THE STARTING OF A NEW JOURNEY

“Why didn’t you tell us that you’re bringing a plus one?” Kai asked Kyungsoo teasingly, his eyes on Aecha who was silently watching the sea at the deck of the small, modern sailing ship.

They had chosen to travel using a ship rather than an airplane since it would be easier to be detected and ambushed upon their arrival.

Ofcourse they bought the ship, legally. They have persuaded the owner of the ship— in trade of their house back in Satia. They figured that they won’t be living there anymore anyways.

“It wasn’t planned” Kyungsoo muttered while looking at her, feeling worried about how Aecha might be feeling right now.

Being dragged into a trip unwillingly, not to mention with the people she dislikes. She didn’t even have anything with her too

”Is your hand still bleeding?” Kai asked while eyeing the older’s injured arms and Kyungsoo shakes his head. “It stopped, I’ll be fine”. He had already disinfect and wrapped it as soon as they left.

He grimaced when the cold wind hit them as the ship sails then his gaze automatically scanned what her from head to toe, not in a bad way but to see what she was wearing.

Her working uniform, a white blouse and dark pants made from probably thin materials.

Then he scanned what they were wearing— layered clothes with jackets.

“Do we have an extra jacket?” He asked Kai and the latter told him that a few of them had brought some. The few being Chanyeol, Sehun and Xiumin

“Definitely not Chanyeol’s, she will drown in his jacket” Kyungsoo said after taking her height in consideration, she was shorter than most of them. Even Kyungsoo himself.

“I’ll ask Yixing, Xiumin hates sharing since he’s a clean freak”

Yixing gladly lend his jacket for Aecha to use, now it’s up to her whether she would want to wear it but he doubts that she will reject. It was cold, not freezing cold but cold enough to make the hair on your arms stand

“Hey” He greeted her from the back. She turns around, her short hair whipping to the side and her eyes automatically landed on the jacket before actually looking at him

Kyungsoo bit down his smile, knowing that she’s cold because she stared at the jacket first

“This is Yixing’s, the one with the dimple? Thought that you’d be cold”

“There’s two people with dimples”

“The one that looks like he’s about to faint any minute due to lack of sleep-” Kyungsoo deadpanned and receives a shout of ‘ you’ from Yixing as he is standing near them, leaning against the railings

Aecha chuckled but quickly looked away to hide it

“I made you smile” Kyungsoo pointed out, wiping her smile off her face and she ignored him, taking the jacket from his hands instead of thinking of a comeback.

“Thank you” She said and put it on, it was still bigger than her as the sleeves had overlapped but she’s not complaining. It’s warm.

She looked at the borders of Satia, now getting smaller as if it’s hiding in the horizon.

Then she sighed, “There’s no backing away from this now right?”

He shook his head. It’s official, as much as she wants to deny it, she will be joining them from beginning to end— if she makes it to the end of course.

She stared at Kyungsoo, who was standing awkwardly next to her. “You don’t have to stand here to keep me company, I’m fine on my own” She said softly, feeling the awkwardness too much for her to bear. 

Kyungsoo stayed silent of awhile, looking at the horizon as well before turning back to her. “We’re going to be together for a while, might as well be on friendly terms. Truce?” He offered and Aecha thought about it for awhile

It will be hypocritical of her if she decline because she’s against generalization but yet again, their blood line was the one who made the innocent people of Awa suffer.. it’s hard to not dislike them.

As if reading her mind, Kyungsoo nodded. “We won’t be forcing you to do anything, I’d do the same if I’m in your shoe. After all, trust is supposed to be gained overtime right?”

“But,” he continues. “Just keep being reminded that we will take care of you after this, and your people. Somehow, we will try” Kyungsoo gave her a smile before leaving her to get back to the rest

Aecha watched as he retreats silently, drowning in her thoughts. “And oh, thank you for earlier” He said without looking back. He was referring to her helping him get away from being stabbed. 

Once again, Aecha was left alone with her thoughts.

“We will be reaching in a day and a half if the sea and wind cooperates with us” Suho shouted for everyone to hear.

Aecha turned her head towards the bridge, the opposite of the deck where Suho is seen steering the wheel. Still feeling unsure whether to trust him with the ship or not but she overheard from the rest that he used to be one of Satia's captain of water transportation for exports during their 5 years of disappearance.

