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Minjae saw the Pirate King die when he was 16.
Executions were theatre in his village, the prisoners unwilling actors. People would stand with eager eyes and loose mouths as they watched the skin on a man’s face turn purple from lack of oxygen. The fear in his eyes brought cheers until he stopped twitching. Then they would go about their daily lives as if they hadn’t just witnessed murder.
Minjae was leaning against a stone wall the day Kim Hongjoong was executed. Stale bread lingered on his tongue, tinged with shame from having taken it from a dumpster by the bakery. There wasn't much to eat as a kid on the street, but he refused to steal from the baker. Poor people have already paid too much for the crimes of the rich; Minjae wasn’t going to contribute to that.
His first look at Hongjoong was of him in chains. His blue hair covered his eyes, but even from a distance he could tell they were not downcast. He was staring at the noose like his glare would scare it off. The man’s back was straight, relaxed. It was as if he was going to be a guest for dinner rather than meet his final moments. Minjae was in awe.
“Kim Hongjoong,” the executioner bellowed. The silence echoed throughout the square. Even children feared the name of the infamous Pirate King. “You are under arrest for treason, crimes against the state, and worst of all: piracy. The punishment is death.” He grabbed the rope holding Hongjoong’s neck and yanked him close enough that his foul breath could be smelt. “Any last words, you filthy pirate?”
Hongjoong smiled at the man. It wasn’t a normal smile; too much teeth, too wide, deranged. He gazed out into the audience. “The only way to rule the sea is to befriend it,” he said clearly. It wasn’t loud, but everyone heard. “Trying to tame it will destroy you. Heed my warning.” His voice doubled in size and everyone jumped, including Minjae. “I may die, but the Pirate King will not.”
At that moment, Minjae made eye contact with the Pirate King. He stared back, spine straightening.
“And he will haunt you until you meet me at the black gates of Hell,” Hongjoong said, starting to laugh. He laughed and laughed, throwing his head back to cackle at the clouds. The crowd was tense, uneasy. This is not how they act when they die. The Pirate King was not acting.
He was performing.
Snap.
The executioner pulled the lever and Hongjoong dropped, his neck breaking immediately. Minjae swallowed hard, watching the man’s body swing in the oncoming wind.
Kim Hongjoong died, but his threat wasn’t a promise.
It was a rebirth.
4 years later
“ Hey! Watch it, you brat!”
“Sorry!”
Minjae placed his hand on the stone wall to turn the corner and avoid the very pissed off melon seller that Seeun ran into about five seconds ago. He could hear the pounding footsteps of the guards following behind, and he picked up his pace, eventually catching up to his younger friend and partner in crime.
“Nice for you to show up,” Seeun said to him, breathing just slightly ragged as he ran. Minjae, not for the first or last time, cursed the other’s long lanky legs.
“Well, I would have been faster if you weren’t so damn tall,” Minjae retorts, scoffing. “And if you had given me enough warning. You can’t just steal something and run off, you fucker.”
“But where’s the fun in that?” Seeun whined. Minjae just sighed, glancing around. He vaguely recognizes where they were.
“Let’s go,” Minjae said, yanking Seeun’s hand that wasn’t occupied with a stolen object. “The church is around here. We can call sanctuary and get away from the guards.”
Seeun fortunately didn’t argue, letting Minjae lead him towards the church. It wasn’t the biggest church in the city, quite far from it, but everytime that Minjae needed help it was there. It was owned by the Jeong family, now currently run by their oldest son. Father Jeong had passed away when Minjae was 19. He wasn’t a religious person by any means — Minjae didn’t think any God that let what happen to him happen to him was a person to worship — but if anyone ended up in a place of reward, it was Father Jeong.
Minjae sighed in relief as he saw the church doors and yanked them open, shoving Seeun in there and slamming the door behind him. The seconds creeped by as they heard the soldiers bulldoze their way through like the bastards they were.
“You’ll have to come out eventually, vermin,” the captain called out. “We’re not finished with you yet.”
Minjae didn’t think he deserved an answer. Seeun flipped off the door.
“Don’t do that in a church,” Minjae said, swatting the younger’s arm. “Have some class.”
“You don’t even believe in God!” Seeun whined, rubbing his arm.
“I believe in respect for a place that can throw us out,” Minjae retorted. “So quit.”
Seeun pouted. He just recently turned 18, two years younger than Minjae was, but he still acted like the 16 year old that Minjae had met and took in under his wing. He was like a baby deer, shaky and unsure, but now he ran so sturdy and firm that sometimes all Minjae could do was follow behind. They were brothers thrown together by uncontrollable circumstances, but Minjae would die to protect Seeun, and Seeun was the same way.
“What did you even steal anyway?” Minjae asked, wiping the sweat off his face with his shirt. They needed to go to the river soon to at least rinse themselves. “All I saw was your sleight of hand and then you bolted.”
