Captain's Will

6. The One Who Made It

With his pipe in hand and his tricorn shadowing his features, Hongjoong stood at the wheel as they neared the port town Wooyoung was rumoured to live in. They had evaded any storms and the sole source of distress aboard the ship had been Mingi. While San brimmed with restrained excitement to see Wooyoung again, Yeosang happily prepared salves for future endeavours. So far, no one had dared to attack the Grief, unaware of the big names of the past that were on board. As soon as the news of Hongjoong's return spread, bounty hunters and countless jack tar would be at their heels.

Hongjoong could deal with them all except one. If only killing him as he kept promising was truly the thing Seonghwa plotted to do with Hongjoong.

Warm smoke wafted from his lips as he exhaled. He was nervous about finding Wooyoung. While he tried not to regret his decision to follow the ocean's call, Hongjoong would question himself once more if they had to part Wooyoung from a successful life. Perhaps becoming a fisherman would have been the ideal path. Hongjoong then could embrace the sea and her beauty without risking his people's lives.

Alas, they were here. No one could predict how Wooyoung would react. San had every reason to be on edge since they had been doing the bear a long time ago. Whenever Hongjoong looked at his helmsman's face lost in thought, he found lingering feelings for the unstoppable storm that their navigator was.

The waves led the Grief to port and Hongjoong governed her as if he had never left until they lowered their anchor. Youjin and the few familiar faces among the hired crew bustled about to refill provisions and trade the goods from Mingi's last raid they hadn't got rid of yet.

Clad in his fur coat and the matching hat, Hongjoong descended the helm. He checked his heavy belt for its pistol and sword, finding everything in place. The chain of his compass dangled from his side. Once he had tapped the pipe over the railing to clean it of residue powder, he slipped it back into its satchel, as well.

Mingi had switched eyes again. The one adjusted to the day was out as he stood with San and Yeosang. When Hongjoong joined their circle, he picked up on a discussion on whether San should join their journey through the town.

"Yer leg be too loud, matey. It will give us away as gentlemen o' fortune within a second." Yeosang looked troubled as he gazed at San's wooden prosthesis.

"It ain't a kidnappin' we plan. If 'e joins, 'e joins, no need to mask our identities," San argued. In his begging eyes lay not an ounce of patience to be parted from Wooyoung for longer than necessary. Even if Wooyoung didn't join them, San wanted to see him. Especially then.

Mingi stared at Hongjoong, waiting for his verdict. The captain nodded at San.

"Ye be right, matey. We be 'ere to take 'im on account, no more, no less."

Acknowledging the captain's decision, Yeosang gave in. He checked his weapons another time before the four of them descended the plank together. Seagulls sat on the wooden stalks that held the jetty. They gazed upon the pirates like a council of judgment as they made their way between the fishing nets and crates stacked around.

Near the port, no one bothered with them. Pirates were no unfamiliar sight, and most inns didn't mind serving them, as long as the criminals showed manners. Further down the main street, however, that condition changed.

Despite the insistent clop of San's wooden leg, it was not the noise that alerted the townsfolk of danger. As Hongjoong neared, they subconsciously lifted their heads from various businesses as if they had to check what caused the icy shivers on their spines. When they met the burning eyes of the captain, their faces paled.

As if no time had passed, they scrambled out of the way of his imposing figure. They huddled over their stands selling fruit and jewellery, returned to their work of repairing the streets, did anything to avoid his attention.