The lighthouse. Seonghwa needed to go to the lighthouse.

Seonghwa awoke on a beach of black sand. As he lifted his head groggily, some grains stubbornly stuck to his cheek and hair. The rushing of shallow waves nearby him reached his ears. It brushed his eardrums and the back of his mind to clear his befuddled thoughts. Lost, he looked around.

Right beneath his body, where he had rested just a few moments ago, laid some shells halfway buried in the sand. Both the waves lapping at the shoreline and Seonghwa's heavy body had shaped the grains to their will as the heavier and mightier beings. As if swallowed up by forces it couldn't resist, the shell barely peeked out of the cool bed. Its edges stretched towards the air as if it tried to breathe before getting drowned completely. With careful fingers, Seonghwa pulled the object free and shook the sand from it. Pearly white and accented by pink hues, the pretty souvenir rested in his palm.

A bunch of leaves and pieces of bamboo that Seonghwa couldn't quite place laid nearby. However, when he rose his head to look around, his eyes only skipped over large black boulders and rocky cliffs. As if the land had decided to create a wall between itself and Seonghwa's disoriented form, it allowed him to sit up and breathe on the beach, but not to come closer. An invisible wall kept him at bay.

Go back into the water; it seemed to whisper. Back where you came from. Did Seonghwa come from the water? He turned his head to check.

A stranded boat had kissed the sandbar to his right. The metal of the little hooker still looked new safe for the large leak that the hull had suffered. Water entered the ship effortlessly and tilted it as if the ocean planned to drown it in its deadly embrace. Every gentle brush of water licked on the exposed barnacles at the bottom.

Had Seonghwa come here with this? He couldn't remember. When he searched his head for a memory of his arrival, only echoing emptiness answered him.

"Am I... stranded?" As if it held the answers to his puzzlement, Seonghwa glanced at the shell. Unsuspecting, it rested in his hands. Seonghwa saw the scars on his arms from his pet long ago. Purrsephone had always been quick to announce her discontent with any mistakes in the schedule he executed when he picked her up. Not after dinner, never when his hands were wet. And got forbid if he had petted a dog before he tried. The long healed wounds on his left forearm were numerous, and the times she had slipped off there and clawed at him had left many silvery paintings in his skin. He brushed over the protruding lines fondly. In this time of uncertainty, he clung to the fond memory of his cat especially.

Some of his scratches were fresh, but he assumed those to be from his crash. Naturally, it seemed as if he had suffered wreckage, and the shock clouded his memories. The thoughts about his old and grumpy but oh so lovely cat at least soothed his puzzled brain.

Once more, Seonghwa looked out over the ocean. Stormy grey and light blue, the surface resembled the clouds, but its calm waves lulled him in the sense of security. For now, no danger came from the sea, but he should move from this place as soon as possible. The chilly winds from the ocean pulled on his hair and brought tears to his eyes that he blinked away strained. When he got to his feet, his hips were stiff, as if he had spent too much time lying in the sand. His cold and partly numb body responded cheerfully to the idea of movement. Movement meant warmth.

Shivering, Seonghwa rolled down his sleeves. He set the shell in his hand down next to a few others that had collected on a rock as if a whole family of crabs or snails had moved together there. The image made him smile as he started to walk along the shore. His feet sunk into the sand at his every step, and the distant call of seagulls mixed with the constant rush of the waves. The ambience was calm and soothing on his confused and tense nerves, despite the ominous clouds and harsh winds that pulled on his clothes.

Right, he knew the feeling of wind in his hair. His grandfather had taken him out to the sea countless times to go fishing together. Seonghwa remembered brilliant days, and the sun's glittering reflection on the azure blue water as the two of them hunted for dinner. On those precious weekends, Seonghwa had experienced life and learned more stories the old man recounted from his past than could be good for his young mind. Seonghwa knew many things about the sea, and islands, and survival. Wherever he had landed here, he would probably find his way around. And hopefully, his grandfather would be here, too. The wreckage likely brought him ashore not too far from Seonghwa.

Over the vast stretch of the ocean, Seonghwa also couldn't detect any other islands. The misty air made it difficult for him to see far, but he was positive that his grandfather had to be around here. He would check on his map where they were and fix the boat to bring them home safely.

In the distance, a lighthouse grew from the ground to reach for the grey skies. Instantly, Seonghwa's eyes fixed on it. The lights were off and indicated no life whatsoever. Still, it could mean shelter and possibly a signal spot for Seonghwa to get found. No doubt, if his grandfather saw it, he would go there, too. They should meet up.

Come. The lighthouse invited him. Come here.

Yet, Seonghwa forewent its safety, for now. He wanted to look around first. And the old bottle that laid in the sand just a few metres away from him caught his attention right away. With careful steps, he came closer. Wet sand and some snails stuck to the bottle as he uncorked it and shook the contents out into his hands. A rolled piece of paper that instantly unfolded when freed. The edges showed age, but the faded ink still carried enough strength for him to read.

I have been arguing with Wooyoung about how many actual days have passed since we ended up here. It seems that all of our hopes are drifting away like those bottles should do, but they always return to this island as if something is leading them back here.
If you are reading this, we need your help!

Seonghwa stared at the depressing message for a long while. Had it finally found its way off the island that those poor souls had been trapped on? Or was this very island the one that the bottles came from? He figured that the question would answer itself. If any survivors were nearby and stuck just like he was, then he could team up with them and search for a way out together. His grandfather would definitely be of help.

Still, Seonghwa rolled the yellowed paper up again and put it back into the bottle. He threw it out into the ocean, far, as far as he could. Then, he resumed his trek.

