Chapter Text
Mingyu knew he should be focusing on the book infront of him. He knew he should be memorizing the formulas for his test tomorrow. He knew he didn’t know them at all thanks to his lazy ass deciding to skip the review class. Minghao said he was an idiot, and, in this moment, he couldn’t agree with him more.
However, Mingyu couldn’t focus. At least, he couldn’t focus on the book in front of him. He was having no trouble focusing on the dark-haired boy with glasses across the way, piles of books around him. The boy’s expression was blank, but Mingyu knew there was a glint in his eyes as the boy read over his book. Minghao always wondered how Mingyu could go to the library so often and only get average scores on his tests. Jeon Wonwoo, the dark-haired boy, was the reason.
Mingyu met Wonwoo last year in an art class they both needed to take for their general ed credit. Wonwoo had been pushing off the class because he wasn’t confident in his art skills, but, now that he was a sophomore, he felt he should get it done with. They only actually talked that first day because of ice breakers and because Mingyu always came late, not being able to get a seat next to Wonwoo. However, he always made sure to get a seat where he could see some part of Wonwoo’s face. He loved to watch the way his blank expression shifted to one of intense concentration, eyebrows knitting together. A blush would always creep on Mingyu’s cheeks whenever Wonwoo flicked out his tongue and licked his lips, a habit of his Mingyu noticed quickly.
Now, Mingyu was still doing the same thing. Just watching Wonwoo. No doubt that made him creepy, but he didn’t have the confidence to talk to him. It had been a year since that class anyway. Mingyu was a sophomore and Wonwoo a junior. They had no classes together and didn’t cross paths. Mingyu didn’t even know if Wonwoo lived on campus which meant he never saw him around the dorms either. One day, Mingyu considered following Wonwoo when he left the library, but he slapped himself to get rid of that creepy idea.
Wonwoo did the tongue thing as he turned a page, and Mingyu knew his cheeks were extremely red. Thoughts of kissing Wonwoo ran through his head, but those thoughts were replaced by alarms going off as Wonwoo looked up from his book and straight at Mingyu. He slightly tilted his head as if trying to recognize Mingyu, but he didn’t get the chance. Mingyu shut the book, grabbed his backpack he hadn’t even opened, and dipped out of the library as fast as his legs could carry him. Considering how tall he was, it only took a couple strides.
“Minghao?”
“Yes, Gyu?” the silver haired boy answered without looking up from whatever he was working on.
“How did you and Junhui get together?”
Minghao stopped what he was doing, spun around in his desk chair, and faced Mingyu’s bed where the taller was cuddling with a dog plushie he had won at some carnival. “Why?” Minghao asked with narrow eyes.
“Well,” Mingyu sighed, “I am interested in someone, but I don’t know how to approach them.”
“Well go ask Jun. He approached me. Many times.”
“But you ended up accepting him,” Mingyu stated more than asked. Minghao had been with Jun since the beginning of second semester of their freshmen year. Minghao and Mingyu shared the same friend group as Jun so he had been pursuing Minghao since they began college, but the latter always rejected his advances. Although, Mingyu could tell their were times when Minghao would be flirtatious with Junhui only to sass him and push him away the next second. One day, they just walked up to the group hand in hand. Jun looked incredibly smug while Minghao ignored the looks, not giving Jun opportunity to boast or anyone an opportunity to ask questions. Even now, no one really knows how Jun finally got Minghao to accept his affection.
“I did. Although, our situation is different than yours.”
“How?” Mingyu whined. He wondered if Minghao knew about his reason for his numerous library trips.
“We haven’t seen the person. This is the first time I am hearing about you being interested in someone which surprises me. If they were someone we knew or hung out with, then it would be so fucking obvious that you like them. You become a puppy and follow the person around whenever you like them.”
“No I don’t,” Mingyu protested.
“Gyu, I have known you since high school. I have seen you go through three relationships. You are definitely like that,” Minghao said before spinning back to his work. Mingyu pouted and pulled out his phone to text Jun. Minghao wasn’t gonna be any help so he would have get advice from elsewhere.
“I can’t tell you,” Jun said over his coffee.
“Why not?” Mingyu whined, setting his chin on the table they were at. The coffee shop was really busy at this hour which was a blessing and a curse. Mingyu hoped the noise would help block out their conversation. Mingyu was hoping Jun’s lips would be a little looser about how he got Minghao, but it seems there was good reason why no one knew how they ended up together.
“HaoHao doesn’t want me to say.”
“Minghao told me to come to you though,” Mingyu protested.
“That doesn’t mean he told me to tell you,” Jun retorted.
“He doesn’t have to know.”
“You have looser lips than I do,” Jun said with a smirk.
“Please,” Mingyu pleaded, “I really need some advice. I can’t go to Jeonghan or Seungcheol. They will be all in my business and mention it to everyone.”
Jun cocked an eyebrow and said, “I thought we just agreed that we both have loose lips. Why did you think I wouldn’t tell?”
“Because if you did, then they would know that I know how you wooed Minghao.”
Jun froze. Mingyu knew he was right and went back to pleading. “Ugh, fine,” Jun sighed. “You can’t tell anyone though. I like having Minghao be cute and cuddly with me rather than ignoring or sassing me.”
“He cuddles with you?”
“I didn’t say that,” Jun countered, realizing he is revealing too much. “Now, do you want me to tell you or not?”
“Please?”
