Archive of Our Own

The sound of thunder rumbled in the skies, mingled with a torrential rain that fell on the moldy wood of the ship and did not hesitate to emanate a smell of humidity in these places.

In the middle of the ocean, the boat capsized between waves of various sizes. The horizon, simply illuminated by lightning, leaves no chance for pirates to see even a rock in their direction.

"CAPTAIN!" Yell one member of the crew, who is trying with all his might to hold the rudder. "I SEE NO LAND ON THE HORIZON!"

"KEEP SEARCHING!" The ship's captain retorts, weaving on deck between different raging barrels of rum. "I want this ship to remain intact until our next port of call!"

His dry and authoritative voice leaves no room for negotiation. For several days, they had been wandering at sea in search of a treasure, but this storm coming from nowhere complicated the crew's mission.

"CAPTAIN!" Another crew member rushes onto the deck in panic. "A GAPING HOLE FORMS IN THE RESERVE! WE RISK DROWNING!"

"Yunho." The captain sighs before taking his sword out of its case, pointing the weapon in the direction of the ship. "Do what you can to fix my ship, or I'll be happy to use your body to plug this fucking hole."

Yunho swallows his saliva with difficulty, feeling the cold point of the weapon titillate his throat.

"Yes, my captain..."

"Perfect." He puts away his weapon, freeing Yunho, who ran off. The captain began to laugh, a mocking laugh but at the same time euphoric about the situation. "SAN! HOW IS IT GOING AT THE HELM?!"

San tries somehow to control the ship, maintaining a firm pressure on the rudder that tries to disobey him. But the heavy rain made the task more difficult.

"I'M TRYING-"

However, a violent wave crashed against the ship. Because of the shock, San is forced to let go of the rudder, which starts to turn in all directions at high speed, while the pirate struggles to regain control.

"THE SHIP IS PLUNGING STRAIGHT INTO A ROCK!"

"WE ARE GOING TO SINK!"

The captain admires the huge rock growing just in front of him. A wide smile stretched his wet lips. He listened to the dreadful howls of his crew vibrate his eardrums, as if their last hour had finally arrived, as if their journey were coming to an end.

Then the wood of the boat collides with this rock, in a chilling creaking.

Lightning continues to illuminate death, the cries diluted in a macabre song as the salty water of the ocean gradually invites itself onto the ship. The captain remains stoic, faithful to his position, his feet anchored in the wood. It was not worthy of a pirate to flee the ship.

It was not worthy of a captain to abandon his ship.

Violently, a wave slips again against the boat; this fluid and well-reflected gesture by the ocean is enough to make it fall backwards into the water.

With closed eyelids, the captain felt his clothes get wet. He dared to open his eyes, still unaware if his curiosity was worth it. The captain, the light body, watches the sky light up like a battlefield, but the sound is muffled by the ocean, which gradually engulfs it towards the depths.

He does not struggle; there was no point in contradicting his own destiny.

The captain let himself be guided, closing his eyelids again.

Death finally came to get him.

The soft sound of the ocean sounded like a childish lullaby. Seagulls add that realistic touch to this modern song. The heat of the sun burned his skin, as a warning, or rather a reminder of life's failure.

The captain gradually opens his eyelids, noticing first a pile of sand, which irritates some visible parts of his skin stuck to his wet clothes.

He sits up, and the first thing that catches his attention...

He wasn't dead.

His heart was still beating, his lungs were getting normally oxygenated, his limbs were still moving...

It wasn't his time yet.

The captain gets up, admiring the landscape that saved him from certain death.

A deserted island.

A smile appeared on his pale face as he admired a dense forest as far as the eye could see. None of this seems real, but he has pinched his skin enough to believe his first impression.

The captain continued his inspection, during which he discovered with surprise six other members of his crew, still alive.

San is lying down, his hand glued to the rudder, which probably snapped off the ship during the storm.

What irony.

He also notices Yunho there, his imposing body overlooking two other bodies that look tiny just below. As if to protect them. Wooyoung and Yeosang, two very important pirates on the ship.

And finally, the last two lying back from the others, their hands tied for fear of being separated. Yet the captain still remembers the arguments he witnessed between these two young men: Mingi and Jongho.

"I have six pirates left." The captain said, snickering. "The others are all dead, I imagine."

Not far from the group, the captain notices the ship, in poor condition. The brittle wood is perforated on all sides. Water was always flooding some visible parts where it was. The torn sails of the boat could not steer the ship properly.

The captain is annoyed. He still had a crew alive, but his boat was destroyed and stuck on a deserted island in the middle of nowhere.

A complicated situation for which he had not yet found a solution.

"Mmh..."

The captain turns around, discovering with stupor the six remaining members of his crew, in a phase of awakening. He gives a broad smile, seeing Yunho help Wooyoung and Yeosang get up.

"Perfect, you are standing."

"Captain! Where are we?!" San asks, in panic, his eyes scanning the entire island under a thorough analysis.

"I wish I could answer you!" The captain retorted before heading toward Yunho. "You. Go fix the ship with Mingi."

"But captain-"

"Hurry up, Yunho! I don't want to die here, and neither do you."

Yunho breathed a sigh but still obeyed their captain's order. With Mingi, they head towards the wreck, at least what remains of the boat, almost in ruins, to repair it as best.

The captain, satisfied, turns on his heels.

"And what about us, Captain?" Wooyoung suddenly asks. "What do we do?"

But the captain does not take the time to answer him when he notices a figure approaching the group, with a slow but assured step. He immediately drew his sword, alerting the pirates, who took up arms in turn.

