The red-haired male walks onto the forecastle and stops in front of Wooyoung and me.

"Aye mate" Wooyoung greets and answers Master gunner, "Showing the guest around the ship."

Mingi makes his mount into an O shape, looking at me.

I smile at him. His character is kinda one of my favorites; he's loud, bold, and the mood maker of the team.

"Oh, the seer. Where's the other one?" He's looking left and right but doesn't see the gorgeous girl.

"She didn't want to come." Wooyoung answers him blandly.

A look of disappointment flashes past the master gunner's eyes, but he shrugs off.

Is this a sign of someone having a crush?
Wow, the love story develops faster than the original one.

"You offer yourself? Or-" Mingi continues asking.
"No, the captain ordered me."
"Hmm," Mingi hum disinterestedly and turn to me.

"Miss Star, I have to inform you of something really important." He's looking left and right. After seeing the coast is clear, he puts his right arm across my shoulder and leans closer to whisper in my ear. I suddenly turn stiff, waiting in anticipation of what he's going to say.

"In the next captain election, how about you vote for me."

"Captain election?" I say, looking at him confused.

"Don't be too loud!" He whisper-yell at me, "Others might hear us. I'm not sure when we'll have an election for a new captain but I need you to vote for me and tell the other girl to vote for me too."

So he doesn't have a crush on Aurora but he wants us to vote for him??

And what with the captain election. It's not appear in the storyline. I'm so confused.

Is he planning to overthrow Hongjoong?

"Idiot, she's not even one of our crew." A new voice chime in, revealing a black-haired boy, the boatswain. He's climbing down the foremast and jumping down right in front of us.

He's sweating profusely making his creamy shirt attach to his body revealing his ripped muscle.

Ok, stop it Star. This is definitely not a time for fangirling.

I quickly avert my eyes but it's too late as Wooyoung notices my gaze, he's giving me the I-know-what-you-are-up-to smirk.

"I don't care as long as I can secure my votes." Mingi shrugs at Jongho, making the younger man roll his eyes at him.

"Don't mind him, he always does that to newcomers." Jongho speaks to me. He appears friendlier than the time we were inside the meeting.

"Why're you voting for a new captain?" I ask them. I'm so perplexed right now.

"Well, because I fit to be the captain of the Pirate's King's Revenge." Mingi says proudly.

But both Wooyoung and Jongho roll their eyes at his boldness.

Mingi notices their annoying expressions so he adds, "C'mon mates, my men reported to me that the crew aren't happy. We've been chasing after that bloody map for a whole month. The storage is running low. No booty, no food, no fine liquor, no entertainment. We broke as . You remember that one time, the merchant ship sailed past us because we were chasing after a rumor map location. ing hell! We are the pirate king and we let the merchant ship slip away. That was the serious damage to our reputation!" Mingi rants without breathing.

My jaw hung open after obtaining such detailed information that I've never known in the storyline before. I guess this scene works like a hidden route in a game that I accidentally unlock.

The other two faces falter when they are reminded of the past. The situation is really grim for them. They have to choose between the map or the booty. Their captain and quartermaster apparently chose to break the curse while some of the crew chose after booty. So their interests conflict with each other.

This is getting complicated. I thought I'm here to help solve the curse but to fix the politics issue, um, no, bye.

"But if you keep chasing after booty but not the map, you guys are gonna turn into sea monsters though?" I ask Mingi.

"Who cares!? At Least I'm gonna be a filthy rich sea monster." His voice booms causing the crew around us to look at him. But they lose interest once they see that it's Mingi.

His answer cracks me up as I unintentionally let out a 'Pff'.

"Idiot," Jongho and Wooyoung curses at the same time.

"Well, what will happen to Hongjoong? If he isn't captain anymore. Demote to quartermaster?" Curiously, I ask him in a lower voice.

"No way! You're not siding with him, are you?" Wooyoung says in disbelief. But I ignore him as I stare at Mingi who's in deep thought.

"Hmm, nope, let's vote for Wooyoung as the quartermaster."

"I'm not joining you." Wooyoung's face twists when he heard Mingi's proposal.

"Then what'll happen to Seonghwa?"

"Uhh, he can be the new cook," He looks dead serious and says through grit teeth, "Have you eaten our food yet? It's so freaking salty. Our old cook ran away when we were cursed. That traitor."

