Horizon | Choi San

5

Hongjoong was in the middle of the Peridot Sea, somewhere between Mingi's Kingdom of Leo and Wooyoung's Kingdom of Sagittarius, when he got Mingi's message informing him that apparently someone was back from the dead and they needed to meet in person so they could discuss it properly.

Hongjoong looked up at the cloudy sky, as gloomy as his mood. Yugyeom, who was quite pleased with the detour because he needed a break from the castle duties, raised a brow. "Everything alright?"

"Not at all," Hongjoong smiled helplessly, asking for a pen. He scribbled his location and dared Yeosang to portal himself here since there was a chance he would very well land in the sea.

Yeosang's reply through Mingi's fire message came a minute later, a very provocative drawing along with a request to land on their continent- Algieba was the closest. Hongjoong sent an okay, instructing Yugyeom to turn their course west. Yugyeom, who had an affinity for air, helped the ship change its course without much effort. They could already see land so it would only take about an hour.

As soon as he landed at the beach, he sent Yeosang and Mingi the message. Yugyeom brought food from the ship. "Good thing we landed. With this amount of food you wouldn't last two days."

Hongjoong passed him a side-eye. "You should have stored more."

"Who decided to take a detour in the middle of our very planned-out tour to Rukbat?" Yugyeom scoffed, slumping down on the sand and opening the bag which included snacks and everything unhealthy that Hongjoong loved to eat. Hongjoong picked a box of cookies, offering some as an apology and Yugyeom rolled his eyes, laughing.

"I'm probably going to Mingi's castle. Wanna join me?"

"I should," Yugyeom nodded. "It's been a while since I met Wonpil."

"Ah, yes," Hongjoong nodded. "You have friends everywhere. Let's hope we get a ride before we get a heatstroke in the desert."

Luckily for the two, Mingi had already sent some of his friends that resided in the desert to pick Hongjoong and Yugyeom. The two dozed off the entire ride back, waking up only when they stopped to get a good night's rest and then the next day, they reached Mingi's castle, greeted by an unusually grim looking duo.

"At least wear a smile when you greet me!" Hongjoong wailed and the two burst out laughing which was when Hongjoong realised this was an act and he ran forward to smack them. "I swear I will never get a break!"

"You'll be wearing this grim face soon enough, don't worry," Yeosang laughed, dodging a hit to the arm. "Come on. Let's eat before we lose our appetite."

Yugyeom took that as a clue to run away. "I don't wish to lose my appetite. Hongjoong, I'll be staying here for a day or two before I go back. That okay?"

Everyone gave him a thumbs-up and watched him spot Wonpil and happily run to his old friend. "See?" Hongjoong watched them hug like long lost brothers. "That's how you greet a friend."

"Whatever," Mingi grinned cheekily, ruffling Hongjoong's ginger hair. "Come along before I drag you there."

The three avoided discussing anything over dinner, enjoying the carefree bantering and making fun of each other just like everything was normal, to the point where for a moment they forgot all about the trouble they were in.

"I have something to say about this," Hongjoong began. Yeosang started clapping and Mingi wheezed with laughter. "I haven't even begun!"

"You've said enough," Yeosang laughed. "You don't get the right to tell me to stop portalling like this when you literally disappear into the light. At this rate, you'll find yourself some thousand light years away from us. At least I'll only be lost in another dimension."