𝐉𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐠 - 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ✓

11 ᴅɪꜰꜰᴇʀᴇɴᴛ ᴛʜᴀɴ ɪᴛ ꜱᴇᴇᴍꜱ

•••••

The sun shone lightly through the blinds in Yeosang's room. He had been awake before sunrise and had not moved since. The blanket was pulled over him and only a small gap between the mattress and the blanket, which let in air, connected Yeosang to the outside world.

He hadn't really slept and his thoughts wouldn't let him rest. He knew he was exaggerating because nothing bad had actually happened, but he felt empty somehow. And he had no motivation to get up and go to the university either.

~

"Where's Yeosang?" Wooyoung asked when he met Mingi in the corridor of the university building that morning. "We were supposed to have breakfast together today," he added. Mingi shrugged his shoulders slightly, as he had no idea himself. "Okay, anyway, I have to go, I'll see you later," Wooyoung mumbled after a while and disappeared.

Mingi looked after him, then continued on his way to his locker. He opened the small door and pulled out a book for his next music class. He closed the door again and winced terribly when a face suddenly appeared. His smile disappeared automatically. "We need to talk," Hongjoong said. Mingi let him pull him along and a few seconds later they were standing in the men's restroom. Fortunately, they were alone.

Hongjoong let go of Mingi and turned to face him. "Can you finally tell me what your problem is?" Hongjoong asked. Mingi snorted slightly. His only problem was standing in front of him. "Honestly, what happened in summer? We were always looking forward to you going to the same university as me, and from one day to the next, I'm a stranger to you."

Mingi scanned Hongjoong's face and realized that he really had no idea why he was mad at him. "It wasn't overnight," Mingi protested, clutching his book tightly. "Do you remember the day we were supposed to meet at the skate park by the lake?" Hongjoong thought for a moment and nodded. "I waited for you for hours that day, only to see that you didn't give a shit about our meeting because you wanted to hang out with Yunho."

Hongjoong's expression became more confused. "After that day, I realized how easy it is for you to replace someone. I wasn't in the mood for your games and that I always came second and Yunho first."

Suddenly, Hongjoong's expression darkened. "Oh yeah? And what was about Wooyoung? You were the first to bring a third person into our friendship, so it's obvious that I was looking for someone else." Mingi couldn't help but roll his eyes. "You don't understand anything," he cursed and tried to leave, but Hongjoong held him back. "Then explain it to me instead of always running away!" he said so loudly that Mingi flinched slightly.

He wheeled around, full of rage.
"I liked you! And every day I wished I was more than your friend, but you never noticed anything and at some point I couldn't take it anymore. I needed someone I could talk to normally without going crazy every time," Mingi pressed out and then fell silent. He lowered his eyes. It was finally out, but he didn't feel a bit relieved.

Hongjoong's piercing gaze was on him, burning a hole in his soul. He had suspected that Hongjoong wouldn't understand, so he had never said it. Maybe it was to talk himself out of the truth, but now that he had said it, it only hurt more. Hongjoong shook his head in disbelief. "Are you kidding me right now?" Mingi wished it were so. He didn't dare look up. "You've been more than just a friend to me since we met for the first time, but you never understood it,"
Mingi mumbled.

Silence pervaded the room and Mingi finally dared to look up. The shock was literally written all over Hongjoong's face. Without saying anything, he turned and ran out of the door. Mingi couldn't blame him. It was just as he had expected, but at least he had finally said it. However, that didn't make anything better. He could never be friends with Hongjoong again, even if they got along again.