by Daju Lee
"Of-- of course." She choked out a reply in a strange voice. She was lying on her face on the kitchen table, sweating from her brow, looking feverish.
"What's up?" As Jinho asked, Juna replied, restlessly moving on her chair.
"I don't know. I suddenly feel sick." Her face turned red.
"I will quickly take you to the cabin. I guess you've caught a cold from rainstorm." Hyun skilfully helped her up, even though she was taller than himself.
All the power
A small and dark cabin was at least cleaner than any other place on the ship. The lowly lit lamp went out from time to time and would flicker back on. Assigned a cabin to himself, Jinho felt tiredness rushing over him as he saw the bed. However, trying to sleep, his mind somehow became clearer. As the lamp struggled to keep light shining in the cabin, Jinho opened his bag. The paulownia box, in which his father's notebook was put, was damp from rain, too. He had always kept the box in his bag, in the hopes of finding something more within it.
S1. Be a Strong Sailor, and you shall have all the power.
Did dad want to become a sailor?
Reading the 'Babble', Jinho indulged in his thoughts:
Based on the circumstances, it seemed true that dad must have boarded this ship… The boarding ticket, with his name on, and the writings in the note… If so, he must have been cast away, like Hyun said.
His thoughts reaching this point, Jinho felt lost.
How much would mum be worried if she knew all this? If she finds out I disappeared without a
word? And what if she just passes out from her sickness?'
Feeling anxious, he could not simply stay in bed. Wondering around the cabin, someone knocked the door.
"Mr. Kim, Ms. Juna Jung wants to see you," said Hyun, opening the door politely.
Juna's fever had not calmed down yet. "Are you feeling any better?" Resigned to not being in control of the whole situation, Jinho had become somewhat dependent on her.
She said in a quiet, soft voice, "Mum must be worried. You should call her with my phone in my bag." She pointed out her bag lying on the shelf. He regretted ever having treated her nicely, even if just for a short time.
Every time she acted like his sister, Jinho felt anger.
"Who's mum is it for you to care for? I was always wondering, why are you so attached to my parents? You think you can become a real daughter, or what?" He quibbled to sick Juna. Hyun stared at Jinho - suddenly losing his temper - in bewilderment.
"I am sure that I am at least better for them than you, the real son." Not even caring about his anger, Juna just made a gesture to have him take out the phone. Juna was always like this. She acted as if she was superior to him - and in fact, in many ways, she was superior to him. That made Jinho furious, but he could not help but accept it as he witnessed this over and over again.
"And a fine daughter you are too!" Huffing irritably, he took out the phone as Juna instructed, and called his mum. Not having the energy to fight against her about this, Jinho suppressed his feelings, worrying instead about if a phone call would work. As he expected, the connection did not work. "I am not surprised, you thought you'd be able to call from all the way out here?" With his crooked face, he tossed the phone back into the bag.
Seeing it not working, Juna turned her back with a tragic look. "What happens to us now? When can we find Mr. Kim and go back home?" As if about to start crying, her voice trembled a little. Jinho was surprised to see Juna who always was patient and rational, showing her emotions like that.
Wow, she must be very sick.
He thought. Jinho could not go back to his room, leaving Juna all
alone. Throwing a wet cloth onto her forehead, half sympathetically, Jinho then flopped down beside the bed. With more complex thoughts in mind, he had felt uneasy.
"I don't know when either, but you will get home eventually. Dear Passengers, don't worry too much." Standing over and seeing them, Hyun consoled them like an adult. It could not be known if Juna heard his words. She seemed to be asleep, breathing evenly.
~
Some time later, as the ship moved over a big wave, the lamp went out completely. In this time, Jinho had fallen asleep and was now awake. As the cabin darkened, Hyun sitting by him carefully opened his mouth.
"Well, um… I was wondering what parents are."
Although he could not see Hyun's face in the darkness, Jinho could tell from the hesitation in his voice that he was asking a difficult question. Come to think of it, it was not common for such a young boy to be a sailor. Jinho was intrigued by the presence of Hyun. What led him to here?
