The Boy in the Library - Meanie

010

Late night walks; even now, Wonwoo was still fond of them. Even after all that happened... at least he couldn't be hurt now.

He remembered when he would walk around after school, just to get away from the stress of it all. Last time he had gone to school, the school year was almost over... he and his fellow students had been preparing for exams. He still remembered it vividly in his mind.

Junhui nudged Wonwoo in the arm. "Ready to study?"

Soonyoung groaned. "I hate studying."

"I wasn't asking you, baboya." said Junhui playfully.

"I guess." shrugged Wonwoo. He knew studying wasn't necessary, as he could recall everything he'd learned over the past year perfectly well, thank you very much.

"I'd expect you to be more enthusiastic." said Jihoon.

Wonwoo smiled slightly. "I'm just... a bit distracted today."

"How so?" asked Soonyoung curiously.

"I... I have this weirdest feeling, like someone's been following me all day."

Thinking back on his friends comforted him and hurt him at the same time. Did they think of him at all anymore?

Thinking of that made him think of Mingyu. He desperately wished the younger would reconcile with his friends. Because, after all, you don't know how much you love someone until they're gone. What if something happened, and Mingyu and his friends hadn't made up? Wonwoo would never forgive himself, because he knew exactly how that felt.

The chilly breeze blew against his face, somehow calming him. Something about the nighttime environment in the nature-y part of Seoul held a certain sense of tranquility, and it calmed him down every time. He wished he'd realized how beautiful the world could be while he had the chance - the trees, crunchy leaves swaying gracefully with the wind. The flowers, bringing a sweet, soothing aroma to the air. The moon, lighting a path in the tenebrosity of the night. It was all so beautiful, and Wonwoo wanted to go back in time and tell himself not to take these things for granted.

But he couldn't.

It was all too late now, and it haunted Wonwoo endlessly. He'd never get to go back and experience the world the way others did.

He wondered if Mingyu knew how beautiful the world was. Mingyu certainly saw a lot of bad, but did he see the good too? Did he see that there was a purpose, that life was a scenic journey worth traversing?

He wondered for a brief second why he was so concerned, but then he realized it was because he'd suffered. Mingyu didn't deserve to go through the hell Wonwoo had suffered. Not that anyone deserved that, but Mingyu... Mingyu was just too perfect.

Suddenly, Wonwoo's phone rang, bringing him back to reality. He sighed and answered it without even looking at the caller ID. He knew it was Mingyu because he had deleted every other number on his phone, because it was pointless to try and call anyone else. Every time he tried, the call never went through.

"Hyung." pouted Mingyu on the other end of the phone. "Turn your camera on, I want to see you."

Wonwoo chuckled. "Alright, fine... why did you call? Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

"Yeah, but I can't sleep." said Mingyu. "So I thought I'd talk to you. Are you at the park?"

Wonwoo nodded. "I'll come back right now, okay? Hang in there."

"Hyung, you don't have to come back for me." said Mingyu.

But Wonwoo had already made up his mind. "I'm coming, Gyu."

***

Since Junhui had a break from college, he decided to visit Minghao. What he didn't expect to see was a broken boy lying on the couch, bags under his eyes, his clothes baggy. It looked as though he hadn't even made an effort to do much of anything.

"Babe, what's wrong?" he asked instantly, rushing to kneel on the floor beside his boyfriend.

Minghao sighed. "Mingyu's mad at me and Dokyeom. And now he won't talk to us at all." he said, his voice hoarse, as if he hadn't spoken at all in days.

"Woah, what happened?" asked Junhui, stroking Minghao's hair.

"He insists that this 'Wonwoo' person is real. And we didn't believe him, and he got mad."

Junhui sighed, biting his lip. "He's friends with Wonwoo now?"

"Apparently." shrugged Minghao. "I've told him he must be crazy, but... I want him back, I just don't want to believe him."

Junhui nodded sympathetically. "You've tried to go to him first, I take it?"

Minghao nodded. "Twice. He slammed the door in me and Dokyeom's faces both times. He also punched me in the face, and he deleted our numbers from his phone."

"Maybe he just wants to be alone." said Junhui softly. "He might need some time to cool off. And if he doesn't come back... if he doesn't come back, you don't deserve him, Hao. You deserve someone who will always stay with you, even if you go through some rough patches in your relationship sometimes. Just try not to think about him, because I don't think there's much to do."

Even as he said it, he pulled out his phone. He was almost positive it wouldn't work, but just maybe...

Junhui: Wonu-ya, are you there?

Message failed to send

He hadn't expected the text to go through. He'd been trying for months, out of desperation, but nothing ever worked.

"Have you told him about Wonwoo?" he asked Minghao, putting his phone back in his pocket.

Minghao shook his head. "I don't know how he'd take it."

"Maybe if- or rather when- he comes back, you can tell him, if he doesn't know by then." said Junhui softly. "I hate seeing you upset, though, so come here- let's cuddle, it's been a long time."