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echos of the sea - chapter six

pairing: bts x reader

status: ongoing

word count: 14.2 k

warnings: depictions of violence, kidnapping, death, family trauma, insecurities, mentions of blood

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taehyung’s heart was already pounding by the time he reached the ballroom. he hadn’t even been running, but something in his chest was tight, pressing against his ribs, an unease that had been sitting in the back of his mind all night.

he wasn’t supposed to be nervous. this was just another job. something he could walk away from once it was over, no different from all the other things he had done to scrape by.

but that was before jiah had gotten involved.

he moved through the crowd with quick, purposeful steps, scanning every face, every dark head of hair, every unfamiliar set of eyes. she had to be here. she had always been here, lingering on the edges of the world she didn’t belong to.

except now. now she was gone.

his pulse kicked up, and his movements became sharper, more precise. he passed a group of nobles deep in conversation, skirts swishing and silk gloves brushing against wine glasses. the scent of spiced wine and perfume clung to the air, thick and stifling.

where the hell was she?

he was so focused on searching that he almost didn’t hear his name.

“hey, taehyung!”

he stopped short, spinning toward the voice.

one of the castle staff was balancing an empty tray on her hip, her dark hair slightly disheveled, her face flushed from moving between guests all night.

“did jiah ever find you?” she asked, tilting her head.

his stomach clenched.

“what?”

the girl blinked. “she was looking for you earlier. well, not really looking, more like standing around in a daze, but same thing, right?”

taehyung stepped closer, lowering his voice. “where is she?”

the maid hesitated, shifting her weight. “oh. uh… well, i might have let something slip.”

his blood turned to ice.

“what did you say?”

the maid glanced around as if to make sure no one was listening, then leaned in slightly. “i thought she already knew, but i kind of mentioned that taehyung was proposing tonight. and she, um. freaked out.”

his breath left him in a sharp exhale.

“she what?”

the maid winced. “yeah. she didn’t take it well. she looked like she was about to be sick and then bolted for the balcony.”

taehyung barely heard the last part. his mind was already spinning, calculating. jiah was alone on the balcony.

and the pirates…

his stomach twisted violently. this wasn’t supposed to happen. the princess was the one who was supposed to be out there, alone, waiting for prince seokjin. that was the plan.

taehyung turned quickly, scanning the ballroom again.

his eyes found princess yiseo almost immediately.

she was still on the dance floor, twirling beneath the golden chandeliers, laughter on her lips as she moved in perfect time with the music.

she was still here.

his chest tightened.

and then, like a nightmare unfolding in slow motion, he saw it.

prince seokjin wasn’t rushing. he never did. every step was measured, every movement effortless, the weight of his crown woven into the way he carried himself. golden embroidery glinted under the chandeliers; his face unreadable as he cut through the sea of partygoers.

he was heading for the balcony.

no. no, no, no.

taehyung’s pulse roared. his mind scrambled, trying to fix this, to stop this, to stop him, before everything fell apart.

the pirates were waiting.

they thought yiseo would be the one to step out onto that balcony. they thought seokjin would follow, lovesick and oblivious, right into their hands. it was supposed to be simple. clean. perfectly timed.

but jiah was out there instead.

taehyung clenched his jaw. he needed to think. to act.

seokjin was getting closer.

his steps slowed, just barely, his gaze flicking toward the open balcony doors. to anyone else, he looked composed. but taehyung knew better. he saw the tension in his shoulders, the twitch of his fingers before he smoothed them out.

seokjin knew something was wrong. maybe he’d seen jiah leave too suddenly. maybe he’d been watching her all night without realizing it. maybe some deep, unshakable part of him was already bracing for disaster.

taehyung had to stop him. he took a step forward, and then he saw them.

just beyond the ballroom’s grand windows, barely visible in the shadows of the garden, a figure moved. then another. dark silhouettes slipping between the hedges, waiting for their moment. waiting for seokjin.

no. not just seokjin.

jiah.

they weren’t hesitating. they weren’t waiting for the scene to play out as planned. they were adjusting, adapting, ready to strike now.

taehyung swore under his breath. he couldn’t go to seokjin anymore. he was too late. if he wasted another second, jiah would be gone before he could stop it.

he turned on his heel and moved.

not for the prince.

for the pirates.

yoongi saw it happen before he even meant to look.

seokjin, standing too close. her, staring up at him like she wasn’t sure whether to run or stay. a quiet exchange passing between them, something heavy, something charged.

yoongi exhaled sharply, tilting his head back against the wall behind him. of course. of course.

seokjin had always been like this. he didn’t have to try. he didn’t have to chase. women just looked at him and fell at his feet, drawn in by his effortless charm, his golden looks, his name. the crown prince of a kingdom, the face of a thousand love letters, the man who could have anyone and still never seemed satisfied.

and now, of all the girls in the world, it had to be her.

yoongi’s fingers twitched at his side.

she wasn’t supposed to catch his attention. he wasn’t supposed to notice the way candlelight turned her dark eyes warm, wasn’t supposed to care when she smiled at someone else, wasn’t supposed to find himself lingering at the edges of rooms just to see what she’d do next.

but he did.

he did, and now seokjin was looking at her the same way he looked at every girl he’d ever wanted. like she was his for the taking.

yoongi’s jaw clenched. it wasn’t fair. not that yoongi believed in fair, not in a world where men like seokjin were born to have everything and men like him had to carve out their own place with blood and steel. but still.

she was something different. something unexpected. something rare.

and it burned, just a little, to know that seokjin would take her without ever realizing what he had.

princess yiseo had poems written about her. songs composed in her name. men lost sleep over the thought of her.

but standing there, watching her shift under seokjin’s gaze, yoongi knew the truth.

yiseo could have a thousand love songs, a thousand poets bending words into beauty for her sake, and she still wouldn’t compare.

yoongi didn’t even realize his grip had tightened on the hilt of his sword until his knuckles ached.

he forced himself to relax, to breathe, to remind himself that it didn’t matter. it shouldn’t matter. what was one more girl in seokjin’s orbit? what was one more fleeting interest for the prince, who collected admiration like war trophies and discarded them just as easily?

but then she shifted, weight shifting from one foot to the other, and something about the movement struck him harder than it should have. she wasn’t like the others. she wasn’t standing there wanting seokjin’s attention, wasn’t leaning into the charm that so many others had fallen for. if anything, she looked caught, like she’d been pulled into something she hadn’t meant to be a part of.

and that was what made yoongi’s irritation sharpen into something uglier, something personal.

because seokjin could have any girl he wanted. he could have a princess, a noblewoman, any one of the countless admirers who wrote him letters and dreamed of his name. but instead, without even meaning to, he had her.

the one girl yoongi had found himself noticing when he shouldn’t.

his fingers twitched again, but he didn’t move. didn’t let himself.

because what was the point?

seokjin was seokjin.

and yoongi, yoongi had never been the kind of man to reach for things he had no business wanting.

the night air was crisp, the scent of salt thick on the wind. laughter and music spilled from the ballroom behind them, but out here, on the balcony, the world felt quieter. heavier.

and then the doors slammed open.

jiah startled, but seokjin was faster. his hand was gone from hers in an instant, his body shifting in front of hers, shoulders squared, stance solid. a shield.

her heart pounded.

the man standing in the doorway was tall, broad shouldered, dressed in dark pirate garb that contrasted sharply with the glittering decadence of the ballroom behind him. the open collar of his shirt revealed a sliver of tanned skin, the loose fabric doing nothing to hide the strength in his build. tousled brown hair framed sharp features, his eyes dark, focused. assessing.

he didn’t look at seokjin. he looked at her.

his gaze dragged over her, lingering for just a second too long before he let out a low hum, lips curling at the corners.

“well,” he said, “you’re prettier than i expected.”

jiah blinked.

seokjin, however, stiffened. “excuse me?”

the man ignored him entirely. his focus remained on jiah, eyes gleaming with something like intrigue. “not that i thought you’d be ugly, of course. but you know how it is, people exaggerate. all those songs about your beauty, all those poems… i figured there had to be some embellishment.”

her lips parted.

oh.

he thought…

he thought she was the princess.

jiah knew the story well enough to know if she didn’t get out of there quick, things would get ugly fast.

but i’m not yiseo, jiah thought. i’m not some important noble or princess. i’m just playing the part of a servant wearing cloth she shouldn’t be at an event she shouldn’t be allowed to attend

yet a part of jiah was intrigued. in whispers of the sea, yiseo had been too in her head to be a reliable narrator. this scene was basically four lines. the pirate, jong-something if jiah remembered correctly, shows up, fights the prince, wins, and takes the girl. the book never spoke of the pirate’s wit.

seokjin, standing like a storm about to break, was far less amused. “who are you?”

the pirate let out a soft chuckle, finally glancing at him. “you don’t know?”

seokjin’s expression darkened.

“right, right,” the man mused, crossing his arms. “royalty never bothers learning the names of the people they terrorize, do they?”

jiah barely smothered her laugh.

seokjin did not look amused.

but before he could bite back, the pirate turned his attention back to her, stepping forward, just slightly, just enough to test the space between them. “so tell me, princess,” he murmured, head tilting, “do you live up to all those stories?”

