Black and white mixed together in harmony.

Where there is black there is white, and where there is white there is black.

You will find the one with both there.

 

---

 

apricum | sunlight

 

Cirrus felt the ship dock somewhere, and rose from her seat. She peeked out her window and saw a glimpse of the large island that was Piscari. The perimeter of the island was covered in docks, which made sense because the island was famous for its abundance of seafood. She knew that much, considering that part of her duties as a princess was to learn about the assets of major islands.

 

Someone rapped at her door, then unlocked it. Ardent strode into her room and wore an even wider grin than usual. “We’ve reached Piscari!”

 

“I see we have,” she replied.

 

Ardent turned around and walked out of the room, but Cirrus didn’t follow. She understood that they were at Piscari to stock up on provisions. They were not at an island that was a part of the pirates’ quest. They had no reason to bring her out, like previously.

 

When Ardent saw that Cirrus hadn’t followed him, he poked his head back into her room and motioned for her to come out. “Come on, princess!”

 

“I’m going out?” she asked in disbelief. For what reason?

 

Ardent looked at her confusedly. “Of course you are!”

 

Cirrus felt her pulse race and she couldn’t deny the excitement that circulated through her body. When she stepped out of her room, she tried not to let her smile show. In that moment, she realized that she had secretly been wishing to go out. It wasn’t a new feeling for her, but even she could tell her thirst for adventure was swelling, and her curiosity growing.

 

What does Piscari look like? How large is the island? How many species of fish are there, and could I ever see them with my own eyes? were the questions that Cirrus tried to keep at bay. She couldn’t let herself ask those questions aloud. It wasn’t like a princess to crave adventure, and she was starting to fear the stranger that she was becoming.

 

If she let herself fall for the adventure that came with being with the Lux Pirates, what would happen at the end of it all? She wasn’t sure what fate had in store for her. If Baekhyun didn’t plan on killing her at the end of his quest, what would he do? Would he return her to Pileum?

 

Pileum, she thought. The island seemed so tiny and insignificant now. What was once fields of glory and villages filled with wonder were now ordinary views. The forests of Pileum couldn’t ever compare to the ancient trees that filled Dolum, and the tiny village she had loved to visit didn’t seem so special anymore.

 

She used to spend all her time thinking of Pileum. She dreamt of returning to her glamourous lifestyle. She longed for the riches and the luxurious food, and she missed Suho dearly. She missed being in his arms, if only for a few hours every month. She missed the old couple that ran the stained glass shop she could only visit once a week. Cirrus had almost forgotten the feeling of wearing royal gowns. The beautiful, colourful dresses that she loved wearing before. The heavy, constrictive dresses that kept her rooted to the palace.

 

Cirrus looked down at her current attire – a simple blue dress that Baekhyun had found and given to her. The fabric was thin, and felt rough against her skin. It wasn’t like the chiffon gowns she was used to wearing. But it felt light, and she didn’t have to wear a corset. She could breathe, and run if she wanted to.

 

And suddenly she thought how nice it would be if she could wear such a light dress forever.

 

.::.            .::.            .::.

 

The crew descended onto the shabby dock that looked like it had been constructed by an amateur. Cirrus noted that the air smelled strongly of salt, and the wind was strong. She found herself staring at a large forest, and wondered if they were supposed to venture through it like what they had done in Dolum.

 

“It’s been half a year since we last came to Piscari,” said Ardent, who was standing next to her.

 

“Do you come here often?” Cirrus asked.

 

“Every now and then,” Ardent shrugged. “More like whenever Baekhyun feels like it, actually.”

 

“Is there something special about Piscari?” Cirrus asked.

 

But before Ardent could reply, Baekhyun waltzed in front of the pair and turned around so he faced the entire crew. “We’re all going in,” Baekhyun announced.

 

“Of course!” Niteo exclaimed. “It’s been so long that we’re all itching to party!”

 

“We’re not here to party,” Baekhyun said, though his grin indicated he was lying. “We’re here to get provisions, then we leave.”

 

“That’s what you say every time, Baek!” Ardent laughed.

 

Baekhyun let out a laugh and exclaimed, “I’ll try to keep it under 3 days this time.”

 

“It takes 3 days to gather supplies?” Cirrus asked in bewilderment. Was she expected to scavenge for food as well?

 

“Oh, no,” Ardent waved her question off. “It only takes a day to gather all the supplies and load them onto the ship. But Baekhyun likes to spend time in Piscari because he has an old friend here.”

 

“Oh, I see,” Cirrus hummed. She tried to form an image of someone who could be considered ‘Baekhyun’s friend’. She thought of blond hair and green eyes, and suddenly realized she was picturing Ardent and Niteo in her mind. She had a feeling Baekhyun’s friend would be like the two crew members; bright and cheerful, with a spark in their step.

 

“Very old friend, he is. They looked out for Baekhyun in the past, him and his wife,” Ardent explained. Then in a much more solemn tone, he continued, “But that was in the past.”

 

Ardent suddenly looked grim, which she wasn’t used to seeing. “Ardent?” she called his name.

