So Close Yet So Far - Mingyu x Reader

Chapter 21 - The Final Gift

You couldn't see it from where you were standing, but further back, the rest of your friend group was hiding from view. Hoshi and Seungkwan were gripping a set of plugs, and when they heard Minnie call out, they plugged them together. The immediate illumination of the field in bright pink light stunned even Mingyu, who looked over his shoulder. You looked up at the tree as well, immediately taking in the pink lights before you. They decorated the branches as high up as they could go. The blinking of each light from the top to bottom gave the pink bulbs the appearance that they were falling towards the ground, petals in a windless sky. You looked back at Mingyu, finally able to take his appearance in. He was bundled in a black turtleneck and jeans, with a grey jacket draped over his shoulders.

Mingyu noticed your overwhelmed appearance as he walked closer to you, alerting your attention by calling your name again. You allowed yourself to focus solely on him as he approached. He gulped, obviously nervous. "What is all this?" you asked, your voice barely above a shaky whisper.

"It's for you." He said softly. He motioned to the strings of pink lights that blinked and fluttered along the tree. "It's a cherry blossom tree."

"In fall?" you couldn't help but smile.

"I tried." He chuckled. "It's a bit last minute. I know." You took a minute to admire it. "I had to basically buy out the entire party store's supply of pink lights for the next few years, though." he chuckled. When he looked at you, the sight of your smile falling made his drop as well. "...Do you not like it?"

"No, I do!" You assured quickly, turning your wide eyes back to him. "I just...I don't understand." You pressed your fingers together. "Mina-."

"That's over." He said immediately. "That's done. It's never happening. I'm sorry it even started in the first place." He saw your eyes cast down, and his hand slipped from his pocket, reaching out to gently place it under your chin, lifting your gaze back to him. "I'm sorry." He said again.

You gulped. "I can tell..." The trembling in your voice made Mingyu smile a bit. You reached up, putting your free hand on his and removing it from your chin. He stared at it for a minute, watching as your smaller fingers wrapped around his larger ones. "Why are you doing all of this?" you asked.

"I told you," he said. "I want to apologize."

Your smile only saddened. "You don't have to."

"I absolutely do." He said quickly, once again using his hand to make sure he had your full attention. "I absolutely do."

"Your going to be married to someone your father approves of. I'm sure it'll be fine..." Mingyu shook his head. "Why else would you have gone along with it if you didn't know you'd eventually be okay?"

Mingyu sighed. "My father told me that he would expel you. That, on top of the whole beach house thing, I felt I had no choice. But I did, and I chose wrong. And I'm sorry." You pursed your lips together. "I don't care if he takes the company from me. Or my money, or my apartments or my cars, or anything. The second he threatened to take you I should have stood up and left."

"...Did you really think I'd choose school over you?" you asked curiously. Mingyu sighed.

"I said I'm not proud of it. The fact that you haven't even laughed in my face and walked away let is more than I would have expected from you after what I did." He chuckled a bit, cheeks a bit pink. You finally offered him a little smile. "This whole thing behind me isn't just a cute and very stressful thing to apologize-." again, you chuckled. "-But it's my gift. My final promise, my final confession. My final everything." Mingyu took a deep breath. "I love you. It's always been you. You are everything I want." Mingyu's hands slid down to your arms, wrapping around them gently. "I don't want anyone, anything else. I will spend the rest of my life proving that to you. I will spend the rest of my life loving only you, I swear. I want to be with you forever."