“i—”

“she’s not the princess.”

seokjin’s voice was sharp, cutting through the tension like a blade.

the pirate blinked. frowned. looked at jiah again, gaze narrowing.

then, slowly, his smirk returned.

“oh,” he said, dragging out the syllable like he was tasting it.

his eyes gleamed.

“now this is interesting.”

the pirate tilted his head, eyes sweeping over jiah once more, slower this time, like he was trying to figure out exactly what he’d walked into.

his smirk deepened.

“so if you’re not the princess,” he drawled, “then who are you?”

jiah opened her mouth, but seokjin stepped in before she could speak.

“none of your concern.”

the pirate exhaled a quiet laugh, amused. “really?” he mused, shifting his weight. “because from where i’m standing, it feels like my concern.”

seokjin’s jaw tightened. “step back.”

the pirate didn’t. if anything, he stepped closer.

jiah could feel the shift in the air, thick with tension, electric with the kind of energy that only came when two people were seconds away from throwing punches.

“not very polite, are you?” the pirate mused, gaze flicking over seokjin like he wasn’t even the slightest bit concerned. like he was barely worth acknowledging. “must be exhausting, standing so stiff all the time. do you ever relax? smile, even?”

“do you ever shut up?” seokjin shot back.

the pirate grinned.

“only when i’m too busy doing something else.”

jiah sucked in a breath.

oh, this was getting bad.

“so?” the pirate prompted, shifting his attention back to her. “if you’re not the princess, then what are you doing on this balcony? at a royal party? with him?”

he said it like he and seokjin were on two entirely different planes of existence. like seokjin was some untouchable figure of power, and he—he was something else entirely. something freer. something dangerous.

and for the first time in her life, jiah wasn’t sure which one of them she was supposed to fear more.

“she’s a guest,” seokjin said, voice clipped. “and she’s leaving.”

“oh?” the pirate hummed. “funny, because she doesn’t look like she’s leaving.”

his gaze flickered back to jiah, sharp and knowing. “she looks like she wants to hear what i have to say.”

he wasn’t wrong.

jiah should probably be worried about that.

but before she could decide how to respond, seokjin shifted again. subtle. just a fraction, but enough. enough to shield her, enough to block the pirate’s line of sight.

it was a warning.

a declaration.

mine.

the pirate exhaled a soft laugh, amused.

then, in a move so quick jiah barely had time to register it, he reached for the dagger at his belt, flipped it in his hand, twirled it between his fingers with an ease that made it abundantly clear that he was very good with it, before catching it by the hilt and tossing it straight into the air.

seokjin tensed, ready for a fight, but the pirate caught it effortlessly on the way down, smooth and controlled, as if the entire display had been for nothing but his own amusement.

Or, jiah realized, hers.

his grin widened.

“so what do you say, princess?” he mused. “stay and talk to a real man for a while?”

he glanced at seokjin.

“or let the prince keep pretending he can keep you all to himself?”

the tension snapped.

seokjin moved first.

his fist flew toward the pirate’s jaw, sharp and deliberate, but the other man was fast. he ducked, sidestepped, laughed as he twisted out of reach, the sound infuriatingly smug.

"touchy," the pirate mused, twirling the dagger again. "relax, your highness. i’m just having a little fun."

seokjin lunged.

this time, he got a solid hit. his knuckles connected with the pirate’s ribs, forcing a sharp grunt from his lips. but the other man recovered fast, fast enough to return the favor, shoving seokjin back with a well-placed strike to his side.

jiah stumbled, barely managing to avoid getting caught between them as the fight escalated. it was fast, brutal, a series of swift movements, seokjin, all precision and control, and the pirate, all sharp edges and unpredictability.

somewhere in the chaos, she tried to move.

tried to step away, to slip out of reach,

but a hand caught her wrist.

"ah, ah," the pirate chided, barely sparing her a glance as he wrenched her back toward him. "not so fast, princess, you stay here."

seokjin’s expression darkened.

"let her go."

the pirate smirked.

"make me."

he barely had time to finish the sentence before seokjin drove forward again, this time aiming lower, trying to knock the other man off balance.

it almost worked.

almost.

but the pirate was quick, faster than jiah had expected, faster than she suspected seokjin had anticipated, and at the last second, he twisted, grabbed seokjin by the front of his coat, and yanked him forward.

seokjin staggered.

the pirate grinned.

jiah barely managed to keep up.

it all happened too fast, the shift in the air, the blur of movement, the sharp sounds of fists colliding with flesh. she couldn’t even tell who was winning, only that seokjin was fighting like his life depended on it.

like her life depended on it.

the pirate, for all his arrogance, was good. frustratingly so. he moved with an ease that suggested experience, his footwork swift and practiced, every dodge and counter seamlessly fluid. but seokjin was better. his strikes were precise, calculated, honed by years of discipline. where the pirate fought with reckless confidence, seokjin fought with purpose.

he landed another hit, a brutal punch to the jaw that snapped the pirate’s head to the side.

for a second, jiah thought it was over.

but then the pirate laughed.

"damn," he muttered, rolling his shoulders as he wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. "you hit harder than i expected."

and then he struck back.

the shift was immediate. seokjin had barely a moment to react before the pirate surged forward, slamming his knee into his stomach and using the momentum to shove him backward. seokjin staggered, but he didn’t fall.

"you’re good, princey," the pirate continued, circling him now, the dagger still twirling between his fingers. "but i gotta admit, i was expecting more."

seokjin’s jaw tightened.

"drop the blade," he ordered, voice sharp. "if you’re so confident, fight me fairly."

the pirate feigned a thoughtful expression. "hmm. tempting." he tossed the dagger once, catching it with ease. "but no."

seokjin lunged again, forcing the pirate to shift, his grip on the blade adjusting. their movements became sharper, more dangerous. seokjin weaving through the attacks with practiced ease, the pirate countering every strike with frustrating precision.

jiah felt useless, caught between them with no idea what to do. she needed to run, needed to get out and get help before one of them got hurt—

a hand snatched her waist.

"ah, ah," the pirate chided, barely sparing her a glance as he yanked her closer. "i thought i told you to stay princess."

seokjin snapped.

"release her”

the pirate grinned, attempting to pull jiah in even closer if it was possible.

the next hit came before he could blink. seokjin drove forward with brutal force, slamming his forearm against the pirate’s throat and forcing him back against the railing. the shift was immediate, the smirk wiped from the pirate’s face, replaced with something sharp, something dangerous.

"you really are touchy," he muttered, voice strained. "i like it."

seokjin pressed harder. "you’re going to leave."

"hmm." the pirate tilted his head, the sharp edge of his smirk returning. "nah."

before seokjin could react, he moved.

the motion was quick, effortless, a sharp twist, a shift of weight, and suddenly seokjin was the one pinned, his back slamming against the railing, the pirate’s forearm digging into his chest.

jiah gasped.

the pirate, utterly unfazed, leaned in slightly. "fun as this is," he murmured, "i didn’t actually come here to fight."

his gaze flicked to jiah, slow and deliberate.

"i came for her."

seokjin saw red.

"you’re not taking her anywhere."

his voice was pure steel, sharp and unwavering, but the pirate only grinned, the tilt of his head almost lazy.

"funny," he mused, "i don’t remember asking for permission."

his grip on seokjin barely wavered, even as the prince braced against the railing, trying to shove him off. but the pirate was stronger than he looked. lean muscle packed with undeniable power, honed by a life spent navigating rough waters and ruthless battles.

and jiah.

jiah could barely breathe.

"let go of him," she said, her voice trembling despite her best efforts.

the pirate glanced at her, feigning curiosity. "oh? and if i don’t?"

jiah didn’t have an answer. she had no weapon, no way to fight back, only the desperate urge to do somethingbefore seokjin got hurt.

but the pirate wasn’t looking for an answer.

instead, his fingers twitched and in a movement so fast it barely registered, he flipped the dagger.

seokjin stiffened as cold steel pressed against his throat.

jiah froze.

"there we go," the pirate murmured. "that’s better."

seokjin’s jaw clenched, his entire body taut with tension, but he didn’t move. didn’t dare. the blade was small, more of a threat than a true weapon, but in the pirate’s hands, it might as well have been a sword.

"what do you want?" jiah forced out, pulse thundering in her ears.

"same thing as always," the pirate said, as if it were obvious. "gold. freedom. a good drink." his gaze flickered to her again, slower this time, something unreadable beneath the amusement. "and maybe," he mused, "a pretty thing to take back to the ship."

jiah recoiled. "i’m not—"

"oh, you are," he interrupted, grin widening. "gorgeous, actually. not sure why you were hiding out here, but lucky me, huh?"

seokjin jerked against the blade, fury rippling through every inch of him. "don’t talk about her like that."

the pirate only laughed. "don’t like sharing?"

"let her go."

"and again," the pirate sighed, "you keep thinking i take orders from you."

his hand twitched, just the slightest shift, but enough for seokjin to move.

it happened in a blink.

seokjin twisted, shoving forward with his full weight. the motion was so sudden the pirate lost his footing, stumbling just enough for seokjin to slam his elbow into his ribs. the dagger slipped, and seokjin lunged, driving him backward in one fluid motion.

jiah staggered away, heart hammering as the two men collided again.

but this time,

this time, the pirate didn’t laugh.

this time, he looked pissed.

