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

- 38

| Chapter Thirty - Eight — ∞ |

"Why are you so obsessed with me?" It sounds narcissistic and wrong to ask, but it's slipping out before Minghao can stop it.

"I told you already." Mingyu responds.

"I want a real answer." Minghao tells him, distraught, "I wanna know why you follow me. I wanna know why I'm always on your mind and that you can't get enough of me." When Mingyu stays silent, Minghao continues, "You're everywhere I am all the time. I just wanna know why. Why me? Why not anybody else? Why have you targeted me?"

Mingyu cracks a dull smile, shrugging, "Is it so hard to believe that someone would want you?"

Minghao's throat clogs up at the mere question, heart and soul taken aback.

Yes, it really is.

"It just— It doesn't make sense."

"Why?" Mingyu asks, desperate for an answer Minghao didn't seem to have, "Why can't I want you? Why can't I be attracted to you that way? Does it make you uncomfortable?"

Minghao's quick to shake his head, "I'm not uncomfortable, no."

"Then, what is it?" Mingyu says, face curled up into such a saddened look it makes Minghao want to cry, "What are you so afraid of?"

Minghao doesn't answer for a little bit, and he's thankful Mingyu doesn't push it out of him. Instead, he waits. He waits for Minghao to take his time, to bring it up when he's ready.

"Everyone I get close to leaves me." Minghao admits, eyes burning holes into the ground. He refuses to look at Mingyu, "I'm scared of losing my friends every single day, don't you see?" Minghao bites his cheek, sigh coming out trembled, "I just really can't lose anybody else. I've already lost so much and still have so many to worry about."

"You won't lose me."

"You can't promise that."

"Nobody can promise anything. Not even me. But I swear to you I'll always be by your side." Mingyu tells him, sincere, "Whether you like it or not, I'm with you. I'll always be here for you."

"Don't say that."

"What? The truth?"

"Mingyu, please—"

"I want you, Xu Minghao. Believe me when I say that." Mingyu pleads, taking Minghao's hands in his own, "From my mind to my soul I want you. I crave you. My body longs yours, my brain struggles to push you out of it, my heart beats for you."

Minghao tries to ignore the fireworks in his chest, "You sound ridiculous."

"I want you in every possible way." Mingyu ignores his comment, "Know that."

Minghao stares at Mingyu with a such an endeared, yet pain filled expression it makes both of their hearts flutter.

Minghao looks at Mingyu like he wants the world to stop for him, and Mingyu does the same, looking into Minghao's eyes as if they were the most addicting drug.

"Please don't."

"Don't, what?"

"Act this way."

"What way?"

Minghao frowns at him, "I know you know what I'm talking about, Gyu."

In only seconds, Minghao can see every ounce of anger leave Mingyu's eyes, a sudden cocky type of attitude seeping in, "You called me Gyu." God, he had really done it with that one.