Paeng Hana frantically wrapped her arms around Woonghee’s neck.
“Save me, save me, fuck, please… I’m so scared!”
Was it true that humans display superhuman strength when facing death? Paeng Hana thrashed desperately, trying to climb up somehow.
“Aaaah! Something just touched my foot, it’s a shark, a shark!”
“No, no, fuck, that’s my foot! It’s me, you crazy bitch!”
Paeng Hana’s bony elbow kept smashing down on his head, dunking Woonghee into the seawater over and over.
“Ugh, pfft, urgh!”
Woonghee pulled her waist with both arms and lifted her up like a princess.
“S-sorry, I’m sorry…”
Only then did the woman, properly clinging to Woonghee’s neck, mutter like a sigh. Her panting breath hit his neck. She was trembling finely with fear. Woonghee patted her back.
“It’s okay, e-everything will be okay…. So please calm down.”
He patted her clumsily. Like when he’d held Woongju in his arms to put her to sleep when she was fussing. When he told her everything would be okay, that there were no monsters under the bed, Woongju would quickly fall asleep.
“Haa, haa…”
His breath was rough, as if glass-like shattered gasps were scraping out from his lungs. A fishy taste rose up as if he had a lump of blood in his throat.
Still, he couldn’t stop here.
There was a being in his arms clinging to him, asking for help. He absolutely couldn’t cast her away. Guilt, that dog-like emotion, stabbed Woonghee like a knife.
The plastic containers slipped from his hands one by one. Without letting these go, there was no way he could reach the sandy beach.
“When we get back, what should we…”
Even though he was running out of breath, Woonghee continued speaking.
“Huhk, think about what to eat.”
“Ch-chicken, fried chicken and a cold beer… Uhhng.”
Woonghee adjusted his hold on her once more and churned through the seawater.
“Hana…!”
They’d nearly reached the sandy beach. When had the manager stopped just standing there restlessly watching—he quickly pulled Paeng Hana’s body toward him.
“Haaa…”
All strength drained from Woonghee’s body. He was so exhausted he couldn’t even approach the sandy beach.
Splash, splash, splash! Director Hwang, his temper flaring, snorted as he cut through the seawater and came in, then slapped Woonghee’s cheek.
“You motherless bastard!”
He got slapped with a wet hand. Stars flashed before his eyes. Blood pooled dully on the tip of his tongue, as if his mouth had split. His pale, tender cheek flushed red like torn fruit flesh.
“…….”
“…….”
A cold silence descended. Splash splash, the waves struck Woonghee’s body like a whip.
He could feel arrow-like gazes piercing into his face.
What’s the point of saying anything. Everyone must be resenting me for not properly bringing back even one plastic container.
Besides, that large shadow falling at his feet. That was obviously Managing Director Gi’s. The ankle where the shadow fell felt itchy. As if water fleas were swarming like bees to bite his skin.
“Are you determined to kill everyone?”
What have I done. Belatedly, reality came crashing down. Both hands trembled.
“This crazy…! Director, are you really insane?”
Startled, Paeng Hana quickly tried to jump in front of the director, but Woonghee shook his head at the woman.
What are you going to do by stepping forward here, what can you even do? We’re strangers anyway. He shot her a cold look telling her not to stick her nose where it doesn’t belong for the sake of a stranger with whom she didn’t share a drop of blood.
“Say something, you son of a bitch…!”
Right. What was I even thinking when I rushed to save that woman first?
There was no plan. Did I think I was some kind of saint?
I’m just a commoner busy as fuck securing my own rice bowl, so what did I want when I saved that woman first? Everything’s fucked now….
“…That’s why I told you earlier, didn’t I? I said we needed to braid more vines.”
“This bastard and the shit coming out of his mouth right now!”
Unable to bear the self-blame, Woonghee turned it into his own fault, and Director Hwang’s flushed face turned red and blue.
Then Lee Ijun popped out.
“Hey, Ssibung-ah. What are you trying to do?”
As always, his face was pretty like an angel, but his manner of speech was no different from a total thug. A good-for-nothing third-rate thug who smokes cigarettes like a chain smoker, smacks kids on the head, and steals their snot-covered money.
“Will you be okay?”
The bastard grabbed Woonghee’s chin and lifted it.
“What will you do if you get knocked up with some kid in a place like this?”
Woonghee glared at Lee Ijun, his eyes trembling. He wanted to seal the mouth of this bastard determined to bring that up.
“You only have fourteen suppressants, right? No wait, fuck! You must have fewer now, right?”
“What…?”
