Jaemin looked like he was going to burst out from his skin, eyes bright. Donghyuck imagined him bouncing up and down like a five year old kid, but realized he didn’t even have to when twenty two year old Jaemin did it himself.
“We’re stopping by the sea?!” he asked again, disbelief making his voice high.
“Yeah, since we’re passing through. Yongju was no good so we were thinking of passing through Gyeongju and heading to Busan next.” Donghyuck explained, smiling despite the dread he felt from another fallen reserve.
“Which means… the beach!” Jisung cheered, pumping his fist in the air. “I haven’t been since my sixth grade field trip! We should go swimming. Do you think we could find surfboards? I’ve always wanted to learn how to surf.”
“There should be some at any shops in the area, I bet!” Chenle chipped in, pulling Jaemin in towards him, “But what I want to do more is bury Jaemin hyung in the sand.”
“Hey!” Jaemin spluttered, squirming to get out of his arms.
“People actually do that?” Jeno asked with a scoff, though the glint in his eyes showed that he was interested.
Chenle nodded. “What, you’ve never done it before?”
“Well I’ve never been to the beach before.” Jeno confessed, to Jisung's utter horror.
“Hyung you’re going to be the first to experience the wonder of the beach!” Jisung declared, grabbing his shoulders and shaking him. “How have you never been?!”
Jeno shrugged. “The opportunity never came up so I never went.” He smoothly ignored Jisung's complaints of ‘You’re a disgrace to our hometown!’.
“We have to make this the best beach trip ever then!” Jaemin exclaimed, giving up from getting out of Chenle's iron grip.
“On that note let’s get on the road, then.” Mark said, already sliding into the backseat with a sleeping Renjun.
Excited chatter kept the mood lively as everyone got in, Jeno taking his place in the driver’s seat. Donghyuck jumped into the back of the truck to let Jaemin sit in the passenger seat, smiling when Jisung immediately wriggled over to him and covered their bodies with his blanket, chattering about everything he wanted to do when they got to the beach. Chenle settled down on his other side, using his lap as a pillow as he got comfortable.
“Mom!” Donghyuck heard Mark yell from behind him.
“Go away hyung!” Donghyuck threw over his shoulder, listening to his laughter grow in volume.
Despite the cool wind hitting his face he was warm, Jisung and Chenle's body heat comforting. He could see why they always slept cuddled close together like this, using each other for extra warmth. It was easier to relax, listening to Jisung's voice grow softer and softer until he succumbed to sleep.
~Time Skip~
“It’s the ocean!”
Everyone was up now, excited because of the vast amount sand and water in front of them. Donghyuck stuck his head out of the passenger seat, the waves of excitement that seemed to be pulsing off of everyone making him giddy.
Even before the car stopped Chenle, Jaemin and Jisung were jumping out from the back, taking off across the sand with sounds akin to battle cries. The truck was quickly abandoned as soon as it stopped, doors left wide open in the rush to get out.
“Last one to the water has to wash the clothes next!” Mark yelled, Renjun's screaming from the back nearly making Donghyuck topple over in laughter.
They ran for a different reason this time, the adrenaline pumping through Donghyuck's veins finally for something other than fear. He was the best runner out of all of them, which made it possible for him to pull past even Jaemin—who looked like he’s putting his all and then some into winning—despite his head start.
“Sorry, sweetie!” Donghyuck gloated as he beat Jaemin at the last second, throwing his arms up in victory.
Jaemin tackled him to the ground and they rolled around in a tangle of limbs and laughter, joined by the others jumping on top of them. Air knocked out of him, Donghyuck groaned. But he couldn’t say anything, complaints silenced at the sight of content faces.
Well, except Jeno's.
“Why don’t we let the winners do the laundry?” Jeno complained as he walked the rest of the way towards them.
“You can’t change it just because you lost!” Jaemin called from the bottom of the pile, voice muffled.
Jeno jumped onto the pile at that, as if he wished Jaemin would get crushed by him and repent for going against him.
“It’s only fair. You lost, Jeno.” Donghyuck jumped in, thoroughly flattened under everyone’s weight. “Now all of you get off of me before I pass out.”
“I vote for a rematch.” Jeno said after everyone had straightened up. “We should all race again.”
“Why would we? We’re the only ones with something to lose.” Jaemin shot back cheekily, too busy basking in getting out of laundry duty.
“You lost.” Chenle agreed, laughing. “You’re just fighting back because you’re angry.”
“I only lost because you got a head start. I bet you’d all lose if it was fair.” Jeno pointed out with a glare.
Jaemin stopped in his tracks. “Oh really?” he asked, eyebrows rising in challenge. Jeno tilted his head up, as if daring the younger to prove him wrong.
Chenle groaned. It was common knowledge when Jaemin got that look in his eyes there was no way to changing his mind.
“Okay then how about we race and the winner gets to choose who does the laundry?” Mark suggested, confident smirk on his face.
“Donghyuck hyung is probably still going to win.” Jisung complained, and then he looked up at Donghyuck with the friendliest smile he could manage. “You won’t choose me right, hyung?”
Donghyuck just patted his head, laughing at his complaints.
They all paired off; Jeno against Mark and Jisung, Chenle and Jaemin racing against each other. Renjun and Donghyuck were the last to race, and then the two winners would race against each other.
The results weren’t too shocking, Mark and Donghyuck lining up to race last. At Jisung's signal they took off across the sand, both pushing for the victory.
Donghyuck looked over to Mark as they across the sand, nearly matched for speed. Donghyuck was impressed, because usually Mark couldn’t keep up with him like this, usually only able to beat Jaemin every now and then. As if he could read his mind Mark grinned at him, and it was just enough distraction for Donghyuck to pull through and win once again, jumping in the air with a victory screech.
“Hyung I hate to say it but you’re going to be doing our laundry.” Donghyuck declared, laughing at the horrified look on his face.
Mark scowled as everyone cheered, gathering around and making a circle to push him around in mocking congratulations.
“Watch your back, Hyuck.” Mark warned, trying to glare at him as he was jerked around.
“I should be saying that to you.” he said with the most content, tranquil smile he could conjure up, “Don’t hurt yourself when you’re scrubbing all those clothes.”
Donghyuck didn’t have any regrets when Mark lunged at him, not even when he was thrown into the cold water first.
A/n : So far, what are your thoughts?
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𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐎𝐟 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 || 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐡𝐲𝐮𝐜𝐤/𝐍𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧
Fanfiction"One day," Mark continued, "even if things get under control enough for us to live a normal life, I'd like it if we were still together." "All of us?" Donghyuck asked breathlessly, because if he didn't he would misunderstand, and he didn't want to b...