“Well,” Seeun said, about to open his hand. “It’s–”
“Minjae-yah? Seeun-ah?”
Minjae turned to see Yunho walking towards them, concerned. Minjae smiled softly, bowing to him. Seeun quickly followed his movements.
“Hi hyung,” Minjae said. “Sorry we kind of just barged in. Seeun got us in trouble.”
“Hey!” Seeun protested. “I was doing an act of service. They stole it. So I stole it back.”
“Stole what?” Yunho asked. Minjae sighed softly. The priest knew that the younger boys stole to make ends meet, but it was never from the people in the village. Minjae and Seeun always stole from the guards, dukes, and other filthy rich people that came through. There wasn’t a point of stealing from people who don’t have enough to even steal from. They all had a common enemy — the upper class. Yunho knew that, even if he came from a more wealthy family than others.
“This!” Seeun held his hand open. Inside was an old brass compass. Minjae blinked. It was a very familiar brass compass.
“Is that–?” Minjae asks.
“Wooyoung hyung’s compass?” Seeun stated. “Yep. I saw that fuc–sorry, I mean, the very mean soldier stole it from hyung when we were eating in the town square. It looked like his world was crashing down. So I stole it back. Because Wooyoung hyung and Yeosang hyung opened up their home to us.”
Wooyoung and Yeosang were two men that lived near the area that Minjae and Seeun called their home. They offered to house the two boys, saying that it was too dangerous or too cold, but Minjae despised being in debt to anyone. Even though they don’t live with the couple, Wooyung and Yeosang constantly gave them food and a place to stay if they truly needed it. The only time they truly stayed in their house for more than one night was when Seeun dragged Minjae there in tears because the older was severely sick — Yeosang was a doctor.
Minjae didn’t want to admit it, but he would have done the same thing.
“Sorry hyung. Once those soldiers finally leave, we’ll be out of your hair, promise,” Minjae said, turning to look at Yunho. He blinked. Yunho was staring at the compass, his expression blank. Minjae had never seen Yunho sport anything but a gentle and kind smile, so it made him uneasy.
“Hyung?” Minjae asked cautiously. “If you really need us to leave, we can. We don’t want you to get caught up in anything.” They did just barge in unannounced, after all.
“No. It’s okay,” Yunho said with a schooled smile. “I just got caught up in a memory, is all. How about you both exit out the back and go return that compass? I’ll deal with the soldiers out front.”
“You sure?” Minjae asked. “I don’t want to cause you any trouble.”
Yunho’s smile turned more fond, reaching and gently placing his hands on Minjae and Seeun’s heads. He ruffled their hair. Minjae’s heart squeezed.
“You assume this will be the first time I’ve been in any trouble,” he said. “Go on, boys. Let hyung take care of everything.”
Minjae glanced at Seeun and nodded. They both gently crept out the back door of the church, jogging until the church wasn’t in sight anymore.
“Was that also incredibly weird to you?” Seeun asked Minjae, sticking the compass in his pocket. Minjae nodded with a hum.
“It’s like he recognized the compass,” Minjae stated. “Which is crazy. I don’t think Wooyoung hyung and Yunho hyung even know each other. Maybe he was reminded of something else?”
“Maybe,” Seeun replied. He slung an arm around Minjae’s shoulders, and Minjae let him, gently resting his head on Seeun’s shoulder for a moment as they walked.
“Do you think hyungs will give us food in exchange for the compass if we ask?” Seeun asked suddenly. Minjae glared at him.
“Don’t even think about asking. If they do, they do, and if they don’t, they don’t.”
Seeun groaned. “You and your moral compass.”
“It’s what separates me from those stupid soldiers,” Minjae replied. “Come on, let’s go return this compass. If the captain of the guard wants it, then I want it as far away from him as possible.”
Yunho watched the two boys leave, his heart racing. It was a miracle that Seeun found the compass. He didn’t know how Wooyoung was reckless enough to get it taken away from him, but fate had a funny way of working out.
“Everything happens for a reason. Isn’t that what you always said, hyung?” Yunho said out loud, chuckling softly. He turned to the small memorial set up in the corner. The candles were lit and fresh marigolds rested in front of a weathered pirate hat.
“Causing trouble even when you aren’t even here. Classic Hongjoong hyung.”
Minjae knocked quickly on the door of Wooyoung and Yeosang’s home, standing back next to Seeun as he waited.
“Do you think they’re even home?” Seeun muttered. “What do we do if we don’t?”
“Shut up,” Minjae mumbled back. “We’ll just hold onto it until they come back.”
Luckily the door opened, revealing a surprised Yeosang.
“Hey you two,” Yeosang said in his quiet timbre voice. “What brings you here? Is everything alright?”
