"You're useless"

The captain said, pointing her sword at me while I hold on to my life as I stand at the end of the plank— with no sign of escape route, not even a sign of a possible voluntary movement as for my feet has been owned by the captain, my mouth has a rope gagged on me, and my hands are tied at my back. As the clock ticks, I know for myself that my soul has some sort of a time bomb. In just minutes, I can go descend up or maybe— down below— floating in this massive body of water, or maybe, get digested inside a shark's intestines.

Yet there are no tears to escape, and somehow it annoys her, I know. She takes of her jacket to subtly flaunt her body in which she does every time she is annoyed at another woman. In this case, she won't get a single tear, and amidst my effort not to fall in to her game, her expression brightens.

"Since you don't show remorse at what you did, let me, at least, torture you for a little bit"

"I didn't do a thing and I regret nothing in my life" is what I wanted to say.

"N-No... It can't be" Dahyun, her second-in-command, drops to the ground, shaking at the sight of the girl who exits from the cabins, getting ready to walk on the other plank without showing fear.
"Ch-Chaeyoung..."

With rage and guilt, I screamed on top of my lungs but I was never heard. Incoherent words escape from my own mouth and even I can't hear it. There is nothing I can do for myself, and I ultimately accept my doom as I kneel on the plank, crying for the dear life of my second-in-command. I scream once again and never was heard again; everyone despises me.

"I am liking this scene"
She laughs at my demise, and I know this will fuel her pride until the day she finally lays on her deathbed, knowing that single fact gives me one more reason to die in here without regret. I, Chou Tzuyu, once lead a fleet of harmonious sailors in to success, until finally getting my rest at the hands of greedy sailors from an on-board mutiny.

"Pull the trigger" the captain commands as Dahyun locks her target on Chaeyoung but shakes and unable to pull the trigger.
I pleaded Dahyun, so as she pleads to the captain. Her tears finally escape the shallow chambers of her eyes and finally let go of the rifle. Laughter can be heard from the captain and makes her way to the helpless little girl with the rifle. She lifts the gun once again and pointed it to Chaeyoung, with only the captain's strength supports the whole aim, meaning Dahyun has no escape from the grasp of the older girl.

"You want a fact that will make you pull the trigger?" the captain said but Dahyun still refuses.
"Dahyun, just kill them! You gave everything to that horrible woman but what did you get? She had a relationship while aware of your feelings and talks behind your back!"
"It is my choice! I know everything" Dahyun retorted
"No, you don't. Want to know who s her at night?" someone from the crowd shouted. The eyes of the captain widen and she quivers with fear. I can tell this is not part of her plan.
"Wai—" but the younger cut her off.
"Who?" with fierceness in her voice, she firms her grip on the gun and targets her once again.
"Your best friend, Mina!"

M-Mina?!
I kneel in defeat as I stopped trying to fight back. Chaeyoung is having an intimate relationship with Mina, the girl that I am trying to win over for 2 years already. The fact that she knows makes it worse for me to digest.
"Death to those souls of adulterers"

Everyone went silent, even the waves. The loud impact of the gun still echoes in everyone's ears and Dahyun never showed remorse at the sight of Chaeyoung's blood on the plank. She kneels as she holds for her dear life but in the end, falls to the ocean, instantly swallowed by the waves, never to be seen again.

"Let's get this over with" I hear the gun clicking and feel her aim at me.
"W-Wait, Dahyun. Calm down!" the captain says.
No, Dahyun is right. Let's finish this. I have no more will to live. Chaeyoung is already dead, all my loyal men are gone. All I have now is my dear life.

"A-Ack!" The gun once again echoes. Shot through the heart, the bullet pierces and exits my heart. I am falling and my consciousness fades. The last thing I see above the surface of the water is different from earlier. The captain, the one who wants to kill me, rushes towards me in shock, and calls my name.
"I-Im Nayeon..."

