It had been about a month since Seonghwa had come home, nearly the same time he had spent away. His mother and he had slipped back into their usual pattern without any hesitation. He went together with her to the market every Friday and even though the corners of his mouth were just a bit unsettlingly too wide and the flesh there scarred, the nice merchant ladies still told him how handsome he looked.

Seonghwa felt content at home. He had told his mother everything that had happened to him on his journey and they had cried together, her endlessly consoling him. He was starting to cope with these memories, however sometimes still feeling his heart start to beat faster when a person with a black hat crossed the roads.

Seonghwa found himself distracting that sad mind of his with work, tirelessly baking away and actually managing to lift their sales a bit. He used the pride of that as a distraction also.

He was not allowing his thoughts to stray somewhere while he was awake but they still got to his subconscious while he was sleeping. He dreamt then. He dreamt of the vast ocean, of turbulent waves and a swaying ground underneath his feet. He dreamt of a hot sun burning down at him, of only half closed shirts and cutlasses.

He dreamt of Kim Hongjoong.

The first time that happened he had accidently kicked his mother when his legs tried to mimick the ship's movements in his sleep. She had awoken him then and he had been crying confusedly. He did not know why and she did not comment on it, just pulling him close and letting him rest.

She did not ask about it and she did not wake him again. But sometimes he woke up with sad eyes and that seemed to tell her a lot than any amount of words ever could.

Seonghwa had to understand it somewhen. He did not know when exactly the thought ocurred to him but he was pretty sure the first time was when they were going back home on a Friday and he had been looking up at the stars.

They were still the same stars and the same sky. The same night Hongjoong was looking up to. Seonghwa was gripping at this realisation hard, imagining Hongjoong looking up at the sky and staring at it in wonder too when in reality he was probably busy already again playing with some women.

And it was only at that pang of jealousy, after a sharp stab in his heart that Seonghwa finally admitted it to himself.

He was madly in love with Hongjoong.

And after that everything seemed to turn for the worse.

He was slipping up constantly, his mind distracted by the pirate's grin or voice. By the fire in his eyes and every single word he had ever told Seonghwa that kept replaying in his head.

Seonghwa was turning sick with missing him and even though he was at home, had his life back and was happy, he did not feel at the right place anymore.

Or more like he felt something was missing, something that was too important to let go.

His mother noticed it and she covered up for him smoothly, reminding him of the sugar when he forgot it while baking, going out to feed Jimmy when his thoughts had strayed too far to notice. He grew more agitated by the day, oftenly not sleeping because the images his mind conjured seemed far too real, far too much for his poor heart to handle.

He was sitting outside on many nights, bundled up in his warmer clothes so the cool air would not get to him while he was staring up at the stars.

And then it was time for that sailor to come by.

They had not been notified of his arrival, he just stood in front of their door one day and Seonghwa opened it with flour in his hair, making the other man chuckle a bit.

"I see you're back, boy. It's good to know you safe." He had easily hugged him, not grossed out in the slightest by Seonghwa's dirtied form. He was wearing his uniform, white with blue decorations and his hat carried neatly under his arm. He looked so polished and orderly that Seonghwa did not question his true intentions regarding his mom again.

"I take it you are Yonghwan?"

"Aye, I am. It's nice to meet you in person, Seonghwa." They were smiling at each other while Seonghwa yelled after his mom, telling her he had arrived. They listened to something clutter and her make an embarrassed noise before laughing secretly.

By his looks Yonghwan was a bit younger than his mom but not by far. He was still upholding his body upright, not bent by the heavy load of life.

He looked trustworthy.

After Seonghwa had finished his work and his mom had cooked up some meal they were sitting together at their little table, eating while comfortably conversing with each other. Seonghwa's mom was glowing, going on and on about their daily boring life and Yonghwan was listening to her with an attentive smile, absolutely sucking it up.

Seonghwa was damn near to gagging but he refrained from doing so for the sake of their bond.

It was his fault they had grown so attached after all.

Seonghwa still felt wary of the naval officer. He had learned the navy to be the enemy and while that was certainly not true in his current occupation, he still felt himself tense more quickly in the other man's presence.

"Hwa, tell him who kidnapped you? Did you ever get a name? He might be able to find him for you." No talk about punishment. Nothing about revenge. She wanted to help his poor heartsick soul.

"Kim Hongjoong. His name is Kim Hongjoong." Seonghwa felt himself blush, lowering his head to busily stir his stew. Yonghwan however sucked in a harsh breath.

"The notorious pirate king? Not only that I'm deeply amazed you managed to escape but how did you even find him in the first place? We have been trying for years to get that man."

Seonghwa stared at him dumbly, really not having known anything at all about Hongjoong. He had been right in the lap of the pirate king and he had not known. He had made the pirate king weak for him.

What a life.

