[Asia] Once in a Port near Hong Kong (ATT: Korea)

[otakukiku]

As the sun finally set, leaving a dull ruddy glow at the edge of the horizon, a naval ship pulled into port, just off the coast of Hong Kong. The lights of the city beckoned to the sailors, who were told they had a free night to drink, be merry, and work off a little stress. Most of the men headed straight for the bars or pubs, a few hit some of the eateries in town, and the last few looked for a little fun that might not have been quite so legal. Kiku walked off the ship and looked around, hand resting at the omnipresent sword as he smiled softly. It wasn’t a big city, but it had a comfortable feel around it. He walked off the dock and started off, wandering the streets as he looked for something to pass the time with. A few street vendors earned his coin as he made himself a make-shift meal, eating slowly as he walked. Sure, the cook on board was good, but this was so much better. He passed a few novelty stores before finding a store selling books. Kiku paused there for a second, and wondered if he could sneak a few manga (if the store sold any) back onboard without his Captain seeing. He took the last bite of his meat bun and threw the wrapper away in a nearby bin, deciding that it wasn’t wise to try and test the man who had helped him out so much over the past few years. Kiku shook his head and walked toward a nearby pub where he hoped a few of his fellow officers would be.

Unfortunately for him, this was the ‘Pirates’ pub of the town. But he soon learned when he walked in and got quite a few stares for his outfit. As he looked around and saw no other navel officers, an uneasy feeling settled in the pit of his stomach, even though his face didn't change from the usual stoic mask. All the men here looked as if they were from the saltiest parts of the sea. He made his way over to an empty table and quietly debated just leaving. He decided he would buy a drink, to be gracious, and then leave as soon as possible. After all, it was rude to walk in and not buy anything. He kept his head down and subconsciously curled his body, not wanting to attract any unwanted attention. Kiku inwardly scolded himself for not checking out the pub before walking in. As he sat there, Kiku got the strange feeling of being watched. His hand uneasily slid to rest on the hilt of the sword, glancing up to see if anyone was looking at him, praying that a bar fight was not going to break out in his direction.

[Im Yong Soo~!]

Sometimes, Yong Soo’s feet got the best of him.

Perhaps not as often as his mouth did, granted, but then, it wasn’t talking that spiraled him off the ship and into the night, and it wasn’t words that made him twirl like a dervish, a whirlwind of white and navy. Yong Soo’s face was bright and cheerful to everyone he passed, easily loaning a smile towards every bewildered face as he spun across the pavement. Sang Ki bobbed to an internal beat, off-tempo by a margin against the sounds of tide and shuffle.

It wasn’t Seoul—his veins did not echo with the pulse of the city—but nonetheless in the Korean’s mind something about the port’s proximity to Hong Kong filled it with fire and light. He had no idea where he was going—indeed, if he was going anywhere. The Korean just wanted to move, to follow the idea of faintly gunpowder-scented winds, a haze of crimson and golden smoke sparkling above the city; he wanted to listen to the sound of his feet against stone as he danced his way through the busy streets.

By his wandering, Yong Soo inexplicably found himself facing a dingy old pub, a pole-supported platform just barely striking out into the bay. The Korean tilted his head, sleeves settling at his sides as he perked his ears, listening to the roaring and ebbing voices against the golden clink of glasses. His feet, still in control and full with venture, guided the Korean forward, and with an open-hearted curiosity the Asian peered within.

Yong Soo’s grin broadened as eager bronze eyes took in the rambunctious crowd, recognizing instantly by the zing in his blood the kind of people he could now call his own. Without hesitation, the Korean swaggered in, bouncing on his toes as he approached the bar. “Hiya, da ze!” he greeted in spastic Mandarin. “You wouldn’t happen to have any soju, would you?” The barman turned, giving the brightly grinning Captain a glance over. “It originated in Korea,” Yong Soo added helpfully, earning a raised brow for his trouble.

