Water Heart | P.Sh

| 47 |

Jiyeon had been in charge of sailing us out of the grey fog once again, meanwhile I had been in charge of tying each crewman up and assuring they couldn't go anywhere. Yet, I had to admit that I wasn't the best at that job and a small handful of swabbies had ended up jumping down to their death under the waves by the sirens.

Jay had been the first one we untied, so that he could continue sailing his ship as we went around and helped the rest of the crew untie their restraints once again.

"I feel a bit sick," Sunghoon murmured as I worked on untying his wrists from the front railings, away from the rest of the crew.

"It'll pass soon," I murmured with a small hum as I pulled the rope off of his wrists.

He quietly massaged the sore skin around his wrists while I sat and rolled up the rope that had tied him down.

"What's wrong?" he carefully questioned and I glanced at him, "you're too quiet."

"The girl," I remarked and he hummed quietly, "from the island-"

"She is the one who cursed me," he confirmed before I actually got to voice out my thoughts, "you're right on that one."

"How much did you hurt her?" I questioned and glanced up from the rope.

Sunghoon sighed heavily through his nostrils as his lips pursed. His eyes focused on my hands working with the rope when he ran a hand through his hair.

"I don't want to tell you," he shook his head after having licked his lips with a thoughtful look on his face, "I'm scared you'll resent me if I tell you."

"I don't feel comfortable with not knowing," I commented and he sighed before looking out over the sea, eventually slowly nodding.

"Okay... I'll tell you," he nodded at me, pushing himself over to lean against the railing as I laid the rolled up rope in my lap, looking at him with quiet anticipation, "I met her some time ago, at a normal harbour we were at. We fooled around a bit, you know the whole ordeal, kissing and such," Sunghoon waved it off, "apparently I seem to have led her on, because when she started sailing around with us a bit she saw it as me committing to her completely. She wouldn't let me be and all those things. Then when I pointed out to her that I didn't see her as a lover and my feelings towards her were non-existent, she got... well... obviously she got mad," he explained with a small chuckle, "and she decided to throw the curse at me. I didn't know she was of a branch of witches."

"But she's dead," I pointed out and he nodded slowly.

"We sailed by an island at one point, and I got Jay to make a plan with me to abandon her on the island. I don't know how she died," he pointed out and finally looked at me once again, "why are you looking at me like that?" he frowned.

"Hm?" I hummed and touched my face carefully, not knowing what he meant with the way I looked at him.

"I can't figure out if it is sadness or fear," he excused and straightened up a bit more, leaning forward to inspect my face as I pulled my face away from him, "what is it?"

"One of you said the curse had come so far that you would be completely incapable of loving again," I reminded him and his eyebrows furrowed momentarily, "I'll end like her, won't I?"

"What?" he blurted out almost immediately before even realizing what I had said, "no... ah, no no no," he quickly shook his head, "the agreement I made with her was to change the curse so that I would be able to fall in love for this one week. You won't end like her, don't worry."

"What if you don't fall in love during this week?" I whispered and he smiled slightly.

"Well... then I guess my soul is doomed," he casually shrugged and leaned back again, "we won't abandon you at some random island, I swear," he assured and reached out to grab my hand softly.

"Your hand is cold," I commented and he chuckled.

"Everything about me is cold Soo," he reminded and I nodded quietly, "you won't end like her," he sternly spoke once again, noticing how I was still sitting stiffly, "you've shown much more care for me than she ever did, and haven't I done the same to you?"

"You have," I hummed quietly.

"Then trust me when I say I'll fall in love with you," he sternly reminded before turning my head up to look at him, "okay?"

"I'm just worried for you," I excused and he chuckled slightly before nodding approvingly.

"I can't blame you for that," he assured and leaned back once again, holding a loose grip on my hand as he carefully fiddled around with my fingers between his, "but it's fine. I don't mind dying by now."

"Uhm, I mind," I reminded him as I glanced him up and down and he finally let out a proper laugh, nodding at me in amusement.

"Fair enough," he excused, letting out a small sigh as he leaned back again and looked at me funnily, "you know... we should go for a swim in that lagoon as the first thing after this curse is over. I think that would be nice."

"Another lagoon, I think the other one might give me some bad flashbacks," I excused with a small laugh and he quietly nodded in agreement.

"As long as you go bathing in your chemise again," he excused and I gasped at him, "looked good on you."

"You pervert!" I exclaimed and smacked his shoulder as he began laughing once again, "you only wanna go swimming to see me in my chemise?"

"I'm kidding," he excused and tugged on my hand so that I fell over into his embrace as he carefully circled his arms around me, "but the way it clung to you looked good."

"You disgust me," I commented and rolled my eyes at him.

"I adore you too," he hummed and nonchalantly pressed a kiss to my forehead, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

At least he didn't see how my face flamed up immediately, I'm sure if he had I would've never heard the end of it again. 

"What are you doing?" I slowly questioned and he chuckled in amusement.

"Relax, I'm just trying to see what happens if I show some proper affection," he excused calmly, "you didn't think I just ignored Jiyeon and Jungwon at all times, did you? I know how physical affection works."

"Mhm, you do?" I questioned, my voice accidentally pitching for a second, only getting a small laugh from him, "and you don't mind everyone else being able to see this?"

"Not really, no," he calmly shook his head and glanced around, "actually... I'm pretty sure I don't care at all."

I glanced up at him, noticing his self-satisfied smile as he glanced around. I quietly let a smile spread on my face as I lowered my head again and carefully leaned it against his shoulder.