Chapter Text
Wonwoo was fourteen years old, the typical nerdy boy wearing his blue long cardigan with his Gameboy Nintendo in his hands and his black hair almost covering his prescription glasses. He just celebrated his 14th birthday on the17th of July, when he first fell in love with the boy-next-door.
"Here. Give these to the new neighbors." His mom handed out a tray full of sweets and told him to get the food to their neighbor who is moving their stuff out of their van. Wonwoo stomps his feet, he doesn't really want to converse with new people now. It's his birthday and he just wants to play with his best friends, Jeonghan and Seungkwan.
Seungkwan and Jeonghan look up to him and signals to go and follow his mom's order or he will get scolded again for being a quiet and introverted boy who doesn't get friends other than his kindergarten bffs.
"I'll be back, Kwan and Hannie-hyung!" He huffs and grunts and talking to himself why he is such an introverted boy and not like anyone else, he snapped out of his thoughts when he hears the noise of construction going on as he is nearing their neighbor’s house.
Wonwoo sees a few workers renovating the house, he thinks this might not be the best time to intrude, but somehow he doesn't want to get scolded again.
“Hi” He catches the attention of a woman in her late 40s, moving a couple of vases from the other side of the room.
"—I’m Wonwoo. It’s my birthday, and.. and my mom would like to give these.” Wonwoo stutters. His words left his mouth as he saw the boy peeking from the inside of the house. He stares at him and Wonwoo feels like the world stopped. Okay, that's overreacting. But oh my god he is so handsome and cute making Wonwoo’s heart skip a beat.
“Hello there, little guy. Thank you so much for this and happy birthday.” The boy’s mom stated, snapping out of his trance as he ruffled his hair.
“Th-Thank you.” Wonwoo blushes, he fixes his hair and was about to go, when he saw the boy running towards him, with a big smile. Wonwoo feels like he is going to faint any moment.
“Hi there! I’m Mingyu!” Wonwoo froze. Okay, wait up! I’m not ready for this! He settles his glasses on the bridge of his nose. He fixes his hair and tries to look cute and prett—
“What a cute kitty” Mingoo—Mingu, whatever his name is, giggles at Wonwoo.
Wait. What?! Wonwoo’s eyebrows furrowed. Okay, he couldn’t believe what was happening. The fuck is wrong with this kid? Oops sorry for the bad word, I heard it somewhere when I was playing roblox or something, anyway, how dare he? We just met and now he’s telling me that I’m a kitty? Okay, I may get that a lot, but he doesn’t need to point that out—
“Uh. I'm sorry. Sorry, I was looking at your face paint.” The boy scratches the back of his head.
Oh my god! Kill me now! Just bury me to the ground! Wonwoo touched his face and felt the icky feeling of paint on his fingers, he looks so awful! He still has cat face paint on his face! Ugh! This is my worst day ever! He feels his face flush, and he sweats a little. He looks at the boy in front of him
and he runs.
The next day, Wonwoo tells his mom he will not go out of his room because he is working on a school project, which is a lie of course. He just doesn’t want to go out and see his crush—oh my god, when did this happen, how can I have a crush on him already?
He plunged his elbows on their window, still looking at the boy—his name is Mingyu, by the way, it's not like he heard one of the boys shouting his name earlier.
Wonwoo sighs, he's new here and he already has friends. He's not that insecure about it, but Wonwoo is not really a social butterfly and is having trouble making friends with other kids, because they don't match well. He usually hangs out with only his best friends, Jeonghan and Seungkwan.
Wonwoo, steps back from the window, hoping none of Mingyu's friends see him gawking over him.
"Mingyu! Let's play basketball!" His friend, Cheol, Wonwoo's not really sure of the guy's name, called his name.
Ugh! His name is as handsome as he is.
Mingyu went outside and Wonwoo stared at him again lovingly. He looks so good with his brown and silky locks all brushed up showing his glowing tan skin.
His little crush, seems not so little anymore.
The next day, Wonwoo hears a series of shouting and laughter. He peeks outside through the window and he sees Mingyu with his friends again. He’s playing basketball, with the number 6 on his jersey shirt. He stares at Mingyu's structure and built. His tan skin is glistening from the sweat.
He sighs in awe how handsome this boy is. He felt his heart twitch as Mingyu looked up, waved and smiled at him. Wonwoo hurriedly closed the curtains.
Okay, you're officially his stalker now.
On Saturdays, Wonwoo is always left at home alone, as his parents attend important events. He stares outside his window, hoping to see his neighbor again. Not that he is stalking, he just wants to make sure he is okay. I guess?
Wonwoo pouts, it's been an hour already and there's no Mingyu outside. After a few minutes of looking at an empty space outside, Wonwoo heard a knock on the door. Confused, since his parents usually come back later at night. He went downstairs and he opened the door.
