"Say The Name"

Part 12 "Let The Gamers Begin"

~JiSoo (Joshua)~
6:04pm KST
After EXO L's random questionnaire and finding out that Carat was in the hospital, packing for the new dorm went by contemplatively.
What's wrong with Carat? JiHoon (Woozi) had mentioned that she was struggling right before she disappeared. Is it hurting her? Will doctors be able to fix that?
Loading his suitcase and hanging shirts onto the luggage cart. JeongHan piled his on as well.
"There, at least we'll get third pick of our rooms," JeongHan said optimistically through the muffle of his face mask. To avoid the media's attention, Hybe was moving them in two members at a time. They, being the second and third oldest were the second group to go. LeeChan (Dino) was injured so SeungCheol (S. Coups) helped him there first.
JiSoo pulled down his own mask. "Hyung (older brother/friend), you haven't said much about what I told you from EXO L. Carat's in the hospital. How can we contact her?"
JeongHan frowned. "Do you ever read your texts? She's here. In Korea, right now. Seungkwan and Jun just picked her up from JiHoon, Seokmin, and Wonu's photo shoot."
"What? Why didn't you tell me!"
JeongHan openly yawned to his distress. "I assumed that you knew."
Pulling out his phone, JiSoo pulled up Jun's number and called.
      "네? (ne/yes?)" Jun's voice cracked out of the speaker. "형? (Hyeong?)"
      "Jun! Is Carat there?" He rushed. "I have to talk to her!"
      Shuffling noises cracked through the speaker before a soft voice came through in English. "Hello? Who is this?"
      "Carat!" He cried. "Are you okay? Are you at a hospital?" In his distress, he waited as nothing came through for a minute. "Carat?"
"Why would I be in a hospital?" She asked casually.
      "You're sister said that you were in a hospital. What is it for? How are you hurt?"
      "Oh, well that was just my ankle, I sprained it a few days ago. It's better now, though. They did run some tests for my "blackouts", everything came back healthy." Something about her tone was stale. Manufactured.
      "Carat, what's wrong?"
      Another pause, one that Seungkwan filled for her. "We're walking into the COEX mall now, what is this about?"
      "Carat, are you okay? Your sister was really worried and now I am too."
      "Yes," Carat sighed sounding truly pleased. "Yes Joshua, I'll be just fine. I'm sorry that I couldn't call after I was in America, though."
      Finally believing the girl, JiSoo sat on the luggage cart. "Well, you called and talked to JiHoon at least. Even without understanding each other, that was something."
     "I never spoke to JiHoon. Not until today when I came back." Her reply harbored curiosity. JiSoo imagined a puppy with its head cocked. "Oh, we're going in now. I can't get to EXO L's phone. If she calls you again than it's not me. Don't talk to her, please. See you next time!"
"Carat! Carat!" He shouted before she hung up.
"Yes, Joshua?"
"Write down my number and keep it with you. If you don't call me and tell me that you're safe by tomorrow night, I'm flying to America and finding you myself," he threatened, fully intending to make good on the promise.
"Okay," she whispered through the intercom before hanging up.
      As JiSoo started to get up, JeongHan pushed the luggage cart down the hall with JiSoo still on it.
      "야! (Ya/Hey!) A person is on here!"
      To that JeongHan's eyes narrowed down at him before suddenly he shoved the cart down the hall in a full run. Slowing just before reaching the elevator doors, JiSoo nearly flew over their suitcases.
       Crawling out in laughter, JiSoo felt more peace in his heart. Carat was okay, and now he could just be excited to move into his new home.
What had she said about JiHoon though, he thought as he stepped into the elevator and slid his mask back on. She hadn't spoken to him? Did he let it ring too long? Is that why she didn't call me, because I missed a call? Did she think we were mad at her? JiHoon might've been... a chill ran down his spine. Did he ghost her?
      "형, (Hyeong/older brother, friend) has JiHoon said anything to you about Carat?"
      JiSoo's friend shrugged. "Well, he doesn't trust her that's for sure. He believes that Carat can control her power and is using it to get close to us."
