Chapter Text
M9- "We didn't know we became friends, not until one of us smiled."
Now Mingyu can check some boxes and fill in the blanks lying in his mind. Sure, he didn't know much about Minghao. But he was getting somewhere.
He mentally noted some observations, for example he was clearly new. At first, he wasn't hundred percent sure, but he inferred from the way Minghao's face eased. The way his eyes closed slowly, and his breath became more stable, his lips in a gentle smile, oh Minghao's lips he shouldn't focus on them much .
Minghao probably didn't know who Seokmin was then.
Seokmin was the company's most introverted extrovert staff they had he rivaled Sooyoung in that sense. On top of that he was kind, funny, and in Joshua's words "A ray of sunshine". He was also the only person he closely knew that he shared his sexuality with, that too even Mingyu was unaware of that fact that Seokmin had a boyfriend. Until the countless "work trips" turned dates of Seokmin and Joshua that he tagged along cluelessly as a third wheel.
He didn't know Joshua as much but that he seemed kind and sweet, very gentleman like, but he had a streak of craziness in his eyes that never left Joshua's sight. It made him stand out in that sense uniquely as fellow, as he had a major obsession with water. Which he never could wrap his head around but he himself was far from perfect. He has something sleeping dormant in him, but he doesn't dare try to know or want to know.
He cleared his thoughts.
"Well, hey! At least you know a bit about me now." He exclaimed with warm smile reassuring Minghao.
"Yeah...Well what level do happen to work on then? Minghao replied continuing the small talk, never letting go of his initial determination to get his answers.
"I work in the "first level", and I'm part of the Fouth section, I am a clerk." He stated with the pure intention of luring Mingyu to feel more comfortable with him. Minghao didn't need anyone to tell him, that Mingyu was being distant at least in this sense. He sensed Mingyu's hesitation, which made him feel him more curious about his background.
"Oh wait, do you know Joshua then? Mingyu quickly switching the subject once again. He was running out of ways to let off on even trying to tell Minghao. He felt the persistence of Minghao in each time he kept on bringing up the same topic.
"Yeah I do, but that's not what mattered at least not right now. Minghao felt his head get warmer, he felt strangely agitated.
He would never have even cared a single bit about someone's position, but there was something about him that captivated his soul. It made him want to get to the truth. Maybe it was the feelings playing in his relentless heart. Minghao gets even more agitated he shifts his stance unconsciously, his arms now crossed in front him his head slightly looking up in an annoyed manner.
Why hasn't he said anything about his occupation, isn't that pretty basic he thought to himself. Especially if we met each other at our company or workplace. Why wasn't he being truthful to Minghao.
Minghao didn't expect for him to spill his life story or anything like that.
But Minghao he's observant, many people just shrug him off as quite because he doesn't speak much, not in front old strangers, or even to his coworkers, but that's because he focuses on the minute, the details that go unnoticed.
The smell of a person's shampoo, the wedding ring being taken off in the afterhours, puffy racoon eyes after a late-night heartbreak, the slight lag in a coworker's response, stacked coffee cups in the trash can, the over organized desk slowly turning back into a mess. He can see them all and right now he knows something isn't adding up when he looks at Mingyu and the information he knows about him.
First, Mingyu works on an upper floor, above four. Since he didn't get off. He also didn't bring his staff mandatory badge, which was expected to be kept on you at all times to even access other rooms. Finally, what was a person doing in the paper storage room casually eating their lunch that no one visits.
Minghao grew impatient, he was waiting, waiting for whatever Mingyu would say to him. Yet as Minghao started staring at the taller man in front of him. He didn't respond.
Mingyu was quiet, almost pensive in thought.
Mingyu, he didn't know if he should create a fake story like he has done before to countless co-workers if you will. It was already at his tip of his tongue like muscle memory. But yet at the end he had to part ways with those who knew the false truth. It's haunts you. He knew the lies only consumed a person, made their heart beat rapid, in a fit of anxiety. Keeping up an act was difficult. Mingyu knew this firsthand. But this was different Minghao wasn't someone he wanted to part or ghost. There was something about him that lit a flame to his inner desires, he couldn't tell why. He wanted to know him, like a true friend, yup for sure ignoring his underlying intentions, his heart strings pulling him towards Minghao.
