Horizon || ATEEZ

friend

Captain Hongjoong surveys you with stony eyes as you slip into the captain's cabin, your boots padding noiselessly against the decking of the floor. Mingi waits for you outside, having received express orders from the captain – who rarely gives out orders – to leave the two of you to talk alone. It makes you uneasy.

You clear your throat nervously, almost, and cross your arms behind your back – a habit of yours, thanks to your military roots. The captain's lip curls back in disgust.

"Greetings, Captain," you say curtly, unsure of what kind of tone to take. Hostile? Friendly? He had let you stay on his ship thus far. Maybe you should be saying thanks. Or maybe he's called you to let you know that they're going to chuck you off the ship in the middle of nowhere, and hope you make it back to land safely. Maybe not safely, knowing the captain's attitude towards you.

"Welcome," Captain Hongjoong says, his voice as flat and neutral as your voice had just been. He unfolds his arms, stops leaning on his desk, and motions for you to sit as he takes his own seat behind the desk.

"Why...why have you called me here?" you ask inquisitively as you take your seat.

"I heard from Mingi that you have something important about sirens to report to the King," the captain says, a wry, dead smile crossing his face. "'Important siren matters' were your exact words, I believe?"

Damnit, you think to yourself. Why had you told Mingi, whom you don't even know well enough to trust fully? The privilege of your trust only comes with years of companionship, and you pride yourself on this fact, but now you've just gone and blabbered to a pirate – of all people – about the singularly most significant thing in your life right now.

You sigh and pinch the spot between your eyes.

"Yes. Mingi told you correctly," you say with a huff, but carefully keeping your voice neutral, letting none of your panicked interior show. You've been trained well enough for this.

"Can you tell me, then?" Captain Hongjoong asks, his voice carefully pressured so that you almost squirm uncomfortably because of it. He inspects his dagger, as if he isn't subtly enforcing his authority (ironically) over you. He is the captain of this ship; you are but a mere crew member. A new addition, at that. You have nothing – no reputation, no power, nothing.

But despite that quiet insistence, your answer is already decided.

"No," you say decisively. "I'm sorry, but it's confidential – for the King's royal ears only."

"It's not like you're part of the Royal Army anymore," the captain says cuttingly, and you flinch. That hurts.

"My lips are sealed, Captain," you say, swallowing down your ego, raring for a fight in return for the scratch it has just received. "I'll prove my innocence soon enough, then the Royal Army Siren Hunter Association – and me – will deal with the matter."

All of a sudden, the captain slams his hands on the desk and flies out of his seat.

"You know what I hate about every single one of you military bastards?" the captain says, his calm voice flaring up and his levelled expression breaking out of all controlled boundaries as he glares at you. "It's the fact that you think that you're the main character, you're the only one who can solve whatever mess that's been created." He scoffs bitterly. "My father was like that, too." Captain Hongjoong's voice is icy, sharp as he spits out the word 'father' with disdain. "He was a high-ranking official in the Army, and he too insisted that he could handle it – believed his own authority would save our necks from the Royal siren hunters that came knocking at our door one day."