The figure continues to approach, as if he knew this island at his fingertips, like the master of these places. The stranger stops suddenly, keeping a good distance from the crew, who wonder who this man is with the imposing and ectomorphic build.

"Who are you?!" the captain asks, pointing his sword at this man, whose face is glued to the sand. "I asked you a question!"

Suddenly, the stranger raises his head, finally revealing his face.

And the captain couldn't help but find him terribly attractive.

This shirt, which must have been white, soiled by time, these black pants with holes everywhere, these torn leather boots show these damaged feet.

This pale and hollow face suggests that he was stuck here for ages. This long, black, and greasy hair, reaching down to his shoulders, clearly shows the duration of his confinement. This frail morphology proved how hungry he must be. His empty gaze, devoid of hope but filled with solitude.

"Are you lost?"

"Yes... I am lost."

By saying this, his voice had wavered, as if he had started to speak again after so much silence.

The captain lowers his weapon, but keeps it in his hand. In anticipation of an ambush.

"How long have you been stuck here?"

"I don't remember anymore..."

The captain continues to analyze this man's expressions, in vain. His face leaves no room for feelings or expression. Just an empty look and a neutral face.

"What's your name?"

"Park Seonghwa."

The captain gave a sneering smile. That name suited him strangely well.

"You can call me Kim Hongjoong." The captain introduces himself, putting his sword in its sheath. "And I am the captain of this crew and of this old ship that is getting repaired right behind me."

Seonghwa says nothing, observing the boat and then the famous crew, whose weapons only Hongjoong had stored.

"Captain, pirate..." Seonghwa murmurs. "You sail the oceans and steal treasures..."

"Good answer, darling," Hongjoong replies.

Seonghwa simply nods. He was dealing with pirates right in front of him.

"Then you will kill me..."

"Would you like us to kill you, darling?"

"That's what pirates like you usually do."

"But I'm not just any pirate, darling."

No emotion shows on his face. The captain even thought he was talking with a corpse. No fear, no joy, no relief...

Nothing.

A normal human being would have jumped at the chance to escape from this island, which is also deserted. Whether with a pirate or a trader. The instinct of survival was always more present, especially after so much time spent alone.

Hongjoong himself would have shot himself in the head. If his fate forces him to choose between staying stuck for a lifetime or dying, death remains a better choice than losing his mind.

But this boy seemed to remain healthy and normal.

"You have two choices." Hongjoong approaches this lost boy, his feet sinking deeper into the fine sand. "Either you join my crew, and I save you from this island..."

His lips brushed against Seonghwa's ear, where no emotion was manifested on his face.

"Captain..."

"Either I kill you on this island."

Hongjoong steps back, wanting to see with his own eyes the effect he would have on this strange stranger.

Once again, Seonghwa does not let any emotion show through.

"So I have no choice but to follow you."

"It's up to you, darling. I can offer you freedom just like a quick and gentle death."

Hongjoong and Seoghwa observe each other intensely, each hesitating about a choice to make.

Behind, the crew had still not dropped their weapons, analyzing the scene with particular distrust.

"I don't know why..." Wooyoung exclaims suddenly, after long minutes of silence. "But I have a bad feeling."

"A bad feeling?" Yeosang repeats, pointing his gun at Seonghwa.

"This man... I'm sure he's strange."

"Like our captain."

The silence took place again, as the discussion between the two men still flooded in. This same intense debate, or at least this important choice to make.

It was a dilemma that Seonghwa could not waste time on...

In his mission.

"So, darling? What do you choose?"

His mission must be carried out to perfection.

No errors are allowed.

"I'm coming with you."

Upon hearing this enticing news, Hongjoong once again smiled broadly.

"Perfect."

It wasn't easy; it was even crazy. Welcome a lost stranger? That wasn't a decision to be taken lightly. This man could be dangerous, even threatening, but at that very moment, Hongjoong saw only a lost soul.

"CAPTAIN!" Yunho howls, drawing all eyes to him and Mingi. "WE HAVE REPAIRED THE BIGGEST DAMAGE OF THE SHIP! HE CAN HOLD ON UNTIL OUR NEXT PORT OF CALL!"

"Fantastic," Hongjoong says before reaching out to Seonghwa, who stares at him from top to bottom. "Your new adventure begins, sailor."

Seonghwa did not smile, faced with this freedom offered on a silver platter. He still took the captain's dirty hand in his own, the warmth of his body spreading over his icy epidermis.

They advance in the direction of the boat, repaired at some corner, followed by the crew still skeptical of this decision made hastily without any consultation.

And once on the ship, they finally put to sea, in the company of a strange but fascinating recruit.

By nightfall, the crew had gathered on deck, discussing their next stop and their next goal. A goal that Hongjoong wants more than anything else to achieve.

"We could stop at the Aurora's island," Yeosang explains, pointing to a particular island on the map. The pirates surround him and listen to him carefully. "Time to have the boat repaired as soon as possible."

"But it would make us take a detour for nothing," Jongho added. "I suggest Wonderland's Island; it's one day from here."

"But the island of Jongho is known for its extreme poverty." Mingi intervenes, drawing the dark gaze of the youngest of the crew. "I don't think the locals will be able to fix the boat."

"Yeosang Island is very far away; the boat will not last to Aurora." This time it's Yunho who intervenes, making Jongho smile and Yeosang sigh. "Except if you want us to drown."

"Isn't there another island around?" Wooyoung asks, sipping a glass of rum.

"No, none."

"Captain. We have to make a decision."

Leaning against a wall, Hongjoong had listened to the whole discussion. But neither of the two islands attracts him; his mind only thinks about the thing he covets most on the oceans.

