The Seven Passengers (BTSxTitanic)

Chapter 32: Hoseok

 The iceberg looms over us all, casting a shadow over the ship until complete darkness has us in its grasp. People are frightened, but too stunned to move. The water's reflection on the ice sparkles and paints it a pale blue color against the moonlight. If it wasn't for the crisp, cold air and the threat of Kim Nam-Jung taking away Ji-woo, I would have forgotten what I was fighting for.

Then the workers came. All at once, servers, waiters, and officers rushed above deck. Their expressions are unmistakable: something's wrong.

"What is going on?" Kim Nam-Jung hisses. For a man of power, he surely is losing his cool exterior. His face is both annoyed and startled.

Jungkook, on the other hand, is quick to use the distraction to his advantage. He rushes to Seokjin and ushers me to take Ji-woo. In a low voice, he whispers, "Go while you can." When he sees my look of concern for him, he shakes his head. "You may not get another chance. Run."

I nod quickly and shift Ji-woo onto my hip when Seokjin stops me.

"Wait! She has—"

"SHE'S BEEN HIT!"

I recognize Victor's voice and stop cold. I'm torn between wanting to run from him and wanting to run to him. Nothing ordinary would warrant him to scream like that, disrupting all the guests. I consider asking what is wrong, despite the fact that he accused me of stealing from the Kim family.

Although my position right now doesn't exactly clear my alibi.

Victor's shoes are soaked to the sole. It's impressive how he hasn't slipped yet. I cannot ask him what's wrong because I'm being pushed by Jungkook to run.

I move forward, ducking my head down until I find a cluster of guests, third class. Obviously. I manage to blend in well enough when Ji-woo tugs at my collar. She whispers, "Mama."

In a shadowy corner near the back of the ship is where I spot her. Mom is dressed in her nightgown that reaches just below her shins, with her hair a wild mess. She's shivering, but when she sees me and Ji-woo, her shoulders relax. Mom extends her arms and pulls us close in a tight hug.

"Are you both okay? Are you hurt?" she gasps. "Do you know what's going on out there? I heard someone say that the Titanic hit something."

My stomach lurches. Was that what Victor was screaming about? How badly did it hit?

In my arms, Ji-woo digs into her white sock and grabs something bulky around her small hands. I can only see a fraction of something shiny before she gives it to Mom, smiling proudly. "I kept it safe."

I want to ask what she's holding, but Mom's expression has turned from relieved to horrified. Between her and Ji-woo, they couldn't be more opposite to each other.

"Sweetie," Mom says in a low, fearful tone, "give me what you're holding." She opens her hand, palm up. I'm surprised to see Ji-woo obey without hesitation, then I realize exactly what she is holding. The size tripled in her tiny hands. The color, a deep, dark blue with silver beads shaped like teardrops.

I have heard stories and plenty of rumors, though before this moment, I denied the existence of a jewel that could be worth more than thousands. The idea of a diamond appearing in this shriveled up world we live in today didn't seem feasible, nor did the rumor that a wealthy family had acquired the diamond.

But I'm proven wrong when Ji-woo holds up the Hope Diamond to Mom.

"How did you... Wait, that's from... Oh, God," I sputter. I'm close to just collapsing when Mom grabs my arm.

"Hobi, listen to me," she says sternly. I can't tell if the shock has passed her faster than me, but the discovery of a priceless diamond being in our possession doesn't seem to faze her. I watch as she takes the Hope Diamond and pockets it into her nightgown pocket. She notices my confused expression and I see tears in her eyes. "Nobody needs to know."

I almost drop Ji-woo.

This cannot be true. Maybe it's all a mistake. Mom is a good person, just as Dad always was. They are good people. They are good people who would never steal. They are good people who have children that would never steal.

"Look at me, Hobi," Mom says. I glance at her eyes. They are different from the soft, nurturing Mom I once knew. Instead, they are determined, and strong. "We came here for a new life, to start over. I never said I was going back to a poor life."

But why involve Ji-woo? I can only wonder what the Kim family would do if they found her stealing from them, and the images that flash through my mind are anything but pretty. The pit in my stomach drops more as I consider how long Mom has been planning this. Did she intend to cast me as a decoy while she committed crime after crime? How much money was really in her cabin?

Mom heaves a sigh. "I've disappointed you, I know, but did you honestly think that I would let you two grow up without a chance that both of you would have a say in your futures? Society will not allow anyone, however talented they are, past the gates of success without knowing how much worth is in their pocket. Am I really such a bad mother for giving to my children assistance when I have slaved my entire life trying to get the very same?" She holds the chain of the diamond, careful not to let the jewel be seen. "This is the ticket to cross the gates. All we have to do is wait, then the world is yours to explore."

The world is ours to explore.

If she wants the best for us, why risk losing everything by taking a shortcut? Money is earned, not stolen. Dad was the one who taught me that. He never told us to do good, he only showed us by doing it himself.

Since his death, I understood it was hard on Mom, but I assumed she was strong. It was only when Ji-woo wasn't in the room that she would vent to me, and I knew it was only a fraction of what has been built over the years. So when I left for work on the Titanic, I thought this was a good thing for her.

"You've never disappointed me," I finally say. "Your heart was in the right place... but I don't want to think of you as a criminal."

Mom nods. Before she can speak, another crowd flees upstairs. This time, there are more people. All of them trip over each other, more wet than the last person. It's like watching a human wheel spin out of control.

I'm careful to shield Ji-woo from the chaos, but Mom is not as lucky. She is bumped by a man running past, and she falls.

The Hope Diamond spills out her pocket, the jewel clattering to the floor.

"Mom!" I shout. I try to pull her up, but she refuses. Instead, she lunges for the jewel. "No!" I protest, but it's too late.

Mom is on the floor, looking up at the butler of the Kim family. His eyes flick from her to the diamond in her hand. Then he grabs her arm and hoists her up. She doesn't dare look back at Ji-woo and me.