“Captain Hongjoong, long time no see. Please have a seat.”

A stout middle-aged man stands at the head of a long table where seats are occupied by the familiar faces that Hongjoong recognizes.

Hongjoong flicks his red coat backward before sitting down at the last available seat at the end of the table. The quartermaster and the navigator stand behind his seat. The man smiles politely at the trio and sits down.

“Aye, Sir Nicholas. Long time no see. You seem to age a lot since the last time I saw you. I hope you’ll hug the governor’s seat for a very long long time.” Hongjoong flashes his signature sly grin at the man who’s the governor of the Bahamas. Seonghwa, Yunho and some occupants quietly chuckle.

The governor’s mouth slightly twists, but he’s able to maintain a political smile. “And I see that you still have a sharp-tongue as ever, captain.”

Hongjoong shrugs, not caring about the insult. “What’s the occasion? Why do you need me and these people in one room?” Hongjoong peers at the occupants around the room. All of them are the most influential individuals in Nassau, they’re merchants, dealers, and captains of notorious pirate bands. Some of them returns him with a smile or a curt nod, and some openly bare fangs at him. The first group categorize as his comrades or neutral business partners and the latter group has the bad blood with him.

“While you were away from Nassau, we faced an issue.” The meeting room quiets down when the governor speaks, his expression turns grim and creases appear on his forehead.

“And why do you need me? Are these people here are so incompetent that they can’t help you?” Hongjoong nonchalantly offended the whole room.

A man sitting 2 seats away bangs his fist on the table and glares at Hongjoong. “Don’t talk like you’re better than us. This issue will likely end your reign, pirate king!” He emphasizes the word pirate king as if he’s going to spit his saliva.

Hongjoong peers at the furious man and chuckles. “Oh really? But the governor seems to be looking forward to my help. So who will meet their end first? I bet it’s you.”

The man stands up abruptly, his chair slamming onto the floor. His mates hold his arms to prevent him from lunging at Hongjoong.

“Captain Billy, please don't be so worked up. Our captain only states his worry. If this issue is so critical that none of you here are able to handle it, then captain concern for your competency.” Seonghwa talked as if he’s trying to help but he actually added oil into the fire.

Some of the men's faces turn red in embarrassment and anger. While those who are familiar with the duo’s temperament remain unbothered and watch the ongoing scenario.

“Alright, gentlemen, no fighting here please. We have a bigger issue to deal with.” The governor sighs and turns to Hongjoong. “Yes, we do need your competency. The Royal Navy targets the pirate vessels en route to Nassau.”

Hongjoong raises his brow. This issue isn’t something new. The Royal Navy’s job is to get rid of them.

“This time they dispatched two ships of the line. They disposed of our ships that refused to surrender. However, they also propose to us a full, complete pardon.” A sturdy-built man sitting the closet to Hongjoong on the left seemed to read his mind. This man, Erik, used to be his trusted first mate which later he assigned him to be captain of a captured vessel because the grumpy man behind him refused to be captain.

“So the meeting today will be about the future direction of Nassau. I don’t believe they intend to dispatch the fleet to give us pardon. I assume they plan to take Nassau back to the empire.” The governor adds.

Hongjoong clicks his finger on the table. “You want me to fight them?”

“Well, yes-”

“That’s impossible. They possess battleships carrying over 100 guns. None of our ships can fight head on with them.” Seonghwa cut off the governor.

“No, quartermaster Seonghwa, we just need captain Hongjoong’s naval tactics to defeat them. And they are all going to join the fight.” Governor eyes the other captains at the tables.

“And pirate king, you can be in the front line if you want.” Captain Billy sneers. His companions snicker after him.

“My ship can be in the front line.” Erik said and glared at captain Billy.

“What a loyal dog.” A man beside captain Billy snorts, he blows a puff of smoke into the air.

Although Eric was provoked, he remained calm and smiled. “Captain Arrow, I heard your crew are planning to vote your quartermaster as the new captain. So I understand if you never had anyone loyal to you.”

