Treasure | Ateez

| 13 |

"In nocte consilium"

- Advice comes overnight

☾ ☾ ☾

They docked at midnight. 

Aeris was now accustomed to late nights, staying up with the crew as they laid out the gangway in the abandoned cove hidden away in the corner of Seersvile. A town filled with tiny huts cramped into tiny lanes that ran winding up the mountain, steep paths and turns decorated the area. 

The lighting was as poor as their economy. The ten exited the ship, guarded by the dimming light and separating as they entered the town, Hongjoong eyeing the girl as she followed Yeosang down the apothecary lane. 

"I have to get medicine" he had said, she had been quick to accompany him. 

Hongjoong and Mingi headed towards the bar, their meeting point was set. Every sixth week, at the little bar with its tinted windows and broken down chairs. The rest of the pirates would be there tonight. 

Seonghwa wanted to visit the art shop while Yunho and Jongho wanted to wander around. 

Wooyoung and San did not want to leave the ship, eager to get a night in while San practised his knife skills in the training room. 

Aeris walked behind the silver haired, watching as he walked in and out of shops, carrying a new bag each time and pausing if he noticed something else he needed. 

Aeris paused at the bookstore. 

The light was on, a frail woman sat by the candle, book open on her lap as the cat purred in delight as she ran a hand over its head. The bell tingled as she walked in, signing at Yeosang who was busy negotiating the price with a shop owner and moving in. 

Rows and rows of books greeted her eyes, separated into different categories as she ran her hand elegantly across their spines, as she had been taught by the tutors who her father had picked. Picking up a random one, flipping through the pages as the inked pages pulled her into their depth. 

Books, paradoxically had always allowed the girl to lose herself and find herself at the same time. 

"May I help you, my dear?" Aeris flinched at the noise, placing the book onto the chair with a thud and muttering apologies as the old lady looked at her with a disgruntled expression. "This is a bookstore, don't throw those books around" 

"Right" Aeris blushed. 

She was forgetting her manners.

"Would you like recommendations?" 

Aeris nodded her head slowly, following the old lady as she shuffled across the small shop and holding onto the books she pulled down before placing them back. "I'll give you the perfect book, you just watch" 

Her eyes went to the knock on the door, catching Yeosang's urgent expression melting into understanding as he stood outside. Two minutes, she mouthed, nodding towards the lady. He raised his thumb in understanding. 

"Ah! Here!" 

It was a thick book, crossing over at least two-hundred pages as the dust gathered on the cover was blown away by the lady as Aeris sniffed when it reached her nose. The title had long faded away, the only thing noticeable was the letter 'T' embroidered in elegant cursive as the rest of the word disappeared to time. 

"Take it and leave"

"Oh but I must pay" she reached for the pouch she still wore from her very first escape, tucked into the back of her dress and now emptied into her belt.