Where the sea sleeps [HoonHao] ✔

27

"The new flag looks nice up there," Woozi compliments.

After their conversation last night, Minghao wanted to know why Woozi felt that way and that was where the conversation ended; where he needed to end it before he revealed too much. In order to tell him that, he'd need to reveal the mark on his wrist and he's been told enough times to know that thought shouldn't even be considered. Somewhere after that, he'd dozed off despite not feeling tired. By the time he woke up, the new flag was already up.

"It almost makes me want to keep it around," Scoups comments from down below. He glances at Minghao who was steering the ship. "Right, Hao?"

"Sure," he responds absentmindedly. "If it helps you sleep at night."

Vernon, who somehow made his way up to the watchtower and was inches away from Woozi, shoulders brushing against each other every few seconds, watches them. "So, what's the plan, captain?"

"Cheol and I are going to meet up with the people. Bring them to collect their cargo once we receive the cash." He glances over at the crew briefly before his eyes flicker forward. "We're not going to linger for any longer than we should seeing as it's the main city. So, whatever you do, don't leave the ship, alright?"

There's a hum of agreement through the ship.

When they arrive in the main city, they do the little greeting before Minghao and Scoups leave. This time as they leave, everyone watches until they're out of sight. Looking around, he catches their worried expressions and the nervousness wafting its way through the air. He can only imagine how nerve wracking it must be for them to be in the main city. They were in the city where all prisoners got taken to; the city where guards roaming the streets were as common as the citizens roaming. Where, if they were found out to be who they really are, they could be captured in seconds flat without having so much as a say.

He hoped and prayed Minghao and Scoups made it back in one piece.

"I have an idea of why we may not leave, but would you mind actually telling me the reason?" he queries, glancing at Vernon who has not moved from his side. The boy looks at him with a stunned expression, like he can't believe this is an actual question. But as soon as it comes, it disappears as understanding takes its place.

"It's the main city," he starts off, looking back out onto the very city he was referring to. Rather than the ship being undercover, they were out in the open, placed between other ships that rested in the docks. Vernon's eyes grazed the area, lingering on every boat as they did. "The palace is here. Guards are roaming. One wrong move and that could be it for us."

Absentmindedly, against his own will, Woozi murmurs, "They wanted to transfer me here." As much as he expected not to be heard, the ship fell to an eerie silence as everyone turned to look at him. Somehow, in that moment, he'd ended up being so much louder than he intended and everyone seemed to hear.

Vernon's brows pull up toward his forehead. "Who?"

"The guards," he says simply. "They were going to transfer me here."

Joshua, who was closest to them than everyone else on deck, pipes in. "They do that to all of the prisoners. That's how I knew where you would be."

"But why?" Vernon demands, looking at Joshua in a way as if it were his fault. Joshua knows that isn't what Vernon thinks and remains unphased.

"Well," Joshua starts, but he doesn't finish. He doesn't seem like he's going to either. He's eyes are moving side to side in a way that tells them the answer is definitely something they don't want to hear.

"They would have killed me here, would they not have?" he asks softly, looking at Joshua expectantly as he waits for a response. He somehow knows that's the answer. When Joshua nods, dread starts to fill him. Knowing he could have died here does not settle well.

"But we got you in time," Joshua reminds them. "Now we just stay hidden in plain sight until they're done."