Captain Arrow throws his clay pipe onto the ground. He stands up and slams both hands on the table. On the other side of the table, Hongjoong’s comrades also stand up to confront the opposite party.

“Ugh, pirates.” Someone groans as the pirates are at each other's throats again. The governor at the head of the table massages his temples while the merchants look at the pirates with disdain.

One brave soul breaks the tension by turning to ask the governor. “And what about artillery supplies? You will provide for us?”

“That’s why I’m here.” A gun merchant replied back to Yunho.

It’s a good choice to bring Yunho here, he knows how to do business and not end up on anyone's bad side. Hongjoong thought to himself.

The others lose interest to fight one another so they tune into the discussion once again. While they’re conversing about supplies. Hongjoong quietly listens, something nags him about the whole situation.

“Aren’t you blessed by Wonderland’s power? Why don’t you share it with us? So we can protect ourselves.” Captain Billy picks up another fight with Hongjoong. He smirks and several people nod their heads in agreement.

The whole room then focuses on Hongjoong. The duo behind the pirate king turns rigid. They stare at their captain’s back uneasily. However, Hongjoong lets out chuckles that make hairs on people's arms rise.

“The news sure traveled fast.” Hongjoong crosses his arms and lean comfortably against his seat. The vague answer causes the room to fill with shocked exclamation.

“What do you mean? Did you really go to Wonderland?” Captain Billy doesn’t give up and tries to force an answer out of Hongjoong.

“This is out of today’s topic. I have a business to deal with. Farewell.” Hongjoong abruptly rises to his feet and exits the room with Seonghwa and Yunho trailing behind.

Baffled, the occupants watch the trio leave. Captain Arrow and Billy glance at each other as they spot something eccentric in Hongjoong and his subordinates' behavior. They must be hiding something.

Thus the meeting came to an end because of the main character’s sudden departure.

---

“Captain!”

Hongjoong stops in his tracks once he hears Erik yelling after him when he's heading to the carriage parking in front of the governor's manor. To his surprise, Erik embraces Hongjoong tightly. His arms hang in the air and he looks at the duo beside him. They give him a shrug and stifle laughter.

“I’m glad that came back safely.” Erik says.

“Yeah, me too.” Hongjoong pats on the young boy’s back, awkward as he isn't a skinship type.

Then Erik lowers his voice. “I must warn you. This isn’t about the Royal Navy, but Wonderland map. I stumbled on a secret that the Royal Navy offered the governor to hand you and a Wonderland map to them and something about two treasures.  He conspired with other captains behind our back. Please be careful.”

When Erik pulls away, Hongjoong pats on Erik’s shoulder and he gives a curt nod. Then he boards onto the carriage prepared by the governor.

Once the carriage departs, Hongjoong’s blank expression replaces into a scowl.

“The war with the Royal Navy is just a facade. They want the Wonderland map and me, and two treasures I possess.” Hongjoong whispers to both men sitting on the opposite side of the carriage, afraid that the coachman will hear their private conversation.

“Could it be Star and Aurora? Commander Chris doesn’t plan to tell the world that his important people are with us. It’d be his disadvantage.” Yunho whispers back.

Hongjoong nods, “And it’s better not to let anyone know about Star’s identity. She could be in danger. Right now those people probably weigh their options, they’re afraid of our power as they thought we went to Wonderland. At the same time, handing the map and me to the Royal Navy isn’t favorable to them. So they could plan to fight with them by using me instead.”

“Because they don’t wanna surrender Nassau to the kingdom and they want Wonderland map for themselves.” Seonghwa adds after Hongjoong. “Those bilge rats.” He seethes “We help governor Nicholas to sit comfortably on his seat and look how he came back to bite our hands.”

“Power changes people.” Yunho sighs.

“But why did you accept the deal? You plan to fight with the Royal Navy?” Seonghwa asks.

“No.” Hongjoong answers.

“So you have a plan?” Yunho asks.

“No.”Hongjoong shrugs.

“What!?” Yunho and Seonghwa exclaim loudly.

