Water Heart | P.Sh

| 2.20 |

Once again no sign of land was in sight and we had the ship filled with food. Everything seemed awfully peaceful and Sunghoon had started to get his old cheeks back again, not only being a sack of bones and brain anymore. He was actually beginning to look like himself, even his genuine smile was returning.

"Soomin!" Jiyeon yelled out and I abruptly turned to look at her, from where I had stood out at the front of the ship. 

Only half of Jiyeon's body was sticking up from the food depot, waving me over eagerly. I frowned before letting out a small laugh and slowly making it over towards her.

"It's Lin!" she called out and I immediately set into a run, to beat Sunoo to reach Jiyeon, "she's awake," she whispered as I reached her.

"Good or bad?" I muttered and she merely shrugged.

"I want you to check on her, before I let Sunoo see her," she excused and I nodded, rushing down past her and towards the sleeping chamber, "you stop right there fiancé. We need to check on her first."

"I can do that for you," Sunoo assured and Jiyeon immediately shook her head.

"We're not taking any risks of you running your mouth right now," Jiyeon shook her head and rushed after me, holding up her skirt to not fall down the stairs, "she's in her hammock."

I nodded before rushing into the sleeping chamber with Jiyeon running right behind me. Sitting in a hammock, looking slightly dazed, Lin were leaning slightly forward. Her legs pushed back and forth on the floor to rock herself gently.

"Soomin," Lin immediately smiled when she saw me.

"How are you feeling?" I smiled back within seconds.

"A bit... hazy," she admitted with a confused frown, "what happened? Was I sick?"

"Intense storm," Jiyeon chimed in and I nodded immediately, "you got quite a cold."

"Oh..." she murmured and grabbed her head gently, "I don't remember."

"You had a pretty high fever," Jiyeon confirmed, "I wanted Soomin to check up on you, see if I missed anything."

"I don't think so," Lin immediately shook her head, "I feel quite alright now. Where is Sunoo?"

"You remember Sunoo?" I questioned and she immediately let out a small laugh.

"Of course I do," she nodded, "why wouldn't I remember him? Did we break of the engagement?" she immediately widened her eyes.

"No, no, no," I quickly assured her, "I was just unsure of whether or not you were able to remember him or the fever just wiped that clean," I excused and she let out a small chuckle as she got up on her feet.

"Don't be ridicolous Soomin. Of course I'll remember him," she assured and wandered over to pat my shoulder, "he's probably worried. I should go find him..."

I nodded quietly as Jiyeon glanced at me. I just shrugged in return. Lin seemed normal to me, if you look aside from the fact that she did not remember anything about the Phantôme. 

"Wait... I do have something I wanted to ask," Lin questioned, "is it normal to get itchy eyes because the rain water might be salty or something?"

"Oh, you better sit down again," Jiyeon immediately remarked and rushed over to grab Lin's arm, "up on deck and sit down. I need to check on you in sunlight.

"Okay..." Lin nodded quietly and followed after Jiyeon.

I decided to rush after them, making sure Sunoo didn't throw himself at Lin the moment she stepped on deck. Lin didn't seem to notice Sunoo as she got up on deck and I was quick to get ahold of him.

"Jiyeon needs to check her eyes in daylight," I whispered and he just stared at me in confusion, "she said they itched. You can go sit beside her, but for the love of god don't mention anything about what happened besides her catching a bad cold from the storm."

"M'okay," he nodded before quickly rushing over to sit beside Lin.

A wide grin immediately spread on Lin's face as she glanced at Sunoo and grabbed his hand in hers. Meanwhile, Jiyeon stood and checked each of Lin's eyes, asking her to look in different directions as Jiyeon just frowned deeply.

She didn't say anything to Sunoo or Lin, but left them to sit and lightly chat with one another. The way they always did, small smiles and giggles every once in a while. Hands holding onto each other tightly.

"She's cursed," Jiyeon breathed out as she rushed over to me, "it's in her eyes. I applied a bit of pressure on the corner. I know why it itches."

"Why?" I frowned and she pursed her lips before sighing heavily. Sending a small glance to the two lovers.

"When I pressed into the corner of her eye small grains of sand came out, and she didn't react," she whispered, "I'll give her a max of four weeks before she's completely blind in at least one eye. If she is lucky one eye is out before the other."

"It won't kill her?" I questioned quietly and she shook her head.

"Only if the Phantôme comes back... which I have a feeling it will," she excused and glanced up towards the helm where Jay and Jungwon stood, conversing about something.

"You don't think..." I trailed off as she nodded quietly.

"The murder they came for wasn't in the crew. Can't be," she whispered and glanced around on the deck, "none of them is trained in proper fighting like the higher ranks of the ship is," she continued to look around, picking at her lips thoughtfully, "something's off about Jungwon's eyes. They're different from the last time I saw him."

"You think... Jungwon..." I trailed off in disbelief and looked back up towards Jungwon, who was smiling at something Jay looked to be complaining about.

"Almost completely positive," she confirmed with a small nod.

"Have you asked him?"

"I tried."

"And?"

"He avoids the question," she shook her head with a look of dismay.

"Corner him, make him talk," I reminded and nudged her with my elbow, "like only you can do to him."

"I should, shouldn't I?" she sighed heavily, "I should find my Aquamarine at least then," she announced quietly.

"Yeah... you go dig in your small sandbox," I nodded and patted her shoulder.

"I will," she immediately nodded and rushed to go down under the deck yet again.