I Am The Sea || Choi San

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The Captain does not find out about San and Theo's nightly escape to the town's fest.
Two days after the Inception has set sail and left Santiana, Theo still blushes at the thought of that moment right before the rain. That moment between her and San, where they breathed the same air for mere seconds. 

What the Captain does notice is San tingling around Theo from the moment she steps out of her room after they've set sails.
San foregoes his ratio of fresh oranges and places the peeled slices into Theo's bowl before handing it to her.
He demonstrates various moves with a knife that Theo carries in a sheath, tied around her waist with a leather string, to her - it seems to be new. None of the other crew members had ever seen her wield it.
When night comes and Wooyoung and Yeosang act out their favorite stories like they've been hired by the Royal Theater, San sits by Theo quietly, lazily intertwining his fingers with hers as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

The Captain did not speak on this, as was his manner, but he did make note of all the little, new things between San and Theo.

On the second day, Theo finds Seonghwa in the kitchen, grinding peppermint leaves into small pieces.
Seonghwa turns and raises an eyebrow, smiling, when Theo gently tugs on the back of his shirt.
"Well , look who we have here," he says and leans against the counter as Theo snags a piece of mint and starts chewing on it. "Saw you're very busy with the new toy."
Theo chuckles.

"It's a much better fit for me, don't you think?"
Seonghwa smirks.
"And where did you get such a magnificent weapon?"
Theo purses her lips in smile. "It was a gift."
Seonghwa hums and squints at Theo, watching as she fiddles with the round end of a big ladle.
"From who exactly, pray tell?"
Theo turns away, blushing, but Seonghwa laughs, teasing.
He enjoys seeing Theo opening up to the idea of falling in love. Wether she was already there, he could not tell, but her eyes are brighter and her smile a bit wider with San in the room.

Seonghwa grabs after the next bundle of mint, opening his mouth to tell Theo she should grab a few pieces of tugwort root and get a grind on, when there is a knock in the open doorway to the kitchen.
San stands there, bowing his head slightly towards both of them, though his eyes catch and linger on Theo's.
"The Captain is calling for all of us," he says then, "A letter arrived."
"A letter? How? We're on open sea," Theo cocks her head, looking from San to Seonghwa, who exchange heavy looks.

San glances at Theo and says, smiling, "You'll see. He's waiting for us in the Captain's cabin."
Theo nods, wipes her hands, and passes by San as she climbs the stairs to the main deck, her hands secretly grazing his, soft fingertips along his knuckles.
San blushes slightly, but then his face grows more serious as he holds Seonghwa back by his arm when the cook tries to follow Theo.
"Wait," San says in a low voice, "I need to talk to you."

Seonghwa raises an eyebrow but steps back into the kitchen, leaning against the counter once more.
San swallows thickly, flexing his hands as they hang by his sides, and nods to himself, assuring.
"I wanted to ask you," San starts before he holds and presses his lips together. Then he starts again, "Theo and I-... Well, I came to tell you that-..."
Seonghwa hides a smile and folds his arms, finding San's stammering too entertaining to interrupt him or provide any help.

San squeezes his eyes shut, before he sighs deeply and rubs his face.
Then, with still closed eyes, he spurts, "Since Theo came to us, you've been something like a father figure or a brother to her. And since you vouched for her to be here, I thought it was fitting for me to do this with you, because you seem to be the closest thing to a family Theo has here."
He opens his eyes and looks Seonghwa straight in his face.
He takes a deep breath.
Then he says, "I really like her. More than that even, I think she might be the one. And I think she might like me, too, so I thought it was only right to ask you if you think it would be a good idea for me to-... well, pursue her."