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Chapter 29
“Finish the IV, and go to the hospital in the morning.”
The doctor said it with enough concern.
“I can leave on the first boat.”
“Is it water poisoning?”
“My stomach trouble has stopped now.”
Hearing this from the writer and assistant director, Myeongjo grabbed the doctor’s coat with trembling hands.
“There’s nothing more coming out. You’ve expelled everything. Go to the hospital and rest.”
“No… I can’t leave Bom behind.”
Myeongjo stubbornly insisted while receiving the IV. His pale face already looked sick, yet he wanted to stay on the island.
“Myeongjo, we have the drama shoot too. You need to recover quickly.”
“Please let me rest here.”
When Myeongjo insisted, the writer looked at Bom, silently asking her to persuade him because they were close.
“Myeongjo, think about your health.”
“Bom, don’t send me away.”
He spoke pitifully, like someone being abandoned. Bom’s heart softened.
“We’ll see how you are tomorrow since you’ve had the IV. If you’re still unwell, we’ll take the afternoon boat.”
Myeongjo, who had been nervously observing the staff and Bom, weakly suggested a compromise.
Finally, Bom agreed.
“Promise me.”
“Sorry…”
“Why apologize? You’re not sick because you want to be.”
As they left the staff lodging, Bom sighed.
It seemed like her yielding to his stubbornness about staying on the island, despite the drama shoot, had led to this situation.
The youngest writer was at the gate.
“Myeongjo usually has a strong constitution… Could it have been bad food? Is everyone else okay?”
“No one else is sick. He ate dinner with the staff, but only Myeongjo ended up like this…”
“I’ll check on him tomorrow too.”
Seeing Myeongjo unable to move from the gate, Gogeon put his arm around Bom’s shoulder.
“Bom, let’s go sleep. We have to wake up early tomorrow.”
Looking up at him, Bom went back home.
The main writer watched the two from behind, intrigued.
“Hmm.”
“Oh, by the way, Myeongjo tried the kimchi Bom made last night and ate a little. That’s the only food he had that differed from ours.”
“No way it’s because of that. Gogeon and Bom both ate the kimchi too.”
“Right. True.”
After sending the youngest writer to the lodging, the main writer looked toward Myeongjo’s room.
It tickled the mind as if a good idea was about to come.
Bom woke up groggy.
She brushed her hair and put on a robe. Outside, Gogeon was already up.
“Why are you awake so early? Go back to sleep a little.”
“What are you doing?”
He was already tending a fire and shaking a metal wok. The smell of burning and toasted aroma mixed with the sound of waves coming from the wok.
Squatting on the floor, Bom was curious but too sleepy to move.
“I’m roasting coffee beans. I wanted to wake you up when the coffee was ready.”
“Ah, fire!”
Bom’s eyes popped open. She went to the kitchen, scooped rice into a bowl, and washed it briskly at the sink.
“I’ll use the fire after all the beans are roasted.”
“You’re making rice?”
Even though she hadn’t cooked rice in a pot before, she didn’t need to check the internet. She filled it generously with water.
Not noticing anything unusual, Gogeon shook the wok, roasting the beans with residual heat, and moved closer.
“You don’t have to eat breakfast. The beans are all roasted.”
“Myeongjo’s making porridge. Plain porridge. Even with his stomach trouble, he needs to eat something to gain strength.”
She placed the pot over the fire carefully, making sure the robe wouldn’t catch. She stirred with a wooden spatula.
“Let’s finish this quickly for Myeongjo. The rest we’ll have for breakfast.”
Looking up, she saw Gogeon with a forlorn expression.
Had the beans burned too much? She checked the wok, but the color looked fine.
“…Right, he’s a patient.”
Gogeon muttered gloomily as he turned his back.
Over the wall, the filming directors were laughing.
“It’s fine. I’m not upset. You didn’t make me food either, but I understand.”
Is he acting jealous now? Bom chuckled in disbelief.
“You made hand-pulled noodles and kimchi yesterday.”
“That’s not really a meal.”
His hunched back looked pitiful as he ground beans with a small mortar.
He was sulking. Bom felt she should console him, but even that might seem like acting under the writers’ and PD’s gaze.
Hearing that he liked her less made her think more.
