CH 6

It has been a few more days since I caught the man who claims to have memory loss. There has been no progress in the quest, but living with the man wasn’t bad. No, it has been quite good. We didn’t do anything particularly special. However, sharing meals with someone and having conversations about daily life was simply enjoyable.

As we got to know each other, I also became more comfortable speaking. It was also thanks to the strange consideration I felt from the man, who patiently waited for me even when I stumbled or became confused.

Even from the beginning, I already felt it. He definitely didn’t seem like a bad person.

Moreover, he had many things to talk about, so it was strange if I didn’t get used to having conversations. The man was curious about this fascinating island, and I found his curiosity delightful.

Today, after finishing our meal and completing our tasks, I was sitting next to the man, engaged in conversation.

“So, does this Trapped Island really change seasons exactly every 30 days?”

“Yes, that’s right. It has been 12 days since I caught you on the 8th day of spring. After another 18 days, it will be summer.”

“How can you be so sure? Seasons don’t change that quickly.”

“Oh, well… they change quickly here. When it becomes the first day of summer, all the crops planted in spring wither, the colors of the leaves change. The fruits from the growing trees and the fish you catch are also different.”

I explained things that immediately came to mind while folding my fingers one by one. The man tilted his head with an expression of disbelief.

“Is there some kind of magic cast on this island? If not, it seems realistically impossible.”

Magic. Seeing him casually mention such words, he definitely seemed like someone from a different world.

I couldn’t provide any answer to the man’s questioning. While this island was a fascinating place like magic, I have never experienced any supernatural phenomena.

From the beginning, I hadn’t thought deeply about the fact that I, who was supposed to be dead, was transported here. It seemed unreal in itself, so I hadn’t delved into that aspect.

It seemed like he had realized by now that I barely knew anything, so he didn’t press for answers even when I couldn’t respond.

…I still find it suspicious though.

“Well, I think you’ll know when you directly experience the last day of spring and the first day of summer. Um, I apologize for not explaining properly because I’m not good with words.”

“No, it’s alright. Even without falling into the sea, just being caught on a fishing line is enough to tell that there’s something strange about this island.”

“Um, did something jog your memory?”

“…Ah, my head hurts a bit. It would be nice if I had Giant Hogweed leaves at times like this.”

“Giant Hogweed?”

What was that? It was a name I’ve never heard before. Seeing him mention Giant Hogweed, could it be some kind of large plant? At my question, the man smiled slightly and answered, “It’s a grass that grows in damp places, but it seems like it’s not found on this island.”

“Yes. There aren’t many types of flowers or trees here. And since we can’t find seeds separately… But, um, you did lose your memory, right?”

“Yes, of course. I’m just asking because there are random things that come to mind while talking with you.”

“Ah, yes…”

At this point, he could just be honest and tell me…

Despite his smiling face, I clearly felt that he always drew a line and put up a wall. It wasn’t openly defensive, but it was a level that anyone with a sense could perceive. Of course, I projected my past self onto this man, so I understood it all. That was why, even if he subtly tried to provoke me, I simply accepted everything.

Over the past few days, the man had tried his best to annoy me. The easiest way to annoy someone was to nitpick and make strange demands, it was as if he was aiming for that.

The food was bland, too salty. It was too sunny or not sunny enough. The clothes suit him or don’t suit him—he keeps complaining about every little thing. Honestly, it was so obvious that he was intentionally doing it.

He tried to hide it, but his tone, expressions, and awkwardness were all too noticeable.

After alternating my gaze between the sun outside and the man with a forced smile, I raised my head and said, “Shall we go on a picnic tomorrow?”

“Huh?”

“Yes, a picnic. Although there isn’t any giant grass or anything, I have a place where I planted beautiful flowers. I planted them right at the beginning of spring, so they should be in full bloom by now.”

“Oh, I see. I appreciate the thought, but I’m okay…”

“If you agree to go, I’ll put you in a cart to take us there. But if you refuse, do you know what a princess carry is?”

“….”

As I gestured with my arms, pretending to princess carry someone, the man’s face froze. I cautiously added, “You… The answer is already decided, so it’s better to just say ‘yes’.”

“I will go. I’ll go, so please arrange for transportation by cart…” His voice trembled softly.

