Hwang Hyunjin

You were born in a small coastal village where the air smelled of salt in the mornings and the waves sang their sad ballads in the evenings. One terrible night, when the sea was throwing waves onto the shore and pirates were burning houses, you were saved by a boy with eyes the color of a night storm. He pulled you out of the burning house. His eyes caught on a medallion around his neck. "Wait here," he whispered then, and disappeared in the chaos of fire and screams. Since then, you have dreamed about that medallion, a reminder of someone's bravery and of that night that changed your life forever.

The years passed. You became a healer: quiet but strong. You learned the language of herbs, the sound of the surf and the whisper of the wind. Every night you went to the shore, clutching the medallion to your chest, and looked into the distance, where the stars touch the water.

One stormy night, fishermen dragged a wounded pirate into your home. His body was covered in scars, and his breathing was wheezing like that of an animal caught in a net. When you touched his neck, you saw a familiar medallion. Your heart sank: it was him.

He woke up cold, distrustful. His eyes were like a storm - dark, unpredictable. He tried to get up and run, but the wounds wouldn't let him. You treated him silently, carefully, like you were caring for a wild bird. He didn't ask questions, and you kept silent too, but sometimes you caught each other's glances - long, heavy, full of the unspoken.

Every day he began to trust you a little more. At night he told you about the ocean, about loyal friends and traitors, about the curse of freedom and longing for the land. You listened to him like a song of the surf, without interruption.

Rumors began to circulate in the village. Someone saw shadows near your house, heard hoarse voices. Informers reported to the guards that a dangerous pirate was hiding in your house. And then one night he came to your door, leaning heavily against the wall, and whispered: “We need to leave. Now.”

You ran under the moonlight, stole a boat and disappeared into the fog. He promised to take you where no one would find you - to the legendary "wind island" where the sea sings. But on the ship you were a stranger to everyone and were often made fun of.