So Close Yet So Far - Mingyu x Reader

Chapter 8 - Pure Intentions Can Still Hurt

You don't recall what caused Mina to leave, but she still had a gentle and kind smile on her face as she did so. If your mind would let you remember, you had declined her second offer to drive her home, shaking saying you wanted to finish your coffee and simply enjoy the stroll. As Mina stood up, your eyes locked onto the keychain that swung carelessly against it. "I'll see you around, okay?" You heard her say cheerfully. The words sounded muted, muffled, as they entered your ears, entangling themselves in the walls of your brain and crushing all of the other thoughts you had. The only thing you were thinking of was her words: I hope to end the term as Mingyu's wife.

As Mina walked away, the bell at the front door finally signaling her exit, you looked down at the chair she was just in. That entire event felt like a fever dream. You replayed it over and over again, rewatching the look on her face as she calmly told you all of her intentions.

I want to win fair and square. Mingyu doesn't seem like he'll fall for a girl who plays dirty, and I don't want him to.

I wanted to tell you of my intentions.

I hope that we can still be friends.

When you finally gasped for air, you realized it was choked back and strained. You coughed into your hand, covering your mouth in an attempt to muffle it from the people around. It was only then that you felt wetness forming on the sleeve of your shirt, and you looked down at it. One drop after another blends into your sleeve, darkening the fabric in a way that resembles the current state of your mind: Dark. Messy.

When you wiped your eyes, you thought that would be the end of it. Standing up, you had one goal: get home. It was a place where you could process everything fully. Why did Mina seem to calm as she spoke to you about all of this? Was she just that confident? Did she mean what she said with true intentions?

Why did Mingyu not feel the need to share any of this with anyone, much less you?

The thought alone sent you collapsing back into your seat, coffee cup tilting over and beginning to spill. Your eyes blurred as you began rubbing them frantically, the texture of your sleeves not helping one bit. When your fingers poked out of your sleeves, trembling like little leaves falling off a branch, you felt yourself let out one more strained choke for air. It was embarrassing, but you forgot what embarrassment felt like as it was overtaken by this crippling, borderline debilitating pain that wrecked your entire body. You were quick to snap your left fingers, then your right. Then you did it again. And again. You had to make sure they knew.

Once your index fingers and thumbs stung a familiar burning sensation, you pressed your balled-up fists to your eyes once again. Taking a deep breath, you exhaled it and tried your best to stay calm. You felt warm liquid spill on your pants, and glancing down, you saw the coffee that had long started to spill was dripping off the side of the table. Looking to your left, your eyes locked onto a tissue case at the edge. Grabbing a fistful, you pressed it on top of the liquid, hoping it would stop the spill just long enough for you to get yourself together. It didn't, and you saw hazy glimpses of brown liquid continuing to seep along the table. Nothing you tried to do would contain it, and that only felt more real as you felt your eyes burn hot and fill with more tears.

"Excuse me?" a worried voice muttered, and you looked over. Standing beside your table was a man. He seemed short, but it could have been your eyes playing tricks on you like the inner workings of a circus funhouse. "Are you okay?"

"Uhm." You nodded, quickly wiping your hands against your face. "Yes. I'm sorry."

"Can I help you?" Without even registering a response, you watched two hands start grabbing some tissues. You watched in stunned silence, again trying to see beyond your tears who this stranger was. He had dark hair dangling past his shoulders and a smaller set of eyes. His hair seemed to drop in front of his eyes just slightly as he leaned his neck down, seemingly focused. Once again, your hands tried to rub your eyes as one does a stain on a glass. However, much like the pesky stain, you were unable to remove them, and the tears just kept flowing. "There. Looks like we can clean this, no problem."