GMC 161

They say hunger is the best side dish, and surprisingly, after finishing their meal, they were able to brush their teeth. This was thanks to the fact that the basement was equipped with both a toothbrush and toothpaste. Even the faucet provided a steady stream of clear water when turned. As he squeezed toothpaste onto Yeon-rok’s brush, Yeom Cheon-ho explained.

“There is a rainwater harvesting system. It rained quite a bit recently, so it should be fine for rinsing your mouth and washing your face.”

Brushing their teeth side by side while looking out at the sea made Yeon-rok feel as if he were on a vacation.

Just brushing his teeth made him feel much more refreshed. Yeon-rok went back down to the basement and looked around. He found a few changes of clothes, some books, writing utensils, and a first-aid kit. However, among the various items, the most striking was a fishing rod. It looked like a professional setup, far too elaborate to be kept simply for securing food.

“Do you happen to have a hobby of fishing?”

“Rather than a hobby, I kept it simply for religious rituals,” Yeom Cheon-ho answered politely.

But to Yeon-rok, it seemed like a hobby regardless. Why on earth would there be a need to perform religious rituals on a deserted island where no one was watching? Above all…

“Did you do this for a religious ritual too?”

Yeon-rok asked, pointing to a rubbing of a fish. At a glance, it was a massive catch, the kind one could take pride in for a lifetime. As Yeon-rok marveled at the rubbing, which looked to be at least a meter long, Yeom Cheon-ho answered politely once again.

“It wasn’t for a religious ritual… it’s just for the record.”

“This is amazing. Did you catch it here? What species is it?”

“It’s a red sea bream caught during boat fishing.”

No matter how he looked at it, it was a hobby. Fishing. It was unexpected from a man who seemed like he would always listen to classical music while dining at restaurants and wear only luxurious, expensive clothes. Yeon-rok made a casual suggestion.

“Since we don’t have much to do, shall we do some fishing to secure some food?”

“Sounds good. I’ll go down first and clear the path, so would you mind giving this place a light cleaning?”

Yeom Cheon-ho readily agreed and left, taking a sickle from the basement. Yeon-rok also began diligently cleaning the dust accumulated inside. However, thinking about it, it felt as though Yeom Cheon-ho had intentionally assigned him an easy task to distract him while taking on the hard labor himself. Feeling sorry and grateful, Yeon-rok cleaned every nook and cranny, and that’s when a bundle in a plastic bag, tucked haphazardly on the bottom shelf, caught his eye.

“What’s this?”

When he lifted it, it was incredibly heavy for its size. Yeon-rok’s eyes widened as he loosely untied the knot of the plastic bag and peered inside. He had thought it was a trash bag, but what lay inside were gold nuggets. No wonder it was so heavy!

“Just how much is all this worth?”

Terrified and with trembling hands, he quickly tied the bag back up. Was it a slush fund? Yeon-rok quickly looked away, pretending he hadn’t seen anything. He wondered if it had been hidden poorly on purpose. A short while later, when Yeom Cheon-ho returned drenched in sweat, Yeon-rok was struggling with a table that wasn’t level. Yeom Cheon-ho spoke as he hung the sickle on the wall.

“You don’t have to go as far as fixing that.”

“Still, it’s uncomfortable if it wobbles. Isn’t unauthorized [Read on Read BL Novels]copythere something we can use as a prop?”

“Hmm…”

Yeom Cheon-ho scanned the area, and his steps led him toward the black bag full of gold. Yeon-rok watched, wondering if he really would, and saw him rummage through the bag and pull out a small, thin gold bar to wedge under the table leg.

“Perfect. It fits just right.”

Yeom Cheon-ho looked satisfied. Yeon-rok stared silently at the absurdly expensive table prop. Was it perhaps fake?

“Isn’t that gold?”

“It is. Since it’s a reasonably small piece, it has good liquidity. If you think you’ll need it, feel free to take a few when you leave this island.”

“No, I’m fine…”

Yeon-rok humbly declined. Soon, Yeom Cheon-ho began preparing for fishing as if it were nothing. Surprisingly, he produced sunscreen, a pair of sunglasses, and a wide-brimmed hat from somewhere. Honestly, was this place not a hideout, but somewhere he bought specifically to go fishing on his days off?

“It’s midsummer, so the sun is strong. You’ll get burned if you don’t do this.”

Yeom Cheon-ho personally placed the hat on Yeon-rok’s head and meticulously applied sunscreen for him. Then, he headed out carrying a load of equipment, including the fishing rods.

