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Wonwoo isn’t someone who’s very comfortable with expressing physical affection and that’s something his friends have come to terms with a long time ago. It’s not that he doesn’t like it because the smile on his face and the way his face lights up when one of them hugs him or holds his hand is unmistakable.
It did take a while for them to understand his personality better, especially because they’re all such a close group of touchy friends bordering on family, but it is the way it is and it’s okay for them all.
Besides, Wonwoo’s never shied away from speaking his mind. What he lacks in actions at times, he makes up by his powerful and heartfelt words of comfort. He knows what to say and whom to say it to and that’s quite amazing because it serves the point.
But at the end of the day, Wonwoo doesn’t initiate affection often and that’s that.
It still doesn’t justify why Mingyu stands absolutely flabbergasted when Wonwoo does something as simple as holding his hand voluntarily out of the blue, but Mingyu's always been one for the dramatics.
-
“Why are you forcing yourself to watch it?” Wonwoo snorts as he sees Mingyu, Seokmin and Joshua sprawled out on their couch watching a movie that’s probably horror seeing the way they’re curled up against each other. Correction, Seokmin and Joshua are curled up against each other on one end while Mingyu’s just cowering by himself on the other.
Mingyu just huffs out, ”Bleh.”
Mingyu and Wonwoo were supposed to go watch the new Marvel movie in the theatres but Wonwoo suddenly had a call from a freshman crying in fear about failing his next exam so he had to leave to tutor the poor dude.
And trust him, Mingyu is very proud of his smart roommate slash crush, but he’d been waiting to watch the movie since ages! He’s allowed to be a little salty, of course.
Seokmin called him a few minutes after Wonwoo left looking genuinely apologetic and asked him if he wanted to watch this crappy horror film he found at Joshua’s house and what more would Mingyu want than that.
Fast forward to Seokmin and Joshua coming over to his flat and now they’re watching this god awful movie. The plot line is horrible and he can’t stop cringing every five minutes but the jump-scares are horrendous so he can’t even doze off peacefully.
It’s hell.
“Are you still upset?” Wonwoo asks as he shrugs off his jacket and places the keys on the dining table. He moves over towards the couch standing behind Mingyu, his gaze falling on the TV. “I’ve watched this one before.”
“How amazing..” Mingyu drawls and internally smirks in victory when he sees Wonwoo grimace. He was being childish and he knew it.
Wonwoo sighs and Mingyu almost feels bad. Almost.
“You can join us if you want to” Joshua, ever the gentleman in the room, offers and Wonwoo smiles faintly before sitting in between Seokmin and Mingyu.They’re all too close on the average-sized couch but it’s warm.
Wonwoo leans against Mingyu a little as he makes himself comfortable and the younger’s breath hitches when Wonwoo moves his face closer to him.
“Gyu,” Wonwoo whispers and Mingyu’s a hair-breadth away from melting into the older. “I’m sorry. You know that I wouldn’t stand you up on purpose, right?”
“That’s what you said two months ago the last time you ditched me.” Mingyu huffs quietly as he looks away from Wonwoo and watches as the characters in the movie walk around the haunted house like a bunch of idiots. “You did it today anyway”
“I’m sor-“ Wonwoo speaks but they all startle when there’s a sudden screech on the screen.
Seokmin dives into Joshua even more and Wonwoo winces at the pained oof Joshua lets out. He turns to look at Mingyu again and Mingyu almost whines in embarrassment at the amused look on Wonwoo’s face as he stares at the even curled up form of the younger.
Mingyu’s peering at the screen from in between his fingers as he has hands covering up most of his face when he feels his left hand being pulled away.
He yelps a little but freezes when he realises it’s Wonwoo that’s holding his hand in both his own, caressing it slowly. He swears his breath gets stuck in his throat when he sees Wonwoo smile faintly at him before tugging the younger towards him, Mingyu going in effortlessly.
They end up with their sides completely pressed against each other and Mingyu’s hand still in between Wonwoo’s hands on his lap.
“I really am sorry, Gyu.” Wonwoo whispers into his ear once again and Mingyu finally lets out a puff of breath he’d been holding since who knows how long and hums softly acknowledging the apology, chuckling at the sigh of relief Wonwoo lets out.
