Dinner arrives, Sana notices the obvious absence of the captain at the table. She observes the crewmates and notices that they seem unaffected by the captain's absence as if it were a common occurrence. There it came to her that indeed Jihyo's presence at the table is a thing the crewmates will never anticipate - it's natural.
"This cuisine can only be prepared on Aelia Village!" the woman tells them as she serves the seafood dishes and the large platter of roasted lobster. The crew cheers when Jeongyeon declares they should start eating. Jeongyeon assists both Tzuyu and Sana when they are getting their serving of the main dish, while Nayeon tells them a story about the dishes.
"I remember the last time I saw this big of a lobster when we visited Chaeyoung's hometown," she says. Dahyun nods in agreement, gesturing that she remembers it while she chews on her food. Mina also hums in response. They all turn to Chaeyoung who seems to have her thoughts floating around her when the crew gets to see her blank moment. When she feels that eyes are on her, Chaeyoung dismisses her thoughts and says, "yes. We even prepared the large boar meat."
Nayeon and Jeongyeon laugh at the memory. "Right, we remember Momo enjoyed it very much that she devoured one plate of it," Jeongyeon says, but her eyes are on the lobster she's been cutting for Tzuyu. They avert their attention to Momo who is also unresponsive to their remark.
"Momo?" Dahyun calls her name.
Momo blinks her eyes and raises an eyebrow, implying to repeat their question. "Don't you remember that time when you enjoyed the boar meat at Solaris Island?" Dahyun asks. They watch Momo as she thinks for a while. "Oh, yes! That time at Chaeyoung's hometown. I ate the boar meat. It was delicious! Yes, yes, yes!" Momo's words leave her mouth in a monotonous voice which the crewmates have noticed.
Nayeon is not oblivious for her not to realize that something is going on between Chaeyoung and Momo, but she does not open the topic in front of everyone, so she keeps it within herself. "Sana, where is the captain?" she changes the topic. Sana is surprised when the spotlight is transferred to hers. She simply shrugs her shoulders as a response. Jeongyeon sees her movement from her peripheral view, which makes her let out a low chuckle. "Here you go," she tells Tzuyu as she hands the lobster piece on her plate.
Dahyun furrows her eyebrows and folds her arms. She swallows the food inside her mouth and asks Sana a question, "but why don't you know? Weren't you with her the whole day?"
Sana parts her lips to speak and tell Dahyun what happened to them when Jeongyeon butts in and interrupts their conversation. "What do you expect from the captain?" she answers a question form.
Dahyun scoffs and looks away. She prepares a portion of food on her spoon as she states, "I thought Jihyo's change is constant this time, but I guess I was wrong, she still returns to her shell." Sana frowns. Jeongyeon laughs at Dahyun's statement and replies, "she's a turtle."
"I'm sorry."
They all shifted their attention to Sana. "Why are you apologizing?"
Instead of answering, Sana remains silent. Dahyun takes a deep sigh and holds out her hand. "Sana. if you're apologizing because you aren't able to change her, then don't. We also tried that, but amongst us all, you did the best," she says, her hands still reaching for Sana. Tzuyu agrees and speaks, "that's true. Neither Jeongyeon nor Nayeon, her closest friends, can change her." Sana stares at Dahyun's small pale hand while she listens to them.
"That's why I want her to find the crown as soon as possible and watch her live the rest of her life as a lonely queen," Dahyun says.
"Aren't you too cruel?" asks Nayeon.
Mina giggles and corrects the misconception of the older crewmate. "What Dahyun is telling us means that the key to leaving the lonely world is to change. She'll change while she proceeds with her reign," Mina elaborates for their understanding.
Sana is impressed with their words. The crew is wise and knowledgeable overall. They know how life functions. "Thank you for all your kind words.. but I think the captain might not be in a good mood right now because of me," she says, she couldn't seem to hold Dahyun's hand.
Dahyun breathes out and withdraws her hand. "We're used to it. Nothing to worry about."
The crewmates separate. Jeongyeon is assigned to bring Jihyo her dinner inside her tent. While no one is around, Sana walks to Jihyo's tent, hesitating to touch the mesh door to peek inside. She's afraid that the captain can see her and will get even mad when she sees Sana, so the lady doesn't mind checking on Jihyo and walks away from the tent. Meanwhile, inside the tent, Jihyo eyes the casted shadow outside. She watched every movement until it vanished. Just by watching the figure, Jihyo recognizes the shadow as Sana's.