He went north, he believed. Towards the direction of the lighthouse that nearly lost itself in the fog in the distance. On foot, he might need a day to reach it, but he had all the time in the world.

As he wandered to understand his surroundings and find traces of others in the sand, the steep wall of rocks to his left gradually lightened. It soon gave way to the path uphill towards a forest. A forest meant life and animals. If Seonghwa grew hungry, he could go there to re-energise. For now, however, he didn't dare to venture off the simple trail he followed. He could always trace his steps back in the sand. Even if the forest didn't appear too big, he didn't want to lose his way between the palm trees. In case the lighthouse provided no shelter, or he needed food, he would visit the calm and vividly green trees.

Upon his next step, an object crunched beneath his feet. Careful not to destroy it, he halted to crouch down and stretch his fingers out for it.

A locket. Until a few days ago, it had hung from the neck of his grandfather. It carried the picture of him and his wife inside, and on the back of it, their initials had been engraved fifty years ago. PM and CY. Seonghwa remembered the story. They had married in the tiny church of their hometown that Seonghwa had been born in, too. Then, they had gone to Europe for their honeymoon, and a charming artist in Italy had made this for them. Both had worn it until the passing of his grandmother, and afterwards, it had become even more precious of a treasure for her husband.

Undoubtedly, his grandfather had landed here, too. And he was nearby. Seonghwa slipped the item into his pocket to carry until he could return it to its owner. A soothing warmth seemed to radiate off it and warmed the chest pocket of Seonghwa's vest.

Some greens grew between the unfriendly grounds stubbornly as if they had to defy the volcanic stone that encompassed them. Shells and the occasional feather from the nearby birds dotted the shore in an image so regular that Seonghwa didn't even know what to search for.

Another bottle rested stuck between two large boulders. Seonghwa pulled it free to read. Icy water touched his hands upon the contact, and he shivered in his jacket that was clearly too thin for this voyage.

We armed ourselves and walked along the shore. To our surprise, we came across other ships that had wrecked without any trance of survivors. It was like a graveyard for ships. Our compass goes mad anytime we try to set a course off the island. Our Captain says it's because of the volcanic dust. We think he's gone mad.

Concerned, Seonghwa threw this bottle out, too. Some survivors on a nearby island were around, even if they hadn't found a way off yet, possibly. But those bottles looked old. Some words even spelt the way that had gone out of use in the past twenty years. If they had been lucky, then those messages long since weren't needed anymore.

Seonghwa spotted an upturned boat up ahead. Its white and red paint flaked off everywhere as it stuck in the sand like a tooth. When he rounded it, his heart sunk at the sight of a skeleton.

People getting lost at sea wasn't unheard of. Storms and the hungry waves brought them far away from any friends or help all the time. Yet, as he viewed the bare bones with the tattered clothes still hanging off it in rags, deep sadness filled Seonghwa's heart. This man had disappeared on a misfortunate day and was probably long since forgotten by anybody who wasn't close with him. Seonghwa feared to suffer the same fate, but he sent a prayer to the skies for this man's soul. Hopefully, he had found his peace by now.

Seonghwa felt bad to pass him without further acknowledgement, but he wasn't new to bones near the ocean. The sea puked them up all the time, but nobody ever discovered its hoggish secrets. The seafloor was greedy and quite unwilling to let go of some of those it had taken against their will.

As Seonghwa dodged a rock formation, he was glad to leave the sight behind him. Even though he turned to look at the boat that had brought him here still. It laid as he had left it partly submerged and hanging on its side pitifully. Empty and ghostly.

He was glad to near the lighthouse gradually. It promised safety and warmth that surpassed the unfriendly and cold surroundings of the beach. All colours around Seonghwa seemed dull and cold, and not even the candles to his left that travelled alongside the boulders raised his mood. Usually, candles calmed and soothed his nerves, but by now, Seonghwa was scared and lost enough that not even their dancing flames filled him with glee. He passed a group of three of them, and they seemed to wave at him in greeting as he came upon another broken boat.

Just as the message in the bottle had said. A graveyard for ships.

This one was beyond broken. It was barely even recognisable as a ship by now. It laid in his path as if screaming for help, but he couldn't offer any. The shattered pieces of wood still left were beyond any repair skill.

Just as he wanted to pass, Seonghwa's eyes fell onto some scribbles on the cliff next to him. Some... letters, nothing that he was able to read. It also didn't look like Chinese or any other worldly language he had ever laid eyes upon. Above it hung the bones of an arm on a string. And below, another message written in paper form had gotten stuck strategically underneath a rock. Folded neatly so only the edges peeked out so nature wouldn't take it.

Slow and careful, Seonghwa knelt to retrieve it. This arm didn't belong to the skeleton he had just passed. With his jaw gritted, he read through the note.

I offered my right arm and spoke the correct words in his absence only pain accompanies me towards my demise. I was forced to leave the lighthouse, theres something wrong in all of us, only the slumbering god can save us now...

With a heavy sigh, Seonghwa let the note sink to stare at the human remains on the rock. They hung like a sacrifice. Another man gone mad. They were either different people with different writing styles, or the person had gradually lost their mind. Not even a call for their god had saved them, as it seemed, and Seonghwa's heart weighed heavy in his chest. What out here at sea, lonely and lost on some island, would offer solace if not a god? Fate was cruel for leaving this person to pass in agony.

