Chapter 26: The Summer Table (1)

The boat swayed more than expected.

"Wow, I bet So-hyun must have had a tough time."

"Yeah, she got quite seasick. She's also quite timid."

As they thought, So-hyun had already arrived and was sprawled out at the Gaeado Health Center.

"Ugh, everything's spinning."

Originally, An Jun-ho and Han So-hyun were supposed to arrive first and explore the island, but the unexpected seasickness left them too weak to move.

Meanwhile, Jun-ho left So-hyun at the health center and was walking up to the old house where the members would stay for the next few weekends.

"Wow, it's really far from the village. Aren't you thirsty?"

He tried to strike up a conversation with the VJ filming him, but got no response.

"Really, variety shows are all about talking to yourself."

As he walked a bit further, he saw a gray wall.

The rusted gate looked like it could be the entrance to a haunted house.

The vines growing high above the gate were eerie, and the intermittent sound of rusted metal in the wind sounded like someone's scream.

"Is this it? Really?"

Jun-ho asked the writer who had followed him, and he nodded silently.

The aura from beyond the gate made him hesitant to enter alone.

"Um... I can't go in alone."

Jun-ho turned back and returned to the health center.

While he was exaggerating the house he had seen to So-hyun, the on-site PD received a call.

"Okay, I understand."

"Jin-wook and Yeon-woo are about to arrive at the pier."

"Let's go."

At the staff's words, So-hyun jumped up and went to the pier with Jun-ho.

As they waited for the boat, the seasickness that had made them feel so queasy seemed to ease.

Finally, the boat arrived.

As Jin-wook, Yeon-woo, and the staff disembarked, So-hyun ran up to them.

"Yeon-woo!"

Yeon-woo hugged So-hyun and spun her around.

"If you run like that, you might fall into the sea."

Despite Yeon-woo's nagging, So-hyun paid no attention and quickly started chatting with Son Jin-wook, who was standing nearby.

The energy seemed to return as all the members gathered.

"Wow, they're as close as real siblings."

"What? PD, real siblings don't act like that."

The production team, pleased with the scene, pondered how to add subtitles.

As expected, the actors made a great picture no matter what they did.

"Bro, I went to see the house we'll be staying in, and it's a complete ruin."

Before long, Jun-ho was chattering away to Jin-wook.

"Jun-ho, before we can eat, we need to catch some fish."

"Really?"

Fishing at a haunted house? One problem after another.

"Actors, please come this way. We're moving."

Yeon-woo and the others got into the car prepared by the production team and drove up the winding road that Jun-ho had walked earlier.

The car soon arrived at the haunted house Jun-ho had seen, and the group got out.

"Here it is."

Opening the rusted gate, they saw a jungle of vines.

The overgrown grass seemed to prove that it had been a long time since anyone had tended to the place.

There was just enough space for a person to walk through.

"Wow, it's a jungle?"

"Ugh, do we really have to stay here?"

However, once inside, the house was in better condition than it looked from the outside.

The interior seemed livable with a bit of cleaning.

At that moment, the PD, putting down various tools, said:

"This was the home of an elderly couple until half a year ago. The current owners have moved to their children's homes in Seoul. Since it's owned by the broadcasting company, you can renovate it as you like."

Clap, clap!

Yeon-woo clapped to get everyone's attention and put on the gardening gloves she had found.

"I'll start by clearing the yard. Go inside and see if there are any usable furnishings."

"I'll help Yeon-woo."

Jun-ho quickly put on the gardening gloves he was handed.

So-hyun and Jin-wook went inside to start cleaning, while Yeon-woo cut the vines with a scythe.

"Wow, Yeon-woo, you're really quick."

The production team marveled at how quickly the small jungle was being cleared by Yeon-woo's skilled hands.

Compared to the mangrove forests he had faced during operations in Laos, these vines were child's play.

Yeon-woo cut the main branches and Jun-ho carried them out of the house.

After about an hour, the large yard was revealed.

Jin-wook and So-hyun, who had been cleaning inside, came out.

"Wow, what a spacious place?"

"Yeon-woo and Jun-ho must have worked hard. This is enough for a game of kickball."

With the vines cleared, the house looked livable.

"Is there anything useful inside?"

"Not much, just what the production team provided. But there's a garden behind the house."

"The production team has already prepared the garden. You can eat whatever you harvest from it."

At the PD's words, Yeon-woo and Jun-ho went to check the garden.

Jun-ho, familiar with the garden, went in and looked around.

"There are cucumbers and peppers?"

An Jun-ho found vegetables in every corner.

"Really? I couldn't tell what was there because it all looked like grass."

