Work Text:
Wonwoo leaned against the wall as Mingyu spoke. Words went into one ear and out of the other. He stared at the lamp as the taller one continued. He noticed the bulb burnt out. Gosh, he thought, he needed to change that.
It wasn’t that what Mingyu was saying was something to be ignored. In fact, it shouldn’t be ignored. But Wonwoo didn’t want to accept it. He didn’t want his brain to register the harsh words that were coming out. Words that made his heart sink and made him question the two years they’ve been together.
“Yah,” Mingyu called out as he snapped Wonwoo back into reality. He looked up from the lamp at Mingyu with a soulless stare. Mingyu seemed angry because of the stare, but Wonwoo couldn’t help it. How can he look at Mingyu smiling when that was all behind them?
–
It was rather excited how they met. Through their mutual friend, Soonyoung, the two were introduced to each other. Mingyu was taller and his stare was a bit intimidating to Wonwoo, but he was proven wrong. The taller one was very sweet and genuine, holding doors for Wonwoo and offering his umbrella when it rained.
Wonwoo and him grew close. He soon invited Mingyu to his house so they could hang out more beyond school.
Something Mingyu learned from their friends was that Wonwoo never let anyone into his bedroom. None of their friends have ever gone in when they went to Wonwoo’s house. He even heard that he rarely even let his own mother enter.
It was late at night when Wonwoo invited Mingyu over. Mingyu gladly sat on one of the couches in the living room when Wonwoo was making him a cup of hot coffee. When he arrived with the two cups, he motioned Mingyu to follow him. Like a lost puppy, he eagerly followed Wonwoo.
Wonwoo stood in front of his door before he opened it and told Mingyu to enter and sit down on his bed. The bedroom was very sleek and clean. There was a lone chair that was in the corner of the room that held a few books. One of the walls had wallpaper peeling, but it was a minor tear, as Mingyu observed.
Sitting down on the bed, he noticed that the door frame was chipped on the side, but Wonwoo didn’t seem to mind at all. The room was charming, just like the person who slept in it.
–
That soon changed when Mingyu practically moved in with Wonwoo in his room.
Mingyu’s parents were actually okay with it. Their son gets to dorm with his friend at his house since Wonwoo’s house was closer to the university they both commuted to.
It was very helpful indeed. And Wonwoo’s parents just adored Mingyu. Always teasing their son that they were probably in love with each other.
And soon enough, his parents were right.
In the room, around two in the morning, that’s when things started.
Mingyu had a nightmare that night. Wonwoo remembered the scene so clearly. Mingyu nudged him and asked if they can share his bed instead of him sleeping on his own mattress.
Wonwoo made room for the taller one who, suprisingly, didn’t take up that much room. His legs were a bit of a problem though as they dangled off the bed a bit.
“You can move your legs to me,” Wonwoo whispered. Mingyu entangled his legs around his friend’s, a bit embarrassed. “Don’t be,” Wonwoo reassured him.
Mingyu, unable to sleep, looked at Wonwoo who’s eyes were closed as he was already asleep. He didn’t want to wake him. That would be rude. But he did so anyway. And Wonwoo didn’t mind.
“It’s only a dream,” Wonwoo would smile back at him. “I’m here. You’re fine.”
And that’s when Mingyu went in for it. It was short, but it was long enough for Wonwoo to get the message of their secret mutual feelings for each other.
Two weeks in and the two were happier than ever.
They kept sharing Wonwoo’s bed, Mingyu’s bed left being untouched. This was part of their night routine. Change pajamas, share a kiss, brush their teeth, dap toothpaste on each other’s noses, share Wonwoo’s bed, and see who can stay up the longest. Mingyu always lost, but Wonwoo didn’t really care. He just liked to make sure Mingyu was sound asleep before him.
Wonwoo wasn’t sure when things went down hill, but they did.
It started with little arguments. Mingyu forgot to clean his workspace on the desk, Wonwoo didn’t do the laundry yesterday. It was always petty things that they could easily brush off.
It began to grow though. Wonwoo got mad when Mingyu came home late because he wasn’t informed about this last minute study group on campus, Mingyu ignored Wonwoo because he forgot about their dinner date they made reservations for all because of a stupid music practice session.
–
A little over a year passed and Wonwoo never expected himself to be in this situation.
Mingyu was sitting on the bed. His bed, rather than Wonwoo’s bed that he was normally on. His legs were tucked into his chest and his feet were at the foot of the bed.
His words were rather strong. Speaking of saying how it wasn’t working out and maybe a break is what’s best for them was something Wonwoo didn’t want to accept.
Wonwoo was frozen when he saw Mingyu leave the room. His things were still in place: the bed, the books, the clothes, they were still around his room. He quickly cleaned up. The bed was fixed, the books were stacked and shelved, the clothes were folded and put away. Wonwoo went to bed that night alone.
He woke up the next morning and saw that he was still the only one in his bed.
Judging by the way that the bed across from him was still fixed, meant that he spent the night in his room alone.
Wonwoo went about his day, trying to see Mingyu. His phone was unavailable. Probably changed his number.
He arrived to his empty house soon after. His parents were still at work so he walked to his room. He wasn’t expecting anything, but he was hoping something would be there.
Nothing was. The room was still it’s regular, plain self.
Wonwoo dropped his bag on the floor as he laid down in his bed.
He turned his head to look at the empty bed once more with a sigh.
Half of his room was getting dusty and Wonwoo hated that. The dusty items weren’t even his, which made him even madder. He sat up before walking over to the wallpaper that was peeling near the other bed. He glared at it.
This was exactly where he stood when it started. He remembered how eager Mingyu was to finally be moving in with him. He remember that smile, and the twinkle in his eyes, when he pulled Wonwoo in for a hug.
But this was also where it ended. He stood here, face blank as a white canvas and heart emptying itself out by the second. He remembered when Mingyu threw the sweater Wonwoo loaned him onto the floor before he barged out.
He began to heat up, just staring at that one peel in the wall. It witnessed everything in that room. The beginning, the middle, and now the end. Wonwoo couldn’t take it. He tore the peel off of the wall and threw it to the ground angrily. His breathing was heavy but he watched the wallpaper fall to the floor. It fell with a tear.
His eyes were so watery he could barely see the ground beneath him as he tried to blink so he could at least see the torn piece of paper. Wonwoo knelt down next to it and began to sob away.
Little did Wonwoo know that Mingyu didn’t give up on him. Before Wonwoo returned, Mingyu slid something into Wonwoo’s dresser. A note. A note that explained that even though they’re apart, he’d still wait for him. Mingyu said that his love would always be there when Wonwoo wanted to reconnect.
But Wonwoo wasn’t aware of the letter at all. When Mingyu left, he cleared all of his drawers and washed everything to take his mind off of things. The note, Wonwoo’s last chance, was thrown into the wash and never seen again.
Mingyu had no clue of the note’s disappearance. And so he waited. Hoping, one day, they could be together again.
Wonwoo had no idea about any of this. He was still crying at the foot of the other bed. It was over. They were officially over. His room was the only thing that has been constant throughout all of this.
It was only fitting that it had to end in the room where it all began.