Unlike before, the overgrown brush had been cleared. Following the path neatly trimmed with the sickle, [unauthorized copy]they arrived at a spot that looked perfect for fishing. It was a wide, flat rock, situated right under the shade of a tree, allowing them to avoid the sunlight. [stolen content]As [visit our site]he set up two lightweight folding chairs, Yeom Cheon-ho spoke in a pleased voice. He seemed even happier than usual.

“I’ve had my eye on this spot because it’s a very suitable point for fishing. It’s wonderful to be here with you, Yeon-rok-ssi. …Ah, you do it like this.”

As Yeon-rok operated the fishing gear according to Yeom Cheon-ho’s instructions, he thought: What do you mean you just kept some gear for religious rituals? Anyone can see you’re an enthusiast.

The fishing point Yeom Cheon-ho had eyed was an incredible spot. Perhaps because it was a deserted island and untouched by people, even a beginner like Yeon-rok caught a fish every time he cast his line. Honestly, it was quite fun.

Yeom Cheon-ho, who claimed to have no interest in fishing, brought out a gleaming sashimi knife, a cutting board, and seasoning sauce. He prepared the sashimi on the spot, and it looked as if it had been served at a professional restaurant. Dipping the fresh raw fish into the cho-jang sauce was a delicacy. Since there was no refrigerator, they kept everything except the dinner portions trapped in a fishing net submerged in seawater.

After eating their fill of freshly caught grilled fish, they returned to the cabin. Unable to fall asleep immediately, Yeon-rok spread a cloth on the ground and lay down to gaze up at the night sky. With no light pollution, he could appreciate it fully. It felt as if countless stars were about to pour down. Then, Moon Gyeon-woo suddenly came to mind. He remembered the time they had watched the stars together. Following Moon Gyeon-woo, he thought of Choi Hwan.

They must be incredibly worried, right? Will those two be okay? Was Yoo Young-taek really only targeting me and Yeom Cheon-ho? While he was lost in these worries, Yeom Cheon-ho, who had been lying beside him with his eyes closed, whispered softly.

“It’s nice… Come to think of it, I believe this is the first time I’ve spent time just doing things I enjoy, so happily and leisurely.”

Yeon-rok reflected on the life Yeom Cheon-ho had lived until now.

He was a man who spent his childhood under the abuse and life-threatening treatment of Yeom Cheon-ryul, eventually fleeing to a distant land. But even there, far from living comfortably, he had pushed himself relentlessly, even cutting back on sleep to grow his power.

He always worked late, and even after returning home, he worked in his study. Even when he went on summer vacation, Yeom Cheon-ho never completely let go of his work. Ironically, only now, having been forced into shipwreck on a deserted island, was he experiencing true rest for the first time.

“I had a lot of fun today too.”

“Is that so.”

“There’s nothing else we can do here anyway. So, at least for now, let’s just let everything go and rest comfortably.”

“I agree. If it weren’t for you, Yeon-rok-ssi, I wouldn’t have enjoyed myself this much.”

Smiling softly, Yeon-rok moved closer to Yeom Cheon-ho. He absentmindedly toyed with the man who was looking at him with complete vulnerability. For today, the other man felt a bit less intimidating than usual. While tracing the sharp bridge of his nose and jawline, Yeon-rok let out a low, surprised sound.

“You’re prickly.”

“I suppose it’s because I haven’t been able to shave.”

No, he has books, notebooks, fishing rods, and even gold, but he doesn’t have a razor?

It was an unexpectedly clumsy side to him. Yeon-rok stroked his jaw again. Perhaps because he was usually such a neat person, the stubble felt a bit awkward. Yeom Cheon-ho, who had been quietly receiving the touch, reached out and gently touched the area under Yeon-rok’s chin. It made Yeon-rok’s chest feel strangely ticklish.

“You’re smooth, Yeon-rok-ssi.”

“I don’t grow much facial hair.”

It wasn’t that he grew none at all, but occasionally he would look in the mirror and wonder, Is this a beard? and then it would disappear with a light shave. When he stayed at the villa, he noticed Moon Gyeon-woo barely grew any [visit [stolen content]our site]either, and he heard that Choi Hwan, being an actor, had undergone full-body hair removal a long time ago.

“Indeed, I thought you had very little body hair in other places as well.”

Yeon-rok, who had been nodding without much thought, suddenly realized the meaning and blushed. Feeling embarrassed, he decided oh, whatever and burrowed into the side of the lying Yeom Cheon-ho. A low chuckle sounded beside him, and a large hand slid beneath the nape of his neck. In an instant, he was using the man’s arm as a pillow. The height of the arm-pillow was just right.