Splash! I feel the water all over me. I let my body rest and accept my fate. I will die any second now. And as I close my eyes, a silhouette jumps in the water and swims towards me, closer, closer, closer...

"HAAAAAAAAAA...." I gasp for air and breathe heavily in my bath tub.

I fell asleep, and looks like I had my head submerged underwater for a long time that I could have drowned.

Trembling and lacking in air, I recall the last thing I saw in my dream— a black figure of a girl with eyes white as snow, lacking pupils, trying to devour me.

I hope I don't dream of this ever again. Now that I think about it, I think I heard a fight from the room next door, triggering my dream. Why is Chaeyoung having an argument with her mother? I really want to know but it is not my business to ask— let, that I am too anxious to ask.

But certainly, there is one thing that keeps running in my mind.

Mina unnie's bare legs.

That fuzzy feeling came back. And it is the first time I feel like this. Who knew that the timid girl like her can casually walk inside her room while someone is sleeping?

That event caused me to retreat from the library for a week now. Only Jeongyeon unnie knows that I dream about a pair of legs, but she has no idea it is Mina unnie's. Then there is Nayeon unnie, trying to kill me in my dream. I really am hopeless, right?

"My parents and I had a fight" said Chaeyoung as we sit at the cafeteria. Somehow, she's not bothered by a slight. Dahyun, on the side, is the one who is stressed for her, actually.

"Then you left your mom in your room and went god knows where?" she rubs her temples as she close her eyes. She's stressed and it shows.

"They can't accept my passion. They deserve it"

"They don't! — okay. Maybe they do but there are other ways to argue politely while sending your point across!"

But Chaeyoung just rolled her eyes at her, not buying her reason.
"They never paid attention to my needs and likes. No matter what I do, any reasoning I make, they will never listen to me. All they care about is my other half"
She released a sigh as she rubs her temple. Giving up persuading her that she is wrong, Dahyun shifted her gaze from Chaeyoung to me.
"You look like you share the same weight of the world, huh? What about you?" it feels like my insides are shaking. Dahyun noticed. She is staring at my eyes directly as if she's looking at my past, present and future. It is surprisingly scary. It reminds me how she aims the gun at Chaeyoung in my dream earlier.
"I— I—" I burry my head on the table and steal a glance at them. They are waiting, and it seems like they will be disappointed if I don't talk.
"I... Keep having weird dreams" I take another glance, see them anticipating and curious. My blood rushes to my face as I remember what really bothers me this whole week. Something new with a strong impact. Something I will never forget for a while.
"A pair of legs keeps appearing... In my dreams"

There and then, I find myself blushing profusely as I think about it. Like a broken record arrogantly pushing itself to play.

"It aint bad, man. Shows that you are interested in that wor—"
"A woman's legs" I intervene
"Oooooooh" Dahyun moves back in surprise
"I mean there is nothing wrong with that— I just didn't expect that from you"

Neither was I expecting that from me.

"P-please don't tell anyone about this. Not even to our dorm mates"

The moment they nod and look at me straight in the eyes, my secret is scattered, sinking down at the bottom of the ocean, never to be heard— with my consent as the key.

I elaborate the dreams I frequently get. From my daily life to old era Asia. My dream never fails me to get weirded out the moment I wake up. Not minding how time flies, we didn't notice how long we have been talking. Chaeyoung got up and readies herself for her next class but before she proceeds, she invites us to one of her shoots again.

"Wanna join Mina unnie and—"
"I'll pass" Dahyun got me first and she didn't even let her finish the sentence.
"I— I— I'll pass, too" I added. I really don't want to see her if the only thing I'll keep remembering when I see her is her legs.
"Sorry but I changed shifts starting tomorrow. Just enjoy your little date with Mina unnie" she said without looking at her.

I feel something. Something very different from the usual.

This scene is somewhat feels straight from a vision.

A Deja vu.

