Long Day

The day passed slowly, with no epiphanies or helpful signs. When Jonghyun remembered that he hadn’t actually slept last night, he began feeling ridiculously tired.

“What time is it?” He asked. Krystal, who was sitting on a bench next to him, shrugged. Sulli, on her other side, yawned.

“Six,” She answered.

“In the morning?” Jonghyun asked. Sulli shook her head. Jonghyun groaned. “What the heck? This is the most confusing thing in the world.”

“You get used to it,” Krystal told him.

“I hope so,” Jonghyun huffed. He stood up. “I’m tired,” he yawned before leaving the stands. He went to the dining room, which Jonghyun had only actually eaten in… three times now? How long had he been there for? Three days? He actually didn’t have a clue. Jinki was, once again, reading at the table.

“Have you figured the books out?” Jonghyun asked as he came in. Jinki simply shook his head. “How are you doing, then?” Jinki looked up from his books, surprised. Then he laughed.

“You don’t have to pretend to care, Jonghyun,” Jinki told him.

“Well, I don’t care about anything, so let’s say I care about you people,” Jonghyun retorted.

“Do you actually care?” Jinki asked. Jonghyun nodded. “Then I’m doing just fine.”

“That’s a lie,” Jonghyun replied. “In fact, all of you lie to me.” Jinki eyed him wearily.

“Okay, Jonghyun,” He sighed, “I’m not fine. People want my family dead. Taemin’s memory is dust in the wind. Amber is angry, Kibum is angry, Luna is angry. It sucks.”

“He really can’t remember anything?” Jonghyun asked.

“Taemin?” Jonghyun nodded, and Jinki sighed again. “He talked to you before the rehearsal, right?” Jinki asked. Jonghyun nodded again. “So then you’re aware that he liked someone?” Jonghyun nodded for the third time. “And now he doesn’t even know who they are, never mind that he liked them. He hardly remembers me. And that music box of his is giving him the most trouble.”

“What’s the deal with the music box?” Jonghyun asked, sitting down.

“It was his mothers,” Jinki told him.

“And the chain inside?”

Jinki paused.

“That was a gift for him,” he slowly answered.

“From you?”

“No.”

“Who, then?”

Jinki paused again. He fiddled with the page of his book. After a while, he answered,

“The object of his affection.”

“And who is that?” Jonghyun pressed. Jinki didn’t answer. “Minho?”

“You’re smarter than you let off,” Jinki told him, not looking up from his book.

“So he can’t remember Minho, or the necklace he gave him?” Jonghyun continued.

“He only remembers you, Kibum, Victoria and I,” Jinki answered.

“You should just tell him,” Jonghyun suggested.

“It isn’t that easy.”

Silence fell in the room. Jinki continued scanning through his books. Jonghyun attempted to recognize the language of the text unsuccessfully.

“… You don’t call Victoria ‘noona’?” Jonghyun asked, completely off subject. Jinki smiled.

“She doesn’t like being called that,” He replied.

“Who was the person she loved that left?” Jonghyun switched the subject again.

“You ask a lot of questions,” Jinki pointed out, looking up at him. Jonghyun shrugged.

“There’s not much else for me to do around here,” He stated.

“Well,” Jinki muttered, “You should really ask her these things, not me.”

“Alright, I’ll go find her,” Jonghyun said, standing up. Before he left the room, he added, “Feel better.”

Jonghyun had lied when he said he was going to find her. He wasn’t. Because he knew if he dug too far into things again, it could cause problems. Instead, he went outside the tent. He went to the black pond and sat down in the grass. He picked up a rock and threw it into the dark water. Nothing happened. It seemed safe enough. Jonghyun planted his face in his hands and took a deep breath. He was exhausted. Physically, mentally, and emotionally. In a spark of anger, Jonghyun found another rock and threw it past the pond. It rolled until it hit the invisible barrier, and bounced back into the pond. Jonghyun threw another rock, and another, and another. Until the ground was free of rocks, and a pile was peeking out of the pond. With a loud huff, Jonghyun dropped down into the grass. He fell asleep unintentionally. 

Sorry I'm late, guys. Yesterday was completely packed, and I didn't know ahead of time. I'm having a bad week T^T I'm sorry, sorry sorry! 

Thank you very much for your wonderful comments so far! arlprstr, I appreciate you making an account for this story. really, I truly do. Your super long comment really picked me up XD

Stay tuned for chapter 20. I love all of you <3