Well, can't deny that's a possibility. "What do you think, JeongHan? Could she just be a Seseang with superpowers?"
      JeongHan laughed. "No, that girl's not a liar. At least not in that. She did lie to you just now, though. I don't know what you were saying, but she was brushing off her answers."
      JiSoo frowned and considered his friend. "How do you know?"
      JeongHan gave him an exaggeratedly arrogant look. "You doubt my expertise?"
      Suddenly JiSoo's peace vanished.
• • •
6:24pm KST
      Walking into the new dorm, the smell of fresh paint hit him first, then it was YoungHwan.
      "Nice place right!" SEVENTEEN's manager cheered after smacking JiSoo's arm.
      JiSoo sent him a sheepish smile. "Yeah. The entrance is nice."
      "Where's the biggest room?" JeongHan asked boldly.
      "Come on, I'll show you the good ones," their manager laughed, starting down a hall to the right. "So, how is Jun managing with his wrist brace?"
      "Better than me, I'm sure," LeeChan (Dino) called crutching his way toward them from around a corner.
       JiSoo smiled and greeted LeeChan with a hug. "I didn't get to see our maknae (youngest) yesterday. How are you doing?"
       LeeChan sighed. "It's so itchy," he complained. "I just want to rip it off and run."
      "You will soon. Until then," JeongHan encouraged.
      The youngest shrugged. "Anyway, it's helpful in one way. For once I got to pick my room early on. Every other time the elders have first choice."
      "Silver linings," JiSoo said in English although no one in the room would understand it. That led his mind to Carat again. He liked that he got to speak English with her. What will she think of this place, he fancied looking up at the high ceilings.
      After picking both of their rooms and claiming them, JiSoo made his way into the kitchen and living room area. The floor plan of the house was interesting. Octagonal. The bedrooms were along the outer walls and the center of the building had a game room, dance room, and storage.
      It was certainly bigger than what they had before. And cleaner than it would ever be again once the rest of the members arrived. In their previous dorm they had separate, smaller living rooms and kitchens for each floor. That had been convenient, but it did make it to where you could go over a week without seeing the less social members. This way they would all be coming to one place.
      JeongHan flopped onto the huge blood red u-shaped sofa that the whole 13 member group could lounge on at the same time. SeungCheol (S. Coups) sat at the kitchen bar that seemed like a continuum of the kitchen counter. The kitchen was mostly hexagonal in shape.
      "What do you think of the new place?" JiSoo asked him, trying to be quieter so that YoungHwan, who was helping LeeChan move something in his room, wouldn't hear their honest opinions.
      SeungCheol looked up from his phone to answer. "It's okay," he sighed. "I had gotten used to life in the old one. It was quieter. We'll just get used to this one."
      "My floor had Seokmin and MinGyu. I'm glad yours was quiet, though," JiSoo laughed.
      "Hey guys!" YoungHwan cheerily announced his entry as he helped LeeChan to the sitting area beside the couch. "So, are we ready to shake off the slump that moving out has put on you all?"
JiSoo frowned. Slump from moving, he attempted to decipher. Looking to SeungCheol, their leader was just as confused.
"I hope so," JeongHan exasperated, sounding confident. "I think it's more in the eggshells that we're having to walk on now, though. It's put stress on everyone and taken our attention."
JiSoo realized he was covering for Carat. So that's what Hybe thinks is bothering us. I'm okay with that.
"Definitely," JiSoo added, trying to agree "casually".
Their manager was less jovial now, studying the members reactions rather than their words. JiSoo locked his emotions down like a vault when the judging attention turned to him.
"Well maybe I'll have to schedule you guys a "Two Days And One Night" episode soon," he said at last. "Okay, I'm going to go now and start packing for Hong Kong tomorrow," he announced.
Good, we can talk freely, JiSoo thought, then he looked around the new building. There aren't any cameras in here right?
      "Well don't all say goodbye at once," he laughed to the silence. Starting for the hall, he stopped and turned. "Is there anything going on that I don't know about? Something keeping you all occupied?"
      "Of course not!" JeongHan protested expertly. "We're the same crazy as we've always been!"
      Their manager smirked. "Of course. Bye!"