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In Mingyu's words: "That rock, paper, scissors game is the most nerve-wrecking game of my life."
Now, don't get Mingyu wrong, it's not because he doesn't want to have a roommate (because to be honest, he does) but because the Aries in him wants to win the game. Yep, a competitive fire sign he has.
So when Mingyu lost the game, he's not actually as sad as he ought himself to be but rather a little excited because he is yet again to have another member as his roommate. And the best part? It's Wonwoo. Mingyu recalls the last time he shared a room with his hyung and smiles at the thought that it has been more than five years. Ah, those beautiful pre-debut years.
Mingyu's reminiscing was put into halt when he heard someone groaning.
"Just me and my luck," Wonwoo scoffs.
Mingyu tries to not let himself think of any more reason behind the evident disappointment of his hyung. Instead, he makes himself believe that the sole reason for this disappointment is Wonwoo’s desire to have a room of his own - something that the both of them had never experienced since their debut.
The moving was pretty much done quickly with how fast their next comeback approaches. "Let's move your stuff fast because we need your focus on the comeback," their managers told them.
"Hyung," Mingyu calls Jihoon with which Jihoon answers with a hum.
"I'll miss you," Mingyu's voice is so small that Jihoon barely hears him.
"It's not like I'll be far away, Gyu. I'll be just… stairs away," Jihoon replies without looking at him.
It is unspoken but Jihoon knows what Mingyu means that he'll miss. Being roommates is so much different to being not. Your room is supposed to be your safe space and to have someone in it with you meant sharing not only the space but the vulnerability that comes along with it. Jihoon shared a lot of his frustrations with Mingyu and he would be laughing if he said Mingyu had shared more. Because in Minghao’s words: “He doesn’t really say it when he’s going through something. You gotta figure it out yourself.”
Amidst the silence, Jihoon decides to continue packing his stuff - the remaining ones he chose to move last. Jihoon stands, arms full with his box of things.
"If it'll make you feel any better, I'll be missing you as my roommate, too. I mean…" Jihoon pauses to open the door of their room, "who's gonna nag me now? Right?"
Mingyu finally looks at Jihoon - face showing great satisfaction upon hearing Jihoon's answer.
Jihoon is about to step out of their room when Mingyu speaks again, "Will you allow me to go into your room?"
"Gyu, do you really have to ask?"
It is not that Mingyu's relationship with his other members is not as good as what he has with Jihoon. It is really just because sharing a room with someone carries the inevitability of developing a deeper connection with them. You know with how Jihoon used to somehow "detest" being smothered and then voila he seems to appreciate it a lot now? Jihoon would be lying if he says that Mingyu is not a big part of the change in his attitude towards skinship. Mingyu's long limbs that almost always automatically wrap themselves around Jihoon had made the composer get used to the warmth that all kinds of skinship carry. And now, every member, especially when Jihoon is in his best mood, can get away with hugging Jihoon from behind.
Another living proof of this is Mingyu's relationship with Minghao. M&M - a friendship that budded from being roommates in a room they decorated and cleaned themselves. Mingyu would be lying if he said that he knows himself more than Minghao knows him. Minghao could easily detect the tiniest change in Mingyu's emotions, something he naturally developed to have after being roomed with the obnoxious member. Minghao became Mingyu's confiding place - a place where Mingyu knows he won't be judged even if he shows his truest self. And Mingyu pretty much became a similar one for Minghao - all of this and also as Minghao's personal Korean language tutor.
Mingyu is just really excited to have, once again, that connection with Wonwoo. They were practically best friends when they were still rooming with each other. Ah, to have Wonwoo warm up to him again… is something that didn't actually happen so instantly just like with Minghao and Jihoon.
Wonwoo moved almost all of his stuff to their shared room except for the "oh so valuable possession" of his which he chose to place inside Seungcheol's room. His computer despite the change of rooms, remains in the general leader's place - the biggest solo room in their dorm.
Mingyu didn't expect it but his shared room with Wonwoo becomes a not so wished upon solo room of his. Contrary to Jihoon - who spends most of his time lying down, Wonwoo barely stays in their room. It might actually have been caused with the return of Wonwoo's love for his PC games (which Mingyu thinks was caused by those days the older practiced for the Chinese game streaming he had to do with Seungcheol), but Mingyu, despite his positive outlook in life, decides to let his mind think of much more reasons behind it.
It's finally their comeback season and some of the members are invited to guest in different shows. On the third day of promotions, Wonwoo, Seungcheol and Jeonghan are set to promote their new album in "SBS Power FM Radio".
The members were first asked about their thoughts on "Left and Right" and Seungcheol mentioned how it is the second "Aju Nice" to which Wonwoo and Jeonghan agreed to. The talk is mostly about their album and when they're talking about the changes in their group, the three members mentioned how Soonyoung spoiled that same day that they have more rooms now. Telling how the arrangements are made through a rock, paper, scissors game, how it's an arrangement that would last for two years, yada yada, Jeonghan and Seungcheol talked about their thoughts on the room arrangement and since Wonwoo didn't say a thing the host directed the next question to him.
