Arrange Marriage

CHAP 12

It had been an exhausting week for Wonwoo, dealing with rival threats and ongoing negotiations, and he hadn’t been himself. His patience, already paper-thin, had finally snapped during one of their routine conversations, and he’d ended up scolding Mingyu over something small and insignificant. He couldn’t even recall what had triggered it—maybe Mingyu’s casual joke, or perhaps his light-hearted teasing that had usually made Wonwoo smile. But in that tense moment, Wonwoo had snapped, and the hurt look that flashed across Mingyu’s face had lingered long after the words left his mouth.

Mingyu had simply gone quiet, his usual animated expression slipping into a cold, blank stare, before he turned on his heel and left the room without a word. Wonwoo hadn’t thought much of it then. He assumed that Mingyu would come around by the next morning—maybe throw a few sarcastic comments his way before they’d be back to normal.

But as days passed, Wonwoo quickly realized this was more serious than he’d thought.

Mingyu had given him the silent treatment. Complete silence, as if he weren’t even in the same house. Wonwoo would walk into a room, and Mingyu would merely glance at him before pointedly looking away, or he’d walk by Wonwoo without so much as a nod. During meals, Mingyu would sit at the farthest corner of the table, absorbed in his phone or in conversation with anyone but Wonwoo. And as the silence stretched from one day to two, then three, Wonwoo found himself growing increasingly irritable—and worried.

He tried to wait it out, thinking Mingyu would soften up, but each day only seemed to make Mingyu’s resolve stronger. Wonwoo began missing his presence even in the simplest things, realizing how accustomed he’d become to Mingyu’s chatter, his laughter, his constant teasing. Without him, the house felt empty, and Wonwoo felt… well, he wasn’t sure what he felt, but he didn’t like it.

Finally, after nearly a week, he decided he’d had enough. He needed to apologize, and he needed Mingyu to forgive him.

That evening, after a silent and incredibly awkward dinner, Wonwoo approached Mingyu in the study where he’d retreated, reading one of his textbooks. Mingyu didn’t look up when Wonwoo entered, his eyes fixed firmly on the page.

“Are you going to ignore me forever?” Wonwoo asked, trying to keep his voice light but failing.

Mingyu didn’t respond, his gaze remaining glued to the book.

Wonwoo sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. “Look, Mingyu… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you. I was just… tired and on edge, and I took it out on you. It was unfair.”

Still, there was no response. Mingyu simply flipped a page, his expression neutral, as though Wonwoo weren’t even in the room.

Wonwoo felt a pang of frustration, but he swallowed it, taking a deep breath. “I miss you, Mingyu,” he said quietly, his voice softening. “This house feels empty without you talking to me. I… I didn’t realize how much I needed that until now.”

Mingyu’s eyes flickered, a brief look of surprise crossing his face, but he quickly masked it, keeping his focus on his book.

Determined, Wonwoo decided to try something else. He crossed the room and gently took the book from Mingyu’s hands, setting it aside.

Mingyu finally looked up at him, his eyes narrowing slightly. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“I’m trying to apologize,” Wonwoo replied, meeting his gaze. “I messed up, and I’m sorry. Truly. I don’t like this distance between us.”

Mingyu’s mouth twitched, though he kept his expression stern. “You can’t just snap at me and expect me to get over it in a day, Wonwoo.”

Wonwoo nodded, taking a seat beside him. “I know. I didn’t realize how much it hurt you. And I know I can be… difficult. But I’ll try to do better. You mean too much to me for me to keep pushing you away.”

For the first time, Mingyu’s face softened, a hint of emotion breaking through his stubborn expression. But he was nothing if not resolute, and he crossed his arms, looking away.

“You always say that,” he muttered. “You say you’ll try, but then you get busy and forget, and I’m left feeling like I don’t matter to you.”

Wonwoo’s heart twisted at those words. He’d never meant to make Mingyu feel that way, but now that he was hearing it, he realized that his actions might have spoken louder than he intended.

“You do matter, Mingyu,” he said earnestly. “More than you know. I wouldn’t be here begging for your forgiveness if you didn’t.”

Mingyu glanced at him, his expression unreadable, before letting out a soft sigh. “Then prove it.”

Wonwoo thought for a moment, and then he stood up, his face resolute. “Fine,” he said, taking a step back. “I’ll prove it, right now.”

Before Mingyu could ask what he meant, Wonwoo dropped to his knees right in front of him, looking up at him with a steady gaze.

Mingyu’s eyes widened, a flustered blush spreading across his cheeks. “What… What are you doing?”

Wonwoo raised his hands in mock surrender. “I’m not above groveling, if that’s what it takes,” he said, a playful smirk appearing on his lips. “If you don’t forgive me, I’ll stay like this all night. And everyone in this house will see me like this—pleading at your feet.”

Mingyu’s lips twitched, clearly trying to keep his stern expression, though a hint of amusement glinted in his eyes. “You’re ridiculous, you know that?”

Wonwoo grinned. “Ridiculously in need of your forgiveness, yes.”

A small smile finally broke through on Mingyu’s face, and he shook his head, clearly amused and flustered. “Fine, you win,” he muttered, rolling his eyes. “Get up. I can’t have Asia’s most feared mafia boss looking like this.”

Wonwoo laughed softly, standing up and reaching out to pull Mingyu into a hug. Mingyu allowed himself to be held, though he kept up his stubborn act, sighing dramatically as if he were doing Wonwoo a huge favor.

“You’re lucky I forgive you,” Mingyu murmured, though there was warmth in his tone as he wrapped his arms around Wonwoo. “But don’t do it again, alright?”

“I won’t,” Wonwoo promised, pressing a gentle kiss to Mingyu’s forehead. “I don’t ever want to feel that silence again. Not from you.”

Mingyu sighed contentedly, leaning into Wonwoo’s embrace. “Good,” he whispered, his voice softening. “Because I missed you too.”

Wonwoo held him close, a feeling of relief and warmth filling his chest. He’d finally realized just how much Mingyu had come to mean to him, and he knew that from now on, he’d be careful not to take that for granted.