GB 62

As he crossed the threshold, the bell rang three times. The deck crew, including the boatswain and several officers who were tidying up the deck upon the notification of the captain’s arrival, saluted.

Yoon Moo-hwa casually returned their salutes and entered the captain’s quarters with a stern expression.

Once inside, he checked the list of new crew members. Thirteen sailors and four officers. It was a considerable number. Among the listed information, the most notable item was that a new medical officer would be replacing the one who had transferred to the land-based naval medical center.

There was always a shortage of medical officers. Because everyone wanted to bring them to their own ships, they were subject to negotiation until the very end. Yoon Moo-hwa waited for the medical officer’s information to appear, which hadn’t been updated until yesterday.

And finally, when the name and photo appeared, he sprang up from his seat.

Name: Haero

Gender: Male

Along with this brief information, there was a photo of a beautiful person with a dry expression, staring intensely through the lens without a hint of a smile.

Haero, who had raped him and left four years ago, was staring at him expressionlessly from there.

* * *

Hot air and oppressive humidity crept in through the old veranda.

Haero was sitting on a chair he had found somewhere inside the veranda. As he cooled off from the heat with the humid breeze, he closed his eyes and slightly lifted the corners of his mouth.

Finally, tomorrow morning, he will board the ship. 

Over the past four years, Haero’s baby fat had completely disappeared, leaving him with a delicate, beautiful face. His skin was still slightly dark wheat-colored, and his light brown hair looked cream-colored in some lights, like sunlight or moonlight in others. Haero ran his fingers gently through it.

He needed to cut his hair today. He knew Yoon Moo-hwa liked his hair. Yoon Moo-hwa might not have even realized he liked it himself. But Haero had clearly felt the gentle affection in the way Yoon Moo-hwa would carefully dry his hair on the days they stayed at the official residence. Although it was a shame to cut the hair Yoon Moo-hwa had cherished, it was at least fortunate that it didn’t need to be cut as short as in the Marine Corps or Army.

Navy hair regulations were more lenient compared to other branches. This was because there needed to be something easy to grab onto in case of rescue situations when falling into the sea.

Haero’s position was somewhat ambiguous.

After graduating from the naval academy, Haero had entered military medical school and graduated without a single deferment. The academy’s assessment had been correct, Haero excelled in medicine and absorbed knowledge very quickly.

Because his goal was clear, there were no stops in Haero’s progress.

By now, Yoon Moo-hwa must have checked the list of new crew members assigned to the ship. 

‘Does a photo appear along with the name? Would he recognize me just by the name?’ 

After coming out into the world beyond what Yoon Moo-hwa had carefully selected to show him, Haero realized that the name ‘Haero’ wasn’t particularly rare. As the seas expanded and became more integral to daily life, names reminiscent of it became more common. He had even met a classmate with the same name at school.

Not changing his name was a gamble. Half hoping Yoon Moo-hwa would recognize him, half wondering if he would.

People of the world might know Yoon Moo-hwa, but they didn’t know much about his private life and gossip, and Haero’s past couldn’t be easily exposed as long as he kept it hidden. Only after leaving him did Haero realize how immature he had been during his cadet days. Even South Korea, which claimed to have registered information on all its citizens, had lost data accuracy down to 80% after the Great Flood period. In a place where students from over 150 allied countries gathered, no one could recognize Haero.

‘So, did I want him to recognize me, or no…’

Haero hugged his knees and murmured, “Four years…”

On the day he left Yoon Moo-hwa’s side, Yoon hadn’t tried to stop him. Instead, he had said that when they met again, they should forget everything.

There were times when Haero, in his most difficult moments, had wished for such a reunion. 

‘Yes, let’s forget everything. If we meet again after forgetting everything, we could go back to how we were before. And no matter who Yoon Moo-hwa meets, whatever shampoo scent he carries, I won’t mind anymore and we’ll be like real brothers. That’s the only way I can survive.’ 

He had spent nights crying with such futile resolutions, but even now, the day before boarding the ship, Haero’s feelings remained the same.

He liked him. He loved him. He was obsessed with him. 

Naturally, he still wanted Yoon Moo-hwa to be his and to have been his.

He had deliberately gotten close to others he wasn’t even interested in and maintained shallow friendships to ask about it. But the romance they spoke of wasn’t like this. Even romantic feelings were lighter than this. 

‘Is this my problem then? Is it my peculiarity? Is it because my background is different?’

As these thoughts washed over him again, he closed his eyes and felt the sticky wind caressing his face.

“Yoon Moo-hwa…” Haero murmured, pressing his face to his knees. He closed his eyes and whistled.

The image of him on the terrace yesterday was vivid. Given the limitations of his eyesight, he couldn’t make out the expression, and could only judge by the vague silhouette, but he was certain. 

It was Yoon Moo-hwa.

It still suited him well to be in such a high place. He was both annoyed and pleased by how well it suited him. If he had really become a pirate and encountered Yoon Moo-hwa, he would have definitely kidnapped him and hidden him in a cave just for himself to see. Even after four years, Yoon Moo-hwa was still the most magnificent and radiant person in the world.

Haero murmured, “If only you were a little less perfect.”

But isn’t that what pirates are? Those who seize and possess what isn’t theirs. The more precious it is, the more impossible it is to give up.

