Chapter 90
Chapter 90
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 90
Chapter Title: 5-Year-Old and the Sea (3)
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Fishing was a first for me.
And sea fishing was even more novel.
I thought it would just be sitting on the breakwater, casually swinging the rod around, but it was tough right from the start.
- Grab the fishing hook, and thread this on. Shove it in! All at once.
He was demonstrating how to handle the bait himself, but it wasn't exactly a pleasant sight.
- Um, Mom... I can't do it...
- Son. Do you think Mom can do it then?
- Mom can... Mom, you do it.
- Ugh.
Wriggle, wriggle, wriggle...
Inside the plastic tub mixed with dirt, creatures full of life squirmed wildly.
Earthworms.
All of them alive.
The moment Yu-min saw them, he hid behind Teacher Mi-jeong. To add to that, the teacher's face clearly showed she was freaked out too. She hadn't neglected her anti-aging routine, but right now her face was scrunched up, her laugh lines standing out.
On the other hand, our boss and shark, the 5-year-old.
Fearlessly grabbing an earthworm with one hand, she skewered it onto the hook just like Grandpa showed.
Stab-
A gross sound came from the live worm impaled on the hook.
"Yoon-seul, you didn't prick your hand, right?"
"Nuh-uh! Yoon-seul's fine!"
She even tapped it a few times to check if it was properly on. The worm wriggling didn't faze her at all—no goosebumps, no disgust.
- Hey now, even Yoon-seul's doing it! Can't have a grown adult getting scared.
- My job is teaching, so I try to avoid killing living things, Elder.
- What? Oh, that... thing. You know, those vegetarians that are popular in the cities these days?
He meant vegetarian.
By the way, wasn't "avoid killing" a bit contradictory? Considering she named her personal weapon 'Great Xenocider' not long ago, it didn't carry much weight.
If my memory was right, genocide meant mass slaughter.
- Exactly! I'm a vegetarian. So threading earthworms onto hooks is a bit...
- You're really laying it on thick with the lies. I saw you polish off a plate of sashimi with my own two eyes earlier! You think I'm a senile old fool?
- Ugh... Busted.
Teacher let out a deep sigh.
Then she steeled herself and reached for an earthworm.
But something much smaller than her hand got there first, landing on the worm pile. Yoon-seul had grabbed it for her!
"Teacher! Yoon-seul will do it. Trust only Yoon-seul!"
- Savior! The savior has arrived!!!!
It was the first time I'd seen Teacher Kim Mi-jeong this overjoyed.
She was shouting so loud that people around were staring. I got her feelings, but the problem was her son keeping his distance.
Embarrassed by his mom, he was slowly backing away and turning his face. Like he wasn't even with us.
Yu-min was six years old too, after all—maybe a different personality, but just as strong-willed as Yoon-seul.
Plunk...
Stab-
Yoon-seul successfully threaded worms onto both rods.
Then she proudly shoved the wriggling worms—hooked onto the needles—right in my face.
"Oppa! Look what Yoon-seul did? How is it?"
"Super impressive! But since you're so impressive, back off a little."
"Huh? Okay."
She set them back down.
The bait was so fresh that even pierced through, it hadn't lost its vitality, shaking its whole body.
Being able to handle them so freely, the 5-year-old was brave.
She seemed to transcend the very concept of a weak stomach—like a superhuman.
- Nice bait, huh? Gotta have this quality for successful summer fishing.
"Definitely good bait. I hear for summer fishing, using fresh earthworms like this boosts your success rate."
- Oh my, An's oldest grandkid knows his stuff. Spot on. Summer fish have huge appetites. They go after only the tasty stuff, eyes blazing. Bellies full, the lot of 'em. That's why once you hook 'em, they're plump and delicious!
"Fish... yummy too... gotta catch..."
Hearing Grandpa's explanation fired up the 5-year-old even more.
Meanwhile, Teacher Mi-jeong and Yu-min already looked half-defeated. They flinched at the worms struggling for life.
With basic prep done, we headed to our fishing spots. Yoon-seul and me as a team. Yu-min and Teacher Kim Mi-jeong as the other.
We'd rented just two rods.
The grandpa who lent us the rods sat leisurely midway on what looked like an expensive camping chair.
He'd assured us he'd help if anything came up, so he seemed reliable. Dressed the part too, with a sun cap and scarf for sweat—even more pro-like.
"Charge!"
Yoon-seul shouted like a cavalryman charging the enemy lines, full of bravado, but the surroundings stayed quiet.
No surprise—folks don't make a racket at fishing spots.
"Yoon-seul, can you stay a bit quieter? Otherwise the fish'll all swim away. They'll notice we're here."
"Oh! Then quiet quiet..."
She quickly dropped her voice to TV volume 3.
You could feel how serious she was about fishing.
And so began the trying wait.
Rough waves crashing against the breakwater.
Haze rippling beyond the sea.
Even the scent of salt mingling with Yoon-seul's hair, sitting on my lap.
Heat rising from the asphalt warmed my soles.
Thump thump thump-
Thump thump thump-
To fight boredom, Yoon-seul bonked the back of her head against my chest. Still, her eyes stayed glued straight to the rod.
