Day 8 of Being Stranded on a Deserted Island, We Held a Meat Party

I could tell how long she must have agonized before making her way over here.

The Kang Seoyoon I knew would rather starve to death than beg for a handout.

"Would it be okay if I joined you?"

"You couldn't resist the smell of grilling meat, could you?"

Seoyoon silently nodded over and over.

It wasn't just anywhere—the smell of meat grilling on a deserted island.

You'd have to be unusually strong-willed to resist that.

"Here, have some."

When I gladly moved aside to make room, Seoyoon's eyes wavered.

She seemed not to have expected this reaction.

Had she thought I would push back?

"Why are you so kind, Mr. Woojin?"

"Who knows?"

Hm, as expected of someone who always wants a clear answer.

I hadn't really thought about it...

Did being nice to someone really need a clearly articulated motive...?

When I tried to explain, nothing specific came to mind.

"I'm someone who deserves no complaint if I go hungry today. You could be much harsher to me..."

"Well, if I do you a favor now, maybe you'll help me when I become useless, Assistant Manager?"

"There's no way you'd ever be useless."

Seoyoon seemed to realize when she looked at the meat I'd caught.

"Is this the boar?"

"Yeah."

"You caught it by yourself, Mr. Kim Woojin."

"Vito did the butchering. She's really skilled."

Honestly, I thought that was even more impressive than catching the boar.

If I'd done it, most of the meat would've been inedible.

"You're very capable, Mr. Woojin. I imagine more people will come looking for you on this island."

"I'd rather not become a public resource, if I can help it. Sounds like a pain."

"Mr. Woojin, no—actually, from the very beginning, you were someone who didn't need to listen to my instructions..."

Workplace hierarchy hadn't meant much anyway.

I'd known from the first day, but I valued the bond between the three of us, too.

I didn't think that was useless when it came to figuring out how to live on this island.

Maybe that's what it means to be human?

If we'd immediately thrown ourselves into doing whatever we could after washing up on the island, the atmosphere we had now wouldn't exist.

Everyone needs a different amount of time to accept a situation.

Both the assistant manager and the manager had clearly left their hearts at the plane or airport, but now they were gradually changing.

"What should I do from now on?"

It wasn't a question asking me for an answer. Her tone suggested she was asking herself.

What should Kang Seoyoon do now that she'd lost her title as assistant manager?

"Why not think about it after you've had your fill?"

A soft thump,

I heard what sounded like Assistant Manager Kang Seoyoon's rationality snapping.

She pressed close beside me and stared at the griddle.

When I put a few well-cooked pieces on her plate, Seoyoon immediately popped them into her mouth and shivered, moved by how the meat melted on her tongue.

"I-it's tender. More tender and delicious than I expected. And salty..."

"We had a fair amount of salt, relatively speaking."

It was thinly sliced boar, seasoned just right.

"The thin slices are the key. It's not tough at all."

"Vito's good with a knife, too."

Vito, who'd been listening, grinned.

Thanks to her knife skills, rivaling those of an experienced butcher, every slice was as uniform as if it had been machine-cut.

"It's delicious."

Seoyoon looked like she was about to cry from how good it was.

"It's so, so good. Sniff."

"Oh my, Assistant Manager Kang, are you crying?"

Manager Han Jia laughed, teasing her.

"I'm not crying... It's just so delicious."

"Ehh~ Didn't you Korean unni keep saying things like 'He who doesn't work shall not eat!' and make Luka work like crazy~?"

Luka seized the opportunity to needle Seoyoon in a spiteful tone.

But her chopsticks only paused for a moment.

Seoyoon stopped caring who was watching and wolfed it down. Luka and Manager Han Jia laughed at the sight.

It was a side of Seoyoon I hadn't seen before.

She ate so heartily that she made everyone watching hungry.

If we had garlic and vegetables, she would've been wrapping it all up in lettuce right now.

"Hoo, hoo... Gulp. I need to recharge properly today so I have the energy to work hard tomorrow."

Seoyoon kept stuffing meat into her mouth as she made excuses.

At one point, she stuffed it in so quickly that she met my eyes and started coughing.

"Cough, cough!"

"Ah, here's some water."

Seoyoon looked up at me, her face bright red.

"W-why are you staring at me while I eat?"

"It's entertaining watching you stuff your cheeks until they look ready to burst, Assistant Manager."

Like a hamster.

"B-but you said I could eat..."

"I'm not giving you a look. Go ahead."

If anything, I put more meat on her plate.

Seoyoon hesitated, watching me cautiously.

"Oppa, Oppa. Me too!"

Luka went one step further, opening her mouth with an "Aah~" as if asking me to feed her.

"Sure, sure."

"Mmm! It tastes even better when Oppa feeds me."

"Have some too, Assistant Manager."

Seoyoon's hand had stopped.

"Ehh. Even Luka worked today, and Assistant Manager Seoyoon's eating more than me?"

"Luka, quit being mean, too."

Hm?

"But what work did you do?"