"I grew up in the countryside until I was an adult. Of course, I tended to the garden."

Thus, An Jun-ho became the garden caretaker.

"PD, where are the fishing tools?"

"Check the shed at the back. The elderly couple used to keep them there."

The PD pointed to a dilapidated shed behind the house.

Yeon-woo went into the shed and found it to be better than expected.

He soon brought out a trap that looked in good condition.

"Bro, sis, I'll go set the trap."

"Huh? A trap?"

Yeon-woo's call brought the three who were cleaning the house outside.

"We need to eat dinner, right?"

"I'll go too!"

So-hyun put on her shoes and raised her hand.

"Go ahead, both of you. Catch a lot!"

Waving goodbye to Jin-wook and Jun-ho, Yeon-woo took the trap and headed to the nearby beach.

"Yeon-woo, where will you throw the trap?"

Following Yeon-woo, So-hyun asked.

"Hmm, the pier area is good for depth, but the line might get cut by the boat, and it's too far from the house. I'll have to throw it nearby."

After looking around for a while, Yeon-woo stopped in front of a rock crevice and called So-hyun.

"Sis, here. This spot looks good."

Yeon-woo and the camera director ran to where So-hyun was.

"Here? Here? Just put it in?"

Holding up the trap, So-hyun asked.

"Originally, fish heads or chicken guts would be the best bait."

Yeon-woo pulled out a piece of bread from his coat pocket.

"I had some left over from the rest stop. Let's try this."

"Bread? Will fish come for bread?"

"They eat it pretty well."

Yeon-woo peeled the bread and put it in the trap, then spun it and threw it into the sea.

"Sis, give me the line."

"Here!"

Yeon-woo took the line So-hyun was holding and tied it securely to a nearby rock.

The way he tied the knot seemed very skilled.

"Wow, where did you learn all this?"

"Just, you know. Ha ha."

It was hard to explain that he had learned it from tying up hostages.

"What will we catch? I'm really excited."

"I hope we catch something."

Praying that they would catch fish by evening, they returned to the house.

Meanwhile, Jin-wook and Jun-ho were busy building a hearth with bricks.

"Jin-wook, have you done this before?"

At the PD's question, Jin-wook looked surprised.

"Of course not. I feel completely deceived. They said it was a healing variety show."

The staff laughed at Jin-wook's complaint.

Though he complained, Jin-wook followed the advice of the accompanying expert and diligently built the hearth, making ventilation holes.

"Ugh, why am I working so hard? I have to feed the kids."

As the eldest, Jin-wook couldn't let his three younger siblings go hungry.

"Seniors, we've set the trap."

At that moment, Yeon-woo and So-hyun opened the gate and entered the yard.

"Right, I see. There's rice in the kitchen, and I've put the rice cooker on."

"There's a rice cooker? I thought we'd have to use a pot, but this will be much easier."

Yeon-woo looked around the yard and set priorities.

"Then, the garden caretaker, Jun-ho, and So-hyun, go pick some vegetables for dinner."

"Okay, we'll go."

Jun-ho and So-hyun took a basket and went to the garden, while Yeon-woo rolled up his sleeves.

"Since Jun-ho made the hearth, I'll chop some firewood. Take a break."

"Ah, thanks. I've been bent over this thing, and my back is killing me."

Jin-wook stretched out on the bench, groaning.

The PD approached Jin-wook.

"Is Yeon-woo the leader?"

The PD, surprised by the youngest member's efficient task assignment, asked.

"Of course. That kid is not your average smart kid. Our Yeon-woo."

Jin-wook, lying on the bench, answered without looking at the PD.

Feeling the gentle breeze, he felt like he could fall asleep.

Meanwhile, Yeon-woo started chopping the firewood stacked next to the shed with an axe.

Swish, thud. Crack.

Thud. Crack.

The firewood was neatly split by the skilled, rhythmic chopping.

"Wow, we should capture this in slow motion."

"Feeling like a live painting."

The PD and the main writer, captivated by the picturesque scene of chopping firewood, were already planning the editing.

Jin-wook, exhausted from the morning's work, had fallen asleep on the bench, while Yeon-woo put the firewood in the hearth and started a fire.

The dry firewood quickly caught fire, and Yeon-woo brought a pot lid from the kitchen and poured cooking oil.

Sizzle.

The sound of the cooking oil heating up woke Jin-wook.

"What? Yeon-woo, you've already started the fire?"

"Stay there. For the first meal, let's have fried rice."

"Wow, what? It already smells delicious."

At that moment, So-hyun and Jun-ho, who had picked a basket of vegetables from the garden, approached.