Luhan had already spoken to The Cruising Association about hiring a few crew members. Since none of us had any practical experience (I knew the theoretics of running a ship but had never even sat at a riverside cafe), our advertisement --- and attractive wage offer --- got us nine men. It was only when we met them personally at the harbour did doubt spread its infection in Baekhyun's heart. The 'men' were a bunch of young guys, each without a college degree. 

One glance at their body makeup and I was satisfied. I used to hear my father tell me stories about men who didn't see the difference between A-Z but knew how to work the starboard blindfolded. The youngest was tall, lithe and had considerably intimidating arm muscles. He was a part-time worker at the town bakery, as he mumbled to me disinterestedly, and judging from the way he set the planks on our ship, Luhan and I were taken by him right away. 

"What was your name again?" Luhan asked, intrigue shining in his eyes. I held in my chuckle when one of Baekhyun's eyebrows went up. 

The kid was hardly bothered though. He shoved the second plank onto the hull, rubbed his hands together and removed the sweatshirt wrapped around his waist. "Mister," he said, as he stuck his head through the worn-out hoodie. "I only need money, not acquaintance."

"Stop being such a sassbot and tell us your name," Baekhyun said, stepping forward. The 'sassbot' was taller than him but the minute Baekhyun's eyes rested on his face, he relented. 

"Shane," he murmured. 

"Luhan! Nice to meet you!"

"Suho," I smiled. "And this is---"

"Baekhyun," he said, a frown on his face. Shane chuckled. "Bacon?"

Luhan chuckled as well but one steely gaze shut him up. 

"I don't even care," Baekhyun waved off. "Shane, Mane, whatever."

As we watched his back walk back towards town, a hand rested on my shoulder. I turned around and found an old man staring at Baekhyun. He shook a finger at him and said, "I've seen that face somewhere."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "This is the first time he has---" I stopped talking the moment I realized what the possibility was. "His great-grandfather had set off on a voyage from Youghal years ago," I said. The man his beard and shrugged, almost pushing me off as he walked to the brewery around the corner. As he trudged off I heard him talk to himself, muttering something about a "waiting" and "long time". 

"Is there anything else you need?" an eager voice exclaimed. I turned around and found the most agreeable person I had met all day beaming at me. 

"No thank you Michael," I smiled. "I think it's all for today."

Michael nodded and whistled. The entire gang jumped off the deck as if they were skipping over a garden fence and while chattering loudly with their arms around each other, followed the old man's steps towards the brewery. 

"Aren't they too young?" Luhan whispered. I looked at my friend and grinned. "It's Ireland. There's no such thing as a drinking limit."

"Then what are you guys doing here?" We turned around and found an over-grown boy towering over us. I recognized him as one of the crew. "Charlie, nice to meet you. Since we're going to be together for six weeks, let's get to know each other yeah?"

I looked back at where Baekhyun had walked off to. He might have hit the grocery store. "Our friend---"

"Baekhyun will be fine!" Luhan sung out, tugging on my arm while Charlie simply stared at him, his eyeballs popping out of his head. "Let's go!"

I nodded and quietly followed, listening to the two exchange quips about Baekhyun, the town, the other crew members and our profession back home. We reached the brewery--bar in five minutes and were welcomed by the typical stench of raw manual labour and Irish whisky. 

"I think I'll try the Irish coffee," I said. Charlie nodded and ordered one for me while asking for two jugs of beer for him and Luhan. Luhan waved off my concerned look with a grin and stretched his neck to look for someone. I watched as his eyes twinkled and he ran to Michael, the unassuming guy shocked by the appearance of my friend. 

"He's quite a character," Charlie commented. I thanked him as he handed me my mug. I had read up on the travel brochures and was prepared for the strong taste. Nevertheless I cringed the moment the foam touched my lips and Charlie gave a light-hearted slap on my back. I coughed while he handed me a napkin. 

"Go easy," he said. I nodded and wiped my mouth. I forcefully took a few more sips until my tongue had acquired the unique taste. By the fifth time though the beverage was being warmly welcomed by my taste buds and my body. I felt the fog of light-headedness take over and soon enough, I was rambling. 

My words were moving faster than my thoughts and I caught Charlie trying to stifle a laugh then failing. He kept nodding at my incoherent exclamations and murmurs when suddenly, it seemed like I was the only one talking. I squinted at my eyes to focus on Charlie's expression and saw a sober furrow in his eyebrows. I had said something... something that had changed the atmosphere.

I waited. I forced myself to keep quiet and after parting through the recesses of my memories, found the best thing to say. "What do you think?" I said, cringing when I noticed the sing-song tone in my voice. 

Charlie heaved a sigh, his large eyes glassed over in contemplation. "I could have said it's just an urban myth but, I think your old man's right."

Wait. What?

"Of course, you could treat it as a moral fable." Charlie lifted the bottle bottoms up then signalled for another. "Don't take what's not yours. Don't trust women."

