Damn, it was a swelteringly hot day.
“…It’s done.”
Huk, heok, he gasped for breath. Woonghee wiped the beads of sweat flowing down his forehead with the back of his hand. He wound the rope around and around the raft. He pulled on it several times to check if it was firmly secured.
Good, this should be sturdy enough.
“Heave-ho…!”
They all pushed the raft with all their might. The raft slowly floated away as if adapting to the sea.
‘This time for sure….’
Could they succeed this time for sure? If so, they could all escape from this place together. Without having to worry about that damn lifeboat or anything.
Finally, they could end this damned isolation.
People climbed onto the raft one by one with faces full of anticipation. Woonghee sat down with his butt attached to the very edge. The horizon swayed. Gulp, he swallowed. Tension circulated among the people.
Under the sun that felt like it would kill them with heat. The humans aboard the swaying waves rowed hard. Because they didn’t know when the weather might suddenly turn and bare its savage claws.
“One, twooo, one, twooo!”
Muscles split on Woonghee’s slender forearm, then repeatedly disappeared thinly again.
“Haa, haa….”
With both eyes, he stared at his back. The deserted island was getting farther and farther away.
Why is this going so smoothly? It was so peaceful that it was rather anxiety-inducing. Thump, thump. His heart pounded. Really, really, would they succeed like this?
Before long, the Assistant Director hyung’s exclamation could be heard.
“…Wow, there’s an island over there, an island! I can see an island…!”
Next to him, wow, cheers of joy erupted. Only then did Woonghee quickly turn his head. At the edge of his vision, truly green lush vegetation was coming into view.
‘It’s real. …It’s real, this isn’t a dream.’
It really was a new island. The edge of the island on the opposite side was visible to the naked eye.
Now that the target was visible, the strength of rowing became stronger. It was as if that island was pulling people in like a magnet.
“Come on, more vigorously, let’s row quickly and go!”
He rowed hastily, wanting to reach there quickly.
“One, two, one, two!”
They all moved their bodies in unison to the count. They still had to go three times as far as they’d come.
But still, this was something, wasn’t it? They had never left that island this much before.
The corners of Woonghee’s drooping mouth finally curved into an arc. Swoosh, the cool sea breeze brushed against his chest. It felt like what had been stuffily blocked was clearing out.
Guilt.
The indigestion that had been heavily weighing down his chest like a cornerstone was relieved somewhat. Every day had been anxious with the thought that he might have to secretly board the lifeboat and run away from the others.
‘Really fortunate…. Really fortunate.’
It felt like his insides were finally clearing out. He felt like he could breathe now. Once again, Woonghee thrust the tree branch into the seawater. And just as he was about to turn his shoulder forward.
“…Uh, fuck!”
The Assistant Director hyung’s round shoulders bounced up like a spring.
“Ah, why again! Why are you like that again!”
He was naturally a timid hyung. He would make a fuss even over a single centipede, and hop around at frogs. What was happening this time for him to be like that?
“Hyung, hyuuung, you can’t move like that!”
What on earth did he see? While spewing curses and backing up frantically with his butt, the raft swayed because of the Assistant Director hyung who weighed at least 90kg.
The horizon shook uneasily. Woonghee quickly grabbed his back and steadied his balance.
“Why, why are you like that, hyung!”
The Assistant Director hyung’s round cheeks were squashed. His eyes buried in flesh were brimming with fear.
“L-look there, it’s a shark! A shark!”
Hyung’s plump finger pointed in one direction. He quickly threw his gaze there like bait.
“Wh-what is that?”
Next to him, Paeng Hana muttered as if dazed. There really was a huge black shadow cast beneath the sea. The vaguely visible figure was so large it was almost as big as the raft.
“Ah, fuck, please just stay still, the raft is shaking!”
Lee Ijun, sitting on the opposite side, finally used his feet. He pushed the hyung’s butt with his foot to prevent him from approaching.
“L-look there, there, I’m telling you there’s a shark!!”
Soon, a triangular horn rose above the seawater. It was the fin called a shark fin…!
And there wasn’t just one, but several. It meant sharks were coming in a group.
“Fuck, what do we do, what do we do!”
“Turn the raft, turn the raft!”
The shark fins approached at a truly frightening speed. People turned pale. The peaceful atmosphere shattered as if it had never been there.
