The Last Chance [VIXX Fanfiction]

Chapter 31

「Chapter 31: Teddy Bear Museum」

=Eryn's POV=

I placed my luggage right beside the unoccupied bed, since Dawn and Kayla had seemed to claim their own already. They were all identical so there was no need for comparison.

After ten minutes or so, Rachelle's voice was heard booming through a loud speaker, calling for all of us to carry along our backpack and gather. I slung my backpack over one shoulder and quickly went out of the tent to where the rest were gathered, instinctively standing beside N.

"How's your bunk?" he asked, looking forward. I shrugged, digging my hands into my coat pocket. My fingers were becoming stiff — I get cold really easily.

"Fine, I guess. Aren't they all the same?"

N shrugged too.

"We'll be doing lots of sightseeing today, which means lots of walking, so please make sure you have a bottle of water with you!" Rachelle voice interrupted our conversation, and the class unanimously replied.

"The first stop won't be sightseeing, though! We'll be heading to the infamous Teddy Bear Museum!" Rachelle added.

A couple of groans were heard, and I giggled to myself. It wasn't a great choice to bring a horde of young adults to a Teddy Bear Museum, but I had no complaints.

* * *

When we reached the entrance of the museum, I had a strong feeling of Deja Vu. I looked around and searched my box of memories, wondering if I had ever been here. I was sure I haven't.

We entered the museum and were granted permission to explore freely. I just walked straight in, towards a certain direction, as if I had known the place well.

I entered the museum and since the first floor was crowded, I headed up to the second floor which had much more space. I walked along the glass boxes of teddy bears, and stopped right in front of one.

It displayed a newly-wed family of teddy bears: one groom, one bride, one child.

My fingers grazed over the fragile display. I've been here.

ㅡ

"Mom! Dad! Look!"  My five-year-old self exclaimed aloud, running towards the display. Four teddy bears were placed neatly and carefully in the transparent glass box.

One teddy bear was wearing a white dress, one donned a smart white suit, and the last two which were smaller than all the other bears, were placed in simple, pale pink dresses which matched the bouquet of flowers in the hands of the teddy bear wearing the white dress.

My brother, Jace, ran after me and peered into the casing.

"That's Mom, that's Dad, that's you, but where's me?" he questioned.

"That can be you!" I said, pointing to the other teddy bear standing beside 'me'.

"But that's a girl! I'm a boy!" Jace exclaimed in denial. By now, Mom and Dad had caught up to us and were just laughing at the both of us bicker.

"Who says that that's a girl?" I retorted.

"It's wearing a dress, it's obviously a girl!" Jace reasoned.

"Boys can wear dresses too!"

"Boys don't!"

Mom chuckled beside me, ruffling my hair as she bent down to pick me up. Dad did the same with my brother.

"You two do nothing but fight all day, don't you?" Mom teased.

"We weren't fighting, Mom," Jace said.

"Oh, is that it?" Mom teased further.

"Yes! Brother and I never fight," I added in, grinning.

"Of course, the two of you are my kids, and my kids don't fight," Dad said before planting a kiss on Jace's head, making Jace and I laugh aloud.

"Hey~ You can't say that, they're my kids too!" Mom said, mimicking Dad and pressing her lips onto the top of my head.

Dad laughed, putting up one of his hands in surrender. "They're our kids~"

Mom chuckled again, her eyes squinting together as she smiled.

ㅡ

=Author's POV=

Eryn's fingers left the surface of the glass as she dropped her head, feeling the tears prick the back of her eyes.

"Eryn."

Her head snapped back up. Eryn turns, but too slowly to be normal. When she speaks her voice seemed to be on the verge of cracking, but it didn't. There is a kind of sadness in her eyes, as if she just came out of a trance.

"Y-yeah?"

Hyuk walked towards her calmly, slowly, his hands in his pockets. He cocked his head to a side.

"You... alright?"

"Yeah."

Hyuk knew better of that, but he didn't press on asking her what was wrong. That would probably just lead to her floodgates opening, and tears would come streaming down her cheeks.

"Have you been here before?" he started. "Jeju Island, I mean."

Eryn blinked, surprised. "Oh, um..."

Hyuk eyed her, confused at how she couldn't give a quick answer such a simple question.

* * *

N watched as Eryn walked towards the museum, so smoothly it looked like she knew her way around her well. He followed her as she disappeared into the entrance of the museum. He quickened his footsteps and entered the museum.

He scanned the crowd of the first floor. Seeing that Eryn wouldn't have stuck around such a huge crowd, he made his way to the second floor. Other than the exit, that's the only way out of the packed area.

He jogged up the stairs, soundlessly moving to a side as he saw Eryn stand motionless in front of one of the displays. She ran her fingers over the casing, and when N looked more closely, it looked as if her fingers were trembling.

His focus was interrupted when he heard Hyuk calling for the oblivious girl. Hyuk made his way to Eryn. When she turned around to his call, N noticed her eyes — they were too glossy to be normal.

N immediately looked down at one of the displays, pretending to be admiring them, when his ears were at their sharpest.

Hyuk started talking to her. From where he was, he could hear their conversation. No, he wasn't eavesdropping, he told himself.

"Have you been here before? Jeju Island, I mean." N heard Hyuk ask her.

N had a mental answer. The way Eryn had acted around here, in the museum, she seemed like she had been here before.

He waited for Eryn to reply as he himself was curious. However, when a reply wasn't heard after a while, he found himself lifting his head to check what was wrong. The reply came right after that.

"No," Eryn said firmly. "No, I haven't."