"What about Wonwoo?"
"Oh, I'm in the shared room."
"With whom?"
"I share it with Mingyu, but my computer…"
"Is in my room!" Seungcheol supplies.
"Yes, in his room. Only my bed is in my room," Wonwoo continues.
"Oh, so you're in Scoups' room most of the time?"
"Yes," Wonwoo affirms.
"He sleeps in my bed too!"
Mingyu turns off the live broadcast. Having to hear the reality spoken was more painful than he imagined it to be. He looks around their room and notices how Wonwoo's side is evidently unscathed because of its owner's absence. He can count in his fingers the hours that Wonwoo stayed in their room and Mingyu sulks at the thought that it is mostly Wonwoo getting his clothes.
"Does he hate sharing this room with me that much?" Mingyu whispers the words to himself.
A day later, Mingyu and some of the members are scheduled to do their fansigns (which because of the pandemic are to be done through video calls).
If Mingyu’s favorite thing to do as an idol are concerts, the next thing is fansigns. He loves being able to interact and talk to the fans personally thus, his constant heart-fluttering replies in WeVerse.
Mingyu expected his questions to be mostly as random as they can be (with the little time given for each fan) so he is a little taken aback when he hears the fan's question.
"What's the difference between having Woozi and having Wonwoo as a roommate?"
If anyone could listen to what's going on in his head, they can hear how fast the gears in it are turning in the attempt to find the most correct answer.
"Oh, the existence of having one," he says whilst trying to put on his signature smile.
The following questions came to Mingyu in a blur and when it ended, he again put on his best smile as he played along with his members.
The moment he gets home, he flops himself on his bed - face hidden in the softness of his mattress and sighs. He didn't count but he feels as if that's the hundredth sigh he released that day.
He hears a knock on his door and he mumbles, "the door's open."
"Hey," Minghao greets him.
"Hey to you too," Mingyu says as he looks up to the man who entered before he hides his face again.
"You tired?" Minghao sits himself on the edge of Mingyu's bed.
"Nah."
"You sad?"
Mingyu doesn't answer and Minghao takes it as a yes.
"You could talk to me about it."
"I know. Thank you, Hao."
Mingyu feels Minghao shifting and then the next thing he knows Minghao has his arm around the width of his body. Mingyu moves closer to Minghao, letting the man tighten his hold on him.
Minutes after, Mingyu realizes how difficult it must be for Minghao to stay in that position so he wills himself to get up.
"Thanks, I needed that," he says to his best friend who sits up too.
"I know," Minghao smiles. "Get some rest, buddy. You need it. I'll just call you when it's time to eat."
Mingyu smiles at his best friend and watches him go out of his door before he decides to lull himself to sleep.
Their managers bring their food to the dorm and Seungcheol asks everyone who ordered food to eat at their place - the sixth floor.
"Hey, where's Mingyu?" Seungcheol asks the members in front of him.
"Sleeping," Minghao answers. "Should I wake him up now?"
"Won, call your roommate," Seungcheol says.
"Mingyu?"
"Why? Do you have another roommate?" Jeonghan says with a smirk.
"Uh, hyung, don't worry! I'll do it! I told him that I'll wake him up when it's time to eat," Minghao says as he gets up - not waiting for Wonwoo to answer.
"Is he mad at me?" Wonwoo asks the group and Seungcheol just shrugs at his direction.
Mingyu doesn't come out of his room that night and instead Minghao brings his food to his room.
"I don't understand why Minghao acted that way a while ago," Wonwoo says to the owner of the room where his PC is in.
"You heard Mingyu during his call with Carats?"
"Hyung, how will I be able to listen to that?"
"I don't know? Because he talked about you?"
Wonwoo bits his bottom lip, "h-he did?"
"Yeah, the carat asked him about the difference in having you and Jihoon as a roommate. He goes quiet for a few seconds before answering 'their existence'."
"Existence? What? I don't understand."
"Won, have you ever slept in your bed since the change of arrangement?"
Wonwoo becomes quiet at the question.
"You understand it now?"
Wonwoo doesn't. But at least now he's aware that the younger doesn't interact with him that much when they're not in front of the cameras. After their music show schedule, everybody gets home tired.
Another day and Wonwoo is once again in Seungcheol's room, arms stretching up as he sits himself in front of his computer. He is about to turn on his PC when he hears a knock on the door. He walks to it not missing a chance to sigh at the little disturbance.
"What-" Wonwoo stops whatever his mouth is trying to say.
"Uh, hello, hyung! Where's Seungcheol hyung?"
Wonwoo looks at the man, sees that he's still wearing that black polo he wore just this morning.
"Hyung?"
"Uh, he went out. I don't know where to."
"Uh, okay."
Mingyu is about to close the door when Wonwoo tries to stop it.
"Gyu, are we okay?"