Guilt suddenly washed over her. "Was I too harsh?" she asks herself.
"Get up, Jihyo, and eat your breakfast. I think the nurse will come and change your bandage later tonight," Jeongyeon barges inside her tent with a tray in hand. "You scared me," Jihyo says most calmly, her words not matching with her tone. Jeongyeon knits her eyebrows and chuckles at Jihyo's statement. "Scared? Scared, my foot. Just get up and eat. We don't want the captain getting sick," she tells the captain. Nonetheless, Jihyo complies.
The next morning, Sana exits her tent, searching for Tzuyu whom she sees walking around with planks of wood on her shoulders. "Why are you working early in the morning?" she asks the crewmate. Tzuyu hears her voice, and she shifts her body to her, still carrying the wood on her shoulders. "You're already awake. Good morning, wait for me inside. I'll just put this there, and we'll get going to the restaurant," Tzuyu tells her while rushing to the forest.
Sana furrows her eyebrows, completely aware that Tzuyu is running to the forest. "Why is she going there? She could have used the pathway to Nymph Lake," worriedly, her eyes follow the girl's figure until she's gone from her sight. Sana sighs and listens to Tzuyu's words and waits inside her tent.
While patiently waiting, Sana turns in the direction where Jihyo's tent is located. Thoughts run inside her head, her legs shaking and her foot pushing the ground nonstop. She bites on her fingernails while she thinks of a plan.
Soon, Tzuyu returns. Appearing behind the mesh door, she puts on a wide smile to greet Sana. "Tzuyu?" Sana asks, standing up. Tzuyu raises an eyebrow and replies, "yes?"
"Can I give Jihyo her breakfast for today?" with her hands behind her, she asks. "Sure, you can. Just tell Jeongyeon about it," the crewmate answers.
Jeongyeon gets teased by Nayeon about yesterday's fuss created by Momo. "She likes her, doesn't she?" Nayeon imitates Momo's words with a playful face on. Momo remains unresponsive and she always seems to be in a daze, thinking deeply about something.
Nayeon dismisses her play and authoritatively asks Momo to see her after their breakfast. By the time Nayeon resumes her teasing, Sana and Tzuyu are nearby, overhearing their conversation. "Tell me, Jeongyeon. Do you like Sana?"
"What are they talking about?" she murmurs with a giggle in the end.
Tzuyu glances at Sana who is walking beside her and smirks, a peal of laughter is being stifled.
"Of course not! That was obviously a joke. Maybe you do," Jeongyeon retaliates with a pout forming on her lips, pointing at Nayeon with her finger. Sana plays along with the crew and slips her arm around Jeongyeon's shoulder, at the same time sitting on the seat next to her. "Who amongst you likes me?" she asks with a tantalizing tone.
"Surely not me!" Jeongyeon defends herself and leans away from Sana. Sana goes from her alluring vibe back to her bubbly one as she inquires with them about her intention. "By the way, I would like to bring the captain her breakfast. Would that be okay?" she asks.
Nayeon puts a hand over her mouth and comments, "how can you be advancing to Jeongyeon when what seems to interest you is only the captain? Sana... I didn't know you have a coquettish side, huh."
"It's interesting. She seems to be very playful, but she can also gain such confidence. What a coy," Dahyun speaks up for the first time. Sana smiles at them and briefly turns to the other side when Tzuyu pulls the chair and takes the seat beside her.
"But to answer your question, I have already given her her breakfast this morning. She woke up in the middle of the night when her bandages were changed, and I overheard that you will be removing your casts by this night," Jeongyeon explains to Sana.
Though a little disappointed that she didn't get the chance to get the captain her breakfast today, Sana still nods, knowing for a fact that today is the day when the two of them will work together for the festival. Despite being unable to bring breakfast to the captain, she smiles with the view inside her head, but what worries her is the image of Jihyo not paying any heed to her. She sighs, embittered.
An hour before it's formally afternoon, Sana and the rest of the crew, including Jihyo, are walking down the trail to Nymph Lake. Sana leads the group as she walks beside Wan and Dahyun who are discussing the ship repair and renovation. The other girls are simply chattering behind them as Wan asks Sana about her condition.
"How are you feeling now? Are you all right?"
Sana beams and nods her head. "I am feeling better," she answers.
