nytis
"so you're leaving for real this time." jeonghan places his hands on either sides of his hips and gave jihoon a bittersweet smile. the man peered into the spacious white carriage and looked at the two brothers, soonyoung and jisoo. there was a mainly carpet bag beside seungcheol but other than that, there was no luggage.
"i'd prefer if nothing bad happened again..." the boy joked.
"come back and visit okay?" kitae said, "the next time you come back, i guarantee there won't be some insanely expensive fee to pay.
"there better not be.." jihoon smiled and looked at the two standing in front, "tell junhui and the others that we all said goodbye-
"and don't forget about my letter to seungkwan and hansol!" chan chimed in from the carriage window. jeonghan blinked and then sniffed his nose. the idea of jihoon and his brothers leaving along with soonyoung and jisoo finally set in.
"i can't believe you're actually leaving!" jeonghan latched himself onto jihoon, making crying noises without any real tears falling. "i lost my two and only two workers, the bakery is going to be so quiet once it gets rebuilt again! and i won't be able to pinch chan and cheol on the cheeks anymore and i wish i could spend more time with jisoo.."
while trying to wrestle himself out of jeonghan's death hug, jihoon couldn't help feel a pang in his chest. he thought about the years he had worked beside jeonghan at the bakery. some of his best memories were made there.
finally pulling away, the man sighed and patted jihoon on the shoulder, "but that's okay. as much fun as you had here, i know that this place isn't for you. you've always wanted to see outside the walls and now you finally can."
"jeonghan... thank you."
the baker let out a small airy chuckle before leaning close and whispering, "you know... i'm still expecting that wedding invitation." jihoon only laughed and climbed into the carriage beside chan.
when the horses started to snort impatiently, kitae nodded at the driver and motioned for him to start moving.
"goodbye-
jihoon stuck his head out the window of the slowly moving carriage and shook his head, "no, it's not goodbye. it's see you soon."
fields of green, brown dirt paths winding over the place like snakes, tall luscious coniferous trees swaying in the wind. for the entirety of the ride, jihoon kept his head right by the window, alerting everyone whenever he saw something he thought was interesting. "did you see that small house that we just passed?" the boy turned his head back to everyone inside the carriage with a wide smile on his face.
"yes jihoonie," soonyoung laughed at the endearing boy sitting across from him, "this is that what- the thirty fourth house now?"
"you're starting to sound like chan now," seungcheol told him, earring looks of disbelief from the other two.
"i don't act like that- "
"i don't act like chan- "
jisoo and seungcheol exchanged looks, as if they were speaking to each other telepathically.
just look at those two.
i know right? exactly the same.
soonyoung only smiled dreamily at jihoon, "jihoonie i can't believe it. i can't believe we're on our way back to reinwa!" he reached across from his seat and grabbed jihoon's hand, "there's so much i want to show you.. there's this shop that sells the best candy.. and then there's also this really funky hat shop i love... oh! you have to see the market too!"