"Don't you remember this morning~? Oppa."

Swoosh.

As she pressed her body against me, I remembered.

Ahhh!

Right. Luka deserved to eat meat without shame.

Luka was just teasing, but that didn't mean I could let Seoyoon go hungry.

"Besides the salted meat, we'd have to throw away everything if we don't eat it today. Help us out, Assistant Manager."

"That's true, we can't refrigerate it... All right. I'll help."

Seoyoon's chopsticks started moving again.

Haha, we might need more tongs.

Everyone's plates, bowls, tongs, and other utensils had been scavenged from modern supplies.

Not just somewhat—the plane wreckage had been a pretty big help.

"Tomorrow, we should go into the forest and prepare a settlement. Hmm, let's gather everything we need in advance..."

No!

It had barely been any time since she'd refueled with meat, and she was already planning work.

Terrifying!

"Why are you laughing?"

"Are you possessed by the ghost of someone who died from overwork?"

"We can't escape, so naturally we need to start thinking about living here."

The person who'd been laid low by emotional shock and couldn't manage that obvious next step...

I shouldn't say that, should I~?

"Anyway, we've run out of the sunscreen from the supplies, so exposing our skin on the shore is going to be rough on it."

"Your skin? Well, both of you still have lovely skin."

"You don't know what you're talking about. If you stop taking care of your skin, it ages in no time."

Manager Han Jia cleared her throat, cutting off the assistant manager.

"The meat is really delicious~. Thank you, Mr. Woojin."

"Yeah. I'm getting thanked with a feast today. I've become our village hero."

"You are our village hero~. You even helped Assistant Manager Kang get her strength back."

I glanced at the assistant manager.

"I was worried you'd bring meat and she wouldn't react at all."

"Wouldn't that be really serious?"

Luka said with a laugh. She was definitely right.

If someone didn't react to meat grilling on a deserted island, that would be concerning in its own right.

"It's true I was feeling down."

"Well, that's understandable. You saw it yourself out at sea, Assistant Manager..."

"Saw what?"

The assistant manager tilted her head.

"What did I see in the sea?"

"Huh?"

I'd said it without thinking, too.

But her answer only left me more confused.

Did she not remember?

"When we took the raft out, we came back from the sea."

"Yes, because you said you couldn't use magic, Mr. Woojin."

"That's not what I mean..."

I was about to ask if she didn't remember what had chased us, but her blank gaze made it clear she seemed to remember nothing, and I couldn't finish.

She wasn't pretending.

Had the encounter with the monster been so shocking that she'd forgotten it?

"...Mr. Woojin?"

"Ah, I was mistaken. It's nothing."

"What was that? What a letdown."

I changed the subject before she could notice anything was off.

This was my first time seeing it in person.

I'd only seen it in movies and dramas: the brain making someone forget a shocking sight on its own.

Seoyoon seemed completely unable to recall it, like someone who'd blacked out from drinking too much and couldn't remember the night before.

Well, then there was no need to make her remember.

If anything, I envied her.

Why the fuck couldn't I forget?

Whenever I looked at the night sea, I got chills, wondering if those things might come crawling out.

That was a big part of why I didn't want to stay on the shore anymore.

"Starting tomorrow, I'll do my part to help with the settlement."

"Take it slow. We've only picked out a spot so far."

Assistant Manager, you don't look like you're going to take it slow at all.

Anyway, I was glad she'd regained her spirits.

While everyone ate their fill of grilled meat, one person stood out for not coming over.

The Chinese VIP madam, Lin Wei.

Wow—

So she was here after all. What a tough woman, not even coming over despite the smell of grilling meat...

I was wondering how on earth she'd managed to survive eight days, eating and drinking, when—

'Oh, there's Nari.'

The plain but pretty Korean flight attendant.

Nari put a few pieces of meat on her plate and took some water I'd given her to the madam.

The madam crossed her arms and hesitated as if deciding whether to take it, but after Nari's earnest pleading, she accepted it reluctantly.

I felt bad thinking this about Nari, but they looked like a maid and her mistress.

It's not as if the madam could have had something to hold over Nari on a deserted island───

I wonder.

I asked Nari when she came back.

"Nari."

"Oh, yes? Mr. Kim Woojin. Thank you so much for the meat today."

"By the way, why are you bringing food to that madam?"

"Ah..."

Nari hesitated to answer.

"If you leave her alone, she'll come get food herself. You don't need to take care of her, do you?"

"I can't just leave her alone. Someone who's isolated by herself, especially..."

'Someone who's isolated by herself.'

Those words said a lot.

She probably couldn't get along with the VIP madam in any group.

In other words, the flight attendant Nari had taken responsibility for a woman who was isolated and in danger of being left to die alone.

"Are you okay? You're carrying twice the burden all by yourself."

I'd thought I was helping the assistant manager out of goodwill, but the real self-sacrificing angel was right here.

She was trying to keep a woman fed who had nothing to do with her and was even unpleasant...

"I..."

Nari spoke in a voice that sounded like she was suppressing pain.

