Chapter 134: Heading Out for an Excursion

Entertainment Around You (No Pop-ups)
Story Timeline: February 2007
Recommended Song: Orange Range - Shanghai Honey (Orange Days OST)
Disclaimer: This work is purely fictional. Please do not project it onto reality. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

"On the blue hills, with a backpack on my back, under the golden sun, the celebration begins. Towards the wilderness, towards the streams, the sun in the east has risen. In the early morning, those harassed by the city's noise try to slip out of the towering buildings, entering the echoing valley to find those flowing waters. Let's travel there, around the bends and corners, in the deep mountains, the cool breeze happily comes to greet me. Watching the sky, singing, entering the echoing valley to find those flowing waters. Let's travel there."

Cheerful singing drifted from a light van. Focusing the camera, a group of handsome men and beautiful women were joyfully singing the classic old song, "Let's Go Travel." It was time for an outing!

Indeed, Li Ran had specifically set aside time today for Jiang Yihan to go on an excursion. Joining them were Jiang Ziyi, Lee Hyori, G-Dragon, and Lee Seung-hyun, who had tagged along after hearing about the trip.

The six of them filled the van, singing along loudly to the music on the radio. Li Ran, the driver, wore a look of pure happiness, watching the smiles bloom on Jiang Yihan’s face and listening to everyone’s joyous voices. It was a bright, sunny morning, and the mood was delightful.

"Books! Books! Throw away your schoolbags and go travel. Where to? The mountains? The beach? The riverside? Where exactly should we go? Prepare to shout loudly, run to your heart’s content. Around the bends and corners, in the deep mountains, the cool breeze happily comes to greet me. Watching the sky, singing, entering the echoing valley to find those flowing waters. Let's travel there. To the place I long for, holding your hand, let's walk together. Now we must set out, towards that place of summer, let's go travel. With a happy mood, everyone let's go together, entering the echoing valley to find those flowing waters."

The brilliant sun had just risen and wasn't yet too hot. A gentle breeze blew through the open windows, ruffling everyone’s hair. The greenery along the road kept receding; the green trees, blue mountains, and the occasional bird flying by were truly refreshing.

With her hair tousled by the wind, Lee Hyori brushed the strands from her face, looking at Jiang Yihan’s smiling expression. Her eyes curved into crescents like the moon as she sang with excitement, releasing her pent-up emotions. This was the real him.

Gradually, the sound of the stream flowing by the road could be heard, and a breath of spring rushed toward them.

"Right here! Let's stop here!" The chaotic voices echoed in the empty space.

The group gathered their belongings, stepped off the van, and arrived by the streamside. They began spreading out the mats, then laid out the food, gear, and games.

"Wow, this water is so cold!" Lee Seung-hyun was the first to run to the water’s edge, experiencing the temperature of winter. Winter had only just passed, and spring hadn't fully arrived, so naturally, the water wasn't warm.

"You idiot, it’s still winter, of course the water is cold!" G-Dragon ran over with a grin, teasing him.

"Yeah, yeah, I’m the idiot. Why did you run over then?" Lee Seung-hyun flashed a mischievous smile and splashed water at him.

"Hey!" G-Dragon’s pants were instantly soaked. "You brat, you dare splash your brother? Watch out!" G-Dragon, also putting on a face of "fury," splashed water right back.

"You two, are you kids or what?" Jiang Ziyi had just walked over when she let out a shriek. "Ah! G-Dragon, do you want to die?" Jiang Ziyi was also caught in the crossfire, and the battle escalated.

"Hey, you guys!" Jiang Yihan, standing further away, was also splashed by Lee Seung-hyun. Before he could finish his sentence, G-Dragon and Jiang Ziyi turned their targets toward him. "Hey, it’s cold! It’s really cold!"

Winter had passed, but the water still held a bone-chilling, piercing cold that made one shiver uncontrollably.

"Let’s see how I handle you guys." Gritting his teeth, Jiang Yihan ran into the stream. The water reached his knees. He gasped, shouting "It's cold!" while splashing handfuls of water at them.

For a time, the four of them were trapped in a chaotic melee; in the end, no one knew who was splashing whom.

The sun climbed higher, casting a strange glow through the water droplets in the air. Mixed with everyone’s laughter, such a day was so comfortable that one simply wanted to let go of everything and just lie on the ground, enjoying the moment.

By the time the four were soaked to the bone, Li Ran and Lee Hyori were busy preparing lunch. Seeing them playing like children, they could only shake their heads and smile.

"Hey, aren't you guys acting like kids? You're so big now and still playing with water," Lee Hyori said, hands on her hips, jokingly scolding them as they finally decided to return.

"Going out is all about having fun," Jiang Yihan said, teeth chattering, yet still grinning.