The hand holding continues much to Mingyu’s poor heart’s suffering.
Wonwoo doesn’t hold hands with anyone unless it’s necessary. And it’s not necessary most of the time, so no one’s ever seen Wonwoo reach out. He barely remembers the last time they’ve held hands. Or given him a minor heart attack because of his unpredictable actions.
It was Vernon’s birthday party and Seungkwan wanted to make his boyfriend’s birthday a news article worthy fest but after a little convincing from Vernon who panicked at a huge ceremony, Seungkwan begrudgingly booked them a table in their favourite barbecue restaurant a couple blocks away from their dorm.
Mingyu was fussing over what to wear, his clothes all a mess on the floor and his face pinched in distress when Wonwoo entered the room.
“We better start-“ Wonwoo begins but quickly stops when he sees Mingyu on the brink of frustration.
“What happened?”
“I don’t know what to wear!” Mingyu cries out. Wonwoo barely holds in his chuckles when Mingyu turns to glare at him, his gaze sharp.
“What’s wrong with what you’re wearing right now?” Wonwoo inquires as his gaze sweeps over Mingyu’s attire. A light blue Oxford shirt over a white T-shirt and black jeans.
Mingyu pouts as he looks down at his outfit. “Is it good? I’m not very sure about it. I feel like I look too average, you know? Like I didn’t try enough.”
“It’s our friend’s birthday in a barbecue restaurant, Gyu,” Wonwoo sighs in fondness. “No one’s gonna be wearing exuberant clothes today. Let’s go.”
They walk in comfortable silence all the way to to the restaurant and just as they’re about to enter, Wonwoo grabs his hand making Mingyu lose his footing slightly in surprise and when he turns to look at the older, Wonwoo says something so quiet that Mingyu almost fails to hear.
Almost.
He’s left staring at the older’s back when Wonwoo squeezes his hand and lets it go to enter the place.
“You’re too pretty to look just average, Mingyu.”
-
“You know,” Minghao comments nonchalantly from where he’s running his fingers through Junhui’s hair on the couch. “I don’t get why you won’t just confess to hyung.”
"Huh?" Mingyu looks up from where he's sprawled on the ground. He was in Minghao's dorm, browsing through the couples' Netflix account because he was too bored and Wonwoo went out for another one of his tuition classes.
"Confess to Wonwoo." Minghao says directly. "You know hyung better than any of us. You should know that Wonwoo likes you back just as much as you like him."
Mingyu sighs a breath through his nose, a far away look in his eyes as he stares at the TV. "It's not that simple, Hao"
Junhui hums simply, intervening. "It doesn't have to be that difficult either."
"What?" Mingyu and Minghao both look at him.
Junhui raises his hands in mock surrender, a sheepish expression on his face. "I just mean that it doesn't have to be that complicated. You like him. And I'm pretty sure he likes you too. Wonwoo and I have been friends for way too long now that I can see that he behaves differently around you than with anyone else"
"I," Mingyu breathes. "I'll think about it."
Obviously Mingyu doesn’t think about it. There’s just too much to lose, his happiness at risk.
Jeon Wonwoo was Mingyu’s one true love and he’s not even exaggerating it. The moment freshman student Mingyu’s gaze fell on the older smart junior student, he’d been neck deep in love. right from the start. It’s a wonder how Wonwoo still doesn’t get it because literally everyone in their university suspects something’s brewing between them both.
He’s just resigned himself to thinking that maybe Wonwoo is that oblivious or maybe doesn’t want to break Mingyu’s heart when the inevitable rejection comes.
But there’s been this once incident that gave him a slight sliver of hope. The second year in their friendship, Wonwoo’s parents gifted him the keys to his own new flat and he asked Mingyu if he wanted to move in with him. They were best friends by that time and maybe it was poor judgement from Mingyu’s side, but Mingyu agreed. It’s been both better and worse for them both from that moment on.
A couple months into living together, Mingyu had to go back home to his parents’ place for a few days because his mother was sick. When he told about it to Wonwoo, he’d been so cool about it that it made Mingyu sigh in relief but also he couldn’t help but feel a little let down when it felt like Wonwoo wasn’t really affected by his absence.
“Are you sure you have everything prepared?” Mingyu asks a little worriedly.
