"Wow," Seulgi breathed, eyes wide in awe. "It's beautiful."
Jaeyi smiled at her reaction but kept her attention on the road, pulling into the parking lot near the hotel.
The others were already commenting on the picturesque view and taking in the fresh ocean air.
Jaeyi parked the car and turned the engine off, then got out, stretching her arms overhead.
"We're here," Jaeyi said, her voice laced with excitement. "Let's get checked in."
Yeri immediately started making jokes about how fast Jaeyi had driven. "You drive like you're in a race, seriously."
"I'm not the one who fell asleep at the wheel," Jaeyi retorted with a grin. "Besides, we made it here in record time. You should thank me."
Kyung rolled her eyes. "Sure, we'll just say you were speeding because you wanted to show off. Typical."
Jaeyi smirked, brushing them off as she took the room keys from the front desk clerk.
Yeri chuckled, leaning closer to Jaeyi as she snatched the keys from her hand.
"Hey, hey, wait! I thought me and Seulgi would be in the same room," she teased with a playful glint in her eyes.
Jaeyi scoffed, feigning offense. "Stop talking nonsense. You've got your own room. You and Kyung can hang out together."
Kyung and Yeri laughed, exchanging knowing glances.
"Whatever you say, Jaeyi," Kyung teased, winking at her as she grabbed her own keys from the clerk. "We're going to have a blast."
Seulgi, who had been quiet up until that moment, blushed lightly at Yeri's teasing.
She awkwardly smiled and gave a small wave, then followed Jaeyi down the hall to their room.
She was still getting used to how open Yeri and Kyung were with their banter, but it was hard not to smile at how natural everything felt.
"Here we are," Jaeyi said as she unlocked the door to their room.
She stepped inside, holding the door open for Seulgi to follow her. "It's cozy, right?"
Seulgi stepped in, taking in the beautiful view of the beach through the large windows.
The room was spacious, with a large king sized bed and soft linens, a sitting area by the window, and neutral tones that gave it a relaxed, welcoming vibe.
The whole place felt like a retreat.
"It's perfect," Seulgi said, her voice soft but sincere.
She glanced over at Jaeyi, meeting her gaze with a smile.
Jaeyi smiled back, setting the keys on the nearby dresser before walking over to Seulgi.
"I'm glad you like it," she said, her tone tender.
She leaned in, brushing her fingers through Seulgi's hair. "We've got the whole week to enjoy ourselves."
Seulgi nodded, feeling her heart flutter a little at the closeness between them.
She wanted to savor every moment of this trip, to relax and just enjoy being with Jaeyi, away from the stress and the chaos of everything back home.
"I can't wait to explore," Seulgi said, her voice light. "It feels nice to be somewhere new."
Jaeyi grinned, stepping back and heading for the bathroom. "Then let's not waste any time. We've got an island to discover, and I'm planning on making the most of it."
CHAPTER 19: A SUMMER ESCAPE
Start from the beginning
