FELLOWSHIP || Ateez Fanfiction

Chapter Forty Eight: Into The Jungle

Seonghwa POV
Over the next three days the sky is getting brighter every day and I can finally see the sun again. It is also slowly getting warmer. I am enjoying the warmth of the sun in the crow's nest while Mingi is navigating. Hongjoong, Yeosang, Wooyoung and Jongho enter the deck with brooms and water buckets in their hands.
"Seonghwa! Make sure that they clean the deck properly!", Hongjoong shouts.
I guess it is time for their second round of cleaning after they already cleaned the inside of the ship two days ago. I see them split up and starting to scrub. After cleaning the middle part of the deck, Yeosang climbs up to me and begins to clean the crow's nest. I try to make space for him as best as I can.
"Almost done, I only need to clean one more thing.", he says and goes with a wet cloth over my face.
I try to make him stop and tickle him. Yeosang laughs out loud and flees.

I sit down again and stare into the distance. Somehow the realization hits me that I left my hometown more than a year ago. It didn't even feel that long. Time seems to fly by when I am with my friends. Rosalie's death feels like it was only a few months ago. It still hurts everytime it I think of her. I wish she could see all of these incredible countries with me. Well, maybe not the Nekra Kingdom but the others.
"There is still dirt around the wheel Wooyoung!", Hongjoong shouts which startles me.
"Don't forget the railing, guys!"
I watch him inspect the ship.
"Jongho, the corner isn't quite clean yet."
He climbs up into the crow's nest. "Seems like everything is clean here except this dirty thing."
He pokes my ribs playfully.
"Yeosang already cleaned me."
"Ah really?"
He sits down next to me and giggles.
"Is everything okay up here?"
"Yeah."
Hongjoong takes my hand and leans against my shoulder.
"I have an headache. My body doesn't like the sudden change in temperature and humidity."
"I still feel fine. It was hard for me after we came out of the darkness. My eyes were really sensitive to the sunlight for a day."
"The sun is really nice. I missed it."
After a bit of talking the kids tell us that they are done with cleaning. Hongjoong and I make sure that they have done their punishment properly before we let them do what they want.

The next day we reach our first island in Tongcheok. I step outside with my backpack. The air is humid and warm but not unbearably like in Wajasi. The island is very green with a midsized village peeking out between the tall and thin trees. I have never seen trees like this. They don't have a normal dark wooden trunk but are instead out of a different kind of wood like material.
Yeosang parks the ship at the small landing stage and we leave the ship.
The first thing that almost all of us do, is looking at the the interesting trees.
The trunk is a lot smoother than a normal trunk and very thin. The tree also has very thin branches with small, narrow leaves on it.
"These are bamboo trees. They only grow on some islands in nothern Tongcheok.", Hongjoong explains.
Completely mesmerized by the unfamiliar vegetation, we make our way to the village.
The houses are made out of clay and wood some with tall pointed brick roofs and the simpler houses with straw roofs. On the main road stand a lot of booths with food, clothes and accessories.
"We definitely need some food but some things are better to get in the next town.", Hongjoong states.
We get everything we need first and then look around some more. Hongjoong looks at some hand painted fans made out of high quality wood and paper.
"Do you want one?", I ask.
"Yeah, but I should probably save my money for more important things."
"I will buy you one. It was your birthday anyway. Which one do you want?"
"Really?"
He smiles happily. Hongjoong picks out a royal blue fan and hugs me briefly.
Yunho, Yeosang and Mingi walk towards us.
"Hey, Wooyoungs birthday is soon. We should probably get him a present. Do you have any ideas?", Yunho asks.
"Maybe a shirt?", Hongjoong suggests.
"That's kind of boring.", Mingi comments.
"Jewelry?", I suggest.
"We always gift jewelry...", Yunho argues.
"Maybe one of these thin oversized robes over there. He always complains that it's too cold without a jacket but when he puts one on then he complains that it's too hot. So maybe it will be just right with a thin robe.", Yeosang says and points to a booth with beautiful embroidered robes with very wide sleeves.
We go to the booth and look at the different robe motives. We can quickly agree on a red robe with a black fox on it. Yunho somehow discreetly gets San and Jongho's share so pay for it and I put the robe into my backpack.