Wonwoo chuckles. “You’re the one who’s leaving. I’m gonna be okay Mingyu. It’s not a big deal.”
Mingyu worries his lower lip as he packs his hand cream. He looks at Wonwoo who’s leaning at the door frame of Mingyu’s bedroom. “Are you one hundred percent certain? I’ve already bought the groceries that’ll be enough for this week and I wrote down the recipes and put them up on the fridge. Also-”
“Shh, take a deep breath” Wonwoo shushes him softly, his gaze oh so fond it makes Mingyu look away for a second. “Thank you for all of that. And I’m older than you, I can take care of myself Gyu,”
“Yeah right.” Mingyu breathes.
They don’t really text much the day Mingyu leaves or the day after because both of them get really busy, Mingyu with taking his mother to the hospital for the checkup and Wonwoo with his last exam.
Mingyu:
Hyungggg
Did you have lunch??
Wonwoo:
Uhhhhhh
Yes I did.
Mingyu:
(ㆆ_ㆆ)
Wonwoo:
I diddd
Mingyu:
and now u lie to me
sigh
Wonwoo:
I will soon, I promise.
Mingyu:
(ɔ◔‿◔)ɔ ♥
Wonwoo:
cute.
go take a nap
you’ve been working hard
If that makes Mingyu tear up a little, it’s for him to know and for no one else to find out.
Mingyu’s mother has a speedy recovery and he was able to come back earlier than it was planned. He was at the bus station waiting for Wonwoo because the older demanded for him to stay put and that he’d come to pick him up. It’s not like Mingyu can say no to that….
His phone vibrates in his pocket and he reaches down to check the text from the said man.
Wonwoo:
Look to your right
Mingyu’s head snaps up in the direction and barely manages to catch Wonwoo smile at him before he runs for it and catches the older by surprise when he pulls him into a tight hug.
Mingyu leans down further to nuzzle his head in Wonwoo’s neck and he could feel it in his chest when Wonwoo lets out a startled laugh before arms come to wrap around his waist,
“Hey” Wonwoo greets him, his voice sounding amused.
“Hyung” Mingyu whines a little. He pulls back just enough so that he can put his hands on his shoulders and scans Wonwoo completely from head to shoe, “Did you eat well? Are those dark circles? Won, have you not been resting? Why-“
“Damn, calm down” Wonwoo winces a little at the influx of questions. “I’ll let you know all about it. Why don’t we go home first, hm?”
“Okay” Mingyu lets out a little giggle, feeling giddy at coming back to Wonwoo, coming back home.
(He pretends as if he didn’t see the sweatshirt Wonwoo was wearing underneath his bomber jacket. It was Mingyu’s sweatshirt. He also pretends as if he didn’t fall a little bit deeper in love.)
-
It's game night.
Wonwoo's game night.
Which means that he's going to be unavailable for an unprecedented period of time that can range from anywhere between four to twenty hours without a gap.
It's unhealthy, Mingyu's told that to Wonwoo at least a few hundred times but wonwoo's puppy eyes are a little hard to resist because he rarely uses them and to be on the receiving end of that expression makes Mingyu want to clutch his heart.
Every Thursday, Wonwoo has a semi-fixed schedule where he plays whatever-game-he-plays with his classmates and Mingyu knows better than to not disturb him when the older gets into the zone.
So really, it's on no one but Mingyu when he contemplates knocking on Wonwoo's bedroom door at ten in the night, his pillow clutched tightly in one hand. Wonwoo’s probably head deep in whatever game he’s been playing since the afternoon but it’s just..
The last time Mingyu properly talked to Wonwoo was at least a couple days ago, or maybe it's been a week.
He misses Wonwoo. So much.
Wonwoo has had assignments to finish and Mingyu had back to back exams for the whole week until then and now that it’s all over, Mingyu doesn't really know what to do. It feels so empty and there’s nothing that he wants to do more than stay beside Wonwoo and just hang out with him,
Mingyu understands that this is a bad time, it’s Wonwoo’s personal zone.
Yet, he knocks on the door.
For the first couple moments there’s no response but the clicking of the keys is audible so he just braces himself and opens the door just a tiny bit and peeks his head in.
