Persona

"Namja-Yah."

May 29, 2045

Aeseok checked up on Seogi the second after she woke up. Seogi’s forehead was radiating with heat, but the bandage around his head held up well. She grabbed a piece of cloth, folded it a few times, before she soaked it in the ocean water for a few seconds. Holding it up, she wrung it out, and returned to Seogi’s side. When she placed the rag on his head, he flinched away from it, and opened his eyes.

“Seogi-Hyung?” Aeseok was quick to question. Her Hyung had been so out of it yesterday. Seogi let out a soft groan as he moved around. “Don’t move, Hyung, okay?”

Seogi merely blinked up at her. “Don’t move Hyung, don’t move, don’t move,” he said, his words trailing off at the end.

“Hyung?” Aeseok was confused as she listened to Seogi repeat what she’d said, then it clicked. Echolalia. Her Hyung’s brain had been damaged, to what severity, she didn’t know, however. “Okay, hold this to your forehead, alright?”

Seogi did as he was told, and Aeseok was able to switch her focus to the maknae. He hadn’t woken up since they got on-land, but Aeseok figured that he was just exhausted. She shook his shoulder, and almost nothing happened. After a few more shakes, she let the youngest be, he wasn’t waking up, and she could see the bags underneath his eyes.

“Noona,” she heard. She heard the formality be repeated a few more times by Seogi, and she looked up. Sung-Ji was sitting up, hair ruffled, and slightly matted. “Noona, where’s Namja-Hyung?”

Aeseok’s brows furrowed. “Hm.”

“I don’t know either,” Sung-Ji told her. He’d been around Aeseok long enough to know what her different ‘hm’s meant. It was a gift, really. Sung-Ji thought it was funny when the other members didn’t know what Aeseok wanted when she ‘hm’ed at them.

“Can you watch Seogi, and Aejeo? I’ll go look for Namja,” Aeseok informed. At Sung-Ji’s nod, Aeseok rose, and started in the direction of the footsteps she saw.

~

Namja tensed when he heard branches snap behind him. No, not behind him, more to his back left. Yes, that was it.

“Namja?”

“Noona?”

Namja turned, and Aeseok was behind him.

“How’d you find me?” He questioned.

“I followed your footsteps,” she answered. “What the heck are you doing out here?”

Namja thought for a second. “I was.. Looking for firewood.”

“In the middle of the day?” Aeseok’s brows were furrowed, she didn’t really understand why he was out here at noon, looking for firewood when they wouldn’t freeze to death in the middle of the day.

Namja looked up, and saw blue sky. “Oh,” he looked back at his Noona. “I didn’t realize, I guess.” He swayed slightly.

“Namja-yah-”

“No,” Namja’s face scrunched up when he heard it, heard what his late Noona had called him. No, the memories were too painful. He didn’t want to hear that anymore. “Don’t call me that.”

“You’re.. Name?” Aeseok was confused again. “Namja-yah, I don’t understand-”

“Stop,” Namja’s voice was low. “Stop it.”

“Okay,” Aeseok raised her arms in defeat. “How long have you been awake?”

Namja thought for a moment. How long had he been awake? “I..”

“Do you know?” Aeseok asked softly. She wasn’t used to this.. Stepping up and being leader thing. That was Namja’s forte. Namja’s head shook softly, before the younger fell to his knees. “Okay, alright,” Aesoek advanced on him, helping him to stand when she was close enough. “Let’s get back, okay?”

Namja nodded, and they were on their way. God, was he tired.

~

It was late when Aejeo finally woke up. When he sat up, Seogi’s head fell from his arm, and wow did that hurt. Aejeo peered at his arm, and nearly threw up into the sand beneath him. It was twisted rather disgustingly, definitely broken. Seeing it, though, hurt more than anything, even moving it wasn’t as bad. Aejeo took in his surroundings, and was getting a headache from the smell of saltwater. If there was anything he hated more than mint chocolate, it was the smell of salty water.

Seogi was moving around, and groaning, and Aejeo suddenly felt bad for waking him.

“Oh, you’re finally awake,” Aejeo heard, and that was none other than Sung-Ji. “Good, you’ve been asleep for a while. How do you feel?”

Aejeo jerked his shoulder, his left brow twitching. “In pain.”

“Yeah, you’re arm’s a little..” Sung-Ji trailed off.

“Disgusting? Yeah, I’m aware,” Aejeo joked. “Can we wrap it or something?”

“Like a sling?” Aejeo nodded at Sung-Ji’s suggestion. “I’ll see what I can find. Watch Seogi-Hyung?”

“Yeah,” Aejeo agreed before his brain comprehended the question. Watch Seogi-Hyung? What? “Wait, what?” Aejeo asked before Sung-Ji started walking. “What do you mean? Is he okay?” Seogi was the one who took care of the other members, hardly ever vice versa.

“I don’t know,” Sung-Ji answered honestly. “Aeseok-Noona does, but she seems really shaken, so just give her a minute before you ask. Oh, and when Hyung wakes up, move him over to the fire, okay? Last thing we need is you two freezing to death.”

“I can do that,” Aejeo nodded confidently.

“I know,” Sung-Ji flashed a half-smile at him. “I’ll be back.”

“See ya, Hyung,” Aejeo waved with his good arm, and sat up straighter. Now was his time, he could take care of his Hyung for once.