They were filming a romance-observation reality show right now.
After hesitation, Bom made a suggestion, actively trying to lift his spirits.
“Shall we make a bet?”
“A bet?”
“I’ll grant a wish.”
Instantly, his face brightened.
“Just don’t call me ‘oppa.’”
The light on his face flickered for a moment like a switch, then brightened again.
“Anything else?”
Bom instantly regretted suggesting a bet. Seeing him so happy, it would likely bring trouble for her.
“…Yes.”
When she nodded, he jumped up energetically. He nearly spilled the roasted beans from the wok in his enthusiasm.
“What shall we bet on? How about who can cook pasta better?”
He suggested something advantageous to himself.
“Let’s bet on who catches more fish. We’re going fishing after all.”
“Fishing is all about one big catch. Whoever catches the biggest wins.”
“Fine.”
“Oh, after making coffee, I’ll give some to the village chief too. He helped so much yesterday.”
Gogeon was revitalized. His hands pounded the beans with renewed vigor.
Suddenly bringing coffee to the village chief?
“No pre-tutoring.”
His hands froze momentarily.
“Who? You don’t need to. Fish even bite based on your face. You’ll catch well without tutoring.”
He brought the dripper, added the beans, and brewed coffee. The smell of the porridge was good, but the essence of a working adult was coffee.
He handed Bom a mug. Even though it wasn’t cold, holding the warm cup eased her fatigue before taking a sip.
She closed her eyes and savored the aroma.
“Ah, this smell. Thank you.”
“Drink. I’ll have some with the village chief.”
Gogeon hurried. Carrying two cups, he stopped at the gate.
“How long will the porridge take?”
“About 30 minutes?”
“I’ll go with you to deliver it. I have to wait.”
He was still concerned about Myeongjo.
Even as a trainee, he had a good personality. It felt like he’d grown up comfortably under good parents.
But Bom never assumed he came from a wealthy family.
Watching Gogeon disappear over the wall, Bom noticed a strange scene.
The writer and PD were glancing at her and whispering.
Myeongjo looked better than the night before.
Though his complexion was still pale, he had enough energy to sit up when Bom and Gogeon entered.
“I made plain porridge. How’s your condition?”
“I’m fine now. The stomach trouble stopped. Thank you for the porridge.”
“You must be hungry. Eat quickly.”
Smiling, Myeongjo received the porridge bowl from Gogeon.
Though he had been jealous that she was making porridge for Myeongjo, he handled it well.
“Your complexion is still pale. It’d be best to take the afternoon boat to the hospital.”
“I’m much better now.”
Despite Gogeon’s advice, Myeongjo still declined, furrowing his brows at Bom.
“Sorry for troubling you during filming.”
“Don’t say that. As a manager, I naturally have to care for my actor’s health.”
Bom wondered how someone with such a gentle personality survives the harsh entertainment industry.
She worried for Myeongjo. She wanted to ask if he wanted anything to eat.
“Bom, let’s leave so Myeongjo can eat. After that, we’ll go fishing.”
“Oh, right. Let’s go.”
Gogeon explained the next schedule.
She knew enough, but leaving Myeongjo alone made her uneasy.
For three years as his manager, Bom shared meals, health routines, vitamins, and the frustrations of auditions.
She knew his likes, that he could eat three bowls of rice with just jjimdak, and now she carried a bowl of porridge.
“I’ll catch fish and grill it for dinner.”
“Make it rockfish. If you just follow the captain, it won’t be hard.”
“Oh, right. Myeongjo goes sea fishing.”
“I wanted to catch it during free time on the island, but now he can’t leave his room.”
“Rest. Bom, let’s go.”
Gogeon urged her.
Seeing Myeongjo wave, telling them to focus on filming without worry, Bom left the room.
“It’d be nice to have someone by my side.”
“The staff and medical team are there. It’s okay.”
As Bom went home with Gogeon, she saw the PD and writer over the wall, whispering mischievously.
They were scheming something.
Famous nearby, maybe they were planning paragliding.
But for the reality show, the crew can’t suddenly change the schedule.
Curious, Bom glanced; the PD and writer entered Myeongjo’s lodging.
‘What’s this?’
The reason became clear after the fishing trip.
