Seonghwa could barely believe how simple it had been so far.

He had barely declared himself prince - and it was not even his own idea - but he was saved from any premature killings for now. The captain had left without another word, leaving his crew to tend to Seonghwa while he was busy. His aura lingered, having Seonghwa still weak in his legs.

Seonghwa's knees hurt and his head warned him not to get too comfortable, but, for now, he was alright. He had calmed his thoughts, and even if his stomachache had yet to even out, most of his nervosity had lowered to a simmer in his stomach.

It was the man with the dreadlocks who pulled Seonghwa to his feet again and dusted off Seonghwa's shoulders with an appreciative hum.

"Ye did jolly, Mingi. We can always score with a prince."

Seonghwa was still in a daze. His mind was clouded by a thick fog that made him forget everything he observed around this unfamiliar surrounding. His brain could not believe that he had landed here and tried to shroud him in sweet ignorance.

"Where to? I do nay reckon this one be a danger."

Of course not, Seonghwa could not hurt a fly. Still, he kept his head down and listened to the conversation attentively. It was the least he could do; he had not a chance against a full crew of savages. Only a crafty plan would get him out of this predicament.

"Take 'im with ye. Ye did jolly with Yeosang last time."

Mingi - the redhair - had to be in some high-ranking position to be ordering people around like that. He also looked smug when Seonghwa risked a gaze at him. Swift, he lowered his eyes anew. The pirates and their hungry stares made his toes curl.

"Aye. Come on, pretty prince, we shall discuss some rules." The man with the dreadlocks motioned him to follow, and Seonghwa meekly did as he was told. He still felt the heat of the captain on his face. How unbecoming.

"Name be Youjin. What do ye want to be called?" They crossed the deck to the very tip of the ship. Youjin greeted all the men they passed. There were few, just as Seonghwa had noticed earlier. This crew seemed fairly small compared to the fleets of over a hundred sailors he had heard about.

"Seonghwa, I'm Seonghwa."

"A pretty name. Fitting for its owner." It was not Youjin who complimented him, but one fellow Seonghwa had seen in the audience earlier. His features were fox-like, and the shape of his eyes lifted elegantly in the outer corners. His syllables lingered in their harmonies, adding an accent to his speech that gave away he wasn't from the area.

Just like the others, he was only scantily dressed in a white shirt with a V deep enough that the first ridges of his abdomen were to see. He had pushed up the sleeves, showing off muscular forearms and his broad upper body that tapered into a tiny waist. Seonghwa was pretty sure he could nearly enclose that waist with his hands.

The most curious thing about him was nothing of all that, though. It was his hair, the black locks that fell in sweet curls into his eyes, but they also had a distinct white streak to his left. It was thin, only three fingers thick, and it still captured Seonghwa's attention.

A snort came from Youjin's direction.

"Works e'ery darn time. Go run a rig somewhere else, loverboy." Youjin shooed the other pirate off, who just grinned, showing deep dimples on his face. Seonghwa thought he looked like a kind person.

The new man stepped in and lifted a hand to caress the angry scratches on Seonghwa's neck. Seonghwa stayed frozen deliberately, expecting a blow, but received concerned eyes instead. His cramped heart released its pressure as it called for him to ease the man's downtrodden look.

"How dare he damage such beauty? Our captain truly has no taste." By leaning closer, he stretched his slender form against Seonghwa. Seonghwa noticed the other's breath on his lips and reeled back a bit. For now, he remained careful.

What was he trying to do?

"Heave to, San. Ye would e'en take dancin' with Jack Ketch too literal now, would ye?" Another man joined them and hauled San away from Seonghwa like a lost kitten. Flustered, the blond looked out over the sea to hide his blush, while San cooed over him.

"I mean, if Jack's hot enough, aye." San coquettishly winked at the new man, some broad and angry-looking guy, who was able to wear his shirt closed. His glare was lethal, and Seonghwa could not grasp how San could withstand such fiery eyes.

"I was just trying to get a peck, I don't get to kiss pretty princelings every day."

"I can send ye to one right o'er there." Youjin yanked on Seonghwa's sleeve and led him further away. The other two stayed back, San with a disgusted sneer.

"Ew, he ain't that pretty, you know?" Laughter followed, and then they had left the strange pair behind. After a moment of Seonghwa sorting his thoughts, they arrived at the tip of the boat. Youjin dropped against the railing as if into an embrace and patted the corner of the figurehead that adorned the ship.

The wood shaped the sleek body of a mermaid, ready to plunge into the seas. Her form was old and roughened up but alluring to look at. She swayed with the gentle waves that rocked the ship, always coming ever so close to the water, but never uniting with it. Like two lovers that were not allowed to touch. Another mast protruded right above her and pointed out to the ocean.

"Welcome aboard the Precious. Ye be sailin' with ATEEZ from now on an' until Cap feeds ye to the fish." Youjin turned around with a smirk and nodded his chin towards the expanse of the deck.

"Ask me somethin'. I can spy them questions in yer pretty eyes."

Seonghwa did not even know where to start, even less how to ask things that did not offend anybody or blew his cover. He blinked owlishly. At least, he by now understood the man's odd intonations halfway. Only part of the crew did the nautical slang.

Youjin leaned back against the railing with another grin as he rambled by himself.

"Cap will be speakin' about yer stay with ye later. He be busy as we be speakin'. Our dear prince knows nothin' about ships now, does he? Ye would nay 'ave come aboard if ye did."

Seonghwa was embarrassed at the exposure. Shyly, he turned away his head to glance up at the billowing black sails that caught the angry winds and the lone figure with the tousled hair that stood lookout.

"No, I... I don't. My town is far from the sea. I never needed to learn about it."

