ꜱᴏɴ ᴀᴍᴏᴜʀ ᴍᴀʀɪɴ ✧seongjoong✧

Chapter 5

Seonghwa winced, closing his eyes as the sharp sound of a smack reverberated through the crew the next morning. He glanced over to see San and Wooyoung attempting to stifle their laughter, though the bright red marks on their cheeks belied any sense of amusement. Hongjoong stood before them, his expression grave.

"You're lucky we've come a long way, or I'd remind you both of our early days with the cat'o nine tails," Hongjoong's voice was low and stern, the seriousness in his tone cutting through the air.

San and Wooyoung sobered instantly, their laughter fading as they exchanged sheepish glances. They knew they had crossed a line, especially when it involved Seonghwa, who Hongjoong seemed particularly protective of now.

"We're sorry, Captain," Wooyoung murmured, rubbing his cheek where the sting still lingered. "We didn't think he'd take it like that."

"Yeah, we were just having a bit of fun," San added, his tone apologetic but still tinged with lingering amusement.

Hongjoong sighed, his expression softening slightly. "Fun that could have gone very wrong. Seonghwa is not like us. Remember that. What if the alcohol had killed him San?"

"We will," Wooyoung nodded earnestly, his gaze serious now.

"We promise it won't happen again," San chimed in, his usual playful demeanor subdued under Hongjoong's stern gaze.

San and Wooyoung exchanged glances, their usual banter subdued by the seriousness of the situation. They knew they had crossed a line, their playful antics nearly resulting in disaster.

"We need to be more careful," Wooyoung muttered, his voice tinged with regret.

San nodded solemnly. "Agreed. Seonghwa's safety is our responsibility too."

Hongjoong paused, his gaze hardening as he looked back at them. "He trusts us now, in his own way. We can't betray that trust."

"You never told me Captain hits people, especially you guys, you're so close," Seonghwa said, his voice laced with concern and a little fear as the three huddled up in the sick bay

San shrugged nonchalantly, rubbing his cheek where the mark was still visible, slight blood dripped down his cheek due to the rings Captain adorned.

"We may be close, Hwa, but he's still our captain. Respect runs deep here. Besides, Hongjoong is one of the few who treats his crew like family. A little slap and a bit of tough love, it's part of the pirate life."

Wooyoung nodded in agreement, though his expression was more thoughtful. "It's how things are on a ship. We take the good with the bad. Hongjoong has his ways, but we trust him."

Seonghwa frowned, still processing the information. "But what if he goes too far?"

San chuckled softly, trying to lighten the mood. "Don't worry too much, Hwa. We've seen worse scoldings. We'll survive."

Wooyoung smiled reassuringly at Seonghwa. "Hongjoong has his moments. You'll get used to it."

Seonghwa nodded slowly, his brow furrowing with concern at the thought of violence from someone he was beginning to trust.