𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚑𝚞𝚜. | 𝗃.𝗒 𝗑 𝗌.𝗆

𝗍𝖾𝗇.

_

when yunho awoke the next morning, he opened his eyes to find mingi already awake and sat up in the bed. he had his knees pressed to his chest and his arms wrapped around his legs.

"good morning, mingi" yunho croaked out, "how are you feeling?"

it took a second for mingi to reply but when he did, he didn't answer the question.

"I'm so sorry, yunho"

a dull pain made itself known in yunho's back as he sat up next to mingi and he realised the other boy had probably been up for a while thinking about what caused it.

"it's okay, mingi. I can't even begin to understand what you've been through so I can't judge you"

"but I hurt you.."

"it didn't hurt that much" yunho said with a wink - he was lying of course. mingi just laughed awkwardly.

"listen, mingi - if you don't mind me asking.. who did you think I was?"

mingi's features darkened at the question and it didn't go unnoticed. "you don't have to tell me if you're not comfortable.."

"no, it's okay - it's the least I can do" mingi began, "it wasn't just one person... it's complicated... people used to harass me on the street, try to steal the money I'd made.. first you were one of those people, and then..." he trailed off again. "and then you were my ex-boyfriend"

mingi looked up slightly, surprised at his own bravery, and then he explained: "he'd hit me sometimes"

yunho said nothing but inside his heart felt like it was breaking. "I'm so sorry, mingi"

yunho had found it unfair how the cards were always stacked against some people. some people - good people - suffered so needlessly while other, not so good people, got to live a nice little life. and mingi was one of those people whose life had dealt him way too much shit.

"it's okay"

"it isn't okay" yunho argued, "you don't deserve that. no one deserves that"

"he was extremely possessive and controlling. right from the beginning - I should have known what was going to happen"

"I'm glad you got out" yunho said honestly.

mingi let out a dry laugh, "knowing him he's probably still looking for me now"

yunho's saddened expression was taken over by a more serious one, "he'll never get to you, mingi. I wouldn't let him"

_

the next few days passed by pretty smoothly, much to the pleasant surprise of both boys.

after that first night, yunho had abandoned his own bed for the one in the spare room where mingi now slept, as per his request. "I slept a lot better when you were next to me" he had said.

after a few days of not opening the shop, yunho had decided he needed to go back and catch up with all outstanding requests. he didn't want to leave mingi alone in his home just yet, so he brought mingi to work but let him chill out in the back, feeling he may need time to recover from the situation the night before. he gave him some headphones and told him to help himself to coffee.

but by the end of the first day back, mingi was too desperate to come back out onto the shop floor to help. he had no problems with sweeping the floor after yunho had made an arrangement or doing any other tasks the older boy needed assistance with. in fact, he loved it. mingi felt like he had some purpose for once and so he did everything with a huge beam plastered on his face.