“So if I eat fish, does that mean I won’t need to breathe underwater?”
“I don’t know.
But we can try.”
The moment Aoyama finished speaking, a sudden rustling sound came from the dense forest ahead.
The two of them looked up at the same time.
A plump wild chicken burst out from the bushes.
Its brown feathers shimmered with a faint golden glow under the sunlight as it flapped its wings, desperately trying to escape toward the thicker canopy.
“Aoyama-kun, it’s a wild chicken!”
Utaha’s eyes widened.
Aoyama’s hand had already moved.
Without hesitation, his right hand pulled the long blade from his waist.
His body lowered slightly, his wrist turned, and the blade traced a silver arc through the air.
The knife spun once before the flat side struck the low-flying chicken with perfect accuracy.
“Bang!”
The wild chicken let out a startled cry.
Its body lost balance and tumbled downward, flapping its wings twice before collapsing into the pile of fallen leaves.
“???”
Utaha froze completely.
She stared at the unconscious chicken on the ground, then slowly turned her head toward Aoyama.
He was already walking over calmly, bending down to pick up their unexpected prize.
After retrieving the blade as well, he casually wiped the white feathers stuck to it against the grass.
“Aoyama-kun, you really know how to surprise people every single day~”
Utaha’s voice rose slightly.
“That was just basic technique.”
“…”
Utaha took a deep breath and walked over, looking at the wild chicken in his hand.
Its tail feathers were long, its belly was plump, and it was clearly an adult male.
It weighed at least two or three kilograms.
“Dinner is settled.”
Aoyama weighed the chicken in his hand, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.
Utaha shook her head and looked at him with a complicated expression before she could not help but smile.
“Forget it.
I’ll probably get used to it eventually…
After all, Aoyama-kun is still evolving.”
“This isn’t evolution.
It’s talent.”
“Uh…”
Aoyama tied the chicken’s legs together with vines and hung it from the side of his backpack before the two continued their journey back.
It was still early, but their backpack was already filled with plenty of supplies.
Wild amaranth, wood ear mushroom, wild mountain grapes, and a plump wild chicken.
Their harvest today could only be described as abundant.
On the way back, Utaha walked beside him with a much lighter step than before.
She occasionally reached out to move aside hanging vines, or picked a leaf with an interesting shape and twirled it between her fingers.
Compared to the first few days after waking up, she seemed far more relaxed now.
“Aoyama-kun, don’t you think…”
Her voice suddenly carried a thoughtful softness.
“Think what?”
“Walking through the forest like this, carrying backpacks, searching for food, digging up wild vegetables, hunting wild chickens…”
She paused and turned her head to look at him.
“It feels a little like we’re living some kind of primitive lifestyle.”
“No phones, no internet, no homework.
None of the worries modern people have anymore.”
Aoyama replied calmly,
“There are new worries.
Like what we’re eating tomorrow.”
“Yeah, what are we eating?”
Utaha let out a soft laugh.
“But at least we don’t have to worry about tonight’s dinner.”
The smoked crocodile meat was still edible, but having a chance to change their taste was certainly nice.
When they returned to the shelter, the sun was already beginning to set, casting the forest in a warm, gentle light.
Aoyama placed the backpack down and took out the supplies one by one.
The wild amaranth was washed in the stream and set aside.
The wood ear mushroom was soaked in water.
The wild mountain grapes were placed somewhere cool, while the wild chicken was prepared for cleaning before being roasted over the fire.
Utaha crouched beside the stream and helped him wash the vegetables.
Her fingers rested in the cold water as she carefully rubbed away the dirt stuck to each wild amaranth leaf.
The evening sunlight covered her side profile with a warm glow, while her eyelashes cast soft shadows beneath her eyes.
She looked quiet and focused.
“Kasumigaoka.”
“Hm?”
“You’re getting more skilled.”
She placed the washed leaves neatly on a clean stone.
“That’s because I’ve watched you collect them so many times.”
“And you taught me to pick the young leaves and remove the older ones.”
Aoyama watched her arrange the leaves perfectly and nodded.
“You learn quickly.”
Utaha looked up at him, the corners of her lips curving into a faint smile filled with her usual calm confidence.
“Being around you, Aoyama-kun, I have to learn quickly.
Otherwise, I won’t be able to keep up with your pace, right?”
Aoyama did not respond, but his movements while preparing the chicken slowed slightly.
He cut open the abdomen, carefully removed the organs, washed the inside clean with stream water, then pushed a sharpened wooden stick through the chicken and placed it above the newly lit fire.
The flames licked across the surface of the meat.
Soon, oil began dripping from the chicken, falling into the charcoal and creating tiny sparks.
The aroma spread through the air, carrying the simple yet irresistible scent of roasted meat.
“That smells amazing~”
Utaha sat across from the fire, her knees pulled close and her chin resting on her arms as she watched Aoyama rotate the wooden stick to ensure the chicken cooked evenly.
Her gaze moved between the flames and Aoyama.
After remaining quiet for a long time, she finally spoke softly.
“Aoyama-kun, thank you for taking me outside today.”
“Hm?”
“These past few days, I stayed inside the shelter.
It was warm and safe…
but I still wanted to go outside and walk around.”
Her voice was gentle, blending with the crackling of the firewood.
Aoyama turned the chicken over, allowing the other side to cook evenly.
“You just recovered from being sick.
Some activity will help your recovery.”
Utaha lowered her head and muttered quietly,
“Although this island feels unfamiliar and strange…
with Aoyama-kun beside me, it doesn’t seem as frightening anymore.”
Aoyama’s hand stopped turning the stick for a moment.
He raised his eyes and looked at her through the dancing flames.
Utaha was looking down while playing with the fallen leaves on the ground.
Her black hair had fallen over half her face, hiding her expression.
He said nothing.
Instead, he tore off one of the golden, crispy chicken legs, wrapped it in a clean leaf, and passed it across the fire.
“Eat while it’s hot.”
Utaha looked up and accepted the leaf-wrapped chicken.
Her fingers brushed against his fingertips, and she paused slightly.
Then she lowered her head and took a bite of the warm meat.
The rich flavor of the fat melted across her tongue.
“…It’s delicious.”
Her voice was muffled, a little oil glistening at the corner of her mouth, but her eyes curved into a genuine smile.
Aoyama tore off a piece of chicken breast for himself and sat across from the fire, slowly chewing.
The sky gradually darkened.
The fading sunset poured through the entrance of the shelter, stretching the shadows of the two figures long across the ground.
Their voices occasionally drifted through the quiet forest.
“Utaha, want some wild mountain grapes?”
“No way~!!!”