ATEEZ 9th Member AU

Enlightenment

Mingi talks to Nari and she doesn't take it too well

Nari had gone out with Mark and while he was the perfect gentlemen, she had told him she didn't want to pursue anything. Both had agreed that they were better as friends, but that wouldn't stop him from his teasing flirting. Nari had just come to tease him back.

Her and San were still sneaking around; or so they imagined. Everyone knew. With nine people living in one space it was really hard to keep a secret, especially one they had a secret. But San hadn't brought anything up and neither had Nari. And while deep down she knew it needed to be talked about, that they couldn't just tiptoe around that conversation forever, she wanted to leave it for what was right now. No matter how shitty that made her seem.

She also figured if it was bothering San that much, he would talk to her. She was actually hoping he'd be the first one to bring it up because she wasn't sure how to approach the topic. Especially when every time they did end up talking it ended up with her naked and moaning his name. She sighed as she laid her head down on the desk in front of her.

She was tired, stressed and had thoughts racing around at million miles an hour. She heard a knock at the door and picked her head up to lazily smile at Mingi. "Hey, you," she said and he smiled, moving towards her. She could tell he was nervous about something. He was fidgeting and looking around everywhere but her. "What's up, Mings?" She asked gently.

He clasped his hands together and finally looked at her. "I wanted to talk to you about something. But I don't know how you'll take it." He bit his bottom lip and she sighed again. "Do I scare you that much?" She teased and he shook his head. "No, but I know this is a—sensitive—subject." She raised a brow and leaned back in her swivel chair. She was curious. She wasn't really a sensitive person. Only with certain things. "Try me."

He sighed and looked at her again. "What's going on with you and San?" She felt herself tense and any exhaustion she was feeling immediately disappeared. She narrowed her eyes, crossing her chest. She was feeling defensive for some reason. "What do you mean?" He scoffed, running his fingers through his hair. "You know what I mean. You act like we don't hear you two every single time and it's not like he's subtle about it when we're at the dorm at least."

She let her shoulders sag a little. She really had thought only Wooyoung knew. But apparently not. "We're just—not together—having fun?" It came out as a question because she truly didn't know. "We haven't really talked about it. We're just, going with the flow I guess." She shrugged and wrapped her arms around her body. Mingi bit the inside of his cheek.

"What do you want it to be?" She cocked her head to the side, confused at his question. Not really confused; she knew what he was asking. But she didn't have an answer because she really didn't know what she wanted. "Don't play dumb, Nar. It's not cute." She rolled her eyes at him but answered nonetheless. "Honestly, I don't know. I love him, Mingi. A part of me always will. What I want right now? I really don't know."

He frowned again and clenched his hands into fists. "Don't think it's, I don't know, important to talk about that?" She shrugged again, this time truly confused. "Sure it is. Just not now. Let alone, I don't see why you really care. It doesn't affect you." He let out a dry chuckle, looking angry now. She immediately felt defensive again. "It affects the group. And me. He's my friend too."

She raised a brow. "Enlighten me, Mingi. How is—whatever it is we're doing right now—affecting the group? Or him? Because no one's mentioned anything to me and he hasn't' either. He seems quite happy about it actually." Mingi sighed again. "That's exactly it, Nar. He seems happy, but have you even bothered to look if he really is?" She bit her tongue, not wanting to answer that because she hadn't.

"He loves you, Nar. We all know that. I'm sure the fans all know that. It's obvious and he's not subtle about it. Because that's San, that's who he is. So, sure, we'd all be happy to be in—uhm—relations. But without a type of commitment? Do you think any of us would be happy about that? Especially if we were hopelessly in love with that person?" She didn't say anything, looking at her feet and just wanting this conversation to be over.

"He loves you. He wants to be with you. But he won't say anything because you seem happy too. I don't think you're truly happy, but it's enough for him right now. He doesn't want to mess it up. And I'm sorry, Nar. But you can't just toy with his heart and emotions like that." Her eyes snapped up to hisand she could feel the fire burning in them. "I'm sorry, you said I'm playing with his heart and emotions?"

He nodded because he believed that. He didn't want to butt in, but when Nari had gone to hang out with Mark a few nights ago, San was more or less distraught. He couldn't sit still, he was quiet and he was closed off. Not something San had been since they had broken up. He kept staring at the door, checking his phone. And Mingi knew it was because he was waiting for her. To hear from her. Even if he wouldn't say it out loud. And as much as he loved Nari, he was not about to let anyone in the group toy with anyone's feelings or emotions.

"You are. You won't talk about it, you're sleeping with him one day and then hanging out with another guy the next." She scoffed, turning around and looking back at her computer. She was fuming. "That was one time and all we did was grab dinner. It wasn't even a date, hardly." Mingi sighed. "But it still was. And you didn't even bother to see how much it really hurt San, Nari. And I can't let you do that. Not again."

She spun around, fire blazing wildly in her eyes. "I hurt him? The last time was all my fault?" Mingi didn't say anything because it was on both their parts, not just one or other. But he needed to drive his point in, make her truly understand that this wasn't healthy for anyone. "You need to get out. Now." Mingi said nothing else, standing up and walking out. As soon as the door closed Nari picked up the keyboard and whipped at the door he had just closed before collapsing back into the chair.

As much as she could rationally think right now, Mingi could shove a big one up his ass.