Now I'm the Boss

─Whoooshhh

The sound of waves spread across the quiet night sky.

A beautiful melody gifted by nature itself.

Using a small campfire as my only light, I stared blankly out at the sea of starlight.

It still didn't feel real that this was a world inside an app.

That the entire gorgeous Milky Way before me was nothing more than a virtual construct.

Even with the scenery right in front of my eyes, it refused to sink in.

─Slurp

I took a mouthful of sweet cocoa and shook off the idle thoughts.

Far off at the edge of the shoreline, a tiny light was flickering.

Han Gyeowool, foolishly using a rescue flashlight as a lantern.

She must have been scared of the dark and turned on anything that glowed.

Tsk tsk. If the battery dies like that, it'll be quite the spectacle.

What was she thinking right about now?

Was she reflecting on her arrogant attitude?

Or was she grinding her teeth and throwing a fit?

Honestly, I doubted it was the former.

Knowing her personality, far from reflecting, she was probably blaming me instead.

Of course, that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠would be nothing more than a pointless struggle.

No matter how many times she pinned the blame on me, reality wasn't going to change.

Time would keep flowing, and she alone would grow more desperate.

At that thought, a quiet laugh slipped out of me.

What kind of face would she be making tomorrow?

Just imagining it already made my chest burn with anticipation.

Grinning to myself, I crawled into bed.

My heart was racing so much I tossed and turned for a long while.

The next morning.

I woke to the crisp sea breeze against my face.

After a quick stretch, I struck the fire steel and brought the campfire back to life.

─Clack clack! Whoosh!

For breakfast I decided on something hearty: bacon with corn soup on the side.

I deliberately waved a palm frond hard so the smell would carry farther.

─Whoosh! Whoosh!

A human's spirit weakens after just one day without food.

Especially a pampered queen like her—how could she possibly understand the pain of hunger?

By now she was probably clutching her empty stomach, locked in a battle with herself.

I wanted to drink in that sight with both eyes, but I had no intention of going to her first.

The one who needed to feel the lack had to be her, completely.

"Whoa. Tastes better than I expected."

The finished meal vanished in an instant.

Even if it was canned, the seasoning made it more than enough as a proper meal.

"Ahhh. Feels like I actually came out camping."

I even hummed a little tune, savoring the long-lost freedom.

After leisurely enjoying my breakfast, I took a light stroll along the shore, collecting anything useful.

All sorts of random junk had washed up—probably swept off the wrecked ship overnight.

Oh! There's a suitcase too?

Farther out near the water's edge, a single carrier was bobbing along.

I hurried over, hauled the bag ashore, and checked what was inside.

It looked like a traveler's luggage—clothes and various daily necessities packed in.

I was rummaging deeper, hoping something useful might turn up, when—

─Ding!

A sudden chime rang in my ears.

"?"

Something had just unlocked out of nowhere.

Had I stumbled on some kind of hidden piece?

I checked the rest of the bag and sure enough—there were pink shorts and a bottle of massage oil inside.

So unlocking worked this way too, apparently.

"Man. My luck's ridiculously good today."

I gathered the loot and various materials and headed back to the tent.

Of course, I didn't forget to sneak a look toward Han Gyeowool's side on the way.

Let's see what this woman is up to.

Watching from a distance, I saw she was also walking the shoreline, gathering resources.

She was picking up this and that, but her expression stayed dark the whole time.

Not that any of that was going to produce food.

At best she'd find a few snacks.

Barely enough to register in her stomach.

I was clicking my tongue and sending her a pitying look when she suddenly whipped her head toward me—she'd felt my gaze.

I flinched, but I didn't bother looking away.

From afar, our eyes locked.

Anger.

Resentment.

Shame.

And a stubborn, spiteful pride—all those negative emotions rolled off her.

In just one day, that gaze had grown even sharper and more venomous.

Seeing me looking perfectly fine seemed to piss her off; she bit down hard on her lip.

Before, that poisonous glare would have made me shrink back. Not anymore.

Now she just looked cute, like a sulky teenager throwing a tantrum.

Heh. Feisty little bitch. Should I just strip her and take her right here?

A fierce impulse surged up, but I quickly shook my head.

The best side dishes always taste better when you save them for later.

I planned to let her ripen a little more—like her already luscious flesh—then savor her at my leisure.

I gave her a faint smile and continued on my way.

Only a single day had passed.

"Damn. This is actually pretty rewarding."

Bright afternoon.

I used the free time to expand the tent even larger.

I sawed down trees, laid broad palm leaves over them for a roof, and covered the floor with dry grass and spare clothes to keep out every bit of dampness.

Maybe I was secretly cut out for the wilderness life.

Turning trash into ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a proper shelter like this.

It was more than good enough for a few days' stay.

"No—let's make some furniture while I'm at it."

This level of comfort still wasn't enough to shock Han Gyeowool.

I needed to deck it out so luxuriously it would leave her restless and envious.

So I gathered more wood and built a long sunbed.

Beside it I stacked stones and dirt into a small table, then set several coconut-shell cups on top.

I stripped off my shirt and stretched out on the sunbed.

I slipped on the sunglasses I'd scavenged from the shore and switched on a cheap audio player.

A lazy ukulele melody drifted out, blending softly with the sound of the waves.

