The variant monster attack.
That was the day 5 event.
It was avoidable if you skipped the forest, but I thought it might improve things with Lena, so I went for it.
Plus, I knew the monster was no big deal.
Of course, it was scary as hell!!!!!
Kim Taeyang's iron heart came through, as expected…
Back at camp, I prepped dinner.
Tonight's menu: roasted rabbit from a trap and steamed yams.
Lena, probably drawn by the smell, sidled up to the fire.
"Um, so…"
"Huh? You want the rabbit guts or something?! I haven't even finished!!"
"No… Can I eat with you?"
"How shameless can you get?! At least do the sow declaration first!!!"
"No, please, not that. I'll do anything else instead."
Oh?
Taking down that frog must've worked.
Lena's tone… it's softer, isn't it?
"Then dance something funny."
"..."
Lena awkwardly swayed.
It was like a kid's performance.
Her tattered uniform added a weirdly suggestive vibe.
"Tch. Not even trying to be funny."
"Ugh…"
Blushing, she covered her face and shook her hips.
Her chest jiggling was honestly kinda hot.
"Hey!!! I said funny, not sexy!!!"
"…Sorry."
"Hey, where you going?!"
"?"
"Sit here! It was a little funny!"
Hunger beats pride, huh?
Her usual blank face lit up.
The change was dramatic, like a time-lapse of a blooming flower.
She sat by the fire, smiling happily.
"You okay with those wounds?"
"Oh, they're nothing."
"Nothing?! You dumb sow, realize your body's not a hero's right now."
I tried to lift her shirt.
But Kim Taeyang's body chose a more efficient method.
"Yo!"
Rip!
I tore her shirt open.
Plastic buttons flew into the fire.
Classic Kim Taeyang…!
Crazy bastard?!?!
"!"
Lena, now in her underwear, just looked startled.
She silently let me proceed.
"Ointment from a chest."
"…Thanks. You okay with your wounds? Want me to apply some?"
"Hey, don't flirt. I can handle my stomach scratch myself."
"O-Okay…"
After basic first aid, we dug into the feast.
She spoke up when we were comfortably full.
"I've got a question."
"What?"
"You really don't remember?"
"Huh? What're you talking about?"
"The European sow thing."
I genuinely don't remember.
But saying that felt off, so I probed.
I was curious too.
A new Academia storyline? Can't resist!
"You said it. After I enrolled at Ark, you told me to get a boyfriend and wait quietly… Then you'd come steal me…"
"Sounds vaguely familiar. Tell me more."
Lena spilled her past.
She was a country girl.
Kim Taeyang, visiting, bullied her.
She had a crush on him, but he left without a goodbye.
Hearing it, well…
Classic Kim Taeyang.
What a total scumbag…?
"Oh yeah, it's all coming back now."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Definitely good memories."
Lena looked surprised at my words.
"Good memories?"
"Playing together as kids, right? If that's not a good memory, what is?"
"…One more question."
Lena's vibe shifted.
Her voice turned heavy, serious.
Even the campfire's warmth seemed to fade.
"Why did you bully me?"
Me, the center of a bullying scandal…?
Kim Taeyang's got some controversy brewing, huh?
How do I talk my way out of this?
Just admit fault?
Normally, I'd apologize quick, but something feels off.
And for good reason…
◆ NTR Solution
◆ Lena Erandel
[Loyal Hero: Seol Hajeong]
[Relationship with Loyal Hero: 93]
[Trait: Love Deficiency]
◆ Solution
+ Her bond with her loyal hero is very strong…
+ But Lena is starting to rely on you.
+ Apologize to Lena to win her favor!
+ A touched Lena will genuinely follow you!
+ Caution! Lena has the 'Love Deficiency' trait, which may lead to obsession with you.
Relying on me? Fine.
But that love deficiency thing? Not so much.
I'm already exhausted dealing with Seol Hajeong and Chloe clinging to me.
Add Lena's obsession? No way I can handle that.
"Huh? That's a question?"
So, I decided to just be a total bastard.
"Bullying you was only natural, wasn't it?"
"Natural…?"
"I hate morally bankrupt chicks like you!! Even as a kid, your nasty personality was the same, right?! Huh?!!!"
"Tch… So that's what it was…"
The conversation died.
Operation success, it seems.
Sorry for hurting her feelings, but I only need your constellation, Lena.
***
As a child, Lena was surrounded by violence.
That environment shaped her into someone violent too.
Her violence wasn't directed at people—there were no kids her age to target.
Instead, it was dogs, cats, and the smaller creatures crawling around.
Lena had erased those shameful memories.
It's human nature—erase the bad, keep the good.
Kim Taeyang's jab wiped the dust off those fragments.
"I hate morally bankrupt chicks like you!! Even as a kid, your nasty personality was the same!!!"
'Back then… I was like that…'
Killing fish, kicking dogs, splashing hot water on livestock and running away—that was young Lena.
Maybe…
Kim Taeyang's bullying wasn't just bullying.
'He was scolding me for hurting animals…'
He'd called her out on her wrongs.
Even as a tiny kid.
Even though he was two years younger than her.
He was far more mature than Lena.
"..."
Her face flushed.
Lena thought she'd worked hard as a hero.
She'd achieved notable growth, after all.
But…
'My heart's still the same as back then…'
She hadn't grown as a person at all.
She couldn't even understand the heart of that young Kim Taeyang…
By the campfire, Kim Taeyang's figure overlapped with his childhood self.
"Taeyang, you haven't changed."