The barman continued to stare for a moment longer, before shrugging the Korean’s behavior off as foreigner excitement, and listed a fair price. A flash of coin later from the Asian’s sleeves and Yong Soo had a bottle cradled close as he turned and looked for an available table. Pirate pubs were valuable opportunities to gather some information, and the Korean wasn’t about to let it slip by.

Besides that, drinking by yourself was just depressing.

Just as the blurb of thought crossed Yong Soo’s mind, the Korean spotted someone who was doing just that—a lone soul wearing a white uniform, keeping his head down and clearly not wanting to be noticed. The Asian tilted his head, bemused, before grinning wider. He made his way over to the officer’s table, sprawling himself in the seat next to him and readying a cheerfully bombastic greeting.

Only to do a double-take and nearly spill his beer once he actually got a look at the other man’s face. “E-Eh?! Kiku?” Yong Soo’s eyes widened, jaw dropping as Sang Ki echoed his almost comical shock.

[otakukiku]

Satisfied that he wasn't being stared at, Kiku turned back to the tabletop. Well, stared as far as he could see, because he was worried that if he looked around too much, someone would think he was staring at them. The pub's various noises buzzed in his ear as he decided maybe he would get some sake. They had to have some, after all. After a sip of the rice wine, he could get up and leave, and not attract any more attention.

That plan was ruined as soon as a stranger crashed into the seat next to him, making him jump and stare at the other as they were about to give their greeting, only to have them look at him in shock and... call him by his name?

Kiku's eyes widened as he stared at this stranger, wondering how the other knew him. Then his eyes caught sight of the floating curl that echoed his emotions, and it came rushing back to him. The fool-hardy Korean trickster of the village, who would go about stealing his parents' chickens and caused trouble wherever he went.

"Y-Yong-Soo?" He asked quietly, staring at him with a look that warred with confusion and awe. He hadn't seen anyone since the attack on the village, and it amused Kiku slightly that he would run into the Korean first. He really had grown up, and he looked as if he was well taken care of. Perhaps the others had turned out just as good.

He bowed his head slightly. "It's good to see you are well, Yong Soo-san." Kiku said, looking up with a small, barely there smile. "It has been a while, hasn't it?"

[Im Yong Soo~!]

"Ye. A long while, da ze."

Yong Soo laughed lightly, giving the Japanese man a bemused smile, still quietly reeling from the surprise of having found a member of the "family".

Appearance wise, Kiku had not changed that much, other than the natural changes of completing puberty. His already solemn face was cleaner, more defined, and the white naval uniform complimented the carefully composed and cultured demeanor the Korean just knew the other had managed to keep through the years. In yet, there was something about seeing Honda in that uniform, all grown and poised with one hand on his blade hilt, that sent not-quite pleasant chills down Yong Soo's spine.

The Asian Captain could feel a vague slip in reality—a surreal sense of time straining against its socket before abruptly jarring back. Finding Kiku again felt like a closet door opening, revealing a glimpse of something dark and dangerous, before suddenly slamming shut in his brain. He swore he could almost hear something lock, but wasn't sure what. It was unsettling.

Masking the uncomfortable emotion, Yong Soo smiled broader, leaning over and grabbing the smaller Asian closer, clapping heavily on his back. "This calls for a drink, da ze! On me!"

Before the other could reply, Yong Soo raised his head, calling out for the barkeep in loud and eager Mandarin, attracting more than a few startled glances from the patrons nearby. As the stoic-faced tapsman made his way over, the Korean turned to Kiku.

"Sake, right da ze?" Yong Soo grinned, snickering lightly. "I mean, now that we can't get in trouble for drinking it." He shook Kiku's shoulder, Sang Ki giving the Japanese man a sneaky wink.

Before the other could even hope to get a word in edgewise (possibly to point out that the alluded time Kiku got in trouble with Yong Soo was only because he had tried to stop the over-curious Korean from sneaking into his parents' liquor), the taller Asian turned back to place the order, bidding the barman off with a quick exchange of coin.