Wonwoo’s sitting on his desk with huge ass expensive headphones on, playing some shooting game from the looks of it while he’s mumbling something into this mic of the headset. Mingyu just says fuck it under his breath and inches closer to the older, and when he’s in reaching distance from the other, he gently places his free hand on Wonwoo’s shoulder.
It should’ve been obvious that the other would’ve freaked out of his mind but Mingyu still winces a little at how Wonwoo’s startles in his seat, his voice cutting off midway and the way his glasses and headphones go askew.
“Oh fuck,” Wonwoo gasps, a hand coming up to his chest. “You freaked me out!”
Mingyu doesn't really sound that apologetic when he voices out a sorry and he watches as Wonwoo gets momentarily distracted by something said in his headset. Wonwoo quickly says to the other players, “give me a moment, i’ll be back-yeah i know. I said give me a moment! I-” with that he plucks the headset from his head and places it on the table while muttering “so annoying.” He gives his full attention to Mingyu as he looks up at him and then at the pillow in his hand.
Mingyu feels a little guilty. “I’m sorry..I didn’t mean to annoy-”
Wonwoo’s brows pinch together and he cuts Mingyu off. “No no! I didn’t call you that. I was calling my friends that. Don’t worry about it.”
“Okay” Mingyu mumbles suddenly feeling embarrassed, “Um,”
“What is it? When did you get home?” Wonwoo urges him. Mingyu had gone out with Minghao and Seokmin for dinner to celebrate the end of their exams and he’d just gotten home and tried to get an early-rest today to compensate for all his lost sleep the past few days but his mind had been too alive to just go sleep.
“Maybe an hour ago.” Mingyu answers and then just bites the bullet. “Hyung, is it okay if i just hang out in your room? I’ll just mind my business really.”
Wonwoo blinks, his eyes going a little wide but then there’s a small smile blooming on his face that’s threatening to break Mingyu's conscience. “Sure. i’ll join you, let me just finish this round-”
As much as Mingyu would love that, he’d rather just waste time doing nothing rather than monopolising wonwoo’s favourite time of the week. “No, that's okay! I’ll just chill with my phone or something, you can carry on.”
“Are you sure?” Wonwoo hesitates and Mingyu feels warmth in his chest at that. Wonwoo considers gaming as his highest priority and to think that he’s willing to abandon that for Mingyu when there’s really no need to, makes Mingyu flushed.
“Yes. I’m sure. Have fun.”
Mingyu just plops down on the bed, and lies down completely, his feet dangling in the air because he couldn’t be bothered enough to slide up further. He picks out his phone and his earphones and plays the playlist Wonwoo made for him a couple months ago. It’s his favourite and Mingyu can’t deny the biased opinion but listening to the music over and over makes him feel special and he can’t let the feeling go. The pride in being the first person Wonwoo’s ever made a playlist for. The shy, timid way he sent the file to Mingyu when they were lounging on their couch back then had been burned into his memories.
The keyboard clicking noises from Wonwoo’s desk would’ve usually annoyed Mingyu but today it tunes out into white noise and he can’t help but rejoice in the moment and also hope for a bit more. Just a little more.
He’s probably a quarter way in through the playlist when he feels a sudden movement beside him. Mingyu’s eyes widen when he notices Wonwoo standing up and placing the headphones on the table, the screen already pitch black.
“Wha-” Mingyu sits up haphazardly, one earbud falling out in his haste. “Are you done already?”
“Oh yeah,” Wonwoo shrugs nonchalantly as he makes his way over to the bed, gently settling himself beside Mingyu as lies down completely as well and drags Mingyu so that he’s lying next to Wonwoo as well but now their heads resting comfortably on the pillows. “What are you listening to?”
“Um, it’s,” Mingyu fumbles for a second, his mind going haywire as he glances at the screen, brain completely incomprehensive for some reason. “Reckless Driving.”
“Oh” Wonwoo’s eyes widen a little as he asks, “Can I listen to it with you?”
Mingyu doesn’t speak but he just hesitantly takes one bud out and rubs it against his shirt before he holds it out to Wonwoo. Wonwoo’s answering smile is enough to brighten up the whole room as he takes the bud and moves a little closer to the younger, so that they’re both resting on the same pillow now.
Oh god.
They stay like that for a while and when the next song starts playing and then the next and that’s when Mingyu hears Wonwoo let out a small noise and turns to look at him. Big mistake.
