Harem Survival System: Stranded On An Island With Beautiful Women
Chapter 31: Trouble Brewing (Part 1)

Chapter 31: Trouble Brewing (Part 1)

Mia’s hands trembled slightly as she finished speaking.

Even though the words had already left her mouth, the fear still clung to her like a second skin.

She had held onto this secret since last night, and now that she had finally told someone, she should have felt lighter.

But instead, her stomach twisted with unease.

What if telling Lucas had been a mistake? What if he didn’t believe her?

She dared to glance at him, but the moment her eyes met his, she stilled.

Lucas wasn’t looking at her with doubt or suspicion. There was no sign of disbelief in his deep blue eyes — only certainty.

His hands came up, gripping her shoulders gently but firmly.

"I believe you," he said. His voice was steady, unwavering. "And I promise you, Mia — I won’t let anything happen to you."

Mia’s breath hitched.

The weight of his words settled over her, wrapping around her like a shield.

She could hear the sincerity in his voice, feel the conviction in his grip. For the first time since last night, she felt... safe.

Even though fear still lingered in the back of her mind, it didn’t seem so suffocating anymore.

Lucas was here.

She wasn’t alone in this.

A small, relieved breath escaped her lips, and before she could even think about it, she blurted out,

"Maybe I should sleep with you tonight."

Lucas froze.

Mia felt his fingers twitch against her shoulders before his entire body went stiff.

A heavy silence filled the tent.

Lucas’s face turned bright red.

Mia blinked, replaying what she had just said in her head. Then, her own face burned with embarrassment.

"Wait — !" She waved her hands frantically, correcting herself. "I meant — I meant in the tent! With you! Just sleeping! Not — "

Lucas coughed, looking away as he scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, uh... I figured."

Mia groaned, covering her face with her hands. "That came out so wrong."

A small chuckle escaped Lucas before he shook his head, the tension easing slightly. "It’s fine. I get what you meant."

Mia peeked at him through her fingers. "So...?"

He exhaled, then nodded. "Yeah. If it makes you feel safer, you can stay here tonight."

Mia let out a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding. "Thanks."

Lucas reached over and unzipped the sleeping bag, adjusting it so there was enough space for both of them. "It’s not the most comfortable setup, but it’s better than nothing."

She nodded, hesitating for only a second before sliding in beside him. The warmth of the tent, mixed with the soft sound of the waves in the distance, made it feel... almost cozy.

Almost.

Except for the fact that her heart was still hammering in her chest.

Lucas shifted, lying on his back, staring up at the ceiling of the tent. "Mia."

She turned her head slightly, watching him. "Yeah?"

"You said you didn’t see their faces, right?"

She nodded. "Just their silhouettes. The moon wasn’t bright enough, and they were being careful not to stand where the light hit them."

Lucas frowned. "But you heard their voices?"

"A little. It was muffled, like they didn’t want to be heard. But I could tell it was a guy and a girl."

Lucas exhaled. "That means we know at least two people are involved. But we still don’t know why they did it."

Mia bit her lip. "You think they’re trying to sabotage everyone?"

"I don’t know." His voice was low, thoughtful. "Destroying the rafts puts everyone at risk. If something happened, we’d have no way to escape by water."

Mia shivered at the thought. "Then... what do we do?"

Lucas was silent for a moment before answering, "We stay alert. And we don’t trust anyone too easily."

Mia nodded. That made sense. If there were people actively working against them, they couldn’t afford to be careless.

For a while, neither of them spoke. The distant chatter from the other students had died down, replaced by the steady rhythm of the ocean.

Mia shifted slightly. "Lucas?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think we’re in danger?"

Lucas didn’t answer right away. But when he did, his voice was softer than before. "I think... something isn’t right. And until we figure out what’s going on, we should be careful."

Mia swallowed hard.

Careful.

That was easier said than done when they had no idea who was responsible.

But at least she wasn’t alone in this.

She turned onto her side, facing Lucas. "Thanks for believing me."

He glanced at her, his blue eyes unreadable in the dim light. Then, he gave a small, reassuring smile. "Anytime."

Mia closed her eyes, letting herself finally relax.

Tomorrow, they would figure out what to do.

For now, she let the steady sound of Lucas’s breathing lull her into sleep.

#####

A dull thump against the tent jolted Lucas awake.

At first, he wasn’t entirely sure what had pulled him from sleep, his mind groggy and his limbs heavy. But then it happened again — something knocking against the fabric of the tent.

Thump. Thump.

Lucas furrowed his brows, slowly sitting up.

The early morning air was cool, and the tent still carried the warmth from the night before.

Beside him, Mia stirred, blinking sleepily before suddenly freezing in place.

Her eyes widened, panic flashing across her face.

"Do you think it’s a teacher?" she whispered, her voice barely above a breath.

Lucas didn’t answer right away.

If a teacher found her here... well, it would definitely cause problems. The girls’ tents were on the other side of the camp, separated from the boys’.

Even if nothing happened, people would talk.

Another knock, this time more impatient.

Thump-thump-thump.

Lucas sighed, already recognizing the rhythm. He ran a hand down his face and muttered, "It’s just Leo."

Mia let out a relieved breath but still looked uneasy.

Lucas glanced at her, then at the tent flap. He could hear Leo’s muffled voice now. "Oi, Lucas, wake up, man. What, did you pass out or something?"

Lucas pinched the bridge of his nose.

Of course Leo was being loud this early in the morning.

Mia, still curled in the corner of the tent, gave him a worried look.

Lucas raised a finger to his lips, silently telling her to stay quiet. She nodded, gripping the edge of the sleeping bag and shrinking into the shadows of the tent.

Carefully, Lucas straightened his clothes, making sure nothing looked out of place before reaching for the zipper.

He only pulled it open a little — just enough to peek out and meet Leo’s face.

Leo looked unimpressed.

His arms were crossed, and he was barefoot, his hair an absolute mess. It seemed like he had just rolled out of bed. "Dude, finally. I was about to start throwing rocks."