Sickbay is located at orlop deck, the lowest deck on the ship which has no portholes; however, everyone seemed to be frozen by the chilly breeze after Aurora revealed her feelings toward Hongjoong.

Before she discloses anything further, Seonghwa signals San to clamp over and push her inside sickbay then he shuts the door from the prying eyes of their crew.

“If you don’t stop talking gibberish, I’ll slice your tongue off.” Seonghwa growls, causing Aurora to recoil in fear. Hongjoong coldly stares at the girl then he turns to look at me as I tug on the helm of his shirt.

Instead of talking to him alone, I speak for the whole room to hear. “She told the truth. Please let her speak.”

“Star!!” Some of the guys shout my name.

“Are you going to let her confess to your lover? How kind of you.” Wooyoung scoffs and the others nod their heads in agreement.

“That’s not called kindness, it’s called stupidity.” Seonghwa snickers. I squint my eyes at him and turn toward Hongjoong once I feel his hand grabs on my wrist. “You can't trust her.”

I place another hand on top of his and give him a reassuring smile, “I want to make sure that her story matches with what I told you.”

Hongjoong raises his eyebrow and then he waves his hand to allow San to release Aurora.

San steps backward though he’s still emitting the dark Aura that scared the poor girl badly. He leans against the door, instead of paying attention to the female lead, he stares intently at me. It’s my turn to shudder under his dark gaze, I quickly break our eye contact to focus on the female lead. “Aurora, please tell us everything you remember.”

Aurora nods. Although she appears to be confused by the situation, since she receives a chance to speak, she starts telling about her adventure with the pirates.

Ateez quietly listens to her, their raging expressions slowly fade away and turn into bewilderment.

When Aurora reaches the scene where Ateez was dying protecting her at Wonderland, their faces invisibly lose color.

“Holy ! How on earth did you exactly know about what Star told us!?” Mingi is the first one to react. He takes a large stride and grabs her shoulder. Aurora winces, her tear stained face contorts into shock. Yunho and Jongho yank him away from the frightened girl. Mingi heavily drops onto the bed, clutching his head in both hands. The others also don’t have better expressions than Mingi.

“Star told you? You know about our past too?” She mutters and peers at me. I meet her honey brown gaze and unable to utter a single word, thus I nod my head as a confirmation.

Aurora grasps, “How? Because you’re a seer?”

The guys snicker at her question. I shake my head and smile weakly at her. I can’t blame her because she’s oblivious that I’m a fake seeres. I weigh the options of whether I should tell her about her past that was written in a book. I side glance at the man beside me, feeling guilty for stealing her male lead.

Hongjoong meets my gaze and squeezes my hand.

“The question isn’t what happened in the past cause I don’t care, but what were you scheming with that sea woman. Do you think your story will get you away after betraying us?”

Hongjoong’s harsh words cause her to whimper. She shakes her head, more tears rolling on her cheeks. “Please Joong, if I could return back the time, I wouldn’t-”

“Hold on!” I cut her off when her remark reminded me of the scene. “Return back time! When you were at Wonderland, you wished to return the time, Right!?”

Her hand flies to as she fervently nods her head. Ateez watches our interaction with question marks on their heads

“Could it be that your wish was granted and time really reversed?” Mind blown. I feel smart for the first time after solving the mysteries of Aurora’s past.

“My wish became true...” Aurora cries harder. “Even if they don’t remember me, as long as they’re alive, I’m fine with anything. But I can’t believe I’m the one that hurt them this time.”

My eyes feel hot as I recall the last chapter. She must be so heartbreaken to remember how she loves Ateez so much but ends up hurting them. I step forward, intending to go comfort her but Hongjoong doesn’t let go of my wrist. I try to wiggle away from him but he only holds me tighter. “Stay here.”

Aurora watches us with tearful gaze, then she hugs herself and stares at her feet.

Suddenly, Jongho claps his hands to gain everyone attention. “I got it. Aurora’s story is exactly the same as Star’s. She is telling the truth whether we like it or not. We went on a quest with her in the past and failed so she wished to return back time. So here we are, alive, back at the starting point in which this time someone sent Star to help us.”

Ateez curse after Jongho summarizes the puzzle. Hongjoong peers at me as if to confirm that what Jongho said is true. I nod at him and he pinches his nose bridge. “This is a mess.”

