Mingyu felt like a beast by the time he got some physical activity, to relieve his anger, done in the gym. He was much calmer now, and didn't think his mother's words would affect him considerably anymore, at least for the rest of the day.
He hopped in the shower to get rid of the sweat, and then sat down to get his work completed after putting on a fresh set of clothes. He breezed through it in barely any time, so much so that he got a few luxurious minutes to himself – no assignment and all. What he dreaded, was that he had to go to dinner in a while. As much as he loved good food, he would rather not eat, if it needed him to sit across his mother's blank face for thirty minutes, and he was not allowed to leave until she finished. "It's low manners to leave the dinner table before everyone else," she would say.
His mother looked visibly furious throughout dinner, and Mingyu had no idea why. Maybe something hadn't gone her way at work today, or her maid could have misplaced a pair of heels she didn't even look at anymore. Anything, and absolutely anything, was capable of ruining her mood – which hung from a cliff every single time.
"I still do not approve of you joining those foolish clubs."
His mother said suddenly, just as Mingyu was about to enjoy his dessert. The best part of dinner just got ruined for him; Mingyu fought the urge to roll his eyes.
"It's just a hobby, Mother, they don't mean much."
"If you enjoy them too much, they will eventually mean a lot."
"It's the only thing I like doing at Pledis." Well, except calculus, but it was best if she didn't know.
"I shall not tolerate such ungratefulness, Mingyu. Get that drilled in your dense head. There are many students outside attending contemptible institutes. You should be thanking me for being able to attend Pledis, and it's not even that hard to get you into the university."
Of course, the ever-ostentatious Kim Minkyoung never failed to wave her position in someone's face. Not even her own son was spared.
Though Mingyu didn't need a painful reminder. The ambience around had gotten annoying to such a point, he wished to live like a normal human being, in an average house without servants and security flocking around him all the time. He just wanted to be left alone for a while.
His mother's behaviour was sickening, and Mingyu had no choice but to become immune to it. He knew she wouldn't ever be leaving him on his own in life. Things would only get more and more insufferable as time passed, under the pretext of teaching him responsibilities and manners of a successful businessman.
Nevertheless, Mingyu had to remain silent and go on with his dinner, pretending to heed his mother's words and taunts.
Those entire ninety minutes he had spent feeling better in the gym had gone down the drain since dinner. Mingyu felt worse as he laid on the floor in his room at night. He had heard somewhere earlier, that crying usually helped relieve some anguish, and Mingyu envied the people who were in a condition to actually try that.
He wasn't able to bring himself to do so. He couldn't afford his mother listening in, and then bombarding him with questions he wouldn't have answers for. "Don't mope around crying like a child, it's not sophisticated behaviour." Mingyu imagined her instructing.
And even if he tried, he was too numb to let any tears out. He had spent most of his elementary and middle school crying, for he hadn't understood the reason behind his mother's stiff attitude back then. Mingyu had seen other children around him since childhood – who had friendly and cheerful parents coming to pick them up after school. Whereas Mingyu, owner of a miserable childhood, had been ushered quickly inside his car by an attendant, not even giving him enough time to say goodbyes to the few, counted friends he had.
But now? Mingyu was over his share of crying. Instead, he forced himself to endure until he reached his breaking point – seeing that it was the only option he had left. His mother would never leave him alone, and he had to get used to the fact that he was stuck with her forever.
--
Mingyu entered Pledis the next week, at precisely the same time he did everyday; like clockwork. Soonyoung snuck in beside him the moment he saw Mingyu, and gave him a playful smile to start his day off.
"Morning."
"Hi."
No words were exchanged after that. There was nothing Mingyu usually talked about with his friends; he had nothing to talk about. Soonyoung, on the other hand, began rambling about his day, and the things he and Minghao had done for clubs the previous day. It sounded much better than what Mingyu had to sit through – with Wonwoo being the oversmart asshole he is, and butting in at every chance he got, only to be applauded later on.
"Clubs was not it yesterday?" Soonyoung asked Mingyu, a tinge of pity in his voice as he spoke.
"No. But it's fine. I brought it upon myself."
"But you like theatre shit, don't you?"
"Yeah, kinda,"
"Well then, other things won't matter if you focused on that entirely, instead of looking Wonwoo's way."
"I guess you're right."
"I always am," Soonyoung winked.
The comfortable silence between them broke as they walked nearer to the classrooms. There was a huge crowd gathered near one of the very last classrooms on the first floor, students with navy blazers alike, peering over each other's shoulders like curious rats.
"What's going on?" Mingyu asked a clueless Soonyoung, getting a shrug in return. Before he could say anything else, Minghao ran up and updated them about the commotion.
He panted as he spoke. "Fight..."
Right, that explained the immense curiosity. The crowd parted hurriedly just then, just a few students departing slowly, leaving Mingyu, Minghao and Soonyoung, staring at Wonwoo standing over a bleeding boy on the floor. The boy looked miserable, flinching as Wonwoo came closer to his face and glared at him. "I think that's enough for you to understand. I'd appreciate it if you stopped going around spreading fake shit about my parents." Wonwoo snapped, and landed a final, resonating slap on the boy's face.
Everything around Mingyu dimmed all of a sudden, and a familiar sensation creeped into his head. Before he knew it, Mingyu fell to the floor, rubbing his head with one hand, while the other tightly clutched at his shirt. Mingyu squinted – his eyes and head hurt uncontrollably, and he hissed and groaned at the intense pain. A few images flashed through his brain: a man and a woman, the woman slapping him across the face as tears ran down her eyes, screaming something undecipherable. Mingyu shut his eyes at the scenes flickering before his eyes.
When he opened them again, he found himself still sitting on the floor, two vaguely familiar people standing over him, a third joining them a few seconds later. The dim lighting seemed to have vanished, and the world was presumably back to normal. Mingyu giggled and pointed at the boy with the flaming red hair. He found it funny – the unique colour. "That's so cool!" he squealed at the boy.
The boy, meanwhile, looked really confused. Soonyoung threw a worried glance to Minghao standing beside him, who looked concerned as well. "Mingyu?"
"That's me!" Mingyu said excitedly, yet again.
"What's wrong with you?"
Mingyu pouted. "I'm just Mingyu, there's nothing wrong with me..."
He sniffled when two of the boys exchanged worried glances with one another. It was like they were hiding something from him. Without any warning, Red-hair-guy and Grey-hair-guy lifted him up by his shoulders, glaring at the person who smugly observed the whole thing. Mingyu noticed his hair being a peculiar shade of blond, not quite the blond he had ever seen. He excitedly reached his hand out and touched the boy's hair, twiddling it in his fingers. The boy instantly coiled away, fluffing his hair out.
Mingyu's eyes gathered tears at the rather rude gesture. He whimpered, swiftly walking away from the rude boy, not knowing where he went. Red-hair-guy followed Mingyu.
"I swear to God, Jeon, even one word about this, and you won't see the light of day ever again." Minghao threatened the blondie who stood there snickering, with a maniacal smile playing on his face, and turned away to catch up with Soonyoung and Mingyu.