Slowly as if he shouldn't disturb the poor soul that had found their end around here, Seonghwa put the note back to the orange candle. A bowl and two broken clay vessels formed a little shrine underneath the scripture. Once more, Seonghwa leaned in to try and make it out. The scribbles along the stones were unclear and barely readable to his eyes. R'lyeh. Wgah. Nad? They looked like mindless gibberish to him, as if an infant had attempted to spell. What else to expect of a man gone mad? He prayed that he wouldn't acquire the same betrayal. But whom to pray to if not even the gods directed their eyes at this spot of the world? Tucked away in the fog, it evaded their notice.

With heavy steps, Seonghwa trudged along. The path through the rocks he took led him up the hill and further from the sombre waters. He spotted a bird's nest on one of the massive stones and forced a little smile at the sign of life. At least the birds on this island lived without worries. Were they the key to get off here? Following them once they left? Birds were better than humans and their broken compasses in those moments. They knew where to go to find life and survive.

Some more meek vegetation but fewer shells accompanied Seonghwa on his way up. The candles used for the sacrifice down at the cliff also disappeared as if they had never existed. When Seonghwa glanced over his shoulder, he wasn't even sure that the part of the shore behind him was the same he had just walked. He was confused and helpless. None of his surroundings was familiar to him. Only the lighthouse was his goal.

As he walked along the black sand that slipped and crunched underneath his shoes, Seonghwa tried to think happy thoughts to cheer himself up. Of his home, his cat, and his grandfather. As much as he wanted to meet him here and find a way to leave together, he feared to see him sadden at the sight of the lost souls of this island just the same. No salvation would be on time for them, and Seonghwa, as well as his grandfather, regretted their untimely deaths all the same.

No time seemed to pass as Seonghwa wandered over the island. If the sun had shone, he would have been able to tell how long he walked. When he started, he had been so sure that the lighthouse was far, but the day seemed to go on still even when he trudged up the hill on hurting feet. The icy wind brushed his cheeks with cold kisses as he rose his eyes to look at the building. His hair flew into his face to tickle and taunt him, but he pushed it away without a bother.

The lower wall of the tower was supported by large round stones that held it rooted on the ground firmly. A wooden staircase rose the door of the same material a few steps off the ground before making way to the white fortress. It had oval-shaped windows, not the prettiest, but they did their job. And a balcony looked out over the lands before the building topped off with a platform that held the bright light that currently remained turned off. At least here, Seonghwa hoped to find a clue or signal of sorts where he had to go and in what direction he could expect help. A vantage point would help him re-orientate himself.

As he followed along the path leading up to it, little sticks lined the way as if they wanted to tell him where he had to travel. They were clearly human-made, but how long had they been here? The previous message stated that the person had come to the lighthouse before, so maybe they had been the one to create the path and decorate it as it was.

As he approached, Seonghwa detected more signs of life. Fisher nets hung from wooden beams that grew from the ground. A pile of driftwood collected near a corner. And next to the lighthouse was a wooden door in the ground that probably led to a basement. Everything here told a story about human traces. Even the few more candles that stood near the entrance. Now, if only Seonghwa could find someone. Anyone. Anyone who meant help on his lonely island.

Before Seonghwa could take another step, the call of his heart was heard. And Seonghwa startled when something moved behind the open door of the balcony. When he stumbled back to calm his pulse that fluttered in his throat, the person inside the lighthouse spotted his hasty movement right away. For a moment, they froze, too, and both of them stared at each other petrified. Then, the man dared to step out onto the balcony. His hands wrapped around the railing, and his eyes were big and surprised in his youthful face.

"A-a survivor," he called out quietly. The wind carried his voice to reach Seonghwa's ears. A genuine surprise but also relief sounded from him.

"Who are you?" The man calling out to him had to be around the same age as Seonghwa. His pants and boots were those of a mechanic, and he had probably served on a large steamer before he had landed here. His presence instantly calmed Seonghwa, even if he was a stranger. Any living human he met meant a friend right now.

"I'm Seonghwa!"

When he responded, the other man jumped a bit on his spot. Then, he clapped his hands. More joy magicked a disbelieving smile onto his lips. Despite their absurd meeting, Seonghwa allowed the alleviated chuckle that escaped his lips at the little act. Slowly, he stepped closer to the lighthouse and the man.

"I'm Hongjoong! And I'm so glad to see you alive and well!"

Seonghwa couldn't help the smile that split his face at the man's enthusiasm. Then, he watched the boy hectically turn back only to face him again.

"Wait, let me come down!"

He disappeared from his spot. The action was so fast that Seonghwa had to wonder for a moment whether he had been there in the first place. But then, the wooden door opened with a resounding creak. Hongjoong stood there and motioned him to come closer. The hand that beckoned Seonghwa was small, but the man connected to it clearly wasn't a child anymore.

"Come in, please! It's warm inside!"

In his situation, Seonghwa trusted blindly. At home, he would have questioned the prompt invitation, but not on a forsaken island when a young man was the only other survivor that he could find. His heavy boots on the wooden steps created loud thundering noises that startled a seagull seated on the lighthouse. It flew off with an indignant screech.

A single step was all it took for him to cross the threshold into the sanctuary.

Upon entering the round room, Seonghwa's eyes barely skimmed the wooden beams and barrels to settle on Hongjoong.

The man living in the lighthouse was slightly shorter than Seonghwa. The woollen blanket he had wrapped around his shoulders further made his body seem small and malnourished. Seonghwa couldn't help but notice the state of his partial nakedness that showed in the bits of skin exposed at his chest. When the man caught him gawking, he shyly pulled the blanket tighter around his shoulders.

