Chapter 44
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Interest
-----------------------------------------------------------------
People pay attention to what interests them.
Games if it's games, money if it's money.
And if they fall in love, they won't even notice anything else around them.
I'm not sure if you could call this love, but Jeong Seohee's current state was exactly like that.
"Seohee, how long have you known Yuri and Yejin?"
"Who knows."
"The others say you've known them for quite a while."
"Maybe."
...It wasn't sticking at all.
She rarely opened her heart. She didn't pay any attention to me, and even when I tried to talk, she seemed annoyed.
'As expected, huh.'
Jeong Seohee and I had only been together for four days.
The past three years had just been a distant acquaintance—we knew each other's faces and names, but nothing more or less.
If we had been total strangers, we might have gotten closer more easily.
At least we could have aimed for that thrill of a first meeting.
'No. It's not all bad. After all, since she's seen me for three years, her guard isn't that high.'
Whenever the twins approached Kim Yeonju, Jeong Seohee's tension was even worse than when it was me.
In other words, I'd at least proven to her that I wasn't that dangerous.
'Whatever. No need to rush.'
Time would sort it out anyway.
I looked up, and the sun was sinking, its harsh glare much weaker now.
Walking along in the shade of the palms, I stepped out toward the beach.
And as I walked, I bent down to pick only the clams.
'Let's see, the price... Oh. It's gone up?'
Clam price rebounding: 5,000 won per kg
The clams that had dropped to 2,000 won per kg had bounced back up to 5,000 won.
'Has it been almost a week since it rose?'
Seemed like it was returning to its original value over time.
Not bad news. No, in our current situation, it was something to celebrate.
Cash: 114,257 won
The cash I'd nearly amassed to 300,000 won had dropped to around 100,000 in just four days.
Part of it went to daily quests and helping with the science stuff, but the biggest chunk was from bringing that one wild leopard into the camp.
'...She really ate a ton.'
The tomboy Jeong Seohee.
She was a bit taller than me, great at fighting, but slim—and yet she ate like a monster.
Wolfing down the meat without a word, like she was starved... I even wondered if bringing her was the right call.
'Anyway, good news. No more worrying about cash.'
I'd thought once the price dropped, it wouldn't come back up—but it did.
Now I could resume cash grinding.
Of course, I had no intention of doing it myself.
With four women lounging at home, why bother?
'Time to send them out on errands once in a while.'
I'd just stand there while the women brought back seafood to sell in the shop.
Once every two or three days would plug all the leaks.
Dreaming of that rosy future, I picked clams and slotted them into the shop window.
We had to trek for at least another 12 hours, so wasting time idly felt like a shame.
'Pick only the big ones. They weigh more, so fewer bends mean pocket money.'
And in doing so, I learned a few things.
'Picking only big ones boosts the value even more?'
It was 1.3 times higher than mixing sizes—30% more profit.
And selling in batches of 1kg, 5kg, 10kg spiked the value instantly over random handfuls.
'More variables than I thought. Interesting. Any other quirks?'
I was lost in the shop window, fiddling with clams to maximize profits, when—
Swoosh.
Someone reached out from the side.
It was Jeong Seohee.
"Is this it?"
I stared at her blankly.
"Why are you staring like that?"
"...Nothing."
I inspected the shells she'd brought. Hmm. Sorry, but her eye was Kim Yeonju level.
Not even up to the twins' toes.
Out of a dozen or so, just one clam.
"You gotta grab ones that look like this. Like this. Okay?"
"Got it."
She brought more a few times after, but her skill didn't improve much.
I had to correct myself.
Her eye was below Kim Yeonju, the worst in our group.
'Better if she doesn't pick any at all.'
But whenever she brought some, I taught her patiently without complaint.
"Maybe I should quit. I have no talent for this."
"No, you're doing great. Don't get discouraged. I wandered under the blazing sun for ages to get the hang of it."
Comfort her when she seemed ready to give up.
"Oh. Three this time?"
Praise when she did well.
And slowly, her skill started improving.
Not just her skill, either.
"Okay, watch for ones shaped like this. Got it?"
Nod, nod.
When I taught, she'd nod and focus on me; when praised, she'd blush or smile herself.
There'd been zero conversation at the start, but suddenly we were chatting nonstop.
I quietly watched the tomboy scanning shells along the beach.
