"Captain, you're not human are you?" I asked.
"I was human once upon a time. Much like you guys. I mean you and Hongjoo, not Yeosang."
"How did you-"
"I know someone like me when I smell one. Why do you think I trusted you guys so easily? Seonghwa was totally against having you here. Understandable, he's human, he wouldn't felt weird because humans themselves take time to trust each other. I tend to trust people turned magic holders."
"You have magic too?" Hongjoo asked.
"No. I never did and I don't I even can."
"You said your blood was cursed. How so? I didn't detect any as such. Well I knew you were dangerous at first but a curse?" asked Yeosang not knowing this in the past 8 months on the ship.
"When I first set sail as a pirate I was actually way over 40."
"You look no older than 22." Hongjoo complimented him.
"Thank you. As I was saying, I was in my mid forties. My late husband-"
"You were married?" Hongjoo exclaimed.
"Shh! Let him speak." I shut her.
"He didn't know he had magic but he was learning the dark arts."
"Dark arts don't require magic?" I asked.
"Dark arts and dark magic are different. Dark arts deals with stuff like voodoo doll and giving verbal curses. Not swearing at someone but like giving a negative destiny. Dark arts also includes clairvoyance but not limited to manipulation of time. Dark arts includes stuff morally wrong. Dark magic deals with stuff that isn't morally wrong but needs a sacrifice. Dark magic doesn't allow non consensual sacrifice. If Gowon were to place the curse on her, she must've given up something, maybe hair, maybe blood anything actually, even money can act as a sacrifice. Suppose she wanted to place a curse on Hongjoo using Hongjoo's blood, she wouldn't succeed in placing the curse if Hongjoo doesn't want to sacrifice her blood." Yeosang explained.
I made and o shape with my lips and nodded my head in understanding. I then turned to Captain gesturing him to continue his story.
"He learned the dark to help certain clients. It was just a side business. I was a sea merchant but my trade wasn't enough to support the family which is why he had to resort to the dark arts. This was probably when I was like 34 or something. I got married late. Our neighbours were robbed by bandits so we decided to move to prevent us being the next target. I got to build a decent ship with connections I had through trade. On one of the stops we made we met Chuu from Loona. She made my husband realise that he had magic and could perform better to have a cleaner job and earn money. Finding which magic he held was a tough job. We ended up staying on that island for 4 years. My husband had the magic that could calm even the most dangerous of animals. Chuu suggested that he could get a job as a veterinarian. My husband then did a crash course on it and obtained a degree in 28 months. We started earning a decent income after he joined a clinic."
"That's a great change." Yeosang said trying to cheer him up.
"This happiness didn't last long. Well it wasn't completely our left but it wasn't hers either."
"Hers?" I asked.
"Ya, Chuu. A dark magician was killing all those who practiced dark arts. He came for my husband. He bewitched Chuu and I saw her make him a human puppet. I didn't realise she was bewitched and I almost killed Haseul because I sought revenge. I didn't think of how much she helped us. She was just being used as a puppet. Right now I don't know even know if she's still under his control. Since then she's hated everything and everyone associated with me because I almost killed Haseul."
"How is this related to you being cursed?" Hongjoo asked.
"The dark magician bewitched me too which is why I almost killed her. Haseul tried to save me but I couldn't stop. There was the fire of revenge in me back then. Chuu tried to help but the dark magician meddled in between and made things worse. Chuu might live forever in his influence and hates me now, Haseul can't use Dark Magic anymore and I had to live again from being reborn to now the 22 year old adult you see."
"I'm sorry."
"And about me having magic, no I don't but I know a curse when I see one. I do not have magic but I have a great physical prowess. I have a fast metabolism which sometimes slows down which means I can get drunk but it would hurt me internally. I need flesh to keep me alive. I don't hate vegetables as such but that nutrition isn't enough for my body sadly. Ever since my rebirth I had to cut down my vegetables because they weren't really useful to my body. I heal fast too which kinda cancels the other effect. You guys also heal fast I'm assuming."
"Yes, we're pretty much immortal."
"Just like me!" he gave a heavy laugh.
I gave him a soft hug. He needed one after he opened up. Hongjoo and Yeosang joined in and we had one big group hug. No one withdrew. Slowly tears formed on the corner of his eyes and he let his tears out. He held in a lot till, he deserved to finally let it out. Opening up really helps.
The next morning we cleaned up the to be useful rooms. The boatswain position was transferred to me to prevent sharing of resources. Hongjoo was confined in a room. She was to be isolated until magic circle was made. Seonghwa and Wooyoung took over my cooking duties. They didn't know about the curse though. I payed regular visits to Hongjoo to check if the curse was opened of closed and also give her food and water. She may be immortal but she still needed nutrition.
