"Yun, will you marry me?" Li Hua asked, after gulping down the soup the genius pretty boy had concocted.

"Nope!" Hyun called. "I'm adopting him."

"He's mine!" Geon-ho cried. "I want him as my wife! Yun, choose me!"

"Never!" Yun protested. "I'm not becoming the wife or child of rouge pirate-like whatever you guys are. I have better prospects in life."

The reason for Yun's sudden burst of popularity was caused by a soup he had invented, which he proudly named "Deluxe Pirate Seafood Nourishment". No one really understood what it meant, some could not even decipher the meaning of each word separately, but as the soup was really good, no one questioned it. So good, in fact, that it even managed to lighten Sen's mood. She sat indifferently, no longer carrying a venomous aura.

Yona took a bowl of Yun's delicious creation to Gi-gan.

"Thank you," the captain said after eating, "that was really thoughtful of you. Why can't Sen be more like you?"

"Oh, well, Sen's Sen and I'm me," Yona said dreamily. "I wish I could be like her. Her hair is so pretty and straight. She's such an amazing person, so helpful, so kind...!"

Gi-gan nearly choked on her saliva and stared at the princess in dumb amazement. She thought she was hallucinating. After all, probably Sen's own mother never said anything like that, let alone a person who had hardly known her for a week or two. Yona, as oblivious as ever, continued to list Sen's merits with bright eyes.

"I-It seems like you look up to her?"

Gi-gan coughed up that sentence without really knowing whether it was a question or not. Deep down, she wanted to confirm that all she heard was true.

"Yes! I want to be strong like her and pretty like her and smart like her!"

The confirmation Gi-gan was waiting for had arrived, but she wasn't satisfied. Sen's looks were no doubt... interesting. However, she never displayed any great talent or strength. Just how did Yona see all this in her? Were they even talking about the same person? Gi-gan felt uncomfortable somehow, so she decided to talk about something else—anything else, really.

"So you're taking Jae-ha with you, right?" she asked, clearing her throat. The princess did not really notice nor care about the drastic change of topic and shook her head.

"He won't come and I won't force him," she answered promptly. Gi-gan sighed. Jae-ha was lucky to have such an "employer", despite having yet to realise it.

"I'd be glad if you did, though," she told the young girl. "It would take a great weight off my mind. You see, he never had a home besides this ship—at least, not really. And I worry about his future. If he would go with you, I could finally be at ease."

"Why not let him stay?"

Gi-gan sat silently for a while, gazing thoughtfully at the waves. When she spoke, her words held the tranquility of those accepting of their fate.

"I won't be here forever," she said softly. "Nor will Kum-ji. And when he's gone, no one will need the pirates of Awa anymore."

She looked up at the stars in the sky with a sigh. They twinkled as coldly as ever, not offering any comfort nor condolence to those seeking their help.

"When that happens—everything will go back to how it used to be," she went on. "They'll rebuild the homes that have been destroyed, recreate the families that have been scattered, heal the scars that can be healed and forget the ones that can't." She paused for a moment before adding, "The senjosou you brought helped a lot too, you know. Now a few more people can live long enough to enjoy a normal life again."

Yona blushed. She felt glad; glad to have helped save a human life. Her existence had not been in vain, after all.

"But Jae-ha... that man is a different story. As I said, he never had a normal life so he can't revert to it. That's why I hope you can take him away. You could give him a new home."

"I hope so too," Yona sighed, "but the decision is his alone."

Neither of them knew that within earshot, Sen covered her mouth as she laughed. Jae-ha looked at her reproachfully and whispered, "What? That was a touching moment."

"Mhmm, sure," Sen snickered. "If you say so. Since we're all praising your value, I wouldn't want to stay behind. I hereby confess my eternal love to you!"

Jae-ha's heart skipped a beat.

"If only you weren't the Green Dragon, we could live together forever, but as everyone around wants you, I'll be forced to sell you as a slave. How much would you fetch me? One golden lin, two golden lin... this reminds me of the time ol' Huo Lin wanted to sell his wife, but she found out..."

She continued to ramble, not noticing that she had lost her audience at "eternal love". Jae-ha watched her grinning figure without hearing a word of what she was saying. He only came back to his senses when he noticed her staring at him strangely.

"What?"

"I asked a question," she said, "yet you keep on looking at me like that. Eyes might be the mirror of the soul, but I don't think that "I want you" has anything to do with, "What will you do once you leave this ship?""

"Who knows?" Jae-ha replied airily. After noticing Sen's irritated gaze, he quickly went on, "I think I'm going with Yona."

"May freedom be damned, yes?"

"I thought," he said, bemused, "I thought someone told me that giving up freedom for a bit was worth living another few years."

"They must have had brains crafted by the gods," Sen said with a solemn expression. "You'd better build them a shrine and worship them for bestowing such wisdom upon you."

"Naturally," he replied. "After all, that someone truly has unparalleled beauty and heavenly talents."

"Their face would make flowers wilt in shame," she agreed. "And don't forget how they have a heart of gold!"

"Now that's going a bit far," Jae-ha teased, reaching out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "After all, that someone wanted to sell me for a few bits of gold just earlier."

