Chapter 59
* * *
While we were all waiting for the food to finish cooking, I spotted some visitors hesitating near the fence.
It was flight attendant Nari and VIP Madam Lin Wei.
"Isn't that Nari?"
"Hello, Mr. Woojin."
Although both still looked haggard, as if they'd had a rough time, they weren't in the same pitiful state as before.
Maybe they'd gained some strength and resolve from spending time at our camp?
Lin Wei had seemed determined never to let her hands get dirty, but now it looked like the deserted island had toughened her up a little.
"Looks like you're making something? You can serve me some."
Lin Wei was something else right from the start.
She came right out and demanded we serve her, chest held high.
"Haha…."
Nari gave Lin Wei an awkward smile.
I get it, Nari. She's a difficult woman to humor.
"I brought a lot of the soapberries you said you needed. Would you like to take a look?"
Even before Nari opened her bag, I sensed the same lively afterglow of mana I'd felt last time.
Inside, there were so many natural soapberries that even I was surprised.
"Wow, you gathered a lot."
"We couldn't find anything to eat or drink, so we ended up finding lots of things like this. Ahaha…."
Well, dinner was going to be more than enough today, so maybe I should invite them.
"Then would you two like to join us for dinner tonight?"
Nari's lips even formed the word 'yes' for a moment, but she held back for a beat.
I could sense her resolve not to rely on us carelessly.
"I've paid for it, so bring it out already. I'm hungry."
But as if she didn't care about any of that, Lin Wei strode right into camp.
"…Ugh…. I'm sorry. Could we impose on you?"
"You must both be really hungry."
"Ah, we've been getting by eating bits of grass…."
……These people were still having a hard time.
I'd briefly thought about offering to help, but quickly put that thought aside.
I'd been acting unlike my usual self, going overboard just because I'd taken in two college girls in a difficult spot.
I don't have the power to guarantee I can feed all these people.
I'm only sharing because we have enough right now, doing what I can to lend them a hand.
And we help each other get the supplies we need like this.
This is the extent of the meddling I can manage for now.
"I hope today's menu lives up to my expectations. That delicious meat from last time was good, too."
Lin Wei sat down arrogantly on the platform and crossed her legs.
"Oh? It's gotten bigger."
"It wasn't made for you to lie down on, Ms. Lin Wei."
Miryeong and Yuna shrank back, looking at her as if to say, 「Who is that lady?」
"Hmph, there's a whole string of new members now. Even though you turned us down."
"To be precise, you were the one who went on a rampage by yourself…."
"Well, whatever. I expect you to give me proper value for these. I went through quite a bit of trouble gathering them, too."
Huh?
That meant……
Nari wasn't the only one who'd gathered the soapberries?
I grinned.
"You got your hands dirty and rummaged around in the dirt? You've changed a lot."
"That was supposed to be the kind of work people like you do."
"Hah."
Still as sharp-tongued as ever.
Still, well.
The fact that they'd diligently searched according to the conditions we'd set made me see them a little differently.
With that huge butt planted on the platform, it suddenly felt cramped.
"It'll be a little while before the cooking's done, so you two can go wash up."
"Really? Can we shower?"
Nari said happily.
Nari didn't hesitate when she was told she could wash herself, either.
Maybe, given the nature of her job as a flight attendant, she couldn't stand having body odor.
"Yes. What you brought is exactly what we need to help you shower. Press the water pocket, and water will come out like a shower."
"Thank you!"
"Great."
While Lin Wei and Nari went to wash up, Seoyun, who'd been checking on the steaming, slipped over to me.
"What? Why'd you let those people in?"
"They brought this. Want to see?"
Even Seoyun, who'd been openly full of complaints, was surprised when she saw what was in the bag.
"They brought this much?"
"They said they couldn't find food, but found a lot of things like this."
"Haa. This is really great. But honestly, I feel like only Nari worked. Poor thing…."
The Assistant Manager still seemed to dislike Lin Wei.
"Amazingly, it seems Lin Wei dug around in the dirt just as hard."
"Pfft. Really?"
"Yes. She was fiercely determined."
"Puhuhu. It's a deserted island, so she can't help it~."
Seoyun curled the corner of her mouth, savoring the pathetic downfall of the haughty VIP madam.
"Well, then maybe it's fine to let them eat my cooking and teach them what it means to help each other."
"Once you become enemies with someone, you really go all the way, Assistant Manager…."
"I won't become enemies with you, Mr. Woojin. Don't worry."
That's a pretty heartening thing to hear.
Ah, there were so many women at camp now.
It was to the point where just standing still was draining my energy.
There was activity by the shower area—I'm not peeking, of course—and Luka, Miryeong, and Yuna were giggling on the platform.
Had they gotten close without me noticing?
