Chapter 172: FOLLOWING THROUGH
WHEN Haneul’s group returned to the ship, they went straight to look for Taeyang. Since the PD had ordered him to rest, they simply asked a staff member where he was. The ship’s doctor had examined him earlier and told him to stay in his cabin room, so that’s where Haneul and the others headed.
They knocked on Taeyang’s door, and when he called out for them to enter, they walked inside. The room was bright from the overhead lights, with plenty of space for all of them. Taeyang sat up slightly on the bed, looking tired but better than before. The others filed in, trying not to crowd him too much as they settled around the other’s bed.
"Dude, are you okay?" Joonhyuk asked.
"Yeah, I’m fine now," Taeyang replied. "Sorry for causing trouble."
"What trouble? It’s not like you could control getting sick," Robin said. Then, with a teasing grin, he added, "But who knew your stomach was this weak? It’s kind of shocking."
Taeyang gave Robin a dry stare. He knew Robin was just teasing him, but he still felt embarrassed, anyway. His eyes flicked to Haneul without thinking. The other had a small smile on his face, but Taeyang couldn’t tell what it meant. It was completely different from earlier in the day when he could read every little emotion on Haneul’s face.
The disappointment settled heavily in his chest. Stronger than he wanted to. For a brief moment, Taeyang actually wished he were still in pain. At least then Haneul might look at him with that same worried expression from before. Not with this polite, distant smile he was giving him now.
Taeyang paused, a sudden realization hitting him. Wasn’t this how things actually were between them? He wasn’t anything important to Haneul. They weren’t close. They weren’t even friends. At best, they were just two people who happened to be put in the same group for the vocal mission. Now that the mission was over, there was no reason for them to keep interacting. And really, when he thought about it, whose fault was that? No one’s but his own.
This was what he wanted, wasn’t it? So he should suck it up and stop complaining.
What Taeyang didn’t know was that Haneul was using every ounce of his acting skills to appear completely unbothered. He didn’t like the emotional ups and downs he had experienced today. He disliked even more how all of it was tied to one single person. So he made a decision, he would pull himself together.
He had told himself repeatedly not to let Taeyang’s actions affect him. Yet, time after time, he still ended up being influenced anyway. Everything that happened today served as a wake-up call. The countless times he had this same internal conversation made him realize just how deeply emotionally entangled he’d become with Taeyang. It wasn’t healthy, and it needed to stop. So he resolved to start putting distance between them now. And this time, he was determined to actually follow through with it.
Well, at least after everything that happened today, he was sure his feelings went way beyond just being a fan. And no, he really didn’t want to think too hard about what that meant.
"We got you some snacks," Seongwoo said, placing a paper bag filled with treats they picked up from the cafe they visited on the bedside table.
As they continued their conversation, Haneul secretly looked around the cabin room to take his mind off his messy thoughts. The room was small but nice, like a fancy first-class cabin. Smooth wooden walls shone under the light from a simple ceiling lamp. Through a big window, the orange glow of the sun, just about to set over the ocean, poured in. The bed had clean white sheets and a thick blue blanket, all tucked in neatly. In one corner, a small desk sat against the wall. Next to it, a closet with sliding doors was built into the wall. Nearby, a closed door most likely led to a bathroom.
This was different from Haneul’s cabin room, which was a lot smaller and only had a bed, a closet, and a small bathroom. Was this the reward for being ranked first? Or maybe everyone in the top five got the same fancy cabin. Well, the only way to find out was to rank in the top five himself. He wondered when the next elimination round would be.
"Hey, by the way, do you need us to grab you some dinner?" Robin asked.
Taeyang shook his head, his expression a bit weary. "No need. I really don’t have much of an appetite."
"Alright then, we’ll let you rest," Robin replied with a gentle nod.
Joonhyuk and Seongwoo added a few kind words of their own. Then, one by one, they filed out of the room.
Haneul lingered at the back of the group. Before stepping out, he glanced back at Taeyang and said softly, "Get some good rest."
Taeyang started to respond, but Haneul had already stepped out of the cabin. In the end, he could only stare at the closed door.
***
The next day, a loud announcement blared through the ship during breakfast.
[Attention everyone! The ship will depart from Busan port at nine o’clock this morning. We’re setting sail for our next destination, Jeju Island, where we’ll most likely arrive by tomorrow afternoon. Please ensure you’re ready for the journey and enjoy the scenic views of the open sea as we travel south.]
As the announcement echoed through the ship, murmurs of excitement spread among the contestants.
"Jeju Island! I’ve always wanted to go there!"
"Even if it’s for the show, at least we’ll get to see it."
"My family vacationed there when I was a kid. The tangerines are amazing."
Jeju Island... Haneul’s thoughts immediately went to the Boys Odyssey show he had watched in his previous world. A sense of unease settled in his chest. The next mission would definitely be a dance mission.
***
As The Argo sailed towards Jeju Island, the third episode of Boys Odyssey finally aired.