It was truly a bomb-like statement. Whoosh, Director Hwang’s large eyeballs rolled toward him.
“Suppressants…? Fourteen…?”
His eyes pierced into Woonghee’s chest. Woonghee hunched his chest. Having thrown off the raincoat, he was wearing only a thin white sleeveless tee. His nipples and even his deep navel must be showing through.
“Where are you looking, you disgusting bastard…!”
Woonghee grabbed mud from the sandy beach and rubbed it into those disgusting eyes.
“Aaaagh…!”
Director Hwang screamed while clutching his eyes, and finally shed the mud from both eyes like tears of blood, drip drip.
“And this bastard, not knowing his place!”
A hand flew again. This time it seemed he was trying to grab Woonghee’s hair.
But this time it didn’t reach him. There was someone who stopped it from behind.
“Director.”
None other than Managing Director Gi. The director whose wrist was twisted had his arm bent bizarrely like grilled squid and could only let out a groan, grrk.
“Ugh, grr, ugh!”
“How can you scratch his face like this?”
The man’s complexion was utterly calm, as if he was barely using any strength. Director Hwang’s face turned red all the way to the top of his head, and he even stomped one foot on the sandy beach.
“He’s going to be our movie actor now.”
Managing Director Gi rolled his eyes to look down at Woonghee. Woonghee was suffering from the cold, having been soaked and exposed to the sea breeze. His white face trembled, and his molars clattered together.
‘I’m cold….’
Woonghee was cold. Terribly cold. Since his clothes were soaked through and clinging to his skin, it was natural that he felt cold to the bone.
What, what have I done? Crazy bastard, Woongju, Woongju must be alone at home right now….
I pretended to be good when it doesn’t suit me, you pathetic idiot bastard.
Tula might think he’s dead. He’s a bastard who takes care of his little rice diligently, but he’s someone who lives without thinking of tomorrow, so it wouldn’t be strange if he died on some street somewhere.
Then what happens to Jjokko? She’s just a four-year-old baby. His mind was splitting. It felt like it was being torn apart and smashed to pieces. Woonghee was breaking down.
The man clicked his tongue, tsk, then took off his jacket and placed it on Woonghee’s body. He felt the man’s pushing force.
“Go inside.”
He whispered quietly. Telling him to hide behind his shadow.
Woonghee was dragged along weakly. He felt stripped naked. The skin that had been struck burned. Like he’d been burned. It felt like something was dripping from the part that had festered and festered again and burst.
“No, Managing Director Gi. I’m really frustrated, that’s why. With these stupid bastards.”
“Then would it have been right to just let them die? So we can live? How is that different from murder?”
If it were another time, the man would have smiled generously and tried to coax gently. But Managing Director Gi didn’t smile even once.
“The rope came undone, didn’t it? It was too dangerous.”
He just spoke stiffly as if giving orders.
“Keep sending rescue signals to the lighthouse, and let’s build a new raft. By dividing the personnel.”
“…Yes, understood.”
People reluctantly nodded one by one. As they slowly dispersed, only Woonghee stood in place.
He was staring blankly into space when he felt a hand grab his cheek.
“It must hurt.”
The man pressed firmly on the swollen cheek that tasted of blood. When Woonghee let out a moan, hng, he looked in as if licking the sight.
“That brain-dead son of a bitch touching such a pretty face, why.”
He muttered low enough for only him to hear.
“Should I make him the same? It just takes one word.”
He coaxed Woonghee gently, as if he would do anything if he just pulled this hand.
As if he would make the five million won, Lee Ijun, Director Hwang, all disappear from before his eyes. It was a terribly sweet proposal.
But I can’t take this hand. What reason do I have to trust you?
His body trembled. He suddenly pulled away the wrist that had been grabbed.
He wanted to run away. From this man, and from what had just happened.
“Woonghee-ssi.”
But at the calling of his name, Woonghee found his gaze stolen despite himself.
“You know where I am, right?”
He tapped his temple with his index finger. Telling him to remember.
Only then did something like relief seep in. It seemed his scattered mind was returning to him a little.
…Ah, no. I need to get a grip.
He straightened himself after wavering for a moment. He steeled himself. I can’t survive by depending on others. I mustn’t hand over my leash to this man.
Woonghee, realizing once again the reality he was in, turned his back on him as if fleeing and kicked the sandy beach with his feet.
He hid inside the cave and collapsed as if crumbling. He frantically grabbed the machete in his hand. And sharpened it crazily against the stone.
I absolutely can’t just crumble like this, I have to protect my own body, I….
Compulsively reciting the same words with his mouth like that.
