solis | svt au

4

Four people, consisting of Seungcheol, Seungkwan, Joshua, and Wonwoo sat around the table in the back room. Seungkwan stared at Wonwoo and Joshua with suspicion.

"You're saying the shop was closed?" Joshua asked, as their conversation continued.

Seungcheol nodded in response. "Yeah. It said that it was closed until further notice, whatever that's supposed to mean."

"Ah, Vernon has a new mission then."

Seungkwan looked at him at the mention of a new name. "Vernon?"

"Oh right, 'forgot to tell you." Joshua said, a gentle smile on his lips. "Seokmin works with Vernon, a bounty hunter."

Seungkwan nodded in understanding.

From there, the conversation slowly dwindled, and at Joshua's suggestion, Seungcheol and Seungkwan headed back to the inn to rest up for the next day.

Entering the common room, they saw that Jihoon was already there, tuning his lute once again for that night's performance. By his side was a tabby cat, that stared at them with curiosity. The two, exhausted by their search, promptly went to their shared room, sleeping a deep, dreamless sleep.

-

Mingyu looked over their supplies one more time, filled with the satisfaction of the kitchen full of provisions. In the rare instances that they were able to stop at a port to restock, Mingyu took full advantage of it and made sure to get his hands on fresh food.

However, there was one stormy cloud that spoiled his sunny mood.

Wonwoo.

Having grown up in Astrum, Wonwoo was pretty much his only friend, a person that didn't judge or make fun of him like the other children did. He looked older since the last time Mingyu saw him 5 years ago, with the look of someone who was forced to grow up too fast.

He shook his head to clear it of the invading memories. Memories of playing in the streets, finding a stray cat, having dinner at his mother's inn. He still chuckled at the name he had chosen. When the inn first started, his mother had let him name it and design its sign. He had chosen 'The Quacking Toad' on a whim, but his mother had seen it through.

At the thought of his mother, he felt guilt clench his heart. She deserved an explanation and closure as to why he left, as well as how long he intended on staying out at sea, away from Astrum.

He knew he was avoiding it, but he would eventually have to face her and Wonwoo. He couldn't run away forever.

-

It was late afternoon as Jeonghan sat at the bar of a crowded tavern. He watched his drink swirl as he moved his jug in circles.

Though coming to Astrum was partly because of that strange boy, he still had some other business to attend to: chiefly looking for a new treasure to find. There were always quests blown out of proportion that spread like wildfire throughout the city, and they were quick to reach his attention.

Looking up from his drink, he noticed a large piece of parchment nailed to the usual wall of quest offers and trade deals. 

He turned towards the tavern owner, a boy he was familiar with. 

"Hey, Taehyung?"

"Hm?" Taehyung glanced at Jeonghan, cleaning a jug with a clean rag. "You need something?"

"Yeah," Jeonghan replied. "What's that about?" He pointed at the parchment.

"Oh, that?" Taehyung said. "I don't know how it got there. I opened up the tavern this morning and it was just there." He shrugged. "I tried to take it off, but no matter what I did, it always reappeared."