Water Heart | P.Sh

| 13 |

We reached the deck in silence, not exchanging another word, but Jiyeon had finally finished her rigging job the day after the storm, meaning she technically didn't have anything to do until anything needs to be fixed around on the ship. Which had caused me to have hope that we could do some girl bonding of any sort.

"Jungwon?" Jiyeon immediately questioned as she got up on deck and immediately caught the attention of the boy standing out at the front of the ship, beside Sunghoon.

Without Jiyeon saying another word Jungwon just rushed over with a worried frown on his face. Once I looked over I realized tears had begun streaming down Jiyeon's face, almost unprovoked.

"Let's go talk a bit," Jungwon offered as Jiyeon immediately threw her arms around his neck once he reached us, "come on... let's talk," he urged and moved her with him to the far back of the ship meanwhile I watched them go away in silence.

"What did you do?" Sunghoon frowned as he rushed up to me with a frown on his face, "why was she crying?"

"I don't know... she was fine when we left the dress room," I murmured as I watched how Jungwon sat Jiyeon down on the same box I had sat on my first evening, whispering something to her as her tears stopped rolling once again, "I just asked about why Jungwon was so mad about her doing that job she apparently has to do."

"That's not why..." Sunghoon shook his head and I looked at him funnily, "yeah yeah, however much she told you the story is terrible. But she's never cried about it... something else is bothering her. She never cries."

"How do you know? You can't stand the fact that she is on this ship," I pointed out, noticing how his arms had crossed themselves over his chest.

"Women cause bad luck on a ship, it's been like that always," he calmly shrugged, "doesn't mean that I hate her."

"You seem like it," I pointed out, "as far as I've experienced, you don't exactly seem to be fond of her. Just like the rest of the crew."

"The crew wishes for her to be dead," he reminded and I only nodded.

"It wouldn't surprise me if you were the same," I retorted and he sighed before just waving for me to follow along.

Very hesitantly I eventually followed after him to the front of the ship, watching as we broke through the soft waves of the water. Without a word Sunghoon leaned forward so that he could rest his arms on the railing, meanwhile I only leaned against it with my hip, watching him closely.

"The crew hates her," he corrected and I only hummed at him, "Jungwon loves her, obviously. Jay and I are fond of her," Sunghoon corrected, "Jay obviously is in a more obvious way."

"You don't say," I commented and he only snickered as I looked back out over the water.

"The incident Jiyeon has told you about was six months ago," Sunghoon revealed slowly as he fell silent and I looked back down at him, "I've been concerned for her ever since. More than I was already... I agree with you. What we make her do is cruel, but necessary."

"How do you know-" I started and he only snickered at me.

"Jay and I grew up by each other's side, you really expect him not to tell me?" he snickered in amusement as he glanced me up and down, "are you dumber than I thought?"

"Get to your point," I rolled my eyes and kicked his shin softly.

"Okay, okay," he laughed and straightened up and ran both hands through his hair. God it made him look terrible handsome, how I hated it, "it is cruel that we get her to do those things... but it never really dawned upon me before that night. Jungwon doesn't even know the whole story."

"What happened?" I frowned, beginning to think that Jiyeon hadn't told me all.

"I'm not even sure," Sunghoon admitted and shook his head as he frowned slightly, "I don't know what happened on the ship, but when I had to intervene her skirt was covered in blood and she was screaming and crying. It was the first time I ever saw her cry. Today is the second. I had to carry her all the way back to our ship, and sail out to it in our small row boat. She refused to let go of me as she kept crying. I don't know... she seemed like she was scared to let go of me. She begged me to help her once we were on the ship. I had to get her washed up, wash her skirt and other clothes, make sure there was no trace of blood and I could never speak of it to Jungwon."

"What part doesn't he know?" I questioned slowly.

"Almost everything," Sunghoon shrugged, "all he knows is that Jiyeon screamed at some point, but for what I know she just told him it was because Kitae hit her... we tried to get the map back then as well, which is why she'll have to do it again... you can't tell Jungwon any part of this story. He doesn't know how much blood she lost that night."

"Why would you then tell me?" I questioned and Sunghoon glanced at me before slowly smiling a self-satisfied smile, eventually bending down to hold his face so close to mine that I could feel his breathing fan my lips.

"Because... you have more to lose than gain if you tell that story," he reminded quietly as my breath had hitched in my throat, "besides... if you try to step out of line I could easily make sure we abandon you on some random island, and you sort of us need us to sail you back home, don't you?"

"Why do you hate me so much?" I questioned quietly as a frown grew on my face and he finally straightened up to look down at me in a belitteling way.

"I don't hate you. You just haven't done anything to earn my respect yet," he casually shrugged before snickering in amusement and casually wandering off across the deck, almost purposely getting in the way of some of the swabbies.