Chapter Text
But as Minghao places his bag down to unlock the door he feels a bzzz from his pocket. He brushes it off as he enters eager to just hit the floor and nap. He shuffles out of his shoes into his slippers and loosens his tie with his free hand. He sets the briefcase on the table and falls onto the plush couch letting the weight of his exhaustion slide out, he knows he needs to get up... However his eyes close and a short nap transpire.
He stretches his arms over his head as he looks at the clock, already ready to take a warm shower, placing his phone on the dresser. He later dries off wrapping his robe around his thin stature as he looks at himself in the mirror. Recapping all that's happened in his day, his eyes are going hazy in exhaustion. Steering himself towards the kitchen to eat a small dinner he heads to the fridge.Opening the door, seeing the pile of pre-made food he bought on Saturday . Pulling out the chicken alfredo box. He makes quick work of it dumping the empty box into the recycling bin not before he washed it. Once Minghao finishes eating he shuffles in his fuzzy slippers towards his bedroom .
Where he plops onto his bed and settles himself under the thin polyester sheets. AC on full blast, the cool air settles.Minghao gets comfy and removes his robe. He grabs his phone, checking his notifications. A mundane activity with no meaningful purpose. It was just a constant reminder of how he didn't have many people in his life. But right there before his eye is a notification next to Mingyu's name, it beckons him strangely. He looked over the heart emoji that was seemingly already there. A smile is already forming on his lips. He opens it.
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M9-"The moon is not the only thing that relishes in the darkness, it seems to be true... only time tells."
Mingyu had just finished his reading on the stock market patterns and then waited until most employees have left to go head up to his grandfathers office
He hopped on the elevator, pushing the topmost button. The doors slide open, revealing the secratry's desk, her eyes look up in familiarity, and she buzzes him in with a quick smile. As he walking to his grandfather's office, he made sure to calm himself and remind himself of his place. It was better to not oppose his grandfather; don't get him wrong; he has loved that old man in what ways he could. The same could be said about his grandfather in his little misconstrued way of showing affection. He was practically Mingyu's father ever since that day...
When he was a child, a child psychiatrist diagnosed him with having PTSD, but his grandfather brushed him off because of his young age, only letting him have therapy, and that too he frowned upon it. Never lasting past a year. But through it all, he was the main figure in his life, the only one after that day.
Snapping himself back into now, he looks at the large door in front, waiting for his grandfather's voice.
"Come in" a hoarse voice said. His grandfather was sitting at his desk, looking over the Han River. His office was meticulous, the files lining the shelf. His family insignia hung high and grand. And the black laquer, mother of pearl inlaid ornate furniture filled the room with grandeur befitting his stature. He comes close to his desk and bows down to him, then gives him a rundown on stocks and investments of the business. It was his grandpa's way of testing his capability. After thoughtfully listening, he gives him a smile, though it never reaches his eyes or soul. Something that was robbed of him, only a slight piece hanging on for his grandson.
Mingyu excuses himself and wishes his grandpa a well-rested night before heading out. As Mingyu walked home, he tightened his light coat over himself a bit more, the night breeze ruffling his hair. He glances at his watch at 7 o'clock. The stars have just set in; he could barely see because of the streetlights in Gangnam. The neon signs lit up in front of numerous clubs and restaurants. He stayed clear, always taking the backroute. As the lights became less intense, his apartment building came into view. While he was inside his unit, all that was taking over his mind was Myungho. He had never been this attracted to someone before, and he's had his fair share of "flings" that weren't shit. But Myunghao has captured his heart; was it the way his eyes shone bright even in that cramped room? Or the way his ears were a bit pointed, littered with piercings; he wanted to touch them, rub the cartilage between his finger tips, feeling the softness of it contrasting with the cool metal. Oh and his voice, laid thick with his accent, sounded so angelic to his ears, he wanted to hear him laugh and giggle. Hear the way he would moan his name. Wait, he needed to stop thinking such lewd thoughts as he shook his head vehemently in disappointment. But his head was already filled with it. He needed to calm himself down, but how? Well he decided that he should set the pace to whatever he was hoping for. So he obviously did what anyone in their rational mind did... send a selca. Not an ordinary one though.
