BECAUSE → MEANIE

08

wonwoo stayed at home; he didn't go to visit mingyu that week. he was at home with his other- his significant other. however, while he was at his place, he couldn't help but think about mingyu. he was supposed to love his boyfriend, but his heart still longed for mingyu.

wonwoo compared his current boyfriend to mingyu for every little thing. if he held his hand, wonwoo would think about the way mingyu would hold him. if he whispered sweet things, he would imagine mingyu saying the same exact words and feel miserable. wonwoo didn't mean to compare mingyu to him, but he couldn't help it; he couldn't help but think about mingyu.

"wonwoo? what's wrong?" he would ask.

"nothing,"

"no, something is wrong. you're not answering my question,"

wonwoo blinked his eyes back into focus and saw the shirtless boy in front of him with a frown on his face. wonwoo's face was blank as he tried to process the images in front of him.

"what?"

"i asked you which shirt looked better," he sighed. "you're completely out of it,"

"i'm sorry, i was just thinking about something,"

he sighed. "i don't want to force you into saying anything but-"

the doorbell rang and interrupted him. wonwoo got up off the bed and walked towards the door. wonwoo, who normally looked through the peephole, was so absentminded that he just opened the door. in front of him was mingyu, and wonwoo was taken aback.

"mingyu," wonwoo whispered. "how did you find this place?"

"i asked around. i missed you," mingyu softly smiled at wonwoo.

wonwoo wanted to smile. he couldn't, though. he was nervous. anxiety rampaged through his limbs and stomach, and the inevitable happened. his boyfriend walked out of the bedroom and to the entrance of the apartment.

"who are you?" his boyfriend asked.

mingyu couldn't answer; he was stunned. he looked at both wonwoo and his boyfriend with wide eyes, wonwoo struggling to find words to describe the fabricating scenario.

"seungcheol, this is mingyu. mingyu, this is my boyfriend, seungcheol," wonwoo managed to splutter out.

mingyu's eyes hardened as seungcheol held onto wonwoo's trembling shoulders. wonwoo couldn't tell if mingyu was angry or upset, but whatever it was, it made wonwoo feel terrible.

mingyu left without a word. he just walked away from the door and didn't turn back. wonwoo ran out into the halls and watched as he walked away.

"mingyu! i'm sorry," wonwoo's voice cracked.

mingyu turned around, and wonwoo could see the tears streaming down his face. he took a step forward, but mingyu backed away. they looked at each other from the distance in the hall, and mingyu decided to speak after a moment of hesitation.

"why didn't you tell me?"

"because i couldn't,"