"alright," he muttered, shaking out his wrist. "no more playing nice, then."

and then he attacked.

the fight became brutal. less like a battle of skill and more like sheer, raw force. the pirate was ruthless, striking without hesitation, forcing seokjin onto the defensive. seokjin blocked what he could, countered where possible, but the pirate fought dirty. quick jabs to the ribs, sharp kicks to throw him off balance, every move designed to weaken his opponent instead of overpowering him.

and it worked.

seokjin was fast, trained, disciplined. but the pirate fought like a man who had learned survival the hard way. and worse, he was still smiling.

"what’s wrong, princey?" he taunted, sidestepping another strike. "not used to a fair fight?"

"fair?" seokjin spat, breath heaving. "you brought a knife."

"so did you."

"what"

the pirate lunged and before seokjin could react, he snatched the dagger from his belt.

"see?" he said, flipping it between his fingers. "fair."

seokjin cursed.

"alright," the pirate mused. "i think i’ve had my fun." he shot a glance toward jiah, expression thoughtful. "ready to come with me, princess? or do i have to start getting creative?"

jiah’s blood turned to ice.

"over my dead body," seokjin snapped.

the pirate smirked. "if you insist."

and then he swung.

seokjin dodged, barely.

the dagger slashed through empty air, missing his throat by mere inches. the pirate moved with terrifying speed, relentless in his pursuit, every strike aimed to disable, not kill.

seokjin knew he was at a disadvantage. he was a prince, trained in combat, yes, but trained for duels, for honorable fights where his opponent followed the same unspoken rules. but pirates didn’t have rules. they had survival, and that made them dangerous.

but seokjin wasn’t about to lose.

he shifted, using the pirate’s momentum against him. the next time the blade came down, he twisted, forcing the pirate’s arm to veer off course before slamming his elbow into his side. the pirate grunted, stumbling back, but the smirk never left his face.

"not bad," he admitted, rolling his shoulder like this was all some casual sparring match. "but not good enough."

before seokjin could react, the pirate kicked.

seokjin felt the impact rip through his ribs as he was sent backward, his body slamming into the railing with bone-rattling force. pain exploded across his back, breath ripping from his lungs in a sharp gasp.

"seokjin!" jiah’s voice was barely audible over the roar in his ears.

he barely had time to recover before the pirate was on him again.

seokjin ducked as the dagger came down, metal scraping against the stone where his head had been just seconds ago. he tried to counter, but the pirate was faster, already anticipating his move.

"getting tired, your highness?" the pirate taunted, twisting the dagger in his grip. "you’re slowing down."

seokjin didn’t answer. just grit his teeth and launched forward, trying to disarm him,

but he made one fatal mistake.

he underestimated just how fast the pirate was.

in a blink, he was the one being flipped, his back hitting the stone hard enough to make his vision blur. before he could so much as breathe, the pirate’s knee was digging into his chest, pinning him down.

"now, now," the pirate hummed, pressing the dagger to his throat, "let’s not make this any harder than it needs to be."

seokjin’s hands shot up to grab his wrist, trying to shove the blade away, but the pirate held firm.

"i really should kill you," he mused, almost lazily. "but then again…where’s the fun in that?"

his grip shifted and before seokjin could react, he was gone.

jiah barely had time to scream before she was snatched.

one moment she was watching seokjin fight for his life, the next, she was yanked back, an arm locking around her waist, a hand clamping over her mouth.

"shh, princess," the pirate murmured into her ear, way too amused for someone who had just fought a prince. "don’t make this difficult."

jiah struggled.

panic surged through her veins as she kicked,fought, but the pirate barely reacted. he lifted her like she weighed nothing, already backing toward the edge of the balcony.

seokjin staggered to his feet, eyes wild with panic. "let her go!"

"sorry, your highness," the pirate grinned, hoisting jiah higher against his chest. "i think i’ll be keeping this one."

"jiah!"

she screamed. a raw, desperate sound as the pirate took his final step,

and then they were falling.

jiah's scream tore through the night air as gravity yanked them down. her stomach lurched, panic clawing up her throat,

but the pirates had planned this.

instead of slamming into the courtyard below, they crashed into something softer, a thick canopy stretched between two posts, designed to break their fall. the impact still rattled through jiah’s bones, the wind knocked from her lungs as they bounced, her vision spinning wildly,

and then the pirate moved, shifting their weight just enough to send them sliding off the edge.

they landed in a crouch, the pirate barely stumbling as he adjusted his grip on her. jiah had no time to react before he was running, her body still locked against his as he tore through the castle grounds like he owned the place.

"put me down!" she struggled, kicking against his hold, but he didn’t even stagger.

"now, why would i do that, princess?"

"stop calling me that!"

he laughed. actually laughed, as if this was nothing more than a game to him. jiah twisted, trying to break free, but his grip was ironclad.

above them, shouts rang out. "find them!"

seokjin.

jiah’s chest clenched. her head snapped up just in time to see the prince on the balcony, hands braced against the railing, his expression furious.

"jiah!"

she reached for him instinctively, but it was too late. the pirate had already ducked into the shadows, weaving through the palace grounds with terrifying speed.

"let me go!" she demanded again, thrashing harder.

"keep squirming like that, and i might drop you," the pirate mused. "not that i’d mind. could always carry you over my shoulder instead."

jiah froze.

he must’ve felt her hesitation, because his smirk pressed against her ear. "that’s what i thought."

she wanted to kick him in the teeth.

instead, she forced herself to focus. she needed to think, needed to find a way out of this before—

a whistle cut through the air.

the pirate grinned. "right on time."

jiah barely had time to process before they were moving again, toward the walls, toward a rope dangling down from the battlements.

"no! no, no, no," she twisted, trying to break his hold. "you are not—"

"i am," he said cheerfully, securing his grip before leaping for the rope.

jiah shrieked.

the world lurched as they swung upward, her stomach flipping violently, the castle dropping away beneath them. wind tore through her hair as the pirate climbed effortlessly, one arm hauling them up while the other held her steady against him.

"don’t look down," he offered, as if that was helpful.

"i hate you," she seethed.

"aw, princess," his tone was mock-offended. "we’ve only just met."

before she could snap at him, they reached the top of the wall.

"go, go, go!"

other figures moved in the darkness, pirates, already in motion. jiah barely got a glimpse of them before she was being hauled over the edge, the pirate barely breaking stride as he ran again.

the docks.

jiah's breath hitched.

they were heading for the docks.

"someone stop them!"

shouts rang out behind them. castle guards.

the pirate laughed under his breath. "bit slow, aren’t they?"

"they’re armed," jiah shot back, hearing the distant clang of swords. "you’re outnumbered."

"mm," he hummed. "you’d think that would matter."

they rounded the final corner and jiah saw it.

the hwa yang yeon hwa.

the book did little to describe how massive the ship truly was. it loomed ahead, lanterns glowing in the dark, its sails unfurled and ready to leave. ropes dangled from the deck, waiting for their crew to climb aboard.

"no—!" jiah fought again, trying to slow them down, but the pirate didn’t let her go.

"don’t worry, princess," he said, tone far too smug. "you’ll love it aboard."

and with that, he jumped.

seokjin stood at the edge of the balcony, chest heaving, knuckles white against the railing as he watched the pirate ship vanish into the horizon.

his mind was a storm. rage and disbelief crashing together in violent waves, drowning out every other thought. blood dripped from his temple, warm as it trailed down his cheek. his lip was split. his ribs ached from where the pirate had landed a brutal hit, but he barely felt it. pain was a distant thing, muted beneath the sheer force of his anger.

because she was gone.

jiah was gone.

his fingers curled into fists.

these pirates.

his pirates.

the ones he had spent years hunting. the ones who had taken from him before, who had torn his brother from his grasp and left him chasing ghosts. the ones who had eluded him time and time again, slipping through his fingers like smoke.

and now—

now they had her.

his pulse roared in his ears, his breaths sharp and uneven as the weight of it all crashed down on him.

he should have seen this coming.

he should have known.

but instead, he had been standing there, distracted. caught up in the way she looked at him, in the way she felt in his arms, in the way she—

“you’re bleeding.”

the voice came from behind him, low and measured, slipping through the shadows like it belonged there.

seokjin didn’t flinch. didn’t turn.

yoongi.

of course he was here.

silent as ever, watching from the edges of the battlefield until the dust had settled.

“i’m fine,” seokjin bit out.

he wasn’t.

but that wasn’t the point.

yoongi stepped closer, slow and deliberate, until he was at seokjin’s side. his presence was grounding. cool in contrast to seokjin’s fire.

they stood in silence for a long moment, both of them watching the empty horizon.

then…

“this is dangerous,” yoongi said, voice calm but firm.

seokjin exhaled sharply through his nose. “don’t.”

yoongi didn’t move. “you know i’m right.”

seokjin finally turned to look at him, and the flickering torchlight cast shadows across his sharp features, highlighting the unwavering certainty in his expression.

yoongi wasn’t stopping him.

he was warning him.

and that only made seokjin’s resolve burn hotter.

