Where the sea sleeps [HoonHao] ✔

32

When he returns to the prison, Minghao is the first to notice him. Pure relief floods his eyes and in an instant, his expression relaxes. His hands are pale white from the way he gripped the bars and Jihoon has to wonder how long he's been standing that way.

"You're okay," he whispers. It's like nothing else mattered in that moment except Jihoon's safety. Nothing else came remotely close to being as important. Which definitely plays in the reason he doesn't notice the lack of guards around him. He doesn't even notice Soonyoung who tagged along behind him.

"Are you breaking us out?" Dino questions as he watches Soonyoung maneuver with the lock of the gate. A second later, it springs open, but nobody steps out. Whether they've realized it's not a break out or not, they most likely sense that something is different. It's in the air between them; it's in the aura radiating around Jihoon this time.

Before anyone can say another word, Jihoon lowers his body into a half bow. They're all silent, only able to watch in confusion.

"Forgive me, Minghao and The Drifters." As he straightens, there's a look of realization on Dino and Joshua's faces. He remembers Dino admitting his suspicions about Jihoon's identity and how Joshua hadn't lied about knowing who he was. He's not sure if it could be seen in his face or if it was the way he uttered his words just then, but he knows he's proven Dino's suspicions correct. It had been because of the symbol; the crest of the royal bloodline imprinted on his wrist that had him suspecting, which could only mean there was one possibility and nothing more.

As he straightens his posture, he clears his throat. "I ask that you forgive the mistake of you being put in this place at all."

"Woozi, what are you talking about?" Minghao murmurs. He's the first to step out of the cell, but he doesn't take a step closer to Jihoon. The confusion in his face is shifting as it turns into another emotion, but he doesn't have time to linger on it.

"The king and queen have passed on," he informs them, swallowing past the lump in throat. The idea that his parents were dead and he didn't have a chance to say goodbye hurt, sure, but what hurt more was the fact that for the few days that he was with the crew, he had no idea. No idea that his parents were dead and no idea that this was the life he would be returning to.

Not wanting to get caught in his thoughts again, he continues speaking. "As such, the right hand man had taken over as ruler, but now, he will be facing life in prison." He gestures to the cell with a hand. "He will be taking your place, if you will."

"Why?" Scoups asks from beside Dino. He's somewhere near the back of the cell and unlike the others, he appears to want to get out of there more than anything else.

"He has committed treason," comes Jihoon's response. "He was behind the murder of the king and queen. As well as the attempted murder of the prince."

They're all frozen in place. What a way to tell them, he thinks as he watches their faces. He hadn't expected to be telling a group of people he'd spent his time with that he was actually the prince nor about the death of his parents. He didn't expect to be telling them that they will no longer be wanted criminals. The next words to leave his lips are something he definitely never expected to be saying to them.

"The true heir will be taking his rightful place on the throne. Changes will be made." He pauses to take a step back, almost knocking into Soonyoung who squeezes his shoulder and taps his back a second after. "You will no longer be facing the troubles or discrimination you have been facing these all these years. You will no longer have to worry about being wanted criminals."

"And why is that?" Mingyu questions, tilting his head to consider Jihoon.

"Because you are not any of those things. You are heroes." With a brief smile, he murmurs, "I am Lee Jihoon, heir to the throne. I am pleased to have met your acquaintance and I thank you for the time I spent on your ship. For being heroes without so much as realizing it."

*

They've been staying in the palace upon Jihoon's request for the past three days. He wanted them to attend his coronation that was happening today. Suffice to say the treatment he received from the crew was a little different to begin with. However, the fact that nobody was really mad at him was relieving. (According to Vernon, it was preposterous to be mad at someone who had no idea who they were in the first place.) They even appeared unfazed when finding out Soonyoung worked for the palace and insisted he still be part of the crew because it wouldn't be the same without him (to which Jihoon agreed.)

Seungcheol would bow every time they passed each other, but Chan would greet him with a wide smile—they were often roaming the halls together every chance they got. They hardly spoke, but when they did, Seungcheol spoke more formally than necessary (and despite saying this, Seungcheol couldn't seem to adjust) while Chan spoke with very minimal formality. Only when it was required of him.

Vernon kept apologizing every chance he got. About bad mouthing the royal bloodline when he was friends with one of them and about everything else he ever said. Apparently Jihoon had changed his mind on how the royals actually were and somewhere in there, he admitted that he was glad Jihoon would be taking over. Something about being the change they all needed; it brought a smile to his face.

Mingyu still hugged him as if he weren't a prince, which was more than just a little refreshing. He didn't like when they shied away from him just because his position had changed. The only time Mingyu really shied away was if Jihoon happened to walk in when he and the guard, Wonwoo, were flirting. That was when he decided to assign the second guard palace guard position to Jun who happily accepted and who apparently knew him when they were little.

Joshua knew him because he was their weapons maker. Every weapon they needed, they requested from him and he would personally deliver it more often than not, which is how he knew Jihoon in the first place. The delivery he decided to make when joining the crew was, in fact, the new weapons Jeonghan had ordered. Joshua wanted to throw them out or hand them over to someone else, but Jihoon insisted he would keep it. Jeonghan had always made the orders for the weapons required and so, he trusted they would be effective when used.

It was Minghao who constantly shied away. It was hard to find them in the same room and as much as he didn't want to admit it, he hated it. He hated that now that he was known to be a prince and was soon to be king, Minghao couldn't seem to stand him. He somehow expected differently.

That's why it was so surprising when Minghao walked into his room. An hour before the coronation as the nerves were starting to hit, the door creaked open and in walked Minghao in all his glory. The suit hugged him just right; it didn't seem too tight nor too loose. Despite only being a spectator, he appeared as nervous as Jihoon.

"Why is the captain nervous?" he chuckles, leaning toward the mirror as he buttons up the last button of his shirt. When he turns around, there's the unmistakable sound of air being sucked in. His expression is unreadable, but Jihoon thinks the air he breathed in is something like when he first saw Minghao in that suit and completely froze up. He literally took his breath away.

"I'm not," he assures. He meets Jihoon's eyes. "Though clearly you are."

Closing the distance between them, Minghao's frame looms over him as his hands lift to his shirt. With nimble fingers, he unbuttons the top button, corners of his lips twitching up into a smile. "You don't have to choke yourself." He gives a quick, light pat against Jihoon's chest. "You look great."

"Thank you, Minghao."

Minghao responds with a brief smile, but he doesn't move. They're still standing inches apart and there's this look on his face that says he wants to say something, but he's holding back. Jihoon is prepared to ask when Minghao leans forward. It's quick and brief, but it feels so much longer than it lasts and maybe it's because Jihoon didn't want it to end. His lips brush lightly as he places a soft kiss on Jihoon's cheek.

His face is flushed as he pulls back, tips of his ears turning one shade redder than his face. When they lock gazes, he knows. He knows without Minghao saying it that it's something he's wanted to do for a while. And Jihoon wants to tell him that it's okay, that he liked it, but before he has a chance, the door pushes open and Jun is peeking in.

"The coronation is about to start."

No more words are exchanged as Minghao takes that as his cue to leave. Jihoon can't stop him because Jun is still there and they need to start moving too.

His heartstrings tug roughly in his chest, which he clutches in an attempt to calm himself down.