"No matter the island. I just want to find the treasure."

"Captain! In any case, we must bypass the mission to repair our boat!"

"Shut up, Wooyoung, before I rip your tongue out and feed it to the shark."

Wooyoung immediately fell silent, even positioning himself away from the group. Hongjoong smiled at his fear.

Smooth talking annoys him; rudeness drives him crazy. A captain had to be respected by his crew.

And damn, Hongjoong loved the power he held.

But one thing was missing.

This treasure coveted by all pirates, this perverse desire to seize it, this powerful power never found.

Hongjoong is already enjoying it.

"What treasure?"

All eyes turn to Seonghwa. Since the beginning of this improvised meeting, he had not uttered a single word in the conversation. No one could tell if he was happy to be there or if he was planning something bad in his pretty little head.

Hongjoong smiled even more; his voice was getting more and more colored, which made him so attractive.

"Seonghwa..." Hongjoong stares at the starry sky. "Have you ever heard of the fountain of youth?"

"The fountain of youth?" Seonghwa repeats, eyebrows furrowed.

"This fountain... It has a powerful power that I have coveted for a very long time." Hongjoong explains; his cheerful smile fades away little by little.

"What is this power?"

"Immortality."

Hongjoong moves away from the wall on which he was leaning, walking slowly on the damaged floor, under the eyes of his comrades who no longer dare to breathe.

"This power, this fountain, I've been searching for years. Death has never scared me, but knowing that one day I will grow old and stop looting treasures is inconceivable to me."

Seonghwa stares at the captain, who approaches him.

"Death never scared you?"

"I fuck death, darling."

The captain moves away from Seonghwa, regaining his previous place. A satisfied smile decorates his face.

Seonghwa did not expect such a surprising and unusual revelation at the same time.

Usually, pirates are thirsty for gold and silver.

But immortality was rather atypical and out of the ordinary.

"Hongjoong."

"Yes, darling?"

"Do you believe me if I told you that I know where the fountain of youth is?"

Hongjoong stood still for a few moments, so that Seonghwa almost thought he was broken.

The captain's eyes sweep across the entire silhouette of Seonghwa, standing, always this same emptiness present continuously. This shell devoid of sensation and emotion.

Hongjoong ignored whether Seonghwa was telling the truth; it was impossible to read his face and gestures. The way he said this sentence seemed to be true, or perhaps he was accustomed to deceiving anyone without scruple.

Seonghwa is still an unknown being, whose intentions and the reason for his solitude on the island remain as yet unknown.

"You don't believe me."

"No, Seonghwa, I absolutely don't believe you."

Trust is a precious thing that Hongjoong does not share with everyone. Of course, he saved him from a tragic fate, but that does not guarantee him safety and blind trust from the moment his feet landed on the ship's deck.

So no, he would never believe a stranger met a few hours ago who is adamant about knowing the location of the fountain of youth, despite its breathtaking beauty.

It was impossible; such a scenario does not exist.

"Wooyoung," Hongjoong called, turning on his heel toward his cabin. "Give Seonghwa a good meal."

"But captain-"

"That's an order, Wooyoung!"

Wooyoung bit his lower lip before muttering a simple 'yes, captain' almost inaudible.

"As for the others, set a course for Wonderland Island."

Then the captain of the ship suddenly enters his cabin, abandoning his crew, who are accustomed to this solitary behavior at such a late hour.

Seonghwa was not surprised either. He suspected that the captain did not believe him and that he had to earn his trust. It wasn't going to be easy, but he was up for the challenge.

Out of the corner of his eye, Wooyoung heads towards the kitchen. Seonghwa follows him just behind, his back straight, formal and confident. The sound of his steps is discreet; he had noticed the distance that Wooyoung tries to keep between them at all costs.

Arriving in the kitchen, Wooyoung is busy looking for food. The room is in total disorder, while a smell of mold hangs and attacks their nostrils.

"You're lucky," Wooyoung exclaims, staring at Seonghwa with an evil look. "There's still moldy bread and cheese left."

"Are you really going to make me eat mold?"

"I don't care what you feel here; I don't trust you." Wooyoung approaches Seonghwa, looking menacingly. "I don't know what your goal is, but I certainly won't let you manipulate my captain and my friends."

Wooyoung then rushes out of the kitchen, leaving Seonghwa standing in the middle of the room. A piece of green hard bread and cheese, of which a whole ecosystem inhabits this large piece in his hands: he had no appetite.

This young pirate had uttered his last sentence with such disdain and rancor. No one trusted him, and it was legitimate.

His mission is likely to get complicated.

The next day, the ship docked at the pier on Wonderland Island. The trip was not that extensive; it only required a single day of solo travel.

The crew left the ship, determined to visit this island, animated by a festive, rowdy atmosphere. Normal for an island controlled only by pirates.

Wooyoung and San are heading towards a bar, determined to get drunk until the early morning.

Yunho and Mingi opted for a poker night in charming company; it was a beautiful evening to win or lose all their currency.

As for Yeosang and Jongho, they opted for a simple ride, accompanied by a lively discussion about the boat's next navigation and the ongoing search for the fountain of youth.

Seonghwa watches carefully as the formed pairs leave. Since he came into their lives, no bond has been created between them. These pirates do not seek his friendship or even to know him at all. He spent the entire journey locked in the hold, counting again and again these same barrels of rum. Fortunately for him, the trip wasn't that long.

Wonderland Island is unknown to him; this island that seemed never to sleep carries his cheerful reputation well.

Gunshots are heard throughout the village, accompanied by laughter and cheerful cries. The dim lanterns did not illuminate the mud-strewn path, so Seonghwa could not see his own boots in the darkness.