"i don’t care."

yoongi sighed. “you’re thinking with your emotions.”

“and you’re acting like this isn’t personal.” seokjin’s voice was sharp, laced with something dangerous. “don’t pretend you don’t see it. these are the pirates. the same ones who took my brother.”

yoongi’s gaze didn’t waver. “i know.”

and he did.

but knowing and acting were two different things.

“this is different,” yoongi continued. “you’re letting it cloud your judgment.”

seokjin let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. “so what? you expect me to just let them go?”

yoongi tilted his head slightly, studying him. “you’re not thinking. you’re reacting.”

seokjin’s jaw clenched.

of course he was.

how could he not?

yoongi had always been level headed, always approached things with cold precision, always saw things in ways that seokjin didn’t.

but right now,

right now, seokjin didn’t want to be logical.

not when every instinct in his body screamed at him to act.

“i’m going after her,” he said again, quieter this time but just as unshakable.

yoongi sighed, glancing away for the first time, as if weighing his words.

when he finally spoke, his voice was softer.

“this doesn’t end well for you.”

seokjin swallowed down the frustration rising in his throat. “i’m not asking for permission, yoongi.”

a pause.

“i know.”

because yoongi knew him.

and he knew there was no stopping this.

so instead, he simply let out another slow exhale before turning his gaze back to the horizon.

“…then let’s do this right.”

taehyung had already made his choice.

he made it the moment he saw jiah struggling in the pirate’s grasp, the moment he saw the sheer terror in her eyes before she disappeared into the night. he made it when he saw seokjin bleeding and furious, when he realized exactly who had taken her. when he realized it was his fault she was out there at all.

and now, as he crouched low behind a stack of cargo barrels, hidden in the shadows just beyond the docks, he made it again.

he wasn’t going to let her go alone.

his breath came shallow, heart hammering against his ribs as he watched the pirates load the last of their supplies onto the hwa yang yeon hwa. they moved quickly, efficiently, passing crates between each other like they had done this a hundred times before. the ship was grander than he expected. larger, sturdier, with massive sails that rippled in the night breeze.

his pulse quickened.

this was the king of thieves’ ship. the most feared pirate in all the seas. the one kingdom's had spent years hunting. the one he had spent months slipping information to in exchange for coin. the one whose crew he had thoughtlessly betrayed just hours ago.

the night was chaos.

taehyung had seen it all unfold from the shadows, his heart hammering as he ran through the palace corridors, trying to reach the figures in time. jiah had been on the balcony with the prince, and the moment he spotted the pirate ship on the horizon, dread coiled in his stomach.

he knew what was coming.

his breath was ragged as he sprinted through the open courtyard, dodging startled servants and guards rushing toward the commotion. he could hear shouting in the distance, clashes of steel, frantic orders barked into the night. the pirates were already the inside city. inside the walls. inside the palace.

his boots skidded against the marble floor as he turned the corner, his eyes locking onto the balcony just above. he saw seokjin there, saw the way he had turned toward jiah, his expression unreadable. but before he could scan the area for the pirate he saw, before he could even process the moment, before he could call out to her,

a dark figure emerged from the shadows.

no.

taehyung’s stomach dropped as he saw the glint of steel, the sharp movement of a hand snatching jiah’s wrist.

she barely had time to react before she was gone.

pulled back into the darkness.

the pirate moved too fast. one second, jiah had been standing there, her body tense with urgency, and the next, she had vanished.

taehyung felt something inside him snap.

“guards!” his voice was raw, desperate as he turned toward the palace entrance, his chest heaving. “the pirates—!”

the words barely left his lips before a hand slammed into his ribs.

taehyung choked on the impact as he was sent sprawling backward, his back hitting the cold stone with a dull thud. he gasped for air, but before he could recover, a shadow loomed over him.

not just any shadow.

him.

the man who moved like a phantom, the one who had always been a ghost of a warning in whispered rumors.

taehyung had never seen his face before, but he knew exactly who he was.

the man with the golden smile.

the pirate with the dead eyes.

the captain’s right hand.

jung hoseok.

a name few knew. the name had never been spoken aloud. he had only ever been a whisper. a nightmare that drifted through the seas like a curse.

taehyung barely had time to brace himself before hoseok struck again.

a fist slammed into his jaw, snapping his head to the side. pain exploded behind his eyes, but he gritted his teeth, forcing himself to move. he rolled before the next blow could land, scrambling to his feet just as hoseok lunged again.

steel flashed in the dim light.

taehyung ducked, just barely avoiding the wicked curve of a dagger aimed for his throat.

his breath came in short, sharp bursts as he stumbled back, trying to find an opening. but hoseok didn’t give him one.

the pirate was fast. unnaturally fast. he moved like water, fluid and merciless, each strike calculated, each attack meant to kill.

taehyung barely managed to deflect the next blow, using the hilt of a discarded sword to block the downward slash. the impact sent a shockwave up his arm, nearly numbing his fingers.

hoseok smiled.

it was a grin made of hunger.

“you’re in the way,” he murmured, voice almost playful. “run along, stable boy.”

taehyung snarled, shoving forward, forcing their blades apart. “where did you take her?”

hoseok cocked his head. “who?”

taehyung’s grip tightened.

“jiah.”

the name barely left his lips before hoseok moved.

too fast.

taehyung had no time to react before a knee slammed into his stomach, knocking the air from his lungs. he doubled over, coughing, but before he could recover, a hand fisted into his hair, yanking his head back.

his vision blurred.

his pulse thundered.

cold steel pressed against his throat.

hoseok leaned in, his breath warm against taehyung’s ear.

“if you mean the princess, she’s already gone.”

taehyung froze.

gone.

he knew what that meant.

the ship.

the open sea.

he was too late.

hoseok must have seen the realization flicker in his eyes because he smiled again, that sharp, golden grin.

the pirate leaded in again, but before he could get out another word,

taehyung moved.

he twisted, ignoring the burn of the blade against his skin as he slammed his elbow into hoseok’s ribs, forcing him back. the moment the pressure lifted, he lunged.

hoseok barely had time to adjust before taehyung tackled him.

they crashed against the stone, grappling for control. fists connected, blades scraped, breathless grunts filled the air. taehyung fought with everything he had, fueled by nothing but raw desperation.

he had to get to jiah.

he had to.

but hoseok was a storm.

every move taehyung made, the pirate countered it effortlessly. every attack, every desperate swing, hoseok was already a step ahead.

and then, with one final strike, he knocked taehyung’s legs out from under him.

taehyung hit the ground hard, the impact rattling through his bones.

hoseok stood over him, breath steady, gaze unreadable. his dagger gleamed under the lantern light, poised for the final blow.

taehyung didn’t close his eyes.

he glared.

hoseok hesitated.

just for a second.

“intruders!”

the shout rang through the air, followed by the sound of approaching guards.

hoseok sighed. “tsk.”

taehyung barely had time to blink before the pirate stepped back, spinning his dagger once before tucking it away.

“this was fun,” hoseok mused, already retreating. “let’s do it again sometime.”

and then like smoke he was gone.

swallowed by the shadows.

leaving nothing behind but the sting of defeat.

hoseok had every intention to kill him right there. taehyung knew every interacting with any pirates, not only just the crew of the hwa yang yeon hwa, was a death sentence.

and yet, here he was, about to step onto the very ship he had sold out.

if they recognized him, if any of them knew who he was—

he swallowed hard and shoved the thought away.

he couldn’t think about that now.

instead, he focused on the movement of the crew, the patterns in their steps, the brief moments when their backs were turned. he had grown up learning how to move unnoticed, how to be quick and silent when slipping into places he had no business being. now, that skill was the only thing keeping him from a blade to the throat.

he waited until one of the pirates, a lanky man with a thick beard, ducked below deck, then moved swiftly toward the crates stacked near the gangplank. he kept low, footsteps soundless as he crept closer.

just a little further…

“oi! get those barrels tied down!” someone barked nearby.

taehyung froze, pressing himself against the wood as heavy boots stomped past him. the pirate, one of the taller ones, with a scar down his arm, grumbled under his breath as he grabbed a length of rope and set to work.

taehyung didn’t breathe until he was gone.

his fingers curled against the rough wood of the crate. keep moving.

he darted forward again, slipping into the shadow of the main mast just as another pirate stepped onto the deck. this one was shorter, stocky, with sharp eyes that swept over the crew. taehyung held his breath, heart thudding as he ducked behind a stack of coiled rope.

“all set?” the stocky pirate called out.

“aye,” another voice answered.

