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“Mingyu~” Daeun whines, “why are you in a hurry to go back home? You just won an award! We should have a drink and celebrate!” She pats his back as Mingyu shuffles around the green room, packing his things.
He shakes his head, adrenaline rushing through his veins, “Sorry Daeun, we’ll catch up later. Wonwoo Hyung is coming back today” he chirps, and Daeun huffs
She crosses her arms and Mingyu turns to her with a smile. He pats her head, “Rain check?”
And she smiles, “sure”
“Great!” he grabs his duffel bag and rushes towards the exit and—
When he opens the door, his breath hitches at the sight of his boyfriend of 3 years, clad in his white sailor uniform, meritorious badges displayed proudly on his arms, and a bright smile on his face. He removes his peaked cap, about to say something when Mingyu silences him with a hug, wrapping his arms around his neck tightly, “Hyung! You’re back!” he almost yells, overwhelmed, so much that he doesn’t believe it’s real.
Wonwoo wraps his arms around his middle, mustering up the strength to lift Mingyu up by a few inches before putting him down, “did you get heavier?!” he complains and Mingyu chuckles, pulling away to place a deep kiss on his lips, letting himself soak in the fact that after 3 months, his boyfriend is finally here.
“No” he breaks the kiss, “you're just weak”
“That’s not something you say to a Naval Officer” he deadpans and Mingyu chuckles, pulling him close by the waist and kissing him again, “I missed you” he breathes against his lips and Wonwoo smiles, “I missed you too”
“Wonwoo-ssi, nice to see you again. I thought you wouldn’t be discharged for another week” Daeun notes.
Usually, even after they’ve resurfaced, they’re supposed to spend a few days at the base before hitting the town.
Wonwoo smiles politely, “That was the plan. But I couldn’t wait” he laces his fingers with Mingyu’s, looking up at him like he’s his whole world, and fuck, Mingyu loves this man so much!
Daeun smirks, “that’s great. I’ll drop you two home, Mingyu”
“Ah, there’s no need. I called a driver” Mingyu grabs his stuff, and Wonwoo, “See you, Daeun” he says and they’re out of there.
When they slide into the backseat of the car waiting out back, Mingyu wraps his arms around Wonwoo.
“Yah, I stink!” and Mingyu nuzzles his nose in his nape, “I don’t care. Plus, you don’t. You smell like tangerines”
Wonwoo chuckles, ruffling his hair, “I don’t know why you keep saying that. I don’t have a cologne like that”
Mingyu shrugs, “whatever it is, I don’t care. I love it” and Wonwoo chuckles, “you’re as silly as ever”
“You love that” Mingyu kisses his cheek
Wonwoo sighs, “I do”
Mingyu likes to think that the reason Wonwoo smells citrusy is that he eats oranges a lot. It’s cute. And now that he thinks about it, one of the first things that attracted Mingyu to Wonwoo was this very scent.
As Mingyu nuzzles into his side, the scent takes him back to many years ago.
When he first met Wonwoo.
︵‿︵ʚɞ︵‿︵
Despite being an up-and-coming name in the Film Industry, Mingyu realizes he has a long way to go because not everyone seems to recognize him yet.
Like this man, sitting on the bench, too immersed in his novel to realize Kim Mingyu is standing in front of him.
Mingyu likes to take a walk every now and then, and this park is one of his favorite spots. Normally, he’s a little too afraid to come out alone because he might get recognized and be followed home. But this man who’s sitting where Mingyu usually sits doesn’t realize who he even is.
Mingyu should be grateful but there’s a part of him that’s disappointed.
“Uh, can I sit here?” he asks, removing his snapback cap and the man looks up through his lashes. “Sure” he mutters before going back to his novel. Mingyu sighs in defeat and takes a seat on the other end of the bench, looking over the horizon.
He tries to focus on relaxing, basking in the silence, but the sound of the man turning over his pages distracts him.
“What’s the book about?” Mingyu breaks the silence, eyes lingering over the man’s features. He’s a good-looking guy, even when he cocks an unimpressed brow.
“Uh” he glances at the book, “Dollar Good Dream Department Store” his voice is low and clear, oddly attractive.
Mingyu raises his brows, “oh” he tries to contain his excitement because that’s the novel his new drama is based on. He’s the second lead in it and the news of it airing comes out in a week.
“Pardon?” the man asks and Mingyu snaps out of his daze, “huh?”
The man blinks, “uh, you said you’re the lead in a drama?”
Crap! No one was supposed to know!
“Ah, um—“ Mingyu looks for excuses, finding none under the man’s questioning eyes. So, he relents, “I uh, I’ll be the second lead in the drama that’s based on that book. The announcement comes out next week”
The man blinks again, silent and then he breaks into a smile, “you’re kidding”
Though his heart flutters at the man’s smile, he’s confused as to why he would think he’s joking.
“I'm not. I’m very serious” Mingyu whines and the man frowns, “you are?”
Mingyu sighs, “don’t you know who I am?” Mingyu glances around and lowers his mask, showing the man his face, “Im Kim Mingyu, the actor”
And it generally rings a bell in people’s minds but it has no effect on this man. He only blinks, “I’ll take your word for it,” he says and turns his attention back to the Novel. Mingyu’s jaw drops, “Hey, I’m not joking”
Wonwoo hums, “I’m sure you’re not, Mingyu-ssi”
Now he’s testing Mingyu’s patience. “This is very rude of you” he mumbles, catching the man’s attention. The man turns, “sorry?”
Mingyu huffs and the man sighs, putting the book down, “I believe you, Mingyu-ssi. I’m not being sarcastic. It’s just that I don’t have the time to watch movies”
Mingyu blinks, “everyone watches movies”
The man sighs, “not everyone” and for some reason, he’s inclined to believe this man when he says he doesn’t watch movies.
“So, do you not know Gong Yoo?”
“Oh, everyone knows Gong Yoo,” he remarks and Mingyu scoffs, “so you do watch movies!”
