[SKZ Hyunsung] ENDlife

CHAPTER NINETEEN

There was no use.

The three of them were able to start back up the car and get moving again despite the vehicle almost falling apart. 

Although they managed to get the car started to resume their journey, Hyunjin's doubt also started to gnaw at him. 

"Jisung-ah, are you sure you are okay?" Hyunjin asked waveringly as he sat next to Jisung in the back seats just to take care of his friend.

"Mhmm. Just my head slightly pounding. But if I just close my eyes, I should be okay," Jisung said as he massaged his scalp. 

Jisung laid back against the seat and closed his eyes as he said he would. However, his memories were still missing. 

Changbin and Hyunjin asked him many questions regarding the younger's memories, but his memories were very selective. He remembered everyone at the Hunter's Society, what kind of world he was in and also flawlessly remembering the archives he studied with them. Yet, when asked about his origins, Jisung could not utter a single word. 

He had forgotten everything about his own world, and everyone related to it.

"Hyung, how much longer to the desert you think?" Hyunjin asked Changbin quietly without disturbing Jisung who was napping next to him.

"Probably a few more hours. I can't wait to ditch this car. All the sand is just getting in, I could hardly open my eyes to stay on the road," Changbin squinted as he drove toward the sand hills.

Hyunjin bit his lips and glanced at Jisung nervously. 

He looked at Jisung sleeping peacefully next to him, not knowing why they would cross half of the country just to make it to some unknown island.

What's the point of finding the Elder if Jisung isn't even going to remember? Let's say we find a way back to his world, if he can't remember his friends or family, wouldn't it be too hard for him? He could just... 

Hyunjin's heart continued to sink.

No! Hwang Hyunjin, he lectured himself. Don't go there. Jisung doesn't belong in this world. He should go back but... I don't want him to.

Hyunjin felt disgusted by his own internal thoughts. He knew he was growing greedy every second of the way. Of all things for Jisung to suddenly lose his memories, it felt as if it was all too perfect for him. 

But Hyunjin of all people would know that such selfishness would only lead to his own destruction. Yet, letting go of Jisung would also be too painful for him.

About an hour of the way left, Jisung woke up and dusted the sand off his face. He peeked out the broken windows that were just covered by a thin cloth they found in the back trunk, to see the oceans finally within a distance. 

"Woah," Jisung was astonished by the beautiful blue ocean and the morning sky. 

"You like the ocean?" Hyunjin asked."Mhmm! It's so pretty," he said as he gazed at it like a child. "Hyunjin-ah, have you ever been to the beach? Ever since I joined the Hunters, I don't think any of us have gone so close to the ocean together."

"Yeah... it would be nice to go down there and take a dive, huh?" Hyunjin was trying his best to be enthusiastic about it all.

"Hey, Jisung! I'll race you once we arrive at the Elder's place. Heard that the island is a very long one, you can swim and race all you want. What about it?" Changbin said loudly in excitement.

"That's not fair, hyung. You'll definitely beat me," Jisung pouted. 

"Haha! Just because you're a beginner, don't think that I'll go easy on you," Changbin laughed loudly in the car. As Changbin drove closer toward the island, he kept on distracting Jisung with his small talks. "So, ever been to a place like this before?"