strawberry shortcake

13. trust

Yunho was attentively listening to everything Bang was saying so he would be able to tell everything to Hongjoong. After a few hours of sitting he was more than glad that Han gave them an hour long break so they could go get something or eat or just rest a little.

There was again a tensed atmosphere between them. They had a fight on their way to the hotel and it was pretty bad, Yunho just wanted to talk it out with Mingi.

Yunho pulled Mingi by his forearm behind him as he made his way to their shared room, it wasn't until he closed the door behind them when he noticed how miserable the other looked.

Mingi's arms were scratched to blood, while he still hugged himself, his nails digging into his arms as he visibly trembled and breathed so shallowly he felt like he was going to suffocate soon.

Yunho's eyes widened at the sight and he was quick to lead the orange haired to the living room of their room that was like a little apartment. He learned to recognize signs of anxiety or panick attack, it wasn't that hard to decipher, he was just scared he wouldn't be able to help.

"The cold water helps right?" He asked and Mingi nodded. He was still shaking, his eyes watered at the clenching pain inside his chest and he felt like he was going to die any minute. He was scared out of his mind but he didn't have the strength to speak up his mind. "Sit down at the table, I'll be right with you." Yunho helped him sit down and then rushed to the kitchen where he dug out some bigger bowl that he filled with cold water and added a few cubes of ice.

He brought the bowl on the table right in front of Mingi and sat next to him. "I'm here with you, okay? You're not alone, you're going to be alright." He gently brushed Mingi's hair back so they wouldn't get wet and rubbed his back to soothe him while the younger dipped his head in the cold water and stayed like that for approximately twenty seconds before straightening up once again.

Water dripped down his chin and drenched his and Yunho's clothes, but neither of them minded.

"You're doing great." He continued rubbing Mingi's back and whispering sweet nothings as Mingi dipped his head into the water a few more times. It took them a while to get him to calm down. His body slowly relaxed and he was relieved when he could finally push the bowl away from him.

"Better?" Yunho asked carefully and took his hands off Mingi so the younger wouldn't get mad at him like he always did.

"What's gotten you so anxious..?" He asked carefully and Mingi ran his trembling hands through his hair. He now felt completely drenched of energy.

"Just my thoughts. It's fine, I don't want to burden you." Yunho frowned at his words and leaned against the table just so he could see into Mingi's eyes and face.

"You're not a burden Mingi, why would you think that?"

"I am." The yellow-haired shrugged and carefully stood up from his chair ready to get changed out of the wet t-shirt.

"You are not a burden. Not to me, not to anyone around." Yunho stood up also and followed him to his room. He didn't like what the younger was saying at all.

"Yunho stop acting like you care. I know that you of all people don't give a shit." Mingi muttered, opening his suitcase that was still laying on his bed where he left it. Their room was basically a small apartment with two separated bedrooms, one bathroom and a kitchen living room. It was good enough for them, at least they didn't have to sleep in one bed like in some romance movie.

"If I didn't give a shit why would I sit with you for half an hour, helping you?" He hissed at him, getting more and more frustrated with the younger who acted so ignorant.