The moment Chan pushes open the creaky wooden gate.
"YAH! CHANHO‑YAH! YOU'RE FINALLY HERE!"
His mother bursts out of the house, her apron flying side to side, and waving a ladle like she's about to fight off intruders. The porch light flickers behind her, throwing light on her face — it was filled with a blend of joy, worry, and the kind of maternal fury only Korean moms in dramas possess.
Eunjae jumps so hard he nearly falls backward.
"HYUNG, SHE'S SCARIER THAN THE COMPANIES JANITOR, MR.KIM—!"
Chan's mom grabs Chan by the cheeks, squishing them mercilessly.
"You didn't call! You didn't text! You didn't answer! Do you want your mother to die early?!"
Chan groans, his face became distorted due to his mom's squishing.
"Ummaaa— not in front of the members—"
Too late. Section D is already wheezing.
Daehyun whispers loudly, "Leader‑nim is getting scolded."
Seojun smirks. "Serves him right."
Hyun bows politely, trying not to laugh.
Jiho mutters, "This is better than TV."
Haneul blinks, his expression was blank but eyes sparkling with amusement.
Chan's mom finally releases her son and turns to the group with a gasp.
"Aigoo! Look at you boys! You're all so thin! So pale! So tired! Are they feeding you at that company?!"
She grabs Eunjae's face next.
"You! You look like you haven't slept in ten years!"
Eunjae beams proudly. "Thank you, ma'am."
"That wasn't a compliment!"
Then she grabs Haneul's wrist before he can bow.
"And YOU! So handsome! But you look like you haven't seen sunlight since you were born!"
"…That's not… wrong," Haneul admits.
The group explodes into laughter.
"Come inside! Hurry! Before the mosquitoes eat you alive!" she orders.
Inside the House — Controlled Chaos
The house is small, warm, and cozy — the kind of place that smells like happiness, soup, and childhood memories.
Chan's mom leads them through the narrow hallway.
"This is the living room — don't touch the porcelain frog, it's older than all of you combined."
Eunjae immediately reaches for it.
"Eunjae," Jiho warns.
"…Yes, hyung."
"This is the kitchen — don't open the fridge unless you want to be traumatized by fermented things."
Daehyun shivers. "Noted."
"These are the kids' rooms — don't go in unless you want to be attacked by toys."
A small child peeks out, sees eight tall boys, screams, and slams the door.
Chan sighs. "That's my brother. He's seven."
"Eight!" the child yells.
"Sorry!"
Finally, she opens a sliding door.
"And THIS is where you'll sleep."
The room is empty except for folded blankets, floor mattresses, and a single standing fan that looks older than Chan.
Eunjae gasps. "We're sleeping… on the floor?"
Hyun shrugs. "It's a Korean village. What did you expect?"
Daehyun pokes the mattress. "My back is going to kill me."
Seojun smirks. "Your back is already 80 years old."
Jiho is already organizing the blankets by size.
Haneul stands in the doorway, observing the members and room with awe and happiness. The room is small but warm. Humble, but comforting. It's… different from home. It feels safe.
Chan's mom beams.
"Make yourselves at home! I'll prepare snacks!"
The moment she leaves, the boys collapse onto the floor.
The house quiets as the siblings go to bed. The sea breeze slips through the window, carrying the scent of salt and pine.
Chan lies awake for a moment, staring at the ceiling.
It's strange — having his group here, in his childhood home.
Strange, but… nice.
Across the room:
Eunjae snores like a chainsaw.
Daehyun applies his tenth layer of skincare.
Seojun scrolls through his phone.
Hyun draws the sleeping Eunjae in his notebook.
Jiho reads with a tiny flashlight.
Haneul is curled up like a cat, hair messy, breathing softly
Chan smiles.
This is his family too.
The rooster crows. The house creaks. The sea wind whistles.
And Section D… is absolutely not ready.
Chan wakes first — life in the village has shaped him to be an early person.
He stretches, yawns, and looks around.
Seojun is awake too, sitting up with messy hair.
"You're awake?"
"Yeah. Need to stay fit."
Daehyun sits up next, peeling off a face mask.
"My skin is glowing. I am reborn."
Seojun stares. "Why are you awake?"