"Seonghwa."

With the understanding of his first name, he turns around, discovering with surprise that he does not show...

"Captain."

Hongjoong moves toward him, his face imbued with a conquered joy.

"By a miracle, I managed to negotiate the repair of the boat with these workers," Hongjoong explains, as if he had found his beloved treasure. "We're leaving tomorrow."

Seonghwa only nodded, not knowing what to answer a happy captain. So happy you'd think he wasn't threatening on his own ship.

Seonghwa has already witnessed the cruelty without regard that Hongjoong inflicts on his own sailors during the short distance they have traveled.

"What do you say we go for a drink."

"I-I don't think-"

"That wasn't a request, darling."

And that's how Seonghwa ended up in this lively tavern, his ass sitting on an uncomfortable wooden chair at a table at the back of the room. The captain is sitting next to him, sipping large mouthfuls of fermented alcohol.

Seonghwa is not a fan of crowded and noisy places. He rather liked quiet and soothing places.

As the captain said so well, his presence here was not a request, but an order.

His hands held the glass of alcohol in front of him firmly; he dared not taste a drop of this drink. This behavior attracts the curiosity of the captain, for whom it was inconceivable that humans would hate such a delicious and strong alcohol in the mouth.

"Don't you drink?"

"I'm not thirsty."

Seonghwa thought he was entitled to an interrogation, but apparently his answer was enough for Hongjoong to stop asking questions.

The music continued to vibrate, a music that Seonghwa particularly appreciated and had not heard in ages.

"Good evening, handsome young men." A waitress dressed in a voluminous dress appeared in front of the two pirates. Her hand caressing Seonghwa's. "What way can I- Oh, you are frozen!"

Seonghwa immediately withdraws his hand, hiding it under the table. His empty eyes stare at the waitress, who is disconcerted by this strange behavior. Usually, no pirate can resist her enchanting charm.

"I'll get you some more rum," Hongjoong exclaims suddenly, cutting the tension that is starting to build up.

The waitress went away, cutting off the eye contact she had made with Seonghwa, who didn't move.

"Are you cold?" Hongjoong asks, observing the motionless body of his new recruit.

"No."

"Still, you're apparently frozen."

"I'm not cold."

Hongjoong stared at him for a few moments. The boy in front of him is out of the ordinary. He didn't like the cold atmosphere that gradually settled in, much less the silence that Seonghwa used as a shield.

"You tell me you know the location of the fountain of youth."

"Yes, I said that."

"But who says you weren't leading me into a trap?" Hongjoong approaches Seonghwa, placing one arm on the back of the chair just behind his head. "After all, we don't know each other."

"It's true, we don't know each other," Seonghwa replies, anchoring his gaze in that of the captain. "However, I have already seen the fountain of youth with my own eyes."

"It's impossible, the fountain is hidden somewhere in the ocean, no one has found it!"

"That's what everyone thinks, but believe me, I've seen it before."

It's impossible. Hongjoong is convinced that this man is trying to bamboozle him, manipulate him, exterminate him.

But on the other hand, it costs nothing to believe him and kill him if all this turns out to be a fabricated lie.

Hongjoong does not want to waste his time on hypotheses.

On the other hand, he did not want to waste his time searching for the fountain until his last breath.

He has desired it more than anything now, and he desires to taste immortality.

With his thumb, he caresses Seonghwa's cheek, pale and cold as the young woman has clearly stated previously. This gesture does not bring any movement in this man.

And as when they meet, no emotion is shown.

"You are free, captain, to believe me or not."

"And I am also free to kill or torture you if you were to lie to me."

"So you follow me to the fountain of youth?"

"I follow you, Park Seonghwa, to the fountain of youth."

Hongjoong places his hand on Seonghwa's thigh, gently caressing him without breaking eye contact.

Like a pact simply formed with words, where everyone's life is at stake.

The young woman returned to their table, dropping off a glass of alcohol, but neither paid attention, too obsessed by...

The empty gaze of one.

And the other's lively gaze.

Seonghwa spent the evening with the captain, listening to him talk about how the fountain of youth was important to him. Hongjoong has somehow confided his darkest secrets, as well as the most intimate ones, completely stuffed with his many glasses of rum.

Immortality would help him to sleep with young men as well as young women. Those were his words, used with all the lust he repressed. This power would also serve him to plunder the greatest treasures, without fear of reprisals, without fearing death.

After that evening spent listening to a captain in a drunken state, they returned to the ship almost repaired by the workers. There was no big change to be made, only simple and quick repairs. Hongjoong took great pleasure in offering an astronomical sum to the locals who repaired the boat.

When the rest of the crew arrived at dawn, they were all able to leave with a brand new boat.

That's how the evening on the island ended. It's all Seonghwa remembers.

Leaning on the railing of the boat, Seonghwa observes the horizon. The ocean gleams under the bright beams of the rising sun, the fresh sea wind caressing his long hair. He still thinks back to his discussion with Hongjoong.

He must take them to the fountain.

It was agreed, planned, and accepted.

Everything is going exactly as he had planned, like all the previous missions.

"Captain! You're not serious?!"

Seonghwa looks away from the ocean, turning around, witnessing a recurring scene since his arrival.

"Are you really not going to believe this stranger?!" Wooyoung screams, his face red with anger. "He's only been here since yesterday!"

This sharp cry manages to gather the entire crew on the deck. Seonghwa, however, remains in retreat, casually admiring the scene.

"What's going on?" Yeosang asks, lost.

"What's happening is that Hongjoong is ready to believe a stranger about the potential location of this damn fountain!" Wooyoung replies, beside himself.