Instead of responding, I smiled and nodded.

“What kind of packed lunch would you like? You’ve emptied the last bowl of porridge, so it’s probably okay to start eating regular meals now.”

“It doesn’t matter. I don’t particularly like or dislike anything.”

“Since you’ve been eating porridge all this time, I wanted to make something delicious for you. I’m good at cooking. I can make anything.”

Actually, when it comes to picnics, kimbap was the best, but I wanted to make something he likes for a change. He might be unfamiliar with the dishes I usually ate as well. If I were to follow his preference, I was planning to prepare something like a sandwich that often appears in romance novels.

However, during that time, the man, who never voiced his opinion no matter what I said, visibly flinched. Before he could say anything else, I quickly asked, “Even when you’re not feeling well, it’s best to eat what you want and take a rest. If it’s a dish I don’t know, I’ll try to find something similar and let you know.”

“Do you really mean anything?”

“Yes!”

“Then, octopus dish.”

“Octopus… octopus?”

What’s this? Something very unexpected came up. Of course, octopus can be caught through fishing, and there were various recipes for it. There was octopus sashimi, octopus marinade, and steamed octopus. It was also delicious when grilled with butter.

But the man’s expression seemed to say, ‘Can you really make it?’… In other words, it was a somewhat contemptuous look.

Before I could respond, he cautiously said, “You don’t have to force yourself. It would be difficult, wouldn’t it? Cooking with those tentacles that look like a grotesque demon’s limbs.”

Grotesque demon’s limbs. Suddenly, I remembered the information I saw when I first caught an octopus.

[Octopus]

– Caught it for the first time on the 20th day of the summer, 1 year ago.

– in some areas, it was called a demon fish due to its repulsive appearance.

There were various sizes of fish that could be caught through fishing. The small ones were about the size of a palm, and the big ones were almost the size of my body. Octopus was the same. If it was too big, I let it go because I felt overwhelmed, but it wasn’t as grotesque as he described.

His expression was filled with pity, and he added cautiously, “Unfortunately, the picnic will be prepared by you alone…”

“Oh, no. I can make it. Octopus is delicious, you know.”

“….Really? It’s… delicious?”

He looked as if he didn’t believe it, probably because he had never tasted it before. Rather, his expression was bewildered… So I nodded with a smile.

“I’ll prepare a full-course meal with octopus for tomorrow’s packed lunch!”

Of course, it was a lie. Octopus can only be caught in the summer, so it was impossible to get it immediately. I used to have an aquarium outside where I could keep various fishes and have them available to eat regardless of the season, but I dismantled it last winter when I redesigned the garden.

However, the man wouldn’t know that. When I pretended to be able to make it as if it were real, his expression turned pale as if he was scared of the thought. His trembling eyelids lowered weakly.

“I suddenly feel sleepy.”

“It’s a good time for a nap. Patients need to eat well and rest to recover quickly, so sleep tight. Ah, if you really want to eat octopus that much, for dinner tonight…”

“No, I feel fine. It would be better to have porridge for today. It’s soft, easy to digest, and very good.”

“Okay then. I’ll check on the animals while you rest comfortably.”

As soon as I left the room, a heavy sigh could be heard from inside.

He was incredibly handsome, and when I first met him, he seemed very cold. However, the more I got to know him, the more I found him amusing.

Tomorrow, I’ll make some sandwiches and perhaps bake a cake for a change. The cheesecake made according to the recipe was incredibly delicious.

With an excited heart as I did some tasks, I once again noticed the man attempting to escape through the window. I spotted him when I came out of the chicken coop with eggs in hand. When our eyes met in mid-air, he said, “I’m in the process of photosynthesis.”

I smiled warmly and decided to pretend not to notice.

That evening, the man obediently ate his porridge and drank all the elixirs. Usually, I would go out of the room for him to rest alone after the meal, however, I was worried today. His body seemed to have recovered to some extent, but what if he ran away and collapsed outside while I was asleep?

So, as soon as I finished my evening bath, I carried my blanket and headed toward his room. Even though it was originally my room, it felt like the owner had changed within a few days.

As I entered, the man seemed surprised and asked, “What are you…?”

“Ah, I also plan to sleep here tonight.”

I looked around the room and hesitated for a moment before spreading the blanket near the window.