"Parents are just… parents. You don't have them?" He could not hear an answer from Hyun but could feel that Hyun was sadly shaking his head. "You are awesome. Mature and brave." Jinho had tried to cheer him up with words from his heart. However, Hyun was still sitting down as silently as he had been.
"You're an idiot! He is trying his best, you know?" Juna said in a scolding manner, being awake and hearing their conversation. As if her words had deeply touched his emotions, the usually bright Hyun suddenly started to form tears in his eyes . He tried to hold back the tears, trying to not to forget his principles as a sailor, not to be too emotional.
"True. I can't know how you feel, but it must have been very difficult." Jinho came to understand Hyun's feelings at least a little. Wanting to console him, but thinking that it would be too intrusive, Jinho kept silent.
"You're putting on airs again, Juna!" Said Jinho mischievously, trying to cut the tension. It became however even more awkward as nobody answered him.
After a brief silence, the light flickered back on in the cabin and Hyun showed a smile as if nothing had happened. Jinho quickly changed the subject. "By the way, what is a Strong Sailor?"
"A Strong Sailor? It is literally a strong sailor. They can exercise all kinds of power. For example: jolting water shadows, power of the black storm, eyes that wake your eyes up, marbles borrowing stars, Songs of silver wings, glass bottle hiding the night, and…" Hyun replied in a jolly manner, as though he had never cried just before.
"Wait a second." Jinho stopped him.
These are all written on dad's note! How does Hyun know about these 'power stories' - like something from a cartoon?'
"Where do you know that from?" Asked Jinho.
"This? Everyone knows it. Everyone among the sailors of the Mari knows it. Unfortunately, we don't have a Strong Sailor here in this ship, but I'm gonna be a Strong Sailor when I grow up."
Hyun replied with glassy, dreaming eyes.
"Really? Did you say, all the sailors of the Mari know it?" Jinho repeated his question.
"Of course, it's impossible not to know about Strong powers."
According to Hyun's reply, father's writings were not just nonsense. If so, did he know about the Mari before and want to become a Strong Sailor? Jinho considered. "Then, are all these possible? Do the powers really exist?" Said Jinho in a dubious voice, deep in thought.
"Yes, that's one thing we know for sure. The castaway sailors used to exercise these powers. They all were Strong Sailors but…" Not wanting to finish the end of his sentence, he said, forcing himself to sound happy. "As the Mari sets off on a journey, we will be able to find them all. I believe you will meet the one you are searching for, as well."
Although a young child, Hyun's words sounded trustworthy. Jinho found himself nodding his head to Hyun's words. "Yes, I'm sure we will."
Returning to his cabin, Jinho digested what Hyun explained.
I
f these incredible-sounding powers do exist, it is imperative that I find dad. But, I am just a poor kid without any sort of ability. How I wish I had these powers!
Jolting water shadows, power of the black storm, eyes that wake your eyes up, marbles borrowing stars, Songs of silver wings, glass bottle hiding the night, cat who carries sleep, pieces of memory that soothe your mind, power of the spinning wheel made of poetry, day of tree shades, cloak's busy r
outines, and the pictures enlightening the truth.
Reading it to himself, Jinho found that it now sounded fascinating, even though it had looked silly before.
~
Falling asleep late, Jinho did not wake up after the day broke. Awakened by the sound of tapping on the door, he sprang up in his bed. Thinking what had happened yesterday was only a dream - and that he was now at home - Jinho was dismayed to find that he was still on the ship.
"Ugh." He felt pain in his stomach but didn't know why it hurt.
"Aren't you hungry?" Juna asked, opening the door and poking her head into the room, as Jinho did not answer. Unlike yesterday, she looked well and recovered.
"Oh, I feel very hungry." Realising that he hadn't eaten the whole day, he realised that the source of the pain was hunger.
"Let's eat something."
In swift reaction to her words, they went to the canteen. It was no different from yesterday. Scattered things and an empty fridge. They could not find any food except some ash on the plates.