"Are curses complicated to lift?" I asked her.
"Seeing that Yeosang is a half angel I think not."
"Why is the magic circle taking so long?"
"Maybe because Yeosang wants it to be perfect." she answered. "Ah I should've been like you. Just eaten the food. Why did get drink so much."
"It's ok, it can't be helped now." I smiled. It was more important to find who was hunting us.
"Hey, I don't really like that way but there's this voice in my head that keeps telling me to kill you."
"Kill me?" What in the mood swing was the curse doing to her?
"I don't want to do anything wrong. What if there's side effects? What if-"
"Nothing will go wrong. We have an Angel on our side ok. Just calm down."
"I just-" she looked at the door and eventually looked back at me.
"Please don't mind anything I do right now." she spoke with a doubt in her voice.
"Is something wrong?" I concerningly asked.
She didn't open her mouth to speak. She gave me a small peck on the lips and sat in the position she was initially.
"Why are are covering your lips like that?" she chuckled.
"You know what, at this point I don't care. First Seonghwa then you. I seriously don't care anymore." I said.
"Why do you keep saying you don't care. I know you really care." she said placing small pecks on my neck.
"Okay, you got me there. I liked you before I came to know that you were my adopted sister or whatever."
"Figured it out. You were pretty obvious on our first meet."
"Hmm. Not a surprise but anyways, if I weren't related to you I would've definitely dated you."
"How are so unfazed by whatever I'm doing. I mean no offence but aren't you turned on or anything?"
"It's my first time for stuff like this so I don't know how to react. I mean I'm technically San so I might've kissed him a few times but it would be wrong of me to develop something unnecessary with you. I'm taken and he's pretty much my first boyfriend. I just became an adult a few months ago so everything is new to me."
"Then break up with San."
"No, I can't do that."
"I'm probably asking too much. The curse is playing with my head."
"You sure it's just a curse and not some incubus manifestation?"
"Not funny. You're so much better than the dude who treated me like a maid's daughter. I can see what San saw in you. I'm sure it's not San that's stopping you."
"Okay, Seonghwa likes you. I don't know if you like him. You seem to like me more than him and I feel like I'm stealing you from him." I said my true feelings. "The day I was his room mate he told me that he really like you but he thinks he's not ready yet because you don't seem to like him."
"What did you tell him?" she asked trying to unbutton my shirt but I didn't let her. I shouldn't let her. I don't want her to do something she'll regret. I got up and sat behind her. Her curse mark was open.
"Ah, not this again." I thought to myself. It was the fourth time today that it was open. I let her give me forehead kisses, soft ones on the cheek but this was the first time she went directly for the lips after the neck.
"I told him that you think of him as a brother." I answered her question.
"Good boy, let me reward you-"
"No thanks." I got up and walked away leaving her alone in the room. That was what the 'Minsoo' would've done right?
Captain's identity was revealed to the rest of the members. Yeosang also came clean. We told about our age and that we were immortal. We finally told about the mental reset but I didn't tell anyone that I was actually a girl.
Yeosang said that his human side didn't allow him to directly lift the curse which why the Captain's blood was taken in diluted quantities. He had to make sure his blood clot on the floor. If it wouldn't clot it would attract spirits, evil or good. The room was completely cleaned and evacuated. He then started applying the diluted blood to make the magic circle.
I modified her shirt to make it backless. She hugged me and thanked me for everything I had done for her. No one's gonna die, why was she being so dramatic?
"Hongjoo, step into the circle."
Yeosang chanted something and then the circle lit. It was soundless...... and painless. No screams no complex sacrificing. The light then stopped and the curse mark was gone.
"That's it?" I asked.
"Hmm that's it." he assured me.
The mark was gone. The curse was lifted. Now I go straight to the shower.
Coming to the ship I no more felt like a high schooler, I felt like an adult. So much changed. I missed being a child and playing around. Relationships are built on trust. I should at least let him now what happened between me and Hongjoo, or should I keep it to myself? What if she didn't want the news to spread? All she's done since the curse was lifted was sleep. She probably needed that rest. We did stay up late.
After a good session of shampooing my hair I put on my pyjamas and went to San's room. I decided to tell him about whatever happened under the influence. He didn't seem to be upset. He seemed more empathetic.
"It's understandable. I've had to do crazy things as a spy. At least you kept your limits. I'm proud of you but I'd like to let you know, you don't need to feel obliged to return my love."
"San, to be honest" I paused. "I don't know when my mental reset is gonna be. I'm scared that I might leave you without answers-"
"It's ok. I understand. There will be a time when we will have to go separate ways and when that day comes, don't think yourself as bound to me. Be free."
"Promise me you'll do the same."
"Pinky promise!" he said intertwining my not so little finger with his.