Finally releasing the Japanese man's arm, Yong Soo took up his bottle, grinning brightly. "Though, honestly, da ze, I prefer soju. It originated in Korea, y'know?" He took a few sips of drink, mind already buzzing with the questions he wanted to ask once the momentary reprieve was over.

[otakukiku]

Kiku felt as if Yong Soo was stuck in fast-forward while he was still paying at regular speed. And he was getting lost in the Korean's dramatics. Sure, he had noticed the small pause after his response, but after that...

All he managed was a quick nod when the other asked if Sake was okay. He was a little irritated about how loud Yong Soo was and how much attention he was attracting from the other patrons, but he let it go. It was just a sign that the Korean hadn't changed over the years.

Kiku was unsure if that was a good thing, or a bad thing.

Rubbing his arm from the now-released firm hold, Kiku finally let his hand slip off his father’s sword. "Soju? I believe I tried that once." He said quietly. He really wasn’t' sure if he had. Sometimes his fellow sailors would give him mysterious drinks that he would only find out later were alcoholic. He had stopped accepting such drinks a while back, but every now and then they still got him to drink.

He found himself staring slightly at Yong Soo, something itching at his brain. If he tried to concentrate on it, the thought slipped away. If he let his mind wander, he felt a dull flame that begged to burn brighter, like a calmed fury that refused to be forgotten.

Shaking off the feeling as some grudge held over from when they were children (possibly the chicken incident), he offered a small smile to his brother.

"How have you been these past years? And how in the world did you become a Captain?" He asked, deciding to get on the topic that was bound to show up later anyhow.

[Im Yong Soo~!]

At the Japanese man's first statement, Yong Soo tried to grin around his bottle, but for risk of spilling decided to let Sang Ki do it instead. Kiku was doing that noncommital answer thing again with the soju--being a Navy man, along with just being Kiku, the other Asian had probably never had a single drop of good ol' Korean brew. Shame, but, there you go. Yong Soo thought he might have to introduce him later.

He had just managed to finish his sip, set down the glass bottle, and open his mouth to begin the barrage of questions when Kiku surprised him with two of his own. Yong Soo's mouth closed into a sly grin, and he chuckled; even Kiku was able to recognize him as a bonafide Captain! There was something very satisfying in that acknowledgment. "It's a bit of a story, da ze, but it will answer your questions," he replied, grinning slyly and idly twirling the bottom of his bottle across the table.

"I've been pretty well, considering. Left the village a few years ago-" the Korean's throat tightened slightly just remembering Yizhi, but he pressed on smiling, "-and drifted around Korea for a bit. Y'know, because I was looking for everyone else, I figured Korea was as good a place as any to start my search. Where better a start than where you originated from, right da ze?" Yong Soo laughed, tapping his fingers against the glass of soju, and his eyes softened slightly. "I get it now why Umma and Appa kept saying Korea was my homeland, da ze--even though I was only there as a baby, I set one foot back and everything just felt like it made sense. For a second, anyway."

The Korean went quiet for a second, just remembering the beautiful feeling of calm and peace that had washed over him once he had finished crossing the Yellow Sea. After the loneliness of embarking on a self-imposed exile from his village, with only the push for atonement as company, the unexpected emotion of belonging had nearly rocked Yong Soo off his feet, before buoying his spirits back to high heaven. It was a personal blessing from ancestral spirits, he was certain.

Shaking his head, Yong Soo looked up at Kiku, grinning again. "That second didn't last long, da ze--I learnt the hard way that taking a quest on foot is hard. Not many people like a stranger in their midst, especially a penniless drifter, so I had to take on lots of odd jobs to pay for my food and information. Which, even when I got that, didn't say much I didn't already know." The Korean snorted, taking a sip of soju.

That was when the barman turned up, putting down the small bottle of sake on the table, and the Korean shook himself long enough from the rambling train of thought to thank him, waiting on his departure to continue talking to Kiku. "The bandits have been attacking more villages than ours, da ze. Much the same manner, too--raid, raze, and retreat. Like the Mongolians we used to hear about in lessons." Yong Soo snorted, looking back at the bottom of his bottle to watch the liquid swirl. "The people they take they tend to sell as slaves, and as for where they end up . . ."

