Chapter Text
Mingyu blinked harder, hoping his vision would clear up but the drink had been strong and he drank a lot. He had barely managed to stagger his way back to the dorm. He couldn’t remember the password to the dorm and kept pressing the wrong digits, again and again, while leaning against the door. He gave up at last and closed his eyes, sliding down against the door and wrapping his arms around his knees. He shivered slightly.
The door opened and he fell backward, stopping against Seungcheol’s shins. Mingyu looked up at Seungcheol and smiled. Seungcheol didn’t seem very impressed. Mingyu’s smile melted away due to the hot glare of Seungcheol’s eyes.
“Don’t you think you should cut down a little?” Seungcheol continued, “…also, you are late!”
“I know, “Mingyu murmured, not quite sober yet.
“Please don’t turn me into a bossy leader…” Seungcheol said. “We all hate bossy people, don’t we?”
“I’m sorry hyung…” Mingyu said and got up with the support of the wall and walked towards the sofa.
“Go to your room…” Seungcheol said while shutting the door.
“I want to sleep here…”
“YA…”
“Okay, okay,” he said and got up and walked to his room.
The room assignments had changed again. The members always used stone-paper-scissor as a definite tool for taking decisions. It was fair they believed. Mingyu found it rather nerve-wracking and unlucky- even more so now that he was in the same room as Wonwoo. The last time they had shared rooms was during their pre-debut period and after what had gone down then, Mingyu was glad he didn’t have to share the room with Wonwoo for a while but this time –he couldn’t run away or avoid.
Mingyu entered the room. It was dark, except for the glare of the phone screen which lit Wonwoo’s face. He always had to watch a thing or two before he went to sleep. Wonwoo wasn’t the type to fall asleep as soon as he hit the bed even when he was extremely tired.
He was so into whatever that he was watching, with earphones on, for he didn’t notice Mingyu enter the room.
Mingyu dragged himself to his own bed and dropped on the pillow face front. He would've loved a warm bath before sleep and a bit of music to mellow his senses until he fell asleep but he hardly wanted to create such an atmosphere around Wonwoo. That’d be dangerous. Instead, he drank until he knew he’d drop-nothing between him and his sleep.
No Wonwoo to interrupt.
Not his handsome face or his soft features.
Not his eyes, his nose, or his lips.
His lips.
How Wonwoo’s lips slightly parted as his "amazed" eyes were glued to the phone screen!
Before Mingyu realized it, he’d been staring at Wonwoo. His nose stung. His eyes were watery. His lips tried to form words but he couldn’t push them out of his mouth. Instead, he looked away immediately and pulled the blanket up to his head.
...
Mingyu fell asleep quickly.
Wonwoo paused the video and looked at him. He pulled out his earphones and walked towards Mingyu. He kneeled to get a good look at Mingyu’s face. He stared for what must’ve been a few seconds before he thought better of it. He helped Mingyu undo the jacket. Mingyu mumbled something. “What?” Wonwoo leaned in to hear better. But Mingyu just turned and returned to sleep. Wonwoo put away the jacket and then went off to sleep.
...
Minghao woke Mingyu up the next morning.
Wonwoo had left early with the other ‘96 line for the second set of photoshoots.
Mingyu sat up straight, yawned, and scratched his shoulder.
“Your face has swollen up…” Minghao said. “Your face looks fluffier than Seungkwan’s…”
“Don’t exaggerate,” Seungcheol said.
Seungkwan stopped outside the door, “Why what is wrong with my face?” he said angrily and walked away when summoned by Joshua.
A crackling pain ran through Mingyu’s head, like a shrill cry that disturbed the rhythm of the ears. His face scrunched in pain.
“Are you alright?” Minghao asked.
“Just the hangover…” Mingyu said.
“I am warning you… Cut down on the drinking if you don’t want to see my bad side …” Seungcheol said angrily.
Jeonghan slapped Seungcheol’s shoulder. “Ya…why are you scaring him?” he said and looked at Mingyu, “…and why are you drinking so much all of a sudden?”
“It…It just feels so good…when I’m drinking… when the drink burns as it slowly slides down my throat…” Mingyu said and the three stared at him.
“Good, he’s done for…” Jeonghan said and left the room.
“Good luck with the addiction…” Minghao said and patted on Mingyu’s shoulder and got up and left as well.
Seungcheol flicked Mingyu’s forehead. Mingyu rubbed his forehead hard to ease the pain.
“I have ordered the hangover soup… get ready and come out in 5 minutes…” Seungcheol said.
“Huh?” Mingyu said and rushed out of the bed and to the washroom hurriedly.
...
Mingyu, Dokyeom, and Minghao were in the vehicle on their way to the studio to be on standby for their photoshoot after the ‘96 line was done. Mingyu still felt groggy from last night’s drinking session. The soup hadn’t done much more than curbing his headache a little. The other two were discussing the concept of the photoshoot. With their non-stop chatter it was hard for Mingyu to get a second round of sleep and he was glad when they reached the studio. But all the blessed feelings fell away when he saw Wonwoo.
Wonwoo was wearing a black shirt that hung loosely on his shoulder. The cuffs were unbuttoned. The first three buttons of his shirt were undone. The black trouser clutched his slim legs tightly. Wonwoo’s bangs fell over his forehead, slightly parted above his left eyebrow. He was seated on a chair, which was placed backward. His arms rested, one on top of the other, over the backrest of the chair as he looked at the camera, his icy gaze piercing the lens, his lips slightly parted, inviting.
Mingyu would’ve obliged if not for the public around him. He couldn’t move his eyes from Wonwoo. Their eyes met.
Mingyu thought Wonwoo would probably look away. But he didn’t. He looked intently into Mingyu’s eyes as he slowly leaned forward and placed his chin on his arms.
Mingyu gulped.
Wonwoo smiled and looked away.
Mingyu pulled his hoodie over his eyes. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair to tease after all the talk about keeping distance between them.
“You are so mean…” Mingyu said under his breath.