Acception [3/3]
Title: Acception [3/3]
Author: FloweryMisha
Pairing: MinSang
Warning: BoyxBoy Love. Enough said.
Summary: It isn’t distance that separates a relationship. It is silence.
[2]
Mingi was starting to plan their dates more often.
It started from a mall, to a pet café, to museums and even libraries.
Sometimes it was so spontaneous that it wasn’t even planned, but Yeosang loved it nonetheless.
Like that one time when it was almost midnight, but Mingi felt like driving around downtown just to see the lights and enjoy the empty streets. Or that one other time when Mingi craved spicy fried chicken right after dinner, so they went on another trip downtown to his favorite restaurant.
It must’ve been another one of Mingi’s spontaneous appetite for some grilled meat that night, so Yeosang agreed to come along. The male probably was feeling adventurous too, because he asked for their driver to drop them by the said place, and said that they would just take a taxi back.
The weather was too hot that night, Yeosang was glad he opted for a plain T-shirt and jeans. Mingi wore identical clothes, too, with a spare hoodie jacket in his shoulder and a black cap on his head.
Yeosang had always noticed that whenever they went someplace, people would turn their heads at the sight of the taller male. Most of them were girls, and they didn’t even bother to hide their giggling as they gushed over his husband. It wasn’t something to feel jealous of, he thought, because he completely understood, Mingi really was stunning. He had learned to accept that fact from the very start.
Something seemed to be on Mingi’s mind that night, judging from the way he grilled the meat. He hadn’t been talkative ever since they got into the barbecue place. The place was a bit small, but it was crowded. A lot of people had been passing by, and they didn’t miss the chance to look at Mingi as they did. When another person passed by their table, shamelessly turning his head to take a look at them, Mingi snapped.
“Ugh, that’s it, I’ve had enough,” Mingi groaned as he placed the cap on Yeosang, a bit too deep that Yeosang’s face was almost hidden underneath it. “There.”
Yeosang frowned as he adjusted the cap.
“The audacity of them looking at you when I’m right here beside you.”
Me? Yeosang mouthed in astonishment, pointing at himself. Mingi must’ve gotten it wrong, they were all looking at him. He pointed at Mingi instead, pointed at himself again then shaking his head.
Mingi looked annoyed. “I know when people are checking my spouse out, you know.”
But I know when people are checking you out, too, Yeosang wanted to protest. He was about to type it into his phone when Mingi shook his head.
“I’m sorry if you don’t like me behaving this way. But could you please…just keep it on for tonight? I won’t be like this anymore the next time we go out.”
Yeosang opened his mouth, still a bit desperate to explain. No, you idiot… They’re not checking me out.
Mingi misunderstood for sure. The male pursed his lips as he continued grilling the meat, making sure they were cooked well before placing them on Yeosang’s plate.
“You may be oblivious, Yeosang, but you’re beautiful. I mean it. You’re…beautiful,” Mingi repeated quietly. “Just because you don’t see it, doesn’t mean the others don’t, too.”
Those words felt like a slap to his cheeks. Yeosang wished he could explain right away. Mingi was wrong, he wasn’t beautiful at all.
“Ah…let’s just eat before the meat gets cold.”
But of course, he couldn’t.
They spent the rest of their dinner in silence.
Mingi looked like he was sulking, but Yeosang couldn’t tell if it was really because of those people who had been staring at them, or because of himself. He hung his head, hiding his face away like Mingi wanted him to, but it was mostly because he couldn’t bring himself to look at the taller male.
Yeosang felt...
…inadequate.
Nobody had ever told him he was beautiful before.
Did Mingi say that because he was his spouse? Just like the way Mingi had been so accepting of their marriage? Or did he say that because he meant it?
There were a lot of questions running through Yeosang’s mind, the ones he couldn’t ask via the messages. It suddenly made him want to…
…speak.
Mingi still looked like he wasn’t in the mood even after they were done.
The weather was still hot, but there was a cool breeze that cause Yeosang to shiver slightly. Suddenly, he felt something on his shoulders-the spare jacket that Mingi had been holding. The hood was pulled over his head, hiding Yeosang’s face even more.
There was something about the way Mingi inspected him. “I’m sorry,” he apologized softly. “I guess I was just…jealous. You’re mine, you know?” He broke into a small smile as he took a step back and ran a hand through his hair. “I’ll order our cab.”
Jealous?
Yeosang stood still, not knowing what to do. He felt…captivated. Everything was new to him, especially his feelings.
There was no need for Mingi to be jealous, if anything, it was the other way around. Mingi could’ve chosen anyone, but there he was, forced to be paired with him, someone who couldn’t even open his mouth to speak. The man was wealthy, handsome, kind, and he was jealous of people looking at him?
Yeosang’s chest was full with unspoken words, his feelings bewitched by Mingi’s actions towards him. They were all mixing together. It was all so overwhelming that Yeosang just wanted Mingi to understand what he felt.
So he hugged Mingi from behind.
Mingi visibly stiffened, caught off guard by the sudden gesture, but he didn’t push Yeosang away. Seconds later, he turned around to hug him properly. The cap was in the way, so Mingi took it off, before placing a light kiss on Yeosang’s forehead.
“You’re mine, Yeosang.”
Yeosang, unable to say anything, just wrapped his arms tighter. Sorry, was what he wanted to say, but he chose to swallow it back. Technically, he was really Mingi’s, since they were married. But even the fact couldn’t seem to make Mingi calm.
All this miscommunication between them just made Yeosang want to try harder.
For Mingi, he would try.
***
Determined of being able to say everything that was on his mind, Yeosang started practicing harder than ever.
It was not easy, especially when he remembered why he stopped doing it in the first place. It had been too long that he wondered if his vocal cord was still working.
But he would speak again, no matter what it took.
He started with something simple.
His name.
At first it felt like his throat was being brushed. He coughed and coughed, but he recalled the doctor saying that the root of the problem was because he didn’t want to speak. His heart was set now, and he just needed to keep on trying.
Yeo. Sang.
Min. Gi.
Seong. Hwa.
It took him days to gain his normal voice back. It was still a bit difficult to speak in a long sentence, but it was a good start.
Yeosang was a bit surprised at his own voice. It was deep. Mingi’s voice was deep, too, but it was different. He even looked at himself in the mirror while talking, still in disbelief that it was his voice. His own voice.
Would Mingi like his voice though…?
A gloomy smile spread across his face.
Mingi this, Mingi that.
Mingi had been occupying his thoughts lately. It kept on occurring in his mind that his husband had been nothing but kind to him. He was still patient. Although they had been sharing a bit more of physical touch recently, Mingi still slept on the couch. Now that he thought about it, Mingi was so kind that he had never demanded anything from him.
“Yeosang. Song Yeosang.”
Yeosang repeated his own name over and over again like a mantra. He was sitting on the carpeted floor in front of the mirror with his legs crossed. The male pressed his hand against the cool surface of the mirror, his thumb brushing over the birthmark under his eye.
Isn’t it hideous?
Unexpectedly, it reminded him of his late father. He imagined the kind of expression his father would make if he was still alive, at the fact that he managed to speak again. He’d definitely tell him that he was proud at him, that he had always believed in him.
“Appa…I did it.”
Yeosang started weeping into his hands.
He wished he had met Mingi sooner. He wished his father would still be alive to see him change into a better person. He wished his father would still be alive to see how kind Mingi treated him, that the marriage was probably not a mistake.
That he was happy with the way it was, just like his father had said.
“I’m sorry, Appa. I promise… I’ll be happy.”
Yeosang waited until he was really ready to speak to Mingi.
They hadn’t really gone out for another date lately.
Mingi had been coming home a bit late for the past few days, and that night was the same. Yeosang received the text that said not to wait for him for dinner.
It was a little bit past nine when Mingi arrived home.
Yeosang was sitting in the balcony with his notebook in his hands. The car was parked into the garage, and not long later, a very good-looking Mingi in his office suit emerged into sight. Even from afar, Yeosang could tell how tired Mingi was, and that he probably chose to tuck in early again that night.
A sudden rush of fondness washed over him as he simply watched his husband walking towards the house.
Mingi didn’t seem to realize that Yeosang had been watching him. The taller male stopped by the pool, dumping the things he had been holding on to a nearby chair before started stripping. When he was only in his boxers, Mingi jumped into the pool without a care in the world.
Yeosang made his way to the pool with a towel on his hand. Mingi was still swimming back and forth. Yeosang placed the towel on top of Mingi’s things and sat on the chair, resting his elbow on the table.
When Mingi resurfaced with a loud sigh, he held on to the pool ladders, resting his forehead against the wall for a moment. Mingi’s shoulders looked even broader underneath the moonlight. The sight of water dripping from his hair to his shoulders made Yeosang nervous no reason. It made him want to just go back to his room and hide, before Mingi acknowledged his presence.
Too late.
“Hey, I didn’t know you were here.”
