TDIMEH Chapter 61

 61. Jealousy

"Coco! I'm sorry. Amihan woke up and, not seeing you, went downstairs alone."

With a face that hadn't gotten a wink of sleep, Boss Nam lowered his head apologetically. His clothes were a complete mess—not just from the rain but also from searching for Amihan.

"Why are you apologizing, Boss? You tried to stop him, but he pushed past you and ran away. He could have fallen and gotten hurt, too."

Moon Sohee clicked her tongue disapprovingly.

Se-ah glanced at Boss Nam’s scratched hands and lowered her head.

"I'm sorry. This is all because of me."

"No, I should have protected him better."

"I actually saw Amihan earlier. They locked him back in the lodging."

"Really? Nothing else happened?"

"Yes. He's safe for now."

Boss Nam let out a deep sigh of relief.

Se-ah briefly explained what had happened—how she had found medicine and managed to contact Marino via satellite phone.

Upon hearing this, Boss Nam and Moon Sohee’s expressions brightened more than at any other moment since arriving on the island.

"We can get off the island? We're saved!"

Boss Nam was almost in tears.

"You did great, Coco."

Even Moon Sohee, who wasn’t usually the sentimental type, thanked her.

"So, what should we do until they arrive?"

Moon Sohee turned to Junhyuk and asked. Since her secret had been exposed, she had been much more cautious in her behavior.

"We should hide somewhere nearby and wait for the rescue team."

"Shouldn't we go back to the beach? That’s the safest place. This spot feels too close, and I’m worried we might get caught."

Moon Sohee looked down the mountain with a troubled expression.

"The rescue team will arrive in a day or two at the latest. We can't take the risk of a week-long trek back to the beach."

"You're right. No need to overthink it. The sun will be up soon, so we should find a safe place to hide as soon as possible."

Boss Nam quickly packed up the scattered belongings.

Unlike before, when they first arrived on this part of the island, there was now hope, and even the sound of footsteps following Junhyuk seemed lighter.

Finding a hiding spot was surprisingly easy.

With his sharp instincts, Junhyuk led them through a dense area of trees and soon found a place suitable for the four of them to stay hidden. A bit further up, they could clearly see anyone approaching from below.

Once they settled in a flat area, Se-ah immediately took out her phone and extended the antenna as high as possible.

The reception was poor in the forest, and it took a long time before she finally managed to get a connection.

"Marino, it's me."

— Coco! Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere? You're staying hidden, right? I just landed in Zamboanga on the first flight this morning.

Marino’s voice, full of worry, came through the receiver. He wasn't usually one to talk a lot, but this time, his words poured out rapidly.

"Are you even breathing while talking?"

Se-ah held back a laugh as she responded.

— Uh… yeah.

Marino stammered, clearly flustered.

"I'm fine. No injuries, and we’re well hidden."

— Good. Tell me more about the island—describe everything you see.

"This place looks like..."

Though the signal was choppy, Se-ah described the general features of the island and the tall mountain's shape to Marino over the phone.

— Got it. I’ve taken notes. No matter where you are, I'll find you, so keep your phone with you. If you can’t get a signal, go to the highest point nearby. Staying in low areas is too risky—you might get caught.

"I will. And about those people... There are over ten of them, all armed. They also said their boss’s boat will be arriving this afternoon. If you’re coming directly, be careful."

— That many? Not a problem. But I'll still be cautious so you don’t worry. There aren’t many islands involved in illegal activities, so it won’t take long to find you. The local police tried to cover it up, but when I told them I already knew the location, they had no choice but to stop hiding it.

"Thank you. I also had a feeling there were people turning a blind eye to this."

— Don’t worry. Do Junhyuk’s side has arranged for military helicopter support. Once the local coast guard grants permission, we’ll depart immediately.

"You’re coming by helicopter?"

— Yeah. A military one, so it can cover long distances. If my estimate is right, we’ll be there as early as tonight, or by tomorrow morning at the latest.

Marino told her not to wander too far and to stay hidden until they arrived. Se-ah assured him she would.

Since she needed to save the battery, the call was brief.

After hanging up, Se-ah turned to her group and shared the good news.

Boss Nam declared that he would blend into nature and hide until rescue arrived. He changed into green clothing and smeared wet dirt all over his face, proudly calling it 'camouflage tactics' he had learned in the military. His determination to survive was evident.

Even Moon Sohee layered on her most worn-out clothing.

As long as they didn’t get caught, escaping was possible. The two of them, now dressed for stealth, had faces filled with anticipation.

Se-ah resolved not to show her worries in front of them, but deep down, she couldn't stop thinking about Amihan and the others still trapped.

What if they got hurt or something happened during the chaos of the rescue?

Even if she went back, she wouldn't be able to help. If anything, she would only make things worse.

Frustrated by her own helplessness, Se-ah could only hope and pray that nothing would go wrong within the next day.

Then she noticed that Junhyuk’s expression wasn’t great either.

She quietly moved closer to him, squatting down beside him as he watched the area below.

"Earlier, you said you had something to tell me, right?"

"Yeah."

His reply was short.

His tightly pressed lips made it obvious that something was bothering him.

"Whatever it is, just tell me."

"...It's nothing."

Junhyuk shook his head quickly, dismissing the thought.

"It doesn’t seem like ‘nothing.’ Why is our captain in such a bad mood?"

Se-ah playfully cupped her hands under her chin and leaned in, making direct eye contact.

His deep brown eyes reflected her curious gaze, and in them, she could see the faint traces of whatever was troubling him.

Even if she was feeling down, Se-ah didn’t want to see Junhyuk looking like that.

"It’s not like that."

"I think it is. When you're in a bad mood, sweets are the best. Here, eat this and talk to me."

Se-ah pulled a chocolate bar from her pocket. She had planned to give it to him before, but Junhyuk had flatly refused.

"I told you to eat it yourself."

"Nope. This is for you, Captain."

Determined to make him eat it this time, she held it out insistently.

"I don’t like sweets."

"But you eat fruit just fine."

"...That’s because I don’t have a choice."

"Then think of this as something you don’t have a choice about either. Sometimes, you need something sweet."

After repeated persuasion, Junhyuk finally took the chocolate bar and popped it into his mouth in one bite. As he chewed and swallowed, the scene looked straight out of an advertisement.

"Do you realize how cool you just looked?"

"What?"

His voice softened a little.

"You’re so ridiculously handsome that everything you do looks like an ad."

"...It’s not like I just became handsome overnight."

Junhyuk’s lips twitched slightly.

His expression had relaxed a lot.

"So, tell me, Captain. Why are you upset?"

"You’re being cheeky again."

Junhyuk smirked, finally breaking his stiff demeanor. Then, after a brief moment of thought, he spoke.

"That lock-picking skill of yours… Did that guy teach you?"

"That guy?"

"Marino."

"Oh, yeah."

Se-ah casually rested her face against her knee and answered lightly.

"How do you know him?"

Junhyuk asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

"I met him by chance when I came to the Philippines. We ended up helping each other, so we became pretty close. Marino is a really good person. If it weren’t for him, my life in the Philippines would have ended long ago."

As she chatted about Marino, Junhyuk’s expression hardened more and more.

Se-ah only noticed it after rambling on.

"Must be nice… having such a good person by your side."

Junhyuk muttered under his breath as he picked up a small rock nearby and threw it into the bushes.

From the side, Se-ah could see his lips slightly pouting and his jaw subtly clenched.

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