"Oh wait, maybe-" Yonghwan was searching through his pockets, patting his body down quickly before pulling out a convoluted sheet of paper. It was pretty and crisp and he was neat as he smoothed it out on the table.

"This man?"

Seonghwa took a quick look, finding Hongjoong staring at him fiercly from that sheet. It was his wanted poster, an official signature from the navy and also his bounty written down.

Seonghwa felt an excited shiver crawl down his back when he read instead of the usual 'dead or alive' a mere 'just dead'. They knew it was no use kidnapping Hongjoong. He would break free either way.

"His crew is the most dangerous one out there. Every single member has a bounty on their heads, even the most unimportant ones. They are the only crew who ever managed to do that."

Seonghwa was this close to telling that man that Seungmin and the other boys were not irrelevant but he stopped himself, meeting his mother's gaze.

She looked mightily amused, seeing right through him again and he bowed his head in shame.

"He recently formed an alliance with another crew. We don't know them yet and it's hard to get a grasp of either but we think they might become very dangerous pretty soon. Even if their strange looks were never reported in any crimes before.", Yonghwan continued, not noticing the way Seonghwa stared at that drawing intently. His heart seem to pull him right forward, as if wanting him to jump into the picture and it pained him.

"What do they look like?" It was his mother asking, politely keeping the conversation afloat and Yonghwan shook his head in a weird manner.

"We never saw their faces. They are wearing those black uniforms, with hats and face masks and everything and- Seonghwa are you alright?"

Seonghwa's head had shut down.

Those were them. That crew. Those shadows of theirs. Why, just why did Hongjoong ally with them? Was he not aware of their intentions? Did he not risk his life and those of his whole crew when doing this?

Seonghwa did not notice himself clutching the table tightly, his fingers white from straining against his skin and his lips set into a grim line.

"Seonghwa, dear, wake up. Everything will be alright."

He snapped out of it nearly violently, tearing his eyes away from his mother to look at Yonghwan instead. He must have looked wild, the eyes of the other man widening a bit.

"Can you take me somewhere on your next journey? Mom, I- I think I need to go. I'm sorry. But I'll be back! I promise! I'll be back as soon as possible!"

His mother just smiled gently, reaching over the table to softly take his hands in one of hers, squeezing gently.

"You came back once, you will come back again. Go do what you have to do."

"Where do you need to go?"

Yongguk. His best take would be Yongguk. But he had no idea where that even was. How would he describe that place?

How else could he find Hongjoong? Who had some-

Liv! He could try asking Liv! They said they visited her sometimes, right? Maybe he could go with them on their next visit! He had to go see Hongjoong, had to ensure his safety.

Also he needed to tell him his feelings before he went completely crazy.

"Some island... I think it was not far from here. There were many pirates but next to no navy. It was a city directly at the port, just like here."

"That sounds like that pirate's nest. Well it does make sense. I cannot get too close and I sure hope you have no pirate-y plans or else I have to capture you again not this nice. But I can certainly get you there."

Seonghwa was close to tears and he really wanted to hug that man right now but he refrained from it. There was no time for this.

He had to plan.

-

Seonghwa arrived in that town about two months after parting with Hongjoong and it already felt like forever since he did. He missed the man dearly and he sincerely hoped to not get too much of a bad reaction when he reappeared.

Hongjoong had let him go, had saved him from his probably bloodthirsty crew. Seonghwa was foolish to turn up again.

When Seonghwa arrived at the port he was wearing Hongjoong's clothes again. He had cleaned them and was wearing them like a pirate now, the dagger at his hip more for show because he could not actually use it.

The scars on his mouth and his determined eyes seemed to work on the people though. He was not approached as he weaved through the market, asking around where he could find Liv.

The woman was known around here, people easily showing him the way. Seonghwa was nervous, hoping she still recognized him, hoping she could help and also was willing to. She was not on best terms with Hongjoong after all. Maybe he could ask for Yunho instead?

When he arrived and had finally gathered the courage to knock it was Tikki who opened the door for him, looking up at him all smiley and starry-eyed.

"Hi! Ddeonghwa hi!", she recognised him with a big grin, Seonghwa's heart melting on the spot. He carefully crouched down to collect her into his arms, letting her nuzzle up into his face.

"Hey, baby. Have you seen your dad anywhere?"

She looked pensive for a moment, then quickly shaking her head.

"Dada miss? Ddeonghwa miss dada? I too miss dada." She looked a bit downtrodden, Seonghwa immediately hugging her close with a coo.

"Dada here! But no dada!"

"He is here?"

Tikki quickly shook her head, reaching with her little hands further into the house to show him where to go.

"No dada, no dada.", she chanted nervously and Seonghwa worriedly patted her back, turning around the corner to the kitchen.

And there, opposite of Liv sat a man clad in black, with a hat on the table in front of him. His icy eyes met Seonghwa's and a cruel smirk started to play around his lips.