"Women?" I asked.

Charlie widened his eyes. He gave the loud and jovial surroundings a wary look then leaned in closer. "Since you guys are hellbent on this voyage, I might as well tell you the whole truth. Do you know why only nine of us agreed? And why all of us are so young?"

"Because... you're... young?"

"Hey, don't nod off on me alright. This is some important stuff. Now listen." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them, a shiver ran down my spine. A secret was coming my way. 

"Your friend's ancestor is famous around here," Charlie started. "Not because he aimed to touch the Bermuda Triangle and definitely not because he wanted to set off during the hurricane season."

"My father mentioned that," I murmured. Charlie impatiently dismissed my intervention and continued. 

"And he returned safely, of course he did. The funny part was that a) he returned early and b) more than half of the ration was left untouched---"

"Because---"

"Hey, I'm talking here." Charlie gave me a sheepish smile. "You have to listen to this okay?"

I placed my finger on my lips and sighed. "Go on."

"Everyone was shocked because she didn't do anything to him. And he had seen her, for sure. He had seen her and she didn't do anything."

I stiffened. Charlie watched as I tried to absorb the information. 

"What..." I started, looking at him to see if I could go on. When he didn't chide me for interrupting him, I said, "I mean who?"

Charlie seemed to be satisfied by my reaction. He folded his arms and knocked the mouth of his new beer bottle with the rim of my empty glass. "Lorelei, the siren of the ocean."

                                                                   ***************************************************

I woke up with a hammer in my head. Or at least that's what it felt like. 

The little inn we were staying at had clean and comfortable beds but the room was small and the bathroom was even smaller. One could travel to the toilet, the washing sink and the shower with just one step towards each from the entrance. While the shower was built around the corner, the sink and the pot were on either side of the glass box. Baekhyun and I had insisted that Luhan be the last to use the loo, after the former had almost cracked his head on the marble floor when our friend was done with the shower. 

"You gotta clean up your mess Luhan!" Baekhyun shouted when Luhan unceremoniously walked out of the door, rubbing his stomach with a gleeful smile on his face. 

"I flushed!" he replied and waved at me. I glanced at the mirror and winced. It was one of those days, I thought while wiping a trail of drool from my mouth. 

"Not all of it!" Baekhyun shouted back. 

"Are we really having this conversation at..." I glanced at my watch. "Six in the morning, geez why are we up so early?"

"Because of him," Luhan said, jerking his thumb towards the bathroom. He sat on his knees so we were at level with each other. "He was using the town library yesterday and when he was done, he ran inside the bar and demanded we leave tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?!" I jumped up in a start, causing my vision to blur and black out for a moment. Luhan touched my arm and convinced me to rest. 

"I'll get you some hangover soup from the kitchen," he said. "Baekhyun wants to go to the police station today."

"Library...police...What's with the sudden Sherlock roleplay?" I mumbled. Luhan blinked at me and I glanced at the mirror again. Maybe the answer to my question was written all over my face. 

"Didn't Charlie tell you? I thought he had told you."

"About wh--"

"Everyone was shocked because she didn't do anything to him."

"Who?"

"Lorelei."
 

"Hey," Baekhyun walked out, his hair damp and his body heavily dripping with some waxy herbal scent. "Am I the only one whose ear is buzzing?" He rubbed his ear, his face showing that that didn't help at all. 

"You listen to too much of music," Luhan waved him off. Baekhyun glared at him for a second then hung his towel on the chair. He told me to take care and walked out of the room with a coffee mug, his bagpack and his great-grandfather's diary in hand. The door shut and silence camped in.

"So..." I started. "When did he---"

"I can't believe we forgot about the license! Out of all the things, you know what I mean?" Luhan stared at me, his eyes wide and anticipating a reaction. I stared back confused. 

"I guess...?"

"So I'm guessing Baekhyun didn't want us to look incompetent, right? Maybe that's why he hasn't told anyone that he's headed to the police today. After you passed out Charlie asked me to make a photocopy of the license. I panicked but right then Baekhyun entered the bar and informed us that we had to leave tomorrow. And that he was going to be with the Sheriff today. Sometimes he's smart."

So they didn't know. Luhan, nor Baekhyun, none of them knew about that mysterious Lorelei who Charlie had mentioned so brazenly to me. But why the library? Had Baekhyun already read up on something? But he was a non-believer, surely he wouldn't believe some myth created for entertainment. Would he?

I told Luhan to give me some time to recover. He gave me an affirming nod and skipped out of the room. I stretched my limbs and rose up, making sure not to fall on the bedside lamp. I walked towards the desk and grabbed my toilet kit. 

For a moment I gazed into the reflection of the beach outside our window. Was it Lorelei who Byun Baekhyun wanted to hide? If so, then why? Why would the man who was known for finding answers and breaking molds in both art and philosophical spheres suddenly have something to hide? 

"Lorelei," I whispered, almost as if I myself was trying to hide this mysterious name.