“Ahhh! Yeosang I think I’m gonna have a heart attack. We can’t have surprises every single day!” Mingi clutches over his heart. Yunho plops down next to him while massaging his temples. “Yeah, I don't think I will complete the contract and work until 50 years, I’ll die either from the curse or heart attack first.”

Wooyoung rolls his eyes. “You lot are so dramatic. Isn’t it better than dying?” Mingi and Yunho give him death glares, but Wooyoung ignores them and mumbles under his breath, “So she likes Captain. Damn, why did he always get the girls?”

Mingi lifts his legs and kicks Wooyoung in the , “Yah! This isn’t a time for your flirtatious to act up!”

Wooyoung stumbles, his handsome face almost colliding with a nearby bed, he pats his and points finger at Mingi. “How dare you kick me!!”

Mingi gets up and intends to intimidate Wooyoung by his height. “Why? Wanna get kicked again?” Yunho and Jongho snickers on the side, watching the fight unfold.

“Enough!” Seonghwa shouts, he strides toward them and grabs their collars. Wooyoung and Mingi grit their teeth but are willing to pause their argument as they don’t want to upset the quartermaster further. Yunho drapes his arm on Mingi’s shoulder as he sits back down. While Wooyoung suanters to lean against the wall next to Jongho.

Yeosang shakes his head at them and turns to look at me worriedly and then shifts his gaze toward Aurora. “How could we trust you after you betrayed us? You sided with the squid woman and even drugged us.” He draws out a small bottle from his pant pocket.

“What!!” The guys are surprised by the news. Aurora went pale after seeing the bottle in Yeosang’s hand.

“I..” She lowers her head down. “I’m sorry, the sea w- ahhhhh!” She suddenly screams and clutches her chest, her body crashes to the floor.

I step forward to help her, however, Hongjoong still has my wrist. I frown at him, but he turns to order his crew. “San, bring her to the bed.” San, who has been quiet from the start, harshly pulls her up and throws her to the bed even though she’s still in pain. He grabs San dagger and points at her face. “Speak.”

I wanna facepalm at his ungentle act. “You don’t have to be so rude on the sick girl.” I scold him. San blankly peers at me and puts the dagger back in his belt.

“You can’t speak her name?” I ask worriedly. I recall how she had chest pain when she was about to warn me about something.

“I-I can’t, she cursed me from mentioning her.” She uses the back of her hand to wipe sweat on her forehead and pants heavily. “That woman ordered me to drug you guys during the maelstrom. When everyone was unconscious, I went to steal the Wonderland map and crescent dagger.”

The guys have different reactions after hearing her confession, but all of the reactions are the negative one.

“Why would you side with her?” I continue asking, trying to remain calm although I feel a bubble of angers rise in my stomach.

“It happened when the pirates celebrated after looting the merchant. When everyone was drunk, including you Star, I tried to escape. But I accidentally fell into the water. She appeared in front of me. She said she’d help me escape from Ateez. Because I was so desperate, I agreed.”

“Oh! I remember. After that day you suddenly agree to go to Wonderland.” Wooyoung shouts, his tone is way too excited for the tense atmosphere. The others turn to look at him until he becomes embarrassed by the attention. “What! Can’t I also have a smart side!?”

We roll eyes at him and turn toward Aurora.

“Yes, I agreed to go to Wonderland because she ordered me to. But I was stupid, she just used me to achieve her goal. She ordered me to steal Wonderland map from you guys and she also…” She her dried lip, glimpsing at me.

“Ordered you to kill Star.” Hongjoong finishes her sentence. My body spontaneously tense up.

Aurora nods weakly. “But when I refused to do so, she threatened to turn my parents into sea monsters.” She cries harder when mentioning her deceased parents. “I don’t know how she captured my parents because I remember they were killed and their bodies were thrown into the sea when the pirates attacked our ship.”

“What you see may not be your parent. It could be her magic.” Hongjoong says.

“I don’t know, I’m scared. What if my parents still alive.” She hiccups pitifully but none of the guys plan to comfort her.

“How do you communicate with her?” Seonghwa shoots the next question without letting her rest.

Aurora controls her shaky breath and answers him. “She appeared around the ship but she couldn’t board the ship.”

“Ohh, I remembered another thing, I saw you talk to someone alone at the rail.” Wooyoung shouts for the second time and causes the others to look at him. “What! I’m also smart, okay!”

