The ride to the small town of Whitby, population of 14,000, took four hours from the large city he used to live in.

The ride was quiet with his mother and him taking turns driving, not that Minseok commonly talked.

They pulled up a small house resembling a cottage. Patches of small green bushes with bright red flowers adorned the walkway that led up to the front door. All evenly separated from each other. The foliage that climbed towards the roof on the walls indicated that this particular house had been standing here for quite some time.

His mother stepped out of the car, looking at the small house. “This used to be my grandparents’ house. I remembered living in this very house when I was small when my parents were too busy working. I haven’t been in here for ages.”

She unlocked the door and pushed open the door, walking inside.

Minseok followed behind, glancing at the old style of the house. “It’s quite clean for a house that hasn’t had anyone living in here for almost twenty-two years.”

His mother frowned at him. “Did I tell you how long this place has been vacant?”

Minseok didn’t say anything, only peering at the old photos that were displayed on the fireplace.

His mother sighed. “Well, yes. It is to be expected that it should be dusty. But ever since I told my close friend that I was coming back. She offered to clean up the house even though I said it was fine. But she was been so stressed out lately because of her daughter that I let her clean to occupy her mind.”

Minseok nodded absently. He picked up his suitcase and another duffel bag. “Have you picked a room for me, or do I get to choose?”

His mother glanced at him, while shifting through some papers on the dining table. “You can choose.”

He nodded and headed upstairs. The floors creaked from the weight, and once he arrived at the top, he looked from left to right at the hallway.

The largest room was obviously the master bedroom where his grandparents used to reside and which was probably where his mother would as well. There were three other rooms in the hallway. One right across the master bedroom and two that were facing each other on the other side of the staircase.

The one right across the master bedroom had bright purple walls and pink bed sheets which he assumed that this was where his mother stayed as a child.

The second one room that was on the same side as the pink room had a dark blue color scheme. When he observed the inside, he realized that the window faced the street in front of the house. He could see and hear who and what occurred outside. Which meant that he would constantly know what was happening. Not exactly no his liking.

The last room was across the two other rooms, the furthest room in the hallway, tucked in the corner of the house. He opened inside where dark green walls were presented. A bed with a blue and green quilt was tucked in the left corner and a simple wood desk was to the right of it. He looked to the left to see a window facing the backyard which was a wooded forest. He opened his window and examined the outside world where he could see nothing but green forestry.

Once he was inside, he figured out that it was the quietest room. No noise could be heard except for the birds chirping outside.

He set down his things.

Looks like he found his room.

While he mother was busy redecorating the house, Minseok decided to walk around the town and see if it really was as quiet as he hoped.

The nearest house was a five minute walk away, but the street was still lined with houses.

However, nobody was outside, and he walked for a good twenty minutes without meeting any strangers. And even if he did, people barely looked at him.

He headed to the town square where most businesses were located, and even in the square there wasn’t a lot of people.

After making a short round in the town center, he decided he was satisfied with it and turned around to walk home.

However, once he started walking, he noticed someone running with flowers wrapped with newspapers. The package was massive enough to cover his face and obscure his view.

Minseok knew better to stand in his way and stepped out of the way so he wouldn’t get rampaged. But somehow the boy carrying the flowers still managed clip the flowers he was holding on a light pole right in front of Minseok.

The flowers flew into the air, scattering across on the floor.

The hurried boy muttered curses and hastily picked them up.

Minseok watched him briefly, unable to find anything that involved him, and was about to walk away, until the boy piped up, “Aren’t you going to help?”

Minseok blinked at the boy as he heard several rude names being shot at him which weren’t explicitly coming out of the boy’s mouth. He looked down and picked up the remaining flowers. White lilies.

He handed them over to the boy. The boy thanked him with a cheeky grin. “Thanks, man. I can’t believe I dropped them all. I owe you one.”

“You owe me nothing,” Minseok replied uninterestingly. He stared at him briefly before saying, “Aren’t you going to be late meeting her?”

The boy widened his eyes and glanced at his watch. “Holy . You’re right.” He tried to wrap the flowers once more, but paused mid-action and looked up. “How’d you know that I was late? And I was meeting someone?”

Minseok shrugged.

The boy stared at him before brightening up. “I know! It was the flowers that gave it away, wasn’t it? I mean, why would a guy be holding flowers? For a lady, obviously. And it was obvious that I was late, cause I was running for my life. Which I should be doing right now,” he muttered as he grimaced, trying to wrap the flowers.

“Good as new!” he proudly exclaimed, presenting a crudely wrapped bouquet of flowers.

Minseok inched his eye up only the slightest in slim amusement. “You really think that, don’t you?”

The boy grinned. “Of course!” Then he frowned. “You don’t think so?”

Minseok simply stared at him. He blinked at him and turned around. “You better get going.” And then he walked away.

The boy stared strangely at the retreating boy, waved the flowers in the air, and yelled out, “Um. Thanks?”

He looked at the flowers, cursed again, and took off running.

Minseok didn’t look back, as the effort of remembering the boy was sorted away as pointless by him.

Once home, Minseok thought about looking through the forest behind their house, but thought against it.

He didn’t want to run into another stranger like he did earlier.

So he retreated into his room and started to set up his room.

He didn’t have many possessions that would allow him to decorate him room. He already had all the necessities: a bed, a bookcase, and a table.