Yeosang blinked. I-I just got here, was what he wanted to say, but he was so nervous that he only managed to open his mouth slightly. He swallowed the words back and started walking to where Mingi was. Yeosang knelt, patting Mingi’s wet hair slightly.
Mingi grinned, as if he understood what Yeosang meant by that. “I’m alright. Just a thing or two at work. Being an errand boy for your own father is so tiring, you know?” He pushed himself off the wall, floating with his back facing the water.
Great, now Yeosang even had a clear view of his chest.
Mingi straightened up all of a sudden, swimming back to where Yeosang was. “Hey, care to join me for a night swim?”
Yeosang stiffened slightly when Mingi reached out to caress his arm, a mischievous grin across his face. He was in the middle of remembering a very unimportant thing-did he choose boxers or briefs earlier after shower?-when Mingi pulled him abruptly into the pool.
He couldn’t even make a sound as his face was hit with the amount of chlorine water. Instinctively, Yeosang held his breath as he shut his eyes, knowing nothing good would come if he panicked. He felt a pair or strong arms on his side, guiding him up.
The moment he resurfaced, Yeosang immediately took his chance to grab Mingi’s hair roughly while gasping for air.
Mingi yelped and laughed at the punishment he got, dodging the pretty male’s head so that they wouldn’t bump. “Ow, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”
Mingi’s laughter subsided after a few minutes as he removed Yeosang’s hands from his hair.
Yeosang pouted. He still wanted to teach Mingi a lesson or two when he became aware of their position. His arms were now wrapped around Mingi’s neck, and his legs were around the taller male’s hip. Yeosang’s pout turned to a nervous thin line.
“Wow,” Mingi breathed at the view before him. “You’re…so beautiful.”
Yeosang’s mouth became dry, and he had a sudden urge to swallow.
Mingi was looking at him, his lips, him, and at his lips again.
“Yeosang,” Mingi whispered. “Can I…?”
Yes.
Their second kiss-because their first one was on their wedding day-still tasted unbearably sweet.
Mingi wasn’t demanding, rather comforting, holding on his own pace. Yeosang didn’t know if he was doing it right, but Mingi didn’t seem to mind, their lips kept on touching and more kisses were being exchanged. A small moan escaped Yeosang’s lips, making Mingi pushed him backwards against the wall.
Yeosang must’ve been obsessed with Mingi’s broad shoulders because it was all he could think about. Mingi and Mingi’s wet hair and Mingi’s plump lips and Mingi and Mingi and Mingi. He trailed his fingers against the taller male’s collarbones, blurting,
“Mingi.”
Mingi stopped moving. “D-did you just-”
Yeosang chuckled, feeling shy and proud at the same time. “Song Mingi.”
Mingi acted like he was a parent that had just heard his child uttering their first word. “Can you-can you please say it once again?”
“Mingi,” Yeosang obeyed, repeating his name slowly. “Mingi.”
The way Mingi gasped was so cute that the two of them started laughing. The taller of the two looked like he was about to cry in as he buried his head against Yeosang’s shoulder. “Shit. Shit. It’s all so sudden, you’re so unfair. That’s so hot. You saying my name…so hot. You’re so hot, Yeosang.”
Yeosang was so happy that he didn’t fight the tears that were coming. “You’re hot, too.”
“Oh my God,” Mingi was dazzled, his eyes were full of emotions. “Oh my God, I’m sorry. I don’t think I can hold myself back tonight, Yeosang.”
Mingi leaned down to capture Yeosang’s lips, this time not planning to stop no matter what the latter said.
Yeosang didn’t think he’d mind.
***
Mingi really took his mother’s crawl all over the house too literally.
Yeosang had lost count how many times they did it throughout the house.
Ever since Yeosang started speaking, their relationship almost felt perfect. He still used his own pace to speak, but it was enough, he didn’t really expect to be as talkative as Mingi right away. They only chatted when Mingi was away for work, other than that, his husband preferred calling or talking face to face.
Mingi’s eyes were glinting with emotions whenever Yeosang spoke, and it made him brimming with confidence.
Yeosang liked the attention he got from Mingi.
“I should really look for an apartment soon,” Mingi blurted out one Saturday morning, as soon as he stepped out of the bathroom. He was drying his hair with a towel. “Do you have a preference?”
Yeosang shook his head slowly. “Not really, I guess… Do you have to rush? Are your parents returning soon?”
“That, and… Well, since you’re not against the idea of sharing a bed with me now.” Mingi grinned when Yeosang made a face. “Also, it would be a really nice gift for my birthday.”
“Oh,” Yeosang paused. That was right, his birthday was coming soon. “Is it in August?”
Mingi’s phone buzzed and his expression brightened upon seeing the notifications. He was quiet for a while, but Yeosang could see that he was excited at whatever it was on his phone. When he realized that Yeosang had been waiting for an answer, he hastily apologized. “Ah, sorry babe. It’s Yunho. He’s in town.”
Yeosang merely raised his brows with a smile. “Yunho…?”
“Look at Wooyoung, so quick at setting a meet up,” Mingi snickered. “I guess it’s really been a while since we all saw each other.”
“Oh.” Yeosang didn’t think Mingi had ever mentioned his friends before, but the look on his face was more than enough to tell that he treasured them. “Is it tonight? You should go see them, then. I’ll be waiting at home.”
“Actually… Wooyoung said you should come. If you want to, of course.”
“Me…?”
“Yeah. Honestly, they’ve been dying to meet you.”
“They did…?”
Mingi nodded. “Well, they weren’t exactly thrilled when I said I wasn’t inviting anyone to the ceremony…but, they understood.”
Yeosang was speechless.
He forgot that Mingi actually had friends. It was only natural for them to want to meet him one day. But tonight?
Yeosang was actually not keen to the idea of a sudden meeting with Mingi’s friends. What if he couldn’t make a good impression and they all hated him? He never had friends before…how should he act like one?
“Yeosang,” Mingi said. “I understand that you’re hesitant. But they’re all kind, I swear. They won’t make fun of you. They’d make fun of me instead.”
A small laugh escaped Yeosang’s lips.
Truthfully, he wasn’t ready for another interaction. He felt like it was already a big leap with Mingi, now he had to make another effort to meet his friends. But Yeosang was willing to try. Not because Mingi was looking at him hopefully, but because he really did want to try anything for Mingi.
No matter what.
“So…? What do you say…?”
“Sure, I’ll come with you.”
***
The way Mingi explained his friends to Yeosang was like studying the answers for an exam.
Yunho was the only one between them who obeyed their parents to go overseas for college. Mingi and Yunho had been friends the longest, they went to the same middle school. Wooyoung, their social butterfly, wasn’t really interested in continuing his study, he was more interested of becoming San’s bride as soon as his boyfriend graduated. Jongho, San’s younger brother, was simply scary. He was their boss baby. But Jongho couldn’t make it tonight, so Yeosang saved it as one less problem to think about for now.
When they arrived, Yeosang was even more nervous.
“This place is quiet and usually not too crowded. Wooyoung likes it here because we have our usual table by the corner.” Before they went in, Mingi took Yeosang’s hand in his. “Babe, thank you for doing this with me. I really hope you’d like my friends. But, if it ever gets too much for you, just say the word and we’ll go home, okay?”
Yeosang smiled reassuringly. Mingi really was being considerate of him, and it made him feel precious. “Okay.”
The place was more of a café than a restaurant. Upon entering the place, Mingi immediately made way to the corner, passing by a few occupied tables. Yeosang could see Mingi’s friends had already gathered in the corner, and he swallowed anxiously.
“Heey, it’s the newlyweds!”
Yunho and Mingi were definitely the giants of the group. Yeosang could tell immediately how close they were, judging by the way they shared an intimate hug. He could also tell which one Wooyoung was, the male’s extroverted aura was so blinding. San looked like he had been hitting the gym a lot, and had the kindest smile of them all.
The group was loud, but instead of feeling annoyed, the feeling he got was comforting. Despite the fact that Yeosang was quiet most of the time, the group made him feel welcomed, like he had been a part of them too since a long time. Yeosang was mostly envious of Wooyoung, the male was so attractive and easygoing at the same time-it didn’t take a genius to understand why he was the social butterfly.
“Can I exchange numbers with him?” Wooyoung asked Mingi while pointing at Yeosang. “He must’ve been bored when you’re at work, right? I can go pick him up and do something, right? Can we hang out?”
“Mingi, no, we don’t need another loud one here,” Yunho dramatically gasped. “Wouldn’t want Yeosang to get affected by Wooyoung.”
“Yah! I’m not that bad, you know!” Wooyoung pouted and turned to Yeosang. “If it’s alright with you, can I be your friend?”
“I don’t know. If I were you, Mingi, I’d be more worried if he becomes friends with Wooyoung. And I’m the boyfriend,” San said with a serious expression.
“I swear I’m not that bad,” Wooyoung cried desperately as he reached for Yeosang’s sleeve. “I swear I’ll be a better friend for you than with these guys.”
The other three burst out laughing.
