191 – Aquarium (2)
The next day, we cleared the congested road and arrived at Leutde Tower located in the center of Seoul.
In addition to the aquarium, there is also a concert hall and a department store selling various luxury goods.
And because it is a place where there are general supermarkets, it is said that the number of people increases infinitely on weekends.
When we arrived, the parking lot was already almost full.
It didn’t even seem like the heater was turned on, but the heat from the car was enough to make it hot.
“It might be a little cool inside the aquarium, right?”
“Why?”
“Because there are fish and penguins?”
I guess so.
In addition, the glass wall, which has become cold due to the water, will absorb heat and the temperature will drop slightly.
If you think about that, I think it was a good idea to wear outerwear.
But it’s a little hot right now, so I’ll have to lower the zipper a little.
“No, I’m catching a cold.”
Ara saw that I had pulled down the zipper and immediately put it back up.
It occurred to me that I had a hard time with a cold not long ago.
*
Ara and I left the parking lot and came up to the ground.
First, I entered the cafe.
I came out because I was planning to drink a cup of cold coffee and then go inside.
“It’s nice to come out and have coffee after such a long time, right?”
“I see… It’s been a while since I went on a date with my sister…”
Ara has become busy recently, so it was difficult for her to make time for dates.
So, most of the time we just watched movies at home and made fun of each other.
When I wasn’t busy, I went to fishing cafes, movies, and walked in quiet parks…
Now that I am famous, it is an impossible date.
“I’m sorry, Seonghwan.”
“So there’s no need to be sorry? And you said it would quiet down soon.”
It’s already been two weeks since Ara released her album with her group, Queens.
Her fans are slowly quieting down, and there will be a lull until her next album comes out.
Of course, if another album comes out, we will face similar days again.
“If you’re busy on a date, you can do it at home, right?”
“Yes…Thank you.”
Ara must think that I am a very understanding man.
But I’m not very understanding, I just really think that way.
Because I am a housewife, there are many weekends when I stay at home and do housework, and there are days when it is difficult to go out because I have to take care of our little ones.
Now that I have a cat, I have to work hard to take care of it, but wouldn’t it be pitiful if I go out on dates often?
“That’s right. When are you going to pick up the cat?”
“I think I can take him there next week.”
“Then, let’s make time and go together next weekend.”
She spoke with a bright smile, lifted the cup she had placed on the table, and drank the contents.
Of course, the sweet iced Americano is the best.
“Sister, all the ice is melting.”
“Huh?”
Poor coffee, half of which has already melted and turned into plain water.
Still, Ara couldn’t throw it away, so he sucked on the straw and drank the entire contents.
I separated the cup, threw it away, came out, and headed straight to the aquarium.
When I took the escalator down to the first basement floor, I noticed a large entrance and a sign saying “Retde World Aquarium.”
There were so many people at the entrance that it was hard to see what was inside.
“Seonghwan, hold your sister’s hand.”
Ara held my hand tightly, fearing that she might lose me for no reason.
She said that Ara had something similar to a trauma because when she was young she went to play with her parents and got lost.
Did she say that at that time she shed all the tears she would ever shed in one go?
When she looked at her old photos of Ara, she thought she was such a cute girl that she wanted to take a look.
*
She followed the bean sprout-like waiting line and found herself at the ticket booth.
She finished her payment while holding my hand and chatting with her staff. She then finished issuing tickets and led me back to her entrance.
The entrance was designed in a way that made me feel like I had seen it many times before.
This is a subway ticket gate.
“Just insert your ticket here and enter.”
“There’s something like this even these days.”
It appears once in a while when you watch old dramas or movies.
These days, everything is equipped with anything other than an NFC transportation card reader.
“Did you know that Busan still has ticket machines and ticket gates?”
“Really?”
“Yes, my sister had fun filming it too.”
With that conversation, I put in my ticket and went inside through the ticket gate.
As soon as I went inside, what I saw were small sharks and tropical fish.
And then electric eels and reptiles caught my eye.
“That big of a fish grows even in fresh water…”
“This is my first time seeing a tropical fish that big.”