He already sent one near the end of the work day, it was a horrible picture. He took one of himself, winking, but it looked tragic. It looks like both of his eyes were closed and his mouth contorted wierdly to the side. Coupled with a cheesy "See ya handsome" At this point he should just hide under a rock, but he decided to make amends not expecting how Myungho would react to him. He starts this time with some texts:
"Hope you had a good day"
Delivered
"I kinda want to talk to you more..."
Delivered
Well let me quickly take a shower I'm sure he's busy Mingyu thought to himself.
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Read
Minghao smiles to himself seeing what Mingyu texted him, noting the time difference between each one. But he pays no head just thinking of the warm feeling that fills his heart. Don't get him wrong; he wasn't struck because of his text but the accumulation of him. The man that he was, the moment he saw him, he was hooked. Eyes never straying from him. He starts texting Mingyu a response, just causally recioprocating the same feeling as well. He decided to be bold for a bit and purposefully include little bits about himself along with questions he wonders about Mingyu. Hoping Mingyu would fall right for it, the way Minghao has fallen for him. After sending his mini-strands of texts, he glances at the clock; it's 9:30. "I need to sleep," he thinks to himself as he turns his phone off, putting it aside on the dresser. But he can't; he's laying down, but he can't go to bed. He decided to get up and pace in his room, wondering if it isn't too late to just delete his messages out of embarrassment. "Is it weird of me to just like yap about myself to a stranger that I know jack shit about?"
"Will Mingyu even be interested in me... I mean, for all I know that man is so fine, I swear he must have dudes being gay just for him (cough cough); he most definitely is for him."
"But he could just be looking at me like a friend, right?"
"Oh my god, Xu Minghao, get your shit together," Minghao mutters to himself, feeling his anxiety creep in.
"Well, he did call me beautiful... that has to mean something?" He himself felt blood rush to his face and his ears warm up just thinking of that moment, just the two of them.
If he had spent an agonizing amount over it, no one needed to know. If the images in his head transformed into something well beyond friends, who was anyone to judge him for? He was practically alone in the foreign country except for Junhui and Boo. But he wanted something of his own.
He returned to his bed, calming himself down. Forcfully trying to hypnotize himself to sleep. Bzzzz. Huh? He looks to his left and sees his screen lighting up. He reaches for it, swiping up.
A selca of Mingyu blesses his eyes.
Underneath it Mingyu texted a...
"Woah, meosjindayo (that's cool) " With a cute emoji next to it (●'◡'●)/
The Selca is what draws Minghao... He's topless and the edge of Mingyu's pic cuts right before his pectorals are seen. His hair is very wet, noting how cute it fell on his forhead. Little spikes and licks sticking out. His face is a bit red, he notices how flushed he looks and his wide smile.
God why is he so cute, Minghao balls his fists into his bed. He notices that he's still typing and eagerly waits for him.
"I can't wait to see you tmrw Myungho, I have a lottt of questions. And I can only have you answer em... Good night ! "
Minghao smiles in response, sending a short me too! Night !
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He smiled, thinking about how Myungho would have responded... His fairy-like giggles; he wanted to be the source of that. He didn't want to say goodnight, but alas all of his life he has abided by a strict schedule. At least the life he remembers after his father's death. It was all a blur, his grandfather had been giving him these pills, they were supoosed to be for his "problem" of going to bed. Insomnia. Mingyu never quesitoned it, it helped stop his nightmares he would get. They were so vivid, he trembled being drenched in the rain. For some reason he was outside his hands felt sticky, they were covered in...He doesn't dwell on it. These nightmares he's learned to compartmentalize. Right now he unscrews the lid, pops 2 pills in his mouth. Grabbing his water bottle that he has on the bedside drawer. He swallows it down, taking an extra gulp for hydration. He feels nauseaous, uncomfortable when the pill is taking into effect. It feels like something is gnawing at him from the insides. He didn't feel safe like their was someone else in his presense. His head began to hurt a normal side effect. His body trembled slightly he felt his musles tense. His eyes now shut close. Then a sudden calm washes over his face relaxes. The moon basks in the dark Mingyu was fast asleep rejecting the blue hour.
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While Minghao layed in bed, his tiredness consumed, a losing battle indeed. Eyes closing instinctlively lulling himself to the sound of the ac's steady hum .Giving into wonderland, a world he dreamed of with a familiar figure appearing to hold his bare waist, leaning close.