Out of all days, why do I have a Saturday class? My Wednesday is basically free. Sometimes, being an irregular student has perks. You can pick your own class schedule, unlike in a block section.

8 AM. I still have 2 hours to prepare for my first class. Quickly, I take a bath and fix myself luckily around the 30-minute mark. It may seem to be too early, but it's not. A thirty-minute walk going to school plus I need to grab some breakfast first. I decided that I should just stop by the convenience store and eat it when I walk going to school. No one's going to scold me for skipping a meal in our dorm since Dahyun changed shifts. She's probably still sleeping.

The bell chimes, the cold wind of the air conditioner brushes over my nape as it sending a slight shiver down my bones. One of the customers sits at one of the tables inside, fashioned in a sophisticated manner. His hair that parts in the middle, slightly making a curl compliments his white button-up shirt with mandarin collars and black ankle pants while he crosses his legs as he reads a medical-related book.

Somehow, I find him familiar. He looks like someone I know. Maybe I passed him by the last few days, somewhere that has a lot of beds. That really doesn't concern me so I really should continue looking for food and hurry to class.

I grab a piece of Choco-filled bun and milk then proceed to the counter. I quickly look for my wallet on my bag when the cashier greeted me good morning that I stopped my movement as I recognize the voice that shouldn't be here.
"Dahyun?!" I uttered in surprise. I can sense how she silently angry at herself when she bit her lower lip that almost bleed and shaking her head in disbelief.
"You skipped breakfast again Tzuyu" her tone isn't friendly at all. Her hands are tense, her eyes that avoids mine, and her sweat that is visible from her sun visor.

I understand. I am someone who she shouldn't see— I am the one who accidentally stumble upon her little secret. I completely understand, and all I can offer for now is to reassure her that this little secret is safe.

"I woke up a little late" then I smile at her bright— a smile that I rarely do to them. For a little, I feel that her tensed hands loosen. Somehow it makes me feel happy.

She puts my items in a bag then I hand her my payment. The customer that I saw earlier walks towards us with a smirk on his face— particularly directed towards me.

"You should know etiquettes when you have a visitor that I don't know, Dahyun" I feel uncomfortable. Even as I lower my head, he didn't stop taking a glance at my face, and for that, his smirk intensifies.
"Stop it. She's the last person I will introduce to you. And stop hitting on every girl you see, Donghan"

Donghan?

"I'm just triggering you" he chuckled at Dahyun.
"Anyways, I am Donghan" My nerves are acting on its own again. A part of me wants to reject his hands that he extended but the other part says that it is too rude to walk away, so I take his hand and lifelessly shake it with him.
"Don't mind him. He's a flirt but he's harmless" Dahyun said before continuing
"He's Chaeyoung's twin"

"I... Am Tzuyu"

I get it now. The face that I try hard to recall is Chaeyoung's. But something is still bugging me, I know that I saw him already somewhere. If I don't get the answer by the end of this day, for sure I will not be able to go to sleep peacefully.

"You're socially awkward with strangers, am I right?" I nod and he smiles This time, softer than the smug look he gives away earlier. If only he retains this smile for good, I will gladly call him in the streets if ever we meet again.

"That's okay! We all have our own quirks. Chaeyoung also mentioned 'a socially awkward-but-also-loud beauty' is friends with her especially to the two oldest in the dorm"

Oldest... I am starting to wonder if I she feels the same as I am right now. The only reason I am so close to her is because Jeongyeon unnie and Jihyo unnie shoved my whole being to her when they knew I find her—

"Chaeyoung?" Is that her that I am seeing going to the convenience store's direction?
The moment I uttered her name, Donghan slowly went inside the restricted area calmly but Dahyun clearly isn't having the time of her life today. She is panicking so much that she run towards to where Donghan is without closing the cash register. Chaeyoung casually walks in as if she's looking for someone.
"Oh, Tzuyu! You skipped breakfast again?" this is why I hate running in to them at convenience stores during morning. I nodded at her and raised an eyebrow as if asking her reason for going here.
"I guess it became a habit? I forgot that Dahyun already changed shifts so uhhh... I guess I'll get going. You have your class in an hour, right? Let's go to school together" she already went ahead but the moment she noticed that I didn't follow her, she stops on her tracks on the door and waits for me. I take a last glance at where they are hiding and decided to leave.

