Mendacity ☠️ yungi [⏹]

1

⚠WARNING!!!

I prefer misgendering/feminizing calls for several situations such as WIFE and MOTHER, but overall still a Mister and Uncle

You can go on when you can deal with it ▶

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"Nice weather."

Those were the first three syllables Yunho uttered across the screen after exchanging greetings with Mingi.

Well, the beautiful weather in the capital where Yunho lived. Lovely enough for a conversation about other beauties via Skype.

"It's not. It's scorching here. I can even see the air burning above the asphalt streets." Mingi adjusted his laptop on his bed while complaining, seeking the right angle so he wouldn't look chubby to the person on the other side. No, he didn't want to look unattractive. What if the guy decided to stop being friends with him?

A comical thought indeed.

But for Jung Yunho, Mingi could be overly thoughtful.

Jung Yunho was too valuable to be removed from his life.

"Have you stepped outside today?" Yunho asked skeptically. He never excelled at offering motivational words to anyone expressing a complaint he confronted.

"I have. But it was this morning when I dropped my kids off at school."

In Mingi's last words, Yunho seemed to hold back a sympathetic smile.

But he tried to ignore it as he opened a can of beer and leaned against the wall. "So, how do you know the weather out there?"

Mingi rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on. I can feel that hot air penetrating my house. In fact, I can see it through the window." Somehow, Uijeongbu always had different weather than Seoul. Like now. So he never wanted to understand the weather Yunho faced. Similarly, vice versa.

"Well, then I guess it's a good day for a swim?" Yunho suggested with a hint of hesitation after taking a sip of his second beer.

Mingi waved his hand. "Don't swim. I could lose track of time and forget about my kids."

"So, what do you do to distract yourself from the discomfort?"

"Talking to you. With the AC on in my room, of course." Mingi didn't mean to tease. But his words succeeded in eliciting a shy smile from Yunho.

"How's your study?" He brought up a new topic. Yunho's postgraduate education, busier than he thought, felt quite dull. Most of his friends were already married or had jobs, making it challenging to socialize casually. So one day, on a whim, he sent a personal chat to Mingi, whom he had just met in a public forum square on a chat app in a book lovers' community group. Both shared the same hobby, so Mingi had no reason not to respond. He didn't mind, even though they had never met. Maybe they could be friends. Discussing books made him feel connected to anyone who loved it too. They eventually exchanged topics, spending time together in the virtual world until they lost track of time and got addicted. And the communication they now engaged in was their activity in the umpteenth week.

Yunho's presence in his small world had invaded his thoughts.

"Good, as usual. As you can see, I don't have any activities today. So I can talk to you."

"Not studying or working on assignments?" Mingi inquired. Talking for hours with Yunho was indeed entertaining and enjoyable. But he didn't want to be the reason for Yunho's failure in the future—if the man was really going to experience it.

"I always do. Right now, I need some entertainment."

"Then go have fun?" Mingi bantered, expecting a response he wanted to hear from the guy across.

"Why should I go when I've had fun in front of me for the past few minutes?"

Success, Mingi cheered in his head.

He then acted as if he were blushing. "Jung Yunho, don't start."

Yunho straightened his posture a bit. "Song Mingi," his expression suddenly looked more serious than before. Mingi fell silent, watching, anticipating the continuation of the sentence. Clearing his throat, he suddenly felt nervous. What was Yunho going to say staring at him like that?

And why did Mingi have to be nervous like a virgin girl about to receive a love confession?

He seemed too confident.

"You are everything I need." Yunho deepened his voice while mimicking one of the dramatic scenes of male characters in movies.

This time, Mingi genuinely blushed. He flashed a thin smile, desperately holding back screams of joy from surfacing. Actually, he could be a maniac when too excited. But, of course, he wouldn't show that embarrassing attitude in front of Yunho. Even though the hot air he complained about had been replaced by an atmosphere of happiness filling the room. "You're so sweet," he replied. The next moment, his eyes glanced briefly at the bottom right corner of the screen. "I think I have to end our conversation. I have to pick up my kids now."

Yunho nodded understandingly. No one had told him that when he befriended a mother, he would share more. He really had to understand Mingi's circumstances as a mother and fulfill his responsibilities well. "Hey, if you don't mind, I'd like you to send a picture of your little family. I'm curious about the faces of the people you often talk about," he requested before Mingi actually disconnected.

Mingi smiled again. "Sure."

"When will you contact me again?" Yunho sounded eager. Actually, he still enjoyed talking to Mingi. He could gaze at Mingi's captivating face, hear Mingi's intoxicating low voice, say how Mingi's full and rosy lips looked so attractive with that sweet, refreshing smile, for hours if he wanted to.

If only it could be like that.

The one being asked shook his head. "This impatient guy." And let out a rhythmic chuckle. "Let's see if my kids can take care of themselves so they won't disturb their mother's enjoyment this afternoon?" He could see Yunho raising an eyebrow. Mingi prided himself on his ability to throw slightly annoying sentences.

But Yunho nodded again. Reluctantly letting go of his Mingi—again, for a while—on the parties that seemed more relevant to him. "Okay. See you."

"Bye."

The connection was cut, the laptop closed.

In front of a small frame displaying a happy-looking small family photo, a car key was grabbed from the nightstand.

Coming back to reality made him sigh.

He brushed aside thoughts that he might be making a mistake or being foolish right now.

With a sarcastic laugh at himself, he convinced himself that he was just making a human mistake that everyone in the world could do.