She hadn't lost focus.
My little sister was so serious it made me want to tease her.
"Hoo-"
"Pffhee-hee!!"
"Yoon-seul... gotta be quiet?"
"Oh... sorry. My bad."
Oh, and I'd just blown air into her ear. Her loud laugh was my fault.
Even so, she lowered her volume again, apologizing sweetly. So good-hearted it brought waves of guilt crashing like the sea.
"Hooo-"
"Pffheeng-heeng!!!"
"Huh! Yoon-seul made noise again?"
"Eek, sorry sorry."
Guilt washed over me, but I wasn't done teasing.
This time she bowed her head toward Grandpa and Yu-min, apologizing. Yu-min waved it off like no big deal.
Ah, my little sister.
So cute.
Cute enough to drive me mad.
"Ahh-"
"Pbbt....!"
They say some things are so cute you wanna bite 'em.
So I actually gave Yoon-seul's ear a little nibble.
Tickled, she clamped her mouth shut to stifle a laugh.
No idea who said it first, but "cute enough to bite" is spot-on.
"Ahmumumumu."
"Phee....! Stop..."
She squirmed, twisting to hold back laughter.
Ah, my little sister.
Cute.
No, this wasn't just cute.
Beyond that.
Transcending cuteness.
Yeah, needed a new word.
But my poor vocabulary couldn't wrap it better.
Short strap on the schoolbag—regrettable in moments like this.
"Nggh... nggh..."
Even straining was cute?
"Eeeng... eeeng..."
Short arms pulling the rod.
Everything short, small, and dainty in this world is cute by default, but I could declare my sister a cut above.
"Nngguuuu... Oppa..."
Ah, even her voice calling me.
....
Wait.
"Yoon-seul's doing it alone... too hard!!"
"Holy moly..."
Time to act fast.
A bite had come unnoticed.
I'd been lost in mania, missing the moment the fish took the bait. My bad.
I stood behind Yoon-seul, grabbing the taut rod and reeling.
Decent size—the rod was shaking.
I set the hook.
Reeled in the line like Grandpa taught.
Carefully, so it wouldn't snap.
As I reeled, the fish neared. Grandpa, now close by, scooped it up with a netted scoop.
Fishing success!
"Ooh, Oppa. We caught one! Fish!"
"Yep? Oppa and Yoon-seul caught a fish?"
"Heehee... right? Earlier Yoon-seul did this... this... to catch it?"
"Oppa blinked, and Yoon-seul had it all cool-like? Best little sis ever."
"Oppa says sis, so must be true!"
Mid-celebration of our fish battle win, Grandpa brought it over himself.
Size?
- Whoa... not bad?
Grandpa's hands were big and rough, but this dwarfed them. If anything, compare to Yoon-seul.
Stood upright, it'd reach her chest.
"How many cm is that?"
- Gotta measure exact, but looks near 75?
Pretty big!
Especially the first catch being this size—impressive. Even the veteran-looking Grandpa called it "not bad."
Didn't expect big ones near the breakwater. Luck? Or summer magic.
"Wooow...! Oppa, what's this? Fish name."
"It's a sea bass. Sea bass."
"Sea bass!"
- Yoon-seul reels in a sea bass this big, not a baby anymore— all grown up?
"Yoon-seul wasn't a baby anyway. Oppa protected too...!"
Smug 5-year-old.
As always, belly out, chin sky-high.
Self-praise mode engaged.
Yoon-seul approached the flapping sea bass.
Gently stroked its fins.
"Yoon-seul'll name you. From now on, you're Nong-dori."
"Gonna name it?"
"Uh-huh! Nong-dori."
Sea bass's name: Nong-dori.
Getting attached already?
Usually, you gut these fresh catches and fill your belly that day.
"Nong-dori, Yoon-seul'll eat you yummy later. Wait a sec. Make lotsa friends too."
"...."
Naming then eating it.
Calling herself boss wasn't bravado. The 5-year-old was ruthless.
"Make lotsa friends"—never sounded so terrifying.
- Alright, Grandpa'll keep Nong-dori safe over there. Yoon-seul, catch lotsa friends?
"Trust only Yoon-seul!"
And so began Project Make Friends for Nong-dori.
The grueling wait repeated.
Fierce waves pounding the breakwater.
Haze blurring the horizon.
Sizzling ground heat toasting our soles. Feet sweating.
After several rounds.
Nong-dori got five friends—not tons, but five.
Yu-min and Teacher got two; our siblings nabbed three including Nong-dori.
Couldn't eat 'em all, so per Grandpa's suggestion, sold at the fish market.
Knew a merchant—got a decent price, no haggling.
In the end, only Nong-dori and a 20cm-smaller pal went in our bellies.
Menu: spicy fish stew.
Packed with Nong-dori's sorrow, it burned hotter than average.
Thus, all three meals that day: fish dishes. Miraculous menu picks.
All that remained: Nong-dori and a slightly sad sibling selfie.
Back at the lodging, Yoon-seul saw the pic on my smartphone and said:
"Nong-dori not bad. Eat again next time."
Today's Yoon-seul crossed between cute and savage like a threshold.