“then we sail before dawn.”

shit.

taehyung had been hoping for more time.

but there was no turning back now.

he stayed crouched in his hiding spot, scanning the deck for an opening. he needed to blend in, to make himself look like he belonged. he had spent enough time around the docks to know how pirates moved, how they carried themselves. he just needed the right moment to slip in among them.

his opportunity came faster than he expected.

a fight broke out near the bow. two pirates shoving each other over a lost bet, voices rising in drunken anger. the distraction was all taehyung needed. while the others turned to watch, he grabbed a stray length of rope, looped it around his shoulder, and strode across the deck like he had every right to be there.

no one stopped him.

his heart pounded in his throat as he moved toward the rigging, pretending to busy himself with knots. his hands weren’t as steady as he wanted them to be, but no one paid him any mind. as long as he kept his head down, as long as he acted like he knew what he was doing, he could blend in.

and so, he did.

as the minutes passed, the tension in his shoulders eased. the ship came alive around him. pirates hauling barrels below deck, tying sails, sharpening blades. no one questioned his presence.

but that didn’t mean he was safe.

his eyes darted toward the captain’s quarters, toward the place where he assumed jiah had been taken. he hadn’t seen her since she was dragged aboard. he didn’t know if she was hurt. he didn’t know anything.

but he would.

he had promised himself that much.

“i’ll protect her,” he murmured under his breath, gripping the rope tighter.

no matter what.

the ship rocked gently beneath her feet, but jiah barely noticed. her hands were bound, her wrists aching from the rough rope that cut into her skin, and her heart was still hammering in her chest from the chaos of the last hour. her breath came too fast, uneven and sharp, as she glared at the man in front of her.

"you have the wrong girl."

he didn’t look convinced. in fact, he looked downright amused. the dim lantern light cast shadows over his sharp features, highlighting the curve of his smirk, the flicker of something dangerous in his dark eyes.

"do i?" he mused, tilting his head. "you were on the balcony, weren’t you? dressed all nice, tucked away in the palace. the prince certainly seemed to think you were worth throwing hands over."

her stomach twisted. prince seokjin. she had no idea what had happened after jong-something had dragged her away, but she could still see the fury in seokjin’s eyes, the way he had fought to get to her. she didn’t want to think about what he might do next.

"that doesn’t mean i’m the princess," she snapped, shaking her head. "yiseo is the one you want. i’m just…i’m just her maid."

he let out a low whistle, leaning against one of the wooden beams. "that’s a new one. you expect me to believe the prince of gunseok was willing to bleed over a maid? come on, princess, give me some credit."

she let out a strangled noise of frustration, yanking at her restraints. "i am not—" she stopped herself, forcing a breath through her nose. "i am not a princess. i was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. let me go, and you can still fix this."

he raised an eyebrow, as if considering, before he pushed off the beam and strode toward her. jiah took an instinctive step back, but the wall of the ship’s cabin stopped her short. he was close now, too close, his presence overwhelming in the small space.

"hmm." his eyes roved over her, not in a leering way, but in something sharper. assessing, peeling back layers she didn’t want anyone to see. "well, i gotta admit, princess, you don’t seem like much of a liar. but you see, that’s not my problem. we were told to take the girl on that balcony, and that girl was you. so, either the prince was mooning over his maid—" his lips quirked like the idea was ridiculous "—or you’re lying through your teeth. and between you and me? i don’t think it really matters."

her fingers curled into fists. "what do you mean, it doesn’t matter? you took the wrong girl!"

he grinned, all sharp edges and reckless confidence. "maybe. but you’re still leverage. and leverage is leverage, no matter what name it comes with."

jiah’s heart sank. she had been hoping, foolishly, that he might actually listen to reason. but of course, that had never been an option, had it? pirates didn’t care about reason. they cared about profit. advantage. power.

she lifted her chin, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in her stomach. "if you think prince seokjin will trade the princess for me, you’re wrong."

he hummed, considering. "we’ll see about that. but in the meantime—" his hand shot out, fingers brushing her chin, tilting her face up. "—i think i like you better than some spoiled princess, anyway."

she jerked away from his touch, glaring. "don’t touch me."

he chuckled, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "easy, princess. just getting a good look at the prize we hauled in. wouldn’t want to underestimate our catch, now, would we?"

before she could spit out another retort, the cabin door creaked open, and another pirate poked his head in. "captain wants to see her. now."

jiah swallowed. kim namjoon. the real captain of this ship. he may have been one of the main love interests in the novel but that took chapters to get to. and that was yiseo’s relationship with him. she was just some girl, not a princess. what the captain would do to her once he found out sent a chill through her.

her captor gave a lazy shrug. "looks like you’ve got an audience with the king of thieves himself. let’s go, princess. wouldn’t want to keep him waiting."

jiah didn’t move at first. she was still trying to process everything, still grappling with the absurdity of it all.

she had been at the palace, safe, out of the way. now she was on a pirate ship, surrounded by criminals who thought she was worth something.

except she wasn’t.

she wasn’t even a royal maid.

let alone a princess.

she was not important.

not someone people fought wars over.

but these pirates didn’t believe her. or maybe, they just didn’t care.

"didn’t you hear him?" her captor said, nudging her forward with the hilt of his sword. "captain’s waiting."

jiah swallowed down the sharp retort on the tip of her tongue. fighting back now wouldn’t help. if she wanted to survive this, she had to be smart. had to think.

so she took a breath and let herself be led out of the cabin.

the ship was bigger than she had expected. lanterns swung from the masts, casting golden light over the deck, where men moved about with an ease that told her they had been at sea for a long, long time. the scent of salt and wood and something burning filled her lungs.

but more than anything, it was the sound of the ocean that unnerved her.

endless. inescapable.

there was no getting off this ship unless they allowed it.

the pirate leading her didn’t say anything as he guided her toward the center of the deck, where a man stood waiting.

he was taller than the others, broad-shouldered and calm in a way that felt dangerous. his dark coat billowed slightly in the breeze, and when he turned, the flickering lantern light caught on the sharp planes of his face.

captain namjoon.

he looked at her for a long moment, expression unreadable.

"so," he said, his voice smoother than she expected. "this is the girl the prince fought for?"

her captor chuckled. "not what you were expecting, captain?"

namjoon hummed, crossing his arms. his gaze drifted over her, slow and deliberate, before he tilted his head.

"what’s your name?"

jiah hesitated.

she didn’t want to give him anything. but lying, lying could make things worse.

"jiah," she said finally, forcing her voice to stay steady.

"jiah," namjoon echoed, testing the name. then, his lips quirked slightly. "you don’t look much like a princess."

"because i’m not," she snapped, the frustration bubbling up again. "you took the wrong girl."

namjoon’s expression didn’t change. "is that so?"

"yes! the real princess is still at the ball, not me."

namjoon glanced at the pirate who had dragged her here. "what do you think?"

"she swears up and down that we got the wrong one," he said, smirking. "but i say, if she was in the prince’s arms, she’s worth something."

jiah clenched her fists. "i was not in his—" she cut herself off with a frustrated exhale. "prince seokjin doesn’t care about me like that."

namjoon raised a brow. "then why did he fight for you?"

"because…" she hesitated.

because he’s a good man. because he wouldn’t let someone be taken, no matter who they were.

but she didn’t know how to explain that in a way these men would understand.

"he just did," she muttered instead, looking away.

namjoon studied her a moment longer. then, without looking back at his men, he said, "put her below deck. we’ll figure out what to do with her later."

the pirate beside her tsked. "so cold, captain."

"don’t test me, jeon," namjoon said, his voice even.

jeon.

jiah glanced up at the man beside her, the one who had fought seokjin, who had smirked his way through the whole thing.

jeon.

she didn’t know what that meant, but she knew one thing, she hated him.

and she had a feeling this was far from over.

the pirate, jeon, grinned like he knew exactly what she was thinking. like he could see the way her shoulders had tensed, the way her jaw had clenched, the way she was already bracing for the next round of whatever game he was playing.

"below deck it is," he said, gripping her arm again and steering her toward the stairs. "don’t worry, princess. i’ll make sure you get a real warm welcome."

"don’t call me that," she snapped, yanking her arm away.

"what, princess?" his smirk widened, eyes dancing with amusement. "but it suits you so well."

she wanted to hit him.

no, she wanted to throw him overboard.

but she had to be smart. had to be careful.

so instead, she swallowed her frustration and focused on where he was leading her.

the air grew damp as they descended into the belly of the ship. the wood creaked underfoot, and the scent of salt and something musty filled her nose. the lantern light barely reached the lower levels, casting long, flickering shadows against the walls.

he led her past rows of barrels and crates, deeper into the dimly lit corridor. finally, he stopped in front of a heavy wooden door and pushed it open.

"home sweet home," he said, gesturing for her to step inside.

jiah hesitated.

the room was small, barely more than a storage space. a single cot sat in one corner, a single lantern flickered against the wall, and there was little else.

her gut twisted.

this was a cell.

not in the traditional sense. there were no iron bars, no chains, but it didn’t matter. the door was thick, the lock heavy, and she knew without testing it that she wasn’t getting out of here on her own.

jeon must have seen the realization settle over her because he let out a low chuckle.

"what’s wrong, princess? not quite as nice as your palace chambers?"

"i wouldn’t know," she muttered, stepping inside.

his smirk faltered for just a second. just long enough for her to see something flicker in his eyes. confusion, maybe. curiosity.

then, just as quickly, it was gone.