Wonwoo’s face is also turned towards him, and Mingyu could hear his own breath hitch as he notices the hazy expression on Wonwoo’s face. Their faces are so close that Mingyu can feel Wonwoo’s breath on his nose every time he exhales.
“Min,” Wonwoo says quietly. His eyes, long since ridden of their glasses before he climbed the bed, searching and roaming all over Mingyu’s face, freezing him in his place. “Is this the playlist I made for you?”
It takes Mingyu a couple seconds to regain his senses before comprehending the question. He contemplates on denying it before he just leaves all the caution to the wind.
“Yeah, it’s yours.” Mingyu’s voice comes out quieter than he was intending for it to.
“You listen to it?” Wonwoo’s eyes are still looking for something in Mingyu’s face and it’s making it harder for Mingyu to answer.
Mingyu’s reply comes out as a pathetic croak. “Of course.” he clears his throat. "Why wouldn't I?"
Wonwoo finally looks away at that, just a little lower, his gaze falling somewhere between Mingyu's chin and his neck. He gives a half-hearted shrug and doesn't look up as he says, "I don't know. I didn't think you would."
"What?!" Mingyu lowers his voice, startled at his own volume. Wonwoo looks up at him in surprise. "You made it for me! Obviously I'll listen to it. In fact, I listen to that playlist almost every day!"
Wonwoo's eyes soften and then crinkle at the corners as he tries to hide his smile but smothering his face into the pillow. "You're so cheesy"
Mingyu can feel his face burn crimson red as he feels embarrassment creep up to him. He pretends to not let it affect him as he says, sounding affronted. "HEY! You made the playlist! you're literally the cheese king out of the both of us!"
"Oh my god," Wonwoo's smile increases to full out laughter as he brings up his hands to cover his face. "You're so lame!"
"No, I'm not" Mingyu chuckles at him
"Yes, you are"
"Nope." Mingyu shakes his head as he peers down at the older from where he perchs his head on his hand with his elbow to the bed. "And if you disagree, then I'm going to tickle you."
"Oh really?" Wonwoo raises an eyebrow, his laugh dying out into a smirk. "Consider me scared."
"Now, you're just asking for it."
Wonwoo's smirk gets wider. "And what if I am?"
Mingyu doesn't let his words fluster him as he sits up completely and leans over Wonwoo, completely ignoring the older’s squeak of surprise and brings his hands near Wonwoo’s waist and brushes them over the top.
“Mingyu!” Wonwoo squirms a little as tries to shoo away the younger’s hands from him. “I was just joking!”
“Oh, you were, huh?” Mingyu grins as he starts to tickle Wonwoo more pointedly, watching Wonwoo gasp in surprise. “Too bad I have a terrible sense of humour.”
It goes on for a minute, Wonwoo’s defences completely down as he’s letting out giggles and pants and it’s just so heartwarming that Mingyu loses his goddamn filer.
“You’re so adorable” Mingyu chuckles as he sees Wonwoo’s red face from laughing too much. “God, I love you,” and then he promptly slaps a hand over his mouth.
Silence.
“What?” Wonwoo’s face morphs into a carefully blank slate that sends Mingyu’s already pounding heartbeat to a frenzy. Wonwoo moves to sit up and that’s when Mingyu also mortifyingly realises that he’s basically straddling Wonwoo’s thighs.
Mingyu jerks back quickly, miscalculating the distance as he crawls back and pretty much wobbles over the edge of the bed a little disgracefully. His breath catches in his throat when his hand grips his wrist firmly and yanks him forward making Mingyu let out a pathetic squeak as he’s made to sit back in front of Wonwoo, who’s now sitting on the bed.
“What did you mean by that?” Wonwoo asks, his face still unreadable but his eyes looks straight into Mingyu’s.
“Nothing.” Mingyu rushes to clarify. “I said you’re adorable!”
“After that?”
Mingyu’s voice comes out as a whisper as he stares at Wonwoo hesitantly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Mingyu,” Wonwoo asks again, his eyes glimmering all of a sudden, his face not giving much away. “You said you love me?”