"I feel it's largely my fault that I wasn't able to get all the passengers to safety."

"..."

The guilt she carried was so immense it worried me.

It was more than one person could bear.

"I'm so sorry to you, Mr. Kim Woojin, and to your colleagues, too."

This woman...

She looked even more fragile than the VIP madam.

"It wasn't your fault, Nari. Like I said..."

"...Thank you."

Even if I said that, it probably wouldn't sink in.

...She hadn't just left her heart at the airport. She still hadn't gotten over the plane crash.

Volunteering to serve people, making sacrifices, even cutting down on her own share of food──

Maybe she could only find peace of mind by doing that.

"Nari, do you like alcohol?"

"Huh?"

"Alcohol."

Nari hesitated for a moment before answering.

"I... guess I do?"

She looked curious about why I was asking.

I went back to the assistant manager.

"Assistant Manager. Should we open 「that thing」?"

"「That thing」?"

"It's the one you found. I don't know if you remember."

"Oh, right."

There was a bottle of liquor in our camp's bag, the one Assistant Manager Kang Seoyoon had found.

"Didn't you say you hated alcohol, Mr. Woojin?"

"I think we can use it as medicine today."

"...Hmm. All right. I didn't have any particular plans for it anyway, so do what you want, Mr. Kim Woojin."

Treasure chest, open.

Round two is a drinking party.

I called everyone together and opened the bag.

The cardboard box was half crushed, but when a luxurious single malt whisky appeared, its neck adorned with a gold-foil label—

Everyone murmured, then realized it was alcohol and cheered.

"I'll pour everyone a glass."

I passed the luxurious whisky around to our companions first.

I opened a more familiar black-label blended Scotch whisky, too, and passed it around.

There was also a bottle of red wine. The label was soaked and the lettering had blurred, but the wine inside was fine.

The dark ruby liquid shimmered blood-red in the light of the campfire.

"Nari, would you like some?"

"Is it alcohol? Strong liquor can be used for a lot of things, so it can come in handy in an emergency."

"Um..."

"Ah... I'm sorry. It's your stuff, Mr. Woojin. It's up to you what you do with it..."

In a situation like this, it was right to use supplies for survival.

She'd probably been taught that as a flight attendant, too.

But it's easy to overlook something if you only make rational decisions.

That when we can afford to spend time on things we don't really need, we can forget our pain for a little while.

"I've set aside as much as we need. Don't worry."

"Is that so...?"

"I brought this out just for you, Nari."

It was a drink to comfort Nari.

I felt a little embarrassed, wondering if I'd been unusually forward.

"Stay strong, Nari."

"..."

Nari took the glass and wiped her tears with her arm.

"Thank you."

I wasn't giving any to that madam.

Next was a bottle of champagne wrapped in foil.

I opened the bottles one by one and passed drinks around.

"Vito, you have a drink, too."

"Thanks."

"And I'll handle the meat now, so you eat some, too."

"I've been eating while slicing it, so it doesn't really matter."

Claire, who'd been watching us beside the grill, smiled brightly and said,

"Vito, I’m telling you, this is how it starts. First he’s considerate, then he’s dependable, and then boom. Female viewers are ruined.

(Vito, I told you. It starts like this. First he's considerate, then dependable, and then boom. The female viewers are ruined.)"

"This isn't an OTT drama, you know, Sis."

Claire was getting excited about Korean men.

Vito was the only one holding the tongs while grilling, so I just thought it was my turn now.

The foreign big sisters were getting moved.

"Hmm."

Vito seemed unused to this kind of consideration and handed me the tongs with an awkward expression.

"You're a strange one. You should just enjoy being treated like a hero."

"I'm more comfortable with this kind of ordinary, down-to-earth treatment. You big sisters should eat your fill."

"All right. Pour me a glass of whisky."

Claire took the bottle from me and filled another empty glass.

"Cheers to our cutie, too!"

"Ah, I don't drink—"

"Cheers~~."

Hmm, I couldn't refuse Claire when she offered.

"Cheers."

Ugh.

They both drank it like it was sweet, so I thought it would be, but the liquid stung the tip of my tongue.

The moment I inhaled, the alcohol hit the inside of my nose.

My throat was fucking hot.

It was like swallowing fire, if I may exaggerate.

"Ggh."

A hot line slid down my esophagus, then slowly spread inside my chest.

It took a few seconds for the taste to linger in my mouth.

A bitterness like burnt wood, and a rich aroma almost sweet enough to be mistaken for honey.

A strange scent like old leather or wet tree bark───

Rather than being obviously delicious, it felt like I could tell it was expensive, but my tongue couldn't keep up.

"Hehe, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I guess..."

I didn't really understand people who liked drinking this, but everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves and forgetting the reality of being stranded, if only for a little while.

If there was one thing I hadn't expected...

"Mr. Woojin~. You're such a nice guuy~♡"

At a time when everyone should've been going to sleep, a drunk Kang Seoyoon clung to me, slurring her words.