North x Northwest

Startled, Lil stood up and looked around. The cabin they were in was like a dock where discarded crates were piled up one after another. She floundered and searched in any direction, randomly opening the boxes. It was strange seeing the normally talkative Ed not intervening in her sudden particular behaviour, but for now, she didn’t have time to think about such trivial things. Lil finally found something resembling a blanket in the fifth box and roughly wrapped it around her body.

“Hey, come here and cut this off.”

At her command, Ed got up and approached her with the axe in his hand. Lil was taken aback when she looked at him, not because he was in the form of a murderous man holding a crude weapon, but because he had no shirt on. She already knew it from the moment she saw his bare back, but she involuntarily shrank herself for no reason. Noticing and misjudging her action, Ed glanced down at the axe and spoke with a mischievous smile.

“Woah, woah. I won’t hurt you, so please calm down.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Huh?…Then what was with that reaction?”

With a funny expression on his face, Ed tilted his head in confusion.

“…”

Ignoring Ed, Lil only frowned and held out her wrists.

“Put them on the floor.”

He tapped the floor with his foot. Lil, who lowered her posture, sat down on the floor and held out her arms.

“You might hit my wrists.”

“Don’t worry, I’m a competent doctor.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Even if one of your wrists is cut off, I can definitely reattach it.”

Lil’s mutterings were full of inaudible swear words as she had to give up both wrists.

“…Just die, really…”

“I’m just kidding.”

Lil tried hard not to close her eyes. If anything went wrong, she needed to withdraw her hands quickly.

“But Captain,”

“What?”

“Your wrists are as thin as a woman’s.”

“You bastard!”

She glared at him and when she was about to swear some more, a wind blew across her face. Startled, Lil jerked her head down at the sound of a snap.

Her chains were neatly cut in two.

“Your feet are next.”

“Ah, oh… Is this okay?”

Lil, who was caught off guard and forgot to curse, changed her posture and held out her ankles.

“Put your feet a little more out.”

“What…”

“…”

This time, Ed bit his lip in embarrassment as Lil’s position provoked his mind. Sitting with her knees raised to pull the chain tight, her legs were widely spread apart.

“Like this?”

Ed had the momentary impulse to dig in between her knees and press down on her wet body.

‘I shouldn’t be thinking about this…’

He paused and swallowed his desire. Eventually, the dryness of his mouth passed. But he couldn’t stop his gaze that went up across Lil’s legs and revolved around her slender waist exposed under the blanket.

‘It looks like it can easily be wrapped by my arm. The texture of her skin that I can see through her open shirt is also alluring.’

Ed raised his eyes as he endured his blatant desires, the face he reached was that of the woman who was known for her rare beauty. Her waist-length hair clung to her forehead and cheeks.

‘Why does it feel like I want to sweep her long hair and tuck it behind her blushing earlobes? It’s so strange, I never thought of myself as someone with a weakness for such beauty, but now I can’t stand it.’

Ed spat out as if he was being pushed over the edge.

“Don’t look at me.”

“Why?”

Ed replied frankly.

“Because I’m nervous.”

“You complain too much.”

But even after she lowered her gaze, he couldn’t take his eyes off Lil.

‘She has no wrinkles on her forehead, not even a single blemish. Her face, which is much more attractive now than when she wore heavy makeup, has a strange maturity, unlike in her old days. It is charming and beautiful to see her fresh out of the water without any makeup or ornaments on her.’

“What are you doing…”

“I told you not to look.”

Lil had no choice but to lower her eyes again. Her constantly moving mouth let out small protests, but she was much quieter than usual.

‘The face that is always angry at me is now so calm and serene that she feels like a different person.’

Then he suddenly had a random thought.

‘Does Cesar always see and talk to her like this?’

It was such an unpleasant idea, that his captivated eyes, which seemed to be looking at a work of art, collapsed. Eventually, Ed came to his senses as he thought he should be doing something and swung his axe hastily.

– Kwak! –

Lil’s eyes lit up in surprise as she saw the chains were cut noticeably shorter on her left side. Regardless, Ed took his hand off the axe still stuck in the floor and turned around with a sigh. The situation didn’t feel good.

‘Suddenly seeing Liloa as a woman is unfamiliar to me and I’m even conscious of my shirtless body. What’s wrong with me? In Amiaeng Liloa was also in revealing attire, but I swear I was not that impressed at the time. So, why do I have such obscene thoughts now?’

“Captain, can you share your blanket with me?”

As Lil picked up the axe, there was a sound of wood cracking from behind. Ed thought it might be an attempt to destroy the evidence that they were on board and by chance lowered himself, not knowing the murderous intent that was coming for him.

The blade cut through the air where Ed’s neck had been seconds ago. When he turned his body to face her, he met Lil’s eyes. Her arm was already raised for her next attack. Judging from the look on her face, she seemed determined to kill him.

‘That’s right. She only stayed quiet because she needed me, as her hands and feet were still tied.’

“…You!”

Once again, the rugged blade flashed before him.

“…Dirty!”

Ed hurried himself away from her.

“…Pervert!”

There was no hint of hesitation, seeing that she moved the axe from top to bottom and left to right.

“Son of a bitch!”

– Teok! –

Ed grabbed Lil’s hand and twisted her wrist, but her hand was unwilling to let go of the axe’s handle. In addition, Lil was stronger than he expected. She managed to push him against the wall, thereby hitting the back of his head against the wood. Ed failed to grab the axe’s handle and had to admit he was inferior. Although it was just a few minutes ago since he last held the axe, it seemed he didn’t have any strength left in his body.

“Captain, you said I shouldn’t die here.”

“But I didn’t say I can’t cut off one of your arms!”

Ed regained his composure after he was pushed. For now, his only advantage was the weight of his body, so he made a desperate resolution.

‘It can’t be helped.’

He leaned on his opponent with his whole body, in the hope to overpower her. Lil, who was pushed back by the weight of Ed, looked fiercely up at him as he spoke like rapid fire.

“I’m sorry, I had no other choice…”

– Peok! –

Ed’s head turned with Lil’s fist and at the same time he lost his balance.

“You scumbag! You said you didn’t fancy men!”

“Oh, no, wait!”

Ed raised his forearms to block Lil’s incoming punches. The speed at which Lil threw her fists was no joke. Each time a fist landed, a word was spat out.

“Pervert! You said you weren’t! What is it?! Yes or no?! Don’t you know?! I can very much! Snatch off an arm of yours?!”

Ed felt like he could die if he let himself suffer like this. So, he grabbed her wrists tightly and lifted them up. But when their eyes met…

“You bastard!”

A ridiculous expression flashed on his face and it felt like his forehead was going to break. A question came to him in the blinking darkness.

‘…Did she just give me a headbutt?..’

It couldn’t be any worse than this, as it simply was out of his control. Ed fell flat on the floor. He lay down, pretending to be unconscious. Fear remained in his mind, thinking Lil would keep beating him till her anger subsided. But different from his expectations, Lil only approached him and softly kicked his body.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“…”

She nudged him a couple more times. Suddenly she realised something.

“Hey, is the dehydration finally getting to you?”

“…”

“Is it because you drank seawater?”

“…”

“Hey.”

“…”

“Damn it.”

“…”

The sound of hesitating footsteps disappeared beyond the cabin. Ed sighed and stroked his chest.

– – – – –

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