Dystopia Of Night - Chapter 3 Part 3

The fish sizzled and cooked beautifully over the crackling fire. Sehan used broad leaves as makeshift plates and placed a plump fish in front of Yuju.

He knew well that Yuju had a personality that wouldn’t eat the fish before others. Nevertheless, he still cautioned her to ensure she didn’t eat the fish first.

“You’re not good with hot food. Let it cool down before eating.”

As it was the truth, Yuju nodded and waited for the fish to cool down.

Sehan quickly shared the fish with Hae-jun and Hansol as well. The fish went to Hae-jun before Hansol.

“Eat a lot.”

As Sehan uttered those words to Hae-jun, the atmosphere around Hansol and Hae-jun shifted.

Because Hae-jun was older, Hansol didn’t openly express his dissatisfaction, but he somehow felt pushed back in the hierarchy, experiencing a sense of crisis alone.

Hae-jun dispelled the awkwardness of not belonging and nodded obediently like a loyal hound.

“Thank you. I’ll eat well.”

Silently, Sehan gave a fish to Hansol as well and kept one less for himself.

“Go ahead and eat first. I’ll eat after it cools down a bit.”

Hansol and Hae-jun started their meal without any suspicion. Yuju, wondering if Sehan couldn’t handle hot food, shrugged her shoulders but refrained from saying anything.

Both of them hungrily devoured the fish. Perhaps because they were young men who could eat a lot, they found the fish delicious. Watching them, Yuju’s pupils trembled. Due to the rapid hunger, her eyes kept going to the fish.

“It seems like it’s all cooled down now.”

Even though steam still rose from the fish, Yuju decided to start eating.

“I’ll spread it for you. You’re not good at handling thorns.”

Sehan quickly made chopsticks out of two twigs and spread fish meat on a clean leaf. His movements were mechanical and precise, but because of her intense hunger, it seemed too slow. Yuju swallowed her saliva with a tearful face.

When Hae-jun and Hansol finished one fish and started on the second, Sehan also allowed Yuju to have her share of the fish.

“Take your time eating.”

He gave Yuju the beautifully spread fish and ate his own, skewered on a stick.

“Ah… There’s salt in the camper van.”

After cleaning up the four fish, Hansol patted his slightly bulging belly and said.

While hunger made anything taste delicious, one couldn’t help but feel a slight longing for salt now. But Sehan didn’t think that way. He could tell from Hansol’s glance while speaking.

Hansol had lost all three of his friends and survived alone. Among the remaining eight survivors, Sehan and Yuju were a couple, Yeonji and Yeonhee were sisters, and the two police officers were colleagues. There was also Hyeong-jin, the teacher, but Hansol wanted to join Sehan’s group rather than getting close to Hyeong-jin.

“Really?”

Sehan didn’t show much interest and simply nodded.

“Do you want more?”

As Yuju was about to put the last piece of fish into her mouth, her eyes widened at his question. Sehan smiled and spread more fish for her.

“I can do it…”

“I want to do it for you.”

Yuju and Sehan’s world was solid. As long as the formidable guardian, Choi Sehan, stood strong, it was their own space where no one could step foot without his permission.

Sehan had a tendency to prioritize Yuju’s safety above all else, no matter the situation. Observant Hansol realized that Yuju had been protected by Sehan in every way possible.

Hansol wanted to get some unexpected profit or something, not as much as Yuju, but he wanted to be recognized as a reliable person and colleague in Sehan’s eyes.

Impatiently, he spoke again. 

“It’s about my camper. How about Hyung and sister-in-law use it?”

Sehan evaluated Hansol as even dumber than he had thought. No matter how urgent it was, revealing his biggest hand so blatantly was just foolish.

“The camper?”

As Sehan showed interest, Hansol nodded. It seemed like the right answer. Hansol, who was just a first-year college student, couldn’t compare to Sehan, who had dealt with seasoned politicians.

“Yes. The kids aren’t here… and it’s too spacious for me alone. If you two are okay with it, how about we switch cars?”

“Hmm…”

Sehan looked apologetic as he hesitated.

Hansol licked his dry lips and looked at Yuju.

“You must feel uncomfortable too, sister-in-law, right?”

“What?”

“Changing clothes, washing up, and going to the bathroom, all of that, right?”

As Hansol continued speaking, it felt like a reasonable idea. As a man, Hansol was relatively less concerned about it. However, Yuju clearly thought it would be uncomfortable.

Especially between a newlywed couple.

“Even the bed in the camper is much more spacious.”

Hansol gave a sly laugh as he looked at Yuju and Sehan. Sehan, who felt uncomfortable before Yuju, frowned and covered Yuju with his body.

“Ah, no. Please use it as you wish. I find it a bit… uncomfortable to stay there alone, that’s all.”

Hansol immediately flattered and laughed obsequiously.

“I also miss my friends.”

‘This guy, who only shed a few tears, is a jerk.’

Though Sehan thought that way, he had no intention of refusing.

“I didn’t know you felt that way. I’m sorry for not paying more attention.”

“No, it’s not that. You’ve treated me well enough.”

“It’s probably a space filled with memories of your friends. Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

“Well, staying there will only make me more depressed. Besides, I can’t sleep properly there.”

Sehan and Hansol exchanged some meaningless words.

“What do you think, Yuju?”

Yuju looked at Hansol with pity, having lost all his friends, when she received Sehan’s question.

“How about just switching when it’s time to sleep?”

Sehan’s smile deepened at Yuju’s innocent suggestion. Even though he didn’t exactly know what was going on, Hansol quickly sensed the tense atmosphere and nervously stammered.

“Oh, how could I intrude on a couple’s space?”

“But…”

“I’m really okay, so please stay there.”

The last sentence sounded more like a plea. Yuju felt a bit uneasy but eventually nodded her head. She felt sorry for Hansol, realizing that his wounds were deeper than they seemed.

“Phew.”

Hansol wiped away the cold sweat that he didn’t know when he had shed and laughed triumphantly. He felt his heart warm at the thought that he must have scored big with Sehan.

For now, surviving until bedtime would be enough. Survival was the priority at the moment. If it weren’t for Sehan, he might have melted and turned into a corpse, leaving no trace, in the acidic lake by now.