 

“What is it, love?”

 

“Is something the matter?”

 

Ardent flinched at her question, but laughed it off. “And why would you ask that?”

 

“Nothing,” she murmured. “You just seem a bit sad.”

 

“I’m not,” he lied through a smile. But from experience, Cirrus knew that his smile was masking something. She chose not to pry further though.

 

Whenever we come here we can’t help but remember her. We remember her because Baekhyun tries not to. She was like a sister to him, to all of us, Ardent thought.

 

Baekhyun led the crew through the forest, and Cirrus found that they were walking through a trail that looked like it had been walked on several times. The trail carved a straight path down the forest, until it reached a small cottage in the heart of the forest. The house was far away from civilization, but it looked like it was bustling with life nonetheless.

 

Baekhyun quickened his pace and jogged towards the house. He grinned when he reached the door and rapped on its wooden surface 3 times. The crew caught up with him, and Cirrus stood behind everyone. She stood on her toes and tried to poke her head above everyone else, but the pirates were all far taller than her.

 

The door opened slowly, and though Cirrus couldn’t see his face, she could already tell the man standing on the other side of the doorframe was a different character than Ardent and Niteo.

 

“Baekhyun?!” the man’s voice shouted.

 

“The one and only, in the flesh,” Baekhyun grinned and spread his arms wide. He brought the man into an embrace and Cirrus could hear the man laughing in surprise.

 

“You’re not getting into any trouble, are you?” the man asked.

 

“When am I not getting into trouble?” the captain smirked.

 

“So, I’m guessing you’ll all be loafing at my tiny house for a few days? 5 guys per room is something I’ll never get used to,” he chuckled.

 

“Actually, I’m going to have to ask for more room,” Baekhyun said slowly and motioned for his crew to move over.

 

The crew stepped to the side and Cirrus was left standing in the centre. Her eyes fell on the man standing next to the captain. He was a tad shorter than Baekhyun, and despite looking very young his brown eyes gleamed with wisdom and a maturity she had yet to reach. He had dark blond hair that was gently swept to the side and was dressed in a loose white shirt and black pants.

 

Baekhyun looked at Cirrus and said, “His name is Minseok Glacies.”

 

Minseok stared at Cirrus with wide eyes, and with his jaw hung open he gawked, “Oh .”

 

Minseok glanced from Cirrus back to Baekhyun, then to the rest of the Lux Pirates, then back to Baekhyun. He whacked the back of Baekhyun’s head and shouted, “What the hell?! This is the trouble you’ve been getting into? You do know that kidnapping a princess can lead to a death sentence, right?!”

 

Baekhyun chuckled and waved the outburst off like it was nothing. “Minseok, when I decided to become a pirate I already sold my soul to the devil. He can come take me any day.”

 

Minseok sighed in defeat and nodded his head slowly. He pursed his lips together before he forced himself to ask, “Why? And do I even want to know?”

 

Baekhyun held his head high in the air and said, “To become King of Pirates.”

 

“Of course,” Minseok sighed. “You do know your bounty is going to increase from this, right? I mean, if you’re not killed before that.”

 

“That’s just what I wanted,” Baekhyun replied nonchalantly.

 

“When they find out who’s keeping her hostage, the whole world’s going to be on your ing tail,” Minseok said with a hint of anger.

 

“Wouldn’t want to have it any other way,” Baekhyun smirked.

 

Baekhyun’s crew roared and cheered in response, and all Cirrus could do was ask herself, Is Baekhyun not afraid of anything?

 

.::.            .::.            .::.

 

The interior of the house was cozy, albeit small but filled with a warmth that was unfamiliar to Cirrus. The crew was gathered in the living room, but since there weren’t any chairs left Cirrus stood at the side. She looked in front of her, and saw a long hallway that stretched into the darkness. Despite it being the afternoon, the hallway didn’t have any windows to let light in.

 

The living room had a few pieces of simple furniture, and almost everything was made of wood. The furniture, walls and floors were all made from a brown lumber. One piece of furniture stood out amongst everything. It was made from a very dark brown lumber that it almost looked black. It was a small closet-like piece, with its doors opened and two shelves on the inside.

 

A painting of a beautiful woman adorned the interior. She had long, curly black hair that framed her face elegantly. Her porcelain skin was fair and free of blemishes, but what really caught Cirrus’s attention were her striking blue eyes.

 

She was stunning, and Cirrus was sure she could have been a princess.

 

Ardent spotted Cirrus by herself and walked up to her. He offered her a glass of orange juice, and she gratefully accepted it. She brought the cool drink to and took tiny sips as she continued to stare at the picture of the woman.

 

Ardent positioned himself in a way that imitated Cirrus’s pose, and caught what she had been staring at. He slumped against the wooden wall and let out a sigh. He whispered to her, “It’s obvious you’re staring.”

 

Cirrus nearly choked on her drink, and brought the glass away from .

 

“She was Minseok’s wife,” he said in a hushed tone.

 

“Was?”

