“Students! We’re going to trek the mountain! The first to reach the peak will get a surprise from us. It’s a gift, so you better win it!”

Jiyeon brightened up at the thought of receiving a present.

“Oppa! Jiyeon wants present! Jiyeon wants present!” Myungsoo turned horrified and shook his head lightly, “No can do. You have to be the first to be on the top of the mountain.”

“Then Jiyeon will be the first to be on the top of the mountain! Jiyeon wants present!”

Myungsoo could feel his blood draining off his brain, “But… I can give you present, hmm? Let’s just walk slowly, hmm?”

“No! Jiyeon wants present from teachers! Jiyeon wants present from Ms. Kim! Jiyeon wants to be the first to be on the top of the mountain! Jiyeon wants present!” She started to whine while Myungsoo tried all means to shush her down, but she just wouldn’t listen.

“Alright, alright. We’ll try, okay? But if we can’t make it, promise you won’t be sad.”

“Jiyeon won’t be sad!” She cheered happily and turned back to the teachers, waiting for their next instruction.

Myungsoo wrapped his arm around her waist to pull her close and he could hear giggles behind him. He knew at once it was his friends and he decided to ignore them.

“Get a bottle each! Don’t get dehydrated okay?”

Jiyeon went up to the teachers immediately. She got a bottle for herself, “Ms. Kim! Jiyeon needs one more for oppa!” Ms. Kim smiled knowingly and passed another bottle to her, “Be good and listen to your oppa, okay?”

“Jiyeon will listen to oppa!” She beamed and returned to his side, passing the bottle to him, “What did Ms. Kim say?”

“Ms. Kim told Jiyeon to listen to oppa!”

“Will you?”

“Of course! Jiyeon is a good girl!”

Myungsoo ruffled her hair and took her bottle too, “Let’s wait then. They have to prepare before we go.”

Jiyeon stood by his side and looked at the rest of them in amazement. He could tell she was really excited about it. “Students! Let’s go now! Keep close, okay? There will be a few stop stations along the way and we’ll take a rest at every station!”

The students did a loud cheer and went off after the first batch of teachers walked off.

Jiyeon pulled Myungsoo along hurriedly, with his friends tagging behind, and they started their trek up the mountain.

It was a tedious trek indeed.

The slopes were quite steep and Myungsoo was already panting after