"can i have everyone's attention please?"
doc came down the stairs and wandered through the living room, counting if all the occupants of the lake house were present. the usual bickering taemin and wheein were seated on one of the couches, watching a movie in full peace. yanan sat on the opposite side of the room, near a window, enjoying the daily news paper and all the fresh articles about important happenings around the globe. midst all that, junhui and minghao were occupied with a game of scrabble. the younger laying far ahead with a much higher score.
"doc, when will you learn to choose a better timing.. we're in the middle of our movie.." taemin paused brother bear with much complaints, making wheein whine as well.
"this is more important than a disney movie, my dear taemin. now i would sincerely appreciate it if you could let me continue, i promise that it's worth it this time." doc spoke to everyone in general, eyeing the patients one by one. most were still in full pajama as it was still early, hair pointing out in all possible directions.
"ha! as if. last time you said that you had us baking brownies and tae almost burned down the entire kitchen." wheein laughed cynically, heartwarming chuckles filling the atmosphere.
"that was honestly pretty funny and you can't tell me doc thought otherwise." yanan exclaimed, reminiscing the moment when taemin managed to put the oven on fire with just simple twisting the bud.
"i think my wallet and the oven both thought otherwise." doc laughed. even when it had cost a fortune, he had to admit that it had indeed been quite an eventful and amusing afternoon. "no, this time it won't conclude ovens or taemin's amazing baking skills." doc gave taemin a sympathetic pat on his shoulder before taking a seat on the backrest.
"what if i said we're going to a nearby town today?" the excitement amongst the patients rose up at once, junhui and minghao giving each other a look filled with delight. "i have noticed that you all have been feeling particularly well lately and i think that deserves a treat! now i am a man with feelings and i understand all too well that it can get a little boring in an isolated house in the middle of nowhere. so what if we visit town today and grab something to eat? i'll give you all some cash so you can spend the day shopping. how about that, huh?"
"holy fucking shit! doc! get up everyone, go get dressed! i can't fucking wait!" taemin jumped up from the couch and yanked wheein along by her arm, making the poor girl stumble and fall in his speed.
"yo shitface! be careful, will you!" she cussed, getting up to chase the certain boy in an attempt to make him fall in his run up the staircase as well. which failed, as he took three steps at a time and reached the upper floor before she could even reach the first step.
"well someone's excited i see." yanan chuckled, his eyes trailing the overly excited teens that ran away to get dressed.
"and who are they to blame. they're allowed in society for the first time in two years." doc said with a content smile plastered to his face, glad to have brought some joy in the lake house again. "you should get dressed as well, yanan. you're coming right?"
"i wouldn't miss this for the world. of course i'm coming." yanan's reaction might not be as lively as the two teens who had just ran upstairs. however, his eyes sparked this certain happiness. even when he left his inner excitement unspoken, all the occupants in the room could visibly sense that he was exhilarated to go on their spontaneously planned trip.
"now, what are the two of you doing?" doc took a seat at the table, the game of scrabble in front of them being entirely forgotten. even with minghao's nearing victory.
"we can come too right?" junhui asked in anticipation, not wanting to be left out on the trip to town. even with his condition being a burden and knowing the the wasn't exactly allowed in society, junhui's optimistic view on things had never left and he wished to have as much fun as all the others.
"of course you can come, i'd love to have the two of you with us." doc spoke without hesitancy. "are you coming too minghao?"
"yes!" minghao didn't doubt a single second, his eyes never tearing away from junhui whose decision had made him want to go as well.
even when he had been scared of the outside world ever since he had been here, the thought of him getting to spend the day with junhui in town had a warm feeling roaming through his tummy. even in a city filled with strangers that could do possible harm, minghao wouldn't be scared as long as junhui walked by his side. and if it wasn't for the elder, he would have stayed in the lake house like usual.
but somehow, junhui had managed to bring up this whole new side of him.
"now there's only one slight problem.." doc said, scratching the back of his head. "roger is coming with us too.. you know, when you all split up later in town him and i go grab a cup of coffee somewhere to talk some things through. but that means there's not enough space in my car."
the smiles on junhui and minghao's faces faded momentarily, the spark of ecstasy suddenly dying down. did this mean they were bound to stay inside? were they really forced to leave out? that was totally unlike doc to do.
"but.. my name isn't doc for a reason. because i found the perfect solution! junhui, you came here by car. and since your condition hasn't developed all too much i want you to drive together with minghao. i'll give you the directions so you can drive by navigation and you can both take your phones so you can play music on the road. i've been a teen myself so i know what it takes to make a car drive through the mountains a little magical."
minghao gave junhui a glance filled with sincerity and honest enthusiasm. never in his time staying here had junhui seen the boy being so happy, and he would do anything to make their ride and day perfect.