"I- sorry. I didn't expect a visitor today. My clothes are still wet." His amber eyes fluttered to look at the ground. The shy gesture instantly had Seonghwa blush, too, and raise his hands to wave them around placatingly. When he took a step back, his eyes also found a little unused rowing boat in a corner between nets and wooden beams. He stared at it until the heat in his cheeks had calmed. Then, he focused on Hongjoong to look at the ground, just as embarrassed as the other man.

"I didn't want to make you uncomfortable. I'm definitely also more glad than I am weirded out to meet you."

A relieved smile spread on Hongjoong's lips. Seonghwa waited for his eyes to crinkle from the might of his smile, and they did, as expected. Smitten, Seonghwa copied the gesture. He had always liked Hongjoong's beautiful grin.

"Me too! I didn't anticipate meeting even a single living soul here. Well, apart from the seagulls," Hongjoong snickered. Seonghwa laughed with him as if they had always known each other. The familiarity between the two of them should have surprised Seonghwa, but his relief was too big for him to question it. Their impromptu friendship would aid their teamwork if they planned to get off the island together.

"Just now, as I walked along the shore, I feared never to meet another person again. I can't lie; I panicked for a moment." Seonghwa awkwardly rubbed his hands on his thighs. His palms were sweaty despite the cold temperatures. He prayed that Hongjoong wouldn't notice.

"Oh, dear. I understand. Your appearance here is a ray of sunshine! Please, tell me everything! How did you end up here? And do you perhaps know a way off this island?" Hongjoong rose his hand to offer Seonghwa the winding staircase along the wall that led up to the next floor. As Seonghwa went first, his eyes barely skimmed the rest of the room that held only useless equipment.

"I got into a storm while out fishing with my grandfather. Thankfully, I am in no pain, but I think I lost him somewhere on the way. I started to search right when I woke up, but I don't know where he went."

The upper floor offered a study and a bedroom, all in the same area. The large bed was partially ruffled, and the blankets on it scratched Seonghwa's skin without him having to touch them. Several books and papers laid strewn around all over the floor and the cluttered desk. It seemed to groan under its heavy load to the point of barely being recognised as a desk anymore. Artworks of different kinds filled the room: spherical objects, books and statues strewn around. An oil painting of the lighthouse hung over the desk predominantly.

Seonghwa spotted a whole bunch of used cups, a tea service, and different bottles. They all collected around research devices and materials. No doubt, the people before Hongjoong had already gathered information here.

"The island isn't too big; we could go out and search again! How about your ship? Can we fix it?"

Seonghwa dully shook his head. Naturally, he sat down on the bed while Hongjoong closed the doors and windows leading outside. Their timing to catch each other had been lucky. Any later, and Seonghwa might have startled Hongjoong away with his sudden intrusion into the tower.

"I don't think so. And none of the others I saw on the shore looked manageable, too. Maybe if we find my grandfather, he might have more knowledge on fixing these things." The tower was slightly warmer than the outside air, and the blankets around Seonghwa heated up quickly. Once Hongjoong had closed all openings, Seonghwa could gradually warm up in the large room.

"That sounds good, yeah. Let's search for him after you rested a bit! You look tired."

Seonghwa chuckled as he undid the laces of his boots. All the while, Hongjoong hurried around to clean up a few things from the floor to make it easier to pass through the room.

"I am; I feel as if I wandered for hours. How long have you been here?"

"A week? Maybe two? Time seems to pass weirdly here. I can't tell how many days it has been." Sighing, Hongjoong shut the last book. His amber eyes searched the windows, and the light streaming in that was the same as when Seonghwa had set out on his trek earlier. Since he also didn't feel hungry yet, Seonghwa wondered. Had the lighthouse been nearer than he thought? Maybe those messages he read had puzzled his mind.

Hesitantly, he brought them up to Hongjoong.

"I found those bottles... With messages derived from craziness and loneliness." At the re-emerging memories of the gloomy fate of the people who had wandered the same shore before him, Seonghwa lowered his eyes. When he saw a shiny coin on the ground, he picked it up to eye it mindlessly.

An image was etched into the front. The lines were old and weathered, but he believed it showed a lion or sea creature of some sorts. The back of it showed an ominous inscription.

in the cosmos, there are things we know and things unknown and in between there are windows

"I saw, yes... I didn't read all of them; there are a lot. But one sounds more insane than the next." Empathetic, Hongjoong stepped back over to him. Seonghwa handed him the coin to put away, and the man did. Then, he looked through the room helplessly.

"Do you want to try sending one out yourself? I already did, but maybe you have more luck than I." A worried frown marred Hongjoong's smooth and pointy features. To see it disappear, Seonghwa nodded quickly.

Upon his agreement, the hint of a hopeful smile returned to Hongjoong's lips. He motioned towards the blankets bunched around Seonghwa's waist.

"Take one of those. It's cold upstairs."

Bundled in blankets, both of them scaled the second staircase. The wooden steps were old with age as they creaked underneath Seonghwa's feet. Their agonised groans mixed with the howling of the wind around the top of the tower to create a spooky musical background that reminded Seonghwa of pained old people. He didn't like it.

As soon as Hongjoong stepped out onto the platform, the wind whipped through his dark blond hair. Shivering, he pulled his blanket tighter around his form as he stepped over to the railing. Seonghwa followed him as he got an overview of the entire island for the first time. He barely minded the shattered glass cubicle around the large spotlight on top of the lighthouse, but he did quickly skim a note that hung from the door leading to it for maintenance work. A single rocking chair stood near it. Seonghwa had no way of knowing whether Hongjoong used it or any person before him.