─♫♪♬♪♬

"Ahhh. This is it. Exactly this vibe."

Maybe it was the easy atmosphere, but before long my body grew heavy and sleep started pulling at me.

I had nothing but time anyway—no big deal.

I closed my eyes right there and decided to enjoy an afternoon nap.

Soon I sank into sweet, deep sleep.

"Tea… Teacher… Teacher Kang!"

─Hss!

A sharp cry suddenly cut through my sleep.

Someone was tapping my shoulder, trying to wake me.

I wiped the drool from the corner of my mouth and dragged myself out of the nap.

Lifting my head toward the source of the noise, I found a very familiar woman standing there.

Han Gyeowool, arms folded primly, looking down at me.

Her eyes still held unbroken pride and haughtiness.

"Hah. Living the good life, aren't we? You're actually sleeping right now?"

Showing up out of nowhere just to nag again.

But underneath it I could feel a strange impatience.

Her eyes kept darting around—nothing like her usual self.

Seeing that, a laugh naturally bubbled up.

I laced my fingers behind my head and lounged back on the sunbed with deliberate ease.

Shirtless, every muscle and bare inch of skin was on full display.

For the briefest instant her gaze swept up and down my body.

I'd kept up with workouts back in Canada, so I wasn't exactly scrawny.

"…F-first, do something about that shirt. I have something to say."

She frowned and whipped her head away, clearly finding it hard to keep looking.

Thanks to that I got an unrestricted view of the dizzying curve of her side profile.

Ahh. Those jugs of hers…

The plump, tempting flesh swelling out beneath her sleeveless top.

And that waist—so narrow it looked custom-made for a man's hands.

I swallowed hard and reined in the surging desire.

The fact that she'd swallowed her pride and come to me first meant the bait was starting to work.

"Haha. Must be the heat. Clothes feel way too stuffy. Just talk comfortably. No one's around to see anyway."

I needled her with that deliberately annoying tone.

A thick vein instantly popped on her forehead.

The same guy who used to shuffle around like a servant was now lounging around like this—it clearly grated on her nerves.

But hunger has a way of cooling even a person's rage.

After starving all day and finally grasping her position, she was forcing her emotions down with visible effort.

"Haa. Fine. Keep it off or put it on—whatever. More importantly, Teacher Kang. Do you have any food left over? Looked like you were eating something this morning too."

Her eyes flicked toward the inside of the tent.

I pretended to think for a moment, then nodded.

A faint spark of hope lit up in Han Gyeowool's expression.

"Good. Then sell me that food. I'll pay generously."

She held out the luxury pouch she'd brought.

Inside were several one-million-won checks.

"So how much do you want for it? If it's not enough I can give you more once we're back in Korea. Name your price."

The hunger must have been hitting hard—urgency colored her voice.

I stared at the checks for a moment, then let out a quiet snort of laughter.

"We're stuck here with no idea when we'll get rescued, and you want me to sell food for a few checks? Would you sell if you were me? This isn't some joke."

"……"

The flat rejection made her outstretched hand tremble finely.

But she still couldn't pull it back.

If she didn't get food from me, she'd have to starve another day.

She was desperate now too.

After glaring at me like she wanted to kill me for a long while, she switched to negotiation mode.

True to her experience as a seasoned businesswoman, she smoothed her expression in an instant.

"…So? What do you want? Want me to hand you a director position or something?"

"Nah. That kind of thing's meaningless. Got any more interesting options? Something that might actually catch my interest."

With that question I let my eyes travel slowly, savoringly, down her sleek figure.

She must have caught the meaning in my gaze—she hurriedly covered ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠her chest and thighs.

"W-what the hell are you doing? Have you completely lost your mind?"

She widened her eyes ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and glared at me murderously.

But she clearly didn't realize that exact resistance only drove a man wilder.

I deliberately raked my gaze over her body a few more times, flexing a little dominance, then casually looked away.

Push too hard and I'd only earn her hostility.

"Fine by me. I've got no interest in forcing a woman who says no. So how about this instead. Let's play a little game. If you win, I'll give you one of these canned goods for each win. How's that sound?"

The moment I dangled the sweet cans right in front of her eyes, her pupils went slack.

With slightly dazed eyes she followed the cans, her head tilting this way and that.

Then she flinched and forced her expression back under control.

"…Ahem. And if I lose?"

"Nothing much. Just take one swat on the ass with this switch. I won't hit hard, so don't worry too much."

"…A switch?"

She frowned as if the suggestion disgusted her.

But contrary to that expression, I could hear her repeatedly swallowing hard at the base of her throat.

After hesitating and hesitating again, she finally made her decision.

Fists trembling, she accepted my proposal.

From the start she never really had another choice.

"Really… just the switch and that's it, right? Don't go changing the deal later."

"Come on. If I had bad intentions I would've just overpowered you already. And honestly… you're not even that special, ma'am. Your self-awareness is way too high."

At that single line her face flushed so hard it looked ready to explode.

She'd probably never taken a hit like that in her entire life.

She'd always been the one doing the evaluating, like a queen.

Right after, Han Gyeowool—clearly thoroughly scratched—ground her molars and spoke, looking somehow twice as vicious as usual.

"Shut up… and just start the game."

The moment the prey stepped into the snare.