Warning: Slight

       Dr. Choi’s office is blinding, the shade of white he had chosen to stain his walls would blind anyone if the sun shined inside the room. He doesn’t know how Dr. Choi manages to see in the all the brightness, Junmyeon can’t keep his eyes open at all it gives him a migraine if he tries. Which thankfully he didn’t have to do today.

       Every Monday morning, Junmyeon has to sit inside the blinding office, shoulders squared and a fake smile on his face as he spoke about his feelings. Therapy, Dr. Choi called it.

       “It’s not going to be easy”— He remembers Dr. Choi telling him— “You’ll feel like . You’ll be angry, sad and confused but that’s the point of therapy, you’re not supposed to feel better until you’ve walked past your sea of emotions and have reached the land of logic.” He was right. Junmyeon never knew he felt so much—considering he didn’t remember anything since being found but it didn’t mean he was still in the “land of logic.” There was still a lot of pent up emotions.

       Today Dr. Choi decided to wear a long black sleeve shirt with khaki pants and a leather belt, his feet adorned with house slippers. The taer drop shape glasses which he wore when he was reading or writing settling cozily on his nose.

       “How are you feeling today, Junmyeon?” A small, kind smile etched on face as he looked at him.

       “I’m feeling fine.” It wasn’t exactly a lie. Junmyeon had felt uplifted for the last couple of days, it wasn’t enough to make him go outside into the woods but just enough to open his window. “I think I’m making progress.”

       “How so?”

       “I’ve had my window open for the past three days.” Junmyeon let a tired grin on his face, he’s proud of his small accomplishment. It motivates him to do something more. “Baby steps, like you said.”

       Minho nods lightly—he had stopped writing down what Junmyeon shared, since he is his only patient he remembers everything he says.

       “I’m…inspired, Dr. Choi.” Junmyeon lightly plays with his thumbs.

       “To do what?”

       Minho’s tan complexion gives him a warm vibe, the softness in his eyes and the kind smile adds to his aura. Junmyeon remembers feeling at ease when they first set eyes on each other, the other doctors made him cringe as he rested on the hospital bed. But now, he isn’t sure why it’s like there’s an invisible wall between them.

       “I want to go out. I really want to take a walk.” Junmyeon looks out the window, his eyes follow the raindrops landing on the soundproof window. His fingers twitch as he stares at the distant gray clouds; he can feel them calling out to him and his blood calling out to the clear substance.

       He believes this is the tiny push he needed to go outside.

       “In this weather?” Minho tries to act surprised, pulling the practiced shocked face. Junmyeon can tell right away it’s not real but pretends he doesn’t notice.

       “It’s soothing, the rain. I feel the best when I feel it against my skin.”

       Dr. Choi hums, his eyes move towards the window. He doesn’t understand why Junmyeon admires rain so much, but as his therapist he was supposed to act like he did. So when the patient would talk away on facts he knew about water, Minho would pretend he listened—there weren’t a lot of things to know about water—he already knew the human body was 60% water and that earth’s surface is covered 75% by water. He learned all of this while he was still in middle school.

       “Would you like to go for a walk now?” he asks.

       Minho watches Junmyeon’s reaction, which at first is one of surprise then quickly changes to one of delight.

       “Can we?” Junmyeon can’t help but feel giddy, his blood feeling warm with the thought of feeling water against his skin.

       The therapist nods. “Of course. Just get your jacket and shoes and we’ll leave right away.”

       A smile spreads on Junmyeon’s face, his eyes squinting from how broad his grin is. He stands quickly, jogging towards the direction of his room rummaging through his room as he searches for a random jacket to wear. Minho, on the other hand, slowly leans back on his chair, a frustrated look on his face as he stares at the chair where Junmyeon sat a few seconds ago. It has been over four years and yet the alien was far from remembering who he was. It didn’t matter what he tried, Junmyeon couldn’t remember and Minho is at the brink of insanity.

