Part 18.

Jaehyun started yapping away about something and he sat down beside Ten, telling a story that made Ten smile. Johnny relaxed at that point, but he noticed the grim look on Taeyong’s face. Had something happened between them before Ten went missing? Maybe they’d argued and then Ten vanished and now Taeyong felt guilty?

Johnny remembered when he and Ten weren’t friends and he was happy that nothing had happened that wouldn’t have given Johnny an opportunity to say he was sorry. Ten and Taeyong hadn’t seemed very friendly, so it did make sense. Johnny frowned, bull, it still didn’t make sense. They were all supposed to work together not argue and end up fighting each other. Johnny would have to go through it with them, but right now all he could think of was that plane.

Few clouds passed the blue sky, whispers in the wind warning them about the rain to come. Johnny and Taeyong went to find the bag and Johnny lifted up in the soaked leather and closed his eyes before reaching in to pull out the notebook. Taeyong just watched from afar, standing on the spot where Ten had landed. Johnny opened his eyes when he felt the material of the book give into the pressure of his fingers. It was drenched, completely ruined. Johnny tried to separate the pages but realized he’d have to let it dry or else he’d tear them apart. Johnny hung up the bag to dry and put the journal down. Taeyong seemed to sigh in relief. Johnny gave him a long look.

  “Read it too?” He asked and Taeyong just gave him a look. A look that reflected a horror Johnny couldn’t put words to. If it was the horror of reading it or what it was… Johnny just realized the things that had happened near that cave was terrible enough to make both Ten and Taeyong quiet, so Johnny dropped the subject. He knew he wouldn’t get a word out of either of them.

They started to climb the mountain and Johnny found himself humming along to different tunes he remembered. Songs that brought him in a cakm mood as his body worked on bringing him up to the cliff. Like the one Taeil had put on, a song from the band Electric Light Orchestra. It had been a slow song, “The Lights Go Down.” It was such a nice song to listen to when they were studying or when they were sitting on deck, stargazing before going to bed.

Taeyong was swift, and Johnny would’ve expected him to have passed Johnny by now, but he stayed in the back. Johnny and Taeyong reached a flat level and had to lift themselves up to a higher level and Johnny was prepared to help Taeyong who quickly sprang up and lifted himself the rest of the way. Johnny stared at Taeyong who seemed to freeze when he noticed Johnny had not been as quick to follow. Johnny watched him from below and Taeyong turned around to face him. Johnny reached up a hand for Taeyong to take, to help him up and Taeyong’s gaze fixed itself on Johnny’s hand. Johnny waited for what stretched itself into 10 long seconds before Taeyong shook his head and went forward. His smaller hand grasped Johnny’s and Johnny tugged in it a little bit, making Taeyong look at him with wide eyes because he swayed forwards. “Be ready.” Johnny commented with a teasing smile, yet Taeyong only frowned and then took a sturdier stance. Johnny got up with Taeyong’s help and lifted himself the rest of the way. His back was still not completely well and he winced. Taeyong eyed him like an alpha would eye a wounded pack member, as if he was thinking about Johnny’s value when it came to survival. Johnny could just see it in the way Taeyong’s eyes analyzed him. Taeyong took the lead now and Johnny followed with more determination, holding in the grunts of pain.

They reached the cliff that Taeyong recognized all too well. Taeyong stared at the spot where Ten had been standing. He saw the scene again, this time he saw himself stepping forwards and he saw Ten look down at the outstretched hand before it met his chest. Such a soft push and Ten fell backwards. Out of sight. Gone.

Yet he wasn’t gone and now in his place stood a taller figure. Johnny’s shoulders had become broader, and his hair longer. He was looking down with a frown. Taeyong could see Johnny’s eyebrows were low as he scanned the jungle and the ground beneath. Taeyong wondered if Johnny got it now. If Johnny realized that this was where Ten had fallen from.

Taeyong eyed the short distance Johnny had from the edge. He was even closer than what Ten had been. A push, maybe with a bit more force would definitely send him over the edge. Taeyong wondered if he would survive the fall as well. He doubted it. Johnny was not yet fully recovered from the beating he received from Kong. Taeyong had seen the expression of pain and heard the grunts when Johnny had to use his back muscles and shoulders. Johnny’s mind was the only thing they couldn’t live without, Taeyong realized, but as he stepped closer, he thought about it. He was sure he could do it too. Be smart and get Jaehyun out of there.

Johnny turned around and he looked down at Taeyong’s outstretched hand with a frown. Almost the same expression as Ten had had. Confusion and a hint of realization; doubting Taeyong’s actions. Taeyong had a second, such a short second to figure out what he was going to do. Should he push Johnny away? Should he save himself and sin once again? He had tried to kill once and the second time shouldn’t be as hard, yet this time Taeyong hadn’t made a decision. This time was somehow harder. He hadn’t chosen what to do yet, because the outcome wasn’t what he thought it would be. Johnny and Jaehyun hadn’t been more hopeful when Ten was gone. If Johnny vanished, Jaehyun wouldn’t be happier. Maybe he would at least never know what kind of monster Taeyong was, but he would definitely be devastated. Johnny and Jaehyun had connected in the time they spent together alone with Ten on the island. Taeyong was making the wrong choice. So he stepped forward and made his choice once again and this would be the final in what direction he was deciding to go. He had made his choice.

