Astronomy // Duty After School

Chapter Sixty.

"Don't you want to ride with us?"

"Why aren't you riding?"

"Come on, hurry!" The kids encouraged Jang-su to join them on the carousel, but Jang-su grinned and shook his head. Chun-ho had left him in charge ten or so minutes ago as he had gone off to find the four missing kids.

"Why not?"

"Jang-su!" Jun-hi hollered, waving at said boy.

"Hi, Jang-su!" Sun-yi beamed.

"Come on, get on!"

"Just get on!"

"Oh, geez," Tae-man sighed. "This is so lame for our closing act."

"Why? Horses are fine," Yeong-shin insisted. "We are all going round and round, so we don't have to worry about who's first or catching up." They all cringed, covering their mouths and noses as though thoroughly disgusted. So-yun gaped back at Jun-hi, who turned and was laughing with Chi-yeol.

"What are you talking about?" Tae-man frowned.

"Jo Yeong-shin, you make a good point," Deok-jung nodded, clearly teasing Yeong-shin. "Since we are going round and round, there's no first place," he said dramatically as though giving a monologue.

"Or catching up to anyone," So-yun finished, deepening her voice.

"Hey!" Yeong-shin swatted So-yun.

"What?" So-yun hit the boy back, making the others laugh. Tae-man laughed sarcastically.

"No, I will catch up!" Tae-man declared. "Let's go, Mustang! Yee-haw!"

"I can't fall behind!" Deok-jung exclaimed, holding his fist up. "Yee-haw!"

"(Y/n)! Il-ha!" Sun-yi greeted brightly upon seeing the two. The carousel was already turning away to the point the others couldn't see their arrival. "Platoon Leader's right. She did come back on her own."

"What's wrong? What happened to her?" Jang-su asked, hastily jogging over as Il-ha set So-yeon down on a bench that would be out of sight of the carousel regardless of where the others were. He took the guns (Y/n) had needed to carry and set them aside as (Y/n) used stuffed animals to give So-yeon a better cushion than the bench. She proceeded to turn to Jang-su and lower her head, leaning against his chest as Jang-su worriedly hugged (Y/n) and placed a hand on her head. After they had all had such a tough month, Chun-ho no longer wanted to ruin the kids' fun, even if it was putting them in danger with the lights.

"We'll ask So-yeon once she wakes up," Chun-ho said. "But I don't want to stress her. It can worsen a concussion." Jang-su's eyes widened and he looked around questioningly. Chun-ho looked at (Y/n) and then at Il-ha. "Can I trust you guys won't mention your standoff until we reach Seoul?"

"Why?" Il-ha asked angrily.

"Because we're still traveling with Yeong-su," Chun-ho answered, very briefly glancing at the boy who was instructed to sit across the way. "Say all you want after you won't be putting yourselves at risk for it." It didn't even take needing to hear the entirety of (Y/n)'s side of events for Chun-ho to conclude Yeong-su was in a fragile mental state. Il-ha was still not fully convinced. "Kwon Il-ha, if he pulled a gun out on you for thinking you'll ruin his reputation, what do you think will happen to your classmates if you tell them everything right now? On foot, we still have at least another day's journey." He didn't want to openly imply Yeong-su could easily steal someone else's gun and shoot them all up, but it most certainly painted a picture.

"Fine. Until Seoul," Il-ha relented. "...Or until So-yeon can answer." Chun-ho nodded.

"Go join your classmates," Chun-ho instructed. "I'll handle these two."