30. Even the Younger Ones Are Pretty Decent...
“Eat this.”
Junhyuk tore open the steaming hot crab shell with his bare hands and handed the crab claw to Se-ah.
Swallowing her saliva, Se-ah carefully took the crab leg, worried it might fall onto the sand, and began eating the meat inside.
The coconut crab was so full of meat that eating just one would be enough to feel full. Its body was large, and its claws were intimidatingly strong.
However, the twenty-year-old Junhyuk fearlessly used coconuts, which the crab had attacked, to lure and capture five of them.
It all started when Se-ah, while eating fish in the morning, muttered to herself about craving some meat.
Upon hearing her muttering, Junhyuk raised an eyebrow.
“Why? Have you been living on just fish all this time? For four days?”
“No, that's not it.”
Se-ah responded that although they had eaten coconuts and canned spam, the main dish was always fish. Yet, Junhyuk immediately picked up a spear and stood up.
“What’s the deal? Can’t that guy hunt? What is he, a cat living on fish?”
Wait, could 'that guy' possibly be the 33-year-old Do Junhyuk?
Se-ah shook her head at the sight of Junhyuk criticizing his future self and defended him.
“We didn’t leave the beach much since we had just drifted ashore. There could have been an emergency, so we stayed close to the beach for rescue. That’s what you, Junhyuk from thirteen years in the future, explained.”
“Then you should’ve gone hunting at night.”
“I couldn’t because I’d be alone at night.”
Hearing this, Junhyuk stared at her briefly and then nodded.
“That could be true.”
“Exactly. Wandering around in the dark is dangerous.”
“I’m used to it, so it’s fine for me.”
Se-ah, who was about to ask what he meant by 'used to it,' remembered that he once mentioned being stranded in a jungle, so she remained silent.
“Anyway, leaving you alone does seem dangerous.”
“Right? I mean, look at me. I’m too beautiful to be left alone…”
“No, I meant it’s dangerous if someone tries to attack you.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? I’m the prettiest one here, you know!”
“Sure, let’s go with that. You’re the prettiest here.”
Se-ah glared at him with narrowed eyes, and Junhyuk chuckled before picking up a nearby coconut. Despite his teasing, he kept laughing as if her reaction amused him.
Junhyuk seemed to be laughing more often, perhaps because his mental defenses had weakened. It was nice to see him more cheerful.
Se-ah felt a pang of pity, thinking that his naturally bright personality must have turned reserved and cold due to his harsh family environment.
Since she suspected he would return to his reserved demeanor once his memories came back, she decided to observe his current self as much as possible.
“What are you planning to do with the coconut? Are you thirsty?”
Se-ah asked curiously as she watched Junhyuk trying to crack open the coconut.
“I’ll use it as bait. If fish get boring, we can use this to catch crabs or other things. You’re not allergic to crustaceans, are you?”
“Allergic? I can barely eat enough of them to worry about allergies.”
“Then watch carefully. If something happens to me, you might need to survive on your own, so it’s better to learn this.”
His words made her heart drop.
“Why would you even say that? Spit it out and knock on wood!”
Se-ah, who had never once imagined Junhyuk disappearing since they arrived on the island, scolded him in panic.
Although she had imagined a scenario where the rescue ship never arrived, she had never considered the possibility of Junhyuk not being by her side. Even if the heavens collapsed, it wouldn't shock her as much as that thought.
‘I’ve come to depend on him so much.’
Se-ah realized once again how significant Junhyuk's presence had become to her.
The epilogue of their time on the deserted island, which she once envisioned as a negative memory leading them back to their separate lives, was gradually changing to a more positive outlook.
At the very least, she thought she would like to buy Junhyuk a meal when they returned.
She began to think differently—that if they had once been in love, there might be a stronger bond between them now.
“Alright, I’ll take that back. But still, survival skills are always worth learning. They don’t hurt to know. I learned these from the natives when I was stranded in the jungle.”
“Alright.”
Reluctantly, Se-ah nodded her head.
“Watch carefully.”
Junhyuk skillfully split the coconut into several pieces, placed them near a palm tree, and then waited silently, barely breathing.
Before long, a reddish creature emerged from the ground, revealing its massive claws. Soon, the dirt was pushed aside, and a crab with a body larger than his head completely surfaced.
The coconut crab, much larger in person than in videos, seemed to live up to its name as it headed straight for the coconut pieces Junhyuk had placed. During this time, Junhyuk quietly picked up the net he had prepared and moved cautiously.