Those uneducated fools. They won't let me write for them.
They are all fishermen with dirty scuffed clothes and smell horrible. Their beards reek of alcohol, and spit comes out when they talk. I'd rather stay another four hours at this point and take care of the problematic mechanisms of this handcrafted construct. I do not regret this journey, it certainly made life more interesting since then, not to mention the view from up here. All of the hatred and misery and sadness of mankind fade away into the line where the sea and the sky collide...

And a hell of a view, it was. Through the rushing of the vast ocean, Seonghwa took a slow look around. His feet carried his body to follow Hongjoong out of the protective cubicle slowly as he was entranced.

The woods were larger than he had anticipated. They covered most of the island's western part, while around the tower, only black rocks and cliffs stretched. Up ahead, another, larger ship was stranded upon the shore. The waves swallowed it up to two thirds and left nothing for the two forsaken humans to escape with.

Just as the author of the note had written, the horizon seemed to swallow all thoughts Seonghwa still carried in his mind. Vast and endless, it was so much more grand and important than him. His little problem of being stranded on an island did not matter to it, for it was a force too mighty to care.

Stormy and angrier than when he walked along with them hours before, the waves crashed into the cliffs as if they wanted to crush them and push them away.

Another painting stood on a stand up here. Showing the ocean view just ahead. All of the rocks were perfectly in place. The only thing different was a large, tentacled mass at the horizon. None of it was to see in real life, and Seonghwa shuddered at the thought of whether it had been a stylistic choice or more. It fit the scene terrifyingly well, and despite the painting just being oil on canvas, the sight disturbed Seonghwa for how real it felt.

Seonghwa couldn't imagine drawing here while the wind whistled sharp enough to urge him to press his hands onto his ears. From the way that Hongjoong's fingers grabbed the rag hung next to the frame to clean off his hands, he was very familiar with this picture, though.

While he was distracted by the view and the details of his paintings, Seonghwa snatched the note that stuck to the side of the frame. It was written in blotchy ink on different paper than before. Newer one.

I swear I saw something towards the horizon, behind the mist. It wasn't a whale or a great white shark. Its many legs stretched a hundred feet. Submerging its body into the sea, it crawled as if it was infected by a thousand parasites. From its tentacled mouth, it spat out black, disgusting, and disfigured blobbin figures. The moment they fell into the sea, they swam away faster than a dolphin. As the mist kept rising, I could barely see the creature. That wasn't a good sign.
I should check on those talismans I found at the bottom of the lighthouse around the pathways.

Careful, Seonghwa tucked the note back. He didn't want to know. He didn't want to imagine a monster in those waters. Those unknown depths were terrifying enough in their character as bottomless pits alone. Believing that something was in that water would drive Seonghwa mad.

Hongjoong watched him and recognised the disbelief in his eyes.

"I know what I saw," he murmured as if he knew how crazy it sounded. Seonghwa nodded. He didn't believe him, but from all he heard, he wasn't surprised that Hongjoong had started to see things. No doubt, if he stayed longer, the same would happen to him, too.

Hongjoong retrieved a bottle from a corner where he collected them. He shook out the sand inside before he turned towards Seonghwa. Still lost, the boy continued to stare out over the sea. No end was in sight. No salvation.

"Let's go. The cold will make you sick."

The presence of the other man was small comfort for Seonghwa. Albeit he couldn't offer the amount of help that Seonghwa would have hoped to discover here, he at least was a living soul to talk to. If Seonghwa had been alone here for a while, he probably would have started talking to himself. The descend to madness was a steep path downhill. Once man started rolling, it was difficult to stop.

Hongjoong led them back downstairs. As Seonghwa already sat on his bed again to stare at the telescope on a tripod in front of the window, Hongjoong ripped a page from one of the books to hand it to Seonghwa. Then, he also got him a pen and a leather-bound book as a writing pad. Silent, he perched next to Seonghwa on the bed as he wrote.

To anyone whom this might concern.
I write in search of aid.
I have stranded on a desert island in the Atlantic Ocean. I cannot provide the correct coordinates, and neither can I point you in a direction, for I am entirely lost here myself. I never even knew this island existed past the Japanese coast. It appeared with the storm, it seems, and we can't find a way to leave it.
I have a friend with me, and my grandfather should be around, too. We are searching for other survivors, so please, if you can send help, prepare for multiple people. We will attempt to get everyone through this. Together, we may succeed, but only with help from outside. Donate your help, whoever you are.
The best would also be if you contacted my family. I will write my address at the end of the page. They might be able to help, too, so fear not about the burden you have to shoulder, dear finder of this message. Your chivalry shall be rewarded generously.
I sincerely hope that this bottle reaches somewhere. This island is dotted with bottles that seemed to have returned, and I pray to any god who might listen that mine makes it out, and we will survive. If you hold this in your hands, then maybe we haven't been forsaken entirely.
Search for an island of volcanic stones. There's a forest here and a lighthouse. We will activate the light to lead you here. Follow the beacon.
Since we entirely rely on you, please hurry. I don't know how many days we will be able to last before our bodies or our minds betray us. Madness or starvation lurk behind every corner here.
Once I return, I will repay this service tenfold.
I'm counting on you.
Park Seonghwa

At the bottom of his page, Seonghwa signed with his address. Maybe if a person who was unable to assist discovered this bottle and forwarded it to his parents, then they would alarm the coast guard and come to search for them. Seonghwa was sure of it. He trusted in the natural need to help that humans possessed.

