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Mingi adored Yunho—completely, hopelessly. They were everything to each other.
They went to university together, lived in the same dorm room, went shopping side by side, took long walks, and even wore matching outfits.
They had been dating for two years now—since their very first year.
Even their first meeting felt like something out of a story. A book had fallen from the top shelf in the university library and hit Yunho right on the head. Mingi had burst out laughing so loudly that they were both kicked out.
Mingi didn’t need anyone else. Yunho was enough. While all his former friends preferred endless parties, Mingi preferred quiet time—with him.
That was until Sonhwa appeared.
Yunho found himself a new friend and started spending more and more time with him, sometimes completely ignoring Mingi.
The quiet evenings disappeared.
There was only Mingi, alone on the bed, and Yunho—somewhere else.
*Maybe I’m overthinking… I am a terrible possessive person after all. Yunho loves freedom. If I try to limit him, he’ll definitely leave me. I should just ignore it… find something to distract myself.*
And he did.
He buried himself in books—especially romance novels.
“Idiot, he doesn’t love you! Just leave him!”
That line echoed in his head for an entire month.
Until Mingi finally realized—this wasn’t in his head.
*He comes back at 11, even though his classes end at 4. He doesn’t tell me anything anymore. We barely talk…*
Mingi decided to fix things.
He would make a photo wall—just like the girl in his book did. Their anniversary was coming up, and he still didn’t have a gift.
On the morning of their anniversary, he woke up to the sound of the door closing.
Yunho had already left.
And he hadn’t even kissed his forehead.
That hurt more than Mingi wanted to admit.
*Maybe he went to prepare something for me…*
After classes, Yunho still wasn’t in the room.
So Mingi got to work.
*I hope I finish before 11… Damn, two years already.*
The room turned upside down—paper, glue, glitter everywhere.
But he managed.
He even ran to the store and came back to prepare a small romantic dinner.
Rushing into the shared kitchen, he started cooking—only to run into Wooyoung.
“Wow. You here? If I didn’t see it myself, I wouldn’t believe it.”
“Ha-ha. Very funny.”
“What are you making?”
“It’s… our anniversary. Thought I’d make a not-so-romantic dinner.”
Wooyoung’s face went pale. He stopped cooking.
“…Your anniversary? You didn’t break up?”
Mingi frowned.
“Of course not. Why would we?”
Wooyoung slowly sat down.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
“Yunho’s been spending a lot of time with Sonhwa…”
“They’re just good friends.”
“Good friends… who kiss at parties?”
The plate slipped from Mingi’s hand and shattered on the floor.
“W-what?!”
“You know I go to every party. Yunho’s always there. Usually until ten… then they leave together. I left early once because of a headache—and they were still there. Together. Probably are right now too… On your anniversary, Mingi…”
Everything shattered.
His heart. His world.
His body felt cold.
“…So he’s cheating on me?”
“…Yeah. I’m sorry. I didn’t know you two were still together.”
“…Thanks. You’ve already said enough. Where are they?”
“Tokyo 66.”
“…Thanks again. You can take the dinner. For you and San. I won’t need it anymore.”
Mingi ran.
Out of the kitchen. Out of the dorm. Toward the club.
*Wooyoung is lying, right? Yunho… you wouldn’t do that…*
Tears blurred his vision as he reached the building.
Inside, he saw old acquaintances—San, Seonghwa, others—surprised by his sudden appearance.
“Where’s Yunho?” he asked immediately.
They pointed upstairs.
And Mingi ran.
What he saw—
broke him completely.
Yunho.
His Yunho.
Kissing Sonhwa.
Mingi rushed forward and shoved them apart.
“What the hell, Yunho?!”
Yunho froze—then sighed.
“Let’s go outside.”
Mingi followed, barely holding himself together.
“Why?” he asked, his voice trembling.
“I feel better with Sonhwa. Freer. With you… it felt like a cage.”
“…Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t want to hurt you.”
Mingi laughed bitterly.
“And this doesn’t hurt?”
“I was scared…”
“You’re a piece of shit, Yunho.”
“I know. But being with you is exhausting. You demand too much. Your personality is… hard.”
“…How long?”
“About half a year.”
“When you met him?”
“…Yeah. I fell for him immediately. And now I can say I love him.”
Each word cut deeper than the last.
Mingi turned away.
“I see.”
*I don’t want him to see me break.*
“I’ll get my things in the morning.”
“Okay.”
“I hope we can stay friends.”
*I don’t care.*
“And don’t come near us anymore. Sonhwa doesn’t like you.”
*I don’t care at all.*
Mingi couldn’t go back to the dorm.
Not with the photo wall. Not with the memories.
So he went to the park.
It was empty.
He collapsed onto a bench and broke down, sobbing uncontrollably.
“What’s wrong with me?! I did everything he wanted! Why didn’t he just tell me?! Am I really that terrible…?”
His voice faded into a whisper.
*They replaced me. Again. Mom chose my sister and now Yunho chose him… Am I really that unlovable? Why am I always second?*
The pain was unbearable.
*If I die, no one will cry anyway. So what’s the point of living? Fourth time’s the charm, right? …Yeah, very funny.*
He walked to the bridge.
*I was always afraid of drowning… But maybe that’s exactly what I need. Something painful. Something final.*
Standing at the edge, he didn’t think anymore.
Not about life.
Not about anyone.
He turned his back—
and fell.
*Good thing I never learned how to swim…*