Chapter Text
The music from Mingi’s headphones was loud enough to drown out everything else in the gym, sharpening his focus on the reps that he was doing. Taking a deep breath, he raised the barbel again, repeating the motion a couple times before placing it down. Sitting up, he wiped down the sweat on his arms and neck, looking around for San who was supposed to spot him. Frowning when he couldn’t see the other, Mingi grabbed his water bottle, opting to look around instead.
Feeling the weight of other people’s stares at him wasn’t something new to Mingi. He towered above majority of the crowd and he knew that he wasn’t half bad looking either but he still couldn’t get used to being openly ogled. It felt wrong and uncomfortable. Absentmindedly, he fiddled with the chain of his necklace, sweeping his eyes across the room to look for San again.
“Mangi!”
Mingi turned around, arms already opened in anticipation of the body that nearly toppled him over. “I knew something had to be distracting my gym buddy.” Chuckling when Wooyoung pinched his side, the blonde just held on tighter. “Hi, Youngie.”
“Hi, Mangi.” Wooyoung replied, pulling back slightly. “You need a shower. You stink.”
“Because the gym is supposed to be filled with good smelling people?” Mingi chuckled, turning to San. “I was worried you were being harassed by a bridal squad again.”
San groaned when Wooyoung just cackled. “That happened one time!” He reached over, pinching Wooyoung’s waist. “And you, you were so jealous then. I can’t believe you’re making fun of me now!”
Wooyoung giggled. “It was annoying before but now, it’s just dumb. You and Mingi are such pushovers; what would you do without me and Yunho to tell people no huh?”
Wooyoung’s eyes widened when he realized what he had said, turning to Mingi with a guilty look. San had also turned to stare, a worried frown on his face. Huffing a bit at their reaction, Mingi merely pulled Wooyoung in for a quick squeeze before wrapping his other arm around San.
“Come on. I want to have dinner at your place. What are you making, Woo?”
Wooyoung’s sigh is still filled with guilt, nuzzling against Mingi’s side. “Anything you want, big guy.”
--
Yunho fidgeted nervously in front of the mirror, arranging his hair one way or the other. No matter what he did, it flopped on his face in the same messy way and he couldn’t help but huff out angrily. He still felt like he was pretending to be someone he was not by all this dolling up. Not that he hadn’t tried to look good for someone else before but there had been an assurance of being good enough, being pretty enough without even trying.
“Stupid, stupid.” Yunho muttered, shaking his head to dispel the thoughts.
Giving up on his hair, Yunho pulled out the outfit he had picked for the date. It was a sheer top that he knew hugged his body well. Pushing down the voices telling him that he didn’t like this kind of clothes, Yunho put it on, smiling at his reflection. Everything else aside, he looked good and that made up for everything else.
“Yunho, are you coming over for dinner? If so, help me pick out a restaurant. Joong is…” Seonghwa stopped mid rant, looking at Yunho up and down. “Oh.”
Yunho fidgeted. “Does it look bad?”
“No. Of course not, sweetie. You look… uhm, good.” Seonghwa replied though his brows were furrowed.
“Very convincing, hyung.” Yunho muttered, turning back to the mirror. Did he look bad? He squirmed self-consciously, already thinking of what other outfit he could put on instead.
Seonghwa chuckled, patting his shoulder. “You look fine, Yun. Just different is all.”
“Right.”
Yunho knew Seonghwa didn’t approve of his outfit, the change in his style and especially not his date; the older was just too nice to say anything directly about it. He was lucky that it wasn’t Hongjoong who invited him over; that hyung didn’t care if he was being too blunt or too biased, in Yunho’s opinion. Pursing his lips, Yunho nodded to himself. That was the best that Seonghwa could offer him and he had to leave lest he be late to his date.
“He’s still not picking you up?” Seonghwa asked, barely concealing the judgment in his tone.
Yunho rolled his eyes. “I don’t want him to risk meeting Joong hyung.”
“My husband isn’t that scary.” Seonghwa countered, huffing when Yunho merely stared back at him. “We’re working on it! But Yun, really, this is already your third date. Why can’t he make the effort to pick you up?”
“Hyung please. I’ll make sure he drives me home okay? Is that good enough for you?” Yunho replied, growing weary of the conversation already.
Seonghwa only pursed his lips, looking off to the side. “Just… be careful and message me, okay, Yun?”
Yunho felt his heart drop even as he nodded and left. He knew the answer to his question without even having asked. No one would be good enough to date Yunho for Seonghwa and Hongjoong, no one except the one he couldn’t have.
--
Yunho hummed to himself as he opened the door to his apartment. There was a pleasant buzz humming across his skin, the pleasant soreness that a good night of fucking could give. Thanking his lucky stars that neither of his hyungs were awake, Yunho quickly ducked into the shower, wincing slightly as his hands brushed the new bruises along his chest. It was the only place he had allowed himself to be marked; he wasn’t quite ready for it to be too obvious. Stepping out of the shower, Yunho smiled at his reflection, pleased by how well rested he looked despite the lack of sleep. In a spur of vanity, he snapped a few pictures, posting it on his story with a simple good morning as a caption.
“I wonder if…” Yunho bit his lip, shaking his head. He couldn’t be hung up with what if’s anymore.
So, what if Mingi still followed him? It didn’t mean that he still cared about Yunho. Why would he care about one random post?
--
“Mingi, are you sure you’re okay? You’ve been in there for a while now.” San asked, rapping against the door again. “Min, open the door. Come on.”
“I’m fine, Sannie! Just… I’m fine!” Mingi spluttered, feeling his chest tighten again.
The knocking paused. San’s voice came out gentler the next time he spoke. “Min… maybe you should unfollow Yunho. Make things easier for you, you know.”
Mingi closed his eyes, leaning against the door with a slight thud. The picture flashed in his mind again; Yunho pleasantly flushed, a cheeky smile on his face as he posed for the camera. But it wasn’t those features that made Mingi’s heart drop. It was the clear bruise on Yunho’s chest, the sliver of skin peeking through the bathrobe that he favored.
Mingi wasn’t naïve; he knew that Yunho had started dating again. He had heard about it in disdain from Hongjoong and subtle concern from Seonghwa. Mentally, he knew about it and had made peace with it but seeing the evidence clear as day was an entirely different thing. Of course, Yunho would be dating again. Of course, Yunho would be trying to move on. Mingi was the only one still holding on, still terribly hang up on the post, still wondering what happened that led to their divorce.
The tightening in his chest came back with a vengeance, almost knocking the breath out of Mingi as he grasped his chest. He started gasping, chasing the air that couldn’t quite get in his lungs. There was a prickling sensation in his throat now, making every inhale feel like a physical effort. The next he felt was an itch lodged in his airway, almost like food that went down wrong and his eyes watered as he started coughing.
“What..” Mingi muttered in between coughs.
His ears started ringing, senses overwhelmed as his coughs kept getting louder, probably worrying San who started pounding on the door again. There was a stutter in his breath, each inhale and exhale dragging across his lungs.
Inhale.
Cough.
Cough.
Exhale.
Cough.
Cough.
Mingi wheezed, feeling something almost solid as he coughed, hand raising to cover his mouth. He slumped forward, wondering if he was going to throw up with how much he was coughing. He coughed again, the sound almost thunderous to his overwhelmed senses, heaving forward as something escaped his mouth.
Groaning, Mingi caught his breath as his lungs seemed to clear out from now. Maybe he did need a good puke to breathe easier. He was about to press down on the flush when the bright color caught his eye.
Petals.
Mingi had coughed out bright yellow petals.