"well," he said, leaning against the doorframe. "you’d better get comfortable. we’ve got a long journey ahead of us."

she lifted her chin. "where are you taking me?"

he grinned. "now, if i told you that, it’d ruin the surprise."

she glared. "you can’t just—"

he shut the door in her face.

jiah let out a sharp breath, her hands curling into fists at her sides.

then, slowly, she turned and leaned against the door, pressing her forehead against the wood.

she was trapped.

alone.

on a pirate ship, heading to gods knew where. and no one—not the prince, not taehyung, not yiseo, not anyone—knew where to find her

the ship rocked steadily beneath jungkook’s feet, the kind of gentle sway that most men would stumble against, but to him, it was second nature. the crew moved around him in the low lantern light, voices murmuring as they secured lines and checked their haul. the night smelled of salt and smoke, the remnants of their raid still clinging to their skin.

it should have felt like a victory.

they had the girl.

the job was done.

so why did he feel so goddamn restless?

he exhaled sharply, rolling his sore shoulder, wincing as the bruises from the fight with the prince made themselves known. the guy had put up more of a fight than expected, not that it mattered. jungkook had still walked away with the prize, and the prince had been left bleeding in the dust.

that should have been the end of it.

but then the water shifted.

jungkook felt it before he saw it.

a ripple, unnatural and deliberate, cutting through the waves.

his fingers twitched toward his blade, but he didn’t draw it. not yet.

because he knew what this was.

knew who this was.

the water stilled for half a breath, then split apart in a violent surge.

a figure emerged, breaking through the surface with an ease that defied logic, water cascading from his body as he gripped the side of the ship. the moon caught on pale skin, silver hair clinging to sharp features, dark eyes glinting like the ocean itself.

jimin.

jungkook’s smirk was instant. "about time you showed up."

the siren said nothing.

just stood there, perched on the ship’s edge, water pooling at his feet.

his gaze swept across the deck, scanning the crew, the ship, everything.

until his eyes landed on jungkook.

and didn’t move.

something was off.

jungkook tilted his head. "you missed all the fun. palace was a mess, but we got what we came for." he nodded toward the lower deck, where their prize was being held. "princess is below. safe and sound."

still, jimin didn’t react.

his stare was steady, unreadable, and it sent something uneasy skittering down jungkook’s spine.

then, finally…

"where is she?"

his voice was quiet. too quiet.

jungkook blinked. "who?"

jimin’s expression didn’t change.

"the girl."

jungkook’s fingers curled at his sides. "the princess?"

"not the princess."

the words were sharp. final.

jungkook felt his pulse spike.

jimin stepped forward, slow, deliberate, bare feet making no sound against the wood. water still dripped from his form, but it wasn’t natural. not the way it should have been. the droplets shimmered, catching the lantern light too easily, defying the way water should behave.

jimin was calm. too calm.

and jungkook had seen him rip men apart while wearing that same expression.

"her," jimin said simply.

and jungkook knew exactly who he meant.

jiah.

the weight of it settled in his chest, heavy and certain, as the realization sank in.

they had taken the wrong girl.

and the siren wasn’t happy about it.

jungkook’s grip tightened on the hilt of his sword. the air between them felt electric, charged with something he couldn’t quite place, something beyond just the usual tension that came with jimin’s presence.

"you're gonna have to be more specific," he said, keeping his voice even, casual, though his instincts were screaming at him to be careful.

jimin’s eyes didn’t waver. "the girl. the one who doesn’t belong in this world."

jungkook felt something cold settle in his chest.

"you mean the maid?" he scoffed, forcing out a laugh, even though it didn’t feel right in his throat. "you’re kidding, right? you came all the way here, stormed onto the ship, just to ask about her?"

jimin tilted his head, water dripping from his chin. the moonlight made his features eerily sharp, almost too perfect, like he wasn’t something meant for this world.

"she’s not just a maid," jimin murmured.

jungkook rolled his shoulders, trying to shake off the way those words sent something uneasy crawling up his spine. "right. because you would know, wouldn’t you?" he took a step closer, arms crossing over his chest. "what, she make some kind of deal with you? promise you something in exchange for her life?"

jimin just stared at him, expression unreadable.

jungkook let out a sharp breath, shaking his head. "look, whatever weird little thing you’ve got going on with her? it doesn’t matter. she’s leverage now. and if she’s not the princess, she’s still valuable."

jimin finally blinked, slow and deliberate. "to you," he said softly. "but not to them."

jungkook stilled.

because that, that was the problem, wasn’t it?

he knew namjoon. knew how the captain operated. if jiah wasn’t useful, if she wasn’t worth a ransom,

she wouldn’t last long.

jungkook’s jaw clenched.

he didn’t know why the thought of that bothered him, didn’t know why the idea of her being cast aside so easily made his pulse spike.

"why do you care?" he finally asked, voice quieter than he meant it to be.

jimin’s lips curled into something that wasn’t quite a smile. "because she doesn’t belong here," he repeated. "and neither do you."

jungkook felt that like a strike to the ribs.

but before he could open his mouth, before he could push back, before he could say anything at all—

jimin turned.

and walked away.

jungkook stood outside the door longer than he meant to, jimin’s words still rattling around in his head.

"she doesn’t belong here. and neither do you."

he scoffed under his breath, running a hand through his hair. what the hell was that supposed to mean?

jimin was always like this, mysterious, unreadable, acting like he knew things no one else did. but he never cared about anything outside of himself, never involved himself in anything unless it benefited him.

so why was this different?

why did he care about her?

jungkook rolled his shoulders, shaking off the thought as he pushed open the door to the small cabin.

his eyes immediately landed on her.

jiah was sitting on the edge of the cot, back straight, arms crossed over her chest like some kind of wounded animal, cornered, but ready to bite. her hair was a little messy from the struggle earlier, but her gaze was sharp, piercing, like she’d been waiting for him.

the second he stepped inside, she scoffed. “oh, look. the kidnapper returns.”

jungkook smirked, letting the door shut behind him. “miss me already, princess?”

her fingers twitched, resisting the urge to throw something at him. "i told you. i’m not a princess.”

“sure, sure.” his tone was easy, unconcerned. “but you keep saying that like it actually matters.”

jiah’s jaw clenched. “it does matter. you kidnapped the wrong person.”

he huffed a quiet laugh, shaking his head. "wrong person, right person... doesn’t really change anything for you, does it?" he tilted his head. “so tell me, princess, who exactly are you supposed to be, then?"

her mouth opened, but she hesitated. who was she supposed to be?

back home, she had been nothing special. just another university student barely scraping by, just another face in the crowd. and here, here she was even less. a maid with no power, no status, no future.

except now, somehow, she was this.

stolen. mistaken for someone important. caught in something so much bigger than herself.

she exhaled sharply. "i'm no one. just a maid."

he stared at her for a long moment, like he was waiting for the punchline.

then, to her frustration, he just laughed.

"right," he said, shaking his head. "because maids always find themselves in the middle of royal brawls, wearing fancy dresses, getting dragged away by pirates. yeah, sure."

"you did drag me away," she snapped.

"and yet," he mused, tapping a finger against his chin, "your precious prince was ready to burn the world down for you."

her stomach twisted. seokjin. she had no idea what had happened after this pirate had torn her from the balcony. but she could still see the fury in the prince’s eyes, the way he had fought to get to her.

"he was just…he thought i was someone else."

jungkook's smirk sharpened. "did he?"

jiah hated the doubt curling in her gut.

he took a step closer, slow and deliberate. "i gotta say, princess, i’m a little curious now. because if you’re just some random maid, then what exactly were you doing up there? why was the prince looking at you like you were the only thing that mattered?"

"i told you," she said, voice tight, "it was a mistake."

jungkook clicked his tongue, his dark eyes glinting with something unreadable. "well, doesn’t really matter, does it?"

she tensed. "what do you mean?"

he leaned in slightly, just enough for her to feel the warmth radiating off of him, for her to be reminded of just how trapped she was.

"i mean," he murmured, "whether you're a princess or a maid, you’re still leverage. and leverage is leverage, no matter what name it comes with."

her pulse stuttered.

he didn’t care. he never cared.

her fingers curled into fists. "if you think the prince will try and save me you’re wrong."

he hummed, unconcerned. "we’ll see about that."

then he turned, already making his way toward the door.

jiah swallowed down her frustration, forcing herself to steady her breath. her mind was spinning, but one question pushed its way to the front.