"What about Hyun?"
Juna shook her head in response. Hyun was indeed the only person they could depend on in this place. Hyun had been outside the cabin for a while. The stormy weather settled down and the blue sky was now dazzling upon the calm waves. The sunshine was strong but the cooling sea winds felt good.
Hyun was sitting around the bow and the shadow of the largest sail was cast upon him, refreshingly.
"What are you doing?" Jinho asked, approaching him.
"Oh, dear passengers," Hyun, sitting with his back turned, then stood up.
"Please, Just call us Jinho and Juna." Jinho said reassuringly.
Seeing Hyun making a shy look, Juna smiled at him without words. "We've got an urgent problem," said Jinho in a serious voice. "What is it?" As Hyun asked in surprise, Jinho replied.
"I am very close from dying from starvation." Jinho tapped his stomach. A hollow echo was made from his empty stomach. Finding the sound funny, Hyun giggled.
"But there's no other way. Since Louie undertook the cooking job, other sailors of the Mari don't do duties apart from their own and they must not do others. When Dora was cooking, we had nice food but there's nothing we can do for now, as she was lost to the sea."
"What kind of rule is that? Those who are hungry can just cook." Not being able to accept Hyun's words, Jinho looked cautiously around. Several fishing rods were laid down on the ground nearby. "Since I am not a sailor of this ship, I am allowed to fish, aren't I?"
As Jinho reeled off a line on one of the rods, Juna approached him: "That's brilliant! Sometimes your ideas are worthwhile too." Joining him and sitting down on the bow like Jinho, Juna cast the rod into the sea. Hyun shrugged his shoulders, not being able to stop them.
"If you ever catch fish, then make it a big one, Jinho." Giving up, Hyun pointed out at the wavy sea, with an air of expectation. "That way."
They threw the fishing lines in the direction Hyun pointed, and a short time later, some fish were caught. Lifted up from the deep sea, a variety of colourful fish flopped onto the ship.
The basket was filled with chubby, fresh fish.
"So, who's cooking?" It was Mapi's deep voice. He seemed to have been watching over them for some time.
"Not me." Hyun replied directly, feeling alert.
"I don't care, but be sure not to let Louie cook. I can't face eating his garbage today." Finishing his words, he wandered back, without any remorse.
Standing in front of the kitchen counter, Jinho and Juna were lost for words. They could not even find the tools to make a fire. Even after cleaning up the messy counter, appliances such a gas stove were not in sight.
"How do we cook, if there's no fire in the kitchen?" Juna asked, having trimmed the fish and now waiting.
"What is that fishy smell?" Looking different from yesterday, Louie with his hair now curly and hanging by his shoulders, having undone hair that looked like a chicken's earlobe, entered the kitchen. "What the hell are you guys doing? Get out of my kitchen right now!"
He was quite agitated. Throwing the fish onto the scorched frying pan, he held his nose.
"What an unpleasant thing to do. How could you cook such disgusting ones?" With his index finger, he drew a circle towards the fish. Then the fire broke out of the tip of his finger and he started to cook the fish. "I can't believe my noble self is resorting to cooking such thing like fish." As if angered, he circled his finger again and again to make the fire stronger and stronger.
"Wait a minute!" Without Juna being given a chance to stop him, the fish became ash with bones left.
"Now it looks like proper food. It doesn't smell fishy anymore." Satisfied with his creation, Louie dumped the mass of ash on the table. "A master cook makes a great dish out of poor ingredients." Tidying his hair, he proudly exited the kitchen.
"What is this?" Jinho, having had great anticipation, heaved a sigh. It was exactly the same as yesterday; without any flesh and completely burned.
"It's really above my expectation."
Losing the ability to speak, Juna laughed nonsensically and then suddenly became serious. While considering what to do next, she heard an uproarious sound from behind her. It was the sound of Mapi throwing chairs, entering the canteen and seeing the totally burned food.
"I'm gonna kill you all!" With an agitated face, he lifted a table and threw it towards Hyun.