"Captain, I'm joining Wooyoung on this one." Yunho steps in. "We can't trust him."

Hongjoong was listening to the complaints of his comrades. He had to admit it: it's a delicate situation for a very important mission. He understood their anxiety, their distrust of this man whose smile is rarer than a solar eclipse.

But he wasn't going to give up his chance to find the fountain of youth for some stupid and unimportant doubt.

"Seonghwa," Hongjoong called, ignoring the complaints of his pirates, to admire the slim and hollow figure of his new recruit.

"Yes, captain?"

"How long will it be before we reach the fountain of youth?"

"About three days, captain."

"So, in three days, if Seonghwa lied to me." Hongjoong turns around, looking this time at his crew. "I kill him in the worst way possible. Are you satisfied?"

Several looks were exchanged between the pirates, who did not know if it was satisfactory or if they should insist to the captain that he give up this power.

The choice is made quickly.

"Yes... We are satisfied." Mingi answers, avoiding the captain's cold look.

"Let's go get that fountain," San adds, almost hiding behind Jongho.

"Good." Hongjoong gave an enthusiastic smile before passing by his crew. "Seonghwa, come with me to my office."

Seonghwa saw the captain walk into his office. The way he had phrased that request sounded like an order to follow, or else risk getting whipped until dawn.

He moves forward with a hesitant step to the captain's office, head down, passing next to the members of the crew who do not hesitate to stare at him.

Seonghwa eventually enters the office; a sense of unease and discomfort forces him to stay on guard. The dark glances of his so-called comrades, still anchored in his mind, which led him to think that they were all in the same room with him, judging and despising him, like predators ready to kill him at every step he takes on this ship.

The captain's gaze does not change the situation; these piercing eyes, filled with malice and obsession, analyze him without any restraint.

"Forgive my comrades; they do not appreciate the novelty." The captain said, spreading an old map of the oceans on the entirety of his office, varnished and shining under a few started candles. "But when they see the fountain with their own eyes, they will believe you, and you will officially be part of the crew."

"So in three days, I will be part of the crew?"

"That's what I said."

Seonghwa nodded simply, while advancing towards the office, where Hongjoong carefully scrutinized every detail, each precise line, each island drawn on the map.

"Tell me where the treasure is."

In turn, Seonghwa analyzes the map, trying to answer his request with precision. He understood perfectly that Hongjoong was not a fool and stupid man, but a clever captain full of ambition.

He slides his finger on the thin and slightly torn paper, under the intense surveillance of Hongjoong, whose eyes refuse to blink for fear of losing the trajectory of his index finger.

Seonghwa ended up stopping his finger on a remote island. Hongjoong smirked broadly.

"Perfect."

The captain suddenly caresses Seonghwa's hand, the warmth of his skinned fingers caressing his skin, a contrast with the coldness of his epidermis.

But Hongjoong didn't care much about that snow-like temperature. He finally had the position of his treasure, this fountain that he was waiting to see with his own eyes after so many years of research and sacrifice.

"Thank you." Hongjoong grabs Seonghwa's hand, laying a light kiss on his venous back. "Thank you so much."

The captain continued to kiss his hand, like the apple of his eye. An intimate and gentle gesture, proving all the recognition and love one feels for a particular person. An affectionate gesture that is supposed to be shared with a partner until their last breath.

A gesture that deeply disgusts Seonghwa.

Hongjoong insisted on sailing the ship by himself, a rare behavior that happens every full moon, a gesture that strangely surprised his crew, not used to seeing him at the controls of the boat.

The red lines on his map draw lines of destiny that take him directly to his fatality. Hongjoong was following the route Seonghwa had given him the day before, which marked the beginning of his journey to his treasure.

Until immortality.

Standing in front of the rudder, he observed the horizon, peering at times at the map by his side. To say that he was not impatient would be an understatement; he is overexcited about it.

It was not a simple treasure, but the fulfillment of a whole life.

The fountain of youth is this coveted treasure. Hongjoong still remembers the exciting discussions with his father, late at night under the starry sky, imagining what he would do with this power, which to him sounds more like a legacy.

"For you, Dad."

Hongjoong notices further on the deck the straight silhouette of Seonghwa standing facing the ocean. His eyes linger on his frail body, like a magnet.

He had to admit it: Seonghwa had a body similar to that of a god. Palpable curves that he would like his fingers to take refuge in every day, a face certainly devoid of emotion but flooded with an exquisite beauty that no human being could match.

Yes, Park Seonghwa is a splendid being that we could admire for an entire day.

A beautiful find among all the treasures.

"Captain."

Hongjoong rolls his eyes, forcing himself to interrupt his contemplation to look at Choi Jongho this time.

"You have been at the helm for far too long," Jongho said. "Leave me the tiller."

"Do you dare give me an order?" Hongjoong raises an eyebrow, amazed by the youngest's surge of confidence.

"No! I would never dare to disrespect you!" Jongho quickly defended himself, slightly anxious. "I just want to do you a favor..."

"So do me a favor, Jongho." The captain stares at the horizon again. "Leave me alone."

Understanding that it was a one-way dialogue, Jongho decides to leave the captain alone, returning to his quarters alongside Yeosang.

Hongjoong, once again alone, could now admire Seonghwa longer.

But what was his disappointment when he no longer saw him.

"Fucking brat."

"You look angry, captain."

Upon hearing this angelic voice, a smile appeared on his face. He came back to himself as a blessing.

"Everything is fine, Seonghwa." The captain replies, satisfied. "Jongho just disturbed me."

"Yet he just offered to help you..."

