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Reincarnated as a Fisherman and a Dad Chapter 108
Unfortunately, after two hours of relentless chipping off the abalones, the tide gradually returned. The seawater kept creeping higher with every passing minute, swallowing the exposed rocks little by little. They only stopped when the waves reached their chests, forcing them to brace themselves against the current. They didn't have a choice but to stop after that, as continuing would be dangerous.
Karlos looked at his hands. His palm was slightly grazed by the sharp rocks, with thin red lines forming across his skin.
"... Let's return tomorrow. We only caught 1/3 of the abalones here."
Brandon was a bit disappointed that they couldn't catch more. They should have gone earlier to maximize their time. Arriving at dawn would have made a difference.
However, the fact that they filled two buckets of abalones was enough to make him grin happily. He admitted that his hands and arms were bruised the whole time.
When they returned to the beach, the boat was closer to the waves, but the water didn't touch it. The beach had become smaller now that most of it was underwater, the shoreline almost disappearing.
Once they put the buckets into the boat, they decided to leave. Their lobsters were still alive in their container.
"... We have to pull the line." The reminder sounded heavy.
Brandon grimaced. He had spent quite a lot of energy earlier, and he was tired. However, they still had to keep working, there was no room for laziness.
"I'll pull the first half, then you'll do the latter half," Karlos said.
"Alright." Brandon nodded.
The two started pulling the longline that had been in the sea for a few hours.
This time, they caught 50 fish of different species, most of them average-sized. By estimation, they could earn about 2,000 pesos if the price was right.
Because they spent some time on the island, they reached the fish port at 1 pm, quite late compared to their usual schedule.
When they showed the abalones they harvested, the buyers eagerly approached them, their eyes shining with interest.
"I'll buy these abalones for 300 pesos per kilogram," one of them said.
"Deal," Karlos answered without hesitation.
The abalones weighed 72 kilograms, heavier than expected, and the buyer paid them 21,600 pesos.
Including 23,000 pesos from selling the lobsters and fish, they earned 44,600 pesos, double their usual profit.
While Karlos was counting the money to make sure the payment was correct, Brandon heard news from the other fishermen. Apparently, a group of fishermen was missing, and some people speculated that they were attacked by pirates. Brandon shuddered at the thought. Pirates were terrifying in their region because they stole boats and let fishermen drown to erase evidence. It was a well-known fact in their area.
Fishermen were warned to be cautious of pirates, especially small crews. Even the coast guard was monitoring the sea lately to catch these devil pirates.
Once Karlos confirmed the amount, the two returned to the beach south of the town. Karlos gave Brandon 2,500 pesos, his rightful share.
"We have to be cautious of boats. If a boat tries to approach us at high speed, we must flee. Pirates are notorious and dangerous," Brandon reminded Karlos, his tone serious. Brandon had been in the fishing industry for years and knew how dangerous pirates were.
"I'll keep that in mind," Karlos replied. He didn't want his kids to lose their father at a young age, the thought was unbearable.
Fortunately, they only sailed near the shore and never ventured farther out, and pirates usually avoided confrontation near shore where authorities were closer.
"Tomorrow, I'll bring my own screwdriver," Brandon said thoughtfully.
"The flat one," Karlos added.
Using a knife to shuck the abalones was dangerous and less precise. Brandon had almost wounded himself earlier, making the job slower and riskier. A flat screwdriver was a better tool, safer and more efficient.
"Don't bring the longline tomorrow. Let's focus on the island. We don't earn much from longline fishing anyway, only 2,000 pesos," Karlos suggested.
The fact that Karlos treated 2,000 pesos as a small amount was appalling to most fishermen. People could buy two sacks of rice with that money, enough to feed a family for two to three months.
"That's great," Brandon said, treating it as good news. He also admitted that longline fishing wasn't worth it considering the time and strength they spent on it. Unless they caught expensive fish like salmon, longline fishing was exhausting but not profitable most days.
With that, they docked at the beach. Brandon returned to his house while Karlos checked the progress of his own house.
...
...
...
"Papa!" A cheerful voice rang out.
"Papa! I mish you!" The words came out adorably slurred.
"You miss Papa? Then how about a kiss?" Karlos joked warmly.
All of his exhaustion disappeared when his twins welcomed him with smiles. He knelt down and let the kids kiss his cheeks. Arabella didn't mind the sweat and kissed him without hesitation. As for Iñigo, he hesitated for a second before giving a short kiss.
The more they grew up, the better Karlos understood them, their personalities becoming clearer.
'Arabella likes food, while Iñigo doesn't like bad odor and dirtiness. Their behaviors are forming.'
Karlos was proud of his kids. Their different attitudes and behaviors showed that they were growing up, each in their own way. Still, he couldn't help feeling sad whenever he imagined them growing up and no longer needing him.
"Kids, I understand that you're growing up. But please grow slowly. Let Papa enjoy being Papa. Don't erase your childhood so fast," he said to Arabella and Iñigo. His voice was gentle, but they didn't understand what he was talking about. Karlos was basically talking to himself.
He was afraid that once the kids grew older, they would stop acting like children and become distant. He feared that they would change and become adults too soon.
"At least take it slow. Don't grow up fast," he murmured softly.
"What are you even talking about? They're not even 1 year old," Maya sighed while watching Karlos' melancholy.
"I'm just reminding them, right kids?"
Arabella had already walked away, distracted, while Iñigo simply nodded but didn't take the lecture seriously. In Iñigo's opinion, his father was spouting nonsense.
"Let's return to the room. I'll wipe your back."
After Karlos carried the kids back to the room, Maya took off Karlos' shirt and wiped him before giving him a clean one. She slightly bit her lip while looking at her husband's toned body.
Maya then prepared food for Karlos. Naturally, Arabella acted adorable and convinced her father to feed her, and Iñigo followed suit.
After eating lunch, Karlos took a nap, and so did the kids. The twins lay on his stomach, as they liked how it moved up and down whenever he breathed, which made them fall asleep quickly.
However, Karlos suddenly woke up when he heard Arabella crying. The little girl cried loudly while hugging her mother.
"Hush, hush, my princess, stop crying," Maya soothed gently.
"What happened?" Karlos asked worriedly.