I mean would it hurt him or me, to just know at least that one small thing about myself. He pondered.
As his eyes went back to Minghao looking up at him in an odd way, his eyes seemed to stare right through his facade, yet it was vague. He felt like Minghao's eyes were like honey, an infinite pool. That would either drown him or let him swim freely tasting the sweetness.
...
"Why don't you sit down" He asked his hand showing towards the desk.
Minghao was caught off guard, he didn't expect Mingyu to offer him seat, he didn't think that his job would be something worthy of a long conservation. Minghao had thought he had some sheepish excuse. But as settles himself into the one of the worn Burgandy office chairs. Swiveling it to face Mingyu directly, he feels anxious behind his stubbornness.
Mingyu pulls a chair from another desk and places himself right in front of Minghao. He takes a deep breath closing his eyes and attempting to calm his nerves. He wasn't the only one feeling the same. But he snaps out of it as quickly he slipped into that space. He moves even closer to Minghao only an inch or two apart. He can feel Minghao's breath hitching and eyes widening slightly at the sudden proximity.
"You cannot, and I mean every single word that you cannot tell anyone what I am going to tell you, he mumbles in a low, reprimanding tone.
Taking a pause Mingyu continues, "You understand, right?" He says it in a way so dark and cold it makes Minghao become even more hyper aware of the situation he's in. Minghao's immediately notices the way Mingyu stares at him with such intensity. As if he were a prey, ready to mess with him, devour him if he made a wrong move.
Minghao felt visibly on the edge, he felt himself holding his breath.
"I get it..."he said when in fact he didn't.
What possibly could Mingyu's background entail for him to caution me so much, to the point that it almost sounds like a threat.
"Okay, I'm telling you because..."Mingyu started not knowing where he would go with this. He couldn't possibly tell Minghao of his desire to see him that overpowers his bearing. So he decided to go with the obvious instead.
"Well we are going to be running into each other a lot, whether we like it or not. You're in charge of this old room, that practically no one uses. To be quite frank with you I haven't really encountered a situation like this." He stated his hands abstractly pointing towards Minghao.
"Until grandfather had the bright idea to meddle in my space why is he so intent on pushing me. "Mingyu thought to himself.
"But anyhow, the reason why I wasn't being as front as I could be, is because...I am the chairman's grandson." He just decided to drop the bomb, expecting some form of surprise or shock, maybe even jealousy he seen it happen before. It's one of the many reasons he doesn't make acquaintances with others.
But as he stared intently at Minghao's face he couldn't notice any change in expression. Maybe he was bad when it comes to Minghao, usually he could tell when it was others. He just saw him blink and just for a millisecond his eyes seemed to be a tad bit bigger, he assumed.
Minghao just tilted his head to his right, "Okay Mingyu was that supposed to change something?" He asked slightly aware of Mingyu's situation to a fault.
He didn't know about the toxic rumors that spread poison in my mind. My reputation reflected the way my grandfather treated me, apparently, I was a stain to the company just my existence was enough.Minghao would have never known that.
Minghao was genuinely confused in true honesty, he didn't show it though.
He just smiled at Mingyu with a playful smile that danced, filled with innocence and love. Gifted alongside a fairy like giggle so pure and light.
That wasn't going to affect who Mingyu is, that was just a heavy, imposed title. In truth he wanted to just get to know about the charming mysterious fellow, not just the labels that precede him. He wanted to know the trivial things, the little things that make up a person. He wanted to know who he is.
Nothing mattered to him because like a moth to a flame he sought warmth from him.
Mingyu's eyes shown bright at the sound his giggle the way he smiled right in front of him. He never expected that. He stared at Minghao a wave of nausea and relief so closely unfamiliar, swept over him like a dark cloud. Flashes of the hazy past, his head it throbbed. In that moment he felt exhausted. Mingyu let out a sight, letting go of his breath he held.
It's going to get better he thought.
He looked at Minghao directly in his eyes taking in that sight of him. He smiled a childish grin back, it had been since forever since he smiled like this, filled with genuine feelings his lost childhood making it up. In that moment the younger Mingyu shown through. He wasn't aware of it, but his soul felt at ease for a bit. Having Minghao around eased his troubled heart and mind concealed behind a fragile opaque wall. Unaware to both sides who forcefully coexisted. A monster with a muzzle dormant, waiting. But for what?