Hongjoong read the letter without comment. He leaned over Seonghwa's shoulder close enough that he could feel the heat radiating off him. Unconsciously, he inclined his body in his direction to chase it. Despite the glance that Hongjoong sent him, he didn't move away until he finished reading through the entirety of the letter.

"We'll try with the lights." He rose to get the task done while Seonghwa pulled a loose thread from his red pullover to neatly tie it around the rolled paper. Just when he corked up the bottle, the machines up ahead came to life. With a groan that spoke of their old age, they went to work labourously. Regularly, the light moving in circles up ahead threw shadows over the walls. When Hongjoong came back down, he closed the hatch up ahead to keep the cold outside. The room and staircase darkened as he descended back to Seonghwa.

"I'll throw this into the ocean. Do you want to join?"

Hongjoong nodded and huddled into his blanket, even more, then he followed Seonghwa downstairs. The seagulls' scornful laughing greeted them as Seonghwa once more urged his weary feet to cross the rocks and rough terrain. By the time he stood on the elevated edge of a boulder while the spray of the ocean soaked his shoes, the icy winds had taken all previous warmth away from him.

Mysterious and full of uncertainties, the ocean laid before him. Seonghwa's eyes instinctively wandered to the rock formation that Hongjoong had depicted in his drawing. As expected, no grotesque monster was in sight, but Seonghwa didn't want to stick around to wait for one to appear. With a long arm, he threw the bottle out as far as he could. It disappeared in the waters without a trace. The ocean swallowed it up cleanly.

For a moment longer, Seonghwa faltered and waited. When it didn't return immediately, he slowly turned to go back inside. His hair tickled in his forehead when the wind threw it around as if it were its personal plaything.

Hongjoong gave him an uplifting smile and a comforting pat on his back as he accompanied him. Hope was their only instrument to keep their wits together. Once their hope would wane, the dark grey ocean would consume them just like all the ships and people before them and only leave their bare bones as a reminder of their despair.

Once they were back indoors and had safely bolted the entrance shut, Seonghwa felt tiredness pulling at him once more. He wanted to look through Hongjoong's books and help him with his studies. The long pages trying to decipher this island's odd language seemed worthwhile, and the drawings of creatures and obscurations pulled Seonghwa in. Yet, he couldn't help his exhausted yawn as soon as he sat on the bed again. The mattress called for him to rest first and look at the yellowed pages of countless books later.

"You should get some rest. I don't think you will miss out on much, and I can wake you if anything happens." Hongjoong sat down at his table to pick up one of his writings and light a candle. It was the same orange as the ones outside, so he had probably snatched it from there. Or had he been the one to put them up? Seonghwa was too sleepy to ask.

"Alright," Seonghwa agreed easily. He kicked off his boots to settle underneath the itchy but warm blankets that Hongjoong had accumulated. For a moment, he shivered when the cold still penetrated his skin to bite at his bones viciously. But yet, he couldn't bring himself to ask Hongjoong for his blanket, too. That would clearly be taking too much.

Seonghwa rolled up in a ball to try to sustain some warmth. When ten minutes later, he still trembled in his spot, he rolled around. Frustration and exhaustion weighed on his limbs. If he could fall asleep, he could escape this reality for a while. He could dream of his home and walking along a sunny and welcoming beach. But yet, the cold trapped him in this world as if it wanted to see him suffer.

When he noticed Seonghwa's restlessness, Hongjoong turned his head towards him. His features were soft and concerned when he laid his eyes upon Seonghwa.

"Are you cold?"

Seonghwa nodded, his teeth chattering. Without constant movement, he cooled down even faster.

Sympathetic, Hongjoong rose from his chair to come over. When he loosened the blanket around his shoulders to expose his skin, Seonghwa wanted to protest.

"Are you fine if I lay down with you? We could share our warmth." Polite and careful not to impose, Hongjoong poised the offer. Seonghwa's nod made another shy smile appear on his lips.

A short moment of chill hit Seonghwa when Hongjoong rose his blankets to crawl underneath them. Then, he immediately shuffled closer to the boy to share their warmth. When he found the naked skin of Hongjoong's upper body warm, Seonghwa relished in it with a relieved sigh. Then, he instantly flinched back when he noticed his tactless behaviour.

"Ah! Excuse me; I didn't want to-"

Hongjoong mildly shook his head and pulled him in once more. When Seonghwa buried his head in his chest, he was satisfied.

"It's fine. Make yourself at home."

And Seonghwa did. He felt as if now all the puzzle pieces came together. This place, in Hongjoong's arms, was where he belonged. With the man's quickened heartbeat underneath his cheek and his gentle breaths in his ears.

A few rigid moments of them laying closely together passed. Then, Seonghwa slowly lifted his face to look at the other man. Hongjoong was already looking at him, and his welcoming pink lips parted around a little noise when Seonghwa caught him. An adorable blush dusted his cheeks as the stars did to the night sky.

Seonghwa had an easy time raising his head to kiss the man. Both of them fell right into it as if this was what both had anticipated. Their indulgent lips moved as if they had known each other for centuries. No questions were needed anymore as Seonghwa pushed himself up on his elbow to settle above the man and kissed down on him. He lost all connection to reality and its horrors as he fully focused on Hongjoong's soft lips and his faint taste of the salty sea.

Like putty in his arms, Hongjoong placed his fingers in Seonghwa's nape to pull him closer and deepen their caresses as he directed their passion where he wanted it to be. And gradually, Seonghwa's body warmed with their shared heat underneath the blankets and the hot desire for the beautiful man in his veins.

