32. Red Alert
As Junhyuk mentioned, the forest seemed untouched by human hands. It was as if it were a primeval forest, with no discernible paths at all. To venture deeper inside, one had to push through thick foliage and waist-high grass.
With a serious expression, Junhyuk glanced ahead and then took a step back, creating a small gap between himself and Se-ah, who was following closely behind.
"I’ll need to clear a path, so branches might fly off. Don’t stick too close, but make sure to follow me properly."
"I will,"
With a bow slung over his back, Junhyuk cut through the tough grass ahead with a sharp metal shard. Even the thicker branches that jutted out suddenly broke off with a crisp snap in his hands.
The shorter grass beneath their calves was trampled under Junhyuk's feet, quickly turning the area into a flat path for Se-ah to follow. It was almost as if a bulldozer had swept through.
Feeling guilty about being the only one walking comfortably, Se-ah began gathering branches that Junhyuk had broken, intending to use them as firewood later. She placed them in a pile to collect on their way back.
Though Junhyuk carved marks into large tree trunks with a knife, she also used plastic bottle caps found on the beach to leave additional markers, just in case.
After pushing forward for some time, they finally emerged into a clearing without trees. Junhyuk paused to catch his breath, wiping sweat from his forehead.
Se-ah seized the moment and handed him a water bottle.
"Thank you."
Clearly thirsty, he gulped down the water, his Adam’s apple bobbing noticeably. Afterward, he scanned the surroundings and spoke.
"The fact that there are so many trees means there’s plenty of water nearby, which is a good sign. But where there’s water, there are also animals and insects. You need to be careful. There could even be poisonous plants, so don’t touch any unfamiliar ones."
"Yes, yes!"
Se-ah, who had been about to touch an intriguing fern-like plant, quickly withdrew her hand, startled.
"We do have emergency supplies, but getting seriously injured would be a big problem. So, don’t let your guard down and avoid getting hurt. Understand?"
"I understand,"
She nodded enthusiastically like a student on a field trip.
Her earnest reaction made her burst out laughing, drawing a puzzled look from Junhyuk.
"Why are you laughing?"
"It feels like we’re a teacher and a student."
"Us?"
"Yes. I wasn’t this obedient as a student, but for some reason, I find myself following your lead easily. Maybe it’s because we’re on a deserted island?"
"That sounds about right. You don’t seem like the type who’d normally listen well."
"What did you just say?"
"Just joking."
Junhyuk smirked, amused by Se-ah's indignant reaction, and casually added,
"Hmm. There’s not much to do besides clearing this path, so why don’t you tell me about your school days? Not that I’m curious or anything."
"Why would I share that with someone who’s not interested?"
"I already said I’m just bored."
"It’ll be boring for you."
"I doubt that."
He trailed off, lightly stroking his eyebrow.
It wasn’t a secret or anything, so Se-ah decided that reminiscing a little wouldn’t hurt, especially since he was working so hard.
"Well, there’s not much to say. Everything was pretty average—my grades, my friendships, all of it."
"That doesn’t seem likely,"
Junhyuk said, shaking his head as he gazed at Se-ah.
"It’s true. My mom decided not to send me to a prestigious school, even though I barely made the cut, because she thought it might hurt my self-esteem. Instead, she sent me to a regular school far from home, and it was great. There, it didn’t matter who my parents or grandparents were."
"That must’ve been nice,"
Junhyuk replied, reflecting on her words and concluding that Se-ah had probably grown up in a wealthy family.
Thinking back to his own school days, he recalled how kids from well-off families tended to stick together, often forming cliques. Though there were no official ranks, there was an unspoken hierarchy among them, likely stemming from their parents’ business relationships.
He couldn’t help but feel oddly pleased that Se-ah hadn’t been part of those cliques.
"Yeah, so I studied like an average student and managed to get into a university in Seoul. My dad encouraged me to transfer schools midway, which I did, but overall, I think I lived more freely than most kids in similar situations,"
Se-ah said, reminiscing with a bright, serene expression.
Her candid personality seemed to be a product of her upbringing. Despite her seemingly sheltered background, she hadn’t once complained about the hardships of being stranded on a deserted island. Instead, she busied herself finding ways to contribute, like a small squirrel storing away supplies.
