Jinyeong asked with a worried expression,
"Nothing happened, did it?"
"It's nothing like that. I was just a little busy with school. Everything's been sorted out now."
When Seonwoo answered with a smile, the concern faded from Jinyeong's face.
"That's a relief. I was actually thinking about contacting you separately in case there was anything I could do to help. Honestly, when I heard you might not be coming this time... haha, everything kind of went black in front of my eyes. You're the only instructor who can handle those kids."
They were good kids, just overflowing with energy. Thinking Jinyeong was only flattering him to encourage him, Seonwoo laughed awkwardly.
"Thank you for saying that. You always think too highly of me."
"I really mean it..."
"Well then, I'll take Hanna and Ina to their lesson."
"Dad, bye! We're going!"
"Bye."
After giving a casual farewell, Hanna and Ina clung to Seonwoo while he gathered their equipment, chattering nonstop.
"Teacher, you know what? What are we learning today?"
"Let's see... where did we stop last time? You two can already do parallel turns, right?"
"Yep! But last year you were about to teach us short turns, and then vacation ended. This time it's finally our turn!"
"Ugh, I don't want to. Teacher, can't we learn carving first? It looks way cooler."
"Hey, Chae Hanna! We have to go in order! You said short turns come next."
"There's no rule that says that. Besides, if we're going in order, I'm the older sister, so we should learn what I want first. Right, Teacher?"
"Hey! Dad said there's no such thing as older or younger between us!"
"Hmph, idiot. You actually believed that? I'm Hanna, and you're I-na, so obviously I'm the older sister."
Holding up two fingers, Hanna stuck out her tongue.
Seeing Ina's face turn bright red with frustration, Seonwoo decided it was about time to step in.
"There's no need to rush. I'll teach you everything this season. Let's get your boots on first. Tell me if they're hard to put on."
"Okay!"
"Yes, Teacher."
Since they'd been taking expensive ski lessons from a very young age, they were naturally skilled.
But no matter how good they were, skiing was still just a hobby, and they were still children.
After going down the slope twice while correcting their posture, all the determination they'd shown earlier had disappeared, replaced by exaggerated whining.
"Tea... huff... Teacher... my legs hurt."
"Mine too. Let's take a little break."
If it had been anyone else, maybe Seonwoo would've believed them.
But after teaching the twins for five years, there was no chance.
"I thought you wanted to learn carving and short turns. I'll teach you if we go back up now."
At Seonwoo's teasing grin, Hanna and Ina instantly forgot they had been bickering and united against him.
"Our feet are freezing and our thighs hurt!"
"It's only the first day, and you're already making us work so hard."
"Then let's do just one more run and have lunch afterward. If we rest now, lunch will be late, and that'll push dinner back too."
"I wanna siiiit..."
"You can sit on the lift. Come on, let's go."
Dragging themselves through one more run, the twins reached the base and immediately bolted toward the snack bar without stopping.
Chuckling helplessly, Seonwoo followed them onto the deck.
Brushing the snow off his boots, he asked Hanna,
"You're eating here instead of going to the restaurant?"
"Yep! I want tteokbokki."
"Go pick whatever you want."
Exchanging a silent greeting with Seorin behind the counter, Seonwoo lifted Ina up because she couldn't reach the drinks.
"What are you getting?" You are reading on novelping.com, the official source.
"The grapefruit juice over there. Hanna wants soda."
"I'll bring them over. Go grab a seat."
Walking confidently despite her ski boots, Ina headed back to the table.
Leaning on the counter while watching the girls, Seorin glanced at the twins.
"They came again this year? It's already been... how many years?"
"Five. It's been a while."
"Wow... They used to be tiny little beans, and now they've grown so much. Here, take these. The chicken popcorn's on the house for the kids."
Laughing because Seorin had the exact same thought, Seonwoo accepted the tray with a smile.
While the twins happily stuffed themselves, Seonwoo sipped Pocari, trying to suppress the urge to smoke.
Seeing him absentmindedly chewing on the straw, Hanna burst into giggles.
"It looks just like a cigarette!"
At her innocent remark, Seonwoo quietly removed the straw from his mouth.
* * *
After finishing his lessons, Seonwoo loosened up by skiing alone under the lights for the first time in a long while.
The sound of his skis gliding across the snow, the wind crashing against his entire body, and the rapidly changing scenery made him truly feel his speed.
Nothing felt freer.
Nothing felt more exhilarating.
Reluctant to finish so quickly, he hesitated before boarding the lift that climbed all the way to the summit, leading to Mighty Town's longest run.
Since it was still early in the season, there weren't many people around, and most of the lift chairs were empty.