The Manager and Assistant Manager were rushing through the cooking process.
Actually, in terms of the number of women, the peak had been when we were at the beach.
Back then, there were dozens of women, with me as the only man.
But honestly, aside from the few I was close to, I had no connection with any of them.
They were simply strangers waiting for the rescue team far away from me.
It was only the distant awareness that the others 'existed.'
It wasn't a sense that we were 'in this together.'
After building a living space on this island, welcoming women into it like guests, and sharing meals with them…
It finally felt like I was really facing each person, one by one.
Maybe it was because we'd decided to somehow keep living.
I could see people's expressions in a way I hadn't when we were just waiting.
'Not bad.'
I, Kim Woojin, wasn't the type to leap right into the middle of it and make a fuss about joining in.
I simply watched peacefully and silently adjusted the Wind Glyph.
So everyone could enjoy comfortable air───
So this peaceful time could last a little longer.
* * *
As evening drew near, a rich aroma I hadn't smelled in a while wafted over from the platform.
It was the sweet, deep scent unique to crustaceans.
"It's ready."
The Assistant Manager held a wide white plate salvaged from the plane's supplies in both hands.
Her expression was as composed as ever, and there was a quiet confidence in the way she set the plate down.
A huge crayfish, cooked bright red, lay whole in the center of the plate.
Through the shell, split lengthwise from head to tail, snow-white meat bulged plumply.
The thick tail meat had been scored into bite-sized portions and spread out like a fan over the red shell.
Both claws had been scored and their shells slightly pried open, revealing the claw meat packed inside.
A thin layer of vermilion sauce had been brushed over the top.
'It's danhong-fruit sauce!'
My mouth was already watering.
The sauce melted over the hot meat, gleaming like a pane of glass.
Flecks of wild pepper stood out clearly like little dots here and there.
"It looks delicious…."
I was amazed by a presentation hard to believe had been made on a deserted island.
"Hmm, I figured I should humble that arrogant woman, so I put in some effort."
The plating, worthy of a fine-dining restaurant, seemed to be the result of the Assistant Manager's great care.
She didn't need to put in that much effort; Lin Wei seemed like she'd do anything for the Assistant Manager's spot……
Everyone was simply admiring the dish.
"But why is this crayfish still whole?"
The largest crayfish had all been prepared so everyone could eat, but one of the two comparatively smaller, medium-sized ones had been left intact.
"We'll get to that in a bit… When the two of them come back, grab it with your hands and pull it apart. You washed your hands, right?"
"Yes."
Lin Wei soon returned from her shower.
"Let me see what decent dish you've prepared today.
(Let's see what kind of proper dish you've prepared today.)
Lin Wei acted as if it were only natural that she be served.
Maybe because she'd spent her whole life being waited on, she still had an air of elegance about her.
Perhaps I was just interpreting it favorably because I'd been captivated by those big breasts and pretty face……
Her armpits and forehead were freshly exposed.
Lin Wei's distinctive wine-colored bob and splendid golden-brown eyes landed on me, then slowly shifted down to the platform.
"Not bad."
……Where was Nari? Feeling awkward, I turned my eyes away for no reason.
Looking behind me, I saw Nari still changing over there.
I accidentally caught a glimpse of Nari in an unguarded state…….
Maybe I let my guard down because there were so many women around? I was a little flustered to see her outside the rocks, her skin exposed.
Nari didn't even seem to notice me looking, staring blankly at something.
"Nari, hurry up and come over!"
I raised my voice to let her know I was watching.
Nari hurriedly pulled up her robe and answered, her face red.
"Y-yes!!"
A little later.
Once the two of them had changed and sat down, the Assistant Manager spoke to me as if we'd planned it.
"Mr. Woojin. Open it with your hands. Let's see if it's cooked through."
Ah, that kind of performance?
I did as Seoyun told me, grabbing the body and tail of a two-kilo crayfish with both hands and twisting them in opposite directions.
Crack
As they separated, the plump, piping-hot tail meat fanned open, coated in rich, nutty tomalley.
That's an incredible amount of meat……!!
Inside the head was a mass of golden tomalley, like perfectly cooked sea urchin roe.
Amazing……
Compared to the super rock crab, the difference was the overwhelming amount of meat and tomalley.
I could practically drown in this, couldn't I?
Nari swallowed almost as if entranced, while Lin Wei coolly folded her arms, but her eyes gave her away───
I could tell everyone's eyes had gone wild.
"Waaah……."
"Amaazing."
"Uuugh."
Yuna, Miryeong, and Luka squirmed, as if they couldn't take it anymore.
Haha…
You've really become a full-fledged food-show producer, Assistant Manager.