       He doesn’t know why he allows himself to continue to be cooped up in such a restricted area. The farthest he’s allowed to go is the border of the property, any food or clothes were shipped in. He admits to be selfish wanting to be seen as one of the greatest scientists to ever live but at the same time, he wants to remember what it feels like a normal human being. Harboring an amnesic alien isn’t what he wanted to do right now.

      A carnal sin. He wants to remember what it’s like to feel the warmth of a woman pressed up against him as she comes undone in his arms. He wants the taste of her juices on his taste buds and feel the shaking of her legs as she grinds her nub against his tongue. He wants to feel her walls squeeze around his shaft as they both .

      Minho craved it and having Junmyeon around stops him from enjoying the default human pleasures.

       Junmyeon is soaking wet.

       He doesn’t know how long he’s been out here with Dr. Choi, his skin is filled with gooseflesh and his teeth chatter uncontrollably as he feels the rain fall painfully against his skin. He feels at peace, the cold wind doesn’t bother him in the slightest nor does the deafening thunder.

       Dr. Choi doesn’t tell him anything either, observing him closely as he spreads his hands out trying to catch the droplets. They bounce off his now prune hands but Junmyeon tries to gather as much water as he can.

       “I don’t know why I find it soothing.” Junmyeon turns toward Minho, a crease between his eyebrows. “I feel at home when I’m out here in the cold. Could I be a pluviophile, Dr. Choi?”

       “Pluvio…what?” The word sounds familiar, but Minho can’t seem to put a definition to the word.

       “Pluviophile, a lover of rain.” Junmyeon runs his tongue over his lips, trails of rain landing on is taste buds the refreshing taste making him hum.

       “Ah.” Minho nods his head lightly, his fingers tightly grasping the umbrella over his head. He can see Junmyeon’s lips turn dark red from the cold, but he doesn’t tell him to stand under the umbrella. “It might be so. But you love all forms of water, Junmyeon, not just rain.”

       The older hums. “It might be so, but I like rain best.”

       Minho gives a small smile, his eyes turning towards the distance. A thick fog has begun to form and his mind begins to fill with incredulous thoughts—Minho had tried everything to make Junmyeon remember who is: talking, recollecting, hypnosis; but he hadn’t taken him to retrace his steps. Ever since he left the hospital, the only time Junmyeon has been out in town was after he was discharged. Taking him out could work, it would be a win-win.

       Minho eyes the area, his eyes landing on the cameras as he makes his way towards Junmyeon who had walked farther away.

       “Junmyeon,” he calls.

       The other turns, a curious look on his face.

       “What would you say if I took you out of the house?”

       Junmyeon can’t help but smirk a little as he says, “We are out of the house.”

       Minho holds in the sigh that wants to escape and composes himself. “I mean, outside these walls. What if I sneak you into town?”

       The smiling man widens his eyes, his smile faltering as he turns to look behind him. Minho has always told him he wasn’t allowed to leave the premises, not that it was an issue before Junmyeon didn’t exactly hold any sort of curiosity toward the outside world. What did make him wonder though was what led Minho to ask him so suddenly.

       “I thought that wasn’t allowed.”

       It wasn’t. Minho knew so, but he couldn’t continue to be inside confined walls and it was time they went past rules—selfish reasons or not.

       “I can make an exception this time,” he says, “but I need to know if you would like to come along.”

       Junmyeon remains silent for the first couple seconds, the wheels in his head turning as he weighs his options. There were two scenarios which could happen if he were to let Dr. Choi sneak him out:

1. They could both end up getting caught by the person above Minho, thus he would be relocated and Junmyeon would end up with a different doctor.
2. Minho would disappear off this earth and Junmyeon would end up back inside a hospital room…or a psych ward like Minho called it.

       He would be lying if he said he wasn’t afraid, because he is. He’s terrified.

       “I think it’ll help with recovering your memory. None of the other methods worked, this could be our last chance.” Minho has a serious expression on his face and Junmyeon can’t seem to utter the word ‘no’ out.

       It wasn’t like he didn’t want to figure who he was before he awoke, but it all seemed to be too risky. Even so he found himself answering the exact opposite.

       “Okay. Let’s do it.”