Jongdae looked back at Baekhyun whose expression was unreadable. Baekhyun looked calm despite Jongdae’s burning and questioning stares. When it seemed like something was about to break from the tension between the two of them, Jongdae spoke, shaking his head at Baekhyun. 

“What’re you going to do Baekhyun?” Jongdae asked. The way he asked Baekhyun seemed like he knew something. His voice was deep and he looked incredibly serious. Soohyun couldn’t even imagine that this Jongdae right now was the one who screamed at her face this morning. Baekhyun wasn’t saying anything and kept his expressionless face. A few moments had passed, when the silence that enveloped them felt suffocating, Jongdae spoke. 

“What’re you going to do Baekhy-“ 

“I heard you,” Baekhyun snapped, looking directly at Jongdae’s direction. Jongdae didn’t even flinched at the sudden raise of his voice and instead looked a lot more relaxed. “She’s got something I need. I can’t just dispose her, if that’s what you’re trying to say.” 

“Dispose?” Soohyun echoed. She swallowed the lump that was formed in . Confusion was the only thing she could feel right now. The words that came out of both Jongdae and Baekhyun’s lips were something she suddenly couldn’t comprehend. It felt like everything was happening too fast. Things were dumped into her without a warning and she was left hanging without a proper explanation. Was Baekhyun really planning on disposing her if it wasn’t for the book and her translations? Soohyun didn’t even want to think about it because not’s really the time for it but the very thought of her being useless came to her like a storm. Back in the palace, if it wasn’t for her power, would she even matter to anyone? All they talk about whenever she’s around is how could they make use of her and her power and now, if it wasn’t for the book and the translations, she wouldn’t even be at the ship at this moment. It wasn’t even Baekhyun’s fault that she’s feeling this way right now but his words seemed to cut through her entire being that it hurt more than it must’ve been. 

“I didn’t say that. What I’m trying to say is that don’t lose sight of your goal,” Jongdae said, his hands rested comfortably above the table as he looked at Baekhyun. Baekhyun scoffed at his words and stood up, fixed himself before looking back at Jongdae. 

“I never flinch Jongdae. You know that,” Baekhyun said in a dangerously low voice, as if he was taunting Jongdae right there and then. Jongdae didn’t even looked like he was bothered by Baekhyun’s words as his eyes followed his leaving figure. 

“I know,” Jongdae said. It looked like he was about to say something when Baekhyun abruptly left and was nowhere to be seen at the mess hall. Soohyun was still lost at what’s happening. She looked at Jongdae and tried to formulate the questions she had in mind because she has a lot and they needed answers right away. 

“I don’t understand,” Soohyun uttered. Jongdae looked at her direction and gave her an innocent look. “What are you guys talking about? You said something about me being a— what was that— a Ro-“ 

“Rour Obbeey,” Jongdae answered. “I told you I had this feeling of Baekhyun being up to something important—this is it. He knew this all along and he just needed a confirmation about it. I want to tell you everything but I think I’m not the right person to do that. Go and ask Baekhyun. He’s got the answers to your questions,” Jongdae stood up and left the mess hall. 

~~~

Soohyun spent the entire afternoon by herself at her room, contemplating at the time when she could ask Baekhyun about everything that happened at the mess hall. He didn’t looked like he was happy about it but he also didn’t looked mad about it. Soohyun couldn’t figure him out and that lead her to more series of questions that flooded her mind endlessly. She tried telling herself that she’d first organize her thoughts before going to Baekhyun but then no matter how hard she tried to do it, she’d always end up with nothing at all. Her thoughts were still in a frenzy and she knew only answers from Baekhyun would be the one that could calm the storm in her mind. 

Soohyun looked out at the window and noticed that it was getting dark and her thoughts weren’t getting any better, in fact they were getting worse every second she spent inside her cabin. She figured out contemplating and worrying about Baekhyun’s reaction would be the least thing she could do at the moment. She has the right to know what was going on because it involved her—something about her she knew nothing about. With a newfound confidence inside her, Soohyun walked out of her room and knocked against Baekhyun’s cabin door. 

Soohyun held her breath for a while until the knob twisted and soon revealed Baekhyun at the other end of it. She was at loss of words for a moment until Baekhyun spoke up. 

“I was just thinking of having a talk with you,” he said. He opened the door a bit more as he motioned Soohyun to go inside with him. Soohyun carefully made her way inside and sat at one of the chairs next to his desk. He sat on his chair and relaxed himself. 

“Go ahead and ask questions. I bet you have a lot in mind. I’ll try to answer them as best as I can,” Baekhyun started. 

Soohyun cleared