a work of art [meanie]

Chapter 38

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Glancing at Mingyu, Wonwoo reaches for his hand and grabs it. He interlaces their hands, his smile widening as he sees Mingyu's lips tuck upwards at the gesture. Mingyu squeezes the other's hand slightly, and smiles when Wonwoo turns his head to look at him. They continue their walk in content silence. 

The day has been Wonwoo's best so far or at least that's what it feels like at the moment. He feels so happy that if someone asked him when he was the happiest his answer would be "right now".  

After Mingyu managed to convince Wonwoo to get up from the bed, they packed up and left for picnic. Now they are walking towards the park with food, a boombox and a blanket in their backpacks. And what makes Wonwoo so happy is that they're holding hands and Mingyu has his gorgeous smile on his face.  

Swinging their hands back and forth, Mingyu asks: "Do you think plants feel pain?"

Wonwoo chuckles at the random question, but answers after a while of thinking, "I don't know. I guess? But maybe they don't feel pain as easily as we do. Like you know, if you hit me and that flower right there," he explains, pointing at long, yellow flowers, "maybe it will hurt me more."

Mingyu hums, "I used to think that they don't feel pain. But you know what?" he stops walking, making Wonwoo stop as well as they're holding hands. He looks at Wonwoo with a serious frown on his face, "I actually read an article that told that plants do feel pain."

"Do you know how many times I've picked up a flower or stepped on plants? I pick up a flower because I think it's so beautiful and I want to give it to someone special, but I'm actually hurting the flower. I might make someone smile and the flower just suffers!" Mingyu pouts, not letting go of Wonwoo's hand.

Wonwoo tries not to let the soft smile spread to his face, but it's so difficult when Mingyu is being so cute, "But you didn't know that back then. Now you know, so if you feel bad about picking up flowers or stepping on plants, you can stop doing it. I won't pick up flowers either if it makes you feel better."

Mingyu sighs, "Yeah, I guess. But people hurt nonetheless. Some without meaning to and some on purpose, but we all do. We're all bad."

Wonwoo doesn't really know how answer to that, so he just watches Mingyu silently, feeling a sudden urge to just take the boy in his arms as he looks at Mingyu's small pout. He's so perfect, inside and out.

But there's something seriously sad in Mingyu's expression, and Wonwoo brings his free hand to the other's face, caressing Mingyu's cheek softly with his thumb.  

"There are good people too, though," Wonwoo says softly, voice barely above whisper, "And good people like you need other good people around them. Because when you surround yourself with those who make you happy, and remove toxic people from your life, you'll live a healthy, happy life."

Mingyu drops his gaze a bit lower from Wonwoo's face, and Wonwoo softly and carefully lifts Mingyu's face with his hand on his cheek, examining his expression.

"Is there something bothering your mind?" He asks softly, moving a bit closer to Mingyu.

Mingyu doesn't answer right away, but Wonwoo waits patiently, squeezing the former's hand encouragingly and caressing his cheek with his other hand.