“Shush! The coachman may be eavesdropping on our conversation.” Hongjoong frowns at the two men. “I don’t have a plan yet but now we can’t reveal that we never went to Wonderland. Let them have the false impression that we have supernatural powers. In the meantime, we’ll find out their real intention. And I’ll come up with something later.”

After explaining, Hongjoong heaves a long sigh and looks outside the window. “Even the smartest man on earth has a hard time solving problems. And I’m just a foolish man, what can I do?”

Seonghwa and Yunho glance at each other, concerned of Hongjoong’s exhaustion on his face. Normally, he’d come up with a brilliant plan but to call himself a fool is too strange. However, they understand they are in a tough situation they ever encountered. The witch, the curse, the sly governor and pirate captains, the Royal Navy, and most importantly Star.

Three men stay in silence until the carriage arrives at the dock.

“Call for a meeting.” Hongjoong step into the ship while ordering Seonghwa. Then he sees his little treasure, wearing a long creamy dress that perfectly hugs her body. It’s been a long time since she wore a skirt. It suits her very much. A corner of his lips curve upward. Seems like her presence able to fill him with energy in a blink of an eye. Her silky black hair swaying in the wind as she runs across the main deck. And that’s when he sees her chasing after the surgeon.

Smile instantly loses from Hongjoong’s face. Two men on the side notice the chilliness emitting from their captain.

“What is that nuisance woman doing?” Seonghwa scrunches his nose in disapproval.

“Perhaps she’s sick and she need Yeosang’s medicine.” Yunho tries to find an excuse for Star but that only adds dark clouds above Hongjoong’s head.

When Yeosang spots their little group, he changes direction and darts toward them. While Star’s eyes go wide, she immediately grabs Yeosang’s arm and whispers something to him.

When Hongjoong arrives in front of the couple, he hears Star prevents Yeosang from telling him something.

“Can’t tell me what?” Hongjoong crosses his arms, glaring at the hands that clutch on the surgeon’s arm.

Detaching her hands, Star bites her lower lip and shakes her head at Yeosang.

The surgeon knits his eyebrows. “I’m sorry Star. But I need to tell captain.”

Hongjoong feels a rush of panic inside his heart. These two have a secret and his little treasure doesn’t want to tell him.

“Did you cheat with Yeosang behind captain’s back?” Seonghwa speaks out his fear. Yunho gasps and points between the couple. Whilst Hongjoong gives Seonghwa a death glare.

Star’s mouth wide open and she quickly waves her hands to deny. “No, not like that.”

“Seonghwa, please think before you speak.” Yeosang shoots him with daggers.

Seonghwa snorts, “Oh, so you cheated with someone else.”

“Mr. nerve wrecker, stop with your nonsense accusation. Fine! I’ll tell you what happened but promise me you guys won't get fed up.” Star steps forward confidently.

When they remain quiet, Star begins her story.

“San and I perhaps...” She scratches her cheek awkwardly and looks elsewhere like someone guilty.

Another competitor’s name fell out of causing Hongjoong to tense up again. Before Seonghwa speaks what’s on his mind, he glares at the man to shut him up.

“We went to the beach and...” Star fidget on her skirt and hesitant to speak.

“Good lord, just tell us what's going on with you two!?” Seonghwa exasperatedly sighs.

Star narrows her eyes at him and carries on. “We went to the beach and found Aurora in the sea. She isn’t dead but unconscious. I didn't wanna leave her there so I asked San to carry her back to the ship. She is inside sickbay but I don’t want Yeosang to tell you yet because you guys would be angry. Please don’t be angry. ”

After her fast speech, she holds her breath and looks at the pirates reaction. Hongjoong is the first one to act, he immediately heads toward the stair leading to the lower deck and the others follow him.

“Wait, you guys are not going to hurt her, okay!” Star runs closely after them.

Hongjoong reaches sickbay and sees San and Mingi guard at the door, their expression darkened. He steps inside the room and spots a frail figure sleeping on one of the beds.

“Throw her in the brig.” He orders.

“Wait wait wait!” Star squeezed herself between Hongjoong and the bed. “I understand you guys are angry but think about it why she suddenly pops out of nowhere. It must be the sea wi- cough- squid woman sent her here.”

