black cat | woosan ✔

25

Mingi sat cross-legged on the floor of Yunho's living room, finishing the last of his unpacking. His duffle bag lay empty, and his clothes were stuffed into their new shared room's dresser. It felt strange, unfamiliar, but there was a sense of relief mixed with the awkwardness.

Yunho stood in the doorway, arms crossed, watching Mingi with a lazy grin. "You done?"

Mingi exhaled, stretching his arms over his head. "Yep! I think that's it."

"Good. Now, rest up." Yunho leaned against the wall, a teasing glint in his eye. "Tomorrow, I'm taking you out to the pumpkin patches."

Mingi scoffed, throwing a balled-up shirt at Yunho, which he dodged easily. "You're so cheesy, dude."

"And I don't care one bit," Yunho shot back smugly.

Mingi shook his head, chuckling as he folded the last of his clothes. "You're impossible."

Yunho's grin widened. "But you like it."

Mingi rolled his eyes, though a small smile tugged at his lips. "Whatever."

Yunho sauntered over, flopping down beside Mingi on the couch. "You'll see. I'm the best pumpkin-picker around. I bet I'll find the biggest, most perfect one."

"Oh, please," Mingi replied, leaning back against the cushions. "If I remember right, your sense of judgment is questionable at best."

Yunho gasped in mock offense, placing a hand on his chest. "Wow. I can't believe you'd doubt me like this."

Mingi nudged him with his shoulder, laughing. "We'll see how good you are tomorrow."

"We will," Yunho said smugly, his smile growing. "And don't worry. I'm not about to let you carry any of the heavy ones. That's what I'm here for."

"Yeah, right," Mingi muttered, shaking his head fondly. "You're ridiculous."

The two fell into easy conversation, the hours slipping by without notice. They shared stories, laughed at each other's dumb jokes, and drifted into familiar comfort as if they'd always belonged in the same space.

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Later that night, after dinner, Yunho leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms above his head with a satisfied groan. "Alright. We've got a big day tomorrow, so you better sleep well."

Mingi gave him a look, smirking. "You sound like a fucking dad."

"Whatever gets you to sleep on time," Yunho retorted playfully, flicking a crumb off the table.

Mingi chuckled, but as Yunho cleared the dishes, his smile faded slightly. He couldn't help the way his mind drifted back to Wooyoung—the way he'd left, the look on his best friend's face when he'd told him he was moving out.

He sat quietly at the table, fingers tapping lightly against the wood.

"You okay?" Yunho asked, noticing Mingi's sudden quiet.

Mingi hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. "Y-Yeah. Just...thinking."

Yunho leaned on the kitchen counter, folding his arms. "About Wooyoung?"

Mingi nodded, his expression heavy with guilt. "Yeah. I mean, I know he can be a handful, but...what if this was the wrong call? What if I made things worse by leaving?"

Yunho walked over and plopped down beside him again. "Look, I get it. But sometimes...people need space to figure things out. If you stayed, you'd just keep fixing things for him, and that's not helping either of you."

Mingi sighed. "I know. It's just...I've always looked out for him, you know?"

Yunho gave him a gentle nudge. "And you still can. Just not from the same room."

Mingi smiled faintly. "You sound way too wise for someone who just kicked San out."

Yunho laughed. "Don't remind me."

Mingi shook his head, chuckling softly before falling quiet again.

"You'll feel better tomorrow," Yunho promised, his voice soft but reassuring. "We've got pumpkins to pick and cider to drink. And...I'll be here, okay? You're not dealing with this alone."

Mingi glanced at Yunho, the weight in his chest lifting just a little.

"Thanks, Yunho," he murmured.

Yunho grinned and stood, ruffling Mingi's hair and kissing his forehead before being on his way to the hallway. "No problem. Now get some sleep. Big day ahead. G'night."

Mingi chuckled softly, shaking his head as Yunho disappeared down the hall. For the first time in a while, he felt like maybe, just maybe, things would turn out okay.

He wasn't sure what the future held—for him, for Wooyoung, or even for Yunho. But as he lay down in their room, tucked under warm blankets, he allowed himself to believe that tomorrow might be just what he needed.

I really hope you're okay, Wooyoung.