Chapter 799: Fishing is Life (4)

Everyone stared at me, mouths wide open, as {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} I held the flapping seagull in my hands.

Kang Manho blinked repeatedly.

“In all my life, this is the first time I’ve seen an idol catch a seagull. How... how did you even catch that?”

“If the timing is right, anyone can grab one. There’s even someone in Australia who caught a seagull with fries.”

“Wooju. Even if the timing’s right, your uncles can’t do that.”

Chu Giseok said proudly from the side,

“I told you. He’d definitely catch something unusual.”

“I mean, sure, but who catches a seagull......”

As the cast and cameramen looked on in amazement, Junhyun quietly stepped behind me.

He wore the same shameless expression as me.

“So does the seagull not count?”

Of course, it didn’t count.

Sigh.

If this were NewBlack TV, I would’ve pressured the younger members with twisted logic and authority somehow.

“Seagull! You are free now!”

“Thank you, human!”

Junhyun dubbed the seagull’s lines, and we filmed a short skit together before returning to fishing.

But still, no fish came.

While everyone stared blankly at their rods, a rustling sound came from beside me.

“Want a snack?”

Chu Giseok held out a pack of instant ramen.

I chewed on a piece of uncooked ramen coated in seasoning.

Salty.

Maybe because I was hungry, it went down easily.

Junhyun and I asked,

“Is fishing always like this?”

“What do you mean exactly?”

“Do fish usually not bite this much?”

“Hmm. Not necessarily.”

Chu Giseok scratched the back of his head as he recalled something.

“Was it November...? When I went black porgy fishing at Chuja Island, I didn’t catch a single fish for ten hours.”

“.......”

“But sometimes you catch one right away as soon as you start.”

As we listened carefully, he added,

“Actually, fishing isn’t about skill.”

“Then what is it...?”

“Fish luck.”

“Luck with fish?”

The other cast members nodded seriously.

“Fishing is all about fish luck.”

“Seriously. There’s no better phrase that sums it up.”

Chu Giseok said,

“People with fish luck catch fish.”

“In a way, it sounds like a kind of folk belief.”

Words like animism and totemism from history textbooks came to mind.

If Ri Hyuk were here, he’d probably explain it while talking about the Bangudae Petroglyphs in Ulsan.

But hearing the term “folk belief” made something else come to mind.

Something with a sharp jawline and thick eyebrows that looked like a bear.

“Junhyun.”

“Yes?”

“Try praying for something. You make rain happen and stuff.”

“Hmm.”

Baek Sanggyo nodded.

“Yeah. Junhyun, try praying to the heavens.”

“Seriously, we need to do something!”

At the urging of the entertainers, Junhyun closed his eyes and clasped his hands.

While I softly hummed Thai traditional music, Junhyun offered a prayer to the Dragon King of Phuket.

The staff burst into laughter at the sight.

“Phew.”

Junhyun rubbed his palms together.

“I tried praying... not sure how effective it’ll—huh?”

“Huh?”

Right at that moment—

As soon as Junhyun finished his prayer, both his rod and mine bent down at the same time.

Creeeak!

“Dragon King!”

“The Dragon King answered!”

“No need for offerings! Junhyun’s prayer is enough!”

Amid the chaos, Junhyun and I grabbed our rods.

Kick, Baek Sanggyo, Oh Hyunsook, and Kang Manho rushed over to give advice.

“Pull! No! Don’t just pull, you need to control it!”

“That’s it, Wooju! That’s it!”

We pulled and released repeatedly.

But...

Something felt off.

“What kind of strength is this...?”

The force was beyond imagination.

Whatever was beneath the surface—it felt monstrous.

A terrifying fish with razor-sharp teeth flashed through my mind.

“Ugh!”

I used every trick I had seen on MyTube to resist.

Chu Giseok shouted excitedly,

“It’s that expression! The ‘suddenly became a 50-year veteran fisherman’ face! Film it!”

“Sunbae, nghhh!”

“Are you okay?”

“No! This stupidly strong fish...!”

“Tuna.”

“Wooju! The captain says it might be tuna!”

Meanwhile, Junhyun was also struggling.

Baek Sanggyo stared at his fight and exclaimed,

“Cunning. I don’t know what it is, but it’s extremely cunning. I swear on my fishing life—that’s one sly fish.”

“Ugh! It’s really sneaky!”

“Junhyun, you can’t fight something like this with strength. You need technique.”

“It’s GT.”

“That’s insane! Junhyun! The captain says it might be a giant trevally!”

Just as Junhyun switched techniques—

My fish suddenly changed behavior.

Strange.

But that wasn’t the only strange thing.

“Hyah!”

When Junhyun pulled, my body lurched forward.

When I pulled, Junhyun trembled.

“Junhyun.”

“Yes.”

“Try letting go for a second.”