I nod in understanding. So that's what happened. I used to wonder how their kidneys survive this long for consuming salty food.

"But if Seonghwa cooks, the food will be bitter instead." Jongho nonchalantly says but his words crack all of us.

We roar with laughter. Thinking of the cold-hearted Seonghwa cooking for us, the mental image is too funny.

Oh my, I didn't expect to join their little rebellious group. If Hongjoong or Seonghwa heard this conversation, would I get in trouble?

"Do they know about your plan?" I ask.

"No," says Mingi.

"Yes," say Jongho and Wooyoung.

"What!! They know!?" Mingi shocks at his friends' answer.

They both nod at him.

Mingi gulps in horror, ", I need to consult my men." He abruptly leaves without saying goodbye but then he turns back to face me. "Miss Star, this shall be our secret or else..." His hand mimics a gun and shoots in my way.

WTH, why did I get threaten again? What's wrong with people on this ship and their excessive threats?

Jongho mutters 'Idiot' for what times I lost count.

"Don't mind what he said. I also wonder what's inside his head sometimes. Well, I gotta go back to work." He nods at Wooyoung and me before leaving. I'm glad he appears to be the normal one here.

"Ready to go back?" Wooyoung asks me, looking tired after dealing with Mingi.

"Um, no, I'll stay here for a while."

"You manage to go to your cabin, right?"

"Yes, no worries. And I won't tell your captain."

"Good...,oh, one thing. Don't be scared of our crew. They won't hurt you because you're captain's honored guest." He winks at me and leaves.

I glare at him for mocking me again.

When his sturdy figure disappears in the crowd, I turn around to look toward the sea.

Sighing at the breathtaking scene, I begin losing in my own thoughts. 
I can't believe it's been two days in a fictional world and a lot of things happened. Every second passes with a thought of how am I going to last until the end. But I don't want to indulge in anxiety, maybe it's not bad transmigrating into fiction, right?

Suddenly, I feel a pair of eyes piercing on my back.

Turning around, my eyes meet with the culprit leaning against the foremast.

By looking at him makes me shudder to the core.

"Hi, San." I awkwardly greet him, trying to hide my panic. I don't want to admit that I'm scared of him the most.

"How long did you get here?" I ask him.

When did he get here? How much does he hear our conversation?

If he tells Hongjoong, I'll be in deep trouble.

The combatant remains silent, not answering me. He only stares at me, void of emotion.

His character is the most mysterious and dangerous one. The story doesn't reveal much of his background either. Even toward the end, San barely opened up to female lead. If San character doesn't get affected by the female lead halo, then my side character is like a moth in his eyes.

I blink at him for several seconds and decide it's best to leave.

"Um, I'm leaving. Don't bother you anymore."

No matter how much I adore San in real life, but this pirate version of him I rather say goodbye. He's 100 times scarier than San in Hala Hala stage.

When I walk pass him, the corner of my eye sees that his hand slowly grip onto the hilt of his cutlass hanging on his waist.

, is he planning to finish me here?

I quicken my pace.

And it's a mistake to look back to check on him because he's making his way after me.

Not wishing for a ticket to the afterworld, I sprint as fast as I can back to my cabin.

While running, I can't help but look behind again. To my horror, the devil is following after me closely. The corner of his mouth tugs into a devilish grin.

Bull, Wooyoung. You said no one is gonna hurt me but one of your friends here is after my head.

Surprisingly, none of the crew stops San at all.

Are they expecting me to die in his hand?

Not caring if I get into the wrong cabin, I kick the door open and throw myself into the room.

Aurora, who sits on her bed, yelps in surprise at my abrupt intrusion.

Before I shut the door, a pale hand stops it with a loud bang.

Ahhhhh!!

Aurora and I scream in unison.

I use all my strength to shut the door, but to no avail, it opens wider because of the man's strength.

Outside the room, San slightly tilts his head to look at me from the door gap. His pitch black eyes with a hint of red hue stare at me.

"Wh..what do you want?" I stutter. Please don't say my head.

His grin turns more sinister, saying in low raspy voice, "I'm watching you..."

Not waiting for him to say anything further, my foot automatically kicks the door shut. The door might hit his face but I don't care anymore.

Oh dear lord. I was a step away from death.