infinity || minsung

"truth"

chapter seven
minho

Sailing the Atlantic is like fist fighting the ocean with bare hands. The waves keep hitting us, gushing into the boat, threatening to sink it, and the wind is so strong that the sail starts to tear. Felix, Seungmin and I are running around, troubleshooting, drenched from head to toe. At least there's a compartment that keeps our stuff dry, though it might be too late for my phone.

Jisung's call made all the difference. His voice grounded me even when there was no ground to be seen. I hear him in my head — you're brave, Minho, you always have been — as I frantically scoop pailfuls of water over the edge of the boat.

Felix climbs to the tip of the mast, scanning the horizon. I'm about to tell him to get down before god decides to do it for him, but then he screams "Land ho!"

"Thank Christ!" Seungmin kicks the water pooled at his feet.

I clamber to the front of the boat and squint into the distance. We're approaching a beach scattered with palm trees glistening in the rising sun. I breathe a sigh of relief.

And then a wave hits us. The water flings me backward onto the floor. The boat is lopsided, half-sunk already. I scramble to the front, open the luggage compartment and yank our bags out.

"We're going down!" Seungmin yells. "Abandon ship!"

"Oh fuck! Help!" Felix is dangling from the mast, trapped by the back of his jacket. It cracks under his weight, drops him into Seungmin's arms, and the sail falls over my head. Once I pull it off, the boat's nose is floating into the air as the back half sinks below. I grab a cleat with one hand so I won't go sliding into the water.

"I told you it would sink, I knew it!" Seungmin hurls Felix out of his arms, dives in after him with a splash.

Felix breaches the water, gasping. "I never said it wouldn't!" He's paddling in circles. "Minho, where are you?!"

"The hell do I do now?!" I'm clutching our luggage for dear life, balanced on the tip of the completely vertical, completely fucked boat as it sinks deeper and deeper.

"Don't let my shit get wet!" Seungmin shrieks.

Felix shoves his face. "Toss it, Minho, trust me!"

I toss the backpacks into Felix's hands. He holds them high over his head, away from the rolling waves. The boat sucks into the water and disappears under my feet; I struggle to keep my face above water.

"There goes my security deposit," Felix mutters.

jeongin

The way Seungmin left was not normal. Maybe I'm foolish for thinking it — how could a goodbye kiss and an I love you be suspicious? This isn't the first time Seungmin has gambolled off to some natural oddity with our brothers — what makes it stand out this time?

He's been acting differently, not in drastic ways, just little tells. He'd get distracted, fidgety, have trouble paying attention. Sometimes Felix would run off into the forest and Seungmin would follow just moments after.

Hyunjin and I are carting buckets of well water back to the house. The sun has lit the sky a hazy violet but barely touched the tops of the trees.

"I don't want to talk about Seungmin behind his back," I start.

Hyunjin lets out a breath. "Thank God."

"Huh?"

"I was hoping you'd bring it up first."