Mingi and Yunho immediately scoff. Wooyoung then scowls at them.

“Wooyoung, I believe you're a smart guy.” Aurora turns to speak to him. Wooyoung caught off guard. “Don’t talk to me like we’re close, betrayer.”

To see him being so hateful toward her,  Aurora bites her lower lip and looks away, pain in her eyes.

“Don’t try to seduce my crew because it won’t work. ” Seonghwa icily glares at her. “Back to the topic, how did you escape from her lair?”

“The last thing I remembered I was inside the cave with you guys and the next thing I know I woke up here.”

“Then that’s easy to guess, she sent you here to harm us.” Seonghwa concludes and turns to Hongjoong. “I suggest we get rid of her as soon as possible.”

“No!” Aurora and I scream in unison.

“Seonghwa, please. After I regain my memory, I regret what I did. I swear, I won't betray you guys again.” She tries to get to Seonghwa but San grabs her arm. Hence she turns to him instead. “San, please believe me.”

San gives her a blank stare but that’s enough for her to flinch in fear.

Seeing the situation turn grave, I have no choice but to turn to the man in charge. “Hongjoong, if you don’t believe her, that means you don’t believe me either.”

Hongjoong glances at me, his expression unable to read. “I believe you but not her.” Then he faces Aurora. “Your information is useless to us. San, lock her in one of the rooms and don’t let anyone talk to her without my permission.”

San nods and yanks Aurora by her arm.

“Joong! I promise I won’t hurt you ever again.” She cranes her neck toward Hongjoong as San pulls her outside sickbay.

“You hurt Star and my crew, I’ll never forgive a betrayer like you.” Hongjoong coldly states. Aurora’s legs give up and she tumbles to the floor, weeping. However San keeps dragging the poor girl away.

“San! Don’t hurt her!!” I shout after them when they disappear from my vision but I can still hear Aurora’s heartbroken wail.

I jerk my hand out of Hongjoong’s grasp which he easily let go. “Isn’t that too harsh?”

Hongjoong opens his mouth to answer me but another guy answers in his place. “Your kindness will only bring all of us to death.” Seonghwa scoffs.

“You guys don’t believe her?” I scan their faces around the room, disappointed. They return my gaze, some with guilt, some with no regret.

“Even if her story is true, it doesn’t solve our current problem.” Hongjoong responds, placing his hands on my shoulder. “People change all the time. Even if they’re good to you in the past, it doesn't mean that they won’t hurt you in the future.”

“I agree with Captain, desperation can change people. And now that she has feelings for captain, who knows what she’ll do to take him back.” Wooyoung speaks. They guys stare at him weirdly once again.

“The squid woman knows our location, but she didn’t personally come here, instead she sent Aurora, isn’t it suspicious?” Jongho says. His reason dispels my anger slightly because he’s right.

“Star, we can’t make another mistake. The crew lives are in our hands.” Yeosang adds.

I falter and nod. I guess I can never go against the pirates who live in a world of betrayal and named their ship ‘Pirate king’s Revenge’.

“If you guys get your memories back, you’ll regret today’s action” They snort after hearing me. I inwardly curse at them inside my mind. They all act merciless today, if they remember how much they adored her, they’d be the one that will cry like a baby.

Then I realize, if they remember her. I’d be forgotten like a side character like I should be.

No, I shouldn’t be selfish, this isn’t my place to begin with.

“Are you done cursing us in your mind?” Seonghwa says as if he’s able to read my thoughts. “It's written all over your face.”

I rolled my eyes, but didn’t deny. “Well, please refrain from hurting her. You won’t know what will happen in the future.”

“We’ll try.” Hongjoong answers me, his gaze softens when he sees that I start to pout. “Go back to your room and don’t overthink. The cause of the problem is us so we’ll deal with it.”

Perhaps the others can’t tolerate his cheesiness, they cough loudly. Hongjoong’s ears turn red and he hides his bashfulness with his anger. “Want me to get rid of your throats?”

They laugh dryly as a response.

“Captain, let’s head back to the meeting. We haven’t come to the conclusion of the urgent matter and we must deliver the answer to the governor tonight.” Seonghwa calmly controls his annoyed expression with his poker face.

