𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 (𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞!𝐚𝐮) 𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐙

CH. 58 ~ Assurance

The ominous knelling of the funeral bells ring, sad and dark. Even the skies reflect the emotion that the humans under it are experiencing, looking bleak and depressed. Thick gray skies stretch out all around the isle, and a similar thick fog has settled around us, setting the mood perfectly.

Today is Yunho's funeral. The day the whole crew had been dreading to accomplish, but had to, in respect and out of love for the brunette.

Everyone is here, all of them in dark clothes and bowed heads, mourning silently the loss of their friend or acquaintance. Some people I've never met from town are here too, supporting us in this dark moment.

Hongjoong stands at the front, directly in front of the casket where Yunho's dead body lies. He speaks in a somber tone as the casket is lowered into the earth, the crew in a semicircle a few feet behind him. All of our shoulders are touching so we can see each other's faces, tears staining our cold cheeks, and the occasional sniffle.

Ever since I found out the news that day, I haven't let myself cry. At least not in front of the crew. They need someone to be strong. I fiddle with my hands, listening to the solemn words being spoken by Captain, a cold reminder that Yunho is forever gone.

I know it's selfish of me to say this, but I wish he had fought harder. I wish he had striven to stay alive for us so that we wouldn't be in this position. I knew the kind of suffering he went through but— I still wish he had lived.

A cold hand reaches out, lightly skimming my hand that had been balled up out of sorrow and anger, loosening when I feel the icy skin on mine. I look over to see Wooyoung sliding his hand into mine, the only comforting gesture he can make at the moment to calm me down.

When I look at him, he gives me a weak smile, a smile that I truly needed. It breaks my heart to see them all like this, and as a result, silent tears begin rolling down my face. I have to bite my lip to the point where I draw blood to keep myself from breaking down.

Out of the corner of my eye, I catch the tall cook staring at me, his expression laced with regret. I can't help but make eye contact with him, noticing the downward turn of the edge of his lips and his red, puffy eyes. We haven't talked since he yelled at me the day I woke up, and I was hoping he would come looking for me but he didn't. I guess he's still not ready to face me and honestly neither am I. He looks away from me, not being able to keep eye contact and hanging his head meekly.

Eye-patch finally finishes his seemingly interminable speech, calling for the crew to line up and say out final condolences. One by one we all file up in a single line, dragging our sluggish feet through the dirt. At this point, the casket has been lowered completely and the extra men start shoveling dirt to bury Yunho. I decide to stay at the back, briefly meeting Woo's kind eyes to tell him to stay back with me.

The crew all walk up to the hole, kneeling for a couple of minutes to finalize their goodbyes. I can hear their soft cries and whimpers, their desperate wishes that he could be brought back, and it especially pains me when I see Mingi breakdown fully, mourning loudly for his best friend. I start to get nervous when it gets closer to my turn, my hands shaking in anticipation and my heart aching in grief.

When my turn finally arrives, I can't bring myself to let go of the lookout I'm holding on to, my feet freezing in place. I pinch my leg with my free hand, ripping myself out of the stupor I had fallen prisoner to. My limbs move robotically and when my hand lets go of Woo's I feel naked and empty.

I don't stop until I come to the headstone, kneeling and keeping silent. The stone reads as follows:

Jᴜɴɢ Yᴜɴʜᴏ