“Hi hyung,” Minjae replied politely. He bowed a little to him. “Everything’s okay. We just wanted to bring you guys something.”
“Oh, of course. Wooyoung-ah has been missing his babies, you know,” Yeosang stated, moving aside to let the two in.
“Sorry hyung,” Minjae said apologetically. “We’ve been busy.”
The home was warmly lit, candle light flickering gently and casting comfortingly familiar shadows. Minjae could smell meat cooking, presumably by the resident chef Wooyoung, and his mouth watered. Seeun looked like he just won a great battle.
“Are those my babies I hear?” A voice called out. Minjae only had a few moments to brace himself before Wooyoung barreled into him, hugging him to his body tightly. He couldn’t hide the fond smile on his face though as the older boy rubbed their cheeks together.
“Jae-yah! I missed you so much! You look like a skeleton,” Wooyoung said with a pout, pressing a kiss to his cheek. Minjae smiled, hugging him back.
“Sorry hyung, we’ve been a little busy,” Minjae said, letting himself relax in Wooyoung’s embrace. It was one of the rare moments Minjae let himself be taken care of – Wooyoung and Yeosang were the closest thing he had to older brothers. It wasn’t often that someone wanted to take care of someone like Minjae, but the two older boys opened their arms and their home with no hesitation, Seeun included. He really should visit them more.
“Me too hyung!” Seeun said cheerfully, holding out his arms enthusiastically to Wooyoung. Wooyoung pressed a knowingly gentle kiss to the crown of Minjae’s head and turned to hug Seeun just as tight.
“You need to stop growing on me, you beanstalk. You’re going to reach the high heavens before I can even blink,” Wooyoung said. Seeun immediately bent down to receive his rubbing and kiss of the cheek. It was a ritual at this point.
“I can’t help that I was given extremely good genes,” Seeun teased lightly. “I’m just that lucky.”
“And yet you’re a street urchin,” Minjae said with a snort.
“And? I met you. I consider that my good luck,” Seeun shot back, resting his cheek on top of Wooyoung’s head. Minjae turned away so he could hide how much that statement touched him.
“What brings you two here anyway? Is everything okay?” Yeosang asked, ever the calm one. If Wooyoung was a warm hearth to the two boys, Yeosang was the sea in the morning, waves gently kissing the shore.
Love and peace – two things that Minjae and Seeun saw so little of.
“Oh yeah,” Seeun said. “I’ve come to return something. I’m not even sure if you would have noticed it was gone, but I know that I’ve seen Wooyoung hyung with it, so I’ve come to bring it back.”
“Well, he stole it back,” Minjae muttered. “Cause we saw the Captain had it in his possession.”
“It’s kind of what we do,” Seeun bragged, puffing his chest out a little. Minjae gave him a look and he deflated a little. “Within reason, of course.”
Wooyoung’s face was unreadable. “What is it?” He asked carefully.
Seeun pulled out the compass, holding it open in his hand. “I noticed you were really protective of this compass, so I took it back to give it back. It looked really important to you guys.”
The air was still for a moment. Yeosang stared at the compass in shock, his mouth slightly open. Minjae glanced at Wooyoung.
Tears were falling down Wooyoung’s cheeks as he stared at the compass.
Minjae startled a bit, using the end of his shirt to wipe at his hyung’s tears.
“Wooyoung hyung?” He asked softly. “Is everything alright?”
That seemed to snap Wooyoung out of it because he immediately pulled the two of them into a hug, holding the backs of their heads gently.
“I’m forever indebted to you two,” Wooyoung whispered. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”
Minjae rubbed Wooyoung’s back gently, resting his chin on his shoulder.
“Consider us even for all the times you’ve taken care of us,” Seeun said softly, clearly not expecting that reaction either.
“That compass was a passed loved one’s compass,” Yeosang said quietly. He looked somber. “He gave it to Wooyoung for safe keeping. We thought it was lost forever.”
“That bastard Captain Seok took it during a house inspection,” Wooyoung growled. “He said it looked like it would sell for a pretty penny. I would have kicked his ass if Yeo hadn’t stopped me.”
“You had less of a chance of getting it back in prison,” Yeosang said. “Clearly, as you have it back now.”
Seeun held out the compass to Wooyoung to take. Minjae peered close to take a better look at it closer, not having gotten the chance to do so earlier when running from the royal guards.
It was made of worn old brass, some parts of it rubbed off from use. The glass inside surprisingly wasn’t cracked – it actually looked like it was in pristine condition. The inside of the compass, though, was unlike anything Minjae had ever seen. Instead of the normal arrows pointing to the four cardinal directions, it was a small circle in the middle, with lines forming a sort of hourglass shape tilted on its side keeping it snug in the middle. In the empty space of the quadrants made there were different phases of the moon.