Yong Soo's eyes darkened for a moment. Finding out those results hadn't been pretty, and it still made the Korean sick inside. He shook his head, disavowing himself from that negative tread, and went on. "Luckily, I didn't hear about any of ours ending up in those kinds of places, da ze. In fact, it turns out that the most energetic market for slaves today is . . ." He paused, glancing up at Kiku and grinning for dramatic effect. "Pirates."

Caught up in a thread, Yong Soo leant closer to the Japanese man, lowering his voice slightly in case anyone happened to be listening in."Y'see, some pirates just find it easier to buy someone young and train them early. It makes sense in a slantwise way, da ze. Why hire someone you're not sure you can make loyal past the paycheck when you can have a guaranteed pirate-in-training brainwashed to your beck and call? And because they're small, children slaves take up less room, are easier to mold, can get through tight and dangerous places, and are generally helpless to fight off any 'disciplinary measures'."

[/color]The Korean's mouth sharpened at the corner, making the smile a bit more of a grimace as he continued without humor. "Given everything we were taught as kids, da ze, I think our siblings would manage to fetch a good price." He leant back, rolling his sleeve from side to side and lightening up. "After I learnt all that, I figured, 'well, great, da ze, now I just need to become a pirate so I can figure out where everyone else went!' Because pirates tend to only associate with other pirates, y'know? So I went to Yeosu, found the Lucky Dragon, got a crew, and I've been sailing ever since!" The Korean beamed at Kiku, kicking his feet energetically. "It's so great, da ze! I get to go everywhere! And since travel originated in Korea, you can guess how much I love that part!"

Yong Soo blinked suddenly, and then laughed, waving his sleeve. "Ah, but, yeah. I'm talking too much." The Korean gestured to the uniform, being careful not to mention the word "Navy" in the company they were keeping. Even if he trusted Kiku enough to tell him almost everything, no other pirate in the pub had reason to do so.

"What have you been up to, Kiku? Other than sailing yourself? Unless I'm mistaken, da ze." He looked up at his adopted sibling, grinning wryly.

MygodmonsterpostI'msorry[/size]

[otakukiku]

Before Yong Soo even started talking, Kiku was scared. That grin made him a little nervous. The storytelling started out normal. He could tell they both tensed at the village statement, Kiku hiding his own emotion by clenching his hand under the table. As he went on, and stated he was looking for everyone, Kiku pondered to himself if the other had found anyone yet. He also wondered if the other knew what he did to their brother, Yao. He couldn’t have, Kiku reasoned, or else he would have reacted badly to seeing him after all this time. He remembered how Yong Soo used to strive for Yao’s attention, and would cling to the older boy nearly all the time.

Breaking that chain of thought, Kiku disagreed with the fact that he started in Korea. It didn’t seem like a good place to start at all. Then again, who was he to judge? He kept quiet, noticing the other seemed to be off in his own world for the moment. The nearly serene look on Yong Soo’s face was unsettling, but he couldn’t help but feel some comfort for the other. It seemed he had found some peace after the attack.

As soon as that thought had come, the other was back to grinning his manic grin again, and the story continued.
Surprised by his re-telling, Kiku noticed that they went along the same path. He thought back to his days of wandering the Chinese hillside, stopping by in poor towns and doing whatever he could for food and spare change. Back then, he liked to think of himself as a wandering samurai, and walked the path of honor as much as he could.

He was slightly startled by the appearance of the barman, so enthralled by the retelling that he almost forgot they were at a bar. Thanking the barman with a small murmur and a bow of his head, Kiku realized that Yong Soo was quite the storyteller. He poured himself a small cup as Yong Soo went on, and took small sips as he listened. He kept his face straight and stoic, as usual, but the thought of those bandits raiding their village brought out a fury he had long since held back. If he ever got his hands on those who destroyed everything he knew…

The reference to Mongolians grated on his nerves for some reason, but also brought a feeling of reassurance. They couldn’t touch him. He hadn’t a clue where that thought had come from, but brushed it off as he continued to listen. Yes, the Golden Horde, those monsters from once upon a time in the past. Hopefully, these bandits would meet the same end.