"wait."

he paused, one hand on the doorframe. he glanced back at her, brow raised in mild curiosity.

she hesitated, but then squared her shoulders. "what’s your name?"

for a moment, he just looked at her, as if weighing whether he even wanted to humor the question. then, slowly, a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

"why?" his voice was light, teasing. "planning on calling it out in your sleep?"

her glare was instant. "so i know who to curse when i get out of here."

he let out a low chuckle, clearly entertained. "cute."

she said nothing, just crossed her arms and waited.

finally, he exhaled through his nose, tilting his head. "let’s just say you can call me whatever you like, princess. but i wouldn’t get too attached."

before she could press further, he stepped out and shut the door behind him, leaving her seething in the candlelit cabin.

the ship rocked beneath her, but jiah barely noticed. she was finally able to free her hands, fingers curling into trembling fists at her sides, her pulse still racing from the chaos of the night.

she had just started to feel some sense of familiarity with this world before being ripped away from what she knew. the palace had been strange at first. too grand, too structured, too full of unspoken rules she hadn’t been prepared to navigate. but she had been adjusting, slowly finding her footing. even as a maid, even in the shadow of a princess, she had begun to make sense of her place.

and now, just like that, it was gone.

she swallowed hard, pressing a hand to her temple. but at least yiseo was safe.

the thought grounded her, even as a fresh wave of unease curled around her ribs. she could picture it so clearly: yiseo standing beside seokjin, untouched by all of this, safe in his arms. wasn’t that how things were supposed to be? the princess and her prince, together in the end. it was a cruel sort of relief, knowing that if someone had to be taken, at least it hadn’t been her.

but that didn’t make this any easier to accept.

jiah’s gaze flickered to the heavy wooden door, then to the small, circular window near the ceiling. her shoulders slumped. she had already checked, too high up to be of any use, and even if she could reach it, she had no idea how far up they were from the water. would she survive the fall? could she even swim against the pull of the sea?

her stomach twisted. none of it mattered. she wouldn’t be able to escape just yet.

sighing, she let her back hit the wooden wall behind her, arms crossing tightly over her chest. she didn’t know what would happen next, and that uncertainty made her skin itch. the pirates had no reason to listen to her, no reason to believe she wasn’t who they thought she was.

because who would a prince bleed for, if not his princess?

seokjin had fought for her.

and she…she had let herself believe, just for a second, that maybe—

she clenched her jaw. no. she couldn’t afford to think about that now.

the sound of footsteps echoed just outside her door, and she exhaled sharply through her nose, already irritated. she turned, arms dropping to her sides as she prepared for another round of arguing.

“back so soon?” she bit out, her voice laced with frustration. “i thought you had better things to do than—”

but the words died in her throat.

because it wasn’t him.

standing in the doorway, bathed in the soft glow of lantern light, was someone else entirely.

silver hair. ethereal features. eyes that seemed to pierce right through her.

the siren.

jiah felt her breath catch, her stomach twisting as a familiar, explainable sense of dread settled deep in her bones.

he looked just the same as he did a few nights ago. his beauty was unnatural, something carved from moonlight itself. his presence was overwhelming, too much to take in at once, and yet jiah couldn’t look away. his shimmering blue hair framed his delicate, almost unearthly features, catching the dim light in a way that made him glow.

and yet he so eerily was familiar. not like she had encountered him before, but like her soul knew him.

this wasn’t just a siren’s natural allure, mesmerizing those around them. no, this was different. the moment his gaze locked onto hers, something inside her twisted. like she was remembering something long buried, something she had no right to recall.

his lips parted slightly, as if he was about to speak, but he only stared.

the pirate had been dangerous in an obvious way, all sharp smiles and reckless confidence. but this? this was something else entirely.

she swallowed hard, pulse hammering against her ribs.

“who are you?” she asked, voice quieter than she meant it to be.

he didn’t answer right away. instead, his gaze swept over her, slow and deliberate, like he was searching for something. and then, softly, his voice curled through the air like the whisper of the tide.

“jiah...”

her breath hitched. it was the same voice she heard each night since coming here. the same voice that lured her to sleep and haunted her dreams. the way he said her name sent a chill through her. it wasn’t just recognition, it was something deeper, something knowing.

she took a step back, barely realizing she had moved. “how do you know my name?”

his expression remained unreadable, but there was something in his eyes, something sharp, something relentless.

“do you remember me?”

jiah’s fingers curled into fists. her heart pounded, something clawing at the back of her mind. she shook her head. “no.”

his lips curved slightly, the faintest ghost of a smile, but there was nothing warm about it.

“you’re lying.”

she sucked in a sharp breath. “i’m not.”

he took a step closer, and she instinctively moved back. but there was nowhere to go. the wooden wall pressed against her spine, trapping her in place as he advanced, slow and steady, like the pull of the tide.

the air between them crackled with something unspoken. something ancient.

“i see it in your eyes,” he murmured, tilting his head as if studying her. “you may not want to admit it, but your body is betraying you.”

jiah’s breath quickened, her pulse a frantic drumbeat in her chest. she wanted to deny it, wanted to tell him he was wrong, that she had never met him before.

but the way her skin prickled, the way her heart leapt into her throat at the sound of his voice,

she couldn’t.

“what do you want?” she managed, barely above a whisper.

his gaze darkened, something unreadable passing over his face.

“to remind you.”

before she could respond, his hand lifted, fingers brushing the back of her wrist. the touch was feather-light, barely there, but it sent a shock through her system, something deep and primal awakening in her veins.

memories she couldn’t quite grasp, sensations she couldn’t explain, they rose up inside her, clawing their way to the surface.

jiah gasped, her body betraying her as her breath hitched, her skin burning where he touched her.

this was just like the other night, jiah thought. she knew she needed to break free out of this trance, break away from the siren. yet she couldn’t.

“you feel it, don’t you?” his voice was low, rougher now, tinged with something almost possessive.

she did. and that terrified her more than anything.

“let me go,” she whispered.

he only smiled, tilting his head slightly as his fingers trailed up her arm, sending shivers through her entire body.

“why?” he asked softly. “when you’ve been searching for me all along?”

jiah’s mind screamed in protest, but her body leaned closer, drawn to him in a way she couldn’t fight.

because somehow, impossibly, she knew

he wasn’t wrong.

the moment his fingers brushed against her skin, the world tilted.

a rush of heat, a sharp inhale, jiah barely had time to register the spark that shot up her arm before something inside her unraveled.

not just the memory of their first encounter. not just the dreams that haunted her each night. something deeper. something ancient.

salt on her tongue. wind in her hair. the crash of waves against the shore. and him. silver-haired, otherworldly, eyes dark as the abyss, dragging her under without mercy.

it had felt like a dream for so long, the way she stood at the edge of the sea, the moon casting its glow over endless water. how he had emerged from it like something carved from the tide itself, bare-chested, skin glistening, lips curled in something between amusement and hunger.

how he had whispered her name like a promise. like a claim.

jiah...

the memory hit her all at once. the way his hands had skimmed over her waist, his touch featherlight but searing. how his lips had ghosted over hers, teasing, testing, before dragging her into a kiss that burned through every fiber of her being. soft at first, then deeper, hungrier. his fingers tangling in her hair, her body melting against him, helpless against the way he pulled her in.

his touch had been fire and ice, hands mapping every inch of her as if memorizing her shape, pressing her back against the wet sand, the ocean lapping at their feet. she could still feel it, the way his lips had trailed down her throat, the way her breath had hitched when he murmured against her skin, words she hadn't understood then but felt in her very soul.

but dreams weren’t supposed to feel like this. weren’t supposed to leave her trembling, her skin aching with the ghost of something she swore had never happened.

except it had.

her pulse pounded in her ears, drowning out everything else as she stared up at him now, standing right in front of her, real, tangible, impossible.

his gaze swept over her, slow, deliberate, like he could see straight through her. like he knew exactly what she was remembering.

“you remember,” he murmured, the ghost of a smile playing at his lips.

jiah’s breath caught. she wanted to deny it. wanted to push him away. but her body betrayed her, the phantom touch of his hands still burning against her skin.

his fingers traced up her arm, a whisper of a touch, and she shuddered.

“say it,” he coaxed, his voice low, intoxicating. “say you remember.”

her lips parted, her mind screaming at her to lie, to run, to do anything but fall into him the way she had before.

but before she could speak, before she could stop herself

his hand slid to her jaw, tilting her face up to his.

“you were searching for me,” he murmured, his breath brushing over her lips, so close she could taste the sea on him. “all this time.”

a shiver rolled down her spine, her body thrumming with something dangerously close to need.

bang.

a crash from the deck above. shouting. the spell shattered.

jiah jolted, sucking in a breath, the moment slipping through her fingers like sand.

his hand was still on her. his grip firm. unyielding.

the moment shattered, but the fire it had ignited inside her refused to die.

jiah’s breath came fast, shallow, her pulse hammering in her ears as the echoes of that dream,no, that memory, wrapped around her like a vice. the kiss, the touches, the way his body had pressed against hers, searing heat against the cold tide. it wasn’t just a fragment of her imagination. it had happened. somehow, somewhere.

but how?

another crash from above sent vibrations through the ship, muffled shouts breaking through the haze clouding her mind. jiah forced herself to move, to breathe, to focus on the present. on the siren standing inches away, watching her with an intensity that sent her stomach twisting.

his fingers hadn’t left her jaw, and she hated the way her skin tingled beneath his touch, like his very presence was rewriting something deep inside her.

“let me go,” she whispered, but it lacked the conviction she needed.

his lips quirked. “why?”

the question sent something sharp through her. she should be pushing him away, demanding answers, fighting to regain some sense of control. but the memory of his lips on hers was still fresh, lingering like the taste of salt on her tongue, and it terrified her how much she wanted to lean into it.

“because i don’t know you,” she said, forcing steel into her voice, even as her body betrayed her.

his expression didn’t change, but something flickered in his eyes, something dangerous. something knowing.

“but you did.”

her throat tightened.

