Eight makes one crew

One terrible promise

Yeosang groaned, shielding his eyes from the burning sun with his hand. He couldn't remember where he was or why he was there. All he could feel was the sand below him, coating his clothes and skin. 

"Hey, your awake" Wooyoung patted Yeosang's head. The older of them pushed himself into sitting position, looking around. He needed water. Just as he thought it, Wooyoung passed him a canteen and Yeosang took it, bowing his head in thanks. 

"Where...?" Yeosang looked around but it was just him and Wooyoung on the beach. The ship wasn't far away but too far to swim. That was strange. Hongjoong was strict about the crew not being separated. If one was on land, they all were. If one was on the ship, they all were. 

"Where are we?" Wooyoung guessed. Yeosang nodded.

"Aramoor" Wooyoung answered. Yeosang nodded again. Aramoor was a lonely place. It was somewhat uninhabited. It was claimed, which is why the island had a name, but it was a refuge and mostly unused. 

"What happened?" Yeosang wondered. Wooyoung didn't answer this time. Instead he got up and offered his hand to Yeosang, who took it. He wasn't sure where Wooyoung was taking him or why his friend didn't answer that last question but he had a bad feeling about it. Something had happened.

"Why are we here, Wooyoung? Where are the others?" Yeosang asked again. Wooyoung was still holding his hand, leading him further away from the shore. Yeosang looked back at the ship, which was now no more than a dot in the distance. Yeosang couldn't even make out the flag on the mast. 

"It's a long story" Wooyoung admitted.

"Well, I'm assuming we're not leaving anytime soon so you better start talking" Yeosang pulled his hand away and crossing his arms. He wasn't taking another step until Wooyoung told him what was happening. Wooyoung sighed, turning back and copying his friend. 

"It's Jongho" He stated. Yeosang felt his heart drop. Jongho...something had happened. What happened?

"What happened?" Yeosang demanded to know. 

"I'm not supposed to say" Wooyoung told him, looking regretful of that fact. Yeosang turned and walked back to the water's line. Wooyoung ran after him.

"W-what are you doing?" Wooyoung tried to catch Yeosang's arm but he missed.

"If your not going to tell me then I'm going to find out for myself" Yeosang declared, wading out to where the water reached his knees. Wooyoung chased him down.

"You'll never make it!" Wooyoung panicked.

"Okay" Yeosang kept walking out, the water now reaching his hips. Wooyoung tilted his head back so he could still breathe and keep his head above water. 

"Yeosang!" Wooyoung tried again to grab Yeosang's shirt but he failed again. Yeosang was no longer touching the bottom of the sea floor and Wooyoung could feel his own feet slipping off the rough floor. 

"Do you really not remember anything?!" Wooyoung questioned. Yeosang turned back to him, waiting. Wooyoung had never seen him this mad before. 

"Okay. Just please, come out of the water. Do you know how long it took me to keep you from getting sick?" Wooyoung motioned to the sand again. Yeosang didn't move. Wooyoung sighed.

"Fine" He gave in. Yeosang crossed his arms, one finger tapping his arm expectantly. 

"There was a bit of a run-in with one of the biggest crews ever. One of them went after you" Wooyoung pointed to Yeosang's stomach, bringing attention to the gauze bandages around Yeosang's entire stomach. A small dot of blood was right in the middle. Yeosang looked down to it, surprised. He hadn't even felt any pain while moving. 

"What else?" He waited. Wooyoung just sighed.

"There was a promise. Well it was sort of a promise, we all thought he was joking but I guess he wasn't. Seongwha even was sure that Jongho wouldn't actually do it" Wooyoung tried to explain but he wasn't sure how to say it.

"Do what?" Yeosang's voice dropped. He had a good idea of where this was going. Yeosang was aware of Jongho's promise to Seongwha but just like the others, he never considered it to be an actual possibility. Wooyoung looked away, not answering.

"Wooyoung, what did Jongho do?" Yeosang asked again, tired of the secrecy. Wooyoung looked at him with tear-filled eyes. Yeosang stared back, trying to accept that Jongho had in fact kept his promise even at his own expense.

"I want to see him" Yeosang stated, that was the only thing on his mind.

"Yeosang, I don't think-" Wooyoung tried to talk him out of it but Yeosang held his head up high, looking more regal than he had in almost a year. That was the most princely Wooyoung had ever seen him.

"I want to see him" Yeosang repeated, clenching his teeth to avoid sounding too angry. Wooyoung nodded slowly.

"Okay but I don't think you can. He's on the ship" Wooyoung replied. Yeosang turned his head; it was too far of a swim. He'd be eaten by sharks before he even made it halfway. There was nothing to do but wait.

Luckily, Yeosang didn't have to wait long. But when he did see Jongho, it was not what he had expected to see at all.

"Oh, Jongho.....what did you do?" Yeosang covered his mouth, his eyes set firmly on Jongho's right hand or, rather, what was left of it.