Wan bobs his head in recognition of her response before turning back to Dahyun about the day they'll be needing her for the engines. Sana notices the topic and asks them if she had to bring in the captain to join the conversation and excuse herself when she realized that the captain and she weren't on good terms as of now.
"We would be grateful," Wan says.
Sana glances at the people behind her. Her eyes meet with the captain's dark ones, causing her to look away in an instant and let out a deep sigh. Jeongyeon sees her and copies her movement to see Jihyo glaring at Sana's back figure as if she curses her to death. "Hey, they need you up there. Dahyun and the general are talking about Horizon," Jeongyeon says, nudging Jihyo's side.
Jihyo's eyes illuminate another atmosphere; to somewhat at ease, before she steps forward and catches up on the lead of the two crewmates and the general. Sana feels her presence behind her and decides to step back when Jihyo mistakes her action - thinking that she was falling back. Jihyo pulls out her arm and wraps it around Sana's waist, disabling the lady from stepping back.
Sana looks at her with an utterly surprised expression written all over her face. The captain processes the situation and sees the girl has her foot ready to step back. She withdraws her arms and apologizes to Sana before she takes her place next to Wan. They are lucky that nobody seems to see that awkward occurrence - but they were wrong. Nayeon witnessed and a mischievous smirk formed on her lips.
Nayeon pulls Sana to her side and naturally puts her arms around Sana and Chaeyoung who were walking beside her on each side. "So, Chaeyoung.. just keep close on your team and don't run away, alright?" she tells the younger crewmate. Chaeyoung awkwardly chuckles and puts her hands over her forehead to make it look like she's saluting the older crewmate.
"Be careful and good luck with your work today, Chaeyoung," Sana reminds Chaeyoung. The crewmate nods her head and says, "thanks, Sana. I'll surely do."
Tzuyu interrupts and walks up to the side of Chaeyoung to greet and wish her luck like she usually does. "Thanks, Tzu!"
"Right, Sana." Nayeon turns to Sana and pulls her closer, their heads touching.
"You'll start working today, right? Are you capable of handling such activities while being injured?" the scholar asks.
Sana reassures the older lady with a nod and clarifies herself, "I can, gratefully. I'm doing better compared to the captain, so I'll try my best to assist her." Jihyo overhears her - well, in fact, the only thing Jihyo is listening to is the conversation going on behind her, instead of indulging in the serious discussion she, Dahyun, and Wan are involved in.
She glances behind them and coldly states, "I can manage by myself. You can do your work, and I'll do mine."
Sana purses her lips together after letting out an "oh." Nayeon chortles and pushes Jihyo using the hand from which she used to grab Chaeyoung a while ago, resulting in Jihyo's injured leg's sudden collapse. Jihyo gets caught by both Wan and Sana.
"Look, you sometimes need help, Jihyo."
Sana can somehow already predict the whole crewmate. Nayeon is a direct person while Jihyo, on the other hand, is never a person who asks for help.
Jeongyeon slaps Nayeon's bum and scolds her for almost injuring the captain when she's already wounded in the first place. Nayeon scoffs and shrugs her shoulder while saying, "she thinks highly of herself to the point that she may even forget about us helping her throughout her journey. Unbelievable."
Jihyo turns to her with a glare, but she only received a smug face from the older crewmate, thus making her somehow irritated. Sana frowns when she hears Nayeon's statement and it pains her that with Jihyo's selfish attitude, she can indeed just erase the crewmates from her memory and start over again as a queen.
"I'm not like that," Jihyo strongly denies.
"Then so be it and act like you're not one," Nayeon snaps. The rest of the crewmates didn't know Nayeon's advice to Jihyo sounded like she's harshly reprimanding. All they know is that Jeongyeon and Nayeon would come to the captain's cabin to get a proper consultation about their next plan with the captain. Never did it come upon them on how these consultations would look like.
Jihyo is attacked by Nayeon's impactful words on her, but with her great defense, she can always make it look like she's correct. "I do it by how I want it to go," Jihyo replies, still being held by Wan and Sana.
"Why can't you listen to us and let differences help you?" Nayeon's voice starts to get louder than usual.
Sternly, Jihyo counters, "because with differences, I can't adapt and be myself."
"That's exactly the problem, Jihyo. Get out of your comfort zone and seek for change."
