GOING BOARDING HOUSE | SEVENTEEN group chat. (Editing)

Now

The day of chapter (Eventful) 

"I heard Mingyu and his little friend mentioned going to Club Bale tonight," Jihoon had said once the room had quieted down. As soon as those words reached his ears, Wonwoo, who had just entered the meeting room, froze in his tracks. His heart skipped a beat. "What?" He said to no one in particular. Arching an eyebrow in disbelief. 

He thought of the night Mingyu had called him, "What?" Wonwoo's voice betrayed his incredulity, his mind racing back to the night Mingyu had reached out to him unexpectedly. "Then? What was all that about?" His thoughts raced, questioning Mingyu's seemingly earnest desire to reconnect.

Something led Wonwoo to leave home with the intention of intruding on their party without a care for how it'd look. He was past caring. At least where others were concerned.

---

Club Bale resided a few blocks west of the river, a name adopted from the hundreds of meatpacking plants and slaughterhouses that used to inhabit the area. The neighborhood sat sandwiched between two streets. And although the now lively enclave was no longer a major hub for meat wholesalers, a handful still remained, aiding in maintaining a feel of authenticity.

Hustling down 14th Street, cold and out of breath, Wonwoo began to wonder if maybe Jihoon had gotten it wrong. The streets were eerily empty and quiet, with the only noise being the wet, crunching sound of car tires rolling over salted, melting snow.

His pulse kicked up a notch when while waiting for the traffic light to turn red at the two-way intersection, the club doors opened, momentarily flooding the dismal street with music. Minghao exited, upturning the collar of his jacket before rushing for the waiting taxi. "Shit," Wonwoo cursed when a city bus pulled into the bus stop near him, cutting off his view. By the time he'd gone around the rear of it, and braved the oncoming cars to cross the street, the cab was already u-turning and speeding in the direction the bus had now gone.

Mingyu hadn't been with him. At least he didn't think he was. He hadn't heard the music seep through the doors again, signaling it had opened once more, and he wanted to believe Mingyu couldn't have slipped through the club entrance and into the backseat with Minghao in such a short amount of time. Was he still inside? Could he have already left? Maybe he never came.

Wonwoo was maybe thirty feet away when a black taxi pulled up, his steps faltered, and he'd been about to shout for service when Club Bale's doors burst open again, and a coatless Mingyu, dressed in a black turtleneck and matching trousers, rushed to the SUV. His coat was draped over the shoulder of a ginger man who laughed and raced in behind him. They were speeding away before Wonwoo's shock wore off.

Wonwoo began to question why he was there. He and Mingyu had already broken up; there was no reason for this. His heart pounded in confusion and a hint of lingering emotions as he stood on the cold, desolate street. 

Just what the fuck was their relationship?  Minghao seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, and even though Mingyu claimed there was nothing between them, this says otherwise.  

Didn't matter if they were having sex or not. Wonwoo hated how close they were. He didn't enjoy being reminded of how available, how craveable Mingyu was, because He didn't want anyone having him but ...

Crazy, you're crazy Wonwoo. 

.....

yet here he is now, demanding answers he has no right to. 

"Did you fuck him?" He asked.

"Why. Are. You. Here?" Mingyu repeated, each word spoken clearly, threateningly even.