'Never thought Seohee would approach first.'
Whenever I tried, I'd hit walls and feel stuck—but her coming to me so easily? Never dreamed.
Now I knew how to get close.
I stuck to work talk, no chit-chat, just quietly working side by side.
"Woojin. Not this one—this is the clam, right?"
At the start, I'd walk ahead, her trailing 25 meters back.
Now we were less than a meter apart.
Sometimes even closer.
Close enough our hands and feet bumped occasionally.
"Oops. Sorry. Sand on your thigh, Seohee."
"Don't worry. I've gotten it on you a few times too. We're even."
Jeong Seohee smiled at me.
Who'd have thought I'd see her smile so naturally.
"Phew. Let's rest a bit. Here, water, Seohee."
"Thanks."
She uncapped the canteen and gulped it down, then handed it back.
"Ahh. Refreshing. You drink some too."
"......"
"What? Dirty 'cause my lips touched it?"
Now she even joked with a smile. I chuckled and shook my head.
"Nah. You just never ask about me."
"Hm?"
"Not curious how I pull stuff out of thin air?"
She shrugged.
"Everyone has secrets. A civilized person doesn't pry until the other shares first. It's manners, basic courtesy."
"......"
"Sorry for sounding stuffy. Just didn't wanna put you on the spot."
I'd expected "not interested," but she said it to avoid troubling me...
'Yeah, Seohee, you're different from the others.'
Treating me with basic human respect. Unthinkable compared to those who treated me like air.
But not all good.
Not crossing the line meant I shouldn't either.
It was a declaration: she wouldn't open her heart easily, wouldn't trust lightly.
'...No rush.'
I stood up.
"Shall we get moving?"
We resumed walking.
Dusk had fallen, stars gathering in the sky to form the Milky Way.
Leading Jeong Seohee, I veered toward the brush near the beach.
'Around here... Ah, got it.'
In the corner of the brush where I'd rolled with Park Jimin, a white T-shirt lay. On it, something—a cola can in the moonlight.
250ml can.
Words on the shirt:
『Picked this up on the beach on the way. Not big on soda, so you have it, shorty.』
'Even if she doesn't like soda, giving away cola found in this wilderness... Jimin, you're really...'
Warmth in my chest, I piled water and fruits by type on the shirt.
Double the last amount.
A bit much for Jimin alone, but she's sharp—she'd figure out how to use the bounty.
『Thanks. I'll eat well.』
Left the note and stood. Heading back, Jeong Seohee approached.
"You do this every time?"
"Yeah."
"Thinking about what the kids did here, it's kinda hard to get."
They'd controlled water and food, giving just enough not to die. Made us work daily...
Still gave me chills.
"I don't want the kids to die."
"Even after three years of that?"
Ah. So she had noticed me all along.
Maybe she saw me as pathetic for groveling like a slave.
I answered plainly.
"Yeah. I don't want them dead. Even after what they did. I hope they all live long lives."
The honest truth. I truly wanted the kids to live long.
Would she get that?
"You're really... broad-minded. More than any twenty-something, even most adults."
Her gaze on me had completely changed.
"Haha, no way."
I scratched my head with a goofy grin.
This was my chance.
When deeply moved, people's walls crumble temporarily.
They drop standards, ready to accept everything positively.
I'd fed her to build to this—but failed until now. Who knew this detour?
'Bribing for favor is for moments like this. Thanks, Jimin. I'll put the cola to good use.'
I tossed her the cola can. She caught it reflexively, eyes widening at what it was, staring at me.
"You like cola, right? Saw you snag vending machine ones sometimes."
"Still, why give it to me?"
"I trust you. You worked hard today—reliable. Relying on you now, and counting on you going forward."
"......"
"Keep it secret from the others at camp, though. Don't want misunderstandings."
Hearing "no misunderstandings," her face relaxed into a smirk.
She cracked the cola and chugged.
"Kyaa!" A satisfied sound, then she approached, arm around my shoulder, offering it.
"Here, you drink. Half left."
"I'm good."
"Not refusing, right?"
She pressed her ample chest against my back, pushing the can forward.
Glancing back, her pretty face beamed through her bob haircut.
"Thanks, I'll have some."
"Yeah, yeah!"
She roughly hugged my shoulder and neck.
Her big breasts squished and jiggled against my back, making walking a bit tough.