Wooyoung gave them his death glare, before giving Yeosang his best puppy eyes. Despite all the jokes and the teasing, he was seriously waiting for an answer, making Yeosang shifted awkwardly in his seat.
“Honestly, I’m not that fun…” Yeosang sheepishly said. “I’ve also never had friends before, so… I don’t know, maybe you’d get bored of me instantly.”
“I won’t! I swear! We’ll just gossip about others so we won’t get bored.”
“Don’t even teach him how to gossip-"
The atmosphere became relaxed after that, the tension that Yeosang felt before had diminished. The group spent most of their time bickering and bantering. Sometimes Mingi would look at Yeosang, worried that their jokes might have gone too far, but surprisingly, the pretty male looked like he enjoyed it. The chemistry between Mingi and the others were so strong, it made Yeosang want it.
He wanted…to be their friends, too.
The night ended with Wooyoung sticking his tongue out at Mingi when Yeosang saved his number in his phone. They were already on their way home when his phone vibrated. Yeosang couldn’t describe his happiness when he saw the first message Wooyoung had sent:
Hi Song Yeosang!
Yeosang brought his phone to his lips. He wasn’t really sure of what to reply. Should he say hi back? Or would it be awkward to just reply with a sticker?
“Who is it? You seem happy.”
“Ah,” Yeosang automatically showed his phone to Mingi. “Wooyoung.”
“Already? Man, he really wants to be your friend.”
“Yeah, it seems like it… But, are you okay with it?”
“With what?”
“Me being friends…with Wooyoung?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“It won’t seem like I’m taking your friend away?”
“Babe,” Mingi rolled his eyes. “Well, I might feel that way if it’s Yunho, but since it’s Wooyoung-no, I’m just kidding. You can befriend them all, I don’t mind. But sometimes Wooyoung can be too much too at times. If it happens, just tell me, okay? I’ll give him a proper scolding.”
“He does seem…loud. But…he seems fine to me. And it’s actually the first time anyone wants to be my friend,” Yeosang looked out the window when he said those words, but Mingi could see his expression from his reflection. “I guess I’m just…happy.”
Mingi patted his head. “I’m glad, then.”
Yeosang took a moment before replying Wooyoung’s message with a sticker.
He didn’t remember the last time he smiled widely like this.
***
Fortunately, Wooyoung was really serious about befriending Yeosang.
Sometimes the message from Wooyoung was so random. Like this morning, he asked if Yeosang had taken a shower, and he replied yes in confusion. Half an hour later, the male showed up uninvited at his house, asking if he wanted to grab a bite together, since he had showered.
Yeosang noticed this before, but everyone in Mingi’s inner circle was good-looking, especially Wooyoung. The male had an indescribable aura, like he was born to be a superstar or something. Yeosang found himself staring a lot at Wooyoung, somewhat envious at the amount of confidence the latter had. He was also hilarious and didn’t seem to have an ounce of shame in his blood.
Like Mingi, Wooyoung, too, had a mole under his eye, and one on his lips, making him even more outstanding. He knew the charm he was born with, and not afraid of showing a little skin, sometimes a bit too much. The clothes he wore was definitely would look weird on Yeosang, but not on Wooyoung. He always looked dazzling.
Before he knew it, they had been spending a lot of time together.
Sometimes they went to grab lunch, sometimes they went out just for coffee, sometimes they just stayed home.
Wooyoung was-unsurprisingly-loud, but it was something Yeosang had anticipated. There were times when he took a moment to himself when Wooyoung did something weird-like yanking his hair, or smacking his butt, even snatching his food. They were all followed by the mischievous smile, which made Yeosang shrug it off. This must be what Mingi meant the other night.
San must’ve been very patient, too, he absently thought. For being in a relationship with Wooyoung.
Wooyoung also taught him how to play online games, and how they could communicate while playing it. Whenever he was too lazy to go anywhere with Yeosang, he preferred to stay in and play games.
It was raining as soon as Wooyoung came over that morning. Even so, the weather was still so humid that they almost went for a swim amidst the rain. They ended up just spread across the living room, Yeosang watching a random TV show about archery, his notebook on his lap and Wooyoung was on his phone playing games.
A distasteful groan escaped Wooyoung’s lips, a sign that he had lost the battle. “If you don’t know how to play, don’t get your team killed, dude! Ugh, I hate it. Why won’t you play with me, Yeosang?”
“…you told me the same thing too last time,” Yeosang said, annoyed. “Something about me getting in the way of your victory…”
“You know I love you, I didn’t mean it.”
Yeosang smiled. He had gotten used to Wooyoung’s antics. His attitude was a lot to take in at first, but Yeosang came to understand that he was just being himself. Most importantly, everything Wooyoung did was sincere and he wasn’t a fake person. Secretly, he was grateful that Wooyoung was his first friend ever.
“Hey, you’re pretty good at this,” Wooyoung commented as he took a look at Yeosang’s drawings. “You really like to draw, huh? You could be a manhwa artist.”
“It’s not that good. Besides, manhwa is a lot more complex. This is just…doodling.”
“If you call this doodling then you should see my handwriting,” Wooyoung scoffed. “How about taking an art major in college?”
Yeosang frowned. “I don’t know. I’ve never really thought about it.”
“You should. You’re talented, you know.”
“I don’t know... College… The thought of having to socialize with a lot of people at the same time scares me. There’s probably group assignments as well. What if I can’t avoid that?”
“That’s not a problem. I can take the same major as you, then.”
“Eh…?”
“But wait,” Wooyoung put a hand up defensively. “Art is not really my cup of tea… I can take dance major, we’ll still be in the same building, I think? But will San’s parents accept me if I graduate from dance major? Maybe I could take design…but seriously, I have zero talent for arts.” He acknowledged Yeosang looking at him, seemingly affected by what he had said. “What?”
“You’d…do that for me? You know, enrolling together? No matter the major?”
“Why not? You know, the only reason Yunho and San are the only ones in university right now, because Mingi wanted to wait for you. He said he’d think about it after the marriage. Nope, don’t even ask about me.”
“Mingi said that…?”
“Uh-huh. But I think his father is okay with him not having a bachelor degree, he’s given him a position in the family company already. Although he’d probably be a music producer somewhere if he’s not taking the company. He’s pretty good at making music, you know.”
“Oh?” Yeosang was flabbergasted. He never knew about this side of Mingi. “I see…”
“Wait. He never told you?”
A headshake. “Now that I hear it from you, I feel like I know nothing about him. We’ve never really talked…about personal things. I’ve never even met him before the marriage. Heck, I didn’t even know his name before the wedding day.”
“Seriously? What, was it like an arranged marriage or something?” When Yeosang nodded, Wooyoung’s jaw dropped. “So you’re saying, you didn’t date or anything?”
“I just said we’ve never met,” Yeosang laughed. “How could we date? There was no contact at all.”
Wooyoung stared at him in disbelief. “Why would you agree then? Especially if you had no idea who or what your husband was. What if Mingi was actually bald and short and his stomach bulged ten inches forward?”
It reminded him of what Seonghwa had said the other day before the wedding, and Yeosang sniggered. “I guess… I was willing to, because it was my father’s wish. But, you know… Did Mingi…ever say something about me?”
“Don’t even remind me, of course he bragged a lot about you.”
Yeosang hadn’t expected that kind of response. “Really…?”
“I don’t know, for an arranged marriage, even if you say you’ve never met before, Mingi seemed like he was too in love with you.”
“Huh?”
Wooyoung’s eyes shifted to the window, noticing the weather outside. It seemed like the rain had stopped. He stretched out his arms before standing up. “I should go. I promised San I’d have lunch with him today. Wanna come along if you have nothing to do? Don’t worry, you won’t feel like a third-wheel.” Wooyoung added with a wink.
“Oh, n-no, you enjoy your lunch. Say hi to San from me.”
“Okay then. Thanks for today. See you soon!”
***
The month had just turned to August when Mingi told him they were going out that weekend.
By going out, Yeosang definitely never thought he’d be taken to an apartment instead.
Mingi must’ve thought he hated the place, because he was busy explaining how it was too good of an opportunity to pass. The fact that it was downtown, close to the heart of the city, close to where he worked, there was a nearby park within ten-minutes walking range-should Yeosang ever feel bored at home, and a convenience store downstairs.
Yeosang couldn’t even imagine the price, there definitely would be too many zeroes, but the way Mingi looked at him full of hope made him sigh in defeat. Well, Mingi did say he was going to look for an apartment soon…maybe it was Yeosang’s fault for thinking they would be looking at a few apartments first, to choose which one they would live in together.
Also, he did say he had no preferences when Mingi asked him the other day.
“I like it.”
“You do?”
Yeosang nodded. He did like the place, it was nice. To be honest, his husband did a good job of choosing the apartment. It wasn’t too big, but still big nonetheless, with a lot of natural lights. Mingi must’ve given the place a lot of thought before deciding to rent it.
Wait.
“We’re renting this place, right?”
