Water Heart | P.Sh

| 14 |

"Land ahead!"

By the yell of a crewman up front in the ship, Jay had quickly given orders for the anchor to be dropped. Much to my confusion at least.

"We're first sailing in tonight," Jungwon excused as he stopped by me, noticing how I was frowning at the crewmen who were quick to drop in the anchor.

"Why?" I questioned in confusion and he only snickered slightly at me.

"Some of us want to train our swordsmanship a bit before we go on land again," he shrugged with a small chuckle, "you should sit and watch, it gets quite entertaining some times."

"But you get injured," I reminded him and he immediately shook his head in return.

"We stop before anyone gets hurt," he assured with a flick of the wrist and I glanced back up to the helm.

"Is Jiyeon alright?" I questioned, noticing her back slumped over as she looked down towards the water behind the ship.

"She'll be fine," Jungwon hummed quietly as he glanced over at her as well, "she just... she's scared that she won't be able to get the map again tonight."

"She's scared of disappointing?" I questioned and he nodded quietly.

"You can go talk to her if you'd like," he assured me with a small smile, "but at least... at least sit and watch some of the small duels we'll have. I'm sure Sunghoon would be more than happy to show you his skills."

I frowned at Jungwon's small smirk before he wandered off once again. I was pretty sure Sunghoon would prefer for me to stay as far away as I possibly could from him.

I glanced backwards before rushing to Jiyeon, skipping the stairs two steps at a time as I hurried up to her. I didn't say anything as I sat down beside her, only brushing her hair over past her shoulders.

"I like your earrings," I spoke up and she hummed before turning her head to look at me, making them dangle back and forth, "do you reckon I could get a pair too when we go to harbour?"

"It is tradition for pirates to get earrings," she hummed with a small nod, "but you don't plan to stay for long, do you?"

"Maybe..." I shrugged at her, "if I can go home every once in a while," I murmured and she smiled slightly at me, "besides... I've never made a friend as fast as I have with you."

"I can pierce your ears if you'd like," she pointed out, "tonight... after I've done my job. Or perhaps we should wait again until the morning so you can sleep on your side," she hurriedly rambled as I began smiling, "what?"

"What style do you think would suit me?" I questioned her with a small smile, "hoops like Jungwon and Sunghoon has? Studs like Jay? Or perhaps dangling ones like yours?"

"Mine make sound every time I move," she pointed out and I just nodded at her, "I think dangling ones would be good on you as well. We can use the money I make tonight for it."

"You should use that on yourself," I reminded her and she immediately shook her head.

"I already have so many bedazzlements I've bought for myself, I can give you a pair," she assured with a flick of her wrist, "I'm sure the lads will let us go to a proper harbour before we go to Isle de la Mort. I'll use my little charm to do so."

"Of course you will," I let out a small laugh at her as I could hear laughter, yelling and clinging of blades down on the deck, "sounds like they're having their fun."

"Sunghoon is quite good, you know?" she questioned and I let out a small laugh, "what?"

"Jungwon hinted at the same," I simply shook my head in return, "he must be good then."

"The best on the ship," Jiyeon nodded, "even better than me... and I'm actually quite good for a girl."

"No, no... you're not quite good for a girl," I corrected her and she frowned immediately, "you're quite good. Screw the 'for a girl' part, that's the brainwashing of the crew. You're just quite good in general."

"Sure I am," she chuckled in return, "let's go watch them."

Jiyeon quickly jumped down from her box and rushed over to the railing to look down onto the deck. I was quick to follow her and look down there as well. Down on the deck both Jay and Jungwon were swinging swords at each other, attacking and defending themselves.

"Don't you get worried?" I whispered to Jiyeon, who simply shook her head as an answer.

"Jay cares too much for Jungwon to actually hurt him," she assured quietly.

Jungwon was right in his claim, it was quite entertaining to watch them duel each other. Probably because it was clear they also had fun with it. 

"They're equally as good, so this duel will end in a tie where they stand blade to neck, both of them," Jiyeon murmured and I glanced at her.

The moment I had looked back down at the deck once again it was as if Jiyeon had predicted the outcome. Stretched out at arms length both boys wandered around in a circle with their sword-tip pointed to the other's throat. 

"Jungwon and I's first meeting went like that," Jiyeon sneered in amusement, "He was the one that had found me on the ship and he had pulled his sword on me, pointing it at my throat. I must've given him a scare I guess."

"Do you two ever duel?" I questioned and she shook her head slowly.

"He doesn't dare," she let out a small chuckle as I watched Sunghoon step out into the middle of the circle with another crew member, both pulling their sword and clinking the blades against each other, "oh, watch this."

Jiyeon happily smacked my arm and gawked down as Sunghoon and the other crew member started to walk around in a circle, as if judging if they were gonna charge first or let the other one go.

In a flash one of them had lunged forward, it had happened so fast that I didn't get to notice who charged first and who defended. I had to admit though that this duel was much more interesting to watch than the one Jungwon and Jay had had. 

This duel seemed much more like an elegant dance in a way, not that they were ballerinas prancing around, but they moved so effortlessly with those sword that it looked almost elegant. I watched in awe as they continued to cling their blades against one another and the circle slowly getting bigger and bigger as they began needing more and more space to try and win over the other.

"So who usually wins in this duel?" I whispered to Jiyeon and she only shrugged.

"Most times Sunghoon. Sometimes Gyuhun," she shrugged casually and I snickered slightly as I directed my attention back down on deck.

For a split second I had eye contact with Sunghoon, but it was still enough for him to have Gyuhun point the tip of his sword against his throat. With a small chuckle Sunghoon directed his eyes back down on Gyuhun, lifting both his hands as he dropped his sword onto the deck with a loud thump.

"Hm... I wonder what he was distracted by this time," Jiyeon frowned as she scrunched up her nose, "well... I better get you down to get some pants on and put your hair up to make you look like somewhat of a man."

"You can do that?" I questioned and she hummed with a nod, casually waving it off as she grabbed my wrist and started dragging me after her down to the dress room.