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5 years later
five years have already passed. the years seeming to have gone so quickly that when one is to reminisce of the things that have happened, they too would be baffled with the events that have occurred in that time frame.
imagine if we have to rewind everything, back from the very beginning to where all of this started, 8 or 9 years ago if my memory is correct?
a lot of things happened.
a lot has changed.
many people came and go.
but some stayed.
hongjoong and seonghwa returned back to the sea. sailing treasure with the whole pirate crew. yunho and mingi also joined them, the guard leaving his position in the palace to stay with his lover, no ounce of regret on his decision for he gets to spend the rest of his days with the love of his life.
they went on many adventures, many trips and trades and garnered many stories.
the four would regularly visit zeeta at least once or twice a month, having the palace as a second home to them. their hearts may be at the sea but they know that the people who were left at zeeta held it.
they were a family. the bond they have formed was something none could separate.
jongho was crowned king 4 years ago, gladly ruling over sagwa on his own with no queen. it didnt bother him that much because his family was there to guide and support him.
many have asked why the young king wished to maintain being a bachelor despite many wedding offerings from neighboring kingdoms.
jongho would just politely reject them, saying that his heart was not yet ready. no, he did not hold any grudges. he was happy to see that his princess was happy with wooyoung.
eventually, the two men had settled their differences and became friends.
yeosang was still residing at zeeta, still working as the palace's doctor and one and only wizard.
he considered the palace as his home, not even thinking of leaving anytime soon. knowing that the prince and princess was there.. he was happy to stay. they were his family.
san had been ruling zeeta greatly. the kingdom was prospering under his rule, like what his father had said.
the people were happy with him, the townsmen holding a regular event once a month to celebrate the royal family-- there would be dancing, a feast and many more festivities.
the zeeta occupants were more than happy to attend, being able to interact with their people in a much closer way.
san, after many years, has finally found a girl to pursue. they technically still weren't together but he would take time off his schedule to travel at least once a month to her kingdom. he has been doing this for almost a year now, and the more he does it, the more he falls for the princess.
her name was haneul, the youngest born princess of the kingdom of cheonsa. she was a pretty girl with the purest and nicest heart. her giggles could break through even the toughest of men and her smile could lighten up any gloomy day.
it was no wonder why the young king has fallen for her.
as for soojin and wooyoung. the past five years were a rollercoaster ride filled with happiness. everyday their love would grow stronger and up to this day, every kiss still felt like their first.
the couple's story was one they liked to tell and laugh at.. specifically laugh at the pirate turned prince.
seonghwa would always complain how he treated her at first then laugh at how problemed wooyoung was after getting that first tiny butterfly in his stomach.
then after embarrassing the poor boy, he would continue to coo at how soojin and wooyoung had 'the most problematic love story but its alright because they eventually ended up together'
anyway, today was a special day for them all, for it was the time of the year where they put all their work and worries aside and gather together.
jongho had even taken the hours long trip from sagwa to zeeta just for the gathering. the young king wouldn't miss this event for the world. it was one of the only times he got to be with them-- having to rule another kingdom and being busy, he wasnt able to always visit.
his heart longed for them to be together, because he too, found that those seven other boys and princess was his main source of happiness.
soojin had her hand intertwined with her husband's, eyes looking softly at the small child held by the latter's other hand.
the child wiggles out of the prince's hold, spotting a familiar man as her eyes sparkled in delight. she runs towards him, her tiny arms spread open wide.
"uncle yeosang!" she squeals, jumping onto the wizard's embrace.
the man laughed, carrying her as he plants a kiss on her forehead. the child giggles, holding his face and squishing it.
the king, who was walking beside the wizard, pouts. crossing his arms as he fakes a look of hurt for the child to see.
"im also here, yeonan... don't forget about uncle san" he utters, fake crying as he buries his face onto his palms. the child laughs, directing her arms towards the king.
yeosang passes her to san, the latter taking her gladly as a smile instantly appeared on his face.
"uncle san, i didn't forget about you!" she said, kissing him on the cheek "and you're not even really crying, so stop it. you look ugly"
she makes a face as san looks at her with disbelief. the couple soon joins them, laughing along with yeosang as san squints at them accusingly.
"who taught her that?" he said "yeonan's only 4 years old and you're already teaching her these things"
wooyoung points to the two culprits, who both raised their hands in defense.
soojin waves the topic off as san kept sending her daggers, the latter telling yeonan that he wasnt ugly and he indeed was the most handsome person in the whole land.
the child raised a confused brow "but uncle seonghwa said he was the most handsome person?"
this time, both wooyoung and san gasped "no, honey. dad's the most handsome person"
san shakes his head "no! its uncle san!"
