I am the captain of a ship with no one on board, nothing except my memories, my past, my pain. My loneliness. I am the captain of a ship no one has wanted for so long. Sure occasionally another boat will anchor itself next to mine, but eventually they leave. There is nothing interesting in my ship. Only me. 

I sailed the seven seas without course, without steering even, only looking at the stars and hoping they will guide me to where I belong. For I might not have any gold within my boat made out of solitude, but the gold is me.

One night, the most tumultuous night of all, the sea was roaring, waves crashing on deck, rocking my tiny wooden ship with such violence I feared I might sink I into the depths. I held onto the wheel with all my might. Every single muscle in my arms and back ached, and I couldn't see anything further than my nose, but somehow I managed to get through the dark, stormy night. For my ship might be small and not the best captain traversing the water, but I am Kang Suelgi and that is my might. 

I stood up un rest my foot on the chair nearby and placed a fist over my heart. I must’ve looked silly because I heard giggles and snickering from Joy and Yeri. Granted, the stupid overshized black pirate hat on my head wasn’t helping nor was the pathetic looking stuffed parrot on my shoulder. 

“What? You don’t think I’m cool and mighty?” I wiggled by eyebrows which only produced more giggles from my audience. 

Then Yeri said “Mom for sure, but you momma I don’t think so.”

I opened my eyes as wide as they’d let me and pretended to be offended, “W-what? This disrespect! Under my own roof? Have I raised a savage?” Yeri only covered her tiny face with her tiny cute hands and giggled, Joy stuck her tongue out.

“Whaaa- TWO savages!!! That’s it. Deadly tickles for the traitors!”

The two little rascals ran around the living room, while I did a very poor job chasing them, but I captured them when they least expected it and administered a ticklish torture, earining screeching laughter and futile wiggles from my kids. 

“Okay, enough I have a story finish.” Both little spawns of evil and everything cute nodded in unison. 

It was still dark, but the sea had died down, and seeing as I was so tired of battling the wrath of the ocean, I let my anchor down and began to be swarmed by an intense fatigue. Soon I was a drift again, too tired to sleep, but also too tired to try. 

I must have stayed in the same spot for many nights, contemplating the boundless sky, only for it to be matched by the vastness of the ocean. UNTIL, one day, far far away I could hear the sound of an engine. Desperately, I got up from the spot I’d been lying on for countless nights and ran rampant on deck looking over board in every direction possible trying to find the source. Just before I lost all hope, I saw a small silhouette manifest in the horizon. An old rugged tugboat, puffing constant clouds of smoke, made its way to me. 

Once it was close enough I was able to notice that, although the tugboat was well kept, clean and tidy, it had dents and scratches, wounded by the harsh conditions out in the ocean. It stopped right next to my small boat, and out peaked the head of the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Skin pale and bright, the moon pales in comparison, eyes twinkling like a galaxy, lips lush and rouge like a ruby, hair so raven the depths of the ocean were quaking. 

Do you need any help? She asked. 

I smiled and told her I was doing just fine, but she must have noticed something in me, or something must have caught her eye from my solitude ship, because she just scrunched her nose, turned off her boat’s engine and told me she would dock her ship next to mine. 

She needed to rest. 

But one night became two, and three, one week, one month and so on until eventually Baechu-ssi captain of the mighty Dumbo ship (that made the little ones laugh and I smiled wide) came over to my ship and told me that it was the loveliest ship she had ever been on. Naturally, I was skeptical and denied all claims of grandeur, but she looked at me - a little menacing - and said - and I will remember this until the day I am no longer roaming this Earth and even after I am reborn - Seulgi-ssi this boat is not lavish, it’s not too big, it’s not too small, it creaks and cracks and it might seem like it will fall apart at any moment, but you are in this ship and that is a treasure no other has. And as long as you are in it, so is my home. And so we ventured the oceans together as one.  

THE END

Joy scrunched her nose, “I didn’t like that story mommy, we’ve heard too many times before. 

“We need something new.” Yeri added in agreement. 

“Hmmm.” I wondered, “But this is my favorite story.”

“We want something we haven’t heard before mommy like how both of us got here.” I swear Yeri is evil.

I blinked fast and raised my eyebrows shocked, “H-how you got here? Um...alright.” I paused for a bit looking at the expectant faces of the two minions. 

“Hmm your mom pooped you out.” 

It was a mixture of unpleasant “ews” and laughing in between. “Yep both of you, straight outta your mom’s ” I made farting noises and covered my nose in fake disgust. 

“We want to know about the kithes and how we come from love kithes.” Joy innocently,, and way to accurately, stated to my discomfort. 

“Kithes you say? Is that so? Did I hear you want some smooches?” I grabbed Joy and Yeri one in each arm and lifted them up giving them as many kisses, trying my best to gobble them up. 

“Oh, did I have three children? Hmm. I don’t think I remember a third child coming out of my .” I heard the velvet voice of my wife behind me. 

“I have been caught.” I whispered to the girls, gave them each one last kiss and placed them on the ground again. They both ran and crashed against Joohyun’s legs shooting innocent smiles up to her. 

“Hi honey. I didn’t hear you come in.” I walked up to her and gave her a smooch earning an audible ew from Yeri.

“Momma called your ship Dumbo this time.” Joy ratted me out and made a b-line to their room. Yeri followed soon after.

“TICKLES FOR THE TRAITORS!” I yelled and Irene laughed next to me.

“We have created a monster haven’t we?” She put her arm around my hip and rested her head on my shoulder. I just hummed in response and planted a gentle kiss on the crown of her head. 

“Two of them actually,” she corrected herself. I hugged her tightly and giggled. 

“You hungry babe?” I asked her.

“Yes! I thought You’d never ask.” I gave her a string of pecks on those soft red lips of hers.

“Okay. Go get the kids and I’ll set the table up.” I said before I released her from my embrace.

“Hey Seul?”

“Yes love.”

“I’m really happy I anchored my ship next to yours.” 

I smiled so wide the type of smile that makes my eyes turn into crescents, make me look like a fool. 

“Me too.”