Mingyu was all ready and prepared to fight Wonwoo off at any moment. Assessment scores had just been handed out, and Mingyu, as usual, had scraped past Wonwoo. He waited for the moment Wonwoo pounced on him like a rabid claw beast, glancing sideways to the seat next to him.
Except Wonwoo didn't. If anything, he looked numb. His only reaction was a heaving sigh, and he set his paper down on the desk. Oh well. Mingyu figured he liked this. He wouldn't have to walk on eggshells if Wonwoo was going to be this way each time.
"I need help with Calculus."
It came as yet another shock to Mingyu, as Wonwoo muttered a few minutes into the class. "You need what?"
"Don't make me repeat, Kim, it's humiliating enough."
"Why is it humiliating?"
"I'm asking you, of all people. Doesn't that explain enough?"
"Hm."
"So?"
"So what?"
"Good gods, what the fuck is wrong with you?"
Mingyu was perfectly fine, actually – just in the process of registering Wonwoo's sudden change of attitude towards him since the past week.
"Are you going to help me or not? Or am I going to continue getting beaten by my parents until I graduate?"
"I'm sorry, what now?!"
Wonwoo looked like a deer caught in headlights, and he silenced himself right away, refusing to look at Mingyu. It was clear enough he hadn't meant to let that bit slip from his mouth. As soon as class got dismissed, he was the first one to grab his bag and run out the classroom.
And of course, Mingyu had to tell Chaeyeon everything. What Wonwoo had said did make a bit of sense, considering Mingyu had accidentally seen part of his diary.
"Did he actually say that?" Chaeyeon asked quietly.
"Which part?"
Chaeyeon thought for a moment. "All of it, honestly. What the fuck's gotten into him?"
"I have no idea. It's scary, actually. Now I wish he'd leave me alone,"
"Hard luck, Mingyu," Chaeyeon smirked.
"Shut up,"
--
Mingyu wanted to shriek, scream, and hide himself under his blankets, and stay hidden until everyone forgot he had ever existed at Pledis. If not for his liking for acting, he would have dropped out of Theatre right away.
He regretted ever choosing the script to be based on a queer couple; he wouldn't have been stuck in this position if not for the stupid script – now further developed by Professor Lee on the basis of his own fantasies.
From making the protagonists kiss, to then setting up all those dramatic scenarios, Professor had made the basic draft into something definitely spectacular, but not something Mingyu wanted to be part of. He was convinced the universe just loved to play games with his life.
He didn't even want to imagine it; just the thought made him gag. Having to kiss Wonwoo at some point in the next few months, and that too in front of several other people? Mingyu would rather disappear forever.
Gods, just after Mingyu had somehow agreed to help Wonwoo out with Calculus – like he'd asked – this had to happen. He wouldn't be surprised if Wonwoo bailed out. Mingyu would too, if not for the promise he made. Instead, he had to tightly mutter to Wonwoo after Theatre, "Let's keep this strictly for the clubs, alright?"
Wonwoo replied with a brief thumbs up, and just as he was about to leave, he'd turned around once more, shamefully asking Mingyu for his phone number.
Mingyu looked confused for a second, to which Wonwoo immediately clarified his reason. "It's for the Calculus thing."
"Oh, okay," And Mingyu had proceeded to tap in his number in Wonwoo's phone.
A flashing text notification from Wonwoo sat unread on Mingyu's phone. 'When do we start?' it said. Mingyu didn't know; he needed some distance. Hence he decided to let the text stay as it was – hanging on his screen – focusing on his work sitting at his desk instead. "Fucking focus, Mingyu. There's better things for you to do."
--
"If you had to just leave me on read, you could have said no yesterday itself." Wonwoo barked at Mingyu, first thing in the morning.
"What?"
"I sent in a text yesterday."
"And?"
"You just read it."
"No I didn't."
"Yes you did."
"No I didn't!"
Wonwoo exasperatedly pulled his phone out, and opened the recent conversation with Mingyu to show him, scoffing. "Why did I ever expect an entitled prick to actually consider a request like mine..." he mumbled to himself, turning around to walk away.
Mingyu had no idea of what Wonwoo was going on about. He purposely hadn't opened the chat since yesterday, but not because he didn't want to help Wonwoo, but because he'd been too confused. No one other than himself touched his phone, unless... His mother hadn't fought the urge to get nosy once more. Anger boiled inside him, but he called for Wonwoo instead. "Wonwoo, wait!"
"What?" Wonwoo kept his brisk walk up.
"I swear I didn't see it."
"What makes you think I'd believe you?"
An evil grin made its way to Mingyu's lips. "Well... If you do need the help, you'd have to believe that I actually considered it, and I just hadn't seen your text,"
Wonwoo finally looked at him, face expressionless. "See? This is what I meant when I said it's humiliating,"
"Go ahead, you're free to deny,"
What Mingyu didn't know was that Wonwoo, in fact, wasn't free to deny. If he had been, he wouldn't have asked Mingyu in the first place.
"Fine. I'm asking you again. When do we start?"
Mingyu shrugged. "Anytime you want,"
"Okay. Is today alright?"
"Sure,"
