Mingyu returned back to the mansion, with dread infiltrating him as he tried not to gather much attention towards himself.
Unfortunately, it seemed as if he was meant to be set under the spotlight the moment he came back. Maids and butlers swarmed around the living room and the gigantic hallway like bees, packing away boxes over boxes – which were being sent somewhere he had no idea of. Minkyoung stood in the midst of the chaos, glaring hard at Mingyu frozen at the other end of the living room.
"What time is it, Mingyu?" she demanded, a steeliness to her voice that sent chills down his spine.
His head hung low; not because he was scared, but because he was repulsed by the way he got treated by his own mother. "I'm sorry," he mustered with much difficulty.
"I give you the chance to be independent, and this is what you end up doing not even a week later?"
"I'm just two hours late, Mother, and if you're worried about me getting kidnapped or something, you might want to remind yourself that I'm a goddamn adult,"
Minkyoung let out a cynical laugh that echoed throughout the living room, like she'd been waiting for him to snap.
"You're bolder behaviour never fails to amaze me, Mingyu, and I don't say that as a good thing,"
Mingyu anticipated what she would say next. Her tone told him she was doing, or had done, a lot that could ruin him.
"I don't have the time to deal with your immature behaviour anymore, Mingyu. Your things have been packed, and you'll be flying to China in," Minkyoung checked the time on her dainty wristwatch. "An hour. I better see improvement in your disgraceful conduct after a year at Pledis in China,"
Mingyu stood stuck to his spot, after hearing Minkyoung's words. So this is what a tiny bit of disobedience made her do. "So you're just shipping me off?" he retaliated, hoping it wasn't really what he heard.
"Yes. Get changed, my chauffeurs don't have all day,"
Powerless and disbelieved, Mingyu had no other choice but to walk upstairs and change out of his uniform. He looked around his room, grabbing a stray backpack and stuffing random things inside, as a small act of defiance before he left.
--
The entire journey from the mansion to the airport, and then from boarding his mother's extravagant private jet till somewhere in China, Mingyu couldn't hold back from crying out a bit.
The fact that he cried for such a menial thing sickened him. He shouldn't be crying at times like these. If he couldn't help it, he shouldn't whine about it too. Furiously wiping away any tears threatening to fall, he fell silent once again, taking to watch the skies as he travelled through the clouds.
The sky was dark enough to see distant lights on the ground. Cities, or rather countries, sparkled in the darkened surroundings, and he thought of the sight as a firecracker, just disoriented.
By the time it was announced that he'd be landing soon, Mingyu was close to dozing off. Instead, he shook his head, driving out any hints of sleep.
What came as a pleasant surprise to him at the airport, was Xu fucking Minghao waiting for him. Mingyu nearly fell over his feet; seeing Minghao again was the last thing he'd expected.
Minghao looked smug, and satisfied with himself as he observed Mingyu's reaction. It had never really occurred to him that Minghao also studied at the Pledis in China. He urgently ran up to him and hugged Minghao, feeling relieved at the hope that the year might not be the worst.
Mingyu was glad when he realised, albeit belatedly, he wouldn't have any butlers or maids running behind him throughout the day. He just had a chauffeur, a new one, assigned to him for the entire year. He cheered silently – the situation suddenly didn't seem too daunting.
There would be no Chaeyoung and her mood swings to deal with, and no feeling of dread in his throat at the thought of his mother. But there was still one thing that he would miss, a lot.
Mingyu wondered how Wonwoo would hold up for a year.
---
I apologise for the recent short chapters, I swear better things are coming.
And a time skip to the next year, probably. I'm not putting in efforts to go through a full year lmao.
