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THE TREK UP MOUNT CHIRI-SAN HAD BEEN NOTHING SHORT OF GRUELING, and as the group reached the summit at last—just as the clock hit 3 PM—their exhaustion was palpable. The peak was marked by the iconic monolith, standing tall and weathered against the backdrop of endless rolling mountains and clouds that stretched into eternity. A few feet below, a flat clearing invited campers to rest, a haven for the weary.
The moment y/n l/n reached the flat ground, she let out an exaggerated groan and dropped her baggage with a theatrical thud. Then, with all the dramatic flair of a slain villain, she flopped onto her back, her arms sprawled out like she'd been struck down. "This is it," she declared, gasping for effect. "I'm done. Just leave me here. Tell my parents I loved them... sometimes."
Her antics earned a round of laughter from most of the group. Park crouched beside her, punching her shoulder softly with a playful smirk. "And here I thought you were tougher than this. What happened to the "girlboss" who was yapping about her endurance all week long?"
"She died somewhere on the east trail," y/n retorted, peeking up at him through one eye. "Go pay your respects at the tree you thought I was stripping at earlier."
Lee plopped down nearby, shaking his head as he stretched his legs. "Honestly, I thought Park would be the first to give up. Didn't expect you to collapse first."
"Excuse me," Park shot back indignantly, jabbing a finger in his direction. "I'm fine. My legs might be jelly, but I'm still standing."
"Barely," Yoon teased, earning a shove from Park.
Meanwhile, Kwon had set his sacks down with far less theatrics and immediately headed toward the monolith alongside Sensei Kim. Unlike the others, they seemed unaffected by the grueling climb, moving with the ease of people who'd done this countless times. Kwon paused at the edge, his sharp gaze scanning the breathtaking view below.
From her spot on the ground, y/n watched them with an incredulous look. "Do they have batteries for legs or something? How are they not even sweating?"
"Because they're machines," Lee said solemnly, earning a snicker from Park.
"Machines don't enjoy the view," Yoon pointed out, gesturing toward Kwon, who stood with his arms crossed, his head tilted slightly as if lost in thought. "First time I'm seeing him so serene..."
"Bet he's calculating my demise," y/n muttered.
"Or still apologizing to that tree from earlier," Lee added cheerfully, making them all laugh.