“Mingyu-ssi, you’re young and new. Gong Yoo is someone I grew up watching. There’s no need to compare” and Mingyu sighs, “then, will you watch the drama then?”
“Huh?”
“The Drama, my drama based on that book” he mutters and the man blinks as if contemplating.
“You want me to? Why?”
This is so embarrassing Mingyu wants to kill himself. He stands up and bows, “nice meeting you”
And before the man can say anything, Mingyu is out of there.
—
Mingyu decides to not go to the park for a week. He doesn’t want to run into that man again. Not after he embarrassed himself like that.
But these ten days did feel dreadfully long. He didn’t have any schedule apart from some promotions so all he could do in his free time was think about that man.
Just who was he? Why doesn’t he watch movies? And why does he seem so detached from the world? Like he hasn’t interacted with another human being before? Is he an alien? Are Aliens even that good-looking?
Yeah, Mingyu thinks the man is that good-looking. Who wouldn’t? Feline eyes and a sharp jaw, his gaze enchanting, so much that Mingyu wished he could embed himself in his mind. Who wouldn’t want to be remembered by such a beautiful man?
There’s a part of him that doesn’t want to see him. Another part of him longs to see him again, to pick up on that scent of his again. Citrus? Mingyu never liked citrus but it suited the man.
Damn it! How is it that just one meeting had such an effect on him? Is that man Mingyu’s type? He hasn’t dated many men before to develop a type. Mingyu’s eager to see him though.
So, he finally goes to the park 10 days later, and much to his dismay, the man is still there, seated on the bench with a novel in his hand.
Mingyu knows he should turn around and leave but it’s just then that the man looks up from his novel and meets his gaze. It’s crazy how he didn’t recognize Mingyu last time but now through his cap and his mask, he has no difficulty realizing it’s him. He raises an arm, “Mingyu-ssi” he calls, and Mingyu tenses. He looks around the park, finding a pair of mothers looking questioningly at them. Mingyu clears his throat and speed walks towards the man, settling beside him, “keep it down! People will recognize me” he hisses and the man purses his lips, whispering, “sorry”
Mingyu holds back a smile and leans back onto the bench, sighing.
“Why didn’t you come to the park again?” The man asks
Mingyu gulps. What should he tell him? Should he tell him about the dilemma in his mind?
“Busy with promotions” he replies and the man hums.
“I must say, you look better in person than on TV” and Mingyu whips his head towards him, “well, you look handsome in both places but more in person” the man chuckles and Mingyu swallows, “you watched the promos?”
The man nods, “On YouTube, yeah. Congratulations on your drama. You’ll suit the role” he says and Mingyu’s bustling with excitement, “you think so?” he scoots closer and the man smiles softly, “yeah. Now that I think about it, you do resemble the lead”
Mingyu bites his lip, “thank you! I’m super excited about it! Man! But I’m also so nervous?? It’s a big drama! I’m starring against some big stars and whoa, it’s a lot of pressure” his enthusiasm quickly fizzles into a fit of nervousness.
“Oh, I know a thing or two about pressure. You just have to face it. You’ll get used to it”
Mingyu sighs, smiling, “yeah, I guess”
“Although” he crosses his arms, “sometimes you do end up throwing up a lot” and Mingyu frowns but doesn’t question because of how serious he sounds, bursting into a smile, “I’ll uh, keep that in mind”
“Also um” the man scoots closer till their shoulders touch and there’s the citrus Mingyu’s been craving, “is the ending going to be the same? Or will you change it?”
Mingyu bites his lips at his starry innocent eyes, “um, that’s classified” he says and the man’s face falls, “I-I underst—“
“But uh, I will tell you though” he continues and the man smiles, “since you asked so nicely”
The man giggles, low, “the world would be chaotic if people gave secrets away when asked nicely”
Mingyu chuckles, “well, I’m just uh, making this exception for you” and the man raises his brows, nodding slowly as a smile teases his lips, “right”
“Special privilege”
He bites his lips, “and I’m grateful for that”
And as they delve into the depths of their conversation, their smiles grow deeper and deeper.
—
“So you saw Gong Yoo fall on his ass?!” Wonwoo, as Mingyu learned, exclaims. And Mingyu holds back a laugh, “it was hilarious! He slipped on some water and fell on his butt. But he’s a cheerful guy! He was laughing throughout”
Wonwoo sighs, giggling, “no wonder he’s a fan favorite”
“Yeah, he most definitely is” Mingyu sighs, leaning back onto the bench and it’s only now he realizes that night has fallen.
“Oh, it’s getting late” Wonwoo comments, and Mingyu purses his lips, “yeah” he says regretfully
He hadn’t realized hours had passed in conversation with Wonwoo.
“I uh, I’ll look forward to the drama,” Wonwoo says and Mingyu can feel their time together is approaching an end.
“Oh, yeah. Will you tell me how you feel about it?” Mingyu asks and Wonwoo grins, “when I watch it, yes”
“Oh um” Mingyu licks his lips, “can I have your phone number then?” This is Mingyu’s chance.
Wonwoo’s smile falls, “I uh, I don’t have a mobile phone”
“Oh…” Mingyu’s heart sinks. He laughs nervously, standing up. It seems so that his advances have been rejected, that he’s embarrassed himself once again.
“It was nice talking to you, Wonwoo-ssi. See you around” he says and he doesn’t want Wonwoo to see the look on his face.
“No uh, Mingyu” Wonwoo jogs up and grabs his arm, “I really don’t have a phone,” he says. Mingyu nods, “yeah, I understand”
Wonwoo swallows, “I um, to be honest, I don’t think the second lead resembles you”
“Wow, way to break a man’s heart—“
“No um, what I mean is that…i said you suit the role because after I met you last time, I couldn’t imagine… anyone else as the second lead…” he trails off towards the end, lowering his gaze.
Mingyu smiles, “You mean—“
“Yeah um, I don’t have a phone. But a week after the drama airs, we can uh, meet up?” Wonwoo proposes and Mingyu grins, “yeah, uh, sure. Where?”
