The viewers were expecting a travel collaboration, but there was no notice at all for what was supposed to be a group stream. This was all due to Kayak’s directive. She loved surprises and had given instructions to others ahead of time.
While it was common knowledge that they were going on a trip, the lack of any announcement on the actual day started to make the viewers uneasy.
What if all this travel and water play was just a figment of the viewers’ imaginations? What if no plans had been made at all, and it was merely a standard day off?
<“Why isn’t anyone streaming?”>
<“If they’re not going on a trip, everyone who speculated about it is gonna be 30% upset!”>
<“It’s not even 9 AM, you crazy people!”>
<“Aren’t you supposed to leave at 7 AM because of traffic if you’re going on a trip?”>
<“Most streamers are nocturnal, they can’t be out and about that early.”>
So from the morning, the gallery was buzzing with activity. Considering that most online streaming communities become lively in the afternoon, this was quite unusual.
Like a dog waiting for its owner, the viewers turned the gallery into a mess out of boredom, bombarding it with chaotic memes.
Finally, the stream went live. It was Taker’s broadcast.
The stream opened with the painfully cliché greeting of “Hello.” It was just before noon, around 11 AM.
[“Finally here, huh?”]
[“LOL I thought I was gonna lose my voice waiting!”]
[“I really thought they wouldn’t show up!”]
[“Of course, night streams are Taker’s domain!”]
[“Happy Kayak on a summer vacation with beauties is a big win!”]
[“Are you guys on a trip?”]
[“Going water playing, right? Just say yes!”]
[“Show us Kayak!”]
[“Kayak’s swimsuit, Kayak’s bikini, let’s see!”]
[“Waaaaaah!”]
[“Dilly dally dilly!”]
The screen was black, muffled noises hinting at movement, but the source was unclear.
Then, as if light flooded a dark room, the previously pitch-black screen suddenly transformed.
In with the bright light came… golden sand and water that was a vibrant blue.
Caw-caw! Splash!
It was the sea. The serene waves slowly rolling into the sandy beach played out perfectly on the streaming screen.
[“What the heck? LOL”]
[“It’s the ocean! HAHA”]
[“Wow, where is this?”]
[“There are seagulls at the beach even now!”]
[“I thought it started late, but you’ve already moved there? LOL”]
[“These folks are hard workers….”]
[“Not exactly the members you’d think would be hardworking.”]
[“Gunhee must be going through a lot, huh?”]
[“The sunlight reflecting off the ocean is stunning!”]
[“The scenery is a work of art!”]
[Art is amazing]
[It’s pretty, but the weather is deadly]
[Real lol, it’s 34 degrees in Seoul right now]
[Swimming in this weather?]
[Just 30 minutes swimming and I’ll be burnt to a crisp]
[Show us Kayak in her swimsuit]
[By the way, where is this?]
[I thought we’d go to a beach, but it’s not crowded at all]
[Is it a place only a select few know about?]
[Taker’s secret retreat, whoa]
“Ah, can you hear me?”
For about 3 minutes, it showed the scene of seagulls cawing and waves crashing on the sandy beach. Then the screen switched again.
A guy wearing sunglasses flashed a bright smile showing off his pearly whites. It was Taker.
[Ugh]
[Show us the beautiful sea again….]
[Of course, sunglasses are the king of cool lol]
[Why does he look so handsome? Is it the sunglasses?]
[His jawline isn’t objectively bad]
[Show us Kayak in her swimsuit, ugh]
[Just wear sunglasses all the time, you look like Tom Cruise and it’s great]
[Tom Cruise is nonsense;;]
[Isn’t it hot? The sun’s brutal]
“It is hot, but summer is supposed to be hot. The sea breeze is nice. I can’t tell you where I am. If I do, there might be some stalker fans chasing after me. You want me to stop messing around? Yes, understood.”
[But he’s surprisingly fit, looks like he has some muscle]
[Gunhee’s been hitting the gym for 5 years now]
[Not surprisingly, he’s really fit; these guys don’t know reality]
[If you don’t have a tadpole belly at that age, you’re doing well lol]
[Taker’s killer smile made Tetsu’s heart race, a definite thumbs down lol]
[Kayak’sSwimsuit]
[Where did the girls who came with him go?]
“Hmm? The girls who came with me?”
Taker turned around with an exaggerated tone and a cheeky grin.
“I came here alone, you know? There’s no one here.”
It was one of Taker’s classic jokes, but he overlooked one thing.
[You wanna die? You wanna die? You wanna die?]
[Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up]
[Ha lol, do you think I’ve waited all this time to watch a high schooler’s broadcast?]
[KayakSwimsuitKayakSwimsuitKayakSwimsuitKayakSwimsuitKayakSwimsuit]
[The chat going up is so scary lol]
[Gunhee, get a grip, please;;]
[Did I just arrive? Why is everyone like this?]
The current viewers gathering at the broadcast were the worst of the worst, the ones who had been waiting since early morning.
The chat was rapidly climbing, packed with fierce insults.
Momentarily flustered, Taker stammered out an explanation.