“Hyung..” Mingyu pleads as he looks at everything but Wonwoo’s eyes. “Let’s not do this now, please?” He moves to get away but Wonwoo drops his wrist and suddenly there are two hands cupping his face.
“I love you.” Wonwoo’s voice comes out rough and Mingyu’s heart stops for a second when he sees the way the older’s eyes have tears in them now. He doesn’t even comprehend what Wonwoo has said for a moment, too focused on the way the older’s eyes are quickly becoming glassier by the second.
“What?” Mingyu whispers in disbelief.
“Mingyu,” Wonwoo takes a deep breath, his hands still cupping Mingyu’s face but the younger can feel his hands shaking against his skin. “I’m in love with you.”
“Hyung,” Mingyu pleads. “Please don’t play with me..”
Wonwoo brings his face closer to the younger, leaning his forehead on Mingyu’s gently.
“I had so many plans for this. I wanted to take you out on a date to the new garden they set up recently, then to the arcade and then to our dinner spot. But you just won’t give me a break.” Wonwoo wetly chuckles.
“Mingyu, I love you. I’ve been in love with you for longer than I can remember, I’ve asked you to move in with me back then because I really wanted to spend all my free time with you. I’ve saved literally every picture of ours in my laptop so I could look at them when I miss you. I love wearing your hoodies because they remind me of you. Mingyu, I don’t want to think about a moment without you. So please tell me. Do you really love me or did I just blow my chance?”
Mingyu feels tears dropping on his cheeks and that’s when he realises that he’s crying. This has got to be a dream. But Wonwoo’s so close to him, so fucking close.
“Hyung,” Mingyu croaks out, his hands hesitantly coming up to rest on Wonwoo’s shoulder. He tries not to, but he can’t stop bawling as he stutters. “Wonwoo, I l-love you. I love you so much. Hyung,” Mingyu leans forward, his arms wrapping around Wonwoo’s shoulders and bringing him into his embrace. “I can’t explain how much I love you. I’ve wanted to tell you that since ages! I thought you didn’t like me!”
“You’re such an idiot!” Wonwoo breathes into the side of his neck, his voice muffled. “How can you not know?! I’m literally always doing everything you ask me to! I’ve even started being more touchy lately because I know you like it. I don’t do that to any of our friends!”
“I know..” Mingyu mumbles, unable to hide his smile. “I’m sorry.”
Wonwoo pulls back and Mingyu immediately feels the loss of warmth against his chest. But Wonwoo doesn’t move too far away, instead he adjusts himself so he’s sitting right in front of the younger, their knees knocking against each other.
And Mingyu just takes a moment to observe. To appreciate. Wonwoo’s eyes are a little red, his nose and cheeks blotchy with pink flush over them. His lips are wobbling a little with every inhale he takes in and Mingyu’s blown away with how beautiful Wonwoo looks.
“Won,” Mingyu starts, his voice quieter than it had been before as he brings up a hand to Wonwoo’s right cheek, caressing it and he can’t help his smile when Wonwoo leans into his palm. “Can I kiss you?”
Wonwoo doesn’t give him an answer, instead he leans in closer and closer until all of Mingyu's senses can feel nothing but Wonwoo. “Thought you’d never ask.” with that he closes the distance immediately, his lips softer than Mingyu could’ve imagined.
Mingyu can feel all his thoughts shut down for a moment and he freezes up. Wonwoo pulls back a little, “Uh-” and Mingyu goes into overdrive as he grabs Wonwoo’s face and brings him back for a deeper kiss.
Milliseconds. Seconds. Minutes. Mingyu is unable to keep track of time anymore with the way Wonwoo's hands are pulling him even closer from where they're fisting Mingyu's T-shirt, with the way Wonwoo is letting small sounds that shoot warmth right to the butterflies in his stomach, with the way Wonwoo's now asking for permission for more with his tongue poking the inseam of Mingyu's lips.
And Mingyu's a weak, weak, weak man for Wonwoo. So he parts his lips. So he lets Wonwoo kiss him deeper. So he lets Wonwoo do whatever he wants to him.
It's Wonwoo who pulls back again, but this time his face is glowing, a shimmer in his eyes as he looks at Mingyu. "You're sleeping here, tonight."
Mingyu can't stop his grin. He brushes his hands through Wonwoo's hair as he smirks. "Of course I am."
-----
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