Mingi ignored the question. He grinned as he stepped closer to Yeosang. “You can choose the furniture. Want to look at them together?”
“C-can we just bring the old ones from your house?”
“Don’t be silly, Yeosang. Let’s buy new ones. We don’t really need chairs, do we? We can eat and watch TV on the floor.”
“Don’t be silly, Mingi. Chairs are important.”
Yeosang toured the whole place, counting two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and one small walk-in closet. He changed his mind about the place being not so big. It was huge, even just for the two of them. The size of the kitchen itself was more than enough for two people. Yeosang noticed there was a spare bed on the floor in one of the rooms, with two pillows and a blanket on it.
“There’s already a bed.”
“Yeah, about that… I was thinking…wanna try the new bed? It’s just a trial, I’ll definitely get a bigger one next time,” Mingi did his best to be seductive towards him. Yeosang instantly looked like he was constipated and his husband guffawed at his expression. “It’s probably a hassle to go out and eat dinner at this hour. Do you want to just order delivery instead?”
“That, or we could just cook the instant ramen you brought here.”
There were already some kitchen utensils in the cupboard and some vegetables in the refrigerator. It made Yeosang wonder if Mingi had been secretly coming here by himself. Maybe Mingi wanted this to be a nice surprise for him. It seemed like the taller male was always two steps ahead in everything. He could feel that Mingi really cared about him, always prioritizing his needs, and Yeosang was starting to care a lot about him, too. The two of them being in the kitchen like this, preparing for a meal, felt natural and acceptable.
It felt like they were meant to be together.
There were no plates yet, so they ate the ramen straight from the cooking pot. Their heads nearly bumped a few times because they were eager to finish the food, but it was somewhat fun, like a competition. The weather was hot, the food was hot, but it was fulfilling.
Yeosang felt contented.
Mingi then opened the balcony door, letting the breeze in. They were on the sixth floor, but they could still hear the sound of night traffic and people chattering down there.
Yeosang dared himself to take a peek between the railing. It was a nice change. He had been so used to the quietness at home that he didn’t think the sight of people swarming down there would feel this calming. He didn’t feel so lonely anymore.
“Mingi, can I ask you something?”
“Shoot.”
Yeosang crawled back inside, taking his spot beside his husband. He drew his knees to his chest, hugging himself. After the conversation he had with Wooyoung the other day, he just had to know. “Were you…angry when our marriage was decided?”
Mingi frowned, but it wasn’t anger. He seemed lost in his thought for a moment. “No.”
“Why not?”
“Do I need a reason to be angry?”
“Well,” it was Yeosang’s turn to frown. “What about the fact that your future had been decided for you? I mean, you’re still young, you could’ve traveled all over the world. And probably meet the love of your life.”
“You are the love of my life.”
The way Mingi stared at him when he said those words was too intense that it almost made Yeosang breathless. He managed to compose himself before doing anything weird-like squealing.
“D-don’t say things like that so easily, Mingi.”
“I’m only saying it to you. It’s the truth.” Mingi tilted his head to get a good look at Yeosang. “What about you? Were you angry when our marriage was decided?”
“Ah,” Yeosang hesitated. “It’s…different.”
“That’s not the question. Were you angry or not?”
“It’s…no, but-”
“See? It’s not different.”
“B-but, it’s really different.”
“It’s not.”
Yeosang was at a loss for words. He didn’t understand where Mingi’s stubbornness came from. “You knew I couldn’t talk, right? You knew my condition, and you still wanted to go with it?”
“So what? It’s not like it’s a sin. It’s just a condition. And look at you now. Talking in full sentences without difficulties.”
“W-we’ve never met even once.”
“I had a feeling I’d have the most beautiful bride ever.”
Yeosang was starting to realize that he wasn’t going to win against Mingi. Strangely, he wasn’t mad about it. He just felt like laughing. Yeosang looked down to his hands, trying to hide his smile. He felt grateful for Mingi’s kindness, for accepting him from the start, no matter what his condition he was in. Besides, the fact that they were happy now was more important than anything.
No wonder Wooyoung said you were too in love with me.
“Look, it was all in the past, there’s no use arguing about it now,” Mingi said like he knew exactly what Yeosang was thinking. Maybe he did. “But, you know, sometimes you have that moment in life, where you have that gut feeling, and you just want to follow it. One of those moments was getting married with you. I just…knew it was the best decision.”
“So you never regret it…?”
“Never.”
Yeosang’s face felt warm all of a sudden. The emotion that he had towards Mingi was deep, so deep that it had been flooding his heart too many times. He didn’t know what else to say but to fake a cough and looked away. “You’re weird, Mingi. You’re really weird.”
“But you like me, right? This weird husband of yours?”
Yeosang gazed into Mingi’s black orbs. He could see that Mingi had the same deep emotion in his eyes. It made Yeosang want to cry.
“Yeah. I like you. I think.”
“You think?” Mingi narrowed his eyes, like he was searching for an answer in Yeosang’s face. He inched closer, obviously aiming for the latter’s lips.
“Mm…I think,” Yeosang smiled into the kiss. He let Mingi stole another kiss or two from him. He shut his eyes when he felt Mingi deepening the kiss, feeling the other male’s warmth invaded him completely. Yeosang wasn’t really thinking clearly when he blurted, “I love you.”
Their kisses stopped.
Yeosang became panicked, suddenly uncertain if it was not the time yet, but then Mingi rested his forehead on his chest, as if he was listening to Yeosang’s heartbeat.
“God, I almost don’t know how to respond to that. I’ve loved you since the first moment I laid my eyes on you,” Mingi’s voice was so low that it almost came as a whisper. “I love you so much, you’ll never understand. …your father was the only who understood my feelings.”
“My father…?”
Mingi pulled away with a nod. “Your father was a kind man, Yeosang. It made me believe that his son must be even kinder.”
“Did you…come to the funeral house…? When my father died…?”
“Of course. But you weren’t there, and your brother looked exhausted, so I left after paying my respect.”
Yeosang felt the tears coming. He was so relieved upon knowing that Mingi was there that night. It just showed that Mingi really cared about him, even when they weren’t together yet. “When you’re not working, would you visit him with me…?”
“Of course, babe. Let’s visit him together.”
“Thank you.”
They stayed still for a long time, merely enjoying each other’s presence.
Yeosang was the first one to break the silence. “I think I want to take that trial. Does the offer still stand?”
Mingi didn’t need to be told twice as he carried Yeosang bridal style into the bedroom, ending their weekend perfectly.
***
Right before Mingi’s birthday, they managed to settle into their new apartment.
They agreed on not having too much furniture, just the essential ones. It made moving in so much easier. A few boxes were still lying around, but they decided to kick them aside for now-adorning the place could wait.
Wooyoung had deliberately invited the group for a sleepover at their new apartment-apparently celebrating both their new place and Mingi’s birthday. He even said that Yeosang and Mingi didn’t need to worry about their sleeping attire, they would bring their own blankets and pillows.
Yeosang was placing the empty glasses on the island when he couldn’t stand his hair creeping on the back of his neck anymore. The weather broadcast said it was going to be rainy season soon, but no signs of it yet, the summer still went on. It had been a while since he had his hair cut. Luckily, he had some spare rubber bands. Yeosang was about to tie his hair into a ponytail when he remembered something.
Since he was homeschooled, he was even reluctant to go to a barbershop. So it was always Seonghwa who did his hair for him. The older male usually just trimmed the end of his hair, but he was so precise about it that it looked like the result of a hair stylist.
I miss Seonghwa-hyung.
Yeosang was still thinking about his brother when his phone buzzed.
“Wooyoung said they’d get the cake,” Yeosang read the message loudly. Mingi was in the other room, currently setting his computer. “Have you ordered the food though? They said Jongho is coming along.”
“The food is enough for a village-” Mingi fell silent as soon as he saw Yeosang. “Babe, don’t look so hot!”
Yeosang groaned. “What part about me is hot?”
“Everything. Could you please not expose the back of your neck like that?”
“But the weather is too hot. I can’t stand my hair sticking to my neck. Besides, I don’t believe Yunho and the others would find it hot. They’d understand why I’m tying my hair.”
“B-but you haven’t met Jongho yet. What if he gets turned on by you?”
“Mingi!” Yeosang frowned disapprovingly. “He’s San’s younger brother, right? That would be so inappropriate. I’m tying my hair with or without your consent, don’t make a fuss about it.”
“Fine,” Mingi huffed. “But if Wooyoung says you look good with it, please untie it right away.”
“Why are you even worried about what Wooyoung says…ugh, fine.” Yeosang pouted. He crossed his arms on his chest, trying to show his protest as he followed Mingi. The taller of the two failed to see his act of protest, he was busy looking at the computer screen. “Uh, Mingi?”
“Yes?”
“You said the food is more than enough, right? Would it be alright if I invite another one?”
“Of course. Who do you have in mind?”
“Seonghwa-hyung.”
It got Mingi’s attention. The male simply stood up, searching for something in the drawer, before making his way to Yeosang. “Why would you even ask? Here, his business card.”