“Um, I—how about here?” Wonwoo asks and Mingyu nods, “okay. Done. I’ll see you here soon, Wonwoo-ssi”
Wonwoo smiles, eyes disappearing, “I’ll see you”
Mingyu can’t wait for his drama to air.
—
Two weeks later, the drama airs
And a week after that, Mingyu finds himself waiting for Wonwoo.
He waits and waits, till night falls and the park empties, but Wonwoo never shows.
And just like that, Mingyu’s heart breaks.
—
Mingyu’s a grown-up. He really shouldn’t be sulking over a man he met twice like this. What is he? Bella Swan?
He shouldn’t be taking this seriously. So what if Wonwoo rejected him? No big deal. Mingyu is… Mingyu… whatever.
He’s just bummed out because he thought they hit it off. They talked for hours and it was…nice. But Wonwoo made up an excuse and disappeared on him.
And Mingyu should’ve huffed out or laughed it off and moved on but he finds himself visiting the park every day for the next two months because there’s something about Wonwoo that makes Mingyu believe he’s not the kind of person to do this.
As he watches over the lake, Mingyu sighs, “this is so stupid” he says
He should be at the celebration the cast and crew are throwing for the success of the Drama but he’s here sulking about a guy who ditched him.
His phone rings a minute later, and it’s Daeun. Seungkwan is his manager but ever since he took on another client, he’s gotten busier. So, his assistant manager has taken on Mingyu. She’s fine, and very tolerant of Mingyu’s whims, unlike Seungkwan who would bark at him for every little thing.
“Hey” he answers
“The party is boring without you” Daeun says and Mingyu chuckles dryly, “That’s expected”
“You should come, Gyu”
Mingyu sighs, “I told you not to call me that”
His mother used to call him Gyu. After she passed away, he finds it difficult to hear that name. Maybe there will come a time when hearing that name won’t be as painful anymore. Rather, it’ll be sweet. He’s gonna wait for that someone.
“I’m a little drunk so I get leeway,” Daeun says and Mingyu chuckles, “just this once”
“You should come, Mingyu”
“Nah, it’s alright. I’ll try and stop by if I can. Thanks for the invite though”
“Hm, okay. But if you want, we can catch a couple of drinks later, just us two—“
“Mingyu?”
Mingyu whips around when he hears that voice, turning around to find none other than Wonwoo standing there.
“Mingyu? You there—“
“Daeun I’ll talk to you later,” he says and cuts the phone as Wonwoo walks towards him, fists clenched and lips pursed.
“Hey” Mingyu croaks out, heart racing.
Wonwoo swallows, “I uh, I watched the drama”
Mingyu nods, “that’s..that’s great”
Wonwoo gulps, “Mingyu I—“
“You didn’t come” Mingyu says
Wonwoo sighs, “I know”
“And you… you didn’t show up for two whole months”
“I’m sorry. I did come to the park that day but I got called back to base and— I didn’t know how to reach you and…”
Mingyu frowns, “base?”
Wonwoo bites his lip.
“I uh, I’m in the navy. And I spend most of my time in a submarine and it only resurfaces every two to three months so I—“
Mingyu’s eyes widen, “what?”
And it all makes so much sense! Why Wonwoo hasn’t heard of him, why he doesn’t watch movies, why he doesn’t own a phone… it's all cuz he spends all his submerged underwater.
“Sorry. We were told we had another week but they called us back that day and I had to leave. I-I felt terrible about it so I came here as soon as I resurfaced. I threw my luggage at my younger brother’s place and didn’t bother taking a bath— shit, I stink— you should stay away from me” Wonwoo blabbers and Mingyu chuckles.
He takes a step closer. It’s true, he doesn’t smell like citrus anymore but he doesn’t smell bad either.
“Come here,” he says, setting the hair that is beginning to stick up on Wonwoo’s head, patting it down. Wonwoo exhales, “sorry, Mingyu”
Mingyu shakes his head, “No I’m sorry. I shouldntve misunderstood. And I’m just glad that you don’t hate me”
Wonwoo smiles softly, “yeah, I don’t hate you”
Mingyu bites his lips, “would you uh, like to go on a date with me?” He asks, no longer wasting any time. And Wonwoo grins brightly, “okay” he takes Mingyu’s hand hesitantly and Mingyu can’t contain his happiness anymore.
“But um— I stink,” Wonwoo says and Mingyu sighs, “we can watch a movie at my place. You can clean up there”
Wonwoo blinks, “Is that alright?”
“Yeah. Unless you want to meet later. Sorry, I’m just a little impatient”
Wonwoo chuckles, “well, if you’ll have me then..”
Mingyu smiles, “of course!”
Wonwoo nods, “alright”
Giggly and shy, they begin to walk to where Mingyu’s car is.
Mingyu clears his throat, “so uh, what movie do you want to watch?” he asks, subtly slipping his hand into Wonwoo’s.
“Anything with you in it” he tightens his grip around Mingyu’s hand, biting back a smile.
“S-Sure. I’ll even show you the hemorrhoids commercial I was in” and Wonwoo clicks his tongue but ends up laughing, “that’s gross. But I respect the hustle”
“Also uh, is the first date too early to ask you to wear your sailor uniform?”
Wonwoo chuckles, “Yeah. Maybe I’ll show it to you on our uh, 5th date?”
Mingyu smiles, “5th date it is”
︵‿︵ʚɞ︵‿︵
“Gyu” Wonwoo’s soft voice snaps Mingyu out of his trance, and he turns to his boyfriend, “yeah?”
“We’re home,” he says, brushing Mingyu’s bangs off his face. As the car comes to a halt, Mingyu grins, kissing Wonwoo’s lips, “Let’s go in”
“Not to be cliche but,” Mingyu says as they enter their apartment, “what do you want first? Dinner? A bath? Or me?”
Wonwoo snickers as he slips out of his shoes, “All and in that order” he says and Mingyu sighs defeatedly, “I see where your priorities are”
Wonwoo hangs his peaked cap on the pin on the wall, taking in the scent of their home.
