Forever Snow || Seventeen [Rewriting]

✨ Chapter 5 ✨

"I'm telling you!" Seokmin screams. "What I'm saying is the truth!" But none of his brothers would spare a glance at his story. "Right.. You want us to believe that there is a secret passageway that leads to a Winter Wonderland?"

Seokmin nodded at Seungcheol's interpretation. "DK, even you know that that sounds stupid." Jun snickers, as well as Mingyu. That made the boy pout. "It's true! I even got albums from the isle I saw the passageway in!"

With that, Seokmin held out the albums he picked out, especially waving the SHINee album in front of Soonyoung. "MINE!" Soonyoung pounced to get it but Seokmin pulled it away. "You have to believe me! I'm telling the truth."

Everyone rolled their eyes at the second youngest boy. He wasn't even the youngest and yet, he acted like it. Seokmin's optimistic attitude was one that everyone loved but there are times where it becomes too much to handle.

"Yeah, right. And I'm the queen." Jun, Soonyoung and Vernon laughed at what Mingyu said. Seungcheol even looked like he was trying to hold back laughter. "But it is true! I opened up a passageway and entered Caratnia!"

That just made everyone laugh harder. Even Seungcheol couldn't hold back his laugh. "Caratnia?" Vernon says through laughs. "What kind of place and name is that?" The only one who didn't find it funny was Seokmin.

"Come with me then," Seokmin says, "Come with me and I'll show you that it is real!" No one made an effort to move. "Come on!" He tried pulling Soonyoung out of the room but with a look from the oldest, Soonyoung resisted.

"Hoshi..." Soonyoung felt so guilty but he didn't say a word. "Fine. I'll see you guys during dinner." Seokmin got up and left the game room. None of the brothers knew if he went to their shared room or continued to explore.

Soonyoung looked over at his brothers, both older and younger. "Don't you feel guilty?" They did, but they do not want to tolerate any of Seokmin's childish delusions any longer. He had to know how and when to draw the line.

Dinner came by quicker than they thought and now, all 6 brothers, plus Yuta and Doyoung were seated together at the dining table. Kun was just bringing out the food to the table, then he would join them for dinner.

"How did you boys liked the house?" Yuta asked them. "We loved it, Yuta-ssi." Seungcheol replied respectfully. "Call me otosan if you wish." Yuta says. "And you may call me Doyoung-appa, or just appa."

The brothers grinned. They now had a real family. "Seokmin, dear. What's the matter?" Taeil noticed the somber look on the boy's face. "It's nothing, Otosan." Seokmin says, showing a not so convincing smile to show that he was alright.

"Nonsense! Tell us what's wrong." Seokmin avoided his brothers' gaze. "I found the library and explored. I then found this place called Caratnia when exploring the library." The adults stopped eating their food and listened.

Seokmin then continued his story. "I accidentally opened the passageway to the place but when I got there, I saw that it was full of snow!" Seungcheol banged his fist on the table. "Seokmin. Stop telling everyone about your make believe story!"

"It is not make believe!" "Boys!" Doyoung scolded the two of them. "No fighting at the table." Seokmin looked close to tears. "How.. How did you find this... Caratnia place?" Doyoung asks to change the topic. Though, he seemed very wary of this topic.

"It was an accident, really." Seokmin laughed through a few tears. "I accidentally pulled an album and all of a sudden, the passageway opened!" Kun cleared his throat. "Why did you enter it alone though? You should have brought someone with you."

Seokmin became quiet. "Didn't I tell you boys not to explore the library alone?" All boys nodded. The adults let out a loud sigh. "Boys," Doyoung looked over at the group who didn't believe Seokmin. "Why don't you believe your brother?"

Before any of them could answer, Seokmin excused himself and left the dining room. The room was silent until Jun spoke up, "He rarely lies to us. But... his imagination is very uh- wild, I suppose." The adults took note of that.

"Vernon, are you alright?" Vernon snapped out of his thoughts and nodded. "I'm fine, Kun-shú." Vernon pushed back his chair and stood up. "I'll go and talk to Seokmin hyung. I feel like he'll lash out if it was the other hyungs."

His new parents allowed the boy to talk to his brother. "Hyung, what was that?" Vernon opens the door to their room and starts to scold the older. "You guys don't believe me." Seokmin mutters, turning on his bed to not face the younger.

"You caused a scene because of that?" Vernon exclaims. "That's because, I am not lying! You all say that I am but I am not. I am telling the truth." Seokmin retorts. The youngest brother couldn't do anything but stare at his hyung.

Vernon wanted to groan. Seokmin can be hardheaded at times. "Can you just.. Can you just make a public apology to Doyoung-appa, Otosan, and Kun-shú? Just so that the others won't scold you more?" Seokmin faces Vernon and sighs.

"You don't believe me too, don't you?" He stayed quiet. Seokmin lets out a sad sigh. "I'll apologize to Appa, Otosan and Shúshu." Vernon nodded in acceptance. "Want to tell me about that... place?" Seokmin's eyes lit up and boy, did he have a story to tell.