Chapter Text
Another night, another fight where you had to straighten out Mingyu after he quit another job. The wrinkles and creases in your face were almost comfortable now, settling into the same anguished expression as you cried to this man. A man who was meant to be your husband, father to your daughter.
That was meant to imply someone you trusted and relied on, but that wasn't who you saw anymore.
Why couldn't he understand? With you at home to take care of your daughter, Mingyu was the only one who could bring an income home. Yet, he couldn't keep one for more than a month. He was still stubborn in his foolish dreams of pursuing music with his band, the same band that gets a gig at trashy bars once a month.
You kept saying this, and your words tonight were ones you've repeated over and over to no avail. Even now as you pled with him, he was just standing there. Doing nothing, a frustratingly guilty expression on his face as his eyes were downcast and his lip worried. Guilt wasn't enough to pay the bills. The only reason you weren't screaming was because Hyuna was sleeping in her crib down the hallway.
"None of this would've happened if I didn't marry you," you sighed. You could see Mingyu tense at that. A part of your heart ached, but a bigger part just felt too fatigued to take it back. Deciding you were tired out, you began padding to the bedroom.
"Please, come back." Mingyu was still as his small and desperate words wallowed in the room, and you didn't look back. You were too tired, and your throat was too tight with tears to work anymore.
Entering the bedroom alone, the bed covers provided little warmth when your heart was completely numb. The scent of salt on your pillow coldly welcomed you as you laid down.
There was a time when being with Mingyu was something you looked forward to, even yearned for. Now, the very thought of him drains you, and it was difficult to even face him.
Your thoughts continued on while your body physically shut down, forcing you into sleep steadily. If I didn't marry you...
---
When you woke up, you felt like the sheets were a bit rougher with lint, making you stir up. In your first blurry glance, you noticed the lack of the usual Mingyu-shaped lump under the blanket. You wonder if he didn't come to bed before registering more of your surroundings. Instead of the usual smell of baby formula and laundry detergent, there was that strong air freshener scent cutting through the air along with a strange stale paint smell. The walls were a painted pale brick and covered with posters. Opposite to you, you realized there was someone else there, but it wasn't Mingyu at all.
You jolt up.
"Yuna?" you whispered to yourself, breathless. As you spoke, you heard the young clarity of your voice.
That...that was your college roommate. This was your college dorm. What the hell.
She begun to stir. Shoot, you forgot she was a light sleeper.
"Mm, what?" Yuna turned around to face you with confusion, exhaustion, and base concern in her eyes.
You swallowed, trying to figure out how to not talk like a burnt-out thirty-something year old. Well, trying to figure out what was happening with this whole...time travel thing! But you knew Yuna of all people didn't know what was going on any more than you did, so you just said:
"Oh, uh, nothing. Just...spoke in my sleep." You turned your head to check the clock for the time. It's 7am; still too early. Well, according to the calendar below the clock saying your first class was at 11am. "You can go back to sleep."
Yuna looked unconvinced, but thankfully, her tiredness won out, and she tucked her head back into her pillow's indent. "Ok," you heard from under the covers.
Watching for a few more seconds to make sure she wasn't awake again, you sighed and plopped your back flat on the bed.
You looked around the room, and you see the familiar textbooks stacked on your desk shelf, your old glasses next to your bed, the little carrier for your bathroom supplies near the door. This was definitely college. You pinched yourself. This was definitely not a dream.
Why were you here? The last thing you remember was going to bed after another fight with Mingyu. You were frustrated, the same pit of dread in your stomach only deepening at the end of the night.
Your last thought.
Was that really all it took?
You turned around slowly to look at the calendar by the clock again. Doing a little calculation in your head, it was your first semester of third year. More specifically, it was a couple weeks before homecoming and subsequently, all the afterparties. That was where you and Mingyu had met and started dating.
If this was really what it seemed like it was, then you could truly prevent the relationship and marriage all together. A second chance. To avoid the inevitable clashes, heartbreak, complete exhaustion you would face just a few years later.
A part of you frowned at that future, never meeting Mingyu. Another part of you, the one that made you go back to sleep and pretend for a little longer, wanted to take that chance.
---
Your classes had passed by quicker than you had expected. Thankfully, your brain seemed to be in student mode still, and it really was like you were here the past two years. Apart from Yuna who was also in accounting, you didn't have many other close friends in classes you were obligated to talk to which boded well because you were already overwhelmed by all of this.
The flip phones were jarring to say the least.
Walking from your last class of the day, you were slowly taking in the campus again. It was the prime of fall, leaves decorating the sidewalks. Wait, was that Mingy-- suddenly, you bumped into a somewhat familiar face.