"You're a bit earl—"
“Hi!” Wonwoo was taken aback, in front of him is his favorite person in their neighborhood. Wonwoo's immediate response is to close the door, of course.
"Hey, it's me Mingyu. Your neighbor"
I know, you idiot. But why is he here anyway?
“What are you doing here?" Wonwoo responds timidly. His back on the door.
“Would you like to go outside... with me?”
"What? Why would I do that?" Wonwoo was confused but blushed at the thought of them going to the park, he erased the thought immediately.
"I...I just want to be friends with you. Can you open the door please?" Wonwoo holds his breath, his ultimate crush wants to be friends with a geek like him. Are the odds on his favor now?
Wonwoo opens the door and steps outside timidly.
"Hi. Uh...Do you want to go to the park?"
"Uh. My parents aren't home—Uh, I'm sorry. And... I can't really go out that.. far"
"Oh okay, I can stay here and be with you until your parents come back." Surprise is an understatement to what Mingyu just said.
What? Stay here? With the two of us? Alone? Is he crazy? Oh my god, I'm too young to—
"If that's okay with you..I mean, won't your parents look for you?" It's not like Wonwoo is excited about just two of them being together, he feels heat in his body and he feels his face flushed.
"No." Mingyu shakes his head. "Are you okay? You seem red—"
"Okay, come inside! I'll show you my video games." Wonwoo shrieks not even letting Mingyu finish his sentence. Unbeknowingly, Wonwoo is holding Mingyu's hands, he's too embarrassed and excited to process what just happened. Mingyu doesn't let go, somehow.
Wonwoo never had any friends come over to his house and play with him,so this is really a part of his core memory.
Wonwoo and Mingyu became best friends. They spend most of the time playing and basically being inseparable with each other. Wonwoo goes to Mingyu's house and vice versa. They would sneak in every night to their windows and it feels like teenage romance you read in those books.
Wonwoo learns that Mingyu is afraid of heights but he tries to climb all the way up his window just to sneak at night and play with him or be with him or whatever because Wonwoo is already in love with him. Mingyu also learned that Wonwoo doesn't eat seafood, when he brought him over his cooked ramyun with crab sticks and Wonwoo tried his best to eat it. They laughed it off afterwards.
They became each other's safe place, Wonwoo doesn't join Mingyu though whenever he plays basketball, soccer or anything that includes physical strength and Mingyu is okay with that as long as Wonwoo is watching him from the side, as he scores in every game.
Wonwoo loves mind games and he is so happy that he has someone he can play with, because Jeonghan cheats whenever he has a chance and Seungkwan just doesn't want to play board games because 'it's called bored games for a reason, hyung.' Wonwoo rolls his eyes every time he does that.
They became each other's routine, and Wonwoo falls in love with Mingyu everyday and Mingyu doesn't seem to notice it. They're both 16 now and they're already thinking about what university they are going to enroll in. Mingyu wants to take up Law and Wonwoo wants to be a doctor, a veterinarian to be specific. They both have Pledis University as their top universities that they would like to enroll in.
"What if I won't pass?" Wonwoo glares at Mingyu as he opens another book, and Mingyu takes it as a sign to take back what he said. He always remind Mingyu to read the books and prepare for the exams.
"I was just joking. Chill." Mingyu said defensively, when he saw Wonwoo's sulking face he scoots closely and hugs Wonwoo in the process.
Wonwoo tries to get used to this, he tries to get used to how Mingyu is so clingy with him, he loves the hugs, he loves the light kisses Mingyu does on the side of his neck, shoulders, basically anywhere and Wonwoo doesn't stop him. He tries to think their relationship is platonic but he hopes that Mingyu is only like this when he is with him.
It may be odd and weird to some, but Wonwoo doesn't give a damn.
Wonwoo was awakened by the knock on his window. Growling, he stood up and saw Mingyu struggling to balance himself and holding dear life to Wonwoo's Window sill.
"Why are you here?"
"My parents aren't home"
"So, what"
"Can you let me in please?"
"No."
"Won-ah." Wonwoo gruff, he slides his window open making way to Wonwoo's bedroom, stumbling to a few books scattered on Wonwoo's tabletop.
"Can you be quiet? My parents are asleep."
"Can I spend my night here?"
"What—"
"I'll take that as a yes, it's not like you have a choice anyways." Wonwoo rolls his eyes, he doesn't retort because it's true. Whenever Mingyu's parents aren't home for the ninth business trip they had in a week, Mingyu automatically finds solace in Wonwoo's home, his room to be exact.
They're just lying on the bed, watching their favorite movies, playing video games and eating ramyun courtesy of Mingyu until they pass out.