"I said, don't let the guy cook! I had high expectations! Do you think you can just ignore my words like this?"
Avoiding the missiles Mapi was throwing, Hyun hid himself under the kitchen counter. Mapi then started to throw kitchen utensils at Jinho and Juna, who were just staring blankly. Jinho instinctively caught the frying fan, flying towards Juna.
"Are you just gonna catch that so arrogantly?" Mapi seemed to lose his reason. As the situation became more critical, Hyun pulled the two under the kitchen counter and hid them from Mapi's rage.
"Louie, where has he gone?" Looking around, Mapi left the kitchen in a frenzy.
"What on earth is going on?" Juna shuddered at the scene left behind by Mapi.
"Mapi seemed unusual today. I guess he must've exploded. He was always going to eventually."
Getting out from beneath the kitchen counter, the three paid close attention to the sound from the deck. Through a crack in the wooden ceiling, Louie's barking sound was heard and they felt the vibration along with a loud thud.
"If this continues, Mapi's gonna be in trouble."
As things became more serious, Hyun restlessly went up to the deck.
Louie was panting with his hair messy. He was evading Mapi's barrage with all his soul and might, which made Mapi even more furious.
"Today, we are friends no more! One of us will die, here and now!" Mapi shouted, ripping out a plank from the deck and throwing it at Louie.
"I don't want that! You loser, how dare you take it out on me!" Louie mocked him, avoiding the plank.
Furious by his reaction, Mapi jumped on Louie and began strangling his neck. "I have to see when you will stop thinking you're superior to me."
"Oh no, Mapi is really gonna kill him!" White with worries, Hyun flapped, then rushed to Mapi to grab his arm. "Stop it. You don't know we all are gonna be in danger, if you do that?"
"Why is this dwarf boy chatting to me?"
Mapi flung Hyun off his arm. Hyun dropped to the ground, injuring his elbow with blood rushing out.
Seeing the sight, Jinho ran to Hyun's aid. "Are you okay?"
Not being able to move his body, Hyun lay there, but assured Jinho that he was okay.
"Mapi must be stopped. Not a single sailor of the Mari should die."
Jinho gulped with nerves. There was no one who could stop Mapi right now. If nothing interrupted him Louie would be in real danger. If there was a Strong Sailor, no, if Jinho himself was a Strong Sailor, he could have helped the situation. Jinho repeated the Strong powers he read to himself for the whole night:
"Pieces of me
mory that soothe your mind."
Mumbling them to himself, Jinho ran to Mapi, then he strongly pulled Mapi's arm that was choking Louie.
"What? Why are you here? Do you want to become like him?" Mapi brushed him away easily as if swatting a mosquito. Jinho was thrown aside.
"It is the piece of memory that soothes your mind!"
Now shouting the words to himself powerfully, Jinho ran at Mapi again. Then he bit Mapi's arm in an area where tendons stood out.
"Seriously! You wanna die?" Releasing Louie from his grasp, Mapi turned his anger towards Jinho.
"Have some patience now! Don't you know we all might be in trouble?" Starting to feel the fear, Jinho said, stepping back.
"I didn't like you from the first place, I don't need your preaching, stupid kid!" Enraged, Mapi struck Jinho's stomach. Jinho dropped onto the ground, swallowing his scream.
"Jinho!" Juna rushed to his side. "Are… are you okay? Please step aside. That's nothing we can do here." Juna grabbed his arms with her trembling hands.
"Why couldn't I become a Strong Sailor?" He said, struggling to breathe, the force of the blow from Mapi hindering his speech. Coughing, he tried to relieve the pain.
Louie lay lifeless in the same place Mapi had dropped him, having lost his strength and not being strong enough to get up and run away. Mapi turned his attention to Louie again.
"…Such an idiotic animal, resolving everything with your strength!"
"How are you even still talking?" Convulsing with anger, Mapi strangled Louie's neck again, this time the whites of Louie's eyes could be seen as he drifted out of consciousness.