  “No, off.” Johnny laughed as Jaehyun was waving a fish in Johnny’s direction.

  “Oh, Johnny…” Yuta sighed exaggeratedly like a father being disappointed in his son. “If you can’t take the smell of fish… you’re gonna be single for the rest of your life.”

Johnny’s frown deepened before Taeil grimaced. “That is disgusting.”

Yuta shrugged. “Well, it’s true.”

Ten and Taeil pretended like they were both gagging at this point. Yuta chuckled in triumph when Johnny finally got the joke and he cried out in frustration. Trying to shake off the terrible joke Yuta had made.

  “Why? Why am I friends with you?” He questioned himself and Yuta’s chuckle blossomed into a laugh.

Ten and Taeil made sure the knots on the sails were still tight and then Ten looked at Yuta. “Well, he doesn’t necessarily have to be single for the rest of his life.”

Jaehyun who had put the fish in the container full of water, looked up. “How can he not be single for the rest of his life?” He asked ironically, but with a soft smile and Johnny glared at him.

  “Is this Roast Johnny Day?” He asked but Ten answered Jaehyun’s question instead of listening to Johnny.

  “Well, not if he’s gay.” He said and everyone turned to look at Johnny who suddenly was staring off into the distance in shock. Taeyong who was by the steering wheel was chuckling at the situation. He looked out the cabin door, waiting to see what was happening. None of them had heard about Johnny’s ual preferences, because it always seemed like Johnny distanced himself from that stuff. He didn’t like people so why would he have decided anything upon what he was attracted to?

Johnny looked over at Taeil who had a soft and open expression. Ten looked expectant, as if he was hoping that Johnny would come out to them in that moment. Jaehyun looked amused, but his smile was warm as always. Taeyong looked accepting and Yuta’s smile was slowly falling off his face, shock taking over his features.

  “I honestly have no idea.” Johnny then said and everybody went into a frenzy. Johnny cocked a brow as Yuta’s jaw fell open and Jaehyun and Taeyong laughed excitedly while Ten looked like he’d lost a bet.

  “Then figure it out!” He cried and Taeil chuckled.

The wind was calm and the stretch of water endless in the horizon. Johnny grinned down at Ten who was on his knees.

  “Like I’d tell you guys about it, you’d tease me no matter what I said.”

  “No!” Ten said looking offended. “We’d accept you with open arms.”

Yuta chuckled. “Ten just wants you on his team so you can talk about boys together.”

Ten shrugged. “I’m afraid Johnny would have a bad taste in guys.”

  “And you’d never find a girl with that attitude.” Yuta added and Johnny acted innocent.

  “What attitude? I’m such a decent guy. Moms love me.” He said looking bashful and Taeil laughed. Johnny went downstairs into the cabin and the others started talking in between each other. Taeil didn’t follow Johnny because he knew the guy enjoyed to have his own space. Especially after so much attention on him.

It was interesting though, Taeil thought. Johnny hadn’t spoken about a guy or a girl. Taeil knew that one day, Johnny would surprise him, but Taeil just hoped whoever Johnny found, it was someone that made him happy, someone that would fight for Johnny, like Johnny would do for him or her.

After drinking on deck and watching the stars, Johnny had gone downstairs a little tipsy. Taeil went down to see Johnny lying in this hammock. “You managed to slip out of that situation pretty quick. It’s like when my mom attacked me at dinner. ‘Why don’t you have a girlfriend yet? Are you homoual?’” He joked, referring to their previous talk during the day and Johnny released a short but strong laugh. He had been at that dinner. It was incredibly awkward, the parents had been invited to a gala at the college. It had been terrible. There was a hint of honest embarrassment in Johnny’s voice when he laughed.

  “If I’m gonna be totally honest with you, it all depends on the person for me.” He said, his words a little bit slurred. Taeil raised his brows, gasping, waves made the boat rock from side to side and the light danced over Taeil’s features. Johnny hummed in reply to Taeil’s noise of surprise. “The only thing… I sometimes worry that that person might never appear.” Taeil fixed his gaze on the lamp as Johnny spoke. “Or if the time I get with them is limited to be a very short time. Maybe life will not let us be and will somehow tear us apart?”

Taeil was thinking deeply, yet he spoke after a moment of silence. “You’re a much more romantic guy than I thought.”

Johnny chuckled. “Surprise.”

Taeil smiled. “A nice one at least.”

Both of them chuckled, music from Yuta’s bluetooth speaker making its way down to them, muted by the walls between them. Taeil went to bed feeling at ease. He made a small wish before falling asleep. That Johnny would find the one and that they would at least have each other for a long time.

A/N: I swear to god, America has all sorts of surprises for me over here. I'd like a good one soon. 
            Sorry for updating late! Can we all appreciate the fact that Johnny at least got more lines than in Limitless? Anyone freaking out abot Summer 127? I can actually hear his voice! <3 ;A;