1984 | choi chanhee ♫

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Y/N POV

Today we gather to celebrate the life of :
CHANHEE CHOI

BURIAL : July 30th 1984
INVITATION: To Miss Y/M/N

Before I could read the rest, I dropped the card in shock and got up from Chanhee's lap.
"Do I tell her?" I looked around the quiet room, each of the boys taking in the news with their sickly looking faces, eyes glued to their fiddling hands or the empty wall ahead.
"She might have information." Chanhee was the one to break the silence bluntly, staring into space as he slowly rocked back and forth.
"Will she even remember if we're here right now?"  Sangyeon sighed, rubbing across his eyes with palm tiredly.
"There's only one way to find out." I replied, pulling down the cool metal of the door handle in my room.

Gliding down the staircase, I steadily gripped on to the banister to support my shaky steps. The silence downstairs was eery, strange to say the least - no radio, no tv, no friendly chatter. I began to question if my Mom was even home as I swung my head around each spare room. The kitchen was empty, the pots neatly washed and bestowed on the drying rack. A faint rocking noise echoed from somewhere, I followed it into the living room closely.

"Mom?" I called pulling the door handle open. There she was. Swaying back and forth in the vintage rocking chair, chewing on her finger nails anxiously.
"Y/N." She turned her head briefly, a solemn look painted to her features. Her pink lipstick had rubbed off slightly, her face paler than usual. "Your friends-"
"It's them Mom." I replied, cutting her off, she snapped her head up in confusion before I knelt in front of her.
"Before I can explain, I'm gonna need you to to tell me everything you know." I grabbed her hands as I watched her eyes well up emotionally. "I need to get them back and for me to stay here."
"I don't know where to begin." She ran a hand through her hair, only to be stopped by someone's hands briefly.
"Like mother like daughter." Chanhee chuckled softly, sitting beside me in front of her.

"It's you." She teared up within seeing the pink haired boy, "The last time I saw you, you were helping me put books on the library shelves. You were the only person that'd help me. The rest of your friends put me through hell back at school."
"Sounds about right, but can you tell me what happened, Miss L/N?" He took my hand, watching as surprise lit my Mom's features at the action - nevertheless she carried on as normal.
"Do you really wanna know?" She sighed with a low chuckle, nervously wiping her palms on the rough texture of her trousers as she looked for a place to start.
"I'd rather know than leave it for fate to figure out." He replied, now wrapping an arm around my waist for support. The rest of the boys peered into the door in a small cluster, my Mom gesturing for them to come in. They gathered around Chanhee and I in anticipation as she inhaled briefly.

"Well from my version events, you and your friends went hiking. However Juyeon found a high cliff, above Lake Swan to dive from." She recalled, all of us turning to Juyeon with unimpressed glares, tutting as he threw his hands up innocently. "So as he jumped off, I guess the rest thought they would too. Unfortunately there was one thing Chanhee didn't tell the group about.."
Chanhee gulped slightly, causing everyone to now turn to him expectingly.
"What was it?" Hyunjae piped up impatiently, there was a slight stern tone to his voice - a tone that voiced concern, along with an underlying anger from whatever reckless memory Chanhee was holding back.

"I can't swim." Chanhee admitted before my Mother could continue for him, another long silence fell upon the group before Sangyeon interrupted.
"So why didn't the same thing happen when we were at the lake then?" He asked scratching the back of his head inquisitively.
"Y/N jumped with him." Kevin added. "Y/N helped him tread water."
"So that's what brought us ahead of time." Juyeon commented, agreeing with a small nod and a few synchronized hums across the group. "So what brought Y/N back?"

The question lingered - however remained unanswered...

"I think we need to find a way to get you guys back, leave the rest to me." I sighed briefly, "Is it okay if they stay here Mom?"
"It's fine by me. A little strange." She giggled shortly, "But I'll stay out of this mess for now. I'm hoping this is just a bad dream but if it's not please be careful Y/N."
"I wish it was a bad dream. Holy cow." Juyeon scoffed sarcastically, causing my Mom to hit him on the back of the arm shortly.
"Your attitude is still just as annoying." She sighed leaving the room for the kitchen, most likely to collect her own thoughts after this entire ordeal.

Pulling myself up from the living room floor, I followed the group back to my room - joining the sound of feet shuffling across the shaggy cut carpet below. My wrist was grabbed, causing me to spin around and collide into Chanhee's chest as he stayed behind.
"Can we go somewhere?" He asked softly, pressing his lips together in hopes I'd say yes.
"Where?" I furrowed my brows suspiciously, watching as he laced his hand with my own convincingly.
"I promise it's worth it, can you just trust me?" He asked swinging my arm in a silly swaying movement.
"What?- and leave them here? The next thing we'll come back to is them raking through my underwear drawer." I giggled idiotically, watching as he scoffed ridiculously before leaning against the wall behind him.
"She likes satin!" Sunwoo's voice was heard yelling downstairs tauntingly, unbeknownst to whether he was just bluffing - I held Chanhee back from marching upstairs with a laugh.
"They're pulling your leg." I rolled my eyes playfully as he huffed out in frustration momentarily.
"You two go where you need to, I've made them some snacks to keep them occupied." My Mom walked in with a tray full of food, Chanhee untied his hand from my own to go help her set it down on the coffee table surface. "Oh and Chanhee, as much as I'd approve of you please leave her out of whatever relationship you two have going on. It's not going to work and both of you will end up hurt."

Her words sat with us both, clear from the way neither of us responded - grabbing our jackets from the banister in complete silence and swinging them over our shoulders with a loud rustle.
"Guys!" I shouted upstairs, waiting for a zoo-like response from them before carrying on, "My Mom made snacks to keep you guys occupied! Chanhee and I are going out."

Triggering a stampede, the boys came marching down the stairs immediately at the mention of food. Making their way into the living room to taunt my Mom for the next hour.
"Surprise in your top left drawer." Sunwoo winked smugly as he passed, ruffling my hair adoringly - he wasn't bluffing. My jaw hung open, emphasizing my shock with a loud scoff as he ran ahead childishly.

"Let's go." Chanhee shook his head in disappointment, stifling a small laugh as he pushed down on the front door handle.

——

AUTHORS NOTE

where could chanhee possibly be taking Y/N? .. ♡︎

once again wishing you the best for the week ahead.. plenty safe journeys and a new beginnings.. ♡︎

sending my love always..

clover <3