Guide to Sunny Days - Side story 3.1

Winter had fully arrived.

It was a day when the entire world was covered in white snow. At first, Kim San was excited, but midway through, he looked out the window with a worried expression. Gi Do-Hae, who had been keenly observing his demeanor, had a bad feeling.

As expected, after much contemplation, Kim San finally spoke, and Gi Do-Hae’s expression hardened.

“I think I need to go back to my hometown.”

“……”

“I’m worried about home. With so much snow, it might be too much for Hye-Min to handle alone…”

The only relief was that Kim San didn’t break his promise and say he would go alone quickly. However, the question he asked while looking directly at Gi Do-Hae left him at a loss for an answer.

“Don’t you have any vacation days?”

“I do.”

Gi Do-Hae quickly gathered his response without delay. From the anxious look on Kim San’s face, it was clear that he was determined to return to his hometown this time.

Seeing Kim San’s face brighten immediately upon his answer, Gi Do-Hae realized something. Even if it’s not available, making it appear as if it were would be enough.

***

City A was suddenly in a state of emergency. The city’s primary power source, Gi Do-Hae, had unexpectedly declared a vacation. And it was for a whole week.

To fill the gap left by just one person, ten more Espers had to be deployed. Gi Do-Hae was aware of this, which is why he had never really considered taking such a long vacation before. The more the city depended on him, the more it became his power.

The problem with this vacation was not just that Gi Do-Hae was taking time off from work but that he was leaving the city entirely. It would be difficult to respond quickly to any emergencies that might arise. Because of this, there were those who voiced complaints about the sudden notice of his leave.

When it came down to it, the complaints were quite petty. Gi Do-Hae had never taken a formal vacation since becoming an Esper. He left a stern warning to those who had acted as if they owned all his time. Of course, he handled any complaints quietly so that Kim San wouldn’t hear them.

“Are you really that happy?”

“Yes!”

Gi Do-Hae had no choice. If Kim San decided to run away, claiming he really wanted to go to his hometown, it would be a big problem. Honestly, Gi Do-Hae didn’t care what happened to City A in the meantime.

“What if we run out of gifts?”

“I bought plenty. If we run out, I’ll send someone to bring more.”

In the car heading towards his hometown, Kim San constantly fidgeted and checked the packages of gifts spread out in the back seat. His face was filled with nothing but happiness, with not a shadow in sight.

This fact somehow unsettled Gi Do-Hae. It felt as if there was a lump of blood stuck in his throat.

After driving for a while, the car entered the only road leading to Kim San’s hometown. The asphalt had long since crumbled away, revealing a solid dirt path. Kim San explained that cars didn’t usually come this far and that he used to walk this route. He also mentioned that the bus Gi Do-Hae had previously destroyed didn’t go directly to the village but passed by the nearby area.

Upon arriving at the edge of the village, Kim San’s childhood friend, Lee Hye-Min, was waiting.

“You’re here?”

“Hye-Min!”

As soon as Kim San saw her, he beamed even brighter. He couldn’t wait for the car to come to a complete stop and hurriedly unfastened his seatbelt.

As Kim San eagerly embraced Lee Hye-Min and stepped out of the car, Gi Do-Hae’s expression subtly hardened. The friendly, carefree demeanor and bright smile stirred up his inner feelings, leaving him increasingly unsettled.