"Wanna go outside?" Mingyu shouts like he just had the most amazing idea.
"What? It's already 10, Min." Wonwoo yawns, he is fixing his bed already with his pajamas on, obviously ready to go to sleep.
"Yeah, and you're still awake."
"I'm awake because of you, you stupid ass."
"Let's eat at the convenience store. I'm hungry." Mingyu clutches his stomach, he sleeps on the floor in Wonwoo's bedroom. Wonwoo arches his brow not buying Mingyu's drama. It's cold outside and he is tired and sleepy.
"Okay, let's go." Wonwoo states nonchalantly, he is too tired to nag and argue with Mingyu. Mingyu perks up to check if Wonwoo is just being sarcastic but he sees Wonwoo grabbing his coat and signaling him to go out.
"This is why I love you, Won-ah." Wonwoo stops for a minute, and tries to regain his thoughts back to reality.
After eating ramen, Mingyu and Wonwoo are walking on their way home. It's cold outside and Wonwoo barely has anything that can mask the coldness. Mingyu on the other hand has his big jacket and a bonnet to save him from the weather.
He keeps on walking, he doesn't want to worry Mingyu because of his tactlessness. Their home is still a few blocks away and Wonwoo tries his best to move his body.
"It's so cold, Mingyu-yah" Wonwoo utters her lower lip trembling, he couldn't resist anymore. Mingyu stares at him for a second and panics when he sees Wonwoo shivering.
"You idiot, why didn't you tell me earlier?" He takes his jacket off for Wonwoo to wear, Wonwoo tries to stop him but Mingyu is much stronger than he is.
"You're an idiot. You'll get cold"
"I don't get cold easily. Let's go." He holds Wonwoo's hand,and tucked it inside his pockets making sure it gets warm.
"You don't have to do this."
"Hm?"
"You're cold."
"The cold never bothers me anyway." Wonwoo glares at the bad joke and kind of wants to punch the smirk away.
Mingyu and Wonwoo arrived at Wonwoo's house, they thought the best way would be coming through the main door, as Wonwoo is already shivering from the cold, however he didn't bring the spare keys with him.
Wonwoo groans, he's already shaking from the cold and couldn't take it any more. He just wants to go to his room, and sleep.
"I guess we have to climb then."
"No. I can't." Wonwoo said, his body is weak and he can't physically move anymore with strength. On normal days, he can easily climb through the window but he feels his knees are getting weaker and he just wants to lay down on the floor.
He curses Mingyu in his mind for making him go out.
Mingyu doesn't try to open the doors again as he might wake Wonwoo's parents from the ruckus. They just sneaked in secretly and it's already midnight. Getting scolded is not part of the plan.
"Let's go to our house.” Wonwoo nods and he lets Mingyu lead the way. He has been to Mingyu's house before. Their hands still intertwined and tucked into Mingyu's coat. Honestly, it doesn't matter anymore for Wonwoo. He needs to lay down right now or he may pass out from the cold.
Mingyu opens the door slowly and leads him to his bedroom, it's dark and Wonwoo relaxes immediately from the warmth and cozy bed. Mingyu adjusts the heater and takes out the spare bedsheets.
"I'll sleep on the floor." Mingyu states as he lays the duvet on the floor.
"Sleep beside me."
"Huh?"
"Mingyu-yah" Wonwoo doesn't really have the conscience to know what's happening. He's both sleepy and cold.
Mingyu is slow to process everything. What is Wonwoo doing?
"Come here and lay down beside me.'' It's dark but Mingyu can sense Wonwoo pouting, Mingyu complies and scoots himself to Wonwoo's side, he was surprised when the latter moved closer to him, pushing his face towards his chest. Mingyu was shocked as he tried to wrap his large fingers in an attempt to hug the shivering male back. His right arm found its way to Wonwoo's waist.
This is the first time he has done this. Sure he may be a little touchy with the smaller male, but it feels new. It's different when they are this intimate in one bed. Wonwoo’s waist is slim and he's afraid he might break it
Mingyu tenses, he shouldn't feel this way. He fights his inner self from doing anything to the male in front of him. He is probably cold and would like to have some of his body heat.
Wonwoo can feel Mingyu's heartbeat. He snuggles closely rubbing his face to Mingyu's chest not noticing the latter stiffness from the act. His heart beats so fast it will explode.
"I love this." Wonwoo said, his voice so soft and gentle. He feels secured in Mingyu's arms.
"Won-ah." Wonwoo looked up and they both shared glances. Mingyu stares at Wonwoo's eyes then down to his lips. Fuck. He feels Wonwoo inching closer, almost feeling each other's breaths.
"I love you Mingyu-yah" Wonwoo closes the gap and kisses Mingyu.
Fuck.
Mingyu kisses back.