"I see that you were present. Did you enjoy the show?"

Seonghwa said nothing; there was nothing to complain about. From the beginning, he had felt that insistent look on him. At first, it bothered him, but after a few minutes, he got used to the idea that no matter where he would be on this ship...

Hongjoong's eyes never leave him.

He wanted to confront him about it, because this constant observation, this oppressive surveillance, made him uncomfortable... But instead, Seonghwa just overheard the whole conversation between Hongjoong and Jongho despite his will.

It was not intentional. He was not the kind to listen at doors, to incline his ear. His curious mind has never been solicited, either now or even before. However, his mind refuses to let him go, to move away from this slightly intimate conversation, or at least this slight confrontation.

Jongho's frightened eyes have not gone unnoticed by Seonghwa, who must admit it to himself: seeing the youngest in a weak situation breaks his heart-this pirate who simply wanted to help his captain in an easy task.

The manner in which the captain uttered his sentences with almost lifeless dryness, this dissatisfaction at not getting what he wanted, this annoyance at being disturbed by a perverse and obsessive activity... This behavior of a bloody captain, who, even towards his own crew, would not hesitate to plant the first stab in their abdomen.

And that made Seonghwa sick.

"He just wanted to help you..." Seonghwa whispers, afraid of annoying the captain.

"Are you defending him? Yet, Jongho would be the first to kill you if the opportunity arose."

Seonghwa had already thought about this likely scenario, especially since his arrival on the ship. Obviously not yet official...

Or maybe he will never become a member of this crew.

"A captain must be respected by his crew," Hongjoong exclaims before taking a sip of his bottle of rum. His steadfast ally. "If you want to avoid a mutiny or even a betrayal."

"But you don't have to scare your crew to get respect."

"And I don't need advice from a sailor like you." Hongjoong retorts, raising his voice. "Take care of showing me the way to the fountain; that's all I ask you."

This discussion was not intended to make him angry or even to bother him. Seonghwa thought he could reason with him, but it was a complete failure.

However, he kept his upright posture and neutral face, gradually indicating the path that Hongjoong had to follow.

At the cost of his life.

The next day, Seonghwa wanders aimlessly on the ship, thinking over and over again about the conversation he had with Hongjoong.

He concludes, after much reflection, that Hongjoong is a captain like any other, who will one day taste redemption.

And Seonghwa will be there to see it, that's for sure.

Alone in the ship's corridors, Seonghwa walks around, taking time to admire the building and some corners that no one knows about. It is a rather damaged ship that could not withstand a future storm despite the repairs carried out. An old and brittle wood that leaves no doubt about its age.

He is not supposed to strut around and roam freely in every corner of the ship. Right now, he was only supposed to be next to the captain about that damn fountain.

Can't wait for this mission to end.

"I assure you, I can't stand him!"

Seonghwa stops for a moment, recognizing this voice.

"He came out of nowhere! And now we have to obey him in addition to the captain?!"

Seonghwa is not one to listen at the door, but oddly enough, this rule could be a hindrance again.

He approaches with a slow step to a half-open door, where light and voices are reflected in the corridor.

"The captain is so obsessed with the fountain that he has forgotten his distrust of it!" He recognized Yeosang's voice.

"Exactly!" This time, it's Wooyoung who is speaking again. "This man managed to fool Hongjoong, but he will never manage to manipulate us!"

"This fountain, I am convinced that this treasure does not exist." Yunho intervenes.

"But if it didn't exist, no one would talk about it." Jongho retorts.

"It doesn't matter if the fountain exists or not!" Wooyoung cries out. "I want to go back to our old life, without that man walking around like a ghost!"

"Mingi, you're very quiet all of a sudden."

"It's just that this man is really strange," Mingi exclaims immediately. "But he managed to catch our captain in his nets; I'm even sure they've had sex before."

The laughter of his comrades echoes in the small room, while Seonghwa feels his mind growing heavier. However, he shows no reaction, keeping this face closed forever. These men were not going to hurt him with simple accusations of low status, which do not even hurt him anymore.

The discussions break out again; it is at this precise moment that Seonghwa decides to leave this cursed corridor. The voices of these pirates continue to echo up to his eardrums, their dialogue drifting on how they were going to get rid of him, if ever the fountain really exists.

Arriving outside, Seonghwa is greeted by Hongjoong, whose smile never leaves him every time his eyes fall on him.

"Darling! I've been looking for you."

This nickname gives him chills all over his body.

"What's going on, captain?"

"I need you in my office about the map."

"Okay, captain."

Hongjoong moves forward first towards his office, Seonghwa next, just behind. This time, a feeling of unease overwhelms him all at once.

These words, these sentences, and this mistrust remain engraved in his memory and are repeated, like music learned by heart.

'I assure you, I can't stand him!'

'He came out of nowhere! And now we have to obey him in addition to the captain?!'

'This man managed to fool Hongjoong, but he will never succeed in manipulating us!'

'It doesn't matter if the fountain exists or not! I want to return to our previous life, without that man walking around like a ghost!'

'I'm even sure they've had sex before.'

Yes, he can't wait for the end of this mission.

It's the day before the big day.

Tomorrow afternoon, Seonghwa will take the entire crew to the fountain of youth.

For the first time in his life, he feels an intense anxiety that eats away at him from within. An oppressive stress that affects his organs to the point of causing unbearable pain.

All day, Hongjoong was just talking about the treasure he would finally get back, the power he would use, the freedom he would finally enjoy. It saddens Seonghwa to see such great joy in such a small, robust body for a mere futile treasure.

