Mingyu reckoned it had been days, or weeks even, since Wonwoo even let him look his way. He refused to acknowledge Mingyu's presence at all, and it got the latter wondering how badly the article had fucked with Wonwoo's mind.
Yet there were times when Mingyu thought it was completely acceptable for Wonwoo to act the way he did: distant, and probably hesitant. Mingyu would have done the same if he were in Wonwoo's place.
He shouldn't have left that day without letting Wonwoo know first. Knowing him, Mingyu was sure he'd taken it to heart – the possible exterior of abandonment. Mingyu hadn't bothered taking a look at his phone during that day too, since he'd been caught up with serious issues.
Although Mingyu foresaw it each time – what reaction he would get from Wonwoo – he didn't, and wouldn't, stop trying to get the boy to talk to him once again. It felt like a blunt knife's stab in his chest whenever Wonwoo passed by, pretending as if Mingyu didn't exist.
The number of nights Mingyu had spent outside Wonwoo's door, debating over whether he should try and knock to get his attention, slowly began to tend towards countless. Guilt and incapability clawed him on, and ripped, his insides, whenever he was reminded of the immense trouble Wonwoo had sleeping. He'd almost managed to break through the door one night, when he heard muted sobs and hiccups coming from inside Wonwoo's room.
But he didn't, and, instead, made sure he left for his own room right before the time he knew Wonwoo woke up.
And the rest of the days passed in the same manner; none of them dared to look at each other, and go about their day with heavy hearts.
--
One evening, Mingyu decided it was best for him if he spent a few days at his mother's. Albeit being awkward at the beginning, he knew his time there wouldn't be as bad.
After his shift, Mingyu came back to the apartment to pack clothes and necessities for a few days. It took him longer than expected, since he hadn't bothered to tidy his room up yet.
Ensuring he had everything he needed, Mingyu hoisted his backpack and turned to exit the room, but stopped abruptly when he saw Wonwoo standing in the doorway.
They both simply stared at each other for the longest time, Mingyu wanting to continue further, until Wonwoo broke his gaze and pretended to look around the unappealing room.
After what seemed like he'd been making his mind up about talking, Wonwoo spoke to Mingyu for the first time in... days. Or weeks. None of them knew.
Wonwoo pointed to Mingyu's hiking backpack he'd made fun of initially, asking, "What's that?"
"My backpack,"
"Right. Are you off somewhere?"
"Yeah, I'm going to Mother's for a few days,"
Something ignited in Wonwoo's eyes at the mention of his mother. His face refrained from twisting into a disgusted grimace, and Mingyu observed the way he clutched the sides of his pants in his palms.
"You've changed, Mingyu,"
As much as the accusation angered Mingyu, he knew he shouldn't let anything Wonwoo said get to him. At least not now, when there were nothing but misunderstandings swimming between both of them.
"How so?" he asked instead.
"I don't know, I think you know the answer yourself,"
"I could have had an answer, but only if I knew you weren't implying anything false,"
Wonwoo's eyebrows shot up. "I'm sorry? Am I being the inconsiderate one here?"
"Don't twist my words, Wonwoo,"
"Be clear enough if misinterpreting them gets on your nerves so easily,"
When Wonwoo looked at him again, the somewhat smug expression he'd worn a few minutes earlier had faded into something way more vulnerable, and tears threatened to fall from his eyes.
"How-" Mingyu gulped, "how can I be clear enough, Wonwoo, when you don't let me speak?"
"Fine," Wonwoo slammed a hand on the wall next to him. "I have time now, so I might as well just hear you out. Whatever you have left to say,"
Mingyu wanted to cry at Wonwoo's sudden, stiff exterior. He knew it was all an act, for protecting himself or whatever, but knowing so didn't make it easier for Mingyu to speak his heart out. He went with telling him everything instead, after waiting for a long while.
"Wonwoo, I-" Mingyu managed to get out before sniffling, "that article... It really was fake. I'd been so troubled that day, Wonwoo, the day I made you switch up your coffee in the morning. I was terrified of what I thought my mother had done. Chaeyeon cornered me as well, and the thought of being found by Mother scared me so much,"
Mingyu dared to glance at Wonwoo in the midst of speaking. He saw him frozen at one place with his eyes wider than they had been earlier. "So much happened that day, and the day after that, and I really wanted to tell you. Chaeyeon told me she'd been messing with both of us this whole time. Do you remember, on the first day of this year, after I returned from China, I asked you about your uh-" Mingyu debated over mentioning Wonwoo's parents. "Parents having said anything about me? That was all Chaeyeon. She'd been tipping both our parents off about the things we did, and our whereabouts. I won't tell you everything, I want you to hear the details from her instead,"
Wonwoo looked like he wanted to interrupt, but Mingyu held a tired hand up, "Hear me out, please," "The things she told me led to my mother, eventually, and there was no other option for me but to talk it out with her. Chaeyeon and I went to my mother's place after my shift that day, and told her everything. She's a genuine person, Wonwoo, she's just been battered by the situation. Chaeyeon left after her job was done, and I was left behind with Mother. I found out too much that day, from Chaeyeon, and my mother. Everything makes a lot of sense ever since then, and I came back the next day to tell you all of it, since I felt like a lot had been fixed. But I couldn't because..."
Mingyu's voice trailed off, inhaling deeply. It had taken a lot for him to provide Wonwoo with an explanation, but he felt a bit lighter now that he'd done his part. If Wonwoo trusted him, things would go back to normal, but if he didn't, Mingyu had no choice but to accept it and move on. He was never going to push Wonwoo around, even if it broke him.