Ara and I held hands and walked through the entrance together.
I never thought it would be this much fun even though I haven’t even gotten inside yet.
I should have come earlier.
“Isn’t that a crocodile?”
“It’s a crocodile, but it’s really small?”
Most types of crocodiles we think of are crocodile types.
So that is also a crocodile called a Nile crocodile that lives in fresh water.
“But it’s a bit small?”
“Isn’t he still young?”
I don’t know much about reptiles, so I spoke vaguely.
Later, I will ask one of the club members who is a reptile enthusiast.
As I entered from the entrance, various fish and animals caught my eye.
Ara was particularly interested in turtles, and also looked at carnivorous fish such as candiru and piranha with interest.
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It seems like she was even more upset because she was being fed.
“It’s pretty…”
After finishing the native fish and tropical fish, this time we came across a tunnel with the theme of the Amazon.
When I was young, I often dreamed of living in a house like this…
When I think about it now, I see myself calculating how much maintenance costs will be.
This is why aquariums are good.
It seems to bring back our childhood innocence, when we are too old to be young.
This was something you could tell just by looking at Ara spinning around with sparkling eyes.
I guess I came to the right place.
*
“Stand…Seonghwan! Look at that! That!”
“Oh… I think that’s a beluga.”
This is a critically endangered species and its Korean name is white dolphin.
Anyway, maybe it’s because it’s a dolphin
You are alone in such a large tank.
“You look lonely because you’re alone.”
“Still, I’m swimming as if I’m happy.”
Only the dolphins themselves know the feelings of the dolphins in the aquarium.
But doesn’t it feel good to be swimming inside while smiling?
Still, I hope to go back to the sea someday.
***
Afterwards, we finished looking at the side where the jellyfish were and sat down at the Ocean Cafe in the middle.
It seems to be a collaboration between a famous franchise cafe and an aquarium, but the menu doesn’t seem to be much different.
“I was thirsty probably because I walked, but that’s a good thing.”
“Eat bread too.”
She took the bread offered to her in her hand and put it into her mouth.
It was clearly bread with meat in it, but since I had just seen the fish, I felt like I was eating a simple grilled fish.
“But didn’t you say there’s a restaurant here?”
“I guess it’s upstairs. It seems a little different from the food court.”
“Then shall we eat there for dinner tonight?”
“It’s been a while since I ate out.”
I was wondering what to do this evening, and the timing was perfect.
I’ll have to postpone grocery shopping until tomorrow.
As I sat down and ate the bread, I noticed the people around me.
There were many families who came to visit with their sons and daughters, but there were also more couples than expected, with a man and woman walking around with their arms around each other.
After all, the aquarium is an attractive place for a date.
“You’ve also been to the Busan Aquarium, right?”
“Yes. There was no aquarium or anything like that in Gimhae, where my sister lived. So, I often went to Haeundae to see it.”
“I guess there are more fish in Busan, right?”
I searched yesterday, and the aquarium in Haeundae was right below the beach.
If that happens, there will be no need to bother bringing seawater like in Seoul, and stress management of fish will be easier.
“Um… I don’t really remember that. I haven’t been to the aquarium since that incident.”
“Are you talking about the incident where your sister cried so loudly that your ears fell off?”
“Yeah… That’s why Seonghwan was holding my hand tightly.”
You held my hand tightly, saying you would never lose it.
When I think about that expression from before, I still think it’s so cute that I’m dying.
“So you’re saying you don’t remember much?”
“Ugh…It’s a little disappointing…But why?”
“I think I’d like to go to Busan next time. Toward Haeundae.”
If I think about it, I have never really had fun in Busan.
When I found Ara’s parents’ ring before, I just took the KTX and went straight to Gimhae.
So, shouldn’t we set aside some time and have some fun in Busan?
I want to try the local pork soup once.
Gukbap… It might be a little difficult to upload soup on QTube video.
Because there was so much work to do, I was advised that the best thing to do was to cook soup as little as possible.
To whom?
Of course, this is advice I received from someone in the same industry.
Who it is is a secret.