Work Text
The soft smell of water and sand took over the wind as they approached closer to the lake. In the brilliant summer sunshine, the lake was a perfect mirror for the mountains that surrounded it. From above that watery world was so clear and perfect it could be another dimension, waiting for someone to dare enter it. Minho rolled down his windows taking in a deep whiff of the husky smell but careful of the youngest who was fast asleep on his shoulder. "Isn't it so pretty?" Jinki asked while driving with a pleasant smile on his face. This was a trip that they could go on after a very long and tight schedule that they had at the beginning of the year but finally the company had some mercy on them, giving them a 3 day off- even though they wanted more but they couldn't be more grateful- and what's better than a lake trip as always."I'm leaving this place if it has mosquitos." Kibum sighed while scrolling on his mobile "Yeah, sure. You can walk all the way back home." Jonghyun ruffled the youngers perfectly styled hair "I'm dragging you with me shorty, no worries."The car came to a halt in front of a cottage that was owned by Jinki's uncle so they always came here whenever they had a lake trip together. Minho tapped Taemin's shoulder, slightly shaking him. A soft groan left his lips as he slowly woke up from his peaceful 3-hour nap. "Good Morning, Sleeping Beauty. We're here." Taemin opened his eyes, trying to understand what was happening while the rest of them were already out of the car and pulling out their stuff. "C'mon you guys can get a room but first, you need to come out." Kibum knocked on the window that made Minho give him a death glare back.The small cottage was perched on the plain near the woods, so old and poor that it was surprising how it was still standing. And yet it seemed alive and welcoming. The walls were made of the same wood and the roof was clearly stone, so old that it was a wonder how it did not yet cave in. But the interior contrasted its exterior. It was really well advanced compared to how it looked. It had a television, air conditioner, and every new technology -especially PS4 and that's all that Minho ever wanted in life-."Alright, guys what shall we do first?" Jinki clapped his hands together as he noticed the rest of them just passed out in the living room. "Well, how about sleep?" Taemin mumbled, trying to find a comfortable spot on the couch. "Nah sweetie, you can do that when you go back. We're not gonna waste three days sleeping." Kibum said as he pulled out a soda can from the fridge and sat down."Exactly so why don't we just go and play PS4. We won't even feel tired and it's gonna be fun! Are you in, Tae?" Taemin groaned "Can't we do everything you all want after we wake up? We were on a 3-hour long drive aren't you all tired?" Just when Kibum was about to interrupt him, Jonghyun entered the living room with his swimsuit on "You know what we're going to do?" He dropped the rest 4 swimsuits on the couch and threw his hands up in the air "We're going swimming!".-"Jonghyun, you need to come in, this was all your idea!" Taemin exclaimed as he splashed around in the water "Yes, but that doesn't mean I would go in the water." He shrugged as he let his legs get soaked in the water and Taemin turned around complaining it to Jinki while Kibum was out, getting a peaceful 4 pm suntan. Minho slowly tapped Kibum's shoulder "I thought you ended up playing PS4." Minho shushed him up and pointed at Jonghyun "Let's throw him in the water." Kibum shot up from his comfortable sunbath chair and gave him the look like as if he was crazy. "Are you crazy he doesn't even know how to swim and you know he has this crazy fear of water. It's dangerous." Minho rolled his eyes "C'mon Jinki and Taemin will be there, they will catch him and I'll throw this swim tube. It's going to be fun." Minho said with a wicked smirk on his face.Kibum thought for a minute, looking back and forth between Jonghyun and Minho before leaving a sigh "Fine! But if something goes wrong." Kibum got close to Minho "I'll kill you." Minho left a wicked smile but quiet enough that only Kibum can hear "This is going to be fun." He slowly walked up behind Jonghyun and cleared his throat "Hyung?" Jonghyun looked up at Minho "Can you come with me for a second? I have to tell you something." The shorter guy furrowed his eyes "What is it?" Minho shrugged "Let's go in and then I'll tell."There was suspicion written all over Jonghyun's face but he slowly got up and was about to walk away but Minho stopped him "Hyung, don't kill me." and before Jonghyun could even register what was going on, he felt himself getting scooped up in Minho's arms and in a second, he was surrounded by the blue liquid. Jinki and Taemin turned around when they heard the loud splash and tried to understand what was happening while Kibum started laughing, walking near the wooden platform. "Taeminnie, I threw Hyung in the water," Minho exclaimed in between his laughter and soon Jinki and Taemin joined in as well. But the laughter died as soon as it began when they realized he still didn't come up.Jinki swam near the spot and called out for Jonghyun but got nothing back in return. Minho's eyes widened and he looked at Kibum who's expression changed from laughing to serious as well and he looked back. "Minho. What did I tell you?" Minho shook his head "No no no wait." He turned around "Did you find him?" Jinki shook his headTaemin pointed behind them "Minho, look at that sign." The tall boy turned around and gasped. Deepwater in bold red letters were scribbled on the wooden plank. "No way." Minho removed his t-shirt and dived in, going underwater. He looked around desperately, swimming in deeper but to no avail. He came back up just to see the rest of them, looking around as well. "How can this be possible how can he just disappear?" Minho exclaimed, "I told you it was dangerous Minho." Kibum exclaimed back from the other side of the lake "Why did you have to push? What were you thinking?" Taemin shouted back from the other corner while Minho went underwater to look around just to find nothing once again.The sun was about to go down as the four boys searched around the water for any clue but slowly they could see the hope going away. Minho got out of the water and sat on the platform with his head in his hands, thinking of a way. It just doesn't make sense how can he just disappear? "I think we should call someone this is getting serious," Taemin suggested and everyone came out of the water. "I'm so sorry, I didn't know this would happen." Minho quietly mumbled and Kibum came up close, pushing Minho by the shoulder "Say that to Jonghyun." But before he could walk away he heard a voice from the distant. Kibum turned around confused and noticed someone sitting on the wooden platform with his legs dangling on the edge as he was waving his hand towards them. "Is that Jonghyun?" Everyone squinted their eyes and looked at each other. They jumped in once again.Soon, Jonghyun came into view who was just sitting there with a pack of chips in his hand. "Aw man, the fun is over this quickly but yeah I had fun." He giggled while others just looked at him dumbfounded. Minho jumped up on the platform "What the hell? Are you okay?!" Jonghyun nodded "Had fun, Choi Minho?" "Jonghyun we thought you drowned what the hell is wrong with you?" Jinki smacked the back of Jonghyun's head "Why are you hitting me? Hit this tall dork. He was the one who literally killed me. I would've died if I didn't know the little swimming and I mean for a second I thought I would but somehow I reached the other side." "Well now that everything is fine, I feel hungry," Taemin said as they walked back to their cabin, the moon was up and it was already pretty dark outside."Yeah, guess who deserves punishment." Kibum turned around at Minho "You're going to barbeque the chicken. That's your punishment." Minho's eyes widened "Me? Alone? I don't know how to." Kibum shrugged "Do I look like I care? And yes alone, while we watch a nice movie." "Wait, that's not fair.""Nothing in life is fair, Minho" Jinki said as they burst out laughing."So, which movie shall we watch?""Let's watch Inrang and make fun of Minho." Taemin chuckled and got a thumbs up from Kibum "This is why I'm proud of the way I raised you, my son."