“Sir?” Lay squinted his eyes in confusion. 

 

“Oh I’m sorry, do you not like to be called sir?” Jinju quickly apologized. “By what title should I call you?”

 

“You’re acting strange Jinju, did you—“

 

“How do you know my name?” Jinju interrupted him.

 

“Oh, I told him darlin’,” the madam said.

 

“Oh.”

 

“But Lay here told me he knows you?” The madam was confused.

 

“Know him?” Jinju’s forehead suddenly knotted from a bad headache. She pressed the heel of her hands to her temple to soothe the ache.

 

When she started to sway, Lay got a firm grip on her arms and immediately rested his right hand over her head. The crystal pinned to his left shoulder glowed for a second and when the light went away Jinju’s head no longer ached. She put her hands away and turned to Lay. She continued to stare at him with blinking eyes until the madam said, “Lay, why dun you check her health now. She been pale and nauseous lately. Think she might be with child.”

 

“With child?” Lay was quite shocked at the revelation.

 

“Yes Lay, could you please check for me. I’m not so sure, but I did vomit this morning,” Jinju told him with recognition in her eyes, which wasn’t there earlier.

 

“Sure, is there a room where I could check her in private?” Lay asked the madam.

 

“Not really, all da rooms in da brothel are being used at da moment. I’ll just leave you two here in da kitchen and you can do what needs to be done.”

 

“Okay, thank you,” Lay directed Jinju to a stool and sat her down. He continued to hold her up with his left arm on her back and put his right hand over her stomach. The crystal on his shoulder glowed much longer as he moved his hand all over her abdomen. “May I ask when was the last time you were active with your partner?”

 

“I actually don’t remember, but I think it may have been seven days ago?”

 

“When you moved out?”

 

“Yes, the morning after I found bruises around my throat, but I don’t remember actually doing the deed,” Jinju blushed.

 

“Well if it did happen seven days ago, then it’s too early to find out if you are with child.” 

 

“How soon can I find out?”

 

“Most likely in three weeks I will be able to tell if a baby is growing inside you. In the meantime, I think you should go home and rest. Have you been using your gift recently?”        

 

“No I haven’t, not even once. I only ever had use for it when I was out at sea calming the winds.”

 

“Hmm...”

 

“What is it? What’s wrong with me?” Jinju looked concerned after seeing Lay’s contemplative expression.

 

“Your symptoms could also mean that you’ve been overusing your gift, especially now that you have no crystal, any excessive use can lead to exhaustion, nausea, and vomiting.”

 

“So then, I am not with child?”

 

“I did not say that. I was just giving an alternative, but you did say you haven’t been using your gift. Anyway, do you really wish to carry a child whose father is the man you are currently with? It’s only been thirteen days since Baekhyun left.”

 

“Lay please don’t ever mention him again. I have been successfully keeping him out of my thoughts,” Jinju snapped.

 

Lay was shocked at the tone of her voice and said, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have. Why don’t I ask the madam to give you permission to leave early while you sit here.” He ran off to look for her only to come back a little after to tell Jinju that the madam agreed to let her go early.

 

“Are you sure?” Jinju asked while looking guilty at the dishes that still needed cleaning.

 

“She insists and said not to worry about the dishes. She said she’ll have one of the girls do it as punishment.”

 

“Alright, I guess I should go,” she struggled to stand up out of the stool.

 

“Here, why don’t I help you,” Lay held her by the elbow to help her stand. “Maybe I should help you to your home as well.”

 

“No, that’s okay. Agori doesn’t really approve of having visitors over,” Jinju looked a little panicked.

 

“Then at least allow me to share some energy with you.”

 

“No Lay, don’t.”

 

“It’s okay Jinju, I won’t give you much. Just enough to make sure you get home safely,” Lay touched her hands and focused on forcing energy into her core. It was a lot harder without a crystal to focus on, but he was able to do it.

 

“Thank you Lay, you always do too much for me.”

 

“It’s my pleasure, and it’s what I do as a healer. Now go on, be safe.”

 

“I will, thank you again,” Jinju bowed her head in gratitude and left out the door.

 

Lay waited a moment and followed after her.

 

~~~*~~~

 

Baekhyun wiggled around in the water. He couldn’t breath and the steep fall from the ship had disoriented his sense of direction. He didn’t know how deep he was, but going in any direction hasn’t taken him to the surface. He was afraid that if he moved any further, he might actually be going deeper.

 

He remembered that something had pulled him down to the depths of the ocean, but whatever it was, was nowhere to be found. It didn’t help that the dark skies above or below, left or right, he wasn’t sure, were pitch black. His eyesight was no help in the water, especially since they stung from the sea water. He never did like swimming in the ocean for that reason. 

 

Suddenly, he was abruptly pulled in one direction. He tried to push away the  grip on his upper arm, but it was too tight and he let go as soon as he felt the bumpy and slimy skin of whatever it was. They swam on until he could faintly see light through his closed eyelids. He was surprised he didn’t drown yet, with how long he has been dragged along. Then out of nowhere, a thought comes to mind. 

 

“Pleh em.”

 

He thinks he may be hallucinating about Jinju since the thought was in a woman’s voice. Was it his time to be sent to Davy Jones’ locker? 

 

“Pleh em.”

 

There it was again. He tried to open his eyes, but he couldn’t.

 

~~~*~~~

 

“Sehun, why don’t you take a rest. At the rate you’re going, you’ll end up unconscious,” Suho urged him.

 

“No, I’m not stopping until we find Baekhyun-hyung,” Sehun’s eyes were closed in concentration. He tried to keep the waters calm by controlling the wind so that they could look into the depths, but he wasn’t powerful enough against the heavy storm. He’s been trying for the past few hours to no avail. 

 

“Sehun, by this time even if you find him, he might already be d—“

 

“Don’t say it!” Sehun opened his eyes in anger. 

 

“Yah! Let’s not fight with each other at this time, okay?” Chen tried to break up the starting argument.

 

“Ugh,” Sehun grunted and walked away to the bow of the ship. He didn’t mind the sea water spraying all over him from the up and down swaying of the ship as it came across waves. 

 

“Kai, can you sense him anywhere?” D.O. asked while steering the ship. He was currently taking over the helm while Chanyeol was resting. They had to frequently take turns during storms since it took a lot of energy to control the ship. 

 

Kai shook his head in answer, “I haven’t sensed him since a few hours ago? You think he’s still alive out there?”

 

“I don’t know, but either way, we never leave a friend behind,” D.O. answered his question with a solemn look in his eyes.