black cat | woosan ✔

32

Mingi sat cross-legged on the floor, notes spread out before him, trying to focus. But no matter how hard he stared at the scribbled words, his mind drifted—straight back to Wooyoung. His heart twisted in his chest. What had he done?

Wooyoung had barely even looked at him the other day, like he didn't exist at all. And the worst part? Mingi deserved it. He'd been so wrapped up in his own feelings—so quick to push Wooyoung away—that now he couldn't stop wondering if he'd done the wrong thing.

He squeezed his eyes shut. I'm so fucking stupid. His chest felt heavy with guilt. Wooyoung had been through so much already. And now? Well, Mingi had left him to fend for himself again.

Just then, the warm scent of spices filled the air. A soft thud sounded as Yunho sat beside him on the couch, holding out a mug of pumpkin spice latte. "I figured you'd need this," Yunho said, his voice gentle.

Mingi accepted the mug wordlessly, sipping it as he leaned into Yunho's side. The warmth from both the latte and Yunho grounded him, but Mingi's heart still weighed like a stone. He tucked himself closer into Yunho's side, clutching onto him like he'd slip away if he didn't hold on tight enough.

Yunho stiffened at first, sensing the desperation in Mingi's touch. He carefully draped an arm around Mingi, pulling him closer. "What's going on, princess?" he asked softly, his voice tinged with concern.

Mingi buried his face in Yunho's shoulder, breathing in the familiar scent of him, and mumbled, "How am I supposed to go back to Wooyoung?"

Yunho blinked, tilting his head slightly to hear him better. "You don't wanna?"

"I...I don't know." Mingi's voice cracked slightly. "I love it here with you. I don't wanna go back to the way things were...but Wooyoung—he's been through too much already. I just left. I left him. He's my best friend."

Yunho rubbed slow circles along Mingi's back, staying quiet as Mingi's words tumbled out.

"I fucking hurt him, Yunho. What if he never forgives me? What if I already lost him for good?" Mingi's grip on Yunho tightened.

Yunho kissed the top of his head gently, whispering, "Hey, hey. It's not too late. You can still fix things."

Mingi shook his head. "What do I even say? 'Sorry for ditching you because I was scared to face my own shit'? Yeah, that'll go over well." He let out a bitter laugh, though it quickly dissolved into a guilt-filled sigh.

Yunho kept holding him, his hand brushing through Mingi's hair soothingly. "You'll figure it out. Wooyoung's stubborn, but he's not heartless."

Mingi's chest tightened. He hated himself for how much he missed his best friend—and for how guilty he felt about being happy here, with Yunho.

But just as Yunho was about to offer more reassurance, something clicked in his mind. His hand stilled in Mingi's hair, and his brows furrowed. San.

"Wait," Yunho said slowly, his voice dropping an octave. "San...I haven't thought about where the hell he's been either."

Mingi pulled back slightly, looking up at Yunho with confusion. "What do you mean?"

Yunho's jaw tensed, "San's been completely gone lately. Like...ever since you got here. And now that I think about it, it's weird. San doesn't just disappear." he expressed his thoughts that were still swirling. 

At least San had shown up on campus the other day—that was a relief. But still, Yunho had no clue where San had been all this time. San wasn't exactly the type to vanish without a word, no matter how stubborn he could get. A part of Yunho had hoped that once San cooled off, he'd just show up at his door again, ready to argue like always. But San didn't.

A small wave of guilt settled in Yunho's chest. San might have been reckless and hardheaded, but he was younger, and Yunho knew better than to let him spiral alone. I should've checked on him...should've taken care of him instead of kicking him out. San deserved better, even if he could be a pain in the ass sometimes.

Yunho rubbed the back of his neck, frustration building. He hadn't meant to push San away back then—he just figured San needed space. But now, sitting here with Mingi cuddled close, the weight of his mistakes sank deeper. San wasn't perfect, but he wasn't someone to just throw away. No matter how many times they butted heads, Yunho still cared about him.

He sighed, glancing down at Mingi. He gave him a reassuring squeeze, feeling the comforting warmth of his presence. Maybe it was too late to fix things, but Yunho had to try. He'd make it right—for all 4 of them. Even if he had absolutely no idea how.