I was Thrown into an Unfamiliar Manga

The coconut crab we obtained thanks to sheer dumb luck was quickly prepped and tossed into a large pot to boil.
Its claws were so massive that I had to separate the body just to make it fit inside.
There was one more crab left, which I figured we’d save for the Vice President and Minami.

Since it was still a crab, I didn’t think I needed to season it separately, but just in case, I sprinkled in a bit of salt.
Only after placing the pot over the fire could I finally take a breath.
While I focused on cooking, the President sat inside the hut, gazing out toward the horizon where the ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ sun was setting, and murmured softly.

“...I wonder when Shinji and Minami will be back.”
“Yeah. They’re both running pretty late.”
I said that and sat down next to her.

“It’ll take some time before it’s fully cooked. Keep me company for a while?”
“Shall I?”
Maybe she was glad I asked—she smiled gently and turned toward me.

With the sunset behind her, the President’s smiling face looked beautiful.
So beautiful, I forgot what I was going to say for a second.
To hide the fact that I’d momentarily blanked out, I turned my head and asked:

“This must be your first time experiencing something like this, right? Isn’t it uncomfortable?”
The President slowly shook her head.
“Not really? Actually, I’m kind of enjoying it. Like you said, this is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing. When else would I end up on a deserted island?”

I’d been a bit worried, but she didn’t seem to think too much of it.
Maybe in a situation like this, staying positive really was the best mindset.
And honestly, for a deserted island situation, we were surprisingly well-stocked.
“That’s good to hear. I was a bit worried it might be too uncomfortable.”

“You know, I didn’t grow up like some pampered noble lady!”
She snapped back, but then quickly went quiet, perhaps realizing the awkward tension that followed.
With nothing else in particular to talk about, we just stared at the campfire in silence.

It wasn’t that there was nothing to do, but oddly enough, just sitting there watching the flames made time pass quickly.
I guess this is why people say staring into a fire is calming.
After a while of doing just that, the President suddenly spoke.

“Come to think of it, Yu-seong... do you remember the day we first met?”
“The first day we met?”
I racked my brain.
I remembered meeting her for the first time during the second semester of our first year.

I had been reading Jump in class when she suddenly stormed in and told me I was going to be her secretary—that kind of bold move sticks with you.
But when I brought that up, the President gave a wry smile and said:
“What if I told you that wasn’t actually the first time we met?”

“Wait, what? We met before that?”
“Yes. Technically, it was during the first semester of my second year—before I became Student Council President.”
She began reminiscing about the day she first met me.

***
That day, I’d snuck out of my family’s estate under the excuse that I wanted to experience life as a commoner.
Back then, I dressed plainly and looked normal. I had this strange curiosity about how regular people lived.

I was wandering around Shibuya alone when a group of shady-looking guys started hitting on me.
That’s when you showed up and saved me.
‘Hey. I don’t know what’s going on, but the lady clearly doesn’t want this.’

Back then, just like now, you were meddlesome and way too nosy.
You knocked those thugs out in an instant and saved me.
After that, even though I was a hassle, you helped me out with my “commoner experience” anyway.

That’s when I started to take an interest in you.
“I see.”
I tried to answer calmly, but internally I was freaking out.

I met the President during her second year, when I was still in my first?
Honestly, I had no memory of that.
You’d think meeting someone that beautiful would’ve left an impression, no matter what.

Still, since she was clearly caught up in her memories, I didn’t want to interrupt. I sat quietly and listened.
Bubble bubble
“Oh, it’s boiling over.”

I quickly got up and opened the pot lid.
The bright red shell of the coconut crab greeted me.
I turned back and said:

“President, I think it’s just about time to eat.”
Hearing that, the President got up from the ground, brushing her knees.
“It’s that late already?”

“We’ve been talking for quite a while.”
I pulled the crab from the pot with tongs and set it on a tray.
Even just the body alone was about as thick as my forearm.

As I pried open the red shell, the green tomalley inside was the first thing that caught my eye.
Crab innards have a rich flavor—nothing to waste.
I made a long cut from the body down through the tail to make it easier to eat.

Then, I plated the meat cleanly.
The President, who had been reminiscing just moments ago, gulped visibly as soon as the food was laid out in front of her.
“C-Can I eat this?”

“As much as you like.”
I handed her a fork.
She stabbed a piece of the white and red crab meat, popped it into her mouth, and immediately widened her eyes, her whole body giving a slight shudder.

“...It’s delicious.”
“Is it different from regular crab?”
“At first, I thought it’d taste like lobster, but it’s actually closer to snow crab. The more you chew, the sweeter it gets. I could eat this without any sauce at all.”

After hearing her thoughts, I speared a bite-sized chunk for myself.
“......”
It really did melt in my mouth.

I felt like I could eat this forever.
Maybe she felt the same, because when our eyes met, the President gave me a sheepish look.
“Can I have some more?”

I handed her the whole tray.
***
By the time we finished the coconut crab, the sun had fully set.

Honestly, I wanted to boil ramen using the leftover claw meat, but this wasn’t Korea, and no way was there any ramen stashed on the yacht.
So instead, I mixed rice into the remaining crab tomalley and stir-fried it.
After thoroughly enjoying every part of that one crab, I put the other one—the one for Shinji and Minami—into the yacht’s fridge.

Back on the beach, I checked the time and asked:
“President, it’s almost 9. Shouldn’t you consider sleeping soon?”
“Huh? Already? I don’t feel that sleepy yet.”

“Well, unlike at the estate, there’s not much to do even if you stay up.”
In these situations, it’s best to sleep early and wake up late.
Plus, I had already lit insect-repelling incense, so the tent should’ve been decently comfortable.

Unfamiliar as it may have been, it was still good enough to sleep in.
“I can sleep inside, sure—but what about you, Yu-seong?”
“I’ll be fine skipping sleep for one night. Besides, someone should stand guard, just in case.”

“Don’t be like that. You must be tired too—just lie down for a bit. We can share the blanket.”
With that, the President lifted the blanket from her shoulders.
She probably didn’t even realize what she was doing, but to be honest, it threw me off a little.

I mean, I’m still a guy.
I hesitated for a second, then asked:
“President... do you not see me as a man?”

She tilted her head.
“Of course I do.”
“No, I meant—”

I started to object, but stopped when I realized the conversation was heading somewhere weird.
Maybe she sensed it too, because she opened her mouth like she was about to ask “What’s wrong?”—then suddenly froze and said,
“No... never mind. I’m done lying to myself.”

She straightened her back and looked me dead in the eyes.
“Yu-seong. I see you as a man.”
“...What do you mean?”

“Exactly what I said. When I first met you, I was just a little curious. But after working with you in the student council, after spending so much time beside you... I got to see so many wonderful things about you that no one else knows.”
Her eyes, fixed on me, were like clear glass marbles, reflecting my image perfectly.
“I even thought about giving up on these feelings. As you know, I’m the daughter of a prestigious noble family. And you... you’re not even a regular Japanese citizen. You’re Korean-Japanese. My family would absolutely blow up if they found out. But... I don’t want to lie anymore. Not to myself, not about what I feel for you.”

She slowly reached out from beneath the blanket and stroked my cheek with her right hand.
“Yu-seong. I’ll only ask this once. Please answer me honestly.”
“...Okay.”

Then, staring straight at me, she said it clearly:
“Is it okay if I fall in love with you?”