"Even with just me and my likings, I can change because it is constant."
"Change is constant until it's you, Jihyo."
Jihyo chuckles and dusts her pants. The whole fight is being witnessed by the rest of the crew, including Wan who is tasked to bring them to the lake safely.
"Is that so? Why only me? Am I that special?" Jihyo says, a smirk playing on her face. Nayeon spits out, "no, because you're not a person."
Jihyo never felt offended before. Such words; because you're not a person. She has the capacity to know that even everything that exists in the world still changes, but how come it has caused such a scar on her inner feelings?
Because she suddenly felt out of place, as if she doesn't belong in the Horizon anymore. She didn't care about these aspects before, but she always does now. The change within her is assumably caused by Sana's presence in the crew. Seeing someone new knowing better about the others more than she knows about her crew made her realize what she has been throughout the years - a self-enclosed, worried captain. She's been trying to change, but she always ends up being back to her old self, which she probably didn't want anymore.
After the commotion that happened on their way to Nymph Lake, Jihyo and Sana quietly settle underneath a fruit tree while they are patiently waiting for the chieftain. Sana is worried that Jihyo might even hate the chieftain for telling her the story of the captain. She speaks up on behalf of the chieftain.
"Ji– Captain, please don't hate chief Kaspian for last night's–"
"Don't mind it, I'm not angry at anyone," Jihyo interrupts Sana's apology. Sana's eyes widen. "You.. you mean?"
But after that one sentence from the captain, she never talks again. In this case, Sana forces herself to keep quiet despite having a lot to tell the captain.
The chieftain arrives in a few minutes and dictates to them the different tasks, they'll have to do. In honor of their presence at their festival, they, both Jihyo and Sana, are assigned to write the name of the lake on a signboard to be displayed in the entrance for a long time (until it's broken and becomes unreadable).
They receive a large plank of wood that will serve as the signboard, charcoals, hammer, and nails, saw, and a bountiful of stones. "You can request more decorations from your crew. The two girls, assigned to collect branches and stones, instinctively had collected even dried leaves and fresh flowers. They seem to enjoy what they're doing," the chieftain says.
This causes Jihyo to look away and stifle a chuckle but miserably fails as she grabs the attention of both the chieftain and Sana. Nevertheless, the chieftain proceeds with his instructions before leaving the two girls by themselves.
"I guess we should start?" Sana says.
Jihyo nods and takes the decorations with her. "Where are you taking them?" Sana says, noticing that she is walking away from their spot. "I'm doing it with the other girls. It's your choice if you'll come with me or stay," she replies.
Sana puckers her lips and shakes her head. "Okay. Just go ahead. I'm staying here," she says and looks away.
Jihyo, once again, feels different that she's the one being avoided or she's the one being whom Sana is closing her doors on. She disregards the feeling and walks away.
Sana starts her calligraphy writing on the thick plank using charcoal. The black trail of the charcoal creating writing on the blank wood. The wide plank is resting on the floor, while Sana crawls on it as she writes the name of the Nymph Lake.
It took her an hour to finish the plain handwritten sign and after having an overlook of it, she smiles in satisfaction.
Meanwhile, the other girls are fixing the area. Jihyo sits not far from them, knotting as she creates a design guided by Chaeyoung. Chaeyoung returns to them after Jihyo has gotten used to making the design herself, she immediately notices the absence of her dearest friend, Momo.
Nayeon and Mina are laughing while Dahyun and Tzuyu are climbing up the trees to put up the decorations crafted by Mina, Nayeon, and Chaeyoung themselves. Chaeyoung spots Jeongyeon on idle, so she approaches her and asks the whereabouts of Momo.
"Momo, where is she?" she pokes Jeongyeon who is, by that time, sitting on the grass, gazing far away. Jeongyeon dismisses her thoughts and stands up to talk to the younger crewmate. "She's out to get some logs with the help of the men," she answers.
"Logs? What for?"
Jeongyeon furrows her eyebrows. "So we.. don't do what I was just doing a while ago?"
Chaeyoung becomes even more confused with Jeongyeon's unclear answer. "What? What were you doing a while ago?" she asks.
"I was sitting on the ground. So with the logs, we can use it so we know where to sit on," Jeongyeon says.
"Oh, you're right."
Jeongyeon pats her shoulder and turns to Nayeon, "hey, still good?" Nayeon looks back at her and gestures a nod to give a positive response. "What does it mean? Why are you asking her?" Chaeyoung innocently inquires.