Se-ah held her breath and watched from a distance.
Junhyuk, now a skilled hunter, captured the crab that was burying its head into the coconut in one swift motion with the net.
Se-ah gave him a silent thumbs-up.
In no time, Junhyuk caught several crabs, enough to provide a hearty lunch for both of them.
'Normally, these guys only come out at night. We’re lucky they’re less cautious on this deserted island,' Junhyuk said happily. Watching him, Se-ah couldn’t help but smile brightly as well.
‘Am I really getting attached to him?’
Watching Junhyuk eat the remaining crabs after offering her some first, Se-ah found herself lost in new worries.
Even the sweat dripping down his face from lighting the fire and the way his Adam’s apple moved as he swallowed food seemed oddly captivating.
Why does he look so manly?
No matter the situation, even at twenty years old, he was undeniably attractive—a fact that was becoming increasingly concerning.
Get a grip, Jin Se-ah.
Se-ah slapped her cheeks with both hands. Falling for her ex-husband was absolutely out of the question.
No way. That’s not happening.
Shaking her head, she resolved to maintain some distance between them.
However, contrary to her resolution, after breakfast, Junhyuk dragged her to the shallow waters, saying he would teach her how to catch fish.
“Using a sturdy wooden trap is best since it doesn’t require much physical effort, but in clear waters like these, it’s easier to spear fish.”
“Can I really catch one? They seem much faster than me.”
“You can. You’ve got a great teacher by your side, after all.”
Se-ah’s heart skipped a beat as Junhyuk smiled, revealing his white teeth.
“You swing it like this.”
Junhyuk demonstrated the motion, and Se-ah awkwardly imitated him.
“No, not like that. Use the rebound from your waist. That way, your arms won’t get sore.”
“Like this?”
“No, tilt your body back a bit more.”
Junhyuk placed his large hand on Se-ah’s waist, gently adjusting her posture.
Thump.
“Yes, that’s it. Now hold it like this.”
He corrected her grip on the spear by holding her hand. Seeing how much larger his hand was compared to hers, Se-ah’s cheeks flushed red.
Soon enough, Se-ah managed to catch a slow-swimming fish with the spear. Although it was sluggish, almost as if it were napping near the coral reef, the sense of accomplishment made Se-ah shout in excitement.
“Junhyuk—no, Captain! I did it! I caught one!”
As she jumped up and down with the spear, Junhyuk approached her, smiling, and patted her head.
“Well done. But are you really thirty? You don’t seem like it.”
“That’s a compliment, right?”
“Yes, if you like looking young.”
His soft smile made him look exactly like a twenty-year-old.
After the spear lesson went smoothly, Junhyuk taught her how to distinguish between useful and useless items among the washed-up debris.
If the thirty-three-year-old Junhyuk had preferred to handle everything alone, the twenty-year-old Junhyuk seemed to enjoy doing everything together with her.
Once cautious around her, he now moved almost as if they were inseparable.
Did he start to see her as a true companion?
Se-ah glanced up at Junhyuk walking beside her, matching her pace. It was hard to believe he was the same person who had attacked her on that first night.
“What is it?”
Noticing her gaze, he turned his head, seemingly sensing her thoughts.
“Oh, nothing.”
“‘Nothing,’ huh? If you want to keep looking, go ahead. Can’t blame you if I’m this good-looking.”
“No, I don’t!”
Se-ah gave him a sideways glare as his playful teasing grew bolder.
After finishing the remaining crabs for dinner and staring into the fire, Junhyuk, sitting next to her, pointed toward the forest.
“We can’t keep waiting for a rescue forever. Tomorrow, we should start exploring the island bit by bit. What do you think?”
“That sounds good.”
Se-ah immediately nodded.
“In movies, they mark trees and extend their search range. Should we do that too?”
“Sure. And it might be good to set up traps near the house.”
“Traps?”
“We don’t want anyone coming into our nest, do we?”
“Our… nest?”
“Of course. Whose nest would it be if not ours?”
Junhyuk emphasized the word 'our' with an oddly persistent glint in his eyes. It sent chills down Se-ah’s spine.
As she hesitated, Junhyuk extinguished the fire with sand and helped her to her feet.
“Shall we clean up and get ready for bed?”
“Uh, yes! Okay!”
Even though she had spent several days with Junhyuk, his memory loss made him feel like a completely different person. It felt almost like experiencing their first night all over again.
Se-ah followed him hesitantly, trailing slightly behind.
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