The way she puffed her cheeks while eating everything he handed her was endearing. Even though Junhyuk typically kept people at arm’s length, there was something disarmingly safe about Se-ah. Rather than feeling threatened, he felt an urge to protect her.
Though they’d only known each other for a few days by his count, he found himself constantly drawn to her. While it felt unfamiliar, he saw no reason to deny his growing affection.
If he’d woken up on this island with anyone else, it would have been horrifying. Even imagining it made him shudder.
Watching Se-ah curiously examine the forest, he felt grateful she was there. At the same time, a strange possessiveness surged within him—a desire to keep this moment and her presence all to himself.
What kind of fool had he been to let such a woman remain just an acquaintance? What if someone else had taken her away?
Well, he had been a fool back then, only feeding her fish.
Junhyuk clicked his tongue at his past self. He realized he hadn’t even asked if she had a boyfriend. He debated asking now but decided against it, fearing it might create unnecessary tension.
Instead, he resolved to change her perception of him, ensuring she wouldn’t see him as just another person. After all, there was no immediate competition for her attention.
Still, they needed to find a rabbit or something.
Junhyuk hadn’t ventured into the forest solely to find water; a significant reason was to hunt for food for Se-ah. She had mentioned wanting meat.
He wanted to do for her what his past self couldn’t—to show her that he had changed and to deepen their relationship.
"Shall we head out again?"
Judging by their progress, they hadn’t ventured too far from the beach, but the sun, once high above, was now beginning to set. He planned to explore about 50 more meters before calling it a day. After all, they couldn’t afford to take unnecessary risks in such an environment.
Luckily, they soon found a narrow, flattened path where grass had been pressed down. Judging by the width, it seemed to be the trail of a medium-sized animal.
"Let’s check out this area a little more before heading back,".
"I think we can keep going. I’ve still got plenty of energy,"
Se-ah replied enthusiastically. Junhyuk chuckled and shook his head.
"Pushing too far might get us hurt. Plus, we need to eat."
"True. You haven’t eaten anything yet, have you?"
Se-ah asked, her gaze drifting to Junhyuk’s toned abs. He instinctively tensed his muscles, unintentionally showing off.
"I’m fine, but you can’t go hungry,"
"I'm fine too,".
"How can you be fine when your stomach is going to start growling if you skip a meal?"
Junhyuk teased, making her cheeks flush in embarrassment.
"There’s a stream over here,"
Junhyuk said as he tracked the animal trail, leading to a small stream.
The dense vegetation had hidden the stream so well that it would have been impossible to find it without following the trail. Though not very wide, the clear water flowed gently, as pure as rainwater.
Still, he didn’t make the mistake of drinking directly from it.
"Now it doesn’t matter if it doesn’t rain anymore,"
Se-ah said cheerfully, crouching beside him and dipping her hand into the water. She smiled brightly, her neat teeth peeking out between her pink lips.
Suddenly, an alarm seemed to blare in Junhyuk’s mind, and his heart began racing uncontrollably.
Before the alarm subsided, Se-ah patted him on the shoulder in praise.
"You’re amazing, Captain!"
Looking at her radiant face, which seemed even clearer than the flowing water, Junhyuk impulsively pulled her into an embrace. Truthfully, he had wanted to press his lips against her chattering, lovely mouth, but he barely managed to restrain himself and turned his face away.
"W-what are you doing?"
Se-ah stammered, squirming in his arms. Junhyuk came to his senses and released her, leaping to his feet. His face, and indeed his entire body, burned with embarrassment.
Even to himself, his actions seemed out of line. He closed his eyes tightly and opened them again, uttering an excuse he had never used before.
"I thought there was a snake next to you, and I panicked,"
"A s-snake?"
Se-ahSe-ah gasped in fright and immediately threw herself into his arms.
Feeling her soft figure against his solid frame, with her delicate scent wafting up to him, Junhyuk felt his heart drop as if sinking into the ground.
Fighting the resurgent alarm in his mind, he gently pushed her away from him.
"There’s no snake. I just mistook a branch for one,"
"Thank goodness,"
Se-ah sighed in relief. Junhyuk quickly turned away from her, feeling the heat rise to his earlobes.
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