"Obviously! I've been a strong male since I was a kid, right?"
Hiding his true feelings like that showed he wasn't exactly mature either.
Somehow, it made her smile.
Even someone as grown-up as Kim Taeyang had a human side.
Crackle crackle-
She stared endlessly at the burning campfire.
Spending late nights outdoors felt like a return to childhood.
Lena stood up.
She didn't want to act like a kid anymore.
She wanted to learn from this man who'd called out her flaws early on.
"Can you help me hunt tomorrow? I'm out of food…"
"Huh? Asking for free help again, you freeloading chick?!?!"
"No! I'll do anything you say… except the sow declaration… I don't have much, so I'll pay with labor."
"Hey, you wanna be my lackey?"
"Lackey…? Call it whatever you want."
"Kek kek kek. You're a damn funny chick."
And so, island life shifted slightly.
Kim Taeyang, the boss.
Lena, the lackey.
***
Day 10.
The morning sea no longer felt unfamiliar.
As always, Lena woke to Kim Taeyang's grunts.
"Yo…!"
He started the day with exercise.
'I tried to wake up earlier than Taeyang, but failed again… Where does that stamina come from?'
Lena quietly joined the workout.
Push-ups with hands on the bench, bench dips—moves Kim Taeyang taught her.
"Hey, useless sow. Did you set the traps right yesterday?"
"Yeah. Placed them at the three spots you mentioned. Used rabbit guts for bait."
"Kek kek kek. First-class lackey, huh? So why's your workout third-rate?! Keep your elbows straight!!!"
"Ugh… Sorry."
"If Seol Harin saw this, she'd be foaming at the mouth!! That chick's got a worse temper than me!!!"
Compared to day one, they'd changed a lot.
No more clashing.
"Useless sow, make food."
"Okay."
Kim Taeyang gave orders, Lena followed.
"Useless sow, tie knots like this."
"Impressive."
Kim Taeyang taught, Lena learned.
"Useless sow, I'm off to crack open chests."
"I'll have food ready when you're back."
Kim Taeyang hunted chests in the forest,
Lena worked to prove her worth.
That became their routine.
***
"Hey, useless sow! Get over here!"
"?"
At the beach, sunset glowing.
Kim Taeyang, in the water, called Lena over.
He was splashing around, looking underwater.
"Yo! Sea turtle!!"
He hauled up a massive sea turtle.
So huge, Lena got a bit scared.
"C-Can we eat it?"
"Huh? You forklift sow, you see something and instantly think about eating it?!"
"Then why'd you catch it?"
"To show you! A giant sea turtle like this is cool as hell, right?!"
"...!"
Honestly, it wasn't that cool.
But it was fun.
On this island, nature's wonders were the only entertainment.
Kim Taeyang released the turtle with a farewell.
"Hey, you should thank me for catching it! If you'd found it, you forklift sow, it'd be dragon palace soup by now. Kek kek kek."
"Don't call me forklift… Just call me useless sow."
"Huh? I'll call you whatever I want!"
Splash!
Lena splashed water on Kim Taeyang's face.
Seeing his shocked expression, she snickered.
"Hey, forklift sow. Declaring war?"
"I told you not to call me that…"
Kim Taeyang hoisted Lena up.
"Hey, hey!!! You dare challenge me?! Yo!!!! Repent by drinking Mother Ocean's juice!!!!!"
"Cough!! Hack…!!!"
He dunked her into the sea.
She couldn't breathe, struggling in the water.
'It really feels like we're kids again…!'
Yet, it stirred memories of childhood joy.
Her youth, once stained with negativity.
Despite misunderstandings, her memories with Kim Taeyang were filled with fun.
***
Lena loved evenings.
Compared to mornings or afternoons, she could eat her fill.
Staring at the campfire, sated, her heart felt warm and fuzzy.
"Kim Taeyang."
"What?"
"Are we… stuck here forever?"
Just ten days.
That's all it took to crush her hope of returning.
"Who cares? Life here's not bad."
"You okay living like this?"
"Satisfied or not, we got no choice, right? Get homesick, and I'll ditch you."
"Ditch me? Come on…"
"Hey! As the only humans on this island, there's no time for moping!!"
The only humans on the island.
Then she'd have to be Kim Taeyang's wife.
That felt oddly reassuring.
'Why do I feel so calm? Thinking about living with Taeyang… it's simple, happy…'
Lena had made her decision.
To be a devoted wife.
"If we're still here after a year, I'll do the sow declaration or whatever."
"Kek kek kek. Looking forward to it."
"If you want, I'll even have kids. A son, a daughter… a cozy little family…"
"Hey! If we're stuck after a year, we're starting the human repopulation project!!"
"Human repopulation project…?"
"Pregnancy, birth, pregnancy, birth, pregnancy, birth!!!! You'll be a baby-making machine!!! Your hips are built for it!!!"
"..."
A big family might be nice.
'With a strong man by my side.'
Lena subtly scooted her wooden chair closer, aiming to lean on his shoulder.
Just as her head neared his shoulder—
Splash!!!
"?"
A strange sound came from the dark sea.
Kim Taeyang instantly drew his jungle knife.
Lena grabbed a sharpened wooden spear.
"A monster?!"
"Don't freak out. I'll toss a torch."
Kim Taeyang threw a torch toward the beach.
Dark waves.
A silhouette of a short-haired woman emerged.
"You're both alive?"
"P-President…?"
Student council president Seol Hajeong.
She'd arrived on the island.