“Yes, she sent this betrayer to kill you and capture us.” Seonghwa scowls.

“Well, you wouldn’t know until she wake up and we can ask her.”

“Ask!?” Seonghwa raises his voice, causing Star to flinch.

“Star, I don’t think it’s a good idea to keep her here. The fact that she’s here means that the squid woman knows where we are. She could plan something against us. It’s not safe.” Yunho’s comment makes Star falters.

“I understand that but I have a lot of questions to ask her.” She pleaded with them through the puppy eyes. “Why and when she sided with that squid? What she knows about the curse? She once told me that you guys couldn’t lift the curse so she must know a lot of things.”

They all have uneasy expressions. No one answers her because they stare at Hongjoong as he holds the authority, yet he remains still.

Star pouts, “What did you guys do that squid woman hell bent on haunting you? We may fix from the root cause.”

The atmosphere immediately tense as well as the pirates.

“You said you read the book so should you know the reason.” Hongjoong says tersely.

“It only mentioned that you guys do...pirate stuff and upset her.” Star mumbles quietly.

“Pirate stuff.” Hongjoong chuckles. He notices how she tries not to upset them by avoiding to mention their past evil deeds. “We can’t fix anything. What done is done.”

“If you really wanna know, then I’ll tell you.” Seonghwa says. The others whip their heads at him, terrified. “What? You lot are afraid to tell your little friend about who we are. She’s your friend so she should accept the fact.”

Since no one interferes, including Hongjoong, Seonghwa begins his story.

“Several years ago, we lost inside a siren’s territory. They killed half of our men. The rest of us who survive return with a troop to return the vengeance.” Seonghwa dark eyes fixes on Star. Her complexion starts to get pale.

“Instead of killing the creatures, we captured and traded them in black markets. We made a lot of profit so we continue pursuing this new market by capturing other sea monsters. The other pirates saw how this business flourished so they also did the same as us.”

Star swallows her saliva and refuses to meet any of their eyes.

“So do you think we deserve to be cursed?” Seonghwa smirks as if to challenge her. Star lowers her head for several seconds. The guys nervously watch her, afraid they she will come to hate them. 

“Well, yea.” She finally opens , her answer causes them to flinch inwardly.

“Shooting Star, you don’t understand. They killed my brothers, my mentor!” Mingi says throught grit teeth. “I was promoted to be the master gunner because my mentor died! Do you think I want this position?! I rather have him back!”

Yunho and San pull on Mingi’s arms and drag the furious man outside the room. Star watches her friend disappear behind the closed door. Her hand slightly shakes, she her dried lips for multiple times as she’s at loss of words.

“Finally, you guys wake up to see the reality, no one accept who we are.” Seonghwa eyes Hongjoong and Yeosang.

“Do you regret it?” Star stares at them blankly. “Do you regret doing all the past sins?”

Seonghwa scoffs but he doesn’t answer her.

“Star...” Yeosang looks at her, pain written across his face, he's unable to find the right word to respond back.

“Promise me after all of this finish, you guys won’t do it again.” She hardened her glare at them.

“You have my word.” Hongjoong holds her gaze. Star nods and looks anywhere but him.

“I’m going to hold a meeting. You should return to the room, don't stay with this woman.” Hongjoong turns his head to a corner of the room. “Jack, I know you hide under a bed. Miss Star back to her cabin.”

“Aye captain.” A meek voice of a young cabin boy answered back. He crawls out from below the bed, his head hangs low as he is caught red handed by the captain.

Then the pirates head outside the room without saying another word to the upset girl.

---

I sigh for the umpteenth time. The pirates story nags me so much. I understand that they’re pirates so they committed a lot of crimes. But wasn’t their action too wicked? I don’t know whether the Seakeeper sent me to help them or protect the world from them.

“I think you should leave Miss Star.” Jack says, standing up from the bed next to Aurora’s.

“I want to stay with her though.” I answer and peer at Aurora. It’s been almost half an hour that I insist on staying by her side in case she regains consciousness.

“You aren’t angry with her?” Jack asks, sitting back down beside me.