Hongjoong arched up into Seonghwa to touch as much of him as possible. The scratch of Seonghwa's clothes against his sensitive chest had him shiver, and moments later, he already yanked on the buttons keeping them closed impatiently. As Seonghwa reached down to help him, he never terminated their kiss and explored Hongjoong's mouth to map it out and flick their tongues against each other dirtily. The breathy moans and whines of the boy that got lost in their kiss and the slick noises of them brushing together fuelled Seonghwa's need for the man.

Every passing second he spent pressed against Hongjoong, the sweetness of life ingrained itself deeper in Seonghwa's brain. A living, human body beneath him, meant pleasure and excitement. Hongjoong pushed the fear and anxiety of having gotten stranded here away from him.

When Seonghwa shifted his body above Hongjoong's to press their crotches together, a little moan tumbled from Hongjoong's mouth. He pulled away from their kiss to throw his head back in delight instead. While Seonghwa ground down on him, he attacked the exposed neck of the man instead. As usual, his lips especially focused on that little birthmark of Hongjoong's. It had always been a sensitive spot for him. Tremors wracked his body when he clutched Seonghwa's shoulders as if he would run away if he didn't.

Seonghwa's fingers trailed over Hongjoong's body, following his dips and curves to grab at his waist and pull him to meet his thrusts or dip beneath the waistband of his pants. When they slipped inside to grab the desperate hardness he found there, Hongjoong couldn't help but thrust needily against his palm. Seonghwa soothed him with kisses.

Since Hongjoong was clearly touch-starved and sensitive to Seonghwa's every stroke, the demands between them build up fast. Seonghwa was just going down to kiss Hongjoong's chest and worship the defined muscles when the man beneath him helplessly pushed against his shoulder. The attempt was ineffective enough to make Seonghwa coo, and Hongjoong blushed furiously at the sound.

Yet, Seonghwa rose his head to direct all of his attention at the man as his fingers distractedly freed Hongjoong's legs from his pants. Weakly, he kicked to help him.

"Seonghwa, please-" Hongjoong breath hitched when Seonghwa's hand brushed his reddened length on his way up. The blankets slipped from their shoulders, too warm to still stay and cling to their sweaty skin.

Instead of wording his plea, Hongjoong managed to turn around on pitifully trembling legs. Seonghwa's hand trailed over his waist and back once he managed to roll onto his chest. Kneeling, he offered himself to Seonghwa. The picture of submission and want sent the blood rushing right to his middle. Upon his second of hesitation, Hongjoong reached behind himself to grab one of his butt cheeks and spread them open invitingly.

Who was Seonghwa to say no to that?

Within a second, he had thrown the blankets away from them entirely to kneel behind Hongjoong. His hands took over, one running over the man's side still while the other one grabbed onto the supple flesh of Hongjoong's behind.

When his tongue made contact with the man's entrance, Hongjoong muffled his moan in the pillows. His legs nearly collapsed beneath him, but he held himself up with difficulties as Seonghwa gradually pushed the muscle in. Shaking and whimpering, Hongjoong reached out his dainty fingers to grab anything around him. The pillows, the sheets, even Seonghwa's hand when he grazed past it. His body didn't quite know whether it wanted to move closer to Seonghwa or further away from him, but Seonghwa's hands on his hips decided for him. Hongjoong was left with no escape as Seonghwa tasted him, and his whines pitched at the sensations that wracked his body.

Every aspect of life that didn't centre around Hongjoong and his sweet pleasure that Seonghwa's tongue administrated to him was wiped blank from their minds. When Seonghwa added one of his fingers to the spit-slicked mix, he was too busy listening to Hongjoong falling apart beneath him to mind their surroundings. For a while, he forgot about the freezing lighthouse and the neglected island.

When Hongjoong's desperate clawing at the sheets grew more frantic by the minute, Seonghwa carefully reached for his hand to hold it in his. As if he were the only anchor Hongjoong had, the man clutched at Seonghwa. He muffled his moans in his arm as if they were something bothersome. Even when the pads of Seonghwa's searching fingers stroked against his sensitive spot inside, and Hongjoong's body lurched, he didn't allow himself to fill the grand room with his whimpers. As their bodies spread their heat and the smell of sex, Seonghwa also reached inside his pants to tug out his length and fisted it in tandem with his movements inside Hongjoong.

Seonghwa probed deeper for a few minutes and scissored his fingers to slip his tongue in between them. Once he deemed Hongjoong ready to take him, he flipped the man around to throw him onto his back once more. Quivering, Hongjoong tried to close his legs in a sudden moment of shyness. Yet, Seonghwa slipping between his thighs stopped him.

Hongjoong's flushed cheeks and glassy eyes were the greatest rewards for Seonghwa. Bliss had taken Hongjoong's frown off the man's face. When he shyly reached his hands out for Seonghwa, the man followed the silent call without scepticism.

"Don't hide your noises." Seonghwa dropped a devoted kiss on the bowed lips of this beautiful man. At Hongjoong's nod, Seonghwa took the liberty to push his legs up against his chest and aligned his length with the man.

Hongjoong's body welcomed him with hot and velvety heat. Adjusting effortlessly, Seonghwa held him as he slowly sunk in deep. Despite his grip on Hongjoong's waist, the boy arched and tried to worm away only for Seonghwa to trap him in place. Free and clear, his moans filled the room to echo from the wall.

Their union felt unnatural. Too lively and enthusiastic for their setting. As if nature disagreed with their bond, thunder rolled outside the next moment. At a flash of lightning, Seonghwa halted in his movement to glance at the windows. He felt as if he was missing something. As if this were a warning.