"They still be underestimatin' pirates? We 'ave feet too, an' look at ye now. There will always be people gettin' lost at sea." Youjin crooked smile nearly seemed melancholic, his gaze content as he took in the view too. He did not seem too bothered by being underestimated. Rather, the advantage it gave them amused him.

"Ask, prettyboy. It may be too late fer that later."

"Then- This crew, how many people are there?"

"16, countin' ye. Six be the main crew. Nine be the rest like powder monkeys an' such. Also, Cap."

Whatever that term meant. Seonghwa spoke no pirate.

Seonghwa nodded pensively and counted the four masts and many sails to busy his eyes. His escape-busy mind didn't care about pirates and their interests.

"Then who is Jack Ketch? I did not get that jest earlier."

Youjin barked out a laugh as he waved at the man coming closer.

"Yer best friend, princeling. He be the hangin' lad." His smirk turned cruel again and while Seonghwa did still not understand the reference, he just nodded with big eyes.

"Somebody will teach ye in pirate speech. We need to disguise ye, so no other crew steals ye away." Youjin nodded at the man now joining them. At the stranger's entry, Youjin's eyes turned more serious. Seonghwa recognised the newcomer as the person who had sat on the stairs earlier, the one mistaking him as a prince. Seonghwa had all the reason to be thankful to him.

"May I lend him for a moment? You should ask captain meanwhile where he shall sleep." His voice was deep and soothing. It had an odd calm to it that clashed with the captain's previous fire. Seonghwa nervously wrung his hands.

Youjin went off without another word, leaving the two alone. Seonghwa stayed alert with the stranger, as acceptable as he seemed.

"You should come to find me one day if they let you live. I can get you home."

Seonghwa's heart missed a beat. The man's intelligent eyes stated his full intention of leading the pirates on. Nervous, Seonghwa glanced around, but everybody was too far to hear them.

"Why did you do that?"

A quiet chuckle came from the other as his lips lifted into a crooked grin.

"I thought maybe you deserved a chance at life. Don't mess it up. These men might be brutes, but they can become the best comrades one could wish for. Find me later." With that, he left to nod at Youjin, who just came back.

Seonghwa was lost and looked after the strange man confusedly for a moment. He did not even tell Seonghwa his name.

Youjin joined Seonghwa after he had thrown a wary glance at the other man.

"Who was that?"

"No idea. Friend o' Cap."

So he was not part of the crew. If he left soon, Seonghwa's sole possible way to flee might be gone. He had to get more information before that happened.

"C'mon I'll take ye to Yunho. He be yer new best friend 'ere. Get 'im to 'ate ye, an' ye'd 'ave signed yer own death warrant."

Seonghwa once more trailed Youjin. His sudden presence on the ship still perplexed him, and he was glad for the distraction. Awkwardly, he dodged the hurrying pirates. Since he still swayed with the ship, he still got in their way and received either violent threats or funny glances when he was not fast enough. Everybody seemed so busy, and Seonghwa was overwhelmed. He could not imagine living here at all. He felt as if caught in a trap by the sea with no way to leave and at its mercy. Maybe that was why pirates were just as savage and unpredictable as the ocean.

Youjin led him to what he called the galley. The kitchen, as Seonghwa would say. A tall man manoeuvred around inside and swung sharp knives as if they were toys at a nauseating speed. He took apart a massive fish that Seonghwa might not have been able to lift by himself.

Rancid fish blood covered him, but it didn't bother the man as he sliced and hacked away. He left the kitchen a mess that Seonghwa not only got stressed by, but that also tried to make him vomit again.

"Ahoy, chef."

Seonghwa flinched as a knife came down hard on the cutting board and some intestines found their way to the floor with a wet squelch. Seonghwa stood petrified as he stared at the piece of fish in blank horror.

"Yo, Youjin. Bringin' more grub?" The tall guy switched his eyes over to Seonghwa, who was as white as a sheet of paper, his eyes now glued to the bloody apron the other pirate wore.

The big man was dark-haired and built broad, carrying a menacing aura with him. It might have been the knives in both of his hands too, but Seonghwa was pretty sure he did not want to get too close to this one, either.

Seonghwa had never felt so small and weak before.

"Nah, this one be nay edible. He be our prince. The one Mingi brought."

"Ah, that one." The cook laid one knife down and approached them to reach out his bare and blood dripping hand towards Seonghwa. The stowaway about fainted on the spot and gawked at the limb in disgust. His body has never refused to touch something so violently before.

"I'm Yunho. This ship's cook. I hope you won't expect a palace level of meals here." He was threatening enough that Seonghwa reached out his hand, grimacing at the wet squish. Yunho seemed very satisfied as he pulled back after a squeeze.

Self-conscious, Seonghwa wiped his hand on his pants, glad that it was just a fish's blood, at least.

"Now, do nay be shy. He be the doctor too!"

Seonghwa blanched. Immediately, bile rose in his throat.

This guy for sure knew how to hack anything apart, and Youjin had been right when he said that Seonghwa should not get on his wrong side.

"Ye got some grub fer 'im? Poor lad been runnin' around all day."

Yunho nodded at some bowls of bread and dried meat that stood on a cramped table behind him. Then he immersed himself in slaughtering the poor fish on his wooden board once more. Youjin stepped into the room and through the puddle of blood that collected on the floor and seeped into the stained wood without hesitation. He fetched Seonghwa some food, considerate for now.

"Thanks. We'll be aft!"

"Bye." Seonghwa's croak was not heard as the knife stabbed into the wood. He shook all over when they left that dreadful room. He struggled to swallow what Youjin gave him, the taste ashen.

"Ye shall meet all o' the others soon, too. Now come. I shall show ye where ye be sleepin', an' then ye can take a caulk. Ye'll need it."

Seonghwa pondered his escape with more urgency.