Yeosang hesitated, but he accepted the card, albeit half-heartedly. “On second thought, I-I don’t know, it’s so sudden, he might be busy…”
“Yeosang, just call him. It’s been a long time, right?” Mingi patted his head affectionately. “Take your time. I’ll be here if you need me.”
“Mingi,” Yeosang said quickly. “Thank you.”
Mingi sent him a look, as if saying he didn’t need to thank him. His husband gave him another pat on the head before going back to his computer.
Yeosang gazed at the number in the business card.
There were definitely a lot of things he wanted to say to Seonghwa. Where should he even start? But what he wanted to know the most was Seonghwa’s condition. Was he happy? Had he lost weight? Had he gained weight? Had he met someone? Was he dating someone?
Yeosang realized that he was a much, much braver person now. The old Yeosang would probably opt for a message instead, but the new him was different. He wanted Seonghwa to know that, and hopefully he’d be proud of what his little brother had become.
So he took a deep breath, gathered his courage and finally pressed call.
It took three rings for Seonghwa to pick up.
“Hello?”
Yeosang wanted to cry upon hearing the familiar voice.
“Seonghwa-hyung. It’s Yeosang…”
Yeosang immediately untied his hair when Wooyoung’s first words were,
“Looking damn hot, Song Yeosang!”
End.
“I want to marry Park Yeosang, Appa.”
The look his father gave him was so menacing that it almost made Mingi cower. He also didn’t quite understand some of the words the came out of his father’s mouth, but they all sounded like a curse.
Mingi honestly didn’t understand what was wrong with that. It was his thirteenth birthday, he merely stated what he wanted. His older brother looked at him, half amused, half sorry, at the words he just said. Mingi grimaced.
Tracking Yeosang was hard.
The school wouldn’t give him his personal information. After getting suspended for a week, Mingi was heartbroken upon knowing Yeosang had quit school instead. It didn’t seem that he went to other private schools, he couldn’t find his name anywhere. He wasn’t even in any social media. How was he supposed to find him then?
Mingi knew his father made contact with Yeosang’s father when they got called to the school. He saw the way they were talking, they must’ve known each other before this, probably meeting in a charity event somewhere, or they were acquaintances in the business.
His parents stopped asking him what he wanted for his birthday when his answer was still the same the next year.
Mingi was desperate. Couldn’t they just casually relay it to Yeosang’s father as a joke? (“Hey, my son wants to marry your son. Isn’t it funny?”) Couldn’t they arrange a family meeting, asking him if he was serious with what he said? His parents didn’t seem to take him seriously. It made him lose hope in his parents, but he wasn’t about to give up.
Not for Yeosang.
If no one was willing to help him, he’d find his own way.
So Mingi was more eager than ever to succeed. He started preparing himself for a spot in his father’s company. To use his father’s connection-it was how he was going to find Yeosang.
Years went by, and sneaking into his parents’ events were easier when he turned seventeen. Everyone would turn to look at him, amazed at how such a young kid was already so invested in his father’s business, complimenting him that the Song family had such a good heir.
If only they knew his real intention.
One day, the lady luck favored his side, because Mingi spotted him.
Yeosang’s father.
The man he had been searching for.
The event was still ongoing that night, but Yeosang’s father seemed to be in a hurry. Mingi saw him heading for the exit, and he knew it was his one chance.
Mingi’s feet were transfixed onto the floor. All of a sudden, the strength that he had mustered over the years disappeared, just like that. The opportunity had presented itself in front of him, and there he was, feeling extremely nervous facing his (soon-to-be?) father-in-law. He mentally berated himself, reminding himself why he was doing it in the first place.
When he managed to run outside, it was just in time because Yeosang’s father almost got into the car.
“Mr. Park!”
Mr. Park turned to him, a questioning look was on his face.
“Mr. Park, I don’t know if you remember me, but my name-my name is Song Mingi.”
“Song Mingi,” Yeosang’s father repeated his name quietly. “You’re the person who punched my son’s bully.”
“Mr. Park, I-”
Mingi had replayed this scene in his head over and over again. But when it really happened, he became afraid. A hundred of ‘what ifs’ ran through his mind. But still, Mingi curled his hand into his fist and just went with it.
His gut feeling said he’d be alright.
“I want to marry Yeosang, Mr. Park.”
Author: FloweryMisha
Pairing: MinSang
Warning: BoyxBoy Love. Enough said.
Summary: It isn’t distance that separates a relationship. It is silence.
[2]
Mingi was starting to plan their dates more often.
It started from a mall, to a pet café, to museums and even libraries.
Sometimes it was so spontaneous that it wasn’t even planned, but Yeosang loved it nonetheless.
Like that one time when it was almost midnight, but Mingi felt like driving around downtown just to see the lights and enjoy the empty streets. Or that one other time when Mingi craved spicy fried chicken right after dinner, so they went on another trip downtown to his favorite restaurant.
It must’ve been another one of Mingi’s spontaneous appetite for some grilled meat that night, so Yeosang agreed to come along. The male probably was feeling adventurous too, because he asked for their driver to drop them by the said place, and said that they would just take a taxi back.
The weather was too hot that night, Yeosang was glad he opted for a plain T-shirt and jeans. Mingi wore identical clothes, too, with a spare hoodie jacket in his shoulder and a black cap on his head.
Yeosang had always noticed that whenever they went someplace, people would turn their heads at the sight of the taller male. Most of them were girls, and they didn’t even bother to hide their giggling as they gushed over his husband. It wasn’t something to feel jealous of, he thought, because he completely understood, Mingi really was stunning. He had learned to accept that fact from the very start.
Something seemed to be on Mingi’s mind that night, judging from the way he grilled the meat. He hadn’t been talkative ever since they got into the barbecue place. The place was a bit small, but it was crowded. A lot of people had been passing by, and they didn’t miss the chance to look at Mingi as they did. When another person passed by their table, shamelessly turning his head to take a look at them, Mingi snapped.
“Ugh, that’s it, I’ve had enough,” Mingi groaned as he placed the cap on Yeosang, a bit too deep that Yeosang’s face was almost hidden underneath it. “There.”
Yeosang frowned as he adjusted the cap.
“The audacity of them looking at you when I’m right here beside you.”
Me? Yeosang mouthed in astonishment, pointing at himself. Mingi must’ve gotten it wrong, they were all looking at him. He pointed at Mingi instead, pointed at himself again then shaking his head.
Mingi looked annoyed. “I know when people are checking my spouse out, you know.”
But I know when people are checking you out, too, Yeosang wanted to protest. He was about to type it into his phone when Mingi shook his head.
“I’m sorry if you don’t like me behaving this way. But could you please…just keep it on for tonight? I won’t be like this anymore the next time we go out.”
Yeosang opened his mouth, still a bit desperate to explain. No, you idiot… They’re not checking me out.
Mingi misunderstood for sure. The male pursed his lips as he continued grilling the meat, making sure they were cooked well before placing them on Yeosang’s plate.
“You may be oblivious, Yeosang, but you’re beautiful. I mean it. You’re…beautiful,” Mingi repeated quietly. “Just because you don’t see it, doesn’t mean the others don’t, too.”
Those words felt like a slap to his cheeks. Yeosang wished he could explain right away. Mingi was wrong, he wasn’t beautiful at all.
“Ah…let’s just eat before the meat gets cold.”
But of course, he couldn’t.
They spent the rest of their dinner in silence.
Mingi looked like he was sulking, but Yeosang couldn’t tell if it was really because of those people who had been staring at them, or because of himself. He hung his head, hiding his face away like Mingi wanted him to, but it was mostly because he couldn’t bring himself to look at the taller male.
Yeosang felt...
…inadequate.
Nobody had ever told him he was beautiful before.
Did Mingi say that because he was his spouse? Just like the way Mingi had been so accepting of their marriage? Or did he say that because he meant it?
There were a lot of questions running through Yeosang’s mind, the ones he couldn’t ask via the messages. It suddenly made him want to…
…speak.
Mingi still looked like he wasn’t in the mood even after they were done.
The weather was still hot, but there was a cool breeze that cause Yeosang to shiver slightly. Suddenly, he felt something on his shoulders-the spare jacket that Mingi had been holding. The hood was pulled over his head, hiding Yeosang’s face even more.
There was something about the way Mingi inspected him. “I’m sorry,” he apologized softly. “I guess I was just…jealous. You’re mine, you know?” He broke into a small smile as he took a step back and ran a hand through his hair. “I’ll order our cab.”
Jealous?
Yeosang stood still, not knowing what to do. He felt…captivated. Everything was new to him, especially his feelings.
There was no need for Mingi to be jealous, if anything, it was the other way around. Mingi could’ve chosen anyone, but there he was, forced to be paired with him, someone who couldn’t even open his mouth to speak. The man was wealthy, handsome, kind, and he was jealous of people looking at him?
