READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 13
“What other bait can we use besides insects? There’s no fishing store on this island, right?” Iori looked at me with curiosity.
“Well, you see…”
I led Iori away from the riverbank. It took about two minutes on foot. We retraced our steps and stopped in the forest.
“This is it!”
I pointed not to the surrounding trees but to the fruits scattered on the ground.
To be precise, the large, green fruits categorized as vegetables were distinctive with their big, green globes.
“Watermelon!”
I nodded and smiled, confirming her guess.
“Can fish really be caught using watermelon?”
“It doesn’t have to be watermelon specifically; fruits and vegetables can work as bait. Fish have preferences and may not necessarily bite, but it’s possible.”
“No way! Fish eat fruits and vegetables? I’ve never heard of that!”
I chuckled.
“It’s a well-known fact among fishermen. For example, the black porgy is known for eating fruit.”
“Really? I had no idea! Masato-kun, how do you know such things? Do you have fishermen in your family?”
“No, it’s just something I heard on TV.”
Iori fell flat on her face. (not literally)
◇
Returning from the forest with a juicy watermelon, we began cutting it into suitable sizes using a hatchet.
“Since it might scatter in the river, let’s put more fruit on the hook.”
We sat down by the river, placing watermelon chunks on our fishing hooks.
“Like this?”
Iori asked for confirmation.
The hook was covered with a watermelon chunk about the size of a marble.
“Looks good… You’re quite skillful, and you’re better than me too.”
“I need my moments to shine too!”
“Haha.”
With the water pots filled from the river, we were ready to start fishing.
“Let’s begin.”
We cast our lines together.
The river was shallow and clear, allowing us to see the fish swimming within. With quite a number around, if the bait was right, they should bite soon.
“I hope we catch something.”
Iori held the fishing rod in her right hand and munched on watermelon with her left.
“You’re a bad person if you’re snacking on fish bait!”
I said, while also eating watermelon.
“This watermelon is delicious!”
“The lukewarm temperature enhances the sweetness.”
“Does warming up watermelon make it sweeter?”
“It’s not just watermelon; sweetness in general is perceived more intensely when it’s closer to body temperature.”
“Really? So, ice cream would taste sweeter if it’s lukewarm!?”
“It would melt if it’s lukewarm.”
“Aw, too bad!”
We laughed aloud.
“You’re quite knowledgeable, Masato-kun. Was that last fact from the TV too?”
“No, that one was something my parent told me.”
Iori laughed.
At that moment, both of our fishing rods suddenly hooked something simultaneously.
“Got one!”
We abandoned the watermelon and stood up. Holding the rods firmly in both hands.
“The bamboo is bending a lot! What do I do, Masato-kun!?”
“Reel it in quickly! This rod doesn’t even have a reel, and we can’t do any fancy tricks! It’s all about brute force!”
“Uooooh!”
Preparing for the line to snap, we pulled hard on the rods. And as a result, we successfully reeled in both of our catches.
“We did it! We caught something! I did it, Masato-kun!”
“Me too! Let’s put them in the earthenware pots quickly!”
Struggling fishes were released into the pots.
“I’m done. Iori, you’re up next.”
“I can’t…”
Iori, unexpectedly, declined.
“You can’t?”
“I mean, it’s just thrashing around, and it’s scary! Masato-kun, can you do it?”
I couldn’t help but let out a wry smile.
“It doesn’t sound like something the person who suggested going fishing would say.”
“I can’t help it! I didn’t think about what to do after catching them!”
I sighed again.
“So, what’s the name of the fish you caught?”
Iori peered into the pots.
“This is probably an iwana.”
“Wow, that’s what this fish is called?”
“It looks like iwana, right?”
“But I don’t have a clue… So, what about my fish? It looks like a different kind.”
Without hesitation, I answered.
“That’s an ayu. I’m pretty sure.”
“Are you sure it’s not something else?”
“Definitely an ayu. I think.”
“Seriously? You’re terrible at this! I thought you knew everything!”
“The name of the fish doesn’t really matter. We’re going to eat them all anyway.”
So, we named my fish “Iwana” and decided to call the other one “Iwana” as well.
◇
Fishing went well after that. The river fish seemed to like watermelon and readily bit the bait. In just an hour, we caught over ten fish.
All those fish fit in one earthenware pot. Naturally, they were weakened from the struggle.
“Let’s call it a day around here.”
“Yeah! Let’s grill and eat them once we’re back!”
“Yes, it’ll be our first meal on this island that isn’t fruit!”
As we began preparing to head back, Iori carried the earthenware pots, and I held the fishing rods and hatchet.
“Isn’t it heavy? I could carry the pots if you want.”
“No worries, I’m stronger than you, Masato-kun!”
The way she said it… she must still remember the incident where I carried her like a princess.
“Of course! My maiden heart was shattered by that comment!”
“I didn’t mean any harm, so cut me some slack!”
“What should I do…”
With our preparations done, we were about to leave. However, as we turned around, we froze in place.
“So cuteeeeee!”
The first to exclaim was Iori.
“Arf!”
The response came next.
There was a puppy behind us. It had a white-greyish coat, and we couldn’t identify its breed. What was clear was that it had a dignified and cute face.
“It’s a dog, right? Although it looks a bit like a fox.”
“It barked, so it’s definitely a dog!”
“That’s true.”
The puppy looked up at me, drooling.
It seemed to want the leftover watermelon that we didn’t use.
“It looks hungry. Go ahead and eat, no need to be shy.”
I put down my belongings and offered the watermelon to the puppy. Since it might be scared if I held it in my hand, I put it down and backed away a few steps.
“Arf! Arf!”
The puppy happily barked and started eating the watermelon. Its eating habits were quite enjoyable to watch. It seemed that it wasn’t just hungry; it really liked the watermelon.
“So adorable! I want to pet it!”
“If you’re gentle, it should be okay.”
“I’ll give it a try!”
Iori put down the earthenware pot and approached the puppy cautiously.
“Such a good eater, aren’t you?”
Iori spoke in a mysterious baby talk while petting the puppy.
The puppy continued eating the watermelon, unaffected.
“It’s clever! It’s not running away at all!”
Iori’s voice brimmed with joy. At moment, the bushes nearby rustled with a loud swish.
“Grrrr!”
A large dog burst out from there. Presumably, it was the puppy’s parent.
With an angry expression, it charged straight at Iori.
“Iori, watch out!”
Instinctively, I pushed her away. And as a result, the attacking adult dog tackled me instead.
“Masato-kun!”
“It’s okay!”
The adult dog used its front paws skillfully to pin down my shoulders.
“Growl!”
I realized as I heard its roar and saw its front view.
“Iori, this isn’t right!”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s not a dog!”
“Huh?”
“It’s a wolf!”
The creature that attacked us was a wolf. What we thought was a puppy turned out to be a wolf cub.
“Gaarl!”
The fierce fangs of the wolf struck my face.