"Go change your clothes quickly, or you’ll catch a cold." Li Ran pulled Jiang Yihan back to the van and found his spare clothes. Li Ran knew that if Jiang Yihan went out to the countryside or a stream, he would inevitably end up playing in the water, so he had told Jiang Ziyi to bring extra outfits. Who knew if he would go play again in the afternoon? He was just like a child who refused to grow up.

"Hehe, it's good that you’re here today, Jin-er, knowing to bring me clothes," Jiang Yihan said, perhaps truly only ten years old at that moment—innocent and romantic.

After changing, Jiang Yihan walked out, wiping his hair with a towel. G-Dragon and the others were still changing behind the van.

Seeing Jiang Yihan with his dripping hair, Lee Hyori helplessly pulled him over, took the towel, and began drying it for him.

"Hyori-noona, have you ever gone on an outing like this before?" Jiang Yihan asked with a chuckle.

"No. I entered the company as a trainee very early on, then it was just practice, and then debut. Opportunities like this were too rare." Lee Hyori looked at him as he sat obediently before her, letting her help him dry his hair. His hair was no longer dripping, but a bit of moisture remained. As he tilted his head back to speak to her, a lazy, sexy vibe emanated from him, making her feel slightly bewildered.

"Back in middle school and high school, I used to go out with friends like this all the time." Speaking of his past life, the memories were always beautiful. "A few of us friends would just hop on our bicycles early in the morning and ride over a dozen kilometers to the stream for a picnic. Back then, we’d line up across the road, blocking the entire thing. When a car came, we’d slowly pedal to the sides, and once it passed, we’d block the road again, haha! We’d chat while riding, giggling. Sometimes we might have been talking about boring things, but it felt incredibly relaxing. But now, the friends around me are gradually gone. All that’s left are Jin-er and Yi-yi. Time is truly a cruel trickster."

Jiang Yihan sighed. Xiao Ruolin, Liu Yan, and many other former friends had lost contact. When you don't keep in touch for a long time, the bond gradually fades until you become strangers passing by. Thinking about it made him sad. At the thought of Liu Yan, Jiang Yihan gave a bitter smile. First love—the simpler and more bitter the first love, the easier it is to remember for a lifetime.

Lee Hyori looked at Jiang Yihan’s vivid face—his eyelashes, his eyes, his lips, his breath, his body temperature. Suddenly, Lee Hyori had an impulse to kiss him. She gradually stopped moving her hands; the ambiguity in the air was stifling.

However, the noise of the three who had finished changing and were returning broke the moment. The ambiguity in the air evaporated in an instant. Li Ran stood in the distance, looking helplessly at these three kids.

Jiang Yihan was doing okay; his dull nerves only slightly sensed something was off, but it left Lee Hyori so shy she couldn't speak.

"Li Ran-hyung, what are we having for lunch?" G-Dragon was ready to help.

"The grill is in the van. You and Seung-hyun go get it," Li Ran said, putting down what he was holding.

Hearing them, Jiang Yihan and Lee Hyori woke up from their small awkwardness and quickly stood up to help.

Preparing lunch was easier with more hands.

"Oppa, that 'Morning Light, Night Rain' is badmouthing you all over the internet again, isn't she?" Jiang Ziyi muttered. She was in charge of the internet side of things, so she often saw unpleasant things.

"'Morning Light, Night Rain'? Is that the famous anti-fan of mine? Hasn't she been active for a long time? Haha." Jiang Yihan’s tone was relaxed. This netizen with the ID "Morning Light, Night Rain" always insisted that Jiang Yihan wasn't Korean and that his talent was mediocre, not worthy of his current honors. Even after the events of last year, she remained a steadfast anti-fan. Everyone in the online community knew her name. "Hehe, someone being so persistent in being an anti-fan means they are paying attention to me. Relax a bit."

Jiang Ziyi knew her brother was right, but having an anti-fan pointing fingers online was always annoying.

"Hey, you have to wash that before eating it raw! It's so dirty!"

"Why are you touching these clean plates with your dirty hands covered in charcoal, G-Dragon!!!"

"I didn't mean to! How about you get dirty too?"

"G-Dragon!!"

Clearly, Jiang Ziyi was furious. She was already annoyed by the anti-fan talk earlier, and now that G-Dragon was joking around, she purposely put on a stern face. Just as Lee Seung-hyun was gloating at the spectacle, G-Dragon touched his face, instantly turning him into a messy cat. "Jiyong-hyung!!"

The three children started bickering again. "Are you guys done yet? If you get dirty again, you'll be washing your own clothes back home," Jiang Yihan said with a laugh.

After much effort—playing, chatting, and preparing—the six of them finally started grilling the meat.

"Yours isn't cooked yet, you can't eat it."