Currently leaning on the railing of the boat as usual, Seonghwa admires the starry sky as far as the eye can see. The ship's lanterns are off, which lets the visibility of the sky show its shimmering cover.

The nighttime skies have always been his escape, his refuge when he's not doing well or when his mind is too clouded with parasites. Like tonight.

The words of the pirates of the crew, this captain with a sticky behavior, these cruel orders, but at the same time worthy of a true captain...

This boat was starting to drive him crazy.

The mission was getting too big, and Seonghwa was happy to be able to end it tomorrow when they finally arrive at their destination.

Hongjoong and his crew are not ready for what they will discover.

"The sky is beautiful tonight."

Seonghwa jumps when he hears that voice, loyal to its owner.

"Captain."

"Can I join you?"

"I have no choice but to accept..."

Hongjoong chuckles, also leaning on the boat's railing while watching the sky. This captain had a habit of following him anywhere.

"You-you were very hard on Wooyoung earlier," Seonghwa exclaims, hesitant but eager to start a conversation to break the awkward silence. "Order him to clean the entire ship on his own. I don't think that's right."

"All he had to do was not spill his whole damn soup on my desk."

"But he didn't do it on purpose-"

"You defend him a lot for someone who is not even part of my crew."

Seonghwa was immediately silent, feeling the tone rise in the captain's voice. He chose the best option, silence.

It was not a cowardly decision, but rather an organized escape. He clearly understood the captain and his behavior; this discussion was lost in advance and, above all, did nothing to improve the situation. Hongjoong is this pirate who remains faithful to his authoritarian and cruel character. He won't change anytime soon.

"Seonghwa, I have a question that has been bothering me since we met."

That's it; it was finally the moment.

"What were you doing before you ended up on this island?"

The famous question.

"I-I don't remember much anymore," Seonghwa explains, his gaze plunged into the ocean, soothed. "I was part of a crew; I still remember their faces."

Hongjoong lets him speak, listening to him attentively.

"There was this captain, stern but endearing. I think I was his right-hand man, the man he trusted the most."

This information greatly surprises Hongjoong.

"I still remember the bright smile he gave me, the compliments he whispered in my ear, the battles we won together side by side."

Hongjoong couldn't help but crack a smile as he imagined the scene.

"But one evening, when I was sleeping peacefully." His voice began to tremble. "I had drunk, indeed drank a lot, I remember it-"

"Seonghwa, what happened?"

"His warm hands caressing my body, his hoarse voice whispering no more compliments but obscene things towards me..." Tears flooded his usually empty eyes. "Then I woke up, his muscular fingers squeezing my neck with a force that made it impossible for me to breathe."

"Seonghwa..."

"Then everything became blurred. I woke up standing in the room; my hand was gripping my pistol with a force that I always kept with me."

"And this man? What happened to him?"

"He died, just as he killed me that night."

Seonghwa doesn't know why his mouth lets him do it so much, why his mind keeps talking for him. He revealed so much in such a short time, so easily in front of a man whose past is not even confessed. The damage is done now.

"Oh Seonghwa... I'm terribly sorry."

"I don't remember much anymore, only this part of my story."

"I'm glad you survived." Hongjoong breathed a sigh of relief.

Seonghwa says nothing, keeping a deathly silence, while wiping the few tears that escaped his orbits.

"Tomorrow, when we find the fountain, you will stay with us forever."

Once again, Seonghwa says nothing, preferring to observe the ocean shining with the moon's rays, the only thing that interests him at this precise moment.

"See you tomorrow, darling, try to get a good rest."

Then the captain probably moves away to find his quarters. Seonghwa watches him for a moment until he no longer perceives his silhouette in his field of vision.

Tomorrow everything will finally be finished.

The wind was blowing hard, so hard that no one could move properly.

Seonghwa stood firmly at the ship's railing, surveying the horizon. They were no longer very far from the goal; he could feel it, the end was fast approaching.

"Seonghwa!" Hongjoong calls him from the rudder. "Are we there soon?!"

"Yes, captain! We're getting closer!"

Seonghwa could feel the dark eyes of other pirates burning his back. Like predators, they waited patiently in the half-light for him to make a simple mistake and jump on them.

It was unpleasant to be constantly watched, but Seonghwa learned to support them during this short journey.

A light rain came down on the ship, while the waves accentuated the tremors. Seonghwa was beginning to have enough of this old, damaged boat, where his boots almost sank into the wood with each step that brought him closer to his goal, which had proved annoying and painful compared to other times when his mission went smoothly.

Suddenly, footsteps approached him. A sound recognizable among thousands.

"Captain, aren't you in charge of the ship?" Seonghwa managed to guess, without even looking back.

"I left the helm to San." Hongjoong answers before giving a slight laugh. "I can't wait to finally possess the power of this fountain."

"You must be eager to realize your dream..."

"My biggest dream would be to kiss your lips right now."

Seonghwa closed his eyes for a moment, understanding this sentence full of meaning. This captain is quite pretentious to think such a thing in a situation close to death. Perhaps he felt himself growing wings from their intimate conversation the night before.

When he opened his eyes, Seonghwa saw a rocky reef in the distance. Those same rocks that he is used to seeing and which have not lost their hard, cold appearance at a glance. A storm thunders violently in the sky, making the ocean waves more violent and aggressive.

"Captain!" Wooyoung cries, his face plagued by worry mixed with fear. "A violent storm is brewing!"

To accompany his words, the boat began to capsize in all directions, under the pressure of the waves that were hitting against the moldy wood. A situation that they have already experienced before.

But Hongjoong didn't care about the storm.

"Stay on course for the fountain!" Hongjoong ordered, making his own crew even more worried.