“Uh… I’m sorry. I was just joking, but people seem really mad. So who’s here? There’s me, Kayak, Nicang, and Riri. Yup, only one guy here—me. Just so you know, I have no ulterior motives with the girls I came with, and there’s nothing romantic going on; I’m strictly focused on business. Every time I finish a collab with the ladies, I get whispers and emails, but I’m a truly innocent guy.”
“A totally clean relationship that has no depth and focuses solely on business. Every time I collaborate with those girls, I get whispers and emails afterward, but I’m really an innocent person.”
“Isn’t your speech a bit too fast?”
“Speed rapping is a disaster, lol.”
“Are you a rapper?”
“Sounds like you’ve got a lot bottled up…”
“Are you asking if that’s good or bad?”
“I don’t care how much crap I take; I just want to live a day as a Taker.”
“Where did the women go?”
“They all went to change. First, we’re going swimming, then we’re eating meat. It’s lunchtime, but we stopped by a rest area and ate something quickly before coming.”
Most of the viewers’ curiosity was satisfied. They began to feel anticipation instead of questions.
“Are the swimsuits really coming??”
“Wow, swimsuits, bikinis, wow!”
“I didn’t think much of it, but now I’m getting excited thanks to these idiots.”
“Why am I so excited about swimsuits?”
“Do you think it’s not exciting? Kayak is wearing a swimsuit!”
“They said they were changing, but they didn’t say they were putting on swimsuits.”
“If they just show up in loose box tees, that would be legendary.”
“I’d be grateful even if they just wore box tees.”
“Why does a swimsuit move so many people?”
*
Riri organized a four-person water play party. By the time I came to my senses, everything was planned: transport and location.
I really just had to sit in the car like a fool, just as Riri said.
And so we arrived at the beach… but there was a problem.
“Do I really have to wear this?”
“Yep!”
The swimsuit Dahee handed me was something I never expected.
I was willing to swim, but I hadn’t thought about actually wearing a swimsuit. I just thought I would wear a comfy t-shirt and shorts to swim—minimum packing for a chill day at the beach.
But when we got there, Riri handed me a swimsuit for my share.
When I asked why she packed one for me, she casually replied, “You need to prepare, right?” I was left speechless. Wait, was my swimsuit part of that preparation?
I sneakily looked at the piece of fabric Riri handed me. Honestly, it wasn’t that revealing.
To be precise, it was incomplete without something else to wear over it. There was a thin, sheer cardigan that was somewhat see-through and a white skirt that reached my calves.
Aside from feeling embarrassed to wear it, if you asked me whether I liked it, I did.
Riri knows my taste to some extent. She coordinated it beautifully in white, the main color that suits Camilla. With a parasol for the beach, it would look just like a summer Camilla skin.
I coordinated it all pretty in color. If I just add a sunshade to carry around, it would look just like a summer Camilla skin.
What can I say? They prepared a swimsuit for me, and I have to wear it. It’s not like it’s a ridiculously revealing bikini or monokini. This one is cute enough, even if Camilla’s figure isn’t exactly cute.
I’m not the kind of person to refuse something they prepared so nicely, so I quietly grabbed the swimsuit and headed to another room.
“Wait, why are you trying to come in?”
“It’s faster if we change together, hehehe.”
“How about changing that uncle-like way of speaking first before you come in?”
So, after changing into the swimsuit, I headed back to the beach where the Taker was.
It felt awkward to wear, but it definitely seemed more comfortable for swimming. I’d have to take off the cardigan and the skirt wrapped around my waist while swimming, though.
“Wow, you look so pretty! Good choice!”
“Yeah, we came to the beach, so I have to dress up nicely and enjoy the vibe. Let’s take some pictures too.”
“Hmmm.”
Still, with everyone around praising me, it didn’t feel so bad. Getting compliments used to be pressure and awkwardness, but now I could feel my appearance in a new light.
I just wanted to hurry and dip my toes in the ocean.
With that thought, I hurried my steps and spotted Taker standing ahead like an uncle.
Taker was leaning into his phone, talking away as if he was broadcasting. I approached him from an angle where the viewers wouldn’t see and asked, “What do you think?”
“Uh….”
As Taker turned his head, he froze like a frog in front of a snake. Honestly, I felt a bit shy too, but seeing his reaction oddly boosted my confidence.
“What do you think, Taker?”
“Uh? What, what do you mean?”
“Come on, don’t play dumb. I’m talking about my swimsuit. Riri prepared it for me; does it suit me?”
Then Taker’s gaze started to flicker, unsure whether to look or not. I mean, I asked him to evaluate my swimsuit, so he should be able to look, right? That internal struggle was clear even with his sunglasses on.
Finally, after ending his contemplation, Taker just stared straight ahead at my swimsuit without looking away.
His ears turned red, and his eyes were shifty, which made me feel playful, so I leaned in closer and whispered in his ear, “…Pervert. Why are you sneaking peeks like that?”
“Uh, uh? No, no. That’s not it! I just—oh, um, I meant to ask if it suited you—”
“Just kidding.”
He jumped back in surprise, stumbling over his words as I walked away.
The cool waves rushed in, tickling the soles of my feet.
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