“That’s an interesting compass,” Minjae commented, staring at it in awe. The symbol looked awfully familiar, but he couldn’t place his finger on it.
“It’s handmade,” Wooyoung said quietly. “By someone very special to the person who gave it to me. It’s broken right now, but maybe one day someone will fix it.”
“I’m sure there’s a clockmaker around here that can help you, hyung,” Seeun said. “Clocks and compasses are similar enough, right?”
“I don’t think so,” Minjae deadpanned. Wooyoung’s smile was sad as he ruffled Seeun’s hair.
“It’s alright. I don’t think it’s something just any old handyman can fix,” he said, holding the compass in his hand as if it was treasure. Minjae supposed it was – the memory of a loved one was priceless.
He would give anything to have something like that. He was left to the guardianship of the street at a young age. His parents were the alleyways, fathers of crooks and mothers of nannies in the village. Nature and instincts taught him everything and he was thankful, but sometimes. Sometimes he wondered.
If he was raised in a loving home, would it be any different? Would he be too trusting, too kind, too naive? Or would he be the completely same person, despite the circumstances?
Minjae didn’t want to think of the idea that in any universe, despite everything, he was still a broken kid.
Wooyoung noticed Minjae staring. “Do you want to hold it?” He asked, reaching his arm out. “I’ve never seen you think that hard about something.”
“I’ve never seen him think hard ever,” Seeun muttered. Minjae made a rude gesture to the younger boy and reached his hand out for the compass.
As soon as his fingers touched the metal, Minjae burned.
“Shit!”
Minjae tried to drop the compass, but it was like it melted to his skin. Heat creeped up his veins until he felt like he was surrounded by fire in a furnace. He coughed, stumbling back.
“What the hell–”
“Minjae, what’s wrong?”
“Hyung!”
He gasped, dropping into the chair and curling into himself. The pain kept increasing until tears fell uncontrollably down his face. Minjae sobbed, trying to rip the compass out of his hand.
“Wooyoung-ah, what’s going on?” Yeosang demanded, bending down to try and help Minjae. He placed his hand on his back and immediately took it back, cursing.
“It’s like I’m touching a hot metal bar,” he said, cradling his hand close to his chest. “This isn’t normal, right?”
“No! At least, I don’t think so!” Wooyoung cried, crouching as well to see if he could grab the compass. “Hongjoong hyung never said it was cursed! He just said it knows what to do when it happens!”
Seeun’s face paled. “Hongjoong? Like, Kim Hongjoong ? Are you telling me the Pirate King owned this compass?”
Minjae wheezed. He started tasting iron.
“Not the time to have this conversation,” Yeosang said firmly, looking at the compass.
As soon as Yeosang went to try and retrieve the compass, the pain quickly washed away. Minjae slumped against the chair, breathing heavily. Yeosang immediately went into doctor mode, using a rag to wipe the sweat off of Minjae’s face and checking his pupils.
“Minjae-yah. Are you okay?” Yeosang asked gently. “Does anything feel weird?” Minjae shook his head, too tired to speak. The doctor checked his pulse and sighed in relief when he felt it.
“A bit too fast for my liking but he’s alive,” he said. Yeosang turned his head to look at Wooyoung-ah, who was staring down at the compass loosely gripped still in Minjae’s hand. “What is it?”
“The symbol. It’s glowing,” Wooyoung whispered.
Seeun and Yeosang glanced down to see the hourglass symbol glowing in an eerie white light. Seeun quickly grabbed Minjae’s free hand, worried for the older boy.
“Is Minjae hyung going to be okay?” He asked softly. Honestly, Seeun couldn’t give a fuck about a glowing compass at the moment – his hyung just went through what sounded like borderline torture.
“‘M fine, Seeun-ah,” Minjae mumbled. “Just tired. I feel like I’ve been running for two weeks straight.”
Seeun moved so Minjae’s head rested on his shoulder, wanting to keep him close.
That’s when he noticed it.
A series of numbers along the side of Minjae’s neck.
Seeun gently traced it, making Minjae flinch.
“That wasn’t there before, was it?” Seeun asked. Minjae looked confused.
“What did you touch?” Minjae asked, reaching up to touch his neck. His eyes widened as he felt the raised bumps of the markings.
“Um, hyungs…?” He called them worriedly. “I think it branded me.”
Wooyoung and Yeosang immediately got closer to Minjae’s neck, staring at the numbers.
“They look like…” Wooyoung couldn’t believe his eyes.
“Coordinates,” Yeosang said faintly. “I think they’re coordinates.”
“Coordinates? To what? And why are they literally inked into me?” Minjae asked, panic starting to rise in his chest.
Wooyoung bit his lip.
“The Pirate King lives. And he just told us to come find him.”