Madness for Two 🎬 yungi [▶]

22

Yunho moan in their kiss, letting his lips part. Mingi's tongue brushed against Yunho's lips before he took a brief breath and deepened the kiss. Yunho still didn’t resist. Mingi grew more curious as to why. 

But this kiss felt right, untouched by the adrenaline of being on stage. 

Mingi didn’t want to let go. 

He felt something wet on his cheek. Yunho was crying. But Mingi didn’t release him—too afraid that if he let go, he’d see Yunho’s face filled with regret. 

A sharp whistle broke the moment. 

“So? Progress?” Scarlett’s cheerful voice interrupted. Mingi turned to Yunho, only to find a trace of tears and a face flushed a deep shade of red. 

“I think I need to go to the restroom.” 

“Need company?” Mingi teased instinctively. Yunho turned crimson at the comment. Mingi had a bad feeling Yunho would be mad at him for this later. 

“You two are going to be the most adorable gay couple,” Summer said, sidling up beside Scarlett and wrapping her arms around her girlfriend’s waist. 

“At least you don’t have to take turns arguing whenever one of you has PMS,” Scarlett added with a hearty laugh. 

Mingi smiled. A warm feeling spread through his chest. He was going to kiss Yunho again after this, whether the messy-haired man liked it or not. 

While Scarlett and Summer entertained the other guests, Mingi flipped through the pages of Yunho’s poetry book. 

A particular poem caught his attention. Melodies immediately began to form in his mind. Mingi glanced toward the restroom, but Yunho still hadn’t returned. He wanted to ask permission first, but the music in his head demanded to be played. 

“Scarlett,” he called out, “can I use that piano in the corner?” 

Scarlett frowned slightly at first. “That’s Summer’s old piano. But I guess it’s still—wait, are you planning to play something?” 

“Just an experiment.” 

Scarlett nodded, letting Mingi uncover the aged brown piano with a faded cloth draped over it. He tested a few notes, playing fragments of classical melodies from memory to check its tuning. In no time, he’d captured the attention of everyone in the café. 

“Since when did you become the café’s live entertainment?” Yunho suddenly appeared behind him, his bangs slicked back and faint traces of water still on his face. Yunho had a poetic face, Mingi thought for a moment. 

“Hey, I just wanted to experiment with this one.” 

Yunho nodded absently, not really looking at the poem Mingi showed him. 

Mingi began with a C chord, letting sentimental notes flow one by one. 

The moment Mingi started singing, Yunho regretted nodding. 

*** 
You were dancing in your tube socks in our hotel room, 
Flashing those eyes like highway signs. 
Light one up and hand it over, rest your head upon my shoulder. 
I just wanna feel your lips against my skin.

*** 
This was a poem about Hongjoong. The last poem Yunho had written in his final letter to him. 

It was about the memories of three nights in Manchester when they’d felt truly happy. 

*** 
White sheets, bright lights, crooked teeth, and the nightlife. 
You told me this is right where it begins. 
But your lips hang heavy underneath me. 
And I promised myself I wouldn't let you complete me.

*** 
Mingi exhaled at the end of the line, closing his eyes. 

He could feel the pain Yunho had tried to convey, the ache woven into his words. 

Yunho remembered the next lines vividly. He remembered why he wrote the poem—because he’d seen Hongjoong recite a poem on a talk show, apologizing to Seonghwa for his foolishness. No one knew it was the same poem Hongjoong had given him the night Yunho first allowed him to kiss him. That was their first night in Manchester. 

Yunho remembered every word Hongjoong had written with a hotel pen on a torn-off notepad. 

*** 
You're writing lines about me; romantic poetry. 
Your girl's got red in her cheeks, 'cause we're something she can't see. 
And I try to refrain but you're stuck in my brain. 
And all I do is cry and complain because second's not the same.

*** 
Yunho turned away when Mingi looked at him with a smile. 

He clearly seemed happy with his experimental melody. Yunho forced a smile while memories flooded his neurons. 

Mingi faltered briefly, noticing the pain in Yunho’s expression, but his fingers kept playing. He glanced back at Yunho’s notes, singing the poem’s final stanza. 

*** 
I'm sorry but I fell in love tonight. 
I didn't mean to fall in love tonight. 
You're looking like you fell in love tonight. 
Could we pretend that we're in love?

*** 
As he sang the last line, realization hit him. 

This was about Hongjoong! Mingi screamed internally. 

The final notes, the last piano chord, felt absurd. But applause filled the café. 

“They should pay you for that performance,” Yunho joked, breaking the moment. A joke that wasn’t funny at all, Mingi thought. 

Affection took over Mingi. Yunho’s faint smile, his poetic brown eyes, speaking of loneliness and silent pain—Mingi wanted to erase that sadness from those big eyes. 

So he stood up and hugged Yunho without warning. This time, Yunho resisted. He pushed back, but Mingi held on tighter. 

It wasn’t because of the eyes watching them. 

It wasn’t because of the cameras Mingi was sure would soon flood the internet. 

It wasn’t because of their fake, almost-dating contract. 

It wasn’t for popularity. 

It wasn’t for anything else. 

It was simply because Yunho needed it. 

“I’m sorry,” Mingi whispered. Yunho answered with silent tears. 

And then, in a hoarse whisper: 

“Can we pretend that we’re in love?”