"Don't put so much salt! I told you not to put that much, you're doing it on purpose!"

"Oh no, it's burning! It's burnt!"

"Jin-er, I want to eat that one of yours, it looks so good!"

"Hahahaha, who told you to eat so fast? Got burned, didn't you? Serves you right."

The group ate with gusto. Laughter, bickering, the sizzling of meat, and the occasional sound of things being knocked over mixed together. They might not have been full from the food, but they were certainly full from the fun.

After lunch, everyone went off to find their own games. Li Ran was pulled away by G-Dragon and Lee Seung-hyun to teach them how to play Chinese cards. Jiang Ziyi was cleaning up the mess, though Lee Hyori had tried to help, only to be pushed away by Jiang Ziyi. Jiang Ziyi pointed toward the distant Jiang Yihan, winked, and smiled ambiguously, her expression implying a great deal.

After hesitating for a moment, Lee Hyori slowly walked over.

Watching Lee Hyori catch up, Jiang Ziyi hoped she hadn't made the wrong choice. Everyone could see how Lee Hyori had treated Jiang Yihan over the past few years, and Jiang Ziyi knew the complicated feelings in Lee Hyori’s heart. Perhaps giving them a push could lead to a good outcome?

Walking beside the stream, the rustling of the grass, the sound of leaves, the clear flowing water, the crisp bird chirps, and the sound of their own footsteps were the only things audible. Everything else was silent. Sitting on a large rock by the stream, Jiang Yihan’s heart gradually quieted down.

Looking at the azure sky, thinking of nothing, his heart sank into peace.

Watching Jiang Yihan like this, Lee Hyori could feel his current tranquility and the scent of sunshine surrounding him. Even without an expression, she could read it all from the contours of his face and the message in his eyes. She sat down gently beside him.

"Hyori-noona," Jiang Yihan greeted. "An afternoon like this makes one feel truly peaceful. No noisy media, no busy schedules, no adoring fans—and of course, no endless skepticism. This kind of life is truly different from our usual life; it’s a completely different feeling."

"Yeah, enjoying an afternoon like this once in a while is truly comfortable." Lee Hyori felt the same, letting the breeze gently blow across her face, feeling the fresh scent of earth mixed with stream water.

For a long time, neither of them spoke, just sitting quietly.

"Yihan, have you ever thought about giving yourself another chance?" Perhaps it was ten minutes or half an hour later, Lee Hyori finally spoke, hesitating but asking nonetheless.

"Hyori-noona, do you know?" Jiang Yihan didn't answer directly. For Lee Hyori, it would be a lie to say he didn't know her feelings, but it was just a hazy feeling that Jiang Yihan didn't want to face yet, nor did he have the courage to face. "In love, I have always been a passive person. The first time I fell for a girl, I chose to protect her from the sidelines, silently, and in the end, I couldn't hold onto her. The second time I liked someone, she took the initiative to pull my passivity, but because of my gentleness and my busyness, she chose to hurt me. I don't know what results my passivity and cowardice can yield in a relationship. I’m afraid—afraid of facing setbacks again. I want to choose to love or be loved, but I have no strength, nor the courage."

"Yihan, in love, both active and passive are love," Lee Hyori said quietly, sharing her thoughts. "It’s just that the way of loving is different. In life, we often meet different people at different times and in different places. Only when we meet the right person at the right time and place and make the right choice can we avoid getting hurt. I’ve also been hurt many times. In this industry, because of the high exposure, both parties often get hurt in a relationship. I know, but after being hurt, it’s very hard to summon the courage to make a decision again. It’s too hard. It requires too much strength and courage; it’s too heavy. I understand, I understand."

After a long silence, Jiang Yihan turned his head to look at Lee Hyori’s profile. Recalling everything since they first met in December 2004, memories flowed like the stream beside them. The two years of life, with Lee Hyori and without her, flowed quietly. Jiang Yihan told himself in his heart: I have feelings for Lee Hyori, I have feelings for Lee Hyori, I have feelings for Lee Hyori. But when the words reached his throat, he couldn't say them. Finally, he sighed. "Hyori-noona, can you give me time? Even if I don't know how long this will take, can you give me time?"

Lee Hyori’s heart began to beat wildly. What did that mean? Did it mean Jiang Yihan was waiting for her to give him time? Could it be?

Looking at Jiang Yihan’s profile, Lee Hyori suddenly gathered her courage. "Yihan, before, it was always you protecting others. Now, let me protect you. I will protect you until you regain your strength to protect me again, okay?"

Looking at her face, Jiang Yihan reached out, gently tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, and nodded softly. Lee Hyori slowly leaned onto Jiang Yihan’s shoulder, her heart slowly calming down.

The love that belongs to me—I will protect it to the end!