Madness for Two 🎬 yungi [▶]

17

Mingi wasn’t sure if there was gossip worthy of making San so hyperbolic, but he eventually opened his smartphone. Yunho at fifteen. Mingi sometimes forgot that Yunho existed before he met him. Ten years ago, Mingi was still in France, starting his acting career in theater performances. At that time, Mingi’s father was still very strict, insisting that Mingi get a master’s degree in economics and focus on the family business.

Not as a side job while pursuing a career in entertainment. But eventually, his father saw Mingi’s acting career as the most effective and cheapest form of promotion.

Mingi sighed. For some reason, his internet connection wasn’t good. As he watched the loading spin on Google, Mingi recalled some memories from his time studying in Paris. Their film was nominated for several Cannes Film Festival awards this year, meaning Mingi would be visiting France soon.

When Mingi thought he could take Yunho to some romantic places in France and make sure the paparazzi followed them, the first image appeared with a very damning headline.

"‘When the gay devil rises’?" Mingi read one of the article titles. With a picture of a slightly larger man—presumably Yunho—caught in a kiss with a slightly smaller but more mature-looking man—very much like Kim Hongjoong—against the wall of a cheap bar on Canal Street. Mingi had shot around that area. The photo was from ten years ago, but not much had changed, Mingi thought.

In the photo, they were both immersed in a very passionate kiss. Mingi ignored the sudden flush of heat that coursed through him. He tried to stay focused and not imagine himself doing the same thing with Yunho. And Mingi wasn’t jealous, of course. Why would he be jealous of Yunho’s previous lover? He wasn’t even Yunho’s lover. Why should he be jealous? Mingi wasn’t jealous. He just didn’t like Yunho being touched by someone else. That wasn’t jealousy. Right? Oh. Whatever.

Focus, Mingi.

Mingi read a few sentences and felt nauseous about how they laid the blame on Yunho from the beginning. Because he was gay. Proudly admitting it at such a young age and confessing his love for Hongjoong. Admitting that he fell in love with a man who was already in a relationship. Admitting that he was flirting with Hongjoong and unilaterally claiming that Hongjoong liked him too. They weren’t a one-time thing. There was a commitment between him and Hongjoong.

Meanwhile, Hongjoong claimed he was drunk that night and that it was just a joke that didn’t need to be blown out of proportion. Hongjoong said that Yunho had confessed his feelings and he thought Yunho was just kidding. It was just a once-in-a-lifetime mistake. He didn’t have any feelings for Yunho.

What the hell is wrong with this guy? Mingi felt angry for some reason. He watched the press conference video of Hongjoong and Seonghwa. Hongjoong explaining it was just a dare that meant nothing. Meanwhile, Yunho insisted that they had a special relationship. The next video showed Seonghwa crying and asking Yunho not to interfere with their relationship again.

Some gossip reviews mentioned Yunho’s sexual identity confusion and that he shouldn’t interfere with other people’s relationships. Yunho was pelted with rotten eggs by a fanatic Hongjoong fan at another press conference. A scandal involving gay porn videos allegedly starring Yunho. Several statements from men claiming to have dated Yunho, accusing him of not being the innocent boy the public thought. Some statements claimed Yunho got some of his roles by using his body as leverage.

Although Mingi could see those people boasting, he could also see how the experts were nitpicking Yunho’s faults. Even without opening Yunho’s porn videos, he could see that the young man’s hair was much lighter than Yunho’s black hair. The porn video actor’s hair looked more like dark brown.

Not messy black.

Mingi understood now where Yunho’s sad smile came from.

“Understand now?” San finally spoke. “Why I was panicking from the moment you kissed Yunho?”

Mingi sighed, “Because I’ve invited a bigger problem than I imagined.”

San gave his usual knowing smile that would make Mingi threaten to cut his salary—although San never felt threatened because he knew Mingi wasn’t brave enough to cut his salary—if San dragged it out too long. But this time San was right, so Mingi only replied, “Okay. Maybe next time I’ll Google someone before I kiss them.”

“Well, that’s not the main point of the moral, but yeah... not a bad start,” San then stopped with his knowing smile and gave Mingi a serious look through the rearview mirror. “So, what are you going to do now?”

“According to your plan. To the studio where Yunho is. And let me save our Princess.”

“I need to remind you that Jung Yunho is a man, Mingi.” San said it with a tone of a song Mingi failed to recognize.

With a sarcastic tone, Mingi replied, “Oh yeah, how could I forget?!”

And Mingi opened a new tab on his smartphone, opened live streaming, and began watching the incoming comments. Yunho’s fans commented on how Yunho was stiff and failed at many games. The Hongjoong and Seonghwa shippers were cursing Yunho, thinking he was too dumb to be in the quiz. That Seonghwa should have been with Hongjoong instead.

“They should be done by now, right? I’ll call Miss Kang Yeosang and say we’re picking up Yunho.”

“Okay.” Mingi was busy trying to read Yunho’s expression in the video. He was finishing a song. Mingi didn’t know the tune well but was sure it was quite popular.

“Hunter! Sing the next lyrics!” Doyle signaled with a small clap for the music to start again as Yunho continued singing his lines.

“I need to find you

Tell you I need you”

The music stopped, Mingi watched the old host’s face light up with the widest smile he’d ever seen.

“Correct! Ten points for Etha and Hunter!”

The audience cheered.

“His voice isn’t too bad, although Coldplay songs are rarely difficult to sing.” San commented as he finished calling Kang Yeosang.

“Coldplay?”

“For a musician, your taste in music sucks, doesn’t it? That’s a Coldplay song, Scientist.”

Mingi just murmured an “oh” softly. Yunho gave a small smile at Hongjoong’s broad grin because their score was now tied with their opponents. Mingi saw a flash of broken glass in Yunho’s eyes. He’d bet the young man probably wanted to cry right now. Yunho was tough but also very emotional. Mingi had seen it several times.

Yunho had a lot of anxiety.

Yunho was a thoughtful person.

But on the outside, he looked so cheerful. Always smiling. His smile was his weapon to show that he was okay. Mingi realized that now. His smile was a statement that he could live happily even though the whole world was cornering him.

Yet, he was still scared.

And lonely.

A fleeting feeling emerged and suddenly intensified. Mingi wanted to protect Yunho. A protective feeling Mingi didn’t understand. He wanted to lash out at anyone who thought it was a funny joke to make Yunho cooperate with an ex-lover who didn’t acknowledge him. He wanted to gag every mouth of the audience that cheered against Yunho every time he answered wrongly. Yunho had seemed unwilling to be there from the start.

Stop laughing at Yunho.