Star Illusion | ATEEZ Pirate AU

Chapter 65 - Capture

That night I tossed and turned around in my small bed. My complicated love life occupied my thoughts and kept me awake almost the whole night. Same old stories replayed in my head. Hongjoong's assertion, San's iron-willed and Yeosang's kindness and my soft hearted. There could be only one outcome to solve the love triangle. Someone gotta get hurt. But my situation is different. No matter who I choose, the ending will only be filled with tears of departure.

Finally I got tired of overthinking and fell asleep.

Afterward, when the sound of the port quiet down and the town's sleeping, a cool touch on my cheek brought me back from the dreamless land. I ignore the sensation and continue sleeping but when I feel a puff of warm air blowing into my face, a wave of panic crashes onto me.

As soon as I open my eyes, I see a pair of fierce eyes staring right at me.

My heart drops to the ground, I let out a scream of terror but a hand clamps over my mouth.

Then my sight adjusts to the dim room that is lit up by a candle lamp on my nightstand, I can make out who the intruder is.

I yank his hand away and sit up, heart still hammering in my chest. "What the heck are you doing here!?"

The trespasser, who disregards my question on purpose, grabs my feet and begins wearing boots for me.

"What are you doing?" I try to retrieve my legs back but his rough hands don't let go. He stays quiet and focuses on tying my shoelaces.

"San." I call his name, hint of anger in my tone. Although I don't intend to be angry at my life savior, his stubbornness gets on my nerves. He invaded my space the whole afternoon. I was more than 100% sure that he faked sleeping because after sleeping for a while his arms somehow sneakily circle around my waist and I ended up becoming his body pillow. No matter how hard I poked his cheeks or tickled him or shouted into his ears, he only hugged me tighter. And when he finally woke up, instead of letting me go, he silently stared at me with the infamous smirk. It took a lot of willpower for me to shoo him away from my room.

And now, he dared interrupt my sleepless night.

The culprit raises his head after he finishes tying my boots, face blank as usual but his eyes gleaming brightly. "Let's go."

"Go where?" I ask doubtedly. In the middle of the night, where could he possibly take me to?

"To see Aurora."

Without waiting for my response, San grabs my hand and leads me into the eerily sight of the ship at night. I blindly trail closely behind him as I didn't have a chance to bring the lamp. So I can only depend on the man in front of me. Hopefully, he doesn't lie to me and bring me to somewhere else. It's quite doubtful why he suddenly offered his help when he actually refused to carry Aurora to the ship where we found her at the beach. I had to beg and beg and beg until he agreed because I said I would carry her myself.

We descend the stairs to the lower part of the ship and head toward direction where I spent my first night in the brig. The air is humid and slightly cool, the smell of salty water and something rotten foul the area. San's footsteps are light as a cat burglar while the floor creaks every step I take. I cringe every time I accidentally make loud noises.

Shortly after, San stops in front of a room. A single lamp installed at the passageway allows me to see a silver lock clasping on a doorknob. Even though I am relieved that Aurora didn't get locked up in the brig, this room is literally beside it. I can't help but curse at the pirates in my mind.