The slave comment made him shudder ever so slightly, but his face remained stoic. There was a reason people called him ‘hard to read’. His mind traveled to what could have happened, and thanked whatever god was listening that they hadn’t caught him to be bought as a slave.

He noticed that the other seemed to have distaste for the word slave, and put his glass down for the moment. A touch of relief spread through him at his next words. Kiku didn’t want to imagine any of his brothers or sisters being treated as a slave. And although the next piece of information wasn’t new to him, the grin that accompanied it made him shudder slightly. With a little more violence this time.

Kiku found himself unwillingly leaning in as the other did, listening to his words and letting them spread through his brain like a poison. His eyes grew slightly wider as the other described the reasons why a Pirate would like a slave. His stomach churned, and his lips grew thin as the other continued. A thought passed through his mind as the other continued and Kiku watched at the others face went from more of a dark grin to a grimace. When had Yong Soo gotten so dark? A small part of him quivered, as if it had the answer, but before he could fully understand what it was saying, Yong Soo was back to normal.

Sitting back in his chair and picking up his glass again, Kiku kept a small smile at bay at his enthusiasm at getting a crew and traveling. That was the Yong Soo he knew. Playing pirate and traveling around as he looked for family. It sounded like a game they would play back at the village. Except this was all too real, wasn’t it?

At his proclamation of talking too much, Kiku let out a small chuckle. Didn’t he always? But that was neither here nor there, and was much too childish to say aloud. Taking another sip and drawing it out to savor the flavor, Kiku put his glass down again and let out a small sigh. “Yes, I have been sailing. Quite a bit actually.” He said, keeping his face impassive. He knew that most of the beginning he could tell here, but the latter parts, he’d rather talk about somewhere where they didn’t have a chance at being overheard.

“I’m not as good of a storyteller as you are, but I’ll do my best to fully explain what happened. After the… incident.” He couldn’t help the small note of bitterness and regret in his voice at that word. “I left the village. I had gone back to my house and retrieved very little from the rubble. I had my father’s sword, pipe, and a necklace of my mother’s that was no doubt dropped by the bandits.” His face stayed stoic for the most part, but one could see the edges hardening, as if holding back emotions that threatened to spill over. “I started traveling, much like you did. But I stayed in China. I did odd jobs for a night’s shelter, for food, for anything I could get. The people were generous for their part, and I was thankful for what little I managed to get. I didn’t expect a lot, considering most of the villages I visited consisted most of poor farmers. For a while, I treated it as an adventure, and spent my days walking to whatever awaited me on the trail.”

He paused for a moment and took another sip of his Sake as he pondered what to tell him next. Deciding that was enough, Kiku bowed his head to the other. “Perhaps the rest of my story, however, should be saved for a more private venue.” He didn’t want to announce to the whole tavern that he had joined the Navy and was still part of it, after all this time. It just wasn’t a pleasing idea to him. Instead, he refilled his glass with Sake, and took a long sip.

(( hah, monster post back at 'cha chickie. ))

[Im Yong Soo~!]

Yong Soo leant forward on his elbows, smiling eagerly in encouragement, wanting to know where his wayward sibling had gone. His smile quirked at the ‘bit of sailing,’ wondering if the water spoke to the Japanese man as easily and naturally as it seemed for him. The idea of Kiku and water went together, for some reason.

‘Maybe it was because he liked salted seafood so much,’ the Korean thought, grinning wryly behind his sleeve when he tipped the bottle back again. He wouldn’t be surprised if the other ended up with heart problems, if he kept his preferred diet.

Oh wait, he was getting off track.

Yong Soo set the soju back down, listening attentively as Sang Ki idly waved in time with the sound of the bar’s background shanty tunes. At the mention of Kiku’s parents Yong Soo felt a pang of sympathy, though he kept his expression neutral.

