This Day | Gyuhao (Threequel to Youth & The Aged)

- 10

| Chapter Ten — N!CE |

"You're... what?"

"We're flying down to Japan." Minghao responds, not paying Mingyu any mind as he stuffs his belongings into his suitcase, "The main troops and I are going to—"

"Stop."

Minghao doesn't, "We're heading down there to see if we can find Jungwonie. It's his home. He grew up in Japan with Seokmin and I, and the others."

"Hao, stop."

"I've gathered enough people as a last resort to look for him. It's the last time. We'll be gone by morning."

"Don't do that."

Minghao looks at him, "What?"

"Act like I'm not apart of this." Mingyu grits his jaw, walking over to him with a stern face, "Don't you fucking do that. I'm in just as much shit as you are. You forget that Riki-yah took that bullet for me."

"Mingyu, we've been over this—"

"No." Mingyu shakes his head, "We've been over everything else, we've been over anyone else. Have you all forgotten? Riki jumped in front of me. He saved me." Has Mingyu been this awful all along? It's like Jungwon's disappearance had finally made him open his eyes, "I've been a jackass, Hao, only naming our kid after him and then proceeding to never think of him again." Mingyu's a monster, "I haven't visited his grave as much as I should, either.... So, if anybody's going, it should be me."

"Mingyu, no." Minghao steps in front of their closet so Mingyu can't get to his things, "Who's gonna watch the—"

"Umji." Mingyu gently nudges him aside, pulling out his own bags and ignoring Minghao's pleadings for him to stop, "Why are you getting so worked up about this?" Mingyu asks him desperately.

"Because I don't want you to get hurt."

Silence. It's like a cold wave hits them both when Mingyu breaks it.

"You think I don't think that about you? You think I don't care if you get torn to shreds down there without me?"

"Mingyu."

"You talk about me like I love you a lot less." Mingyu tells him, taking a shaky breath, "You look at me as if I'm unlovable and nothing but a thorn in your side. Where has your passion gone? What about us, Hao? Have you forgotten everything we've been through for each other? Everything we've done?"

"Of course, I haven't." Minghao takes his hand, "And I do love you, Mingyu. Never think that I don't."

"Then, what's wrong?"

"Everything." Minghao responds without hesitation. It makes Mingyu's heart throb, "Everything is wrong and out of place until we find closure."

Minghao watches with a heavy heart as Mingyu takes a step back, dropping his bag, "Wow." He says, "It might not be the right time to talk about us, but what you just said to me... and the way you're driving in any other direction to stop yourself from saying it tells me just about enough, y'know?"

Minghao stares at him, lip wobbling, "Why are we fighting?" He asks bluntly.

"Habit." It's just one word, but it makes Minghao feel like he's as tall as a grain of rice. It makes him feel weak, like his body and soul are shattering and falling as one.

"Seriously?" But he keeps his composure up on the outside, even though it feels like he's crushing in and out on the inside.

"Seriously." Mingyu grits his teeth, "And you know what, Minghao? I might've betrayed my father all those years ago, but remember this...." He takes a step forward, eye contact painfully piercing, "You killed him." Or in other words.... It's you who's the devil.