Forever, You Are My Star

Chapter 12: The Precious Gifts

The morning light streaming through the port holes woke Wooyoung from his slumber. He stretched and adjusted his eyes to the light and looked over to Mey's bed only to see it empty. His eyes grew wide, and he began to panic. He quickly went over to San's side over the bed to stir him awake.

    "San, wake up!" He said with panic laced in his voice. San just moaned in his sleep not wanting to wake up. "San, you need to wake up! Mey is gone!" San began to slowly wake up not really hearing what Wooyoung just said.

    "What is it, Wooyoung? Everyone is still sleeping."

    "Mey is gone!" Wooyoung yelled as he pointed to the bed. San's eyes then grew wide as he looked over to the bed as the others began to wake up.

    "What's all the commotion about? We are trying to sleep here." Mingi's voice was raspy as he stood from his bed.

    "Mey is missing." San mumbled.

    "We have searched the entire ship; she's nowhere to be found, hyung." Yunho replied coming back into the captain's cabin where the others were all pacing at some level. 

    "Then we will search the town. Whatever it takes, we will find her." Hongjoong replied gathering his things to leave the cabin.

    "And what if she went to the commander? What if she decided to go back home?" Mingi sounded scared and sad.

    "If that was true, we would have been arrested in our sleep. She is not a person who would betray us like that." Yeosang replied with reassurance.

    "And the way she reacted when she heard the commander's name does not put doubt in my mind that she would run to him." Wooyoung put in his two cents. Hongjoong began to pace around his desk again.

    "Does she know anyone here in Seros? Has she mentioned anyone in particular?" The boys all shook their head as Hongjoong gave a sigh of disappointment. San then looked up at his hyung in realization.

    "The man at the shop we stopped at yesterday. He called Mey by her mother's name. When Mey told him she was not who he called her by, he then asked if her name was Mey. Maybe he knows." San said.

    "Then we start there." Hongjoong replied.

    Mey placed another string of black beads with one red and gold bead at the end of string then began to sew it to a small hair clip along with a silver star pendant on a chain that matched her necklace exactly and a beautiful red feather. She looked down to see the other seven she made from the time she came to Soowon early in the morning. During their time spent together, Mey learned that Soowon and his wife Lin were the closest people her mother Raya had to as family. When Mey was born, she asked if they would be her godparents, and they gladly accepted. When Mey asked why she could not remember then, Soowon told her because of the near death sickness, her past childhood memories were scattered and only bits and pieces remained. But that did not matter to Mey. She found them again which made her happy. As Mey and Soowon continued to sew the beautiful hair clips, Lin came in with tea and breakfast.

    "Both of you should eat something. You've been working so hard before the sun came up." Lin gave a sweet smile as she placed the tray down in front of them.

    "Thank you, godmother." Mey replied placing the hairclip down and taking a cup of tea. Lin smiled at Soowon before taking one of the clips to admire it.

    "These are absolutely beautiful. You have perfect taste, Mey."

    "And what about me? I'm the one who made the pendants." Soowon blurted out before Mey.

    "Yes, but I see your work everyday." Lin giggled giving him a hug. Mey just sat and watched her godparents being cute before there was a banging on the door which made all three of them jump. Soowon looked back at the girls.

    "We don't open for another hour. Who could that be?" He said before walking out to the front. Then, Mey realized. Before she could say anything she heard familiar voices filling up the front of the shop, and a familiar figure walk through the massive curtain that blocked the back from the front and developed her into a hug.

    "Mey, thank the gods." San said into her shoulder. When he pulled away, he cupped her face and looked into her eyes. "Why the hell did you run off like that. Do you know how scared we all were. You could have been kidnapped or killed. Something bad could have happened to you and...." His words became stuck in his throat when Mey placed a gentle kiss on is forehead. She then looked at him with the sweetest smile he ever saw, and swore he saw her eyes have a faint glow.

    "I'm sorry, San. I should have told you, but I'm alright." Mey took his hands in hers. "I promise."

    "Still what in the seven seas...." Seonghwa blurted out as he walked in with the others trailing behind him. They all quickly walked up to her checking to make sure she was not injured.

    "Before any of you continue to yell at me, I have a reason." Mey replied. Hongjoong just crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow.

    "It better be a good one." He stated. Mey turned from San and looked at the others who were giving her looks like Felix did when she would get into trouble. She knew she had to tell them the truth, but would they believe all of it?

    "Soowon and Lin are my godparents. They were close friends of my mother before she passed. I did not remember them because of a sickness I had that took away most of my childhood memories. I have regained some of them, but it will take time to remember all of them." San looked at Mey with concern and sadness. So this is why she could not remember him. She couldn't even remember why she lost memories. Mingi and Wooyoung then came closer to give her a hug while Hongjoong and Seonghwa slowly walked up to Soonwon and Lin who was now standing next to him.

    "Thank you for keeping her safe." Hongjoong said quietly. Soowon gave a slight nod.

    "It is my pleasure, young man. I was going to take her to the commander, but she asked for that not to happen. I wanted to respect her wish She is still the princess after all." Soowon then turned to Mey to see the rest of the boys crowded around her as she showed them the hair clips that were made. Hongjoong and Seonghwa also turned to see them and smiles grew on their faces. Who would have thought that they would go from being slaves for a ruthless pirate to being free men accompanied by none other than the princess of Barranor. "She grew to be a beautiful and kind woman. She would have made a great queen, but I know that is not what she wanted." Soowon then placed a hand on both Seonghwa and Hongjoong's shoulder making them turn back to him. "Protect her, please. Not for me or my wife, but for her father and brother, and also for yourselves."

    "You have our word." Seonghwa replied before Hongjoong could.

    "Seonghwa, Hongjoong, I made one for each of you as well." Mey said from across the room. Hongjoong, Seonghwa, and Soowon then made their way towards Mey and the rest. As Hongjoong looked around at them, he noticed that they all now had a hairclip that dangled down from behind their left ear and just grazed their shoulder. Mey then walked over to Seonghwa and placed one behind his ear then to Hongjoong and did the same. "It's just a small token of gratitude for what you have done for me." Hongjoong looked over into a mirror proudly when he saw the beautiful hair clip align perfectly with his mullet.

    "Where's yours, Mey?" San asked sweetly.

    "Oh, I didn't make myself one. There was no need." San gave her a pout which made Mey just want to pinch his cheeks.

    "What do you mean there was no need?" Jongho blurted out.

    "Because these are my gifts to you, Jongho. Why would I gift something to myself?" Mey replied trying to stifle the laugh from Jongho's outburst.

    "I thought that was what you were going to say so that's why I made this." Soowon spoke as he took another hair clip from the table. This one looked exactly like the others that were made except this one had a red string of beads with a black one at the end, the same star pendant on a chain, and a black feather. Soowon walked up to Mey and placed it in her hair behind her left ear giving her a soft smile. "This is my gift to you."