Yeosang’s chest was full with unspoken words, his feelings bewitched by Mingi’s actions towards him. They were all mixing together. It was all so overwhelming that Yeosang just wanted Mingi to understand what he felt.
So he hugged Mingi from behind.
Mingi visibly stiffened, caught off guard by the sudden gesture, but he didn’t push Yeosang away. Seconds later, he turned around to hug him properly. The cap was in the way, so Mingi took it off, before placing a light kiss on Yeosang’s forehead.
“You’re mine, Yeosang.”
Yeosang, unable to say anything, just wrapped his arms tighter. Sorry, was what he wanted to say, but he chose to swallow it back. Technically, he was really Mingi’s, since they were married. But even the fact couldn’t seem to make Mingi calm.
All this miscommunication between them just made Yeosang want to try harder.
For Mingi, he would try.
***
Determined of being able to say everything that was on his mind, Yeosang started practicing harder than ever.
It was not easy, especially when he remembered why he stopped doing it in the first place. It had been too long that he wondered if his vocal cord was still working.
But he would speak again, no matter what it took.
He started with something simple.
His name.
At first it felt like his throat was being brushed. He coughed and coughed, but he recalled the doctor saying that the root of the problem was because he didn’t want to speak. His heart was set now, and he just needed to keep on trying.
Yeo. Sang.
Min. Gi.
Seong. Hwa.
It took him days to gain his normal voice back. It was still a bit difficult to speak in a long sentence, but it was a good start.
Yeosang was a bit surprised at his own voice. It was deep. Mingi’s voice was deep, too, but it was different. He even looked at himself in the mirror while talking, still in disbelief that it was his voice. His own voice.
Would Mingi like his voice though…?
A gloomy smile spread across his face.
Mingi this, Mingi that.
Mingi had been occupying his thoughts lately. It kept on occurring in his mind that his husband had been nothing but kind to him. He was still patient. Although they had been sharing a bit more of physical touch recently, Mingi still slept on the couch. Now that he thought about it, Mingi was so kind that he had never demanded anything from him.
“Yeosang. Song Yeosang.”
Yeosang repeated his own name over and over again like a mantra. He was sitting on the carpeted floor in front of the mirror with his legs crossed. The male pressed his hand against the cool surface of the mirror, his thumb brushing over the birthmark under his eye.
Isn’t it hideous?
Unexpectedly, it reminded him of his late father. He imagined the kind of expression his father would make if he was still alive, at the fact that he managed to speak again. He’d definitely tell him that he was proud at him, that he had always believed in him.
“Appa…I did it.”
Yeosang started weeping into his hands.
He wished he had met Mingi sooner. He wished his father would still be alive to see him change into a better person. He wished his father would still be alive to see how kind Mingi treated him, that the marriage was probably not a mistake.
That he was happy with the way it was, just like his father had said.
“I’m sorry, Appa. I promise… I’ll be happy.”
Yeosang waited until he was really ready to speak to Mingi.
They hadn’t really gone out for another date lately.
Mingi had been coming home a bit late for the past few days, and that night was the same. Yeosang received the text that said not to wait for him for dinner.
It was a little bit past nine when Mingi arrived home.
Yeosang was sitting in the balcony with his notebook in his hands. The car was parked into the garage, and not long later, a very good-looking Mingi in his office suit emerged into sight. Even from afar, Yeosang could tell how tired Mingi was, and that he probably chose to tuck in early again that night.
A sudden rush of fondness washed over him as he simply watched his husband walking towards the house.
Mingi didn’t seem to realize that Yeosang had been watching him. The taller male stopped by the pool, dumping the things he had been holding on to a nearby chair before started stripping. When he was only in his boxers, Mingi jumped into the pool without a care in the world.
Yeosang made his way to the pool with a towel on his hand. Mingi was still swimming back and forth. Yeosang placed the towel on top of Mingi’s things and sat on the chair, resting his elbow on the table.
When Mingi resurfaced with a loud sigh, he held on to the pool ladders, resting his forehead against the wall for a moment. Mingi’s shoulders looked even broader underneath the moonlight. The sight of water dripping from his hair to his shoulders made Yeosang nervous no reason. It made him want to just go back to his room and hide, before Mingi acknowledged his presence.
Too late.
“Hey, I didn’t know you were here.”
Yeosang blinked. I-I just got here, was what he wanted to say, but he was so nervous that he only managed to open his mouth slightly. He swallowed the words back and started walking to where Mingi was. Yeosang knelt, patting Mingi’s wet hair slightly.
Mingi grinned, as if he understood what Yeosang meant by that. “I’m alright. Just a thing or two at work. Being an errand boy for your own father is so tiring, you know?” He pushed himself off the wall, floating with his back facing the water.
Great, now Yeosang even had a clear view of his chest.
Mingi straightened up all of a sudden, swimming back to where Yeosang was. “Hey, care to join me for a night swim?”
Yeosang stiffened slightly when Mingi reached out to caress his arm, a mischievous grin across his face. He was in the middle of remembering a very unimportant thing-did he choose boxers or briefs earlier after shower?-when Mingi pulled him abruptly into the pool.
He couldn’t even make a sound as his face was hit with the amount of chlorine water. Instinctively, Yeosang held his breath as he shut his eyes, knowing nothing good would come if he panicked. He felt a pair or strong arms on his side, guiding him up.
The moment he resurfaced, Yeosang immediately took his chance to grab Mingi’s hair roughly while gasping for air.
Mingi yelped and laughed at the punishment he got, dodging the pretty male’s head so that they wouldn’t bump. “Ow, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”
Mingi’s laughter subsided after a few minutes as he removed Yeosang’s hands from his hair.
Yeosang pouted. He still wanted to teach Mingi a lesson or two when he became aware of their position. His arms were now wrapped around Mingi’s neck, and his legs were around the taller male’s hip. Yeosang’s pout turned to a nervous thin line.
“Wow,” Mingi breathed at the view before him. “You’re…so beautiful.”
Yeosang’s mouth became dry, and he had a sudden urge to swallow.
Mingi was looking at him, his lips, him, and at his lips again.
“Yeosang,” Mingi whispered. “Can I…?”
Yes.
Their second kiss-because their first one was on their wedding day-still tasted unbearably sweet.
Mingi wasn’t demanding, rather comforting, holding on his own pace. Yeosang didn’t know if he was doing it right, but Mingi didn’t seem to mind, their lips kept on touching and more kisses were being exchanged. A small moan escaped Yeosang’s lips, making Mingi pushed him backwards against the wall.
Yeosang must’ve been obsessed with Mingi’s broad shoulders because it was all he could think about. Mingi and Mingi’s wet hair and Mingi’s plump lips and Mingi and Mingi and Mingi. He trailed his fingers against the taller male’s collarbones, blurting,
“Mingi.”
Mingi stopped moving. “D-did you just-”
Yeosang chuckled, feeling shy and proud at the same time. “Song Mingi.”
Mingi acted like he was a parent that had just heard his child uttering their first word. “Can you-can you please say it once again?”
“Mingi,” Yeosang obeyed, repeating his name slowly. “Mingi.”
The way Mingi gasped was so cute that the two of them started laughing. The taller of the two looked like he was about to cry in as he buried his head against Yeosang’s shoulder. “Shit. Shit. It’s all so sudden, you’re so unfair. That’s so hot. You saying my name…so hot. You’re so hot, Yeosang.”
Yeosang was so happy that he didn’t fight the tears that were coming. “You’re hot, too.”
“Oh my God,” Mingi was dazzled, his eyes were full of emotions. “Oh my God, I’m sorry. I don’t think I can hold myself back tonight, Yeosang.”
Mingi leaned down to capture Yeosang’s lips, this time not planning to stop no matter what the latter said.
Yeosang didn’t think he’d mind.
***
Mingi really took his mother’s crawl all over the house too literally.
Yeosang had lost count how many times they did it throughout the house.
Ever since Yeosang started speaking, their relationship almost felt perfect. He still used his own pace to speak, but it was enough, he didn’t really expect to be as talkative as Mingi right away. They only chatted when Mingi was away for work, other than that, his husband preferred calling or talking face to face.
Mingi’s eyes were glinting with emotions whenever Yeosang spoke, and it made him brimming with confidence.
Yeosang liked the attention he got from Mingi.
“I should really look for an apartment soon,” Mingi blurted out one Saturday morning, as soon as he stepped out of the bathroom. He was drying his hair with a towel. “Do you have a preference?”
Yeosang shook his head slowly. “Not really, I guess… Do you have to rush? Are your parents returning soon?”
“That, and… Well, since you’re not against the idea of sharing a bed with me now.” Mingi grinned when Yeosang made a face. “Also, it would be a really nice gift for my birthday.”
“Oh,” Yeosang paused. That was right, his birthday was coming soon. “Is it in August?”
Mingi’s phone buzzed and his expression brightened upon seeing the notifications. He was quiet for a while, but Yeosang could see that he was excited at whatever it was on his phone. When he realized that Yeosang had been waiting for an answer, he hastily apologized. “Ah, sorry babe. It’s Yunho. He’s in town.”
