ꜱᴏɴ ᴀᴍᴏᴜʀ ᴍᴀʀɪɴ ✧seongjoong✧

Chapter 4

Three weeks had passed surprisingly easily, Seonghwa woke up, ate food, drank water, looked at the sea and pity himself, look at the captain hoping to talk, talk to Yeosang or Yunho, eat, drink, sleep. He didn't see much of Wooyoung and San as they were always busy with....stuff

It was his repeated routine

And now

Hongjoong stood silently under deck, his gaze fixed on Seonghwa and Jongho. Blood dripped from his hands. He had handled it swiftly, dispatching a few assailants without hesitation. Killing wasn't new to him; it was a skill honed through years of survival on the seas. Yet, despite his hardened exterior, fear gnawed at him—fear for what he had brought onto his ship.

After three weeks the enemy struck, and there were more, and they were making their army, getting ready to attack them. The very presence of the mermaid had stirred up a storm of danger. Hongjoong could have easily washed his hands of the situation, returned Seonghwa to the ocean to fend for himself, and spared his crew from further peril. But the soulmate bond won't allow it, if Seonghwa died, he would too. That's what Hongjoong told himself.

The mermaid's presence had initially been a curious acquisition, a rare find he couldn't resist showing off. Now, it was a complication—a potentially deadly one. Yet, there was something about Seonghwa's determination, his quiet resilience, that gave Hongjoong pause. He saw a glimpse of his own recklessness mirrored in those eyes.

"Keep an eye on him," Hongjoong instructed Jongho quietly, his voice low but commanding. "And make sure the crew knows we're not to be caught off guard again."

Jongho nodded solemnly, his expression mirroring the gravity of the situation. "Aye, Captain," he replied, his gaze flickering towards Seonghwa briefly before returning to his duties.

Hongjoong turned away, his mind already racing with plans and contingencies. The sea had never been forgiving, and now, with Seonghwa aboard, it seemed even less so.

As dawn approached, casting a faint glow through the ship's portholes, Hongjoong steeled himself for the challenges ahead. The mermaid had brought chaos, a challenge Hongjoong was willing to accept.

Seonghwa woke abruptly to the sound of faint creaking, his eyes darting to the floor where he noticed a trail of blood droplets. Panic surged through him, and he swiftly emerged from his aquarium, hastily donning the same clothes he wore the night before. Jongho, stationed nearby, watched him with a steady gaze but made no move to stop him; he knew Hongjoong was above and Seonghwa would be safe in his presence.

Stepping cautiously onto the deck, Seonghwa's gaze immediately fell upon two bloodied bodies, tied up and slumped in a corner. He recoiled slightly, a wave of nausea sweeping over him at the sight. Despite the gruesome scene, he scanned the deck frantically, searching for Hongjoong amidst the morning shadows.

The ship was eerily quiet, the only sounds were the gentle lapping of waves against the hull and the distant calls of seabirds. Seonghwa's heart pounded in his chest as he moved cautiously towards the helm, where he expected Hongjoong to be. The captain's absence only heightened his anxiety.

"Captain?" Seonghwa called out tentatively, his voice carrying a hint of urgency. He felt exposed, and vulnerable amidst the aftermath of violence he couldn't fully comprehend. Each step felt heavier than the last as he moved towards the stern, eyes scanning the deck for any sign of movement.