"

"You don't understand. Acorn jelly is part of the hiking experience."

"Huh? Why? How come?"

Yeonji couldn't grasp the sentiment, but her parents had already moved towards the [Bukhansan Dullejip] before she could even express her refusal.

"Oh, I don't like jelly."

"Then you can have cold noodle soup."

"I'm not really into cold noodle soup either..."

"Ugh, why do you still have such a childish taste even though you're grown up?"

Yeonji just wanted to get to the mountain quickly.

Entering the restaurant with her lips sticking out, Yeonji immediately turned on a YouTube video. It was a clip of the J-Live featuring all the 7IN members centered around Gunja.

Her parents scolded her for watching YouTube again, but Yeonji didn't care. Seeing Gunja's face anywhere, anytime, always lifted her spirits.

"Oh, you should just get married."

"Mom, if I could marry him, I'd do it right away!"

"Do you really like Gunja that much?"

"Yes, I really, really do."

"What's so great about him? Even I want to be a fan."

"Well, there's so much. He's handsome, kind, polite, sings well, raps well, dances well, is super versatile, even shoots arrows well, is good at sports, has an amazing smile, and has great physical features..."

"Customer! Am I not your favorite?"

"Oh, Hyunjae! I'm so glad to see you!"

Seeing Hyunjae, who appeared suddenly holding the menu, Yeonji nearly toppled over. If someone hadn't caught her from behind, she would have made quite a fool of herself.

Thud—

But two large hands quickly steadied Yeonji's chair. Then, the voice she had only heard on her smartphone called her name.

"Yeonji."

"—!?"

"It's been a while."

"——!?!?"

"I didn't expect to run into you so often... I guess we must be destined to meet, haha."

"———!?!?!?"

Yeonji couldn't believe the reality unfolding before her.

No, no, no, what is this? She was just at a restaurant she didn't even want to eat at, watching YouTube, and suddenly, Hyunjae in a white shirt and Gunja in an apron appeared?

This must be a dream. It had to be a dream. It couldn't be this surreal if it wasn't a dream.

However, her shin hurt from banging it on the table leg. Moreover, the faces of the two were so vivid and real that it didn't feel like a dream.

"...G-Gunja..."

"Yes, it's me."

"...W-Why are you here..."

"Haha, indeed. I guess I was waiting here to see you."

Yeonji felt like she was about to burst into tears from joy. But she held back the tears and managed to smile.

She was already embarrassed enough about appearing bare-faced in the morning; crying on top of that would make her look even worse.

But Gunja seemed to understand her feelings perfectly.

"Even without makeup, your eyes are sparkling like jewels."

"...Do you, do you remember..."

"Of course. I have a very good memory. Besides, how could I forget the number one fan who took pictures with me?"

"Haha, hehehe—"

"Yeonji, you are very special to me. You were my first fan. Choose whatever you want from the menu today. It's on me."

"Hahaha—"

In a reality more dreamlike than a dream, Yeonji could only smile like a fool. Looking at the dishes being served one by one, she laughed as if she were intoxicated.

She must have been a great person in her past life. Otherwise, she wouldn't be able to continue this incredible fan journey.

After regaining her composure, Yeonji looked at her parents with a burning gaze.

"...Mom, Dad."

"Hm?"

"I'll become a fiery filial daughter from now on."

"Well, that's good to hear."

Listening well to parents is a sure path to success. Who would have thought she would meet her favorite idol at an acorn jelly restaurant?

"Yum, yum—"

"Yeonji, eat slowly."

"But it's so delicious."

"...Could you stop using such formal speech? It's a bit awkward..."

The food was even more surprisingly delicious.

No matter how much of a fan of Gunja she was, the food was just food. Yeonji's tongue, known for its strict and objective standards, was bound to be critical.

However, the food at [Bukhansan Dullejip] managed to win over even her critical tongue.

It was delicious, so delicious she could eat it all day. How could it be this good? Yeonji shed tears of joy as she eagerly used her spoon and chopsticks.

"Yeonji, are you adjusting the seasoning with your tears?"

"Adding seasoning to such perfect food... how could you?"

After the touching meal, Yeonji finally got up from her seat after saying goodbye to Gunja and the 7IN members.

She would have liked to stay longer and watch the members, but she was worried she might be a hindrance to the busy restaurant operations.

"I won't post anything on SNS! No spoilers! Right? Oh, oh, the food! It was so, so delicious! And everyone is so handsome, cute, and lovely... It really felt like a dream. I'm so glad I was born. I'll be a good daughter and hike more in the future! I hope we can meet again next time. But even meeting you now was enough! I must have built up a lot of good karma in my past life! I, I love you!"

Leaving behind a storm of words, Yeonji, the number one fan of Gunja, left [Bukhansan Dullejip]. The production team, including PD Yang Hong-seok, was amazed by Gunja's treatment of fans.

"Wow, this is what fan management is like for idols."

"If you experience such service once, you'll never want to leave."

"Gunja, even though it's not been a year since debut, you're already so professional."

"Hmm, really?"

"Why? Did you think it wasn't great?"

"No, it's not that... To me, it seemed like everything was sincere, not just show."

"Ah..."

As PD Yang Hong-seok said, the program's guests are not just any celebrities; they are a rare breed who manage to impress with their dedication. Yet, even among these exceptional stars, 7IN stood out. They demonstrated a level of professionalism and energy that went beyond typical expectations.

The atmosphere at the restaurant was one of diligent teamwork and enthusiasm. The staff was busy, but their spirits remained high. The customers, captivated by both the food and the service, were consistently impressed. The members of 7IN seemed to be thriving under the pressure, with their cheerful demeanor and constant movement contributing to the restaurant's smooth operation.

As lunchtime approached, the restaurant's buzz continued, driven by the outstanding performance of the staff. Despite the increasing workload, the members of 7IN managed to maintain their high spirits and excellent service. The staff's exhaustion was visible, but it was clear that 7IN's energy was boundless.

"Come on, everyone, let's keep it up! Smile!" the staff encouraged each other.

Meanwhile, 7IN members' expressions grew even brighter with each passing moment.

"Wow, what's up with their stamina...?"

"Are they from some special forces or something?"

Having endured countless survival shows, competitions, and sleepless nights, 7IN had developed remarkable stamina. The boys were clearly enjoying the experience, finding pride in creating and serving delicious food to the customers.

The sight of them working harmoniously, with well-coordinated kitchen operations and cheerful interactions with the guests, was a testament to their dedication and teamwork. PD Yang Hong-seok captured these moments with his camera, feeling satisfied with the way the episode was shaping up. The tone and energy of the shoot seemed perfect for continuing in this vein.

However, an unexpected variable arose from an unforeseen source.