TREASURE. ateez

FIVE

Dizziness took over her clouded mind whilst every noise ringed out with a crystal and piercing clarity. Blood rushed to the tips of her fingers, the pulse coming in sizzling waves as her heart was pounding faster with each breath, like a hummingbird’s wings.

The booming was furious and incessant, it seemed to swell into a mallet and swing against her rib cage, a loud drum that could burst at any moment. Her vision too was quickly going woozy, sweat dripping into her eyes.

The ominous, sudden drop in temperature sent chills over her pale skin as her senses became more attuned. The stillness of the air seemed to spitefully stole the oxygen from her lungs as her widened eyes remained glued on the captain's figure.

His lips were curled up into a cruel, twisted, menacing sneer. That mocking grin seemed to suggest that he was highly entertained by the fact that his depraved plans and desires were being challenged, especially by a mere stowaway found on a fellow pirate ship.

His entire being seemed to radiate a sense of malevolence and malice, the air around him was heavy with an oppressive and sinister energy. His, was – beyond doubt – a visage that could haunt the dreams of those unfortunate enough to cross his path: it was a sight that could've driven even the bravest of souls to the brink of despair.

The anticipated collision between her body and the coming-and-going of the greedy waves, however, did not arrive.

She hadn't noticed that one member of the crew had approached Hongjoong, with an otherworldly elegance, and had whispered something in his ear.

The said man stood still like a marble sculpture, with his chiseled features and perfectly proportioned body. His eyes glimmered like diamonds, his hair like spun gold. He was a sight to behold, a masterpiece created by the hands of the divine. His magnetic looks contrasted with the stoic expression he was wearing while glancing at her, yet his gaze was captivating and his presence enthralling.

As she looked into his eyes, a strange feeling of familiarity and comfort seethed in her heart for a second, raising confusion in her.

His countenance was an enigmatic mystery, an alluring combination of strength and subtlety. He seemed to possess a secret, a hidden depth that could only be glimpsed beneath the surface.

Hongjoong's sharp tongue interrupted the transcendental moment, his words laced with desirousness and hunger as he spat out.

"I see, the sharks have got your tongue, young man." He joked, earning few contained smiles from his men. He then continued, his demeanor and aura changing yet again.

"You could be valuable to my purposes, stowaway. You must thank Yeosang for saving your life... at least for today."

An overwhelming sense of dread washed over her body at his words, a crushing weight pressed on her stomach as her mind raced with thoughts of all the things that could've gone wrong from that moment on.

What was he capable of?

The question left her puzzled. Probably, it would've been better to have died by the sharks' famishment, since the cruelness of the captain was unpredictable. Still, it was a small feeling of relief that was keeping her hanging on a thin string of hope.

Haeju noticed that she had released the breath she was holding only when the captain had looked away.

As she was violently dragged on the main deck by Seonghwa again, she kept her gaze lowered, her face few centimeters from the wooden surface. She was too scared to see what was about to happen to the other captivated pirates, with whom she did not have the courage to look in the eyes. The sense guilt for being the only one being spared was spreading its tendrils through her body.