Pirate King: An ATEEZ & ONEUS Novella

Chapter Six

Hongjoong leads Seonghwa, Jongho, Yeosang, Yunho and Mingi through the halls. He suddenly skids to a halt.

"Sannie!!" Yunho exclaims, throwing his index finger out at San.

Mingi throws an arm out, seeing that San is slumped against the wall and sobbing as he softly bangs his head against the paint. "Easy..." He then carefully walks up to San and gently puts a hand on his back. "Hey...?"

San keeps sobbing, unphased by Mingi. But he mumbles out, "Hwanwoong..."

Mingi snaps his head to look back at the others. He mouths out, "Hwanwoong? ONEUS?"

Hongjoong gives a shrug.

"Hwanwoong took Wooyoung!" San cries out and jerks his head up.

Seonghwa looks at Jongho. "Impossible! You said--"

Jongho looks at San. "Kanye West has Wooyoung, not Hwanwoong!"

"Hwanwoong just told me! He stole our hourglass and he's keeping Wooyoung prisoner and then he poofed in smoke!" San shouts out.

"WHAT?" Jongho, Seonghwa, Hongjoong, Mingi, Yeosang and Yunho gasp in unison.

San wipes his eyes. "It's true."

Jongho shakes his head. "That can't be..."

"Well it is, Jongho! Hwanwoong wants you dead!" San snaps. "And because of that, he's abducted Wooyoung!"

Seonghwa steps in front of Jongho. "San, you are NOT throwing this on Jongho. Now, we're going to find Wooyoung and rescue him together. Are you coming or not?"

"How are you?" San snarls. "Hwanwoong said he stole the hourglass. He's the only one--"

"Actually, he's not," Hongjoong remarks, cutting San off. "There's always a backup, a second. I know exactly where it is too!"

San rolls his eyes. "Whatever, I'll believe it when I see it."

"You have," Hongjoong remarks. "All the time. Come on!"

They all race through the hallway and burst into a giant room at the far end. At the far side sits a massive glass case with trophies and medals. And also the replica hourglass. Hongjoong chuckles as he trots across the room toward it.

"Touche, Joongie," San grumbles. "I'll allow you the win this time."

Hongjoong halts before the glass case.

Jongho and Seonghwa converse together; Jongho explaining more about Kanye West and having no idea about Hwanwoong. San tells them about his meeting with the ONEUS singer.

Hongjoong opens the glass door and pulls out the hourglass. He spins around and walks back over to the others.

"Everyone touch the hourglass and say our motto: '8 Makes 1 Team'," Hongjoong states, holding the hourglass out by one of the handles with one hand.

Yunho is the first to throw a hand out and grab part of the handle. Then Yeosang follows suit and Mingi. Finally, San, Seonghwa and Jongho join them. They all nod to Hongjoong, who begins a countdown.

"3...2...1..."

"8 MAKES 1 TEAM!" they all cry out together.

At once, the hourglass dissolves in their hands and the ash inside swirls around them, kicked up by a strange and magical wind.

"Whoa!" Yunho exclaims.

The ash thickens, until they can no longer move or even see the room that they are in. It whips around them for another few minutes, roaring in their ears like a tornado. Then, finally, the ash settles and they find themselves on a beach that looks similar to the one from their music video for Illusion.

"Wait, so, all of this is real and not really concocted by a media team for a music video?" Yeosang questions, looking around him in awe.

Yunho drops down and scoops up sand into his hands. "It's not an illusion."