the desolated kingdom || ateez

arc 1: episode six.

It was as if she was a candle-something very dangerous, but also very warm at the same time.

They just stood there, stiff and rigid with their faces ashen as an air of uncertainty and anxiousness enveloped them. A Navy Admiral is one of the strongest persons in the whole world, they were the Ace cards of the Navy, and they were completely unbeatable.

So what could these nameless pirates do in front of a former Navy Admiral? They were just a small group of pirates with no names for themselves and no bounty. They were just simply using a merchant ship they had just stole. They were just rookie pirates that had just gathered and started sailing over the seas with a dream to become the pirate kings that got betrayed by a member along the way, and now, on their fifth island, they got to meet a former Navy Admiral.

They wouldn't even dare to think that they could actually defeat and outrun the former Navy Admiral in front of them if she was to capture them now.

"You were an admiral!?"

The boys' daze was broken when they heard a voice, and they turned to Sujin who had just exclaimed. She looked like she didn't know about it too, and had just heard of the news today too.

Aunt Junghee gave Sujin a soft pat on her head. "I'm sorry for not telling you earlier, child. I told you, there will be right times for revelations, and I think that time is now."

Aunt Junghee quickly reached for the dagger that was hung on the wall, and threw it as it passed by Yunho's head, missing his ear by an inch, and finally it landed on the door with a loud thud, closing it along the way. The boys flinched at this unexpected action.

"Now I have no intention of hurting you guys nor meddling with your business." She turned to the seven pirates who were standing stiffly in front of her, sweat dripping from their pale faces. "I'm a former Navy Admiral right now, which means that I am in no position to capture you guys. It's not my job to capture pirates anymore."

She sat down on the seat by the dining table, and motioned the seven pirates to sit on the seats too. The seven pirates obliged silently, still frightened and anxious of the former Navy Admiral in front of them.

"I won't hurt you, I promise." Aunt Junghee laughed. "My job right now is to be Sujin's Aunt. You asked for her help, so that means I'm helping you too."

Hongjoong heard Yeosang heave a deep sigh of relief beside him, but the other members were still stiff and anxious.

"You will help us?" Hongjoong asked. "You, a Navy Admiral, will help us, a group of pirates?"

"Former Navy Admiral." Aunt Junghee corrected with a sigh, "I was more known as Junghee the Just back in my days, but that's the past now. I have retired from my job now, and all that matters to me is my family, and this kingdom."

"Junghee the Just," Yunho mumbled. "I think I heard that name before."

Aunt Junghee scoffed as if Yunho had just muttered a lame joke., "Of course you would. Only two women made it to being a Navy Admiral, and I was the first."

The boys widened their eyes for the nth time, their jaws dropping simultaneously. Even Sujin, the short haired niece of Aunt Junghee, had her mouth open too.

"Only two women!?" Sujin exclaimed.

"So you're her," Everyone turned to San who had just spoke. "You were the one that battled Fleet Admiral Junmyeon."

Sujin's eyes widened, "You battled a Fleet Admiral? But why?"

"Yeah, I have always wondered about that too." San asked as he leaned forward, placing his arms on the table to face Aunt Junghee, surprising his crewmates. One minute ago, he was cowering in fear after hearing the news about Aunt Junghee, but now he's suddenly equipped with so much confidence that he seemed like another person. He was suddenly so confident and straightforward, very unlike to the San five minutes ago.