𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒃𝒐𝒓𝒐 𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 : 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒆

00:17

Alienation is defined as the state or experience of being isolated from a group or an activity to which one should belong or in which one should be involved, alienation is a word that Mingyu feels applies to him to a point.

You see, Mingyu is such an odd but basic case. He's unhappy with his unsatisfactory life but just as unhappy in his clueless fumbling about. He can't grasp an in-between that's stable and okay.

His fingers are numb as they tap out the heavy beat of the song he's been blasting since he pulled out of his driveway. His car is cold, he hadn't turned on the heater nor has he even acknowledged the November chill in the air.

There's no plan, he just got in and went. Mingyu can't fully remember why he left his house, after all he hadn't stepped foot of his property in a week and only vaguely recalls what he'd done in his spare time. Today he'd felt a bit better, still hadn't slept the night before and foggy headed but he hasn't fallen into a pit of self loathing yet and doesn't think he will anytime soon. At least he hopes not.

He still doesn't have the courage to call Minghao or Wonwoo, and honestly even if he did he wouldn't know what to say or how to say it. Soon he will, but not now.

Mingyu let's his attention wonder a bit as he slows to stop at a street light.

The town is oddly quiet for a Friday evening, only a few other vehicles pass him by and almost nobody is on the side walks. The sun's already going down, turning the sky a growing fuchsia color with each second that goes by. He blinks at the setting skyline.

If the blue hour was his favorite time of day, sunsets are his second favorite.

At some point he ends up parked in front of the EZ Mart, the gross neon lights have kicked on and cast an ugly green and red glow on his car's hood. He shuts down the ignition and sighs, glancing down at the half empty pack of cigarettes in the cup holder.

It's the one time he doesn't need anything, but feels compelled to go and buy something. He frowns before shaking his head and jumps out of the car with a grunt.

Just like the streets, the store is empty besides the cashier and Mingyu himself and yet he still has a strange feeling in his gut. He frowns, gnawing at the inside of his cheek until the burning copper taste appears on his tongue.

Instead of heading straight for the counter, Mingyu makes a beeline for the refrigerators. He glances around through the foggy glass doors, too many options. Too many choices, choices that could lead him anywhere or impact him somehow. Like a twisted fate, red pill blue pill if nothing else.

Maybe he's thinking about it too hard, just the thought now that a simple drink choice could set his life on a new course is ridiculous. Right? The Butterfly Effect was a real thing, but surely it couldn't work like that for him.

He's not Ashton Kutcher, and he can't go and change the past.

He sighs and props the door open to blindly grab a bottle, even his thoughts make no sense now.

"Hey..."

Mingyu flinches and jerks his head to the side, eyes widening for a moment before he tenses up.

Of course, his luck doesn't allow him to run from his problems. It makes perfect sense, theoretically, that Wonwoo would have gone to the empty EZ Mart at sun down on a Saturday. Of course he'd be there at the same time, in the same isle, with the same weathered look. Mingyu doesn't have luck nor does fate shine down on him lightly.

Wonwoo seems to have a sixth sense when it came to tracking Mingyu down when he was out of it, it seemed more a talent now more than anything. He could find him like a needle in a hay stack, sharp eyes zoning in and blindly following an unspoken road right to the younger. Mingyu's not even sure if Wonwoo realizes just how un-coincidental it felt at this point.