They had been good people—quiet, ye, and while Yong Soo’s Umma was always muttering that the Hondas’ turned their nose up at them, Yong Soo could remember at least a couple times when Mrs. Honda had been kind, making snacks for the village children and cleaning up their scrapes when their parents or Yao hadn’t already found them. Even Mr. Honda, for all that Yong Soo had been intimidated by him, didn’t chase him off when he peered over the fence to watch as he and Kiku ran through their kendo stances, and he had an unexpected way of making one feel they earned their praise the few times he gave it.

Yong Soo wondered whether Kiku had cried when he found them dead. It was strange to imagine, but the tightening around Kiku’s face made Yong Soo think that he had. Or at least had wanted to. The Korean certainly had when he had to help bury Umma, even with his Appa standing stoic and silent in his grief. Yong Soo had left the village not long after.

Yong Soo smiled to hear that Kiku had embarked on similar wanderings. That the Japanese man had been aimless, as Yong Soo had been, and yet he managed to survive like the Korean had. It made them feel closer, more alike. More like brothers. The Korean’s eyes glinted to hear Kiku refer to the time as an ‘adventure,’ understanding very well and nodding. “Like your wandering swordsmen, right, da ze?” he murmured softly, grin broadening fondly.

He blinked when Kiku withdrew, unable to help pouting a little as he sat up. “Aw, da ze, it feels like you barely got started.” As soon as Kiku finished his sip, the Korean grinned, and drained his drink. Placing the empty bottle on the table and grabbing what remained of the sake, Yong Soo reached with his other arm to grab Kiku’s, standing up. “We can talk more aboard my ship, da ze! That’s as private a venue as you’re gonna get in Hong Kong!” Already heading for the door, he glanced back, winking. “I would know, da ze—privacy originated in Korea.”

[otakukiku]

“Like your wandering swordsmen, right, da ze?”[/i]

For some reason this line rang in his head like the echoes of a gong. Something about the 'your' part seemed to fit. But they weren't his, were they? He ignored it for the time being and listened to the others offer. "That might be a good idea." As Kiku finished off the rest of the sake, he admitted to himself that he was curious about the others ship. Was he exaggerating, or did he really own a magnificent ship? A crew as well? He didn't want to think of Yong Soo as a liar, but he knew the other would sometimes blow things out of proportion.

Ignoring the 'originated in Korea' comment, the Japanese man stood slowly. "Well then, you should lead the way, right Captain?" He would humor his brother by calling him that for now, not sure if he deserved the title. But if the other was telling the truth, then he had a feeling he was in for a wild ride.[/color]

[Im Yong Soo~!]

“Maj-ayo!” Yong Soo beamed at the title again. Yeah, if he wanted to, he could detect that faint sarcasm in Kiku’s voice. But who said he wanted to? The Japanese man’s voice was monotone enough to let the Korean get away with believing he was being sincere.

Anyway, he would have to be once he saw her.

Grinning anew, Yong Soo tugged on Kiku’s arm all the way out the door, stepping fast and letting his feet carry him. “Just this way, da ze! Keep up!” With practiced ease Yong Soo navigated the crowds, weaving in and out and dragging his pseudo-sibling behind him, laughing quietly to himself. Sang Ki wavered above his head, happily whipping the air as Yong Soo dodged and danced across the streets.

“If only I had a chicken, da ze, then it would be just like old times!” He commented over his shoulder, almost running into a small cluster of women because of it. Catching himself up short, he wind-milled his sleeves, appropriately sheepish. “Oops, sorry!” He grinned winsomely, giving a mock salute with the sake, and dashed to the docks.

Once they were technically over water Yong Soo slowed his pace a bit, letting both Asians catch their breath as he glanced about for his ship. Some of the other ship-men grumbled as he passed, muttering mild oaths to encourage the Korean to watch where the bloody hell he was going, but Yong Soo only had eyes for his ship.