“Sorry, Gyu. My number one priority is eating whatever delicious meal my boyfriend just cooked because all I eat submerged in water is canned food. I’m beginning to think I’m a cat” and Mingyu laughs, “Cute. But you’ll always be a kitten” Mingyu says, tracing a finger down Wonwoo’s jaw and Wonwoo rolls his eyes, “I’m immune to your seduction tactics” he pushes Mingyu off him and the younger laughs defeatedly
“I’m kidding! And also, you’ll never be immune to my seduction tactics” he follows Wonwoo into the Kitchen.
“Right” he chuckles as Mingyu helps him take a seat.
“You’ll see, baby” he kisses the top of his head and starts plating the food. All of Wonwoo’s favorites.
“Oh shoot” Wonwoo exclaims and Mingyu turns to see him walking towards him and embracing him tightly, “Gyu, I didn’t realize you won Actor of the Year!?”
Mingyu laughs, turning in his arms and kissing him, “Hm, yeah. It’s no big deal”
“But it’s your dream! Come on, show some spirit” Wonwoo pats his chest and Mingyu chuckles, “I’m happy. But I’m happier that you’re finally here, Won. I missed you so much. Time with you means more to me than a trophy” he mumbles on his neck and Wonwoo sighs. He tenses a bit, which is weird and Mingyu pulls away.
“Something wrong?”
Wonwoo doesn’t meet his gaze, “No. Come on, let’s celebrate” he pats his cheek and walks past him to retrieve Champagne from the fridge. Mingyu grins, “sure thing!”
︵‿︵ʚɞ︵‿︵
After dinner, Wonwoo goes to their bedroom to grab a pair of clothes and a towel to use after he comes out of his bath. As expected, Mingyu’s food is a million times better than the stale bread they get in the Submarine.
He lays his suitcase on the bed, retrieving his clothes as he looks around the room. The room is so Mingyu, neat, and organized. For a second, he forgets he needs to go take a bath and takes a bout around the room, eyes taking in the many photos of him and Mingyu hung up on the wall. He smiles at the one they took the first time they made love. They’re both naked and clearly drowsy and tired from the previous night but Mingyu wanted to capture that moment no matter how disgusting they looked. He wrapped an arm around Wonwoo, kissed his cheek sweetly, and clicked a picture. Wonwoo grins, maybe he’ll ask Mingyu for a copy of this.
He goes back to unpacking for the week. Yeah, there’s only a week before he has to leave again. He sighs as he glances at the forms tucked inside his suitcase, burying them further and choosing to focus on the good things right now. The beds in the submarine are hard and far too small for Wonwoo’s body but he’d cramp into a small bed if it was with Mingyu. But Mingyu insisted on buying a King-sized bed for themselves. This is Mingyu’s apartment but it’s been designed to meet Wonwoo’s needs and the latter doesn’t even live here. That’s the kind of person Mingyu is.
Wonwoo bites his lips and unbuttons his shirt, walking into the washroom and—
“What are you doing here?” he chuckles breathlessly when he finds Mingyu already settled in the bathtub, arms extended, “waiting for you,” he says and Wonwoo smiles.
He undressed anyway, knowing Mingyu isn’t going to budge.
“Won, did you get hotter?” Mingyu takes his eyes over Wonwoo’s body, making the other blush a little, “shut up” he says as he gets in and settles between Mingyu’s legs, back resting against his chest.
He frowns, “Am I hallucinating or is this bathtub bigger than last time?”
Mingyu chuckles, kissing Wonwoo’s cheek, “I had a bigger one installed. It should be able to accommodate large men like us after all” and Wonwoo giggles, “that’s nice but what did I tell you about wasteful spending?”
Mingyu clicks his tongue, wrapping his arms around Wonwoo’s middle as they soak in the warm water, surrounded by the scent of Mingyu’s candles, “it’s not wasteful”
Wonwoo sighs, “I’m not here most of the time, Gyu. You should do it as per your liking, not mine”
Mingyu tightens his grip, shaking his head, “ you are my liking, Won” he kisses his temples and Wonwoo sighs, letting himself relax and forgetting about this for a moment.
“Cheesy” he mutters and Mingyu chuckles, “you love it”
Wonwoo hums, eyes falling shut as Mingyu’s arms massage his sides. Wonwoo takes Mingyu’s hand out of the water, tracing his fingers against it. They’re as smooth as ever, glorious compared to his rugged ones. Mingyu laces their fingers, kissing Wonwoo’s shoulder. Wonwoo watches as their hands fit into one another, like pieces of a puzzle.
“I love you” Wonwoo lets it slip
“All of a sudden?” Mingyu giggles and Wonwoo nods, “say it back” he whines
“I love you too” Mingyu presses a deep kiss to his temple, whispering against his skin.
Wonwoo sighs, relieved, “I wish…” he exhales
“You wish what?” Mingyu asks softly
Wonwoo shakes his head, snuggling closer to Mingyu, “Nothing”
For a while, they bask in the comfortable silence. Wonwoo’s teetering on the edge of sleep when Mingyu’s exploratory fingers snap him out of oblivion.
He smirks languidly, “what are you doing?” he asks when Mingyu’s hands traverse his torso, lips tracing his jaw, “what?”
Wonwoo sighs as Mingyu’s lips slither down to his neck, pressing deep, open-mouthed kisses in the skin. His eyes fall shut and his head falls back onto Mingyu’s shoulder as Mingyu’s hand traces circles on his inner thigh, teasing him.
“You weren’t lying about your seduction tactics, huh?” Wonwoo chuckles breathlessly when Mingyu’s other hand brushes against his nipple. Mingyu giggles, voice resonating in the bathroom, “is it working?” Mingyu’s lips move against his ears, hot breath tingling the love and Wonwoo bites his lip.