"Beauty requires sacrifice," Daehyun says, flipping his hair.
Hyun wakes silently, like a ghost.
Eunjae… does not.
He is wrapped like a burrito, clutching his pillow.
Chan nudges him.
"Eunjae. Wake up."
"No."
Hyun tries.
"Eunjae, we need to help Ahjussi."
"No."
Daehyun pokes him with a toe.
"Wake up, brat."
"NO."
Seojun sighs.
"Fine. We'll do this the hard way."
The four awake members grab a corner of Eunjae's blanket and drag him across the floor.
"NOOOOOOOO— LET ME SLEEP— I'M TOO YOUNG—"
He falls downs like a dying fish.
Chan's mom opens the door.
"Why is there screaming? It's 5AM!"
"Eunjae won't wake up," Chan explains.
She nods, removes her slipper, and smacks Eunjae's butt.
"STOP CAUSING DRAMA THIS EARLY!"
Eunjae shoots up instantly.
They approach Jiho. He opens one eye and glares at them, the temperature drops ten degrees.
Without a word, he puts on noise‑canceling headphones, presses play on ASMR ocean waves, and turns away.
"Jiho," Chan says gently.
Jiho raises one finger — the universal sign for "try me and perish."
They leave him alone.
Haneul is curled up peacefully, his hair covering half his face.
Chan shakes him gently.
"Haneul. Wake up."
Nothing.
Hyun pokes his cheek.
"Haneul?"
Nothing.
Daehyun waves a hand.
"Is he breathing?"
Seojun leans in.
"I think he's dead."
Chan sighs.
"We'll wake him later."
Chan's dad appears, already dressed for the farm.
"Who will come with me?"
Hyun stands immediately.
"I'll go."
Eunjae, still traumatized, raises a hand.
"I'll… help… chickens…"
Chan's dad laughs. "Good enough."
Seojun stretches.
"I'm going for a run."
Daehyun flips his hair.
"I'm returning to my skincare."
Chan heads to the kitchen to help his mom.
Jiho wakes at 6:40, refreshed, and immediately starts cleaning the house.
Haneul remains unconscious.
By 7:30, breakfast is ready — steaming bowls of dwaeji gukbap.
Haneul finally wakes, his hair sticking up in every direction.
He wanders into the kitchen like a zombie.
Chan's mom gasps.
"Aigoo! Look at your hair! Sit, sit, eat!"
Haneul sits.
He eats.
His pale face turns pink.
After breakfast, the boys sit on the porch overlooking the sea.
Chan's dad and siblings are already out fishing.
"It's so quiet," Hyun murmurs.
"No traffic," Jiho adds.
"No honking," Daehyun sighs.
"It's peaceful," Seojun says.
Chan smiles softly.
Hyun turns to him.
"By the way, hyung… how many siblings do you have?"
Chan hesitates.
"…Eight."
The group freezes.
"EIGHT?!"
"INCLUDING YOU?!"
"THAT'S NINE?!"
"ARE YOU A FOOTBALL TEAM?!"
"HOW DID YOUR MOM SURVIVE?!"
Chan groans.
"I'm the fifth."
The members scream again.
"You're the FIFTH and you're 20?!"
"You're the CENTER CHILD!"
"You're not the oldest?!"
Chan covers his face.
His mom laughs from the kitchen.
After lunch, the boys decide to go swimming.
Chan notices Haneul is asleep again.
He brings him food.
Haneul wakes instantly.
"Rice?"
"Yes."
He devours it rapidly, washes up, and joins the group.
But when they reach the beach…
Fishermen are returning early.
Chan's dad waves them over.
"The waves are rough today. No fishing today. Seems like it will rain today.
He sighs "I wonder when this raining season will end?
"Why are you boys here."
"To swim" Eunjae said "but it seems like it won't be happening anytime soon" he sulks.
"Sorry boys, maybe tomorrow."
"Sure."
Mr. Kang went on ahead.
"No swimming today," Chan says.
The members groan dramatically.
Back at home, Chan's mom overhears their complaints.
"You boys want something to do? Go to the market and buy ingredients for dinner! You can use the leftover change to buy snacks!"
The boys cheer and rush to change.
Section D's first time at the village market.
How will it turn out?
No one knows —
but it will definitely be chaotic.