He stopped just as abruptly as he started, turning to Kiku and pulling him up level, one arm around his shoulders as the other gestured out. “There she is, da ze. Haeng-Un-Ui Yong. My Lucky Dragon.”

There was an unmistakable note of pride ringing loud and clear through Yong Soo’s voice, as he took a quiet moment to admire her. In the glimmering sunset, the ship was dyed a vibrant red and orange, and the figurehead’s eyes seemed to almost glow in the light. Her spikes gave out a dark shine, solid and true. Yong Soo sighed, smiling softly, before he turned to Kiku with a broad grin.

“She’s a genuine turtle-ship, da ze, one-hundred-percent originated in Korea! It used to belong to another guy named Im Yong Soo during Admiral Yi’s time, can you believe it?” Turning back to the vessel the Korean dragged the beleaguered Navy man behind him, bright and excited. “C’mon! Lemme show you how she looks from the inside!”

There was a passing moment in Yong Soo’s mind where he suddenly didn’t want to show the Japanese man all of the Lucky Dragon’s secrets, an almost childish sense of wariness, but he carelessly brushed it off. Navy or not, Kiku was family, ye?

Maj-ayo = That’s right!

[otakukiku]

As Kiku was forced to follow the other in a strange game of chase the dragon, he wondered inwardly if this was going to end in disaster. Just like most of the adventures Yong Soo would drag him on when they were younger. It seemed that the Korean agreed as he brought up the catastrophe with the chickens. Already, they were nearly running into people and Kiku apologized to the group of woman as quick as he could before being tugged along again. He almost asked Yong Soo to slow down a bit, but every time he tried he was tugged in a new direction.

Finally, the other did slow, and Kiku took a few deep breaths while looking around. They were on the dock now, and he could see the naval ship not even a few strides away. But Yong Soo dragged him over to the other side of the dock, to where merchant ships and leisure ships were tied firmly to their anchors. As Yong Soo motioned to one of the stranger looking ships, Kiku turned his gaze to inspect it.

If one knew Kiku well, they would see the slightly widening of his eyes, or the slight motion of his mouth opening a little wider. To the untrained eye, however, there was no change. But make no mistake that Kiku was indeed impressed. It was more than he would have even though Yong Soo would ever own. As he heard his brother explain how he came upon such a catch, he could help but shake his head. "Always the lucky one, aren't you? It is aptly named." He smiled ever so slightly. At the invitation aboard, Kiku nodded and motioned for Yong Soo to lead the way, wondering if this vessel was as impressive inside as it was outside.

[Im Yong Soo~!]

As the two Asian men boarded the ship, Yong Soo couldn’t help but make his characteristic broad gestures in an effort to show off his pride and joy. “Turtle ships tend to have two or three floors, da ze. Right now, we’re in the top one—this is where we have the command room, cannons, and navigational things.”

He led Kiku further inward, opening the door to what would normally be the captain’s cabins. Since the Korean preferred to sleep with the majority of his crew down below, Yong Soo had since converted the chamber into a sort of conference room sporting a low, broad, and oval table bolted to the floor and surrounded by cushions.

“Do you like the decorations, da ze? I figured they would be quiet enough for your taste,” the Korean jibed, grinning. In the interests of making this room as useful as possible, Yong Soo had actually repressed the desire to go crazy with the décor, settling for a classic silkscreen painting of a Korean dragon along the wall and a modest paper lantern on the table. There was a cot in the corner for the man managing the ship’s navigation, but as it was the room was empty, perfect for a private meeting.

Yong Soo walked in, trusting the other to close the door as he set the sake bottle down on the table, going to a smaller cabinet to the side. He pulled out two small clay cups, just in case the other was still interested in some light social drinking, but didn’t make a huge production of the offered hospitality.

“This should be a private enough place for us to speak, da ze—everyone knows to knock around here. Manners originated in Korea.” Turning about and flopping on the nearest cushion, the Korean edged the cups closer to the bottle before pressing his sleeves back along the edge of the table, smiling up at the other in quietly eager invitation.

“So, would you like to tell me the rest of your story?”