Water Heart | P.Sh

| 2.30 |

Jake sighed as he placed the basket of mangoes down between the two of us. His hands immediately placed themselves on his hips as he looked at it. Pursing his lips before just smiling towards me.

"We're gonna use all of those, yeah?" Jake questioned and I glanced down into the basket. It wasn't like it was filled. Barely even half full.

"Is there more mangoes down in the food depot?" I questioned and he immediately nodded.

"Oh yeah... About two more baskets," he nodded, looking down into the one he had brought up himself, "do you think this is enough?"

"Plenty," I nodded, "what's that? About 12 mangoes. That's more than one whole mango per person. Should be enough, we'll have other things for dinner as well. Let's just get these peeled for now."

"Sure thing. Do you have a dagger yourself?" Jake immediately questioned and I quietly shook my head.

"Jay won't allow me," I chuckled and Jake immediately fished out a dagger from his belt, finding one for himself as well.

Jake had already grabbed a mango and peeled off one strip before I even had grabbed a mango for myself as well. It wasn't like it was the most exciting job to peel the mangoes, but at least it kept us busy for quite a while. Chatting back and forth every once in a while. Even without getting interrupted by Sunghoon, who had passed by us two times within the same thirty minutes. He only smiled widely any time I got eye contact with me, as if he didn't mind Jake and I talking together.

"Sunoo?" Lin's voice came from the food depot, as she stumbled up the stairs, easily regaining her balance once again.

"He's up in the Crow's Nest with Jiyeon. She needed help with some rigging," I excused and Lin seemed to turn her head over towards me, "what do you need him for?"

"It's so blurry," she whispered and I paused in the midst of my peeling of the mango in my hand. Jake seemed to pause as well, giving me an unsure look before he looked back up at Lin.

"What do you mean it's blurry...?" Jake hesitantly questioned and Lin's eyes flickered about despite her being turned towards us.

"Let's get Jiyeon to take a look, don't you think?" I softly questioned as I put down my mango and dagger beside Jake, "I'll be back in a moment," I murmured to Jake as I grabbed Lin's hand gently and carefully tugged her along with me.

I rushed over towards the mast and looked up in the Crow's Nest, Lin starring straight ahead with widened eyes. As each second passed she looked more and more panicked by how much she was struggling to see clearly.

"Jiyeon!" I called out and said girl immediately stuck her head out over the edge of the Crow's Nest, "you're needed down here!"

Jiyeon quickly nodded and turned back to probably tell Sunoo she was going. In a fast pace she was crawling down the rope ladder and soon stood in front of Lin and I. Hands in her sides as she glanced back and forth between us.

"So? What brings you to my company today?" Jiyeon smiled coyly, smile asymmetric as one side rose higher than the other.

"Lin's sight is worsened," I shortly explained and Jiyeon immediately raised her eyebrows and looked towards Lin.

"I'll take a look at it," Jiyeon assured softly and grabbed both Lin's hands to guide her towards a box she could sit on, "let's take a look at it, don't you think darling?"

I stood awkwardly to the side as Jiyeon checked Lin's eyes individually, making her look to the sides, up and down and roll them around. A small frown grew on Jiyeon's face as she continued to take a look.

"Tell me how blurry it is," Jiyeon urged as she stepped back and took a proper look at Lin as a whole.

"Everything falls together. I can only see all up close... you were clear when you checked my eyes. I don't know how close you actually are, but I can see you," Lin explained, gesturing with her hand to try and explain properly.

"And how do they feel?" Jiyeon questioned, "tickly? Stingy? How is it?"

"They itch a lot," Lin admitted and squinted her eyes towards Jiyeon, as if she tried to get her clearer. Getting the hint Jiyeon immediately stepped closer and gave her a small nod to continue on with the explanation, "I've been having a lot of sand in my eyes recently. It hurts when they itch now. I think I might be scratching my eye with all the sand."

"I see," Jiyeon hummed quietly, clearly in deep thought as she reached out and grabbed one of Lin's hands gently in hers, "I need you to remain calm, okay?"

"Yeah," Lin whispered with a small nod.

"With the amount of sand that's been in your eyes these days it gives me good reason to believe one thing... if you continue to scratch your eyes this much you'll be going blind soon. The moment the smallest drop of blood flows from the eye it's over with... you're not getting your sight back."

"But it's so itchy," Lin almost whimpered in horror.

"I know... I know... but the more you can refrain from scratching the longer you'll be able to see... at least just blurry," Jiyeon gently assured her, "keep that promise for me. Try and keep those hands out of your eyes, alright?"

"I'll try," Lin whispered, immediately sitting on top of her free hand, doing the same to the other as it slipped out of Jiyeon's grip.

"I'll give Sunoo some crystals he can put under your pillow tonight, see if it can help anything for tomorrow. But if nothing has improved tomorrow morning, I can't do anything else," Jiyeon admitted quietly before huffing and rushing off, kicking over an empty basket on her way, Jungwon immediately reacting from the helm, "useless! My help is needed and I can't do a thing!"

"Calm down Ji! You can't always be the hero," Jungwon reminded in a small yell.

"My help is needed and I can do absolutely nothing!" she yelled back up in frustration. Arms throwing up in the air as she just rushed down under the deck.

A small huff seemed to leave Jungwon's nostrils before he left Jay at the helm. His hands digging into the pockets of his pants.

"Don't think too much about it," he gently excused as he passed Lin and I, "she wants to help too much. It just frustrates her when she is unable to help the people who need it."

I nodded quietly and reached out to grab Lin's hand as I watched Jungwon follow in Jiyeon's tracks under the deck. It was awfully quiet on deck and not long lasted before Sunoo gently pushed me away from Lin and took my place, assuring Lin everything would be fine as he nodded for me to return to my job with Jake. Peeling mangoes for dinner.