“Okay well, as you know, many of my attempts were pretty lack luster. I tried so many things from just simple flirting in Chinese to giving him some new earrings.”
“Really?”
“I really like Minghao,” Jun said matter of factly, but a slight blush was building on his cheeks. “I knew I needed to approach it in a different way so I tried to figure out what he was interested in and-” Jun was cut off by the sound of his phone ringing. It was some song in Chinese that made his complexion go from red to ghost white. “It’s Minghao,” he whispered as he grabbed his phone. “Hey HaoHao,” Jun said in a cute voice. “No, I haven’t said anything…I know, babe…Alright…See you soon.” Jun pocketed his phone and grabbed his bag.
“Wait! Where are you going? You didn’t even reveal anything,” Mingyu said, reaching out to Jun.
“He called me to remind me not to say anything. Also, he said you have class soon and will be gone from the room for a while. Make sure to knock before you come back in,” Jun said with a wink before walking away.
Mingyu set his head down on the table. He hated life. And the fact that he knew Minghao was going to be doing the dirty in their room while he was in class. Also, the fact that that probably happens most of the time when he goes to class. Then again, he took care of himself whenever Minghao left for class.
Mingyu looked at his phone. He still had twenty minutes before he needed to head to class. He might as well take this opportunity to review the formulas he was supposed to the other day in the library. Before he could pocket his phone, he got a text from Junhui.
The message read: With HaoHao <3 and a selfie of him featuring Minghao studying at his desk in the background, oblivious to what Jun was doing. Mingyu couldn’t help but smile before pocketing his phone. He rummaged through his backpack and pulled out his textbook, oblivious to someone sitting down where Jun had been not long ago. Mingyu let out a yelp and clutched his textbook when he noticed the person sitting across from his. The dark-haired boy stared back, coffee in hand, and an unfamiliar smile on his face. “Cute,” Wonwoo said as he set his coffee down.
Mingyu just stared back, still clutching his textbook as Wonwoo set his chin on his hand and kept eye contact with Mingyu. The silence stayed for a good minute before Mingyu could form words. “W-why…you are uhm…can I help you?” Mingyu finally said, setting down his textbook. Wonwoo ignored what he said and looked at the textbook cover. “So it is you?”
“What?”
“I mean, I was pretty sure it was you anyway. Hard to miss someone so tall and handsome.”
“H-handsome?!” Mingyu could feel himself short circuiting. Wonwoo laughed at this, but Mingyu saw the way his smile twitched awkwardly. Suddenly, Wonwoo let out a sigh and sunk back in his seat, expression falling flat. “Damn, it is exhausting to act like this. I don’t know how Jun does it,” Wonwoo confessed as he sat back up properly, sipping his coffee.
“Jun? As in Wen Junhui?!”
“Indeed that Jun. He is in my World Literature class, and I saw him here earlier. Didn’t get a chance to ask him about the homework before he dipped out. Seeing him did help me notice you, though.”
“Do you remember me?”
“Hmm. I think we had a class together. You were always late, but I this,” Wonwoo said, tapping Mingyu’s textbook, “is why I walked over just now.”
“My textbook? You’re not in my class,” Mingyu said, heart racing because he was talking to his crush Jeon Wonwoo.
“It is the one you always have in the library when you pretend to study,” Wonwoo said so casually. Mingyu’s soul left his body right then and there. A ringing began in his ears that eliminated all other sound. All this time, Wonwoo knew Mingyu was watching him. For the past month and a half, every time Mingyu would look over the brim of his book at Wonwoo, he knew. The whole time he knew. Mingyu felt his embarrassment level go over 9,000.
“You…you knew?” Mingyu questioned, letting his head fall so he didn’t have to make eye contact.
“The first two weeks I didn’t notice. Then, I felt some presence was watching me. I figured out you were always in the library the same time I was and within sight. I decided to see if I could catch you looking, and I did.” Mingyu felt himself sinking inwards. The embarrassment was going to kill him. “Too bad you left so quickly.”
Mingyu’s head shot up. Wonwoo was the one looking away now, coffee held up to his mouth even though he wasn’t drinking it. He was hiding behind it, but Mingyu could see that Wonwoo’s ears were a little red.
“Why is that?” Mingyu asked. Wonwoo wiggled around in his seat a little, sipped his coffee, and let his eyes wander all around the room. Mingyu just waited, not trying to push it if Wonwoo was hesitant to say. Mingyu was happy enough being able to talk to him.
Finally, Wonwoo set down his coffee, grabbed a napkin, and took a pen from his pocket. He scribbled down some numbers and passed it to Mingyu. “Next time you go to the library, lets go together instead of you just watching me,” Wonwoo said quickly before leaving. Once Mingyu saw Wonwoo leave the coffee shop, he squealed to himself, grabbing all his stuff and running back to his dorm.
He had to tell Minghao what happened. He got Wonwoo’s number! Wonwoo basically suggested a study date! He couldn’t contain his excitement. He really was like a puppy. He scanned his room key over the door and threw open the door. “Minghao you won’t-OH MY GOD!”
“I told you to knock before coming back,” Jun yelled at Mingyu while he was literally inside of Minghao.
“Oh my god!” Minghao yelled as he covered his face with the pillow.
“I’m s-s-sorry! I ju-just wanted- I’ll leave now. See you later,” Mingyu stuttered out as he covered his eyes and shut the door.
“Jesus Christ, you punk,” Minghao yelled out before the door completely shut.