Maybe it’s because for three months he’s done nothing but jerk himself off with just memories of Mingyu that he’s so sensitive right now. Needy under Mingyu’s touch. He’s been telling himself that all he needs are his boyfriend’s cuddles and kisses and food, denying himself the right to enjoy this. It’s only human to have these urges and it’s harder to control when your boyfriend is Kim-fucking-Mingyu.
“Fuck” he groans when Mingyu’s teeth sink into the flesh of his neck, lips sucking a mark onto his pale skin.
“Fuck, I was going crazy without you, Won” Mingyu says, his hand slipping inside the water, finding Wonwoo’s hardened dick. Is it bad that he’s hard just from a few kisses?
“Me too” he lets out a shaky sigh, back arching when Mingyu’s fingers tweak his nipple, eliciting small gasps from him.
“Fuck, baby” he can feel Mingyu’s erection rubbing against his lower back, thick and long and throbbing. Wonwoo’s thoughts are driving him crazy.
Mingyu stops teasing and begins to stroke his cock, rubbing a thumb over his slit and Wonwoo hisses when his nails dig into his nipple, lips sucking hickeys all over his neck.
He moans, “Gyu, please—“
“Please what, baby? Have you become more sensitive? Did you never jerk off in there?” He asks and Wonwoo swallows, “Mingyu, shut up—“
He hastens his pace on his cock, rolling the nipple between his fingers, and Wonwoo curses under his breath, “f-fuck, yes”
Mingyu laughs, pleased, and stops his ministrations. Wonwoo musters the courage and turns to straddle his boyfriend, cupping his cheeks and pulling him into a sloppy kiss, one which makes him terribly weak in the knees.
“What did you think about?” Mingyu cocks a brow, speaking between kisses, and Wonwoo bites his lips, kissing his jaw, “you, your hands on me”
Mingyu utters a low ‘fuck’ under his breath, hands kneading the flesh of Wonwoo’s ass, “and?”
Wonwoo whimpers when his fingers slip in between his cheeks, “you inside me” he whispers into his ear, and Mingyu groans when Wonwoo licks the love of his ear, “I need you, right now” Mingyu growls and Wonwoo silences him with a kiss, tongues languidly and desperately dancing with each other.
“Bed” Wonwoo breathes and Mingyu hums, “let’s go”
Mingyu lifts Wonwoo up, helping him stand and step out of the bathtub, and follows him to their bedroom, anticipating bubbling in his gut.
“We need to dry ourselves first—“ Wonwoo’s cut short when Mingyu tumbles him onto the bed regardless of his pleas and crawls over him, taking his lips in his. His tongue explores the wet cavern, enjoying the way Wonwoo fights back, fingers tangled in his hair.
“Gyu—“ Wonwoo has something in his mind, something he wants to say but doesn’t know how to. And with every kiss and lick Mingyu presses against his body, sliding down to his abdomen, he loses his senses.
And as Mingyu takes him into his mouth, all coherence leaves his mind and Wonwoo lets himself get lost in the realms of pleasure.
︵‿︵ʚɞ︵‿︵
Mingyu wakes up to an empty side, which is normal because Wonwoo’s usually away but Wonwoo’s supposed to be here, curled up into his side but he isn’t.
Mingyu creaks his eyes open, letting the light from the lamp wake him up. He sits up, yawning, and comes to face Wonwoo’s broad back hunched over his desk.
He sighs, grabs pants to wear, and walks over to his boyfriend, tapping the glaring hickeys on his neck, “sorry, these won’t fade anytime soon” he says, startling Wonwoo who was seemingly too immersed in whatever paperwork he was doing.
“Hey” Wonwoo smiles, gathering the papers sprawled all over his desk, “it’s okay, I have nowhere to be for another week”
Mingyu grins, kissing the top of his head, “have to say I was kinda disappointed to not wake up to you by my side”
Wonwoo sighs, “sorry, just need to get rid of all this paperwork so I can spend the week with you”
Mingyu bites his lips, “you’re such a romantic” and Wonwoo chuckles, “no, I just like to plan ahead” he says as Mingyu tries to make sense of the paperwork but gives up halfway. Wonwoo yawns and Mingyu checks the time, “do you want some ramen?” he asks and Wonwoo’s face lights up, hand clutching Mingyu’s, “please”
Mingyu laughs heartily, ruffling his hair before going to cook up some ramen for his boyfriend. When he comes back, Wonwoo doesn’t attempt to take a bowl, which is fine because Mingyu didn’t intend on giving him the bowl anyway. He takes a small portion and blows on it before feeding it to Wonwoo.
And as Wonwoo continues to work, Mingyu continues to feed him.
︵‿︵ʚɞ︵‿︵
Something is wrong
Nothing is supposed to be wrong this week
They’re supposed to have lots of sex, cuddle, do their favorite things together before they part again for another 3 months
And yes, they’ve been doing all that but Wonwoo is a lot more distracted than he usually is and it’s bothering Mingyu a tonne
Sometimes he zones out and other times he’s perfectly fine
“I’m on break till tomorrow, Daeun” Mingyu sighs
“I understand but you seem stressed. I’m just suggesting we meet up, talk so you can release some heat”
Mingyu sighs as Wonwoo walks out of the kitchen and to their bedroom, shooting him a sweet smile, and all of a sudden, all of Mingyu’s worries fade.
“Wonwoo’s here so no” Mingyu declines her offer
“Gyu—“
“How many times do I have to tell you to not call me that?” He stands up and Daeun sighs, “Wonwoo calls you that so—“
“Because he’s Wonwoo,” he says, “now, I have to go”
“Fine, if you want to talk, I’ll be at the office” and Mingyu disconnects the call immediately
He tosses his phone away and walks into the bedroom, wrapping his arms around Wonwoo’s middle, slotting his chin on his shoulder. He heaves a heavy sigh as Wonwoo’s nimble fingers entangled in his hair, massaging his scalp, “what’s wrong, Gyu?”
Mingyu only tightens his grip around him, heart racing, “say that again”
“What?”
