Caratland [Seventeen FF]

-58-

Jihoon poV:

The morning was hectic as almost everyone forgot to wake up on time. Not like the other ones I was the only one, who couldn't sleep, so when everyone started gathering at the amusement park I was already sorting out coins.

It wasn't as bad as I thought. Maybe I kind of missed work, maybe I just missed sorting out coins. Soonyoung mostly cared for the customers, whereas I kept myself hidden in the booth. The whole day seemed normal besides that Chan wasn't around. Yesterday Seungcheol told us that he will leave and start new. I guess it's the best for him. We also decided to destroy the portal.

When the customers all left, we all gathered in the storage. I was on my way with Soonyoung, when he suddenly stopped.
"Is something?", I asked him.
"I don't want to destroy it. After all I shouldn't be able to see it and I don't want to go there anyway", he said. I nodded. "But you have to go. Report me how it was", he added smiling. I nodded again and went to the storage.

Almost everyone was there, even Chan. I haven't seen him the last days, maybe weeks, but he seemed pretty okay. Compared to what Seungcheol told me how he looked, it seemed that he at least took a shower. The last one to come was Jeonghan. He also had the impact hammer in his hands.
"So, who wants to go first?", he asked, struggling to hold it. The portal lit up the whole storage as always with it's colours.
"I want to", Seokmin went forward. He took the impact hammer and went right in front of the portal. "Hello second world, I probably will miss you, but I also rather want to destroy you. Thanks for being by my side at hard times", he said and hit right on the grey cement wall next to the portal. A little crack then formed. He then passed the hammer to Minghao. He also went forward observing the portal a little.
"I don't know why I actually always went through you, but I kinda need to be thankful since you also made me realize some things", Minghao said, while turning to Jun and hit the same spot Seokmin hit, leaving an even bigger crack behind. This went on for the rest of us, Hansol helped Seungkwan as he just had one arm and together they left behind the biggest crack. Only two people were left: Seungcheol and Chan. When Seungcheol finished his speech and hit, he gave Chan the hammer. The mood immediately changed as everyone got quiet. Chan then went forward holding the hammer. Not like the other ones, he just stood there looking at the portal. Then he went out and hit right next to the portal, the only spot without a crack, and repeated it. With every hit the wall trembled more and more. We looked at the scene in front of us. After the fourth hit, the wall finally broke down. The rocks loudly hitting the floor. The portal firstly glitched, but then disappeared to the nothing. Right after that happened, Chan dropped the hammer. He took a glimpse at us, but quickly looked to the floor and left the storage.

"I will miss my puppies", Mingyu fake sobbed.
"Just get yourself real ones", Wonwoo rolled his eyes.
"I had a wellness centre for free, so don't even compare your loss to mine", Jeonghan argued.
"It wasn't even yours", Jisoo raised an eyebrow.
"Who cares? I enjoyed it", Jeonghan crossed his arms. They kept chatting on the way out and I quietly listened to them. I took a look back where the portal was. Something was left behind. I went back to find a little plush doll. It had pink hair and a striped shirt. It pretty much resembled me. A little creeped out I took the doll with me anyway.

Back to the amusement park I went to the game stand to find Soonyoung, who sorted out coins.
"How was it?", he asked me.
"I don't know... weird?", I mumbled.
"What's that in your hand?", he asked.
"Uh, something that was left behind", I said and gave him the plush. He looked shocked and surprised, maybe even scared. He took the doll and observed it more specifically. "Is something wrong?", I asked, but he just shook his head.

We then went to the food court. It was evening and he wanted to eat Hotdogs so we went to that shop.
"I actually need to tell you something", he took the word. I looked to him. He even looks handsome, when stuffing himself with hotdogs, so unfair... "I will stop working here", he said. I almost choked on my hotdog, while coughing like crazy.
"You what?", I asked for repetition, as my face got red since I was embarrassed.
"Not really stop, but I'll take a break. Until, you know, I can enter the storage again", he added smiling. Don't smile like that. My heart already has a hard time because of you.
"B-But-"
"Don't worry, I'll come visit you or you come visit me", he smiled. That's not the same! I still want to see you and listen to your voice and I still need to confess even if I don't want to. That's not fair! You can't go just like that! "Sorry that I couldn't hold the promise", he let his head sink. Who cares about that stupid promise anymore!
"So, uhm, I- uh, I need to, you know, uhm, tell you something too", I then blurted out. Okay, Jihoon, now or never. Just for once speak up. You can't hide it forever.
"I'm listening", he smiled. My heart pounded fast, when I played with my fingers out of nervousness.
"You know what? Forget about it, it's nothing", I cut myself off. Jihoon, you're such an idiot.
"Here we go again", he rolled his eyes.

We finished eating and went to the harbour. Seungcheol knew that no one of us really wanted to see Chan taking his ship to the city, but he convinced us somehow to at least just stay there. Hansol and Seungkwan were next to us when we saw how Chan went on the ship. Seungcheol told him something before and now also looked at him from the far.
"Did you know that barn owls mate for life?", Hansol suddenly asked.
"What the- I don't even ask anymore", Seungkwan rolled his eyes, while shaking his head.
"Even if I'm still conflicted when thinking about him, I still hope he'll find his barn owl", Hansol said. Even though he put it in weird words, we understood him and agreed with quiet nodding. We watched Chan on the ship and followed the ship with our gaze until it was a few meters away. Then we slowly made our way back to the centre of the island.

I'm still not used to the drastic change the atmosphere on this island went through. On the one hand I understand the others, but on the other hand I also think from Chan's perspective. Maybe we didn't guide him well enough? Maybe we didn't care about his past well enough? Maybe this all wouldn't have happened if he went through therapy beforehand. He's just a little kid, who grew up in a toxic environment and never had the chance to know what's right or wrong. What he did was wrong obviously, but he also only knew that way of resolving problems. Thinking back he never told me or anyone when he had a problem.

I hope he can start completely new in a more healthier way.