"Of course, hyung! We're good," Mingyu smiles. "Are you… about to say more?"
"No, no. Uh… try calling Seungcheol hyung. I think he might be upstairs in Jeonghan hyung's room."
"Oh, okay. Thanks!" Mingyu says all of these without looking at the older's face before swiftly closing the door.
Wonwoo stares at the closed door for a good minute before realizing that he looks dumb doing so.
Wonwoo loses his energy to play games and lets himself think about what happened earlier. While deep in his thoughts, he falls asleep on Seungcheol's bed and wakes up to a beep of his phone.
From Seungcheol Hyung:
You up?
Let's talk.
12:13am
Wonwoo always thinks that the "Let's talk" statement is the scariest message to be ever received. And for it to be sent by their leader just adds to the little fear Wonwoo has for it.
To Seungcheol Hyung:
Yeah, about what?
12:14am
Wonwoo doesn't receive any reply and instead Seungcheol walks into the room and by the looks of it, the "let's talk statement" is about something serious.
"Hyung? What is it about?"
"Okay, I will be straight to the point, do you really hate being Mingyu's roommate?"
"Huh? What brought this on?"
"It's a yes or no question. Just answer it."
"Hyung, why would I hate being roommates with Mingyu? Of course not!"
"Because he thinks that you do. And actually, he asked me if he could change roommates."
"He did what?"
"Yeah. I was actually surprised… but he already asked Jihoon and Minghao if any of them agree to change rooms and be his roommate."
"Wait, doesn't that mean that he's the one who doesn't want to be my roommate?"
Seungcheol sighs and Wonwoo becomes more confused because of it.
"Won, the child was asking for a change in the room arrangement because he thinks you hate sharing it with him. I mean… you actually never slept in that room yet."
"B-but… I never said anything like that!"
"I know. It's just how Mingyu accepted your answer in that one radio show."
"Huh?"
"You're so dense," Seungcheol scowls at the boy in front of him. "Remember when the host asked who you are sharing a room with? You just said it's Mingyu then went on talking about how it's only just your bed which actually stays in there and that you are mostly in my room."
"But that's the truth."
"Won, I know. But Mingyu…" Seungcheol sighs again. "Just tell me if you agree to change rooms. If you do, we'll settle the issue tomorrow and move what needs to be moved."
"But I don't want to change rooms," Wonwoo softly says, almost a whisper.
"Okay then, we won't change rooms."
"Really?"
"It needs to be a mutual decision," Seungcheol says before finally sitting himself on his own bed. "But Won, please talk to Mingyu."
Wonwoo doesn't miss the surprise yelp Mingyu lets out when he opens the door to their room.
"Oh, hey there, hyung," Mingyu greets before avoiding the older's gaze.
Wonwoo doesn't answer but instead he sits on his own bed.
"Are you… getting your things?"
"What?"
"Aren't you here to get your things?"
"Mingyu, I-"
"It's okay, hyung! Don't worry about me! Jihoon hyung and Minghao agreed to be my roommate again so it's okay."
Wonwoo doesn't miss the faint disappointment on Mingyu's voice.
"Gyu, why did you come up with the idea that I hate sharing a room with you?"
"Uh, first of all I'm loud. I snore and although I said I'm a neat freak I sometimes don't have the energy to clean so I just leave my stuff anywhere… and I talk a lot, did I already say that?" Mingyu fakes a laugh and Wonwoo swears that he hates that sound. Mingyu's laughter doesn't sound that way.
"Mingyu, don't you think that what you just said sounded ridiculous?"
Mingyu fakes another laugh, "Uh, was it? Sorry."
"I don't hate being your roommate," Wonwoo finally says.
"Oh, you just want to have your own room?"
"I mean, Mingyu… who doesn't? But that doesn't mean that I don't like to be your roommate."
"But you are actually not since the room assignment," Mingyu says. "Oh, did I say that aloud? Sorry."
Mingyu's fidgeting with his fingers and Wonwoo doesn't miss the pout on the younger's mouth.
"I only decided to put my computer in Seungcheol hyung's room so that I won't disturb you when I play my games. And since I always finish late when I play, I decided to just sleep in his room so I won't have to open the door here and risk waking you up. I mean, aren't you sensitive to sound when you sleep?"
"But I'd rather have you disturbing my sleep than seeing the bed next to mine empty," Mingyu pouts some more.
"Okay, sorry. I'll do that from now on, Gyu. Sorry for making you think that I hate being your roommate."
Mingyu doesn't reply so Wonwoo walks over to where the younger is situated.
"Are we… okay for real now?" Wonwoo asks the younger, making Mingyu look at his face.
Mingyu looks so adorable with his bottom lip jutted out and eyes a little teary.
"I promise to be a better roommate... so please don't ask for room assignment change?"
Mingyu wipes the not fully formed tears on his eyes with the back of his hand before smiling at the older, "I'll tell Jihoon hyung and Minghao that they don't need to move anymore."