“My name”
“Gyu”
“Again”
“Gyu” and Mingyu sighs heavily, “I knew it” he mutters, it can only be you
The first time Wonwoo called him Gyu took Mingyu by surprise, not because he hated it but because he loved the way he said it. There was something so soothing and loving about the way he called his name, something so warm.
“What are you doing?” he asks
“Packing,” Wonwoo says and Mingyu’s heart sinks. He goes silent, watching as he puts his belongings in his suitcase.
“I can’t believe it’s been a week already,” he says, “and that you’ll be gone for 3 whole months”
Wonwoo seems to stiffen in his arms and before Mingyu can ask him about it, Wonwoo turns in his arms, “it’s just..” Wonwoo swallows, smiling, “3 months, Gyu. I’ll be back before you know it. Plus, we’ll be busy with our work” he pats his cheeks and Mingyu nods, eyes downcast, “I know. But it’s getting harder and harder to be away from you”
It’s been so many years and while Mingyu Was initially brave, that strength is beginning to fade. And this process has been hastened because of this awkward tension between them. Wonwoo looks like he wants to say something but he never does. There’s something Wonwoo isn’t telling him and it’s scaring Mingyu.
Wonwoo bites his lips, wrapping his arms Mingyu and pulling him into a hug, “I promise things will get better, Gyu” he says. Mingyu has so many questions but with the way Wonwoo slightly trembles against him, he doesn’t want to spook him. He just wants to take Wonwoo’s word for it.
“If you say so” he bums and Wonwoo grins, “I’m gonna go take a quick shower” he kisses his cheek and slips out of his grasp, leaving a fleeting feeling in Mingyu’s heart. He can’t wrap his mind around Wonwoo leaving tomorrow. He wishes tomorrow never comes, that Wonwoo never leaves.
Will it always be like this? Will he meet his boyfriend for a week every few months?
As Wonwoo disappears into the washroom, Mingyu grabs a magazine to read and heads to the living room.
He’s halfway through the magazine when his landline rings. And the landline never rings unless it’s for Wonwoo. Wonwoo doesn’t own a phone so his colleagues reach him there. Mingyu did gift him a phone but Wonwoo doesn’t really use it. He only has Mingyu’s number saved on it. It’s cute.
“You’ve reached Wonwoo. Please leave a message” Wonwoo’s voice speaks up in the voice mail and Mingyu smirks. Mingyu can’t explain it but Wonwoo sounds like a polite cat.
“Hey Wonwoo, It’s Seungcheol. I hope your week is going okay”
Wonwoo’s colleagues don’t know about Wonwoo dating Mingyu. They know he’s gay but they don’t know he’s dating Kim Mingyu, the actor. According to Wonwoo, they’re big fans of his and would definitely eat away at his ears if they got wind of it.
“I know we’ll be meeting up tomorrow anyway but I just wanted to ask you to reconsider the offer”
Mingyu frowns, what offer?
“I understand if you don’t. But then you’d be the first to turn away a promotion haha”
And Mingyu’s eyes widen. A what? A promotion????
“Just think about it, okay? Don’t pass up on this opportunity, okay? See you”
And as Mingyu tries to process what he’d just heard, Wonwoo walks out, “Gyu, can you dry my hair?”
Mingyu turns to Wonwoo, and his face must be twisted because Wonwoo’s eyes widen, “what’s wrong?” he rushes to his side. He cups his cheek and Mingyu swallows, confused, “Wonwoo you… are you turning down a promotion?”
Wonwoo gasps, “w-what? How do you know about that?”
Mingyu stumbles backward, “so it’s true”
Wonwoo swallows, fists clenched, “Mingyu, I-I—“
“Are you crazy?!” he grabs his shoulders, shaking him, “how can you say no, Won?”
Has Wonwoo lost his mind?! No promotion?!
Wonwoo bites his lips, “it’s a little more complicated than that, Mingyu”
Mingyu scoffs, “How? Isn’t a promotion great? Maybe you won’t have to be underwater so much, right?! We can meet more often, right?”
Wonwoo sighs shakily, “Mingyu, you don’t understand—“
“Then why don’t you talk to me? Wonwoo, is this what you’ve been hiding from me? You’ve been distracted all week and I didn’t know what it was —“
“Mingyu! You don’t understand, okay?! Just… let me do this” he says
“No” he yells, “Wonwoo, don’t you want our situation to get better? I miss you, okay? Staying away from you so much is taking a toll on me. Isn’t it the same for you? Or am I in a relationship that’s headed nowhere?” Mingyu’s voice breaks and Wonwoo gasps, eyes teary.
“Won” he calls, “I can’t stay apart for so long. It…it feels so weird. It doesn’t even feel like we’re..a couple.. I-I just—“
Wonwoo tenses, taking a step back, “i-is that how you feel?”
Mingyu purses his lips, “I just wish I could be with you more”
Wonwoo swallows, trying to hold back tears.
Mingyu gulps, “Won, please, the promotion, won’t it make things better?”
“No” Wonwoo utters
“Please, at least consider it—“
“It won’t make our situation better, Mingyu!” Wonwoo yells and Mingyu gasps, “what do you mean?”
Wonwoo exhales shakily, looking up at Mingyu, “If I get this promotion, I’ll have to leave the mainland for an entire year”
And just like that, Mingyu’s world comes crashing down.
︵‿︵ʚɞ︵‿︵
Mingyu learns that if Wonwoo accepts this promotion, he’ll be assigned to other vessels. And for the first year, he’ll tour the world for various military exercises before he’s assigned to a proper position
The perk is that after that one year, Wonwoo will be stationed on an Aircraft carrier or a Destroyer. He will have more opportunities to come back to the mainland, and he’ll have the facility of phone, something he doesn’t now. At least Mingyu will be able to call him and see him more often.
The disadvantage? Wonwoo will be gone for an entire year. And Mingyu doesn’t think he can do it, spend so much time away from Wonwoo.
“Mingyu, say something” Wonwoo pleads and Mingyu inhales, “w-what do you want me to say?”