"im her father, i should be the most handsome person" wooyoung retaliates.
the two continue to bicker, yeosang scooting away from them as he stands beside the princess. he nudges her a little, eyes still trained on the bickering men.
"i see three children" he tsked as yeonan shouts, grabbing her father's head and the king's head as the three of them got squished into a group hug.
"you're all handsome" she giggles, planting kisses in the two boys' cheeks.
soojin approaches them, a smile plastered on her face as she chuckles. she caresses her child's cheek before ruffling her raven hair "lets go greet your other uncles?"
the child nods excitedly as she jumps out of san's hold and connects her hand with her mother's.
the group goes to the royal port first, just in time as the familiar ship docks and four men climbs down.
seonghwa practically runs, yeonan copying his actions as the two meet halfway. the navigator picks her up and peppers her face with kisses.
the captain and the couple soon joins, greeting the bubbly girl with big smiles on their faces.
yeonan's eyes sparkled at the captain. his hair was newly dyed to a bright shade of red, making him easier to spot.
she points her tiny finger at him as she ruffles his hair, the captain letting the little girl do so even if he just finished styling it.
"im calling you uncle strawberry now!"
soojin and the rest catches up to them, the group circling around into a group hug "we're happy to see you all"
"likewise" yunho said, hand in hand with mingi who gives the princess and the rest the biggest smile.
a familiar bell sounded all over the palace, followed by a servant bowing down to the group "the carriage from sagwa has arrived"
san nods at the person as the group makes their way to the entrance, yeonan leading the way as she skips around.
when the tiny girl spots sagwa's ruler, she runs faster.
"you've grown so much!" the king squats down and engulfs the little girl in a tight hug, almost falling flat on his butt as the girl practically slams onto him.
"i missed you so much uncle jongho! you should visit us more often" she pouts, making the king chuckle.
jongho soon sees the approaching group as he takes the child's hand, meeting with them with a smile.
the two kings were the first to embrace, followed by soojin, the rest following suit. wooyoung gives him a tap on the back as he scrunches his face in a friendly way.
the group erupts into all sorts of conversations, making their way towards their secret spot. it was just outside the palace's vicinity, a couple of minutes away.
it was a small beach that yeosang and wooyoung found when they explored the town, finding the hidden paradise that no one except for them knows or visits.
they called it treasure cove, named after hongjoong's ship where they all first met.
it was a place that they promised to visit together once a year. a place where they just get to be happy with no worries and no responsibilities.
it was a place that held years worth of memories, spent together with the most important people in the world.
soojin stands at the very back, her feet sinking in the warm sand beneath her.
the sun was just about to kiss the horizon. the waves rolled into the shore gently and the waters glistened against the sunlight.
she sees yeonan running happily, her bare feet creating imprints on the sand as wooyoung, san and mingi constantly chased her around. the child's raven hair flowing against in the wind as she erupts into fits of laughter.
the rest of the boys were sitting on the sand, also watching them run around, they were conversing amongst themselves, laughing here and there. hongjoong had successfully built a bonfire to provide them warmth for the night, the flames crackling as the orange color consumes the firewood slowly.
soon the sitting boys stood, chasing yeonan as they whisper something to the little girl.
she smiles widely, coming near her mother and wrapping her hand around soojin's finger.
the princess snaps out of her daze as she looks at her daughter curiously. her feet started to unconsciously follow her, until the boys started pulling her rather harshly towards the water.
yeonan lets her finger go as she claps happily, soojin sending her child a look of betrayal.
soon her feet meets with the water and the boys started splashing water everywhere, engaging in a battle amongst them.
soojin laughs as the boys held big smiles on their faces.
after their little battle, they all settled down by the shore. yeonan squeezed herself into wooyoung's lap as they all sat on the sand, watching as the sun slowly dipped further down. painting the sky in an array of colors.
they all watched silently, letting themselves get captivated by the scenery.
soojin leans her head against her husband's shoulder before reaching to the side to hold yeonan's tiny hand. their daughter snuggles closer to wooyoung, burying her head into his chest as she started getting sleepy.
her heart felt warm.
she treasured these moments.. moments that permanently engrave itself into her mind and heart-- the laughter and smiles of the boys and her daughter.
she cherished them all.
even as the tides change and the sky falls. when the world around them keeps on moving; changing. she knows that everything is going to be alright.
because she has them.
my treasures.
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