# Chapter 20
That’s right, experience is power. Where else would you use this kind of experience? Their bickering conversation blended naturally into the boisterous atmosphere. It was like a dreamlike scene straight out of a fairy tale.
There were quite a few rides that adults could enjoy without being restricted by height limits. Iyeon was whispering with Mirae while carefully examining the amusement park map.
“How about this one?”
“That’s a bit scary.”
“I’ll hold your hand.”
He hadn’t been this serious even when catching mutants. Sano looked at the two of them with their heads together in deliberation, as if he couldn’t believe them.
“What if Uncle can’t sit next to me?”
“Then Sano will hold you.”
Two pairs of round eyes turned to Sano. He rolled his eyes as if that was out of the question. It was an expression of clear intent that even a small child could understand. After patting the dejected Mirae’s back and promising about five times to sit right next to her, Iyeon was finally able to get up.
“Shall we go then?”
It was time to give Je Sano his first amusement park ride experience.
The “Nile Express,” where you ride in round boat-shaped vessels floating on water and go around a water course, was one of the most popular attractions in this amusement park. Fortunately, since it was a weekday, the line wasn’t long, and the three of them were able to board quickly.
As the three of them huddled together on the four-seater boat and covered themselves with the vinyl sheet to avoid getting too wet, the staff member set the boat adrift. The boat began to move, turning in circles as it followed the gentle current. The boat, which at first seemed to be floating calmly in a straight line, soon entered a section that zigzagged.
The fact that there was a vinyl sheet to block the water meant that a lot of water would splash. And in most cases, the vinyl sheet didn’t block the water perfectly.
The boat spun round and round, constantly shaking as it was pushed forward by the current along the crooked course. And at the moment it hit the wall head-on, a refreshing stream of water was supposed to pour into the boat like a fountain… but.
Instead of water, darkness covered their vision.
“…?”
Iyeon, who had been hunching down in anticipation of water splashing, raised his head in confusion. A wall that hadn’t been there before was now domed around the boat, blocking the water.
“Je Sano! Using superpowers is cheating!”
“I hate getting wet.”
A sullen face sat like a haughty king, receiving ironclad protection from the metal walls that had sprouted from the edges of the boat. It looked more like a fortress than a boat. Now that he looked more closely, Iyeon noticed that the vinyl sheet that had been neatly covering them at the start had been discarded.
“Why did you remove the vinyl?”
“It’s stuffy.”
He’s really something else.
To make matters worse, the boat had slowed down due to the weight of the metal. No, never mind the speed… Was the water level this high before?
“Hey! The boat is sinking!”
“Uncle, is this a submarine?”
Mirae asked cheerfully, thinking this was part of the ride. That meant the boat was sinking so obviously even a child could tell. Cold sweat ran down Iyeon’s back.
“I guess so. It’s fun, right?”
“Uh-huh!”
But since he couldn’t scare the young Mirae, Iyeon answered like a robot while staring intently at Sano. His eyes blinked at lightning speed, as if sending a Morse code, urging him to restore everything to its original state immediately.
“Sano. This is not that kind of experience. We’re supposed to get wet.”
“Is showering with clothes on your hobby?”
“If we stay like this, it really will be! We’ll just be people who’ve fallen into water!”
The sound of splashing water behind the metal plates covering them was getting closer. Iyeon’s face turned chalk-white. Getting unexpectedly submerged while visiting an amusement park? If this was a dream, he wanted to wake up.
“Hey! Je Sano!”
“Uncle, are you crying? What did Sano do?”
“Sano is so pretty I’m tearing up. You understand Uncle’s feelings, right? Mirae should make good friends too.”
“Umm…”
Mirae looked bewilderedly at Sano and Iyeon, then nodded. It was admirable how she tried to go along with it even though she didn’t understand.
Iyeon checked their surroundings while keeping an eye on Mirae. The walls of the course were much higher than before. Feeling a threat to his life, Iyeon smiled brightly at Sano and whispered quietly through his teeth.
“Anyway, no superpowers. Didn’t you see the precautions?”
The very first item on the precaution signs posted throughout the queue area was ‘Do not use superpowers.’ Only then did Sano reluctantly withdraw his superpower in response to Iyeon’s desperate nagging.
The metal plates that had been covering the boat like a fortress disappeared smoothly, and sunlight shone in their place. The boat rose back to the surface of the water, returning to its original state.