"My golden heart can't be converted into money," Sen sighed dramatically, leaning her cheek against his hand. "I have to live off something, don't you think?"

"True," he said softly, caressing her face. Sen closed her eyes, enjoying his touch. "It would be a noble goal to sacrifice myself for your wellbeing."

As he moved his fingers to brush across her lips, the obnoxious sound of heavy boots entered their ears. Hak stepped deliberately between the two of them and dropped his hand on Sen's shoulder.

"Come with me," he ordered. Sen opened her eyes lazily and turned her face towards him.

"The mighty man summons me at the dead of night. What could he want from me? My wisdom or might?"

As soon as she uttered those words, Sen felt her ears burning. Her rhyming hadn't been intentional. Hak gave her a puzzled look.

"I think I'm after your might," he said slowly. Jae-ha struggled very hard to hold back his laughter. Sen pretended that her poetry was part of a completely developed, naturally flawless plan and stuck with it, though her embarrassed smile gave her away.

"Witching hour strikes; not a soul to be seen,

The call of an owl rings, lonely and keen.

What could the late call of this general mean?"

"No, please don't force it," Hak muttered irritably. "You're just making it worse."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Sen sniffed. "Can you not appreciate fine art when you hear it?"

Jae-ha finally choked on his saliva. He ran to get some water. Hak sighed.

"Can we talk elsewhere? It's about Yona."

"So that's why he needs another one's might

To save his princess, his lover, his light,"

Sen recited, rolling her eyes.

"The soul of a poet becomes a malicious ghost with each rhyme you make," Hak told her. "At this rate, Hell will be overrun by morning."

"Odd how you insult her you ask a favor from. I suppose basic etiquette was not taught in the palace," Sen sighed. "Speaking of this area in which you are lacking, it is highly unacceptable to ask an unmarried maiden to be with one alone."

Hak rubbed his temples. If it wasn't for Yona, he would never talk to this woman again. Sen laced her arm playfully with his.

"But tonight, you are in luck. My reputation is worthless as is my body and soul; how could a demigod like you want me? It's like a dream come true. Alas, keep me in the dark no longer, Prince Semi-Charming, which suspicious alleyway do you want to threaten me in?"

Hak ruthlessly ripped his arm out of Sen's grasp and marched away, though not before indicating that she should follow. After getting far enough from the pirate ship, he turned to face her.

"Yona is going to the ship tomorrow."

"I know," Sen replied curtly. She had an idea where the conversation was going, and she did not like it.

"It's mainly your fault."

"I know."

"She'll probably die."

"Really?" Sen asked in feigned shock. "What riveting statements will you share with me next? That seawater is salty? Or that the sun rises in the east?"

Hak gritted his teeth. It's for Yona's sake, Yona's sake, he reminded himself.

"Listen, if you're willing to help, I'll get you your weight in gold," he said solemnly. "I'll travel to the Kai Empire and bring back the hides of tigers and rubies as big as your thumb. I'll go to Xing Kingdom and find you a pillar of pure jade as tall and wide as an old oak tree. I'll conquer Sei and make you Queen. I'll venture to the land of gods and bring you their eight treasures and lay them at your feet, all in exchange for this one little favour—keeping Yona safe. Please, I'm begging you!"

Sen was quite blown away by these promises. It also surprised her how far Hak was willing to go for the sake of the redhead princess. Had it been any other mission, she would've accepted.

"Words are carried away by the wind and forgotten very quickly," she told him. "Gold, rubies and jade are all very well, but are they worth a human life?"

Yona's life? Hak's heart clenched. It would be worth more than tens of thousands of the things I've mentioned. As for yours...

"Then forget it," he said. "You won't give into anything except threats."

Sen laughed out loud.

"What, a threat to kill me? A dead person helping you seems smart—I see why you were King Il's trusted general," she goaded. Instead of replying, Hak grinned and took a ring from his sleeve and lifted it up for her to see. The cut stone gleamed coldly in the moonlight.

"What's that?" she asked with a look of confusion. "Can I buy a country with it?"

"No idea," Hak said with a shrug. "I found it in your room."

"So what?" She sighed and shook her head. "You think I can't get a thousand more of those later on?"

"Then it shouldn't matter if the fish have it," Hak replied, lifting his hand and aiming to throw the ring in the sea. Sen paled and grabbed at it, but he dangled it just out of her reach, at the height that she could touch it with her fingertips but not actually grasp it.

It was Hak's turn to laugh.

"Can't you get a thousand more of these?" he snickered. "Is it a family relic? Or did you steal it from someone?"

"What does it matter?" Sen asked miserably. "Just be happy you picked that up instead of a cheap accessory."

Hak nodded with a grin, and hid the ring in his sleeve again. Sen watched it disappear with worry.

"Take care of it well," she said. "Please."

"Of course," Hak replied. "Who do you think I am?" After a moment's pause, he added, "Thank you."

"Don't bother," Sen said, turning around. "Good night."

"Sleep well!" Hak called after her as she walked away. The waning moon shrouded her in a cloak of silver before disappearing behind a cloud again, casting strange and twisted shadows on the grass and waves.