All he did was add items on top of them such as books for the bookcase, a lamp and his laptop for his table.

He had no posters, no pictures, no objects to decorate his seemingly empty room.

And he didn’t mind in the slightest. He always thought such things cluttered up too much space. If found anything that he deemed unnecessary, he would immediately discard it.

Thus the simplicity of his room. Everything he ever needed and nothing he didn’t.

He was relaxing on his bed, reading one of his books he had brought. Books, despite their tendency to tell unrealistic stories, were one of the few things Minseok enjoyed. He especially liked those of the fantasy genre. Because it was the only time something so unlikely could happen in the real world or an alternative world. The only time where such extraordinary and fantastic things would be allowed.

Perhaps it was his guilty pleasure, something someone like him should never enjoy.

But nevertheless, he loved reading.

He reminded himself to see if there were any bookstores or libraries in the town and explore those thoroughly.

There was a knock on his door, and it creaked open to reveal his mother.

“Sorry to interrupt you, but I was about to go see my friend. I just wanted to ask you if you would like to come along.”

He watched with an emotionless expression. And he heard her before the words came out of . “It would be a lot to me.”

He looked down at his book and then back up at his mother who had a hopeful expression.

Minseok knew that what was looked nicely upon and what was looked badly upon. And he knew that greeting his mother’s friend was something of the first nature.

He closed his book and set it next to him.

He slid off his bed and walked towards the door. “Okay.”

While he mother was driving, she spoke up. “We should probably get you a car.”

Minseok watched the scenery passed as he rested his cheek in on the palm of his hand. “It won’t be difficult for me,” he assured, answering the question that she was thinking.

She frowned. “Are you sure? I’m sure we can find a used car for cheap.”

He nodded slightly. “It’s fine. It’s not a big town, and I can walk if I want to go the downtown area where the square is at. I did that today. It didn’t take that long.”

His mother sighed. “Well, if you’re okay with it. I won’t bother.”

She pulled up to parking spot and stepped out of the car, Xiumin as well.

He looked at the building in front of him and stared at his questionably. “Is your friend at the hospital?”

His mother locked the car, holding in one hand a basket, and shook her head. “She is, but…” she trailed off, looking at the building grimly.

Minseok nodded. “But not exactly her. Her daughter’s the one who’s hospitalized. The one with ‘difficulties’?”

His mother glanced at him with worry. “Minseok, I know that you have an uncanny way of knowing what other people are thinking, but I can at least ask you to not do it so often? I’m afraid that people will think you’re crazy.”

Minseok mouth twitched the slightest as if he was about to smile but didn’t. He shook his head at his mother’s excessive concern which was coming off in waves to him. “Then let them think I’m crazy,” he shrugged nonchalantly.

They walked up to the receptionist who was one young lady manning the counter.

She looked up to see the two of them walk in. “Are you two visitors?”

Minseok nodded.

She flipped open a pad of paper. “Last name of the patient you’re visiting.”

Minseok looked at his mother expectantly and she supplied, “Lee.”

The receptionist nodded as she flipped through the papers. “First name?”

Minseok was about to say it, but was stopped short by the lady. “Oh, excuse me. There’s only one Lee in the hospital.” She gestured to the hallway. “Room 116.”

Minseok nodded and headed off the room, but not before inclining his head as a thank you. He heard his mother say “thank you” before rushing over to her son.

After turning one corner to the right, Minseok promptly stopped in front of the door.

He stopped so suddenly that his mother almost ran into him.

“Is this the room?” she asked.

He gestured to the name plate that read “116”.

She nodded. “I guess so.”

She knocked on the door and entered when a cheerful “Come in!” rang through.

Minseok’s mother opened the door and walked in, greeting the people inside.

Minseok stayed outside a little longer, reading the name plate for a little longer.

Room 116

Lee Kyungjin

With one last look, he too walked through that threshold and was greeted by bright light streaming from the open window.

He first saw his mother standing in front of the bed, smiling and greeting her old friend and her daughter, presenting a fruit basket as a present.

He then saw an older lady around his mother’s age, sitting on the chair beside the bed, cutting some pears and apples, presumably his mother’s friend, mentioning something about having enough fruit baskets to last the year.

And then he heard a laugh. A laugh that twinkled with cheerfulness, saying that it’s okay, she liked fruits.

He focused his attention on her. A girl, or rather a young lady, was sitting up in her bed, pillows cushioning her back. Her long chestnut brown hair fell in waves past her shoulders, down her back. Her dark brown eyes watched everything in front of her with curiosity.

Her hospital pajamas were a bright blue which seemed to contrast her complexion: pale. Where a heartbeat monitor steadily beeped next to her, a constant reminder of her health.

How when he finally looked at her, at her face, she was smiling brightly at him, like there was nothing wrong with the world.

This was Lee Kyungjin.

A/N: Now we’re getting somewhere.

Full-speed ahead guys.

Tell me what you think!

And like always, thanks for reading!

P.S. A heads up for you guys. School is getting really busy cause I have a lot of core classes this quarter (what was I thinking?) so updates might be slow. But I’ll try and update weekly because we simply cannot go on with our day without our weekly dose of Minseok.

On a side note, not that I’m trying to say anything important, but did you guys listen to M.I.B’s Men in Black? It’s on repeat for me. It’s a great song. And that dance! That dance is fantastic. Ok, not-so-important note done.