Caratland [Seventeen FF]

-46-

Soonyoung poV:

I woke up in a dark room, slowly realizing it wasn't just a room. Something was blocking my view, turning everything I saw into a pitch black. My hands were tightly tied up, blocking my every move. What's going on? My heart started racing then, adrenaline shooting through my veins. Okay, calm down Soonyoung. Panic won't help you through this. I started analysing the environment with the other senses I had: I was sitting, the floor was a sand like texture and my arms were tied on something hard, a wood stick? I couldn't hear or smell anything. I guess these senses were blocked from the same thing that blocked my sight. But what's happening? All I did was enter the portal and I definitely didn't pass out. Not the way I usually do. It must be something different. It must be-
Chan. As soon as this thought entered my brain, I could hear footsteps, followed by an old door squeaking. They seemed to approach me and then suddenly something took off that iffy thing that blocked my view, which turned out to be an old potato sack. It was no one else then Chan.

"Chan, What's going on?", I asked him, my throat dry as my heart sank, fear quickly taking over in my head. He didn't reply. I was in a small room, more like a big tent. The floor was indeed hard sand and there wasn't much to it. Only a brown table standing at the back, next to the entrance. My gaze followed his moves as he put the potato sack on the table. "Chan?", I asked again, my voice becoming smaller.
"I'm showing you the new lion trick, obviously", he smiled, standing in front of the entrance. My head instinctively tilted to the side. What does he mean by that? Something in me couldn't trust this smile plastered on his face and my guts were basically screaming 'get out of here'.
"Do you really need to tie me up for this?", I asked, smiling nervously, my heart still pounding fast.
"Let's say this trick is special", he shrugged his shoulders and left the tent. As he left, my heart slowly started pounding normal again. What are his intentions? I looked around the room again. My mind was still set, telling me to get the heck out of this room. I tried to get up, but this thing was so tight. It felt loose enough to get it off with some strength, so I started to pull and stretch it. It hurt like hell, but I could already feel the thick rope to loose up a little. What the hell was he thinking to tie me up like this? Why? I couldn't stop asking myself why Chan would do something like that. Even if it's a trick, isn't that a little too much?

All of a sudden he came back, so I quickly stopped pulling, feeling the burn of the little scratches I got myself.
"Hey, Chan! Why do you need me tied up for it?", I asked him straightforward. He turned to me.
"You could startle and I need you to stand still. That's why", he scratched the back of his head, smiling shyly. Something was so wrong about this situation.
"Can I at least get up?", I asked.
"Trust me. It's so much more fun, while sitting", he assured, giving me thumbs up. I sighed. He won't let me free so easily.
"Where are you going the whole time?", I questioned.
"Preparing the trick of course. Why are you so suspicious today?", he asked me back, raising an eyebrow.
"I'm just tied up on a piece of wood, but I don't think I have a reason of being suspicious", I replied sarcastically.
"Oh, come on! What would I do to you? All I want to show you is a circus trick. I've spent so much time on it, but if you don't want to I won't force you", he sighed, pouting at the end, while he walked over to me. In my head I already screamed "finally free from that psycho show", but I somehow pitied him. The last thing I wanted to do is being tied down, but he somehow sounded trustworthy.
"Fine, but be quick please. It's not really comfortable down here", I murmured, looking away.
"Okay, I'll hurry then", he smiled brightly, a sudden excitement taking over him. He then left the tent in quick steps. I sighed again. My mind was a mess by then. My guts were still telling me that danger was waiting in front of my feet, but maybe I'm just making a fuss over nothing and that innocent kid just tries to show me a really cool show. I just hoped I was doing the right thing...

Chan still didn't came back, even after a while. The ropes were really itchy and the scratches still burned. Since he didn't come back I had a lot of time to spent in my mind. It was just my second time in his world, but I never saw this tent anywhere. This tent... How did I even come to this tent? I don't even remember the way here. Ah, right! I passed out... or blacked out... Wait, I passed out? On my way to world? And why am I awake then? According to the theory I should still be unconscious since only a few hours passed... A few hours passed... A few hours passed! That's why my gut feelings told me to leave! What was Chan's real plan?

Right at that moment Chan came back. He had a sort of remote control in his hand.
"Okay, I'm ready", he smiled, while waving with his remote control.
"Chan", I started, while looking on the floor.
"Yeah?", he replied, looking at me confused. I looked up and tried to read his emotions from his eyes. He looked at me with the same expression he always did, not revealing much of his actual thoughts. I didn't keep talking, so he raised an eyebrow.
"I don't remember the way here", I said.
"Oh, it's easy. I can bring you back after the trick", he kept smiling.
"Stop playing fake and tell me the truth, Chan", I got serious.
"Playing fake?", he played dumb, tilting his head to the side. I furrowed my eyebrows, feeling anger building up inside me.

"What is the real reason you brought me here, Chan?"