After letting us enjoy her superiority long enough, Seoyun said magnanimously,
"You two can come up and eat, too. Mr. Woojin says he'll treat everyone today."
"Thank you."
Nari bowed politely and climbed onto the platform, while Lin Wei claimed a spot with her plump butt and crossed her legs.
"Well done. I don't think you could buy something like this even if you paid for it outside. Who cooked it?"
Isn't that the highest praise you could get from a madam?
"I did."
"Not bad. You, too."
"Ahem……."
Lin Wei readily acknowledged Seoyun's efforts.
The Assistant Manager reacted with a hint of shyness.
"Shall we eat now?"
"Yes. Help yourselves."
Why was everyone waiting for me to take the first bite……
I'm not the most senior person in camp.
If you had to say, Manager Han Jia is the oldest…… *cough cough.*
"Let's eat."
Apparently, this was what everyone wanted.
I took the tail meat I'd twisted off for the presentation……
And dipped it deep into the tomalley pooled inside the head shell.
──It's soaking in. Haaaah.
The rich golden innards clung to it in abundance, covering the white meat until it was no longer visible.
"Haaam."
I shoved a generous mouthful of meat straight into my mouth.
"Aah."
"Kyaaaah."
Why were they reacting like this just because I ate a little…
It felt like my peak popularity, the sort I might've experienced as a baby, had come back.
'Mmm.'
The first thing I noticed was the incredible springiness.
When in your life would you ever get to dip crayfish tail meat deep into tomalley and stuff your cheeks until they bulged?
The moment my teeth tore through the meat, its springy fibers popped apart, and hot, sweet juices flooded my mouth.
Soon after, the tomalley melted softly over my tongue.
It was rich and savory.
A concentrated depth, as if the crustacean's umami had been reduced several times over, was followed by a buttery, fatty sweetness.
Just as it threatened to become too rich, the sharp aroma of wild pepper rose all the way to my nose and neatly cleansed the finish.
Hah…… wonderful.
Why did everything we foraged and hunted on this island turn out so well?
Crayfish meat could never be this sweet if you ate it outside.
At this very moment───
It tasted so good I could confidently say I was truly happy.
"I don't think I need to ask how it is today."
Seoyun gave me a satisfied smile.
Did I look that happy while eating?
I almost went to heaven…….
"The dish is called whole crayfish steamed with wild pepper and danhong-fruit tomalley sauce."
Everyone began tasting it, busily moving their chopsticks.
"Mmmmmm. Haaah."
Starting with the Manager, who was practically moaning, Miryeong, Yuna, and Luka all squirmed with satisfaction, too.
Nari, who'd politely picked up a piece, ate with a bright smile.
……Lin Wei's expression was utterly blank, making it impossible to tell if she liked it. But her chopsticks were still moving faster and faster.
While everyone ate, each reacting to how delicious it was…
I felt a little awkward holding a big piece of tail meat by myself, so I set it down.
"Hehe, Mr. Woojin, you can eat all of that. It's yours."
"How incredibly luxurious. You get a whole one all to yourself…."
So this had been Seoyun's plan from the start.
Had she decided the impact would be less impressive if she prepared all of it and served it at once?
This portion was simply steamed without being paired with the sauce.
"Try one with the sauce, too, Mr. Woojin."
"Will you feed it to me?"
"……."
While the Assistant Manager hesitated……
"Aaaah. Hubby, say ah."
Miryeong beat her to it.
Huh.
Then I turned my head toward her…… and nom nom.
"How is it, Hubby?"
Ngh!!
Right… I remembered as soon as I tasted it. Today's steamed crayfish also had tomalley sauce with danhong fruit.
The sweet juices burst through the springy meat, and the danhong fruit's rich aroma spread over my tongue.
It wasn't just sweetness like sugar.
A deep, well-reduced sweetness and a subtle acidity brought out the savoriness of the crayfish meat.
The tomalley mixed into the sauce added a nutty aftertaste later, but this time it lingered as a smooth richness rather than greasiness.
The pepper's presence came through here, too.
"It's delicious……."
"Luka wants some, too! Luka wants some!"
After seeing Miryeong, Luka also knelt down demurely like a newlywed bride and held out a piece, imitating her.
As you'd expect from a Japanese girl, she handled chopsticks as well as we did.
"Oppaaaa. Say ah."
"Ah."
Nom nom…….
"Aren't you going to feed me, Assistant Manager?"
"Hmph. No need. The young girls are doing it, so what do I have to do?"
"……Mr. Woojin, say ah."
Manager Han Jia joined in, seeming embarrassed.
………
……She was so shameless, but so adorable!
The Assistant Manager looked a little surprised and stared at Han Jia's face.
"Say ah."
I accepted the bite Manager Jia offered me.
Om nom nom……
"M-Manager……."