The raft began to sway noticeably. Bodies were swept around like bowling pins.
Even in this chaos, Managing Director Gi alone was calm. He observed the situation with a remarkably composed attitude. The only movement was the occasional “Mm.” rumbling in his throat.
How could he be so peaceful? Suspicious of that appearance, Woonghee slowly examined the sharks again. When he concentrated to the point of frowning, he could see it. The fins weren’t sharp but rounded.
“…No, those aren’t sharks!”
He had seen it in a YouTube video. It was a surviving on a deserted island series. That YouTuber with 2 million subscribers had definitely said this. Sharks don’t gather in groups. Above all, the fins are different, he said. Sharks are pointed and whales are round.
“They’re not!”
So those were likely a group of whales. However, it was a voice that couldn’t reach the Assistant Director hyung who had already panicked.
“Fuck, what do we do, they’re getting closer, ahhh!”
The raft continued to shake in confusion, and when everyone couldn’t get their bearings, Director Hwang suddenly jumped up from his seat. Then he pushed the Assistant Director hyung with his shoulder.
“Ahhhhh! Director-nim!”
That entire scene entered Woonghee’s vision in slow motion. The Assistant Director hyung’s plump body tilted off axis. While flailing to grab even at straws, he snatched Woonghee’s nape.
The small-framed Woonghee was helplessly dragged along. Uh-uh, words flowed between Woonghee’s parted lips.
“Woonghee-ssi!”
Paeng Hana screamed in shock. Her hand tried to grab his forearm, but couldn’t quite reach.
Managing Director Gi’s eyes, who had been sitting nearby, were opened wider than usual. He too quickly extended his arm, but Woonghee’s body falling outside the raft as if bouncing out was faster.
Splash!
In an instant, two people’s bodies were swallowed by the sea.
Sharp seawater flowed into his nose and mouth. He quickly plugged his nose with his index finger. Fuck, talk about bad luck, it’s this bad. Woonghee barely gathered his wits and tumbled in the seawater. It was the moment he was about to flip his body.
‘What is that…?’
Sunlight was pouring into the seawater. Among the scattered white beams of light, he saw some silvery ripples. He didn’t know if it was his imagination, but it seemed to be moving sinuously.
Didn’t that shape look exactly like a snake he would have seen on land…?
While Woonghee was thinking with his sluggish mind, it was rushing at him at a frightening speed. In his head, warning sounds rang loudly, wae-waeng-wae-aeng. He quickly waved his arms upward, but it was futile. Woonghee had neither fins nor flippers.
Of course. Because he wasn’t a fish.
‘…Let go, let go of me!’
A human suddenly diving into the seawater and flailing. From a marine life’s perspective, definitely an intruder.
The silver sea snake opened its maw wide toward Woonghee. And lunged at his fully exposed ankle.
‘Ahh…!’
Sharp teeth pierced through his skin.
He flailed to somehow tear it off. White air bubbles spread bubbling in the seawater.
‘…I, I’m running out of oxygen!’
He felt like he would suffocate to death. Already his ankle had no strength in it. This was bad. If the venom climbed up his calf, he would be trapped here like this.
A prison made of seawater. Being trapped in that solitary cell was extremely bewildering. Had he ever felt this helpless in his life?
As he gradually sank downward unable to do anything, his vision suddenly darkened. It was as if a dark curtain had been draped. Through his hazy vision, he saw some black silhouette.
It was very large. Like that silhouette they had seen from the raft, whether it was a shark or whatever.
C-could it really be a shark?
Woonghee, whose judgment had become clouded, thought he was fucked and tried to escape. At best, all he could do was wiggle his toes.
‘Ugh…!’
However, he couldn’t try this much either. Soon, something grabbed Woonghee’s arm. It was a strong hand that felt overwhelming. In his stinging eyeball from the saltiness, glinting pupils reflected.
Ah, it was Managing Director Gi.
He put strength into pulling Woonghee. Woonghee’s small body was dragged into his embrace.
Ah, he had thought he would die futilely like this. The anxiety that had been rising like a bonfire finally subsided. His touch was unbearably welcome.
‘I’m glad, that I’m not dying alone….’
Only then did Woonghee relax his body.
The last emotion he felt in the suffocating seawater was, oddly enough, relief.
