VOYAGE I: Onwards To Utopia

Chapter 13

Red

It's was an early morning, and Hongjoong had woken up from the rumbling in his stomach. He does end up missing dinner every night because of the wretched curse, so he gets up and clothes himself, as he left for the galley.

As he exits his chamber, he catches sight of an all too familiar girl standing by the rigging in the main deck. He remembers seeing her like this multiple times now, and it never fails to intrigue him.

The Captain made his was down to the main deck and approaches the girl, standing beside her.

"Good morning."he says and somehow he caught her flich a bit.

"G-good morning Captain, you surprised me."she says, a hand flying over her chest as she lets out a small chuckle.

"Forgive me I didn't mean to."Joong says."I see you a lot, here at the deck."

"Oh, I like here. How warm the sunlight is, and how calm or rough the winds are sometimes."she replied. Then she remembers the conversation she had with Yunho, about the curse. Until now she still knew nothing about it. So she contemplates on whether to ask or not.

"Captain, may I ask you something?"she decided she would ask, after all she had a right to know. She was helping him after all.

"Of course, what would it be?"

"About your curse, what is it exactly?" she finally asked, anxiety flooding her entire body.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you haven't I?"he chuckles."I turn to stone every night. So I'm not around during evenings. Then I turn back during the morning."he answered, letting out a sigh.

So that's why. Shinji had wondered during dinners, why no one mentions the Captain.

"I haven't had this curse for long, it comes with the compass that I got from the witch weeks ago."he tells her."I have to bring the compass back to Utopia, so the sky stops acting bonkers and so my curse is removed. The witch said that if I had the compass for too long I might turn to stone forever."

Shinji was overwhelmed with concern, this was a lot. This man had been nothing but kind. He did not deserve to be stoned forever.

"I accepted the task to return the compass to bring order to the sky, so that sailing would be smooth just like before. Not only for us, but for all the sailors."he adds."At first I didn't know how we'd do it, the map thing was blank. And then you came along. So, thank you."he lets out a gentle laugh.

There it was again, that erratic thumping in her chest. She doesn't remember when and how it started, but it happened quiet often when he was there. It made it hard for her to breathe, and stand up in her own two legs. Her face was warm too.

Hongjoong stared at her. Little did she know that they were face to face and staring at each other directly in the eyes. Though the Captain knew she couldn't see him, the look on her eyes and the reddish tints on her cheeks made him somewhat feel creeping warmth from his neck up to his face and ears, so he looks away and covers his mouth and nose with his hand.

Just as he was trying to calm himself down, his stomach decided to announce that it wanted food now. A small laugh escaped Shinji's lips and it made the Captain look at her, face redder than ever.

"I guess you're hungry, I was about to head over to the galley myself."she says with an amused tone.

"Yes, I haven't had breakfast yet."he answers."May I walk you there?"

"Sure, thank you."

**

Night came and Shinji once again found herself outside of the sickbay. She decided not got to the main deck this time and just stay close to where she resides.

Her fingers wrapped around her walking stick tightened as a recollection of what happened earlier proceeded to play in her mind.

The warmth of the sun against her skin, the soft blowing of the breeze, and his presence standing beside her. As well as the words that left his mouth that made her feel valued.

She's accepted the fact that for the rest of her life, she'd no longer be able to see. But each time she would have an encounter with him, and he said something to her, and made her feel something, she badly wished she had her sight back and it broke her.

"Shinji-ah."a voice called her from behind and brought her out of her thoughts.

"San-ssi."she recognized.

"You like it here don't you, standing outside or even at the deck I mean."he said, resting his back against the banister. What Shinji did not know, was that San had saw them earlier at the deck.

"I do."

He glances at her, seeing a confused expression plastered on her face."Seems like you're deep in thought about something. Would you like to talk about it?"

"Uh, you see. When I lost my eyesight I've accepted that I'd be blind forever."she begins."But somehow, I wish wasn't blind."

"I think it's quite normal to want to see, especially in your case. You miss being able to see."

She shakes her head."That's not the reason why though."lowering her head.

San caught a glimpse of her sparkling eyes, almost as if she wanted to cry. And from that he knew. "You want to see someone don't you?"

She didn't reply, but her fidgeting fingers gave the answer away.