Haero hadn’t removed his tattoo and fully accepted his origins.

— “Issues regarding the treatment of those from international criminal group backgrounds within the Navy have come to light. Despite naturalization without criminal records, documents revealing discrimination within the Navy, such as intentional exclusion during promotion reviews, were leaked by an internal whistleblower. Today, at the military defense meeting held in Basel, Switzerland, relevant witnesses and persons of reference were summoned for a hearing. During the hearing, testimony emerged that the regulation allowing access to records only upon request for those who were part of criminal groups under the age of fourteen had been violated. The military defense committee requested confirmation from the Navy regarding this matter today, which was found to be true, and they promised to immediately implement an official apology, dismissal of relevant personnel, and measures to prevent recurrence…”

Last year, it was revealed that within the Navy, those with pirate backgrounds or connections were omitted from promotion consideration, even if they weren’t involved in criminal activities and had completely left the organization.

Public opinion was fiercely divided. Those supporting the omissions argued it was only right, that they shouldn’t have been accepted in the first place. The opposition claimed this denied any chance of rehabilitation and that such hostile attitudes actually promoted recidivism.

Haero spent the night scouring related articles. Discrimination against those with pirate backgrounds in the Navy had been secretly implemented since right after Yoon Moo-hwa had strongly urged him to drop out.

‘Did Yoon Moo-hwa know? 

He must have known.’

Would things have been different if he had told him earlier? 

Probably not.

It meant that Yoon didn’t believe Haero could overcome it in his own way. That saddened Haero. 

‘Yoon Moo-hwa cared for me too much. So much that he worried about my growth and couldn’t trust me to that extent.’

That night, Haero drank all night. He doesn’t remember how he got home. He just woke up on the floor, half-draped over the bed, neither fully on nor off it.

It was only right that he had to leave someday. If he hadn’t, Yoon Moo-hwa would never have seen him for who he truly was.

‘I never wanted parents from you.’

Watching the morning sun rise, Haero was certain.

‘I never wanted parents from you… This just means I have one less reason to resent you.’

Basking in the winter sunlight, Haero closed his eyes and murmured, “I want to see you soon…”

He still liked him. He was still his goal.

And tomorrow, finally, he will be on the same ship as him.

Dressed in uniform, Haero stood before the mirror and took a deep breath.

It wasn’t a cadet uniform, but a real military one. He checked once more for any dishevelment and exhaled deeply again.

There was hardly any luggage in his tiny room, barely larger than a closet. The best thing about the military-run medical school was that tuition was fully covered. However, no dormitory was provided. He had rented this place where he could barely lie down and focused solely on studying for a long time. Yoon Moo-hwa couldn’t imagine what kind of part-time jobs he had done and how he had lived all this time.

Haero smiled slightly and left the house with his bag.

Leaving behind his small den, devoid of possessions and memories, ready to depart at any time.

* * *

Haero looked up at the massive ship and its gangway.

He had only seen them from civilian ports before; it was his first time actually entering a military port. After proving his identity and entering, he saw sailors busily preparing for departure.

He heard the sound of a bell ringing from another ship. Three times. The captain must have boarded. 

With each ring of the bell, Haero recalled the unbearably dull New Year’s rituals of the past four years. Without Yoon Moo-hwa, the drone shows were certainly uninteresting and trite.

That’s why it was even more unexpected. He hadn’t imagined Yoon Moo-hwa would be watching the drone show from that terrace.

“Ahem, ahem.”

Clearing his throat, Haero stepped onto the gangway leading to the ship’s entrance. As he approached, his heart began to race wildly. The duty officer at the entrance stood and saluted Haero. 

Haero stated his affiliation and had his identity verified.

The duty officer, having heard earlier about some newly assigned officers arriving today, followed Haero’s retreating figure with his gaze.

It wasn’t just him; other sailors also found it hard to take their eyes off Haero after saluting him as he passed. It wasn’t simply because he was a new crew member they hadn’t seen before. Haero himself drew attention.

However, Haero was completely oblivious to the interested gazes fixed on him. More precisely, he didn’t care.

He walked straight ahead, heading for the bridge. Just before departure, the deck officer, chief engineer, executive officer, and captain would all be gathered there. He needed to report his boarding there.

Haero clenched and unclenched his fist in front of the thick door of the bridge.

And finally, he entered.

The salty sea breeze gently caressed his back. Those who had their backs turned, looking at the nautical chart on the screen, turned their heads at the presence. The scene seemed to unfold in slow motion. Haero raised his hand in a military salute.

The person closest to the screen was the captain. 

It was him. 

It was his hyung.

As the last person to turn his head, Haero felt dizzy and tried to part his lips to take a breath, but it felt as if his throat was constricted.

He was already underwater.

Their eyes met.

Haero bit his lip slightly and smiled, then quickly erased the expression.

“Reporting, sir. Lieutenant Hae, Ro. I have been ordered to board this ship and have done so. I hereby report my arrival.”

‘I told you, hyung. When we meet again, you’ll feel the same way I do.

I’ve come to steal you away.’

“…Victory.”

Yoon Moo-hwa looked at him from under his cap. With the same arid, inscrutable eyes as four years ago.