Wonwoo takes a deep breath, “That’s why I decided to turn it down, Gyu…”
Mingyu scoffs, rubbing his face with his palms, “why?”
“Why what?”
“Why did you try to take this decision without me, Wonwoo? I thought it’s stuff like this that we… do together, yknow?”
They’re a couple. Aren’t things like this something they should talk about?
“I didn’t tell you because I didn’t know how you’d react, Mingyu. P-Plus, I’m not going, right? Things will be the same, y-you don’t have to worry about anything” he tries to take Mingyu’s hand but the latter yanks it away.
“Nothing to worry about? Wonwoo, you were going to let go of this promotion, for me! I-I don’t want you to look at me and think about this very moment, I don’t want you to regret it. I don’t want that on my conscience” he says, vision hazy
“So you want me to take that promotion? We’ll be apart for one year, Mingyu. Do you— do you think we can survive that?”
Mingyu tenses, jaw clenching, “no,” he says
Wonwoo sighs, “yeah, that’s why I—“
“I don’t think we’ll survive that, Won” he says and Wonwoo pauses, eyes widening at the insinuation
For a moment, they suffer in the pregnant silence.
“Do you want to break up then?” Wonwoo suggests and Mingyu’s breath hitches
“I don’t want you to let go of that promotion,” Mingyu says, “and an entire year? I-I don’t know if I can be away from you for that long”
“You didn’t answer my question!” Wonwoo grits his teeth, holding back tears. Mingyu bites his lips, blinking away the moisture in his eyes, “what other choice do we have?”
Wonwoo smiles lopsidedly, “seems like I’m not the only one who doesn’t believe in us, after all, huh” he whispers and Mingyu clenches his fists
“Seems so”
Nothing more needs to be said
It looks like nothing can heal the wounds they’ve inflicted on each other either
Mingyu grabs his jacket and his keys and without a word, exits their apartment.
︵‿︵ʚɞ︵‿︵
“Are you absolutely sure about this?” Wonwoo asks, moved to tears.
Mingyu nods, taking his hands and kissing the knuckles, “yeah, absolutely”
Mingyu just asked Wonwoo to move in with him, an offer Wonwoo hasn’t expected
Wonwoo sighs, lips quivering, “I won’t even be here, Gyu” he chuckles
Mingyu smiles, “I know. But when you will be, you’ll be here. On those days, it’ll become our home” and Wonwoo bites back a grin, “it…it’ll be hard, Gyu. Being apart for so long. Do you think you can handle it?”
Mingyu nods, “I can. And it’s only temporary, right?”
Wonwoo nods, “Yes, temporary. I promise” and Mingyu kisses his nose, “then I’m willing to hold on till then. Are you?”
And Wonwoo giggles, pulling him in for a kiss, “I am too”
︵‿︵ʚɞ︵‿︵
“Mingyu?” Mingyu snaps out of his thoughts when Daeun opens the door to his office, walking in.
“Hey” he greets her lazily.
He’d spent the night here. There’s a couch and some of his spare supplies too, like toothbrushes and clothes. It was comfortable but how could Mingyu be comfortable after he’d just broken up with the love of his life?
Wonwoo called many times last night but Mingyu couldn’t bring himself to pick up.
“I’m sorry” he texted later and Mingyu tossed the phone away to give in to his fatigue and catch a wink of sleep.
He’s been awake since 7 am and it’s 1 pm already. He got fresh, tried to pass time by watching some TV or reading but how could he function after what transpired last night.
Wonwoo let go of the promotion because he didn’t think they would last.
Mingyu asked Wonwoo to take the promotion because he didn’t think they’d last either.
Neither of them believed they would make it together through this tumultuous journey. And it says a lot about them and their relationship
Wonwoo must be on his way to the base now. He’s going to fly to Busan from there and leave. Mingyu doesn’t know what he’ll do but he hopes he takes the promotion. There’s nothing stopping him now
As much as Mingyu wants to be with him, he can’t take that opportunity away from him.
Daeun puts her purse on the desk and walks over to Mingyu who’s settled on the chair, taking a seat beside him. She places a hand on his, “you good?”
Mingyu swallows. Is he good? He just ended a 4-year relationship in 4 seconds.
“Wonwoo and I broke up,” he says and Daeun gasps, “what?”
Mingyu smirks, “yeah, last night”
“Oh, Mingyu, I’m sorry” Daeun leans forward and hugs Mingyu. But right now, no hugs can heal him. Even now, he only wants Wonwoo.
“Yeah” Mingyu hums and Daeun pulls back, now seated on the armrest, patting his back, “you okay?”
No. Mingyu doesn’t even want to answer her. He doesn’t want to cry either so he just nods to shut her up.
For a few minutes, it’s silent. And then, Daeun speaks up.
“Good riddance, I suppose”
Mingyu frowns, “huh?”
“Ah, I mean…to be honest, I never thought this relationship would last, Mingyu. He’s away for so long and you’re here, alone” Daeun’s hand slides into his arm
“I’m surprised you guys lasted so long,” she says, voice lowering, “I mean, you thrive on physical affection, and with no one here to give you that, you must’ve been so lonely, right?” she cups his cheek and Mingyu swallows, looking up at her.
Yeah, he’s been so lonely it’s been driving him crazy. He can’t even talk to Wonwoo, forget about seeing him or meeting him.
Daeun continues, “now, you can be with someone who’ll be by your side forever. No separation, no pain. You’ll finally be happy, right?” Daeun stands up and hunches over Mingyu, cupping his cheeks.
“Daeun, what are you—“ she presses a finger to his lips, and leans in, lips inches away from his, “if your boyfriend loves you, he’d prioritize you over his job” she whispers and Mingyu gulps, because Wonwoo… Wonwoo did—
Daeun’s flowery scent penetrates his senses and at once, Mingyu’s body tenses because it’s not the citrusy scent he’s used to. Daeun leans in and presses her lips against Mingyu’s softly, and it’s then that Mingyu finally snaps out of his trance and pushes her away.
