𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐧𝐨𝐰│ ᴍᴇᴀɴɪᴇ

36

"Get me on the phone with my manager." Mingyu demanded, face suddenly appearing much more demanding.

Wonwoo looked through the bars he clutched to helplessly, teary eyes clinging to Mingyu's frame. "Please don't leave Gyu, please you can't." He begged.

"Mr Kim we'd advise you to stay calm and not overreact. This is a strange time for all of us-"

"Get me on the phone with my fucking manager. My boyfriend is highly distressed due to your incompetence and so help me, I will sue the entire state if I don't see that he is taken out of that cage and treated like a fucking human being." He spat angrily.

The officers were shocked but couldn't deny him the call, helping him reach the phone and dial the number.

Over the years, Mingyu had gone through a plethora of different managers. He argued that they were too controlling or tried to force him into things, going through about two a year. When he was twenty he was able to finally have a say in the interview process and along came Jihoon.

He remembers just how angry his parents got when they'd discovered he'd employed a recent University graduate; most of Mingyu's previous managers had been well experienced in the business.

Something about the demeanour of the laidback manager gravitated Mingyu towards him. And now, stood at a telephone that looked to be older than him, he had never been so thankful for the opportunity to make that choice.

"Lee Jihoon speaking." The distantly familiar voice came.

"Hyung please help they're trying to take me back and-" Mingyu instantly blurred out, only stopping when Jihoon interrupted him.

"Holy shit Mingyu? Mingyu calm down, calm down okay. You're safe." He said, cycling through an array of emotions since he was expecting another officer on the line, the fact it was really Mingyu speaking on the phone left him slightly stunned.

"It's not me I'm worried about, look, what have you said?" Mingyu asked, trying not to sound too demanding but still running on high emotion.

"Nothing yet, I was just about to mass send an email about your return." The young manager said, recovering from the shock and going back into work mode.

"Please don't. I don't need anyone to know I was ever back, I can't do it again." Jihoon noticed the desperation in his voice, mouse retracting away from the send button."It's okay, breathe. Tell me what's going on and I can sort it out for you." He said softly.

"How long do you have?" Mingyu asked. It was quite the story.

"All the time you need, I'm here for you." His manager said, he'd developed a good way of talking to Mingyu. It felt like decades ago for both of them that Jihoon would be soothing him from an arduous day of schedules that left Mingyu feeling awful but the atmosphere came back naturally, despite the idea of the outside world now having become so foreign.

But by the end of the story, Mingyu had calmed down substantially, Jihoon's reassuring words had eased him enough to be able to relax.

"Well fuck." Jihoon let out a long sigh, taking it all in.

"Yeah," Mingyu chuckled dryly, it was all he could do. "Fuck indeed."

"So, what do you need me to do about it?" Jihoon asked.

"I want to ensure Wonwoo's safety, give him enough of my money to get him a nice place wherever he wants. Just pick him up at the airport when he gets to Korea, he'll like it best there I think. Pay off the officers and doctors I came into contact with, they won't take much convincing."

"With what money?"

"What do you mean what money?"

"Your parents took it all, or at least it's pending. Mingyu, you were pronounced dead months ago. Since you had no final will, the money is meant to go to them. These things take a while but without a will they get it all." Jihoon explained clearly, sounding like he was tired of hearing about it. Mingyu felt a small amount of sympathy for the older, he'd probably had such a rough time throughout all this; his main feeling however, was dread.

This created an issue. With no money there was no way Wonwoo could make it to Korea, make it by himself.

"What if we made a will?" Mingyu asked.

"What?"

"Get your most trusted lawyer and help me draw one up, tell him I'll pay whatever it takes. Just say you found it in my belongings. I can completely remove my parents from it so they'd get nothing more than they've already taken."

"I guess that could work." Jihoon contemplated. "But about you? You've talked about this Wonwoo guy and I'm happy for you, really but Mingyu I don't know if deciding all this for both of you is the best choice." He explained carefully.

There was a pause on the line for a second. "I'm staying here." Mingyu settled with simply, "All I need is a ride to the bottom of the mountain, I can make my way back up from there."

Jihoon was used to his stubbornness but after the story he'd just been told, it felt like a whole different level,"Mingyu don't you think that's a bit-"

"Think of it as my dying wish." Mingyu cut him off, hoping the statement would mean enough.

He could basically feel Jihoon roll his eyes at the dramatic nature that Mingyu never lost, "But you're not dying, you might do if you try and survive in a remote cabin alone with hardly functioning legs and no civilisation, though. Mingyu I don't know if I could live with myself knowing that you're up there." He said in a warning tone.

"Hyung please. You know how much I hated it back then, you saw how bad I was. For the first time in my life I feel alive and it's because of what I've found here."

"But isn't Wonwoo what you found?"

"He found me. It's time I let him go." Mingyu said, more to himself than to Jihoon. "It'll hurt for both of us, I know it will. But he needs it, we want different things. If he wants to come back one day, he's more than welcome to but he needs to experience life and one without some fucked up celebrity to twist it all up." He continued.

There was a pause, Jihoon really thought he should talk him out of it further but the tone in the younger's voice told him it was futile. "If you're sure."

"I'm sure."

"It was nice knowing you Mingyu, truly. I am so sorry for everything that happened. I know a lawyer for you, Joshua, he was my University dorm mate and I trust him. I'll get you in contact and get everything in motion then I mean, I guess it's goodbye forever. For now just rest, you've had a long day." Jihoon explained, a slight sadness in his voice.

"Thank you, Jihoon. Have a good night." Mingyu said, unable to end the call with any sort of enthusiasm as he put the phone back in its holder and let out a deep breath.

His main issue now would be saying goodbye.

When he came back into the main area of the police station he found Wonwoo sat on a chair, head down. "The hotel down the road has agreed that you two can rest there for the night, we haven't disclosed your name Mr Kim." The sheriff informed him, after his outburst they'd realised that segregating them only made them both harder to deal with, taking pity on them just this once was probably for the best.

Mingyu didn't even say thank you, using a pair of crutches to get over to Wonwoo. "We can rest now Wonwoo." He said, not daring to touch him too much, only lightly brushing his arm in an attempt of comfort.

Wonwoo nodded, eyes still fixed to the floor. Mingyu got the address and guided them both out.

Maybe this would be okay, a moments release in the hell of the day.

It'd be fine, they'd be fine. If only for a little while.