Yeosang merely raised his brows with a smile. “Yunho…?”
“Look at Wooyoung, so quick at setting a meet up,” Mingi snickered. “I guess it’s really been a while since we all saw each other.”
“Oh.” Yeosang didn’t think Mingi had ever mentioned his friends before, but the look on his face was more than enough to tell that he treasured them. “Is it tonight? You should go see them, then. I’ll be waiting at home.”
“Actually… Wooyoung said you should come. If you want to, of course.”
“Me…?”
“Yeah. Honestly, they’ve been dying to meet you.”
“They did…?”
Mingi nodded. “Well, they weren’t exactly thrilled when I said I wasn’t inviting anyone to the ceremony…but, they understood.”
Yeosang was speechless.
He forgot that Mingi actually had friends. It was only natural for them to want to meet him one day. But tonight?
Yeosang was actually not keen to the idea of a sudden meeting with Mingi’s friends. What if he couldn’t make a good impression and they all hated him? He never had friends before…how should he act like one?
“Yeosang,” Mingi said. “I understand that you’re hesitant. But they’re all kind, I swear. They won’t make fun of you. They’d make fun of me instead.”
A small laugh escaped Yeosang’s lips.
Truthfully, he wasn’t ready for another interaction. He felt like it was already a big leap with Mingi, now he had to make another effort to meet his friends. But Yeosang was willing to try. Not because Mingi was looking at him hopefully, but because he really did want to try anything for Mingi.
No matter what.
“So…? What do you say…?”
“Sure, I’ll come with you.”
***
The way Mingi explained his friends to Yeosang was like studying the answers for an exam.
Yunho was the only one between them who obeyed their parents to go overseas for college. Mingi and Yunho had been friends the longest, they went to the same middle school. Wooyoung, their social butterfly, wasn’t really interested in continuing his study, he was more interested of becoming San’s bride as soon as his boyfriend graduated. Jongho, San’s younger brother, was simply scary. He was their boss baby. But Jongho couldn’t make it tonight, so Yeosang saved it as one less problem to think about for now.
When they arrived, Yeosang was even more nervous.
“This place is quiet and usually not too crowded. Wooyoung likes it here because we have our usual table by the corner.” Before they went in, Mingi took Yeosang’s hand in his. “Babe, thank you for doing this with me. I really hope you’d like my friends. But, if it ever gets too much for you, just say the word and we’ll go home, okay?”
Yeosang smiled reassuringly. Mingi really was being considerate of him, and it made him feel precious. “Okay.”
The place was more of a café than a restaurant. Upon entering the place, Mingi immediately made way to the corner, passing by a few occupied tables. Yeosang could see Mingi’s friends had already gathered in the corner, and he swallowed anxiously.
“Heey, it’s the newlyweds!”
Yunho and Mingi were definitely the giants of the group. Yeosang could tell immediately how close they were, judging by the way they shared an intimate hug. He could also tell which one Wooyoung was, the male’s extroverted aura was so blinding. San looked like he had been hitting the gym a lot, and had the kindest smile of them all.
The group was loud, but instead of feeling annoyed, the feeling he got was comforting. Despite the fact that Yeosang was quiet most of the time, the group made him feel welcomed, like he had been a part of them too since a long time. Yeosang was mostly envious of Wooyoung, the male was so attractive and easygoing at the same time-it didn’t take a genius to understand why he was the social butterfly.
“Can I exchange numbers with him?” Wooyoung asked Mingi while pointing at Yeosang. “He must’ve been bored when you’re at work, right? I can go pick him up and do something, right? Can we hang out?”
“Mingi, no, we don’t need another loud one here,” Yunho dramatically gasped. “Wouldn’t want Yeosang to get affected by Wooyoung.”
“Yah! I’m not that bad, you know!” Wooyoung pouted and turned to Yeosang. “If it’s alright with you, can I be your friend?”
“I don’t know. If I were you, Mingi, I’d be more worried if he becomes friends with Wooyoung. And I’m the boyfriend,” San said with a serious expression.
“I swear I’m not that bad,” Wooyoung cried desperately as he reached for Yeosang’s sleeve. “I swear I’ll be a better friend for you than with these guys.”
The other three burst out laughing.
Wooyoung gave them his death glare, before giving Yeosang his best puppy eyes. Despite all the jokes and the teasing, he was seriously waiting for an answer, making Yeosang shifted awkwardly in his seat.
“Honestly, I’m not that fun…” Yeosang sheepishly said. “I’ve also never had friends before, so… I don’t know, maybe you’d get bored of me instantly.”
“I won’t! I swear! We’ll just gossip about others so we won’t get bored.”
“Don’t even teach him how to gossip-"
The atmosphere became relaxed after that, the tension that Yeosang felt before had diminished. The group spent most of their time bickering and bantering. Sometimes Mingi would look at Yeosang, worried that their jokes might have gone too far, but surprisingly, the pretty male looked like he enjoyed it. The chemistry between Mingi and the others were so strong, it made Yeosang want it.
He wanted…to be their friends, too.
The night ended with Wooyoung sticking his tongue out at Mingi when Yeosang saved his number in his phone. They were already on their way home when his phone vibrated. Yeosang couldn’t describe his happiness when he saw the first message Wooyoung had sent:
Hi Song Yeosang!
Yeosang brought his phone to his lips. He wasn’t really sure of what to reply. Should he say hi back? Or would it be awkward to just reply with a sticker?
“Who is it? You seem happy.”
“Ah,” Yeosang automatically showed his phone to Mingi. “Wooyoung.”
“Already? Man, he really wants to be your friend.”
“Yeah, it seems like it… But, are you okay with it?”
“With what?”
“Me being friends…with Wooyoung?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“It won’t seem like I’m taking your friend away?”
“Babe,” Mingi rolled his eyes. “Well, I might feel that way if it’s Yunho, but since it’s Wooyoung-no, I’m just kidding. You can befriend them all, I don’t mind. But sometimes Wooyoung can be too much too at times. If it happens, just tell me, okay? I’ll give him a proper scolding.”
“He does seem…loud. But…he seems fine to me. And it’s actually the first time anyone wants to be my friend,” Yeosang looked out the window when he said those words, but Mingi could see his expression from his reflection. “I guess I’m just…happy.”
Mingi patted his head. “I’m glad, then.”
Yeosang took a moment before replying Wooyoung’s message with a sticker.
He didn’t remember the last time he smiled widely like this.
***
Fortunately, Wooyoung was really serious about befriending Yeosang.
Sometimes the message from Wooyoung was so random. Like this morning, he asked if Yeosang had taken a shower, and he replied yes in confusion. Half an hour later, the male showed up uninvited at his house, asking if he wanted to grab a bite together, since he had showered.
Yeosang noticed this before, but everyone in Mingi’s inner circle was good-looking, especially Wooyoung. The male had an indescribable aura, like he was born to be a superstar or something. Yeosang found himself staring a lot at Wooyoung, somewhat envious at the amount of confidence the latter had. He was also hilarious and didn’t seem to have an ounce of shame in his blood.
Like Mingi, Wooyoung, too, had a mole under his eye, and one on his lips, making him even more outstanding. He knew the charm he was born with, and not afraid of showing a little skin, sometimes a bit too much. The clothes he wore was definitely would look weird on Yeosang, but not on Wooyoung. He always looked dazzling.
Before he knew it, they had been spending a lot of time together.
Sometimes they went to grab lunch, sometimes they went out just for coffee, sometimes they just stayed home.
Wooyoung was-unsurprisingly-loud, but it was something Yeosang had anticipated. There were times when he took a moment to himself when Wooyoung did something weird-like yanking his hair, or smacking his butt, even snatching his food. They were all followed by the mischievous smile, which made Yeosang shrug it off. This must be what Mingi meant the other night.
San must’ve been very patient, too, he absently thought. For being in a relationship with Wooyoung.
Wooyoung also taught him how to play online games, and how they could communicate while playing it. Whenever he was too lazy to go anywhere with Yeosang, he preferred to stay in and play games.
It was raining as soon as Wooyoung came over that morning. Even so, the weather was still so humid that they almost went for a swim amidst the rain. They ended up just spread across the living room, Yeosang watching a random TV show about archery, his notebook on his lap and Wooyoung was on his phone playing games.
A distasteful groan escaped Wooyoung’s lips, a sign that he had lost the battle. “If you don’t know how to play, don’t get your team killed, dude! Ugh, I hate it. Why won’t you play with me, Yeosang?”
“…you told me the same thing too last time,” Yeosang said, annoyed. “Something about me getting in the way of your victory…”
“You know I love you, I didn’t mean it.”
Yeosang smiled. He had gotten used to Wooyoung’s antics. His attitude was a lot to take in at first, but Yeosang came to understand that he was just being himself. Most importantly, everything Wooyoung did was sincere and he wasn’t a fake person. Secretly, he was grateful that Wooyoung was his first friend ever.