"Ah! Sorry about that," he exclaimed, reaching out to catch anything that may have been dropped. Sure enough, the pencil in your side pocket had fallen victim to the collision,
Once he had risen back up, you were able to meet his eyes and register his face a little more. It was Seokmin, the president of the student council you were on. You didn't talk to him much apart from hearing his voice at the beginning of every council meeting once a month. Even as treasurer, you didn't talk more than you needed to, saying what was being done with the budget and being done with it.
It made sense why he was president though; he was polite, well-spoken, patient, driven, and just a joy to work with. It didn't hurt that he was nice on the eyes too.
"Oh, Ms. Treasurer!" he smiled as he similarly recognized you. "Fancy seeing you here."
"Ah, um, yeah, nice to see you," you laughed slightly. Remembering yourself, you lifted your hand to take the pencil from his hand. Your fingertips brushed his palm, and you felt the soft skin that was there just for a second.
"How are you?" he started. When your eyes widened at that, you realized it had been a while since someone last asked you that in such a sincere way.
You quickly tucked the pencil back into your bag. "Um, good. Just finished class, so I'm going to get something to eat now. You?" you replied, trying to warm up to Seokmin energy.
He gave another smile. "Nice. I'm doing well! I was going to eat too. Wanna go somewhere together?"
Your eyebrows raised. That was sudden. You supposed that he was pretty friendly. "I was just going to go to the dining hall though, so nothing special." you shrugged, not wanting to inconvenience him. You remembered that he was an engineering major as well. It made you wonder how he had the capacity to handle being student council president.
"Ah, that stuff gets old though, I'm sure," he sighed, tilting his head to the side.
You couldn't deny the look was endearing, and eating out was a tempting prospect. Did you really want to spend money now though? Your adult habits of frugality kicked in slightly.
Seokmin seemed to sense the indecision on your face at the same moment. "My treat. Really. I hate to eat alone," he added. His shoulder gave a little shrug to lift his hand towards you; he turned just enough to start leading the way already.
Your heart gave a little patter. Maybe you were a little too eager to let go, but how were you meant to be sentimental when this was clearly the right option? The image in front of you was practically ripped out of a movie, one with a good ending.
"Well, if you're offering," you conceded and took his hand.
When you took his hand, his eyebrows raised as if surprised you actually agreed, and a soft blush bloomed on his face as he begun to walk. "I always go to this one Chinese place. That good with you?"
"Yeah, sounds great," you nodded, adjusting your backpack.
A couple moments passed with just the two of you walking onto the main street, hands warm in each other's hold. A soft breeze combed through your hair along with the scent of the dried autumn leaves.
"So, how were classes? You're in accounting, right?" he tilted his head to face you, arriving at the main crosswalk.
Refocusing on talking, you looked back into his eyes. "Yeah, I'm in accounting. My classes were good, pretty normal. I can't believe midterms are already coming up though," you sighed. It did feel a little unfair to be dropped back into university right before exams started.
Seokmin hummed sympathetically. "Right? We just got here," he sighed, eyebrows scrunching in exaggerated exasperation. That made you laugh a little. Honestly, just being back in university, having simple worries like this, already made your heart lighter. It was proving easier than you thought to change the past.
---
As promised, the two of you went to Seokmin's usual Chinese place; in fact, you vaguely recognized the food from the catering that was usually at council meetings. The owners had warmly welcomed their regular customer, quickly seating you both in a booth.
Conversation flowed easily between the two of you seeing as you had a lot in common with the boy sitting opposite of you. You remembered he was from the same province as you which was surprising since no one else from your secondary school had come here. Despite how humble he was, he was every bit of the responsible, disciplined president you saw every couple of weeks. Talking to him more, his charm was hitting you more directly, and time just passed by.
---
Walking you back to your dorm, you feet stilled at the main entrance, and when you turned around to Seokmin again, you see the bag of leftovers lifted towards you. "Save you one more trip to the dining hall," he offered with a small smile.
The gesture shouldn't have affected you as much as it did. "Really? I thought you'd want to keep the food. You're the one who likes it," you asked.
Shaking his hand, he held the bag a centimeter closer to you. "I can always go back like usual. Take it."
Not wanting to argue against it, you took the plastic encased takeout boxes from his hand. Your hands touched again, and you swore it was a little longer than last time. "Thanks."
"Of course," he replied.
It was already dark out, and your bag was weighing on you. The space between the two of you felt more pertinent though in this moment.
Although, Seokmin seemed to catch himself, clearing his throat and giving another quaint smile. "I'll let you go. See you again hopefully," he waved, and he was already walking off.
"Oh, uh, bye! Thanks for tonight!" you called after him after catching your own breath.
Even though the physical weight of your bag and the takeout pulled on your body, the trek back up to your dorm felt light. This was a sign, a good sign.