By coincidence, however, Seonwoo ended up sharing one with another man.
His phone, which had been flooded with calls he didn't want to answer, remained switched off.
Trying to sit there in silence only filled his head with uncomfortable thoughts.
Glancing sideways, Seonwoo decided talking would be better.
"Do you usually ski at Mighty Town?"
The man turned toward him but kept his red goggles on as he shook his head.
"I usually ski in Gangwon, but I decided to try this place this time."
"Ah. The resorts in Gangwon have nice slopes too. So what do you think?"
"I think Mighty Town has better snow conditions, so I'll probably be skiing here for a while."
"...Are you an instructor? Or is skiing just a hobby?"
"What do you think?"
"The way you asked that... I'd say it's just a hobby."
At the curt reply, Seonwoo didn't bother correcting him and simply looked ahead.
Skiing itself was wonderful because it kept every other thought away.
The lift wasn't nearly as forgiving.
Before long, his mind was crowded with thoughts again.
Finally taking off one glove, he searched his pocket and pulled out his phone.
He checked every missed call and unread message that had accumulated over the past few hours.
The name he had been waiting for wasn't anywhere.
Only then did he realize that everything weighing on him throughout the day had simply been waiting.
It had already been several days since Eun Hyeonchae, who had shown up every single day before, stopped answering his calls.
Anyone could see it was over.
So what exactly was he still waiting for?
Letting out a bitter laugh at himself, he noticed the man beside him glance over.
As they neared the summit, snow whipped violently around them.
The moment he stepped off the lift, he forgot all about the man with the red goggles and immediately pushed off downhill.
* * *
"No, we're paying! Dad gave us allowance so we could buy hot chocolate for you too, Teacher!"
"Haha... It's okay. Go sit down."
"Aww, come on! We have looooads of allowance!"
"So do I. Move."
Hanna and Ina stubbornly rushed toward the counter with their children's cards in hand, but their heavy ski boots slowed them down.
Despite wearing the exact same boots, Seonwoo moved as effortlessly as though he were wearing sneakers and reached the card reader first.
The twins immediately erupted in protest.
"Hey! That's cheating!"
"You're an adult! You should've let us win!"
The threats and attempts at persuasion continued afterward, but none of it worked.
To Seonwoo, letting little kids pay for him would have been worse than biting off his own tongue.
Since the twins often burned their tongues drinking hot chocolate, Seonwoo always removed the lids and stirred the drinks until they cooled.
After so many years, Hanna and Ina patiently waited as usual before exchanging whispers.
Then one of them suddenly asked,
"Teacher, can we ski with our friend?"
"No. It's dangerous."
"Aww, it's not dangerous..."
His firm refusal without even thinking made both girls immediately join forces.
"Teacher, just hear us out. He goes to the same elementary school as us, and ever since last year he's been bragging in front of everyone because he started learning how to ski. But we're way better than him."
"So we kinda got into a fight. We told him that no matter how much he practiced, he'd never even reach our level. Then he started showing off, saying his instructor used to be on the national team and that he'd end up being better than us..."
"He kept asking if we had any proof we were actually good and totally looked down on us. So we agreed we'd settle it when we met at the ski resort..."
"..."
Not wanting to get dragged into an elementary school rivalry, Seonwoo rubbed his temple awkwardly.
"Dad says we can't ski without you, Teacher, so if we ski where you are, doesn't that make it okay?"
"...Does that kid have an instructor too... I mean, a teacher?"
"Yep! We even know his instructor's phone number. He was the one who challenged us first."
"I'll ask. But if they say no, you give up immediately. Promise?"
Hanna and Ina hooked their pinkies around Seonwoo's finger.
"Promise."
Seonwoo first called Jinyeong to ask for permission.
Contrary to his worries, Jinyeong, who had apparently been worn out by the twins all day himself, only asked him to make sure no one got hurt. Then he thanked Seonwoo for all his hard work and even promised him a bonus for the extra hours.
At the agreed time and place, a little boy came wobbling toward them in ski boots with the sun behind his back.
Leaning casually against the skis he'd already taken from the storage rack, Ina and Hanna called out,
"Finally. ...Han Yunwoo!"
"Hehe. Let's show him who's boss."
Do kids these days really settle things like this?
The media has ruined them.
Without much interest, Seonwoo continued drinking his Pocari.
Then he noticed the man walking behind little Yunwoo.
He slowly lowered the can from his lips.
Red goggles.
It was the same man from the previous night.
Unlike yesterday, when his face had been completely hidden behind a neck warmer and goggles, his goggles now rested on his forehead.
Seonwoo stared directly at his exposed face and slowly raised one eyebrow.