the maroon couches in front of the crackling fireplace still felt the same as before; warm, cozy and like home. now the temperature had drastically dropped in the abandoned valley, the fireplace as their only source of warmth was more than wanted.
"here you go, my boys." doc placed two mugs of steaming hot coco on the coffee table that stood in-between them and took a seat on the opposite couch. "being reunited with you like this again makes me think of the day you both were brought here."
"please tell us about it, doc." junhui happily requested, grabbing a hold of his mug as he slung an arm around minghao's shoulder, wanting to hear doc's wonderful stories once more.
"well, junhui came in on one of the most beautiful days of the season. as you both know, the temperature isn't the best here in summer. yet somehow they managed to pick the perfect date for you." doc leaned back, staring at the dancing flames, mesmerized about the thought of that day.
"it was in the early evening when you arrived in your own car, which surprised me at first. i don't think i've ever met a diseased person who was as optimistic as you. if i hadn't seen your records i would have assumed there was nothing wrong with you."
doc let out a delighted sigh, staring at the couple in front of him. though his eyebrows knitted together the slightest when he started talking about minghao's rather unfortunate entrance. "and then we have our minghao." his voice sparked friendliness however.
"i think we can all say that minghao found it rather difficult." doc's words even managed to draw a smile upon minghao's face. "he was brought here by his manager, who dared to threaten minghao under my roof. that's why i requested for him to never ever visit him as long as he's under my wings. i knew from the start that it was him who you feared most for."
"and then, at the day junhui arrived, we heard you speak up voluntarily for the first time. you have always been one to panic easily when it came to someone getting near you, or someone trying to get to you. and even i have to admit, the way dorothy approached you was far wrong. if i knew about the things she said and the way she treated you i would have tried helping you myself."
"but if i have to be completely honest." doc's smile widened on what he was about to say. "i don't think anyone else beside junhui would have been able to help you."
"i think so too." minghao admitted, speaking up on his own intention. "when jun first arrived he carried this unfamiliar safety along with him, which overwhelmed me at first. i had no idea how to deal with it, that's why i was mostly in denial about my feelings for him."
"then it's good that i'm not one to give up easily, isn't it?" junhui grinned, pecking minghao's temple as gentle as he was. "i don't see any reason why i should have given up on you when you needed me more than anything."
"i think it's mostly because i never assumed myself to be someone who people wanted to hold onto." minghao shyly giggled, finding it hard to talk about his feelings from back then.
"call me an exception, but i think eight other boys came along who care equally as much about you now." junhui nuzzled his nose in minghao's hair, knowing that it would most likely tickle the boy.
"i really like to believe that you two are soulmates." doc's statement came when they least expected it and made a silence filled with realization dawn upon them. "i personally think it's because of the way you two met each other. junhui, you stepped into minghao's life when he most needed you. and minghao, you have been by junhui's side through the entire process of his disease and were able to cure him. which i still consider as a miracle."
"dear god, i've never experienced such magic in my life before. you wouldn't say that after all the things i've seen in the world, would you?" doc propped his elbow up on the head rest and dropped his cheek in his opened hand, a playful smile tugging on his lips. he rubbed his other hand over his balding head, brushing through the last few remaining gray hairs along the way. "i think i would be genuinely shocked if chan ever messaged me that things would be over between you two."
"believe me doc." minghao spoke up voluntarily again. "i don't have any intention of leaving junhui. and i don't think i will ever be able to fall in love with a person like this ever again either."
junhui couldn't hold back the grin that spread across his face as he squeezed minghao's shoulder gently. "me neither. i believe that minghao has been my miracle, too. it would be a shame to lose such a wonderful person by my side, wouldn't it?"
"it would honestly be such a waste." doc said, wearing the brightest smile. "who would've expected that? that two soulmates would bump into each other in my lake house?"
"and how couldn't we! look at how beautiful it is up here in the valley!" junhui tried to convince doc. "i never really thought of this place as a hospital experimental residence, if i have to be completely honest. i used to think of it as the perfect vacation location."
"then once i don't have any patients here, i'll invite you and all of your friends over to have the vacation of your life!" doc made lively hand gestures to show how excited it even made an adult like him. "we can light a fireplace outside and i can kick the other doctors out for a few days! no strict bed times or daily activities, just a vacation! what would you say?"
"i think us and our friends would really like that. wouldn't we, hao?" junhui glanced over at minghao beside him, content smile plastered to his face.
"i think so too." minghao simply said, his expression giving away that he was more than just happy.
finally.