“Hey, you’re pretty good at this,” Wooyoung commented as he took a look at Yeosang’s drawings. “You really like to draw, huh? You could be a manhwa artist.”
“It’s not that good. Besides, manhwa is a lot more complex. This is just…doodling.”
“If you call this doodling then you should see my handwriting,” Wooyoung scoffed. “How about taking an art major in college?”
Yeosang frowned. “I don’t know. I’ve never really thought about it.”
“You should. You’re talented, you know.”
“I don’t know... College… The thought of having to socialize with a lot of people at the same time scares me. There’s probably group assignments as well. What if I can’t avoid that?”
“That’s not a problem. I can take the same major as you, then.”
“Eh…?”
“But wait,” Wooyoung put a hand up defensively. “Art is not really my cup of tea… I can take dance major, we’ll still be in the same building, I think? But will San’s parents accept me if I graduate from dance major? Maybe I could take design…but seriously, I have zero talent for arts.” He acknowledged Yeosang looking at him, seemingly affected by what he had said. “What?”
“You’d…do that for me? You know, enrolling together? No matter the major?”
“Why not? You know, the only reason Yunho and San are the only ones in university right now, because Mingi wanted to wait for you. He said he’d think about it after the marriage. Nope, don’t even ask about me.”
“Mingi said that…?”
“Uh-huh. But I think his father is okay with him not having a bachelor degree, he’s given him a position in the family company already. Although he’d probably be a music producer somewhere if he’s not taking the company. He’s pretty good at making music, you know.”
“Oh?” Yeosang was flabbergasted. He never knew about this side of Mingi. “I see…”
“Wait. He never told you?”
A headshake. “Now that I hear it from you, I feel like I know nothing about him. We’ve never really talked…about personal things. I’ve never even met him before the marriage. Heck, I didn’t even know his name before the wedding day.”
“Seriously? What, was it like an arranged marriage or something?” When Yeosang nodded, Wooyoung’s jaw dropped. “So you’re saying, you didn’t date or anything?”
“I just said we’ve never met,” Yeosang laughed. “How could we date? There was no contact at all.”
Wooyoung stared at him in disbelief. “Why would you agree then? Especially if you had no idea who or what your husband was. What if Mingi was actually bald and short and his stomach bulged ten inches forward?”
It reminded him of what Seonghwa had said the other day before the wedding, and Yeosang sniggered. “I guess… I was willing to, because it was my father’s wish. But, you know… Did Mingi…ever say something about me?”
“Don’t even remind me, of course he bragged a lot about you.”
Yeosang hadn’t expected that kind of response. “Really…?”
“I don’t know, for an arranged marriage, even if you say you’ve never met before, Mingi seemed like he was too in love with you.”
“Huh?”
Wooyoung’s eyes shifted to the window, noticing the weather outside. It seemed like the rain had stopped. He stretched out his arms before standing up. “I should go. I promised San I’d have lunch with him today. Wanna come along if you have nothing to do? Don’t worry, you won’t feel like a third-wheel.” Wooyoung added with a wink.
“Oh, n-no, you enjoy your lunch. Say hi to San from me.”
“Okay then. Thanks for today. See you soon!”
***
The month had just turned to August when Mingi told him they were going out that weekend.
By going out, Yeosang definitely never thought he’d be taken to an apartment instead.
Mingi must’ve thought he hated the place, because he was busy explaining how it was too good of an opportunity to pass. The fact that it was downtown, close to the heart of the city, close to where he worked, there was a nearby park within ten-minutes walking range-should Yeosang ever feel bored at home, and a convenience store downstairs.
Yeosang couldn’t even imagine the price, there definitely would be too many zeroes, but the way Mingi looked at him full of hope made him sigh in defeat. Well, Mingi did say he was going to look for an apartment soon…maybe it was Yeosang’s fault for thinking they would be looking at a few apartments first, to choose which one they would live in together.
Also, he did say he had no preferences when Mingi asked him the other day.
“I like it.”
“You do?”
Yeosang nodded. He did like the place, it was nice. To be honest, his husband did a good job of choosing the apartment. It wasn’t too big, but still big nonetheless, with a lot of natural lights. Mingi must’ve given the place a lot of thought before deciding to rent it.
Wait.
“We’re renting this place, right?”
Mingi ignored the question. He grinned as he stepped closer to Yeosang. “You can choose the furniture. Want to look at them together?”
“C-can we just bring the old ones from your house?”
“Don’t be silly, Yeosang. Let’s buy new ones. We don’t really need chairs, do we? We can eat and watch TV on the floor.”
“Don’t be silly, Mingi. Chairs are important.”
Yeosang toured the whole place, counting two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and one small walk-in closet. He changed his mind about the place being not so big. It was huge, even just for the two of them. The size of the kitchen itself was more than enough for two people. Yeosang noticed there was a spare bed on the floor in one of the rooms, with two pillows and a blanket on it.
“There’s already a bed.”
“Yeah, about that… I was thinking…wanna try the new bed? It’s just a trial, I’ll definitely get a bigger one next time,” Mingi did his best to be seductive towards him. Yeosang instantly looked like he was constipated and his husband guffawed at his expression. “It’s probably a hassle to go out and eat dinner at this hour. Do you want to just order delivery instead?”
“That, or we could just cook the instant ramen you brought here.”
There were already some kitchen utensils in the cupboard and some vegetables in the refrigerator. It made Yeosang wonder if Mingi had been secretly coming here by himself. Maybe Mingi wanted this to be a nice surprise for him. It seemed like the taller male was always two steps ahead in everything. He could feel that Mingi really cared about him, always prioritizing his needs, and Yeosang was starting to care a lot about him, too. The two of them being in the kitchen like this, preparing for a meal, felt natural and acceptable.
It felt like they were meant to be together.
There were no plates yet, so they ate the ramen straight from the cooking pot. Their heads nearly bumped a few times because they were eager to finish the food, but it was somewhat fun, like a competition. The weather was hot, the food was hot, but it was fulfilling.
Yeosang felt contented.
Mingi then opened the balcony door, letting the breeze in. They were on the sixth floor, but they could still hear the sound of night traffic and people chattering down there.
Yeosang dared himself to take a peek between the railing. It was a nice change. He had been so used to the quietness at home that he didn’t think the sight of people swarming down there would feel this calming. He didn’t feel so lonely anymore.
“Mingi, can I ask you something?”
“Shoot.”
Yeosang crawled back inside, taking his spot beside his husband. He drew his knees to his chest, hugging himself. After the conversation he had with Wooyoung the other day, he just had to know. “Were you…angry when our marriage was decided?”
Mingi frowned, but it wasn’t anger. He seemed lost in his thought for a moment. “No.”
“Why not?”
“Do I need a reason to be angry?”
“Well,” it was Yeosang’s turn to frown. “What about the fact that your future had been decided for you? I mean, you’re still young, you could’ve traveled all over the world. And probably meet the love of your life.”
“You are the love of my life.”
The way Mingi stared at him when he said those words was too intense that it almost made Yeosang breathless. He managed to compose himself before doing anything weird-like squealing.
“D-don’t say things like that so easily, Mingi.”
“I’m only saying it to you. It’s the truth.” Mingi tilted his head to get a good look at Yeosang. “What about you? Were you angry when our marriage was decided?”
“Ah,” Yeosang hesitated. “It’s…different.”
“That’s not the question. Were you angry or not?”
“It’s…no, but-”
“See? It’s not different.”
“B-but, it’s really different.”
“It’s not.”
Yeosang was at a loss for words. He didn’t understand where Mingi’s stubbornness came from. “You knew I couldn’t talk, right? You knew my condition, and you still wanted to go with it?”
“So what? It’s not like it’s a sin. It’s just a condition. And look at you now. Talking in full sentences without difficulties.”
“W-we’ve never met even once.”
“I had a feeling I’d have the most beautiful bride ever.”
Yeosang was starting to realize that he wasn’t going to win against Mingi. Strangely, he wasn’t mad about it. He just felt like laughing. Yeosang looked down to his hands, trying to hide his smile. He felt grateful for Mingi’s kindness, for accepting him from the start, no matter what his condition he was in. Besides, the fact that they were happy now was more important than anything.
No wonder Wooyoung said you were too in love with me.
“Look, it was all in the past, there’s no use arguing about it now,” Mingi said like he knew exactly what Yeosang was thinking. Maybe he did. “But, you know, sometimes you have that moment in life, where you have that gut feeling, and you just want to follow it. One of those moments was getting married with you. I just…knew it was the best decision.”
“So you never regret it…?”
“Never.”
Yeosang’s face felt warm all of a sudden. The emotion that he had towards Mingi was deep, so deep that it had been flooding his heart too many times. He didn’t know what else to say but to fake a cough and looked away. “You’re weird, Mingi. You’re really weird.”
“But you like me, right? This weird husband of yours?”
Yeosang gazed into Mingi’s black orbs. He could see that Mingi had the same deep emotion in his eyes. It made Yeosang want to cry.
“Yeah. I like