“I do. But she must have her reason. What about you? You like her a lot. Are you angry?”

Jack sulks. “I’m not angry with her, just disappointed. I actually want to know why she betrayed us too.”

I nod at his answer and pat his head as I’m not used to Jack's solemn attitude.

“Where’s Jim?” I ask because I haven't seen the older brother since this morning.

“He went to help mom setting up her stores.”

“Eh! You have a family here?”

Jack simply nods.

“Then why did you both become cabin boys on the pirate ship?!”

“Our mom sold us.” He immediately put his hands up before I asked another question. “She’s a single mother with many children to take care of. Our dad was killed by some thugs a long time ago. One day I accidentally upset a pirate captain. At first he planned to kill me but he changed his mind. He wanted me to work on his ship. Jim found me about to be kidnapped so he tried to fight them. In the end, we were captured onto the ship. News somehow traveled to mom so she came to rescue us. But they tried to hurt mom. And captain happened to be around the area so he brought us to work under him and pay mom for our service.”

“You seriously used the wrong words at the beginning of the story.” I pinch Jack’s cheek. The young boy only giggles in return.

“Although captain may appear to be cruel, he’s a fair person and kind to those who deserve it. He never abused his crew- Oh, but most of the time he’s scary though, and he abused innocent merchants. But he also has a good side too. But then he can be so brutal that I had nightmares. But he’s also-”

“Okay, stop. I get it.” I stop Jack from saying further as he starts to be confused by his own sentences. “What to expect, they're pirates.What’s matter is the future action.” I mumble to myself and sigh.

Then I see a movement on Aurora’s hand.

“Jack quickly go get Yeosang!” I turn to Jack but he’s already sprinting outside the room.

Not long after, all of Ateez members burst into the sickbay at the same time as Aurora woke up. Hongjoong grabs my wrist and pulls me away from the bed.

“Where am I?” Aurora blinks her eyes and looks around confusedly.

“Hell.” Seonghwa answers. I feel the dialogue is very familiar.

She abruptly bolts right up. Her hands fly to as she starts crying as soon as she spots Ateez.

“You seem happy to see us.” Wooyoung snickers, crossing his arms.

Aurora nods her head as she scans their faces with tearful eyes. “Yes, I’m happy to meet you guys again.”

Half of the people in the room snort.

Then her gaze stops at Hongjoong. Her honey brown eyes become soft as she stands up and wobbles toward him.

“What are you trying to do, miss betrayer?” Hongjoong tenses up when she comes closer.

However, instead of answering, she dives into hugging him. The whole room flabbergasted by the unexpected scene.

“Woahh! What the hell are you doing woman!?” Wooyoung growls and he tries to pull her away from his captain. Aurora refuses to let Hongjoong go, she keeps crying into his chest. Hongjoong clenches his jaw while trying to pry her arms away.

Once Aurora is pulled away, she hiccups pitifully and only stares at Hongjoong.

“J-joong, I-I’m sorry. I can remember everything now. I’m sorry for hurting you. If my memory wasn’t taken away, I wouldn’t betray you.”

The guys are alarmed by her weird remark. “What nonsense are you saying?!” Seonghwa sneers, “San, lock this betrayer inside the brig.”

San walks up and grabs Aurora’s wrist so hard that she winces in pain. “Guys, please listen to me. It may seem impossible, but now I understand everything! Please!” San mercilessly drags her outside the room while she’s yelling through tears.

“San, wait.” Words left my mouth before me noticing. I saunter toward her even though the guys try to stop me.

“You remember what?” My voice came out like a whisper but Aurora can hear me.

“Oh, Star, I remembered going to Wonderland with them.” She smiles at me and then she turns to look at Hongjoong.

“And I remembered that I love him.”

Dizziness overwhelms me as soon as I hear her answer.

Something in her eyes tells me that she didn’t lie.

Hongjoong was the one that protected Y/N until the last minute of his life. He was the one that Y/N admitted her feelings to at the last chapter of the unfinished book.

The male protagonist is Hongjoong. And the female protagonist came back to get him back.

(⊙_⊙)!