Something is definitely wrong with Dahyun. It is even weirder that her brother hides away from his own twin— that is meeting up with another that is also hiding away from his twin.

I really shouldn't mind or I will not understand a thing in class.

I went home alone. My dream earlier hasn't left my head and how I incessantly think about Mina unnie earlier, that is how I think about Nayeon unnie for now. I walk without sense under this cold winter weather we have. All I think about is how would I approach Nayeon unnie later and bring her somewhere only the two of us would talk.

I'm seeing black. Black as colors from different emotions painted my canvas resulting to anxiousness from my problems. My problem is Nayeon unnie, the girl from the first door on the left. I acted what I am about to say later in my head, like playlist going on loop. My consciousness is blank, but my thoughts are filled of my acts and what might be its possible outcomes. I sigh and give it a break for a second.

When I get back to my senses, I noticed I am two blocks away from our dorm and I saw Jeongyeon unnie, still in her university's police uniform. I decided to walk with her and approach her with a hand to her back. Before I knew it, all I am seeing is the gray facade of the ground, my face touching it's rough texture while my arm is being twisted from behind— Jeongyeon unnie tackled me in one swift movement.
"U-unnie! It's just me, Tzuyu!" I shouted in pain as I tap my other hand as a sign of giving up. She tightens her grip and pushed my arm harder against my back. I shouted in pain. This is worse than our routine back in soccer. The sharpness in my shoulder intensifies in each second. I am going to die… I will.
"Jeongyeon unnie!" She loosens the grip and lowers down to look at my face. To her surprise, she quickly removes her grip and helps me to get up. I was ready to die or at least severe my arm.
"I am so sorry baby!" she brushed the dirt all over my clothes and massaged my shoulder as she keeps on apologizing. I can't even stay mad at her for a second.
"It's okay unnie" I said as I rub my joint hoping the pain will go away.
"Do criminology teach you stuffs like these?"
"No, I took judo before. Everyone needs to stay alert these days. Crime rates here are going up. You know… thieves, hit and runs, or even stalkers" She gives the warmest smile that for a moment it took away the uneasiness inside me.

"Let's go home. I bought these for dinner later and It's Sana's turn to cook. Let me give you a cold compress when we get back"

As we walk back together, I unconsciously murmur words of apology and gets frustrated every time I am not satisfied of my statements. I heard a chuckle from beside me and massages my shoulders
"Nayeon unnie?" she chuckled and said questioningly but with certainty. I blushed immediately for thinking out loud.

"Momo get the knives!" Sana unnie shouted as she prepares the chicken to be cooked. No one responded to her. She waited for almost a minute until she realizes that the person she is looking for is nowhere to be seen— Our resident cook is missing, so she repeated her calling.
"Momo?" she said softer this time.

"I think I saw her leave earlier" I said. Hair messy from frustration as I write the script I will be using later. She looks over her shoulder to check who answered before finally calling my attention fully.
"Tzuyu, can you get Momo's knives for unnie, please. Also, can you prepare the milk and the red pepper paste? Unnie really needs help. That went home late and is not even planning to help" pertaining to Jeongyeon unnie. She looks at the room parallel to the kitchen. I followed her gaze and saw her sitting on the couch with her headphones on, clothes changed to a comfortable one, jamming to herself. Jihyo unnie's at the center table, sitting on the floor, reviewing for her upcoming exams.

For almost two years that I have been here, I noticed that these two either will show affection to another with their flirtiest as ever they can be and the other will push her away. It always has been like that. But in general, Jeongyeon unnie rejects any ki