"But captain! The boat won't hold!" Yunho shouted back, trying to reason with him.

Hongjoong does not listen to him, preferring to go to the rudder, where he violently pushes San from his post to take it by force. Under the indignant looks of his crew.

"I will not leave without my treasure."

"Hongjoong! Would you really rather sacrifice us all for some vulgar power that you're not even sure where it comes from?!" Mingi questions him, although he already knows their captain's answer.

The only answer was a broad smile from Hongjoong, turning the rudder so that the boat drifted toward the rocky reef.

The pirates around understood immediately.

Seonghwa, on the other hand, remains motionless on the deck. He watches the reef expand as larger waves fall on the ship. While the crew is working to keep this boat in good condition and stay alive until the end.

But Seonghwa knew that the shock would be violent.

Then a powerful jolt makes the ship vibrate, the hull rubbing against the rocks implanted in the ocean, tearing the little wood that protects and maintains the building. Blocked, Hongjoong could no longer move his own ship, which was gradually filled with water.

"SHIT! SHIT SHIT SHIT-!"

But no one had time to react when a huge wave engulfed the entire ship, taking the whole crew into the abyss of the ocean. The crew trying to struggle underwater, impossible for their mortal bodies to withstand the pressure of the ocean under the storm.

Only Hongjoong emerges almost unscathed, swimming and crawling almost desperately on the reef, his body drenched from head to toe.

He got back up determined; his power was within reach; his immortality was only on a thread of his destiny.

Then his gaze falls on Seonghwa, his body still dry and his face still devoid of emotion.

"Seonghwa! Did you survive?!" Hongjoong exclaims joyfully. "Where is the fountain?! Show it to me! My power-"

"You're so obsessed..."

Hongjoong fell silent at once, analyzing the expressions of Seonghwa, who was colder and more distant.

"What...?"

"You're so obsessed that you didn't even notice your entire crew drowned."

The captain remains motionless for a moment, observing around him. The storm was still raging on the ocean. His own ship was completely decimated by the wind, and no sign of Wooyoung, San, Yeosang, Jongho, Yunho, and Mingi nearby.

"I-I- The fountain-"

"There is no fountain, captain."

Upon hearing this, Hongjoong turned around, discovering with surprise the right body of Seonghwa right in front of him.

"There has never been a fountain of youth; treasure does not exist."

Hongjoong could not believe these words. The discussions with his father, the books on this treasure, the many excursions... It wasn't possible; the fountain exists somewhere.

"You-you lie!"

"And yet, it is the truth."

Hongjoong felt his heart beat irregularly. His lungs struggle to breathe the sea air, while his legs become numb and he struggles to maintain his own body weight.

Does this mean that Seonghwa fooled him all along? Did this fountain never exist? Is it just a legend?

He spent his entire life devoting himself to the search for this power, to covet immortality forever, to become the greatest pirate of the oceans.

His greatest dream was demolished by reality.

"Seonghwa... You really lied to me-"

He did not have time to finish his sentence, so Seonghwa's cold lips joined his mouth. In a gentle movement, which was meant to be reassuring. A light gesture that calms his previous panic, which gradually grows larger.

Hongjoong responds to his delicate kiss, moving his lips in a slow and graceful ballet. His eyes closed to appreciate the depth of this intimate moment.

Carried away by a frantic passion, Hongjoong holds the top of his partner with a strong grip, but one thing catches his attention.

He quickly detaches himself from Seonghwa, breathless, his eyes wide open while his body is taken by a strong trembling.

"Seonghwa..." Hongjoong whispers. "Your heart..."

Seonghwa decides to approach the captain.

"It doesn't beat..."

His feet stopped near Hongjoong, whose fear could be read on his pale face, as pale as the foam of the ocean.

"I know."

Without adding anything, Seonghwa pushes Hongjoong back, his feet hitting the few stones coming out of the reef, his body falling heavily into the raging sea.

Hongjoong struggles with all his strength, trying to reach the surface of his poor arms, where the blurred silhouette of Seonghwa still dwells on the reef, admiring him engulfed in the depths. But the water seemed too strong to even keep his body in balance.

After several minutes, Hongjoong decided to give up. He wouldn't be able to get back up; the storm made things very difficult; the current was far too strong to resist him.

His eyes close little by little; his lungs, drowned in salt water, are struggling to function.

His hat detaches from his head, freeing his blond-flamboyant hair, moving up towards the surface; at least part of him has managed to escape.

Hongjoong takes his last breath at the bottom of the water, surrounded by the bodies of his crew and the wreck of his destroyed boat.

Like the captain who never abandons his ship.

Seonghwa was no longer able to perceive either the body of the captain or that of anyone else at the bottom of the water.

The few air bubbles burst on the surface, confirming the death of this proud captain, but at the same time endearing at certain moments of his life. His mission ended successfully.

As usual.

He picks up the hat, which has been pulled up to the leather material, uniform and shiny under a few rays of the sun. A new memory of this unusual mission. Seonghwa slips the hat on his head, which still has the smell of his predecessor printed on it. It shouldn't be long before any trace of Hongjoong is erased.

With a snap of his fingers, Seonghwa teleports himself to the deserted island. The same island where Hongjoong and his crew found him, seeming lost and disoriented.

In the distance, near the shore, Seonghwa saw a pirate ship, ready to dock on this island.

His next victims.

He moves forward with a slow and calculated step towards the beach, where a group of pirates is piled on top of each other.

Noticing the strange man approaching them quickly, the captain points his gun at Seonghwa, who raises his arms towards the sky. No emotion shows on his face.

"Hey, you! Are you lost?"

"Yes... I'm lost."