He stands up, wiping his lips as Daeun lands on the floor, glaring at him, “Gyu, what the fuck?!”
“Do not call me that!” He yells and she rolls her eyes, “why? Because your mom—“
“Because only Wonwoo can call me that,” he says and her eyes widen. Her lips pull into a smirk, “but you guys are broken up”
Mingyu clenches his fist and walks past her, head filled with more clarity than ever. But before he exits, he turns, “oh, and you’re fired”
And before Daeun can throw a fit, Mingyu’s rushing away to chase after his beloved.
︵‿︵ʚɞ︵‿︵
As Wonwoo makes his way into the base, he thinks he’s never regretted anything so much before.
He hopes that no one can tell from his swollen eyes that he cried all night after failing to reach Mingyu.
He should’ve told Mingyu, they should’ve talked and tried to work it out together. But it seemed like neither of them trusted their relationship to last. What could Wonwoo do about that?
Mingyu wanted Wonwoo to take the promotion. And if he takes it, he’ll be gone for an entire year. He won’t hear from Mingyu an entire year after what happened last night. He doesn’t know where Mingyu is, and he tried calling him but to no avail.
Mingyu’s always talking about how 3 months apart is long and painful. Wonwoo wasn’t sure how we would react to being away for an entire year. Wonwoo will be busy, spending time underwater and then participating in military exercises, but no amount of work can distract him from the hollow feeling in his chest. When Mingyu left, he took Wonwoo’s heart with him. There’s no getting it back.
He just didn’t expect things to go down the way they did.
“Wonwoo!” Wonwoo thinks he’s hallucinating because there’s no way he just heard Mingyu’s voice calling out to him.
“Wonwoo! Wait!” the voice yells again and this time Wonwoo halts, mechanically turning to face the voice, only to be smothered in a familiar bear hug.
“Wonwoo” Mingyu catches his breath, his heart beating wildly pressed against Wonwoo’s chest, “thank god I made it here”
Wonwoo swallows, looking around at his colleagues, superiors, and subordinates, all who eyes him and the man hugging him, Kim Mingyu. Thankfully, knowing it’s a private moment, they move on but not without passing hushed remarks
“Mingyu” Wonwoo gently pushes Mingyu off of him, “what are you doing here?”
Mingyu gulps, catching his breath, “Daeun kissed me”
… what?! That bitch! Wonwoo knew she had her eyes on Mingyu for so long and— she finally struck, huh?!
“What the—“
“S-She told me that she thought we wouldn’t laugh. With your being away and me who basically thrives on physical affection and love”
Wonwoo clenches his fists, angry yet unable to deny the inevitable
But why is Mingyu telling him this?!
“She said that with you gone, I could have anyone I want and be happy but—“ the ache in Wonwoo’s heart intensifies, “but the moment she kissed me I—“
He stops mid-sentence, eyes observing Wonwoo’s features, “you what, Gyu?” he grits his teeth, trying to ignore the pain.
Mingyu smiles, “I realized that I can’t be with anyone that’s not you, Won” and Wonwoo gasps, “w-what?”
“When she kissed me I realized that the only person I want to kiss for the rest of my life is you, Wonwoo”
And Wonwoo thinks he might faint.
“M-Mingyu—“
Mingyu takes his hands, “I was wrong about what I said, I was wrong for not believing in us. You were too. Because… It's okay to be scared and uncertain but it’s not okay to give up on someone you love so much” he says and Wonwoo’s hearts full, eyes teary, “Mingyu, I—“ he smiles, unable to believe this is happening
“I-I… I love you, okay? And I know what I said before but I don’t want to lose you forever, okay? And I-I’ll respect whatever it is that you feel. If you don’t feel the same as me, I’ll understand. I just don’t want to pressure you into anything. But I want to take back my words and—“ he laces their fingers, “we can do it, okay? I can’t give up knowing there’s a light on the other end of the tunnel, right? So what if we’re away for a year? We’ll make it work because after this time passes, things will be much better, right?”
“One whole year..Gyu…”
“I know, it's scary. But you won't be underwater the entire time, right? We can make it work”
Wonwoo purses his lips, “how?” and Mingyu shrugs, “we can meet halfway? Like…like the sky meets the sea”
Mingyu is uncertain, he is too. But what they're certain about right now is their will and determination to not lose each other.
Wonwoo chuckles, voice breaking, “are you absolutely sure?” he asks and Mingyu giggles, “I am. Are you?”
Wonwoo nods, “I am too”
Mingyu chuckles breathlessly, surprised and he kisses Wonwoo, soft and gentle, smiling against his lips. When they part, Wonwoo rests his forehead against his, breathing softly, “I love you”
Mingyu nods, “I love you too, and” he clears his throat, “I have something for you, Wonwoo”
Wonwoo frowns as Mingyu returned a velvet box from his pocket. His eyes widen as Mingyu pulls away and begin to kneel, “Jeon Wonwoo will you ma—“ but Wonwoo silenced him with a hug, raising him back to his feet, “don’t”
“W-What?”
“Don’t propose, not yet” he says, hugging him close.
“Oh… I—“
“I don’t want to spend the first year of my engagement away from my fiancé” and Mingyu chuckles, “oh.. oh thank god, I thought you were going to reject me altogether” he hugs him back, relieved
Wonwoo hums, “No I— I don’t want you to propose to me after what happened. I-I know you didn’t mean it this way but I want you to marry me because you want to spend your life with me, not because you want to keep me in your life. Do you understand?”
And oddly enough, Mingyu does.
He understands completely.
He sighs, pulling away to kiss Wonwoo once more, “then, Jeon Wonwoo, do you promise to marry me the next time I ask you?”
Wonwoo giggles, “I promise to say yes the next time you ask me, Kim Mingyu”
And Mingyu grins brightly, showcasing his charming teeth and Wonwoo pulls him in for a sweet and lingering kiss, warmth and reassurance filling his heart.
When Mingyu smiles against his lips, he knows everything will be okay.