Star Illusion | ATEEZ Pirate AU

Chapter 29 - Gossip group

Who was the woman Hongjoong loved so much that he regarded her as his guardian?

Is she the author? Did he have a lover before becoming the pirate king?

There're million questions floating in my mind. And Hongjoong's flashback story didn't mention anything about that.

I hadn't pry for more explanation from him when I saw the surgeon storming onto the quarterdeck and dragged me back to my cabin. He scolded me for wandering around and warned me if I sneak out one more time he'll make the medicine more bitter.

How could that green terror taste more bitter? That would be a crime. I was devastated by the fact that Yeosang is scarier than Seonghwa.

So the next few days, I'm locked in the room in order to recover fast. And surprisingly, my left foot healed rapidly thanks to Yeosang's miraculous medical skill.

Mingi visited me one night but he refused to come into my room. So he stood outside while I leaned against my door frame, listening to the history of the Seakeeper. His story was a whole different fantasy story. So my conscious tell me that I should believe Hongjoong's story. But asking about Hongjoong's past lover isn't an easy task. People are gonna be suspicious for sure.

Mingi saw me bore to death so he invited me to join his little story-telling group. Later I found out it's a formal name for a gossip group. Because the ship is a close environment, there're few entertainment that the crew can enjoy and gossiping is one of them. I agreed cause I think joining a gossip group may get me some juicy stories.

Tonight the group gather in a small storage room. Around 10 people cram in the room, they consist of old to young pirates. We are sitting on the floor in a circle, only one lamp lit in the middle.

"Why is he here?" I whisper to Mingi who's sitting beside me. We both glance at the combatant leaning at the dark corner.

"I don't know, to tell his horror story?" Mingi jokingly says and we both let out a fit of giggles. Soft rocking of the ship, wooden floor creaking sound, eerily darkness, the atmosphere apparently perfect to tell ghost stories. 

I scan around the room and see the crew stare warily at San.

Suddenly, a figure intervenes between Mingi and me. Mingi growls, unwilling to move.

"I invited him." Wooyoung sits down as he successfully shoves Mingi away and he turns to wink at me.

"Whatever." I roll my eyes at him.

Mingi wants to shove Wooyoung back but the latter guy clears his throat drawing everyone's attention. "Mates, our master gunner is gonna start soon."

Mingi halts his action and can only glare at Wooyoung. Without wasting more than, he begins telling his epic story and the others take turns. But none of their stories are useful to my problem.

When they finish with the stories, one of them turns to ask me, "Aye seeress, you have the power to foresee the future. Can you tell mine too?" The others chorus, "Me too."

Mingi and Wooyoung also glance my way, eager to know their future.

My face twists at their request. I know this is coming one day.

Straightening up my back, I speak in a calm manner, "I'm not a fortune teller."

"Ain't that the same thing?" A voice asks and the others follow along.

I sigh and cuss at that person in my mind. They're putting me in a difficult situation.

Mingi, noticing an awkward smile on the seer's face, shouts at his crew, "Yah! Are you a bunch of idiots? Of course, they're different. Star is the seer, she sees important big events stuff, not your lame ass future."