Water Heart | P.Sh

| 35 |

I shivered, trying to crawl closer to the mast on the boat in hopes that it would concern me with more warmth. The cold wind and heavy rain we had been through earlier in the day still hung in the air, making it moist and icey whenever it blowed against my skin.

I sniffled quietly as I glanced up at the cuffs around my wrists, trying to pull on them yet again, hoping to at least loosen one of them enough for me to get a hand out. But it was all to no avail.

I could only listen quietly as the crew was called towards the helm by their captain, Youngho or whatever his name was. I don't really remember, and I didn't really care. In fact I don't even think he was aware who I was and I don't think he could care less either.

He began listing out a whole lot of names that had to go do one thing or the other, but all seemed like they had to go on land whenever we got there.

"Heeseung and Niki will be in charge of raiding mrs. Tanners hut for our key and map," the captain called out.

"Our hostage has the key," Jake's voice spoke up and I pulled my knees closer to my chest and leaned my head against the mast, knowing well that the key wasn't on me, but back on the Bloody Jack in some random drawer within Jay's chambers.

"Then they will look for the map and you'll need to find the key on her," the captain decided and Jake nodded quietly once I glanced over at him, "Swabbies will ensure we get a bridge spot when at land."

Immediately the crew split up once again and began rushing around to do different things. Barely even five minutes had passed from the captain giving orders until a pair of swabbies placed down the ramp towards the bridge.

I watched quietly as most of the crew rushed off the boat, including Xia and Emiko, but they were dressed normally, almost as if they were just gong to wander around town, and not to seduce some guy to steal from them.

I somehow longed after getting off the ship and wandering with them onto land, but when I tried to stand up, the cuffs around my wrists clinged against one another.

Before I knew it Jake had crouched down in front of me, glancing at my wrisst before letting out a small snort.

"Karma returns," he pointed out and nodded towards my wrists, while I just stared at him in dismay, "listen. I'm gonna give you a choice now," he pointed out and rubbed his chin quietly while glancing off, "I want to go and get a beer on land tonight. So you have the time, until I get back, to decide whether you'll just let me know where you hide the key. Which by far will be the easiest on you and on me. Or... you decide to just sit there and be mute, like you've been all day, and I will have to search you completely, got it?"

I didn't say anything, nor did I nod or shake my head. I just stared at him in silence. I guess I must've looked like a mad six-year-old, judging by how Jake only let out a small laugh at me and clapped his hands on his thighs to stand up yet again.

"You're in charge for what's gonna happen to you, remember that," he remarked before shoving his hands into his pockets and striding down the ramp of the boat, leaving me completely to myself.

Once I had decided I had waited long enough for Jake to walk off I immediately began tugging on the chains, pulling and ripping as if my life depended on it. My throat was hoarse from the exposure to the cold earlier in the day, and my breathing was getting all rigged and troublesome, causing me to give up much earlier than I had wanted to.

I ended up slumping forward and breathing heavily, exhausted and tired from what I had been trying to do. I could only lay and listen to the sounds in the distance through my heavy and hoarse breathing.

"Make sure to search the island," a voice spoke up as I heard footsteps down on the boat bridge, "the Flottante is here, which means we have good chances."

I slowly lifted my head in realization of whose voice it was. It was Jay. They might actually have listened to me when I agreed to go with the crew of the Flottante.

"Someone needs to check the ship," the only female voice spoke up, the only one that could belong to Jiyeon.

"They would be stupid to leave her on the ship alone," Jay's voice refused and I immediately tried to get closer to the railing to see the others and try to wave them over.

"No wait... I'm here... I'm here!" I tried calling out but it mostly sounded like a wheeze that escaped my throat as I could hear fast footsteps on the boat bridge, "please! I'm here!" I tried once again, but it was to no avail, my voice was closer to gone anyways.

"We'll find her, I'm sure," Jay's voice was quiet in the night after the footsteps had died down again.

"I was actually beginning to feel the curse lifting," another voice muttered calmly, and I tried to pull on the chains once again.

"Sunghoon," I called out in my wheeze, trying to make it louder.

"Don't do anything stupid, alright? Do not fight Jake, I am begging you," Jay reminded before I heard footsteps on the boat bridge once again, but I couldn't make out if it was just one or two people.

The night fell silent once again as I continued to try and get to the edge, almost laying down on deck to reach over and kick my feet out of the railing, but I was nowhere near the railing, at all.

Then, I'm not sure if I was just hallucinating, but I could've almost sworn that I heard a whisper through the night.

"Soomin?"