“Alright,” Hongjoong’s face turn serious. “Jack I know you eavesdrop somewhere, don’t ever open your mouth to anyone, or I’ll burn your mom’s store. And bring Star back to her cabin. Don’t let her go see Aurora. If you fail, I’ll make sure you’ll never see your mom and brother again.” Hongjoong speaks slightly louder than his normal volume. However, Jack’s voice travels from somewhere outside the room. “Aye captain.”

They snort in unison. “I should’ve trained him into a spy.” Wooyoung mumbles and the others agree without doubt.

Hongjoong gives me a tense smile and leads the guys outside the room. Seonghwa brushes over my shoulder, then he whispers to me. “Don’t even try to act reckless, or I’ll tie you to an anchor.”

I let out scoffs after he exited the room. Then I feel someone pats on my head. “He’s always like that, don’t listen to his empty threats. He’d never do that to you. But if you really act reckless, I’ll feed you with my green terror instead of normal meal.” Yeosang beams at me like usual as if he didn’t threaten me. My mouth hangs open as I watch him walk outside the room.

“Shooting Star, did someone kick you? There’s a footprint behind your dress!” Mingi pats my back with his hands. I try to look over my shoulder but see nothing.

“Tsk, that waitress brought a dirty dress for you to wear. I’m gonna take my money back.” Wooyoung scowls and stomps outside the room.

“Hey, you need to go to the meeting. Don’t you dare ditch us again!” Yunho dashes after the first mate.

“Oh, San.” I recall San stepped on this dress. Because I was in panic so I quickly changed my outfit to see Aurora, I forgot to check the condition of the dress.

“San!!!” Mingi growls, his face starts to turn red. “He kicked you!?” He doesn’t wait for my explanation and vanishes from beside me less than a second.

“Oh no, Jongho, please stop him. He misunderstood. San didn’t kick me.” I shake Jongho’s arm as he sighs tiredly.

“Why do I have to live with these people?” He mumbles like an old man and slowly leaves the room.

Not long after, Jack pokes his head inside sickbay, his eyes round. “Did the devil kick you?”

I smile sweetly at him. He comes at the right time when I want to vent out my anger. “Jack, if weird rumors start to float around the ship, I’ll tie you to the anchor and drop you inside a pot full of Yeosang’s green terror. So your mom and Jim won’t be able to recognize you.”

---

I feel like a prisoner once again. Jack, being a good boy for the first time, refused me from going outside. He doesn’t speak to me at all after I threaten him. 

I stay inside my cabin until nightfall, I lie awake and toss around my small bed, overthinking just like Hongjoong predicted.

Ateez is cruel; however, I understand that it’s their characteristics in a twisted world. If they appeared weak, they wouldn’t rise into the throne like today. Then again, I am still angry by their harsh treatment toward Aurora.

My heart squeezes at the thought of her. She betrayed us because the sea squid captured her parents. She must be in so much pain all this time. I must figure out a way to help her and prevent the pirates from abusing her. But before that I’ll find out why the sea woman return her memory because I don't believe that she would be so kind to return Aurora's memory for free.

Besides, I haven’t told Aurora about the book although I’m afraid of her reaction. Will she hate me for stealing her role and her lover?

A soft knock on my door startled me, I get up and head toward the door to open it.

“Yeosang-” I expect the visitor to be the surgeon because he always comes at night and delivers me his tea and soothing words when he senses that I was stressed out. However, the person at my door is someone else.

“Yeosang?” He scoffs and invites himself into my room.

“Hey! I haven’t allowed you from entering my room.” I protest, but I close the door behind me anyway.

He sits on my bed and grins at me. “Do you forget this is my ship?”

“I forget you have no manner.” I cross my arms.

Hongjoong laughs, his eyes gleaming by the moonlight that travels through the window. “If I have no manner then your mouth wouldn’t be able to talk back to me right now.”

I immediately put my guard up. If he approaches me, I’ll punch him until he forgets that he’s the captain. “W-what a-are you saying!? Do you forget that I’m still angry with you!?”

His smirk gradually disappears at the same time the clouds conceal the moon. Hence the room falls into darkness.

I hear the floor creak and his breathing sound gets closer to me. When the moonlight shines into the dark room again, he’s already right in front of me.

I scream and throw a punch toward his face.

☆*:･☆*:･☆*:･☆*:･☆*:･☆*:･☆*:･

Ateez is having a comeback!!   Atiny, please be ready and be prepared. We gotta give them more trophies and break records than the last time. Because Hongjoong didn't told us to dream small!!!!