Sirens song

Chapter 4

Hongjoong's head was swimming, his thoughts murky and unfocused. He couldn't recall how long he had been sitting on the hard stone floor, his back aches from prolonged time in the same sitting position. The only source of light in the cave came from the dim glow of the algae on the walls and the soft, melodious hum of the siren, Mingi.
Hongjoong's gaze flickered over to Yunho.

The younger man was still staring up at the siren, his eyes hazy and unfocused, completely ensnared by the siren's captivating voice. Hongjoong tried to nudge Yunho, trying to break his crew member out of the spell. "Yunho," he whispered harshly, his voice hoarse. "Snap out of it."
But it was like talking to a wall. Yunho's gaze was fixed on the siren, his expression dazed and vacant. Frustration flared inside Hongjoong's chest as he watched his first mate falling deeper under the siren's spell. He had never seen Yunho so captivated by anything, it was almost like the man was... in love.

Hongjoong's eyes flicked up to Mingi, seeing the smug expression on the siren's face as he continued to ensnare Yunho with his voice and appearance. Hongjoong clenched his jaw, his helplessness and anger warring within him. He had to find a way to snap Yunho out of the spell, before it was too late.

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Wooyoung's heart was racing in his chest as he listened to Yeosang's explanation. "A siren?" he repeated, his expression a mixture of disbelief and fascination. "Are you sure? I thought they were just myths and legends, not real creatures."

Yeosang nodded, a serious look on his face. "I know it sounds crazy, but I've seen a siren before. That tail in the water belongs to one, I'm sure of it." The rest of the crew murmured amongst themselves, skepticism and wonder mixed in their voices.

San leaned closer to Wooyoung, his brow furrowed in concern. "Do you think Hongjoong and Yunho stumbled across it?" he asked, his voice soft and worried. Wooyoung's expression darkened at the mention of their missing captain and first mate. The thought of them alone with a dangerous creature like a siren was unsettling.

"It's a possibility," Yeosang said, his eyes focused out the ocean. "Sirens are known for their seductive and captivating abilities. They can lure in unsuspecting people with their voices and their beauty, and then..." He trailed off, not wanting to continue the thought.

The crew was silent for a moment, contemplating the implication of Yeosang's words. Wooyoung's hands clenched into fists, his anger and worry rising. The thought of Hongjoong and Yunho being taken in by a siren's charms was infuriating, especially knowing how vulnerable the two men must be.

The crew members' attention was suddenly drawn to the other side of the ship, where they saw Jongho standing with a group of other crew members. Jongho was pointing towards something in the water, a grin on his face. "We've caught something!" he shouted, getting the crew's attention. The crew members murmured amongst themselves as they made their way over to where Jongho was standing.

As they got closer, they could see a long, iridescent tail sticking out of the water, wriggling and thrashing around. It was a siren, still very much alive.The crew members' attention was suddenly drawn to the other side of the ship, where they saw Jongho standing with a group of other crew members. Jongho was pointing towards something in the water, a grin on his face. "We've caught something!" he shouted, getting the crew's attention. The crew members murmured amongst themselves as they made their way over to where Jongho was standing.

The crew members gasped, their eyes wide with shock and excitement. "It's a siren!" "Is it dead?" "It's so... beautiful." The crew members murmured amongst themselves, their curiosity getting the better of them. Wooyoung and San exchanged a look, their hearts still heavy with worry about Hongjoong and Yunho, but intrigued by the sight of the captured siren.

Jongho, seeing the crew members' interest, decided to show off his catch. "I was the one who caught it," he declared, a sense of pride in his voice. "The rest of the crew helped bring it onboard." As he spoke, he took the opportunity to admire the siren, his eyes fixated on the creature's mesmerizing appearance.

One of the crew members, a young man named Yeonseok, stepped forward, his eyes fixed on the writhing siren. "Aren't we going to kill it or something?" he asked, his voice eager. "I heard sirens are bad luck to have on board."

Jongho shook his head, still admiring the siren. "Don't be hasty," he said. "Sirens are rare and valuable creatures, especially ones that are this beautiful. We should keep it alive and see if we can sell it for some profit."

The crew members' eyes widened at the prospect of making money. They began to buzz with excitement, discussing and agreeing with Jongho's idea. Even Wooyoung and San were caught up in the moment, their thoughts momentarily sidetracked by the potential profit a live siren would bring.

Jongho noticed Wooyoung and San's distraction and smirked to himself. "I have a feeling this little siren is going to make us a lot of money," he said, his eyes fixed on the creature.
Just then, the siren's tail gave a particularly violent thrash, causing the crew members to take a step back, startled."Careful," Jongho said, his voice a mix of both warning and excitement. "It's a feisty one." He reached out and pushed some of the crew members further back. "Keep your distance, it can be dangerous if it gets too agitated."

The crew members nodded, realizing the potential danger of handling such a creature. They backed away, admiring the siren from a safe distance. However, Jongho's eyes widened as he suddenly noticed something.

"Wait," he said, his voice low. "Look at its tail. It's injured." The crew members leaned in, peering at the siren's tail, and sure enough, they saw a deep cut running along the shimmering scales. Blood was staining the water around the creature, making a small crimson cloud.

The crew members gasped, their eyes wide with surprise and curiosity. "How did it get injured?" one of them asked, his voice laced with concern. Jongho furrowed his brow, his gaze fixated on the wounded siren. "I'm not sure," he said. "But it must have been a deep cut, it's losing a lot of blood."

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