"I'm usually indebted to Mr. Woojin… This much is nothing♡"
Is this the wisdom of a woman over thirty?
She was making sure the women in their early twenties knew she was there.
The bite the Manager gave me was incredibly sweet.
"The sauced version is delicious, and so is the plain version."
Both versions are absurdly delicious….
The meat was so plentiful that even after taking a huge bite, there was still a lot left to eat.
At this yield, it's almost like a loaf of bread??
"But I was surprised when I split it open to prepare it. I didn't realize the yield was this good."
"Really?"
"Did you know, Mr. Woojin?"
"I only suspected."
Judging by the amount, if we hadn't invited Nari's group, we might have had quite a bit left over.
Fortunately, the two of them had been hungry for a long time, so their joining us brought things into balance.
"Mmm. Mmm."
Luka was eating so enthusiastically her cheeks were bulging.
Even so, there was still lots of meat left.
At first, the meat on the platter disappeared at an incredible pace, but once about ten percent remained, everyone was happily full.
"Thanks to you, Mr. Woojin, I think I can forget about the rescue team and feel happy every now and then."
Manager Han Jia said with a smile.
"You're too kind."
I didn't know where to put myself.
I didn't know how to respond to such high praise, so I unconsciously sat up straight.
A married woman with two children said that sometimes she could forget about the rescue team.
……I felt in my bones just how much gratitude was packed into those words.
"Me too. Though it might sound a little strange."
Seoyun spoke reflectively.
"Sometimes I feel like this place is better. Just for a little while, though…."
"You two are just so full your brains are getting scrambled…."
Say something that makes sense, you two!
"Pfft, what does it mean for your brain to get scrambled?"
"Well, maybe our minds are creating something close to an illusion to help us adapt to life here…."
"It's true~ Sometimes it feels comfortable. We don't have to be buried in work here…."
What??
Was Kang Seoyun saying that this situation didn't count as being buried in work?!
Terrifying.
"I don't have to get exhausted checking work messages and work emails, either…. Well, it is physically hard, though.
It feels a little like I've moved to the countryside."
"You've got it easy, all of you."
Lin Wei snorted.
"I wonder if you'd say that if he weren't here, Kim Woojin. I know I wouldn't."
Seoyun didn't back down.
"Oh my, of course none of this would be possible without Mr. Woojin. But Mr. Woojin is our colleague~. Not yours, Ms. Lin Wei."
"……."
Is it okay to provoke her like that?
It felt like a young woman who'd stolen a rich madam's young lover was taunting her with 「My man is awesome, isn't he?」 in a morning drama.
I was a little saddened that the only example my brain could come up with was so vulgar.
"Of course, everyone here should be grateful to Mr. Kim Woojin."
At the end, Seoyun said seriously,
"It's okay."
I cut her off quickly, afraid everyone was about to start thanking me.
I can't handle that sort of thing as an introvert!!
"What I've done might look like a lot……? Yes. It is a lot, actually. But everyone else is doing the things I can't do."
……Hm? Something about what I'd said sounded off.
I tried to be modest, but my left brain malfunctioned. Yuna and Nari laughed when they saw me stammering.
That's a little embarrassing….
This meal we had today, too…
On my own, I'd have been even more lost than I was with my first carpentry project.
Thank goodness the Assistant Manager was a perfect career woman straight out of a picture, and the ideal bride with cooking as a hobby.
"Um… I'm not good at giving heartfelt speeches, so I'll stop here."
"Ahaha."
The Assistant Manager laughed happily.
She seemed to find me so entertaining because I was exactly the person she'd imagined.
"I look forward to working with you from now on, too, Mr. Woojin♡"
"Yes."
Everyone looked full and happy.
I hoped things would stay like this.
For the record, I left the dishes to the women without a second thought.
Heh heh, you're welcome, right?
I'll take a rest, everyone.
"I'll help with the dishes, too."
Following the Assistant Manager, Nari was the first to roll up her sleeves and stand.
The college-girl duo was still basking in happiness.
"The spirit tells me…."
"What?"
"Lie downnn……."
Yuna lay down beside Miryeong, showed her the sketchbook, and talked about today.
"We found something like this today?"
"Amaaaazing…."
You two are getting along well.
Since I was full, a slightly different desire started to rise up….
Just seeing Yuna and Miryeong's carelessly exposed bellies and underboobs got me a little worked up.
'This won't do…. '
Since I'd replenished so much energy, it was only natural I'd want to release some.
If I kept looking at the women's bodies here, I'd obviously stay aroused.
I'll go get some air while everyone cleans up.
──Hm?
Just then, I saw Lin Wei walking toward one side of the forest.
'The bathroom isn't that way.'
I was a little concerned, so I followed her for a while.