On The Surface | WooSan

08 - Welcome me (or don't)

Wooyoung wiped his forehead exhaustedly when he got up from resting his hands on his knees for a little while. This was it, the last box. He now had everything ready to take with him. The rooms looked dull and lifeless now. He had packed all of his belongings throughout the last few days, knowing that he wouldn't need more time than that anyway. He wouldn't take any furniture with him which made it easier to move out without stressing too much.

San had ordered a van for Wooyoung to load his things inside. The man who drove it offered help and he accepted it happily. While they were carrying the boxes down, Mingi made his appearance.

"Oh, I didn't expect to see you here!" Wooyoung said out of breath but sounded friendly regardless and Mingi nodded.

"Unfortunately, Yunho got sick. That's why San asked me to take his place for today."

Was a bodyguard really necessary for all this? Wooyoung wasn't too sure about it, but he didn't mind. He nodded and told Mingi that it was nice to see him, which the latter smiled at. That he wasn't talkative was not a shocker to Wooyoung anymore.

With some more time passing they got all of the boxes loaded into the van. The driver asked for the location which Mingi gave to him later on and eventually held the car door open for Wooyoung to enter. He told the driver that if he felt unsure, he could always just follow his car.

It was silent at first. Mingi had his eyes strictly on the road, gaze almost as sharp as his jawline. Wooyoung let his fingers trail over the car door, fingertips carefully feeling the pattern and he realized that although the cars looked the same, this must've been a different one than the one Yunho would usually drive. He knew San had money. Lots of it. That he was able to afford a car for each bodyguard easily still took Wooyoung by surprise though.

"Is it serious?"

Mingi's head twitched slightly, indicating that he was listening to Wooyoung. He shook his head softly. "No. He'll be able to work again tomorrow."

Wooyoung hummed, nodded, and awkwardly rubbed his palms on his jeans back and forth in slow motion. Mingi caught that from the corner of his eye. Stirring the wheel, he asked Wooyoung a question.

"Do I make you nervous?"

Silence. Wooyoung didn't want to say something wrong. He didn't know Mingi long and well enough to be sure how to answer without unintentionally upsetting him. He may have been good at noticing things, may have been average at reading people, but Mingi? He was a closed book surrounded by chains that were fastened by a padlock.

"I take that as a yes. There's no need to be. I know my expressions resemble the ones of a stone, but that's just how I am. You'll get used to it."

Wooyoung nodded. He knew that Mingi would see it. A stone. He wondered if it had always been that way or if Mingi was like lava at some point. If there was something that happened that caused him to turn into a rock. Somehow it was comforting — Wooyoung knew that once lava freezes and turns into a rock, it'll start forming crystals on the inside.

He was sure that Mingi had some of those crystals deep inside of him. Crystals that are only visible once the rock opens up. For now, he wouldn't, and that was okay. But that didn't scare Wooyoung off to at least sense the beauty inside of him, not anymore.

The van stopped right behind them. Mingi got out, held a card similar to Yunho's in front of the electrical device, and waited for the beep sound. Eventually, the van followed Mingi's car and they got out once the cars were parked.

Wooyoung didn't notice it at first but San was standing in the doorframe already. He was leaning against one side, had his arms crossed, and waited patiently. His clothing looked ordinary. Nothing special, just jeans and a black long-sleeve shirt that complimented his body very well, especially the crossed arms, and Wooyoung only now realized how wide his husband's shoulders actually were. Good lord.