“Huh? But the fish—”

“Trust me.”

The moment Junhyun let go—

The tension disappeared.

The captain quietly retreated to the cabin.

“....”

“....”

As we reeled in—

Our lines were completely tangled together.

And between them—

A heavy rock.

Kang Manho summed it up.

“Wow. You guys caught each other.”

“Junhyun caught another rock.”

“Where did Captain Mario go? That man’s a total fraud...”

Everyone burst into laughter.

Junhyun and I stared at each other in despair.

The words we had said earlier echoed in our minds.

“This stupidly strong fish...”

“It’s really sneaky...”

Looking at Junhyun’s watery eyes, it seemed like it was raining in his heart too.

Chu Giseok said,

“Different versions, but still a pair of close brothers.”

“....”

“....”

All we got from fishing was black history.

Tears welled up.

“Alright! We’re moving to another spot!”

The boat cut through white foam.

Captain Mario, looking serious after getting scolded, spoke.

“This area is good for barracuda.”

“Are you sure? How many blanks have we had today?”

“He says if you don’t catch one today, he’ll take responsibility.”

“Really?”

The tired fishermen cast again.

Plop.

Plop.

We cast as well.

“Try light jerking.”

“Jerking?”

Kick demonstrated.

Ah.

Make it look alive.

We moved the bait gently.

But even after an hour—

Nothing.

“This isn’t a prank, right?”

Kang Manho muttered.

“How is it possible to catch nothing for six hours?”

“Oh well...”

“The tide isn’t right.”

“I swear, the tide is never right.”

Then—

“It’s lunchtime!”

Soybean noodle soup and grilled fish.

“This is heaven.”

“They really take care of meals.”

Snacks everywhere.

“People get angry when their blood sugar drops,” the assistant director said.

And—

Rattle.

They shook bags of medicine.

“Everyone takes these when they get older.”

“We have vitamins from Biju.”

“Ah, youth...”

Baek Sanggyo smiled.

“The best medicine is fishing.”

“Fishing is the best.”

Then—

“Attention! An announcement!”

The PD stood with Kick.

“You’re wondering if fish even exist, right?”

“Yes!”

“So the guide will demonstrate.”

“Oh really?”

“And the captain too.”

They cast.

And—

“See? We did that too—huh?”

Within minutes—

Splash!

A long silver fish appeared.

“That’s a barracuda.”

Sharp teeth.

Then—

The captain caught one too.

“....”

Silence.

Everyone picked up their rods again.

But—

Nothing.

“Is this really not a prank?”

Time passed.

“30 minutes left!”

“Just one fish...”

“Even a small one...”

“Please, just one!”

Five minutes left.

Then—

Tap.

Tap tap.

“Huh?”

“Hyung?!”

“This is real.”

Everyone gathered.

I focused.

Five minutes of struggle.

“Almost there!”

“Camera ready!”

“Wooju, just a bit more!”

“100% barracuda!”

“Hyung, I believe in you!”

“Pull!”

Then—

Something brushed past.

And—

“....”

“....”

A barracuda came up.

Half of it.

“....”

“It was bitten by a shark. Probably a big bull shark.”

Silence.

I held the half fish.

The sun was setting.

Then—

We all broke down crying.

[Honey, Let’s Go Fishing — Day 1 Status]

Baek Sanggyo: X

Kang Manho: X

Oh Hyunsook: X

Chu Giseok: X

Wooju: Cameraman’s hat. Seagull. Kim Junhyun. Half barracuda (40 cm).

Junhyun: Rock (30 cm). Sun Wooju.

Korea.

Biju sat in the studio, setting up a video call.

“Jiho!”

“Yes!”

“Help me.”

“Is it time?”

Ri Hyuk joined.

“Should be around now.”

The screen lit up.

“....”

“....”

Wooju and Junhyun appeared—

Looking completely defeated.

“...Hi.”

“...Hey, guys...”

“Why do you look like that?”

“The food was amazing...”

“But it wasn’t fish we caught...”

“This is humiliation...”

“You’re idols...” Ri Hyuk swallowed the words.

“Did you catch anything?”

“Jiho.”

“Yes?”

“Do you think fish are that easy to catch?!”

Laughter burst out.

“Fishing is hard!”

“Even Baek Sanggyo caught nothing!”

“Phuket is hell!”

The members smiled warmly.

‘They caught nothing.’

“...Tomorrow.”

Wooju gritted his teeth.

“I’ll catch something no matter what.”

The two burst into manic laughter.

Next morning.

Baek Sanggyo stepped outside—

And froze.

Thai performers were dancing.

Wooju and Junhyun, in traditional Thai outfits, were dancing in circles.

“What is this?”

“A ritual to catch more fish.”

“Who are they?”

“Thai Souffle fans Wooju recruited.”

“....”

He stared.

“...Who did you say they were?”