pulchritude

part four

Mingyu slowed to a stop a block away from the building, running his fingers through his bleached locks in frustration. He spun around to face his ex husband, and he felt that it has been a long time since he has taken a proper look at him. Joshua was immensely pale, shrinking in his clothes and seemingly fatigued.

Even so, his beauty still shone through his pallid features, and Mingyu felt something strange stirring himself of him.

"Have you been eating well?"

Joshua sighed. Nowhere in hell was he going to engage in pointless small talk with his ex.

"What do you want, Mingyu?"

He hesitated. "Are you going out with that man?"

And never had he seen such resentment in Joshua's eyes, glaring at him with pure rage. The brunet was the embodiment of serenity. He was alluring and calm, like a quiet storm on a comfortable night in. He didn't have a temperament and almost never snapped, yet here Mingyu was, being the victim of it.

"And what if we are?" he knitted his brows, "Is that really your problem?"

"I just don't think he's right for you. I don't like him."

"You never liked anyone," he retorted.

Mingyu couldn't help but stare at him, perplexed.

"When we were together for the past seven years, I've never had a single friend because of you. If I was hanging out with someone, you would be suspicious of them and tell me to stay away. And I always did as you asked. But there you were, sneaking around my back and having an affair with another man."

Joshua couldn't suppress the anger boiling inside of him, "So you don't get to ask questions like that, Mingyu. You are in no position to turn this against me."

It suddenly hit him.

He was right.

Mingyu had been overprotective of him all through their relationship. He had always caged him in, shackled his wrists and made sure that the world could never lay their tainted hands on his pure innocent love. Jealousy would rear its ugly head whenever he saw someone laughing and standing a little too close to Joshua.

Over time, Mingyu had lost all his affection and love for him. He didn't feel the same way as he did when they first met. But when he had seen Joshua kiss and hold hands with a stranger, he began seething, threatened that someone else had finally managed to take him away. Yet he couldn't do anything.

Joshua was no longer his.

Mingyu blinded himself with his infatuation for Wonwoo. A new palette of colours bloomed within his visions, bringing him a sense of excitement that he hadn't felt in the three years he had been married. The chains of domesticity were boring him. He wanted more. So he turned away from Joshua.

Seven years of love, made meaningless with a flick of his hand.

A sudden dizzy spell hit him and Joshua broke out into a fit of persistent coughs, stumbling over his feet. Mingyu instinctively reached for him. "Are you alright–"

Seungcheol dove forward to envelope the young man in his arms, pulling him against his chest to steady their steps. He murmured against Joshua's ear with concern casted over his eyes, smoothing a hand against his back. The sight instantly tore Mingyu's heart apart. They seemed to complete each other, like they were meant to be.

Joshua waved his hand in the air, shaking his head in dismissal to assure the other that he was fine. He glanced back at Mingyu, grasping onto Seungcheol's arm for support.