The Second Bodyguard || Re-written (Any x oc)

Chapter 6

Azumi watched with narrowed eyes, meeting gazes with the other players over the top of her cards. The last bet was made and Azumi fanned out her cards for one last glance, causing a grin to spread across her lips. She threw down her cards and sent the slowly comprehending pirates a wink.

"Royal flush" Azumi snickered, answering the unheard questions of the pirates and ruining their chances of ever winning in one wicked blow.

"Eh!? How!?" The two pirates screeched in sync, throwing themselves to their feet and sending the chairs skidding back. Azumi draped her leg over her other, leaning back in her chair with a sinister expression on her face. A wicked smirk spread across her lips before she leaned forward and dragged the reward to her side of the table.

"You can't beat me" Azumi replied bluntly, counting through her earned money slowly to tease the pirates before her.

"You cheated!" One pirate complained, sulking like a child about to throw a tantrum. Azumi glanced up at him with an eyebrow raised, before rolling her eyes and returning her gaze to her reward once again.

"You can search me if you'd like, but you won't find anything. I'm no cheater, you just suck at gambling" Azumi teased, leaning back in her chair with a pleased expression after pocketing the small sum of money. One pirate growled, rolling up his sleeves to prepare for a throw down. However, before he could throw his fist, a familiar voice called out for Azumi. All three faltered as they glanced over to find Gigan walking out onto the deck, pipe once again planted between her fingertips.

"Using that money you just stole, I need you to go buy groceries" Gigan ordered, making Azumi sigh and roll her eyes, before begrudgingly dragging herself to her feet.

"I stole nothing, but sure" Azumi answered, pushing the chair back in and sending the pirates a friendly smile.

"And go find Jae-ha will ya, he'll entertain you better than scamming these boys" Gigan scolded, crossing her arms with an unimpressed expression. Azumi snickered, shrugging casually as if not to deny everything.

"It's true, Jae-ha is the only one who's fun around here. However, he's off sulking with his girlfriends in the red-light district. I can't interrupt such an important time for him," Azumi teased with fake sympathy in her tone while struggling to not roll her eyes.

"Sulking?" Gigan asked, making Azumi snicker as she arrived at the side of the ship, just about to depart.

"I beat him at his own game" Azumi clarified vaguely, before disappearing over the side of the hull. Gigan could only chuckle to herself, shaking her head as she turned around and disappeared back into the captain's quarters.

Strolling into town, Azumi did not bother to pull up her hood. With or without the cloak, every single guard in this town knew her like the back of their hand. This much was obvious, as with each step she felt more and more eyes following her movements. Azumi ignored these gazes, a small smile on her lips as she stepped into the main street, which was lined with merchant stalls. She loitered around each one, not interested in buying, but just wasting time off the ship instead. However, one jeweller caught her eye. At the very back of the stall, a hairpin lay that caught Azumi's attention.

"You have a fine eye for jewellery, miss" The merchant smiled, picking up the hairpin and holding it out to her. Azumi took the hairpin gingerly between her fingers, observing it with a blank expression. This was the same pin the princess had worn on that fateful night when she was chased out of her own castle.

"It's beautiful. A friend of mine would have loved this..." Azumi breathed out, before sending a shaky smile to the merchant and handing it back over. Azumi then turned around, leaving and pushing that behind her. Azumi slid to and fro, studying merchant booths and occasionally buying ingredients that she would need for tonight's dinner. As Azumi was reaching the very end of the street, she heard fast-paced steps coming straight towards her and glanced up to find Jae-ha running towards her with a wide grin on his lips.