“…”
Iyeon, his face now dramatically haggard, gazed with emotion at the blue sky he finally faced. It hadn’t even been a minute since they boarded, but it felt like 30 minutes had passed. When will this end? Just as Iyeon was half-transcended and mentally chanting prayers…
There was a steep turning path ahead. It was a section where they would hit the wall and get a big splash. Sano’s eyes narrowed as he checked what was ahead. Iyeon, his nerves on edge from the recent commotion, could tell very clearly. It was the face of someone contemplating whether to use his ability again.
He had absolutely no desire to experience the previous crisis again. Iyeon pushed aside the vinyl sheet and jumped up.
“Uncle! You’re not supposed to move when riding this!”
Ignoring Mirae’s stern warning, Iyeon lunged at Sano. He lost his balance momentarily due to the current but managed to safely land in Sano’s spot.
In an instant, Iyeon sat down with Sano beneath him and swiftly pulled the vinyl sheet to cover both their bodies. Taking advantage of Sano’s momentary pause at the suddenly pouncing body, he shouted fiercely. It was a cry that felt desperate.
“I’ll block it for you, so just stay still!”
The boat hit the wall, and there was a splash of water. The water that invaded the boat splashed directly onto Iyeon’s shoulders and face. Across from them, a soaking wet Mirae clapped her hands, laughing merrily.
It was literally a human shield. Thanks to Iyeon blocking with his entire body, Sano avoided the water. After seeming to consider for a moment, Sano relaxed his body. The primary disaster had been averted. Iyeon let out a sigh of relief. After successfully calming the time bomb, even the rippling water seemed peaceful.
“Uncle, why are you over there? Can I change seats too?”
“Uncle is an adult, so it’s okay. Mirae should help balance from there.”
Iyeon, who had boldly told a lie, waved his hand as if greeting, and Mirae waved back. The guilt of deceiving a young child was overshadowed by the solemnity of contributing to the peace of the amusement park.
After that, the ride continued normally, except for the fact that two people were forcibly crammed into one seat. The occasional splashes of water and the moderate sense of speed made for a pleasant experience. An excited Mirae bounced in her seat and screamed every time water splashed. It was the peaceful enjoyment that Iyeon had anticipated and hoped for.
It was at some point that he began to feel body heat against his back.
Iyeon only then realized that he was embarrassingly close to Sano. Sano’s body, much larger and thicker than Iyeon’s, was firm and warm. The thin neck T-shirt was transmitting the contours of the body it clung to right through the fabric. He could feel Sano’s sturdy arms resting on the armrests, as if they were lightly embracing him.
Though neither the intention nor the situation was such, in appearance, it was no different from a back hug.
“…”
Sano’s oddly well-behaved reaction, just breathing quietly, suddenly began to bother Iyeon. Ignoring his pulse which seemed to have quickened a bit, Iyeon blurted out whatever came to mind.
“…Having fun?”
Since they were completely pressed together from the back of his head all the way down his back, he could feel Sano’s head move slightly even without turning around. Just as he barely managed to resist the urge to tense his fingertips, the boat hit a high wave and lurched heavily. Iyeon’s body was about to bounce up high, rocking along with the strong rebound.
Sano quietly grasped Iyeon’s shoulders, which were fluttering like a paper doll.
The large hand firmly held him, trapping Iyeon against his body. At the gentle pressure, Iyeon unconsciously stiffened. It felt as if the warmth was spreading from Sano’s hands throughout his entire body.
Thump, thump, thump.
A heartbeat echoed, impossible to tell whose it was due to their bodies being so close. Mirae’s delighted shrieks of excitement sounded somewhat distant. As the boat’s rocking subsided, Sano removed his hand, but the tension that slowly squeezed Iyeon’s heart didn’t disappear.
It must be due to fear. Hadn’t he received a threat to his life from Je Sano once before? Remembering the tension from that time…
“You look like a drowned rat.”
Long, firm fingers brushed Iyeon’s bangs.
Water dripped from his hair, which was soaked and sticking to his skin. The transparent moisture ran down Sano’s hand and disappeared beneath the vinyl sheet.
As Iyeon’s breathing slowed, a voice that seemed a little closer whispered. Strangely, that mischievous voice clung to his ear and wouldn’t leave for a long time.
“It’s not too bad.”
Surely, it was because he was scared—because he was scared.
