Through Shattered Glass

1

Yunho stood outside Mingi's apartment door, hands stuffed into the pockets of his hoodie as he tried to steady his breathing. He had been there for a solid five minutes now, debating whether or not to knock. He and Mingi had always been inseparable, practically brothers since they were twelve. But lately, things had felt... off.

Mingi had been pulling away, giving excuses for why he couldn't hang out, avoiding Yunho's calls with vague promises to "catch up later." It wasn't like Mingi to be distant, and Yunho couldn't help but wonder if he had done something wrong. It was eating at him, this uncertainty, and as much as Yunho hated confrontation, he couldn't let it go any longer.

Taking a deep breath, he knocked twice, the sound echoing in the hallway.

After a few moments, the door opened, revealing Mingi, looking surprised but not exactly displeased to see him. "Yunho?" Mingi stepped aside to let him in. "I didn't know you were coming by."

Yunho gave him a tight-lipped smile as he entered, trying to keep things light. "Yeah, I figured I'd stop by. It's been a while."

Mingi nodded, closing the door behind them. "Yeah, sorry about that. Been busy with work stuff." His tone was casual, but Yunho could feel the distance in it, like Mingi was putting up a barrier between them. The apartment was neat, too neat, as if Mingi had spent more time cleaning than actually living in it. Papers were scattered across the coffee table, the remnants of half-written lyrics Yunho recognized from their late-night brainstorming sessions.

Yunho lingered by the couch, eyes scanning the room. "Busy with work?" he asked, careful to keep his voice neutral. He sat down, his elbows resting on his knees. "Or busy avoiding me?"

Mingi froze for a second, then let out a small, uncomfortable laugh. "What? No, man. I've just had a lot going on."

Yunho didn't buy it. He had known Mingi too long, had seen him in too many different moods not to recognize when he was being vague on purpose. Still, Yunho didn't push. Not yet. Instead, he gave Mingi a chance to change the subject.

"What have you been working on?" Yunho asked, gesturing toward the scattered papers. "New lyrics?"

Mingi seized the opportunity, his posture relaxing just slightly. "Yeah, something like that. I've been trying to come up with something fresh, but I keep getting stuck."

Yunho nodded, though his mind was still on the growing distance between them. "Need any help? You know I'm always down to brainstorm."

Mingi hesitated for a moment before sitting across from Yunho, leaning back in the chair with a sigh. "Maybe. I don't know. I've been kind of all over the place lately."

Yunho wanted to ask what exactly was causing Mingi to be "all over the place," but he kept his mouth shut. He could sense that Mingi wasn't ready to talk about it, whatever *it* was, and Yunho wasn't the type to force someone into a conversation they weren't ready for. Instead, he smiled, leaning back as well.

"Well, when you're ready, I'm here," Yunho said softly. "You know that, right?"

Mingi gave him a quick nod, though his eyes didn't meet Yunho's for long. "Yeah, I know."

The tension between them hung in the air like a heavy cloud, but Yunho didn't press. There would be time for that later. For now, he would let Mingi have his space, even if it hurt to be kept at arm's length by the one person he had always felt closest to.

---

At a small bar on the other side of town, Seonghwa sipped his drink slowly, letting the burn of alcohol warm his chest as he leaned against the counter. The dim lighting and low murmur of conversation around him made the place feel intimate, a quiet escape from the constant noise of life. He had come here with San, not for any particular reason other than the fact that San had suggested they get out for a bit. Seonghwa had agreed, figuring it was better than sitting alone in his apartment, stewing in his thoughts.