Son of the Pirate King

you and me together

10 years ago

San felt his stomach rumble, as it normally did around this time. He had done it again. He spent so much time staring out at the sky and had forgotten to come inside for dinner. He glared down at the single muffin he had stolen earlier and licked his lips. Then as usual, he snuck through the crack in the wall and tossed it into the orange basket sat on the other side. Normally, San would peek through and watch the hand reach down and grab it. San would smile and hope to had made Wooyoung's day, but instead he was approached face to face with Wooyoung, who stuck his face through the hole.

His black hair was messy and his eyes were wide. "I knew it." He said grasping the muffin. "I knew it was you leaving these here for me."

"Why don't you ever eat the food at breakfast. Why do you let them talk to you like that?" San sat criss crossed, making eye contact with the boy who seemed to immediately get shy.

"I lose my appetite with people are mean to me. I mean, who wouldn't." Wooyoung wiped his eyes as tears began to well up slowly.

"Why don't you just sit with me?"

Wooyoung shrugs, and unwraps the muffin, sniffling. "Your table is full."

"I'll just make them move." San scooted closer to the hole, smiling deeply. "I'd rather sit by you anyways."

Wooyoung smiled a little then pouted again.

Wooyoung reminded San of a brother he had never had. Maybe San did have a brother at one point, but he wouldn't have remembered it. San was given up at such a young age, and his story remained such a mystery. The other boys at San's table always tell stories about their families. They were lawyers, underage teens, so many different things that all impacted the decision of giving up their own child. San was sort of relieved that he didn't know his parents, but he did wish he did have some sort of story to tell. A lot of the kids made up stories about San's family, saying that they descended from wealth or were psycho killers who planned on raising San the same way before he got saved. San wouldn't consider being at an orphanage saved though. The smelly rugs and the angry faces. He'd much rather be living with nasty killers, because at least it'd give his life purpose. 

"I like you San," Wooyoung took a bite from his muffin, then handed it back. Normally San would decline the offer, but he found himself just as hungry. 

"Well I like you too." San rose an eyebrow. "You've only been here a year right?"

"Worse year of my life," Wooyoung sighed. "One day I'll escape this place."

"You really think so?" San leans forward, fascinated. "That you'd even be able to do that,"

"Well yeah, you can come with me too. I'll protect you," Wooyoung grins, confidently. Before San could respond, he was suddenly cut off by the angry woman, Gretchen. San tried not to disrespect Gretchen, for she was a nun and served the Lord. He hated her with every bit of hate he had in his body and didn't understand why the Lord would pick her to serve his word. Religion just made no sense to San.

"It is midnight, we have church and dance tomorrow. Why on earth are you up?" Sister Gretchen grasped Wooyoung by the shirt. San hated this part. He pulled his red shirt over his head to drown out the sharp slapping sound followed by Wooyoung's cry. San wanted to help, but the sound itself frightened him.

~

That morning Wooyoung seemed to have completely disregarded the conversation he had with San the night before, for he sat alone again being bullied by the kids around him. San only stared, and stuffed another muffin into his back pocket. He had felt guilty, for he didn't get the whipping. San watched Wooyoung's every move, curious as to how he responds to what the other kids say to him. This morning Wooyoung had a bring red bandana wrapped around his head. After a few minutes of analyzing him, breakfast had ended and the boys were to get on a bus to head to dance practice. 

On the wagon ride San decided to push his way next to Wooyoung, who had a cap over his head.

"Hey," San tapped on Wooyoung, and he removed his cap. San wondered why Wooyoung sat in silence, acting as if he were distracted. "I really like your headband, it makes you look like a pirate,"

"Oh, thanks," Wooyoung touched his head, and gave San an awkward smile in return. "You don't have to sit here if you don't want to,"

"Of course I want to," San smiled widely and squished in closer. "Are you a good dancer?"

"Contemporary dance isn't my thing. I wish they'd let us explore a bit more," Wooyoung avoided eye contact when he talked. "Or just explore in general."

San wanted to ask him if he was okay from the other night. He wondered if it hurt still and if he was mad at him for getting him in trouble. Instead he sat quiet and smiled awkwardly ever so often. 

Since that day, Wooyoung began to act a little different around San. San assumed that it had something to do with him, but then realized that he had been so selfish to think that way. Maybe Wooyoung was struggling with something personally and San was intruding on his own thoughts. San decided to leave Wooyoung alone the following week. He sat with his friends, and watched as Wooyoung sat alone. He continued this act until one day Wooyoung got yelled at in the middle of breakfast by Sister Gertrude.

"Take that wretched thing off for the last time! What are you a thug?" Siste Gretrude ripped the bandana from Wooyoung's head and slammed a ruler down on his fingers. As Wooyoung fleet to the windows to cry San began to follow him.

Before San could speak a word he noticed the giant red and black bruise atop Wooyoung's forehead. It was the size of a kiwi and made San feel nauseous just looking at it. 

"Holy crap that's brutal. Did that wench do that to you?"

Wooyoung began to cry and held his head. He explained to San that he had been attempting to knock memory out of his own head. He thought if he slammed his head hard enough against the wall every day he'd slowly begin to forget things. San was in shock at this response and immediately wrapped both his arms around Wooyoung, letting him cry into his shoulder.

"Listen Wooyoung," San wiped the tears off his cheek and forced his eyes on his own. "You listen right here to me." 

Wooyoung dove his head into San's shoulder and San ran his hands through his hair.

"Listen Wooyoung. From this day on you and I will try our best to make the best memories possible, you hear me? We'll make the best of his hellhole and one day we'll burn this place to ashes you hear me?"

Wooyoung looked up, his eyes full of tears. "You promise?"

"You and me together," San vowed.