“no,” she said, shaking her head, trying to clear the fog threatening to pull her under. “i would remember—”

“you do,” he interrupted smoothly. “you just don’t want to.”

his grip on her jaw softened, fingers trailing down her neck, lingering at the base of her throat. her breath hitched at the contact, every nerve in her body going taut.

“you were mine,” he murmured, voice laced with something dark, something possessive. “and i was yours.”

a shiver rolled through her, heat pooling low in her stomach despite every part of her screaming to resist him.

this was wrong. this was impossible.

but the way his touch sent fire licking through her veins, the way his voice wrapped around her like a siren’s song—

she should run. should shove him away, should fight back, should do anything but stand here and let his presence consume her.

but then—

“jiah!” the voice wasn’t his. wasn’t the siren’s.

it was the pirate’s.

her stomach dropped.

the siren tensed, his gaze flickering toward the door just as it burst open.

the pirate stood in the doorway, his expression twisting from concern to something darker the second his eyes landed on the scene in front of him, jiah, cornered against the wooden wall, the siren’s fingers grazing the delicate skin of her throat.

for a split second, silence stretched between them. then the pirate moved.

fast.

before jiah could react, before the siren could turn fully, the pirate was there, grabbing him by the collar and yanking him away from her with enough force to send them both stumbling.

“get your hands off her,” the pirate growled, his voice low, dangerous.

the siren barely reacted, regaining his footing with unnatural grace, silver hair falling into his eyes as he met the pirate’s glare with something almost amused.

jiah’s heart pounded. the tension in the room was suffocating, thick with something unspoken.

the pirate’s chest rose and fell rapidly, his muscles tensed like he was barely restraining himself from launching at the siren again. “what the hell do you think you’re doing?”

the siren tilted his head, expression unreadable. “reminding her.”

the pirate’s jaw clenched.

“reminding her of what?” he bit out.

the siren’s gaze flickered back to jiah, unreadable and piercing all at once.

“who she belongs to.”

the pirate moved before the words even fully registered.

but this time the siren was ready.

the air snapped.

one second, the pirate was lunging, fists drawn, all fire and fury,

and the next, the siren moved with a grace that wasn’t human.

jiah barely registered what happened before the pirate was thrown back against the opposite wall, his back slamming against the wood with a force that rattled the room. he groaned, shaking off the daze, but the siren was already in front of him, pressing a hand to his chest, keeping him there with barely any force.

her breath caught, panic clawing at her throat as she watched her captor struggle against the invisible force holding him in place.

“you should be more careful,” the siren murmured, his voice like silk, too calm for the violence that had just unfolded. “humans are so... breakable.”

jiah moved before she could think.

“stop!” she gasped, reaching out, grabbing the siren’s wrist before she knew what she was doing.

the second her fingers wrapped around him, something crackled.

a jolt of heat, of something ancient and electric, surged between them.

the siren stilled.

the pirate sucked in a sharp breath.

jiah’s entire body burned.

she yanked her hand away, cradling it against her chest, panting like she’d been underwater too long.

the siren turned his head toward her, slow, deliberate.

“you felt that,” he said, and this time, there was no amusement. no taunting. only quiet certainty.

jiah’s heart pounded. she didn’t know what to say, what to think.

what to believe.

because she had felt it.

the same way she’d felt him in that dream, no memory.

the same way she had felt his lips on hers.

his hands on her skin.

his body pressing into hers beneath the pull of the tide.

“no,” she whispered, voice hoarse, barely audible. “it’s not real.”

the siren’s lips parted slightly, his gaze flickering over her face, like he was searching for something.

then—he smiled.

soft. knowing. almost fond.

“you can lie to yourself all you want,” he said, voice like a whisper of the tide, “but your body remembers, jiah.”

she inhaled sharply.

the pirate’s teeth clenched, still pinned against the wall. “get away from her.”

the siren exhaled through his nose, almost as if bored. then, finally he let the pirate go.

the invisible pressure lifted in an instant, and the pirate pushed himself forward, fists still clenched, eyes still burning.

the siren, however, barely spared him a glance. his attention remained on jiah, his gaze dipping briefly to her wrist where she had touched him before dragging back up to meet her eyes.

“i’ll see you soon,” he murmured, and it wasn’t a threat.

it was a promise.

then, before either of them could react,

he seemingly vanished into the night air.

the only evidence he had ever been there was the lingering heat on her wrist, the ghost of a touch she couldn’t shake.

the pirate was the first to move.

he turned to her, breathing hard, his expression clouded with something between frustration and concern.

“are you okay?”

jiah didn’t answer.

couldn’t.

because she wasn’t sure.

her pulse still pounded, her skin still burned.

her lips still tingled.

and deep inside her chest, beneath all the fear, the confusion, the denial,

something else stirred.

something that terrified her more than anything else.

recognition.

“you never told me your name.”

the words left her lips before she could stop them, a desperate attempt to break the silence that had settled between them.

the pirate turned his head slightly, his dark eyes meeting hers through the dim lantern light.

for a moment, he didn’t answer. then, finally,

“jungkook.”

the name curled through the air, rough, unfamiliar. but somehow, it fit him.

“jungkook,” she echoed, testing it on her tongue.

his lips quirked, just barely. “you say it like you’re trying to remember something.”

her fingers twitched. “maybe i am.” his expression shifted, something unreadable passing through his eyes before he spoke again.

“you were dreaming,” he said. “weren’t you?”

jiah sucked in a breath.

his voice was steady, but there was something sharper beneath it, something that made her stomach twist.

he knows.

she hesitated, then nodded.

jungkook’s gaze darkened. “and?”

she exhaled shakily. “it felt real.”

his jaw clenched, but he only nodded, like he had expected that answer.

“what did he do to you?”

jiah swallowed hard.

kissed me. touched me. made me feel things i don’t understand.

made me remember.

“i don’t know,” she lied instead.

jungkook’s stare was unrelenting.

“don’t lie to me.”

she bit her lip, looking away.

“it wasn’t like that,” she murmured. “he… he knew me. before. and i think…” she hesitated, the words thick on her tongue. “i think i knew him too.”

silence.

“his name is jimin.”

jiah’s head snapped up, her eyes widening.

jungkook didn’t look at her. his gaze was fixed on the floor, his fingers curled into his sleeves.

jimin.

the name felt like a key turning in a lock, like something sliding into place.

jimin.

she knew it.

not just from now, not just from tonight, from before.

jimin.

the siren.

the man who had kissed her like he had been waiting for an eternity.

jiah’s breath caught, her chest tightening with something she couldn’t name.

“how do you know him?” she whispered, but as soon as the words left her lips, she knew.

she knew the answer would be anything but simple.

jungkook didn’t answer right away.

he was staring past her, his jaw tight, his chest rising and falling in slow, controlled breaths, like he was trying not to let something slip.

when he finally spoke, his voice was steady. but there was something coiled beneath it, something sharp, waiting to strike.

"he's my brother."

jiah’s breath caught.

what?

her stomach twisted. that couldn’t be right.

"but—"

"not by blood."

the words came like a blade, slicing through whatever weak explanation she could have come up with. jungkook’s voice had lost all warmth, each syllable clipped, final.

"but that doesn’t matter."

jiah swallowed hard.

brothers.

jungkook and jimin, brothers.

it didn’t make sense.

but maybe that was because it wasn’t meant to.

she looked at jungkook again, at the way his fingers twitched like he wanted to curl them into fists. at the way his shoulders had gone rigid, his whole body tense with something unspoken.

his eyes, dark, bottomless, held something she couldn’t name. something dangerous. they weren’t just angry, weren’t just cold.

they were betrayed.

"we grew up together."his voice was quieter now, but no less strained."fought together. survived together."

he exhaled slowly, sharp and controlled, like he was keeping something buried beneath the surface.

"and now..."

his voice trailed off, but jiah could hear the weight of what he wasn’t saying.

when he looked at her again, his gaze had darkened—like the sea before a storm.

"i don’t know what we are."

her chest tightened.

because how could that be?

how could two people who had lived and bled and survived together end up like this. standing on opposite sides of something too vast to cross?

it made something in her ache.

because she knew that feeling.

she knew what it was like to lose someone without ever truly losing them.

and despite the warning in jungkook’s voice, despite the cold fire in his eyes, despite the fear curling low in her stomach,

she couldn’t shake the way she had felt in jimin’s arms.

the way he had looked at her. like he had been waiting for her. for so long.

jungkook let out a slow breath, raking a had over his face.

when he spoke again, his voice was quieter. but there was something sharper in it now. something almost possessive.

"just…" he hesitated, like he was still trying to convince himself of something. then, finally, his gaze snapped back to hers, locking her in place.

"stay away from him, princess."

her pulse stuttered

he wasn’t just asking her.

he was warning her. commanding her.

her lips parted, words catching in her throat.

because she wanted to say yes.

wanted to promise she would.

but she knew, deep down,

it was already too late.

authors note: hey guys ik i said it might be awhile until the next part but yall i had to finish this for you guys. my original plan was to have the last part and this one all be one chapter but as you can see there was just too much to say. im really excited to hear everyone's thoughts because so much happened in this chapter (i'm pretty sure every member was in this chapter) anyways thank you guys so much for reading, ily !!

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