FELLOWSHIP || Ateez Fanfiction

Chapter Seventeen: Family

Hongjoong POV
I wake up at sunrise. I just was so excited for today that I couldn't sleep any longer. I say good morning to Seonghwa who has been navigating the ship the whole night. He has dark circles under his eyes and his eyes are bit red as if he was crying.
"Is everything okay?", I ask.
"Hmm... oh... yeah."
"You are still mourning , aren't you?"
"Yes. I am not sure if I will ever be okay without her."
"It will get better. You will be okay. I am sure."

I go into the kitchen to eat breakfast. It is sad to see that Seonghwa is still struggling with his fiancée's death.
I am not sure what we can do to help him get over it. At least he is smiling and laughing more often. On the first days he didn't smile at all and cried through the nights. He was so miserable when I met him for the first time.

Almost 4 months ago
Today it has finally stopped raining and the sun is shining brightly. It is quite warm for that time of the year.
I see Laopstech in the distance. It won't be long until we are there.
"Laopstech, it's been a while since I have been there. It is a beautiful place. I heard they do a lot of medical research at the hospital there, so I guess if you live there you don't have to worry about getting ill because the best doctors of Wolkmaar are just around the corner.", our newest and youngest crewmate says.
"I was at the hospital there once because I was very ill. They were able to figure out the problem very quickly. The lake is also a very nice place if you want to relax."
"I remember that I went swimming there with my parents but I didn't like it. The water was very cold even though it was summer."

We reach the town and look for a place to get lunch.
"If there is a lake on the other side of the city. Can we go swimming there?", Wooyoung asks.
"If you want to but after we were treasure hunting.", I reply.
"Isn't it a bit cold for that?", San remarks.
"I think it is quite warm today.", Yunho utters.
"I guess we have different definitions of warm."
We find a restaurant not far away from the town square.
After our lunch we go searching for treasures near the lake. I know from being here before that a lot of treasures are hidden in the high grass outside of the city. On our way we walk past a graveyard. A lot of people are gathered there. A lot of them are our age.
"Seems like someone died very young. I guess you do still have to worry about getting ill when you're living here.", Mingi says.
"We don't know why that person died. Maybe it wasn't an illness.", Jongho says.
Among the people I notice a tall and slim man. Even when crying he still looks beautiful. Why do I have the feeling that he is going to be important?

We walk over the wide field outside of the city. I try to keep my eyes open for any treasures.
"The sun is so bright I can barely see anything.", Wooyoung complains.
"Really I can see just fine.", San says.
"It's because your eyes are used to bright sunshine every day while my eyes are made for seeing in the dark."
"Maybe you should go treasure hunting at night then."
"Please stop bickering.", I demand.
"We weren't bickering. I don't know why Wooyoung always talks so fiercely.", San comments.
"That's just his way of talking. He just talks very passionately.", Yeosang explains.
"I found something!", Yunho exclaims and smiles brightly.
Like an excited puppy he digs out a treasure chest. It is full of gold.
We find a few more chest just a few steps away.

After walking around for two hours our backpacks are somewhat full and we decide to go back to the ship.
We sort everything into the storage before we pack some towels and spare underwear and go to the lake.
I sit down at the shore while the others get undressed.
"Are you not going to swim with us?", Yunho asks.
I shake my head.
"I want to sunbathe a little bit first."
The others run into the lake in their underwear.
"Ahhh so cold!", San screams.
They spatter water at each other and swim around in the lake. I giggle looking at them.