Suddenly, there was shoutings heard from the cabin below the bridge. The door is opened from the beginning where she saw two of the apprentices run out to chase after something white, a cat? Did I see that right?, she asked herself with eyebrows furrowed.

She then gasped when it almost reached the edge of the ship. Clutching her heart, a scream almost coming out if it wasn’t for Kai whom successfully catches it by throwing his body to the floor, blocking the gap of the railings. He catches it by capturing it in his arms, wincing as Eri scratched him in the process.

“I swear this cat is the death of me!” Baekhyun yelled angrily, stomping towards Kai with a leash in one of his hand. “Thanks Kai, although that was quite dramatic”

The owner took his cat from the younger’s hands and stared in all directions, searching for something. When he spots what he was looking for, he quickly walked his way to it.

Baekhyun grumbled as he ties Eri’s leash on the boom-- a long pole that is used to change the direction of the sail, far from the edge of the ship.

“Why would he bring a cat with him? Wouldn't that cause such a nuisance” Aecha mumbled to herself, approaching the cabin to get shade.

“It’s his power”, Sehun answered, he was leaning against the railings near her. She was not expecting a reply but when she did receive one, she didn't understand him. “Pardon?”

“Light. Yixing extracted his power and transferred it into a cat to escape the red force— long story short” He said cooly, not looking at her as he talks. He was staring at the open sea instead with wind blowing in his hair

Aecha snorted, “No wonder it’s hard to control”. She continued walking and before actually entering the cabin, she stopped by and approach the cat, sitting on the floor on her knees infront of it to gain its attention

“Well aren’t you too cute to be naughty” She said softly, petting it with a smile. Eri meowed, purring and leaned against her hand more in delight.

Baekhyun who was still there, was taken a back at their sudden change of personality. Both Eri and Aecha.

“You like cats?” He started a conversation and Aecha nodded. “They’re cute”

“Not when they create problems” Baekhyun rolled his eyes, finally finishing tying its leash tightly to the boom.

“Why did you release it here in the open then?” Aecha asked him curiously, staring at the man who was still standing in front of her

“Eri keeps on making noises inside the cage, it makes my headache. She likes to be free, just like light” he said, spreading as he talked which made Aecha amused. Very expressive

How can a cat’s personality reflect the features of light so much?

“I heard Yixing was the one who took your power out, why don’t try to make him turn her back?” Aecha asked him another question again

He then raised his eyebrows, “He didn’t tell you?”. Baekhyun asked back, pointing to a certain person. She followed his finger and saw Kyungsoo, who is being pestered by Chanyeol at the deck where she previously spends time on.

She frowned, trying to remember. Did he? She twisted to the side and formed an o when she remembers.

“Oh, exchanged powers?”

He nodded and yawned while stretching his arms in the air. Without elaborating, she left Aecha hanging with the cat as he tiredly trudged towards the cabin.

She frowned at his behavior. She can’t go in now since he’s going to sleep— she assumes that he is going to take a nap that is.

“Sorry about that. He’s always tired, you haven’t eaten right?”, a voice said from behind and she turned her head around just see a cream-filled bread right infront of her face. Probably from a bakery near the coffee shop she works at judging from the logo

“Take it, it’s been 2 hours you must be hungry” He said, there’s a lot of bread in his hands. He must be in charge of keeping the food and keep track of meal time.

“Thanks” she said, taking the bread from his hand. She fumbled with the plastic cover but decided not to eat when he’s still near.

Kai stood still, eyes staring at the cabin where Baekhyun entered not long before. “Baekhyun isn’t always like that, it only started when he gets repetitive dreams... 5 years ago? I think”

Aecha silently listen to him talk, are they normally this talkative? They kept talking to her, even though she won’t admit that it’s nice. She never had this many people around her before after she left the orphanage.

“What were you talking about?” He asked, his eyes on her now.

“Powers” she quickly answered.

“Do you want me to tell you what each of our powers are?” Kai asked, and Aecha bit her lips. Well she is curious about that as Baekhyun left her hanging just like that earlier.

She shrugged her shoulder, “Up to you”. He nodded.

“I used to have teleportation but now I have the earth element, which used to be Kyungsoo’s.” He started off and Aecha listened carefully, although she won’t remember everything. She gives him