beg • woosan (book 2)

15

unedited

Wooyoung and Mingi sit side by side in the dimly lit auditorium, their eyes fixed on the small figures twirling and jumping across the stage. The sound of little feet tapping in unison echoes through the room, punctuated by the occasional instruction from the teachers.

"Luna, point your toes!" wooyoung calls out to the four-year-old, who immediately straightens her legs with a look of fierce concentration on her face.

Mingi turns to Wooyoung, his gaze drifting to the turtleneck that seems out of place in the warm room. Wooyoung catches him staring and raises an eyebrow, "What, Gigi?"

"Don't 'what Gigi' me," Mingi whispers back, leaning closer so the children won't overhear. "What's going on with you?" Wooyoung rolls his eyes, not in the mood for this conversation, especially with the show looming over them.

"If you're going to scold me, we shouldn't have this conversation now," Wooyoung replies tersely.

"Fine, I won't," Mingi concedes, slouching back into his chair just as his group of five and six-year-old boys take their places on stage. The assistant teacher hits play on the sound system, and a hip hop beat fills the auditorium. The boys start their routine, moving with the enthusiasm and energy that Mingi instilled in them.

Wooyoung leans closer to Mingi, his voice barely above a whisper. "When I left your place, he was waiting for me outside, and we... yeah." There's a hint of vulnerability in his admission.

Mingi tries to keep his face neutral, but Wooyoung can see the disappointment there. "Mingi, don't judge me, I really love him."

"Okay, I get it, but—LANCE, MORE ENERGY PLEASE!" Mingi interrupts himself, calling out to a boy with twists in his hair who needs to put more oomph into his movements. He then turns back to Wooyoung. "I just don't want to see you or San get hurt."

Wooyoung's eyes soften, and a sincere smile spreads across his face. "I'm doing all I can to let him know how seriously in love with him I am," he says. "Even if I have to beg for him."

A sudden thud and a few giggles pull their attention back to the stage, where one of Mingi's students has collided with another. Mingi can't help but laugh, not at Wooyoung's declaration but at the sight of his students trying to regain their composure.

"You're so horrible," Wooyoung teases, chuckling along. "Are you guys okay?" he calls out to the little boys.

They nod, their faces bright with smiles, unfazed by the mishap. They quickly get back into position, ready to continue, their spirits undampened. Mingi and Wooyoung exchange a look, their laughter subsiding as they return to the task at hand, each finding comfort in the other's presence amidst the chaos of preparing for the show.

Wooyoung shifts the topic, his curiosity piqued about Mingi's personal life. "So, enough about me and San. How about you and Yunho? He's been working a lot, hasn't he?" Wooyoung asks, trying to sound casual.

Mingi's smile fades almost immediately, replaced by a somber frown. "He's in Korea," Mingi says curtly, his voice carrying a note of something Wooyoung can't quite decipher. Before Wooyoung has a chance to delve deeper or offer a word of comfort, Mingi is already on his feet.

With a brisk pace, Mingi moves away from Wooyoung and towards the stage, his focus redirected. "Five, six, seven, eight!" he commands, his voice strong and clear as he claps his hands, signaling the children to start their dance from the top.

Wooyoung watches Mingi, the distance between them now more than just physical. He senses there's a story there, a weight on Mingi's shoulders that his friend isn't ready to share. With a soft sigh, Wooyoung turns his attention back to the stage, letting the rhythm of the music and the joy of the dancing children soothe his concern for the moment.