TR | MW [✔]

20.

Wonwoo took a deep breath before he climbed out of the car. He leaned against the back of it, with his eyes fixed on reception. He checked his watch for the fortieth time and then looked back at the door.

He'd spent the past few days in a blur, barely eating, barely sleeping. He knew he had to phone the hospital, arrange for Heejin to be released to him so he could start funeral plans, and put her to rest, but he couldn't do it. He typed the number in, put the phone to his ear, and then hastily hung up when the call connected, but it didn't matter. Once Mingyu was done with him, he'd be joining his sister, his dad, and his mum.

The door opened and he straightened against the car.

Mingyu stepped out, not wearing his tight white t-shirt, but a shirt, and a jacket. A clear plastic bag of his belongings was slung over his shoulder, and as he walked further into the car park, he tilted his head up, and he looked towards the sky.

Wonwoo saw his lips lift in a slight smile, but then he lowered his head, and the smile vanished. He came closer, and Wonwoo couldn't look at him. He looked down at the ground and rolled the stray stones with his shoe.

"I wasn't sure if you'd be here," Mingyu murmured.

"I owe it to you."

"Look at me."

Wonwoo forced his head up but couldn't look Mingyu in the eyes.

Mingyu gestured to the car. "Yours?"

"No. It's a rented car."

"Ready to go?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" Wonwoo said.

Mingyu snorted. "I'm very ready." He walked over to the passenger door and raised his eyebrow at Wonwoo. "Well?"

Wonwoo unlocked the car and climbed inside. "Where do you want me to drive?"

"Can you... can you drive through the city?"

"Sure."

Mingyu bobbed his head and flung his bag of belongings into the back.

"I'm really sorry—"

Mingyu raised his finger in the air and made a shushing sound. "Not here. Not yet."

Wonwoo swallowed and bobbed his head. If Mingyu wanted to pretend they were anything but normal for a few minutes, he wasn't going to stop him.

"Okay..."

The drive was surreal. He had been expecting Mingyu to growl at him, launch at him, or even strangle him to death right there and then in the prison car park, but instead, he lounged back in the seat and lowered his window.

He stuck his hand out and twitched his fingers as the air rushed by him.

Wonwoo drove through the city with no destination in mind. He passed the cinema, the train station, the clubs, the pubs—there was nothing of interest, but Mingyu was transfixed. He craned his neck to see the highest buildings and snorted at the names of restaurants.

"It's amazing what changes," he mumbled.

"It's been sixteen years."

"The same roads, and street names, but everything on them is different. It's like an alien planet. I mean, what the hell is Oodles?"

"It's a sushi chain. Quite popular."

"And that place?"

Wonwoo glanced at the building, and the line outside. "Flip Over?"

"Yeah."

"It's a load of trampolines. You go there and you jump around." Wonwoo scrunched his face at his explanation. It didn't do the place justice.