 

Ardent nodded his head slowly. “She passed away 3 years ago. She was sickly, and Minseok knew that, but he married her anyway. Love does that to people.”

 

“Men, we’re going to load everything now!” Baekhyun announced.

 

Ardent stepped away from Cirrus, and she was about to join as well when Minseok held her back. “Let them do the work. A princess should rest, especially after everything they must have put you through.”

 

Cirrus watched as the Lux Pirates left the cottage, one by one, until she was alone with Minseok. He poured a cup of hot tea for himself, and asked if she wanted any. Cirrus accepted his offer, and the two found themselves sitting comfortably in the living room.

 

“Those guys come whenever they want,” he scoffed. “Anyways, it’s an honour to be in your presence, Princess Cirrus. I hope Baekhyun and his crew haven’t been too ruthless.”

 

She didn’t know how to respond to that, so Cirrus just smiled at him. Instead of answering him, Cirrus asked her own question, “Are you providing them with provisions?”

 

Minseok nodded his head and took another sip of his tea. “I own some land – farming land, mainly. I don’t mind sharing some of my produce with Baekhyun. He’s like a brother to me. And since I also live in the woods, they’re free to take any amount of lumber they want. I can’t really help them in the ammo department though, but I’m sure Baekhyun has other connections for that.”

 

“Why do you live in the woods?” asked Cirrus. “Piscari is a pretty developed island, isn’t it?”

 

Minseok rested his cup on the table and smiled at Cirrus. “My wife really liked the woods. Besides, if I lived in the city, it’d be difficult for Baekhyun to visit me.”

 

He stood up and walked towards the altar that had his wife’s painting in it. “Her name was Hana, and she was so young when she passed away. I didn’t have quite enough time with her, and yet she gave me a lifetime of happiness.”

 

Cirrus slowly walked next to Minseok and admired the painting. Now that she was closer to the portrait, Cirrus truly believed Hana could have been a princess. Minseok traced Hana’s face with his fingers, and continued, “I was 22 when I married her, and she was only 18. That made her 1 year younger than Baekhyun, actually. We were married for 3 years before she passed away. Her name means flower, you know, which is ironic because she was just as fragile as one. But, she was more beautiful than any flower.”

 

“I’m very sorry for your loss,” Cirrus said in a soft voice.

 

“Thank you,” Minseok said through a muffled voice. “I’m alright now, though. The pain has healed, but I’d be lying if I said I’ve moved on. After all, that’s why I’m still living in this forest. But, looking back, I think Baekhyun was more messed up by her passing than I was.”

 

“Baekhyun? Why?” Cirrus asked in surprise.

 

Minseok’s eyebrows lifted, and he replied with, “Because Baekhyun grew up on Piscari with us” like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

 

How was she supposed to know that?

 

“Hana was like a sister to Baekhyun, so it’s understandable that he felt that way,” Minseok said with melancholy.

 

Was she supposed to know this?

 

.::.            .::.            .::.

 

By the time the Lux Pirates finished loading everything onto the ship, the Sun was beginning to set. The men were drenched in sweat, and Cirrus tried to keep her distance from them. Minseok brought a tray of cool drinks out and handed them to each crew member. They chugged the drinks, laughed and danced even though no music played.

 

Baekhyun was laughing too, and Minseok tackled the captain playfully. He brought Baekhyun into a headlock and ruffled through his hair.

 

“I heard from Princess Cirrus that she saved your in that gorge,” Minseok said.

 

“Well I’ve saved her several times too,” Baekhyun snorted, and tried to wriggle free from Minseok’s headlock.

 

Minseok let out a laugh and finally let go of Baekhyun. The captain took the opportunity to grab hold of Minseok’s head and bring him into a headlock of his own.

 

“Let go!” Minseok yelled.

 

“It’s a little thing called revenge,” Baekhyun snickered.

 

From where she stood, Cirrus could see Baekhyun’s face clear as day. He wore a grin on his face, and he was laughing. She knew time healed pain, but wouldn’t Baekhyun be constantly reminded of Hana’s death every time he stepped foot onto the island? How could he continue to smile like that?

 

It wasn’t about “being able to smile” anymore, Cirrus deduced. Baekhyun continued to smile because he had to, just like the Sun must continue to shine every day. And as Cirrus watched the Sun’s last rays kiss Baekhyun’s face, she found herself seeing for the first time what everyone else saw in him.

 

Maybe Baekhyun was sunlight.

 

---

 

A/N: oMG THAT FEEL WHEN YOU REALIZE IT'S BEEN ALMOST TWO MONTHS SINCE YOU LAST UPDATED. You guys can yell at me. I am so so sorry for not updating >.< I have finals in a week and life is pretty hectic, and I completely forgot to update. I was CONVINCED I had updated earlier but I guess I was just lying to myself oops.

But can we appreciate the entrance of one of my FAV arcs in this story? It's an aside to the main plot, but I think you guys will enjoy it because some of Baek Lux's past will be revealed :)

(also Ko Ko Bop has been killing me especially BBH's hair. I love and hate it at the same time I have never felt more confused and conflicted in my life)

\\ xoxo