Caratland [Seventeen FF]

-60-

It was the next day, when I packed my things. While packing I found that creepy doll that Jihoon found at the spot of the portal. It wasn't really creepy, but how did this got out of the portal? I put it in my backpack anyway. Let's say it's some weird souvenir.

I then went to the harbour. Since yesterday I didn't talk to Jihoon. He seemed really upset by what I said, but I still don't get why. It was afternoon and the others already gathered in front of the ship I would take to the city.
"Wahh, I'll miss you!", Seungkwan sulked.
"Don't get sad again", I warned him, still smiling though.
"Don't you dare to not come back after a month. I'll be counting the days", Mingyu warned in joking tone.
"Yeah, because of you I failed my exam. You better come back", Wonwoo joked.
"Make sure to bring us some little gifts. I won't let you come back bare handed", Minghao crossed his arms.
"Just say that you'll miss him. We all know that you're a tsundere by now", Jun rolled his eyes.
"Stop calling me that!", Minghao argued.
"See? You didn't even leave yet, but they already start fighting again", Jisoo shook his head.
"Rest well and come back any time you want to, as a customer or a teammate", Seungcheol smiled, tapping my shoulder.
"Don't take too much time though", Jeonghan added. The last one, who didn't say anything yet was Jihoon. He had his head low again.
"You gotta visit me too since I still need to hear more of your talent!", I told him smiling, but he just sank his head lower. I sighed and took my things. Maybe he's upset because I'm going. He's not the type to really speak up...

I boarded my things on the ship and turned around to the others. They were waving and I waved back. Man, I'm going to miss that island too. Then I crouched down and heard the ship take over. I wrote my sister a quick message that I was on my way. I spent 7 month on this island as a worker and probably more time when counting the visits as a kid too. 7 month full of mysteries, secrets, hard work and most importantly memories. Not only good ones unfortunately, but the people I met there were incredible. Caratland will be a chapter I won't forget so quickly. When thinking about the people. They all shared different and hard stories, but they all seemed so normal to me. Jihoon... that barn owl thing... This thing really confused me. Like why? Why a barn owl? Wait, didn't Hansol mentioned something about barn owls? How they stay together for a lifetime once they met. Wait, didn't Jihoon asked me to be his barn owl? Wait, did Jihoon actually-

I quickly got up and looked back. I was about 15 meters away, but I could still see them and they could still see me. Only Jeonghan, Hansol and Jihoon remained on the harbour. I didn't have Jihoon's phone number to call him. Geez, than I have to scream.
"I get it now!", I screamed. They seemed confused even when I couldn't see their faces properly. "The barn owl thing!", I added still yelling, but it seemed as if they couldn't understand me. I sighed and crouched down again. That's why Jihoon has been acting weird. That's why he always seemed to want to say something, but didn't. That's why he turned red and avoided eye contact. And the whole time I didn't notice a thing? So Jihoon likes me, more than a friend. But I never thought about being more than just friends.

I never thought about being your barn owl, Jihoon...