For a long moment, all desire was forgotten as his heart beat in his chest like the galloping hooves of a horse. It pulsed in his veins hotly, presenting him the illusion that he should be running and fleeing. Like a scared animal in its cave, he stiffened at another crash of mighty thunder inside.

He shouldn't be here. This place was dangerous.

"Seonghwa." With a hand on Seonghwa's chin, Hongjoong angled his head back to face him. Worry marred his features once more, but his lips were set in a tight line. Seonghwa didn't know what to make of this expression, but it looked scarily dark for the split second of lighting brightening the room. Seonghwa believed to see something move behind his darkened features, some indiscernible mass of limbs and flesh. They wrapped and curled around each other obscenely like worms in the earth.

Then, it was gone. And all there was, was Hongjoong. Sweet and welcoming.

"Are you scared?"

Seonghwa forgot the room and the turmoil around him once more. He bent back over Hongjoong and made both of them sigh at the shift of angle.

"Not with you, no. I'm not alone here," Seonghwa promised solemnly. Their lips found each other in a comforting kiss, then Seonghwa circled his hips against Hongjoong's. Instantly, pleasure took all the ominous gut feeling Seonghwa had away from them. There was no use fearing the unseen. He could be scared all he wanted, or he could forget together with Hongjoong. Seonghwa chose the latter.

Ever so receptive to everything he was given, Hongjoong moved in tandem with Seonghwa. His insides massaged the man like no other could and took Seonghwa's breath from how delicious it felt. Sweaty and hot, their skin slid over each other when Hongjoong pulled him in and held him close.

Seonghwa's thrusts went deep and intimate. They didn't rush, savouring every taste and sensation that they gifted each other. Their bodies became instruments for them to express their fears and endurance and connect with each other's souls to find solace. When Seonghwa gradually reached his peak after long minutes of just indulging and exploring each other, he felt as if they had wrapped each other with ties invisible to the eye. Their trust became his sole beacon, just how the lighthouse was the island's beacon.

As he came inside Hongjoong, they clung to each other like lovers that feared their future. Albeit skipping a few steps in courting that Seonghwa would usually take, he didn't mind treating Hongjoong as his person.

Upon Seonghwa giving a few loose and wet jerks to Hongjoong's weeping arousal, the man came, too, to paint their stomachs with white splotches. Then, they fell onto the sheets to wrap their heated forms around each other. Like snakes or the tentacles of a huggable octopus, their limbs held onto each other. Hongjoong pulled the blankets back over them before they could waste their comforting warmth.

"Are you warm enough now?" He whispered through the storm that whistled through the upper level. Its whispering seemed so close, so near as if it was going to open the hatch and surprise them inside at any moment.

Seonghwa nodded and pulled Hongjoong in to rest his head on his shoulder. Like this, he felt safe.

Despite the storm roaring outside and the cold trying to claw its way inside only to be deterred by solid stone walls that protected their inhabitants, Seonghwa soon fell asleep. He had expected his night to be restless even if he had been exhausted, for his mind had a lot of fears to share with him. However, his sleep was deeper than he would expect. But his dreams were odd.

He saw himself with Hongjoong. Walking along the shore as the black sand spread beneath them like spilt ashes. Cold and with no fire to ignite it, it covered the lands and brought only death and the smell of rotting vegetation and corpses.

Hongjoong led him past the cadaver of a whale. A large killer whale, long since dead and picked apart by the seagulls. Like anything upon this island, it had stranded ashore to bare its flesh to the festering vermin and birds to feed on. Decay discoloured its red flesh to turn yellow and green.

Then, as if deterred in the transaction of the image, Seonghwa's sight blurred. A flash of dark symbols, unusual, occult symbols that frightened and disturbed him took over his sight. They passed too fast for him to see anything, but they woke the same intense, unsettling dread in his guts that Hongjoong's paintings did. Within a second, they were gone to show him another picture.

Hongjoong was with him again. They talked with each other as they lit the candles on the shore. Bright, the fire danced in Seonghwa's hands as if he had called to it.

Another flash of symbols overcame Seonghwa so violently that he nearly startled awake. He believed to hear a voice; a deep voice contorted beyond the point of his understanding. Speaking from the dark, it filled his mind with words he didn't know the meaning of. Yet he knew they were powerful and full of spite. Like a mighty curse that no human mind could fathom to understand.

Immediately, he snapped back into his dreams. But this time, they changed. Dead fish rained from the sky as if the apocalypse had incepted. They slapped onto the dark sand lifelessly and with their eyes bulging from their heads. The stench of their rotting bodies poisoned the air, and Seonghwa had to press his hand on his breathing ways when his stomach churned.

When he threw up anyway, his vomit was black, and something moved within it. An obscure mass slick and slimy like a snail that crawled away from him just as slowly.

As he turned his eyes to Hongjoong, the man bent down to pick the creature up with careful fingers. Then, he rose it to his mouth to eat it. Crunching as if it had bones, his teeth snapped it in half.

Seonghwa screamed as Hongjoong's eyes blackened out. Black goo dropped from his mouth and eyes like black tears.

Seonghwa ran from him. Along the shore.

******

Hi! So, this is my dark Seongjoong fic. The title and setting of this story are inspired by the game The Shore and some other artworks centred around the same myth that I won't spoil right now. I advise everyone to read first and if you know the game: No spoilers, please! If somebody does prefer a spoiler and wants to relish in the setting before reading to aid your imagination, then look it up on YouTube!

The story will have seven chapters each about as long as this one, and I will update once or twice per week!

Have fun reading!