"Because you've noticed her mood has been better these days. She's always like that when we're still on the ship. But every time she has to consult the captain, every rejection and contradiction of the captain stresses her out. I have to ask and maybe talk about scientific and mathematical stuff to make her feel better," Jeongyeon explains.
Surprisingly, Nayeon butts in their conversation. Jeongyeon and Chaeyoung take a glimpse of Mina, whom Nayeon was talking to just a few seconds ago, and see her handing out extra materials to those in need of it.
"Hey, what's the matter with Jeong and asking me how was I?" a smug expression appears on Nayeon's face. Her hands find a way to Jeongyeon's shoulders. Chaeyoung giggles as she watches the older crewmates, while Jeongyeon makes a disgusted face and removes Nayeon's hands off her. "What do you mean? I have been concerned about you ever since," Jeongyeon reminds her, acting as displeased as ever, but she never was pestered by the older - she even finds her charming.
"I was just fooling around, you know that, Jeong." Nayeon rolls her eyes and folds her arms. It is their first time to see Nayeon taking Jeongyeon's teasing words seriously, so Jeongyeon furrows her eyebrows and questions her, "what's up with you and your jolly vibe all of a sudden?"
Nayeon jeers and peeps at Jeongyeon. "You don't know?"
Jeongyeon's eyes search for Chaeyoung, but upon locking eye contact with her, the younger crewmate seems to have no idea as well. "We don't. What's occurring to you?" she asks.
The scholar shifts her body and faces the two other crewmates. "Momo and I have reconciled. We made everything clear, and I have already apologized to her," she informs them. Chaeyoung blinks her eyes momentarily, and she is caught off guard when Nayeon brings her hands to touch and rest on her shoulder. It starts to shake and she hopes that the older crewmate doesn't feel the tremble.
"Something going on between the two of you?" she asks straightforwardly.
Chaeyoung knows what the older girl is trying to tell her, but she acts cool and innocent of her intention. Meanwhile, Jeongyeon wrinkles her forehead and finds it weird for Nayeon to ask such a random question. "Huh?" Chaeyoung utters.
"What are you talking about?" asks Jeongyeon. Chaeyoung sees the smirk playing on Nayeon's lips before the hand on her shoulder falls off. "Nothing. I just thought something was going on," she says before walking away.
Jeongyeon turns to Chaeyoung and asks her about it. "Do you know what she's trying to imply?" but Chaeyoung lies and shakes her head. "That was odd," adds Jeongyeon. Chaeyoung sighs and tells herself that she needs to change her awkward actions towards Momo.
At the same time, Jihyo finalizes the design. When she's satisfied, she stands up using the support of a nearby cut-off trunk. She stumbles on her way back to Sana who is also decorating the signboard with the oil of colorful flowers as if she's painting.
Jihyo sees Sana's work, including the handwriting of the lady. It still brings utter shock to Jihyo upon getting a glimpse of her handwriting. The penmanship looks exactly like her mother's. She remembers the day Sana traced the scripts on the scroll, but Jihyo also recalls that Sana claims that she just copied the writing on the scroll that somehow no one could view. "Is that your handwriting?" she speaks up, lightly startling Sana on the process.
"Captain, I didn't notice you there."
Jihyo stares at her for a while before she repeats her question. "This is my handwriting. I mean, you should have seen how I wrote this down so- wait. Why are you asking about it? Is there a problem? Did I spell it wrong?" Sana suddenly feels insecure about her work. She starts scrutinizing her creation and reads the sign. Jihyo shakes her head and grasps her wrist to grab her attention. Sana is frightened and accidentally drops the signboard when the captain firmly takes her wrist. "Nothing is wrong with it. But did you follow the handwriting from the map, or was it yours?" Jihyo asks in a pleading tone.
Sana furrows her eyebrows and tries to recollect whatever Jihyo is describing. "Oh. That time? It's pretty similar to my handwriting when writing in alphabetical, so it's pretty easy to copy," she answers casually. Jihyo stirs and gently pats Sana's hand before pulling away. "Why?" Sana asks, worried.
Jihyo looks troubled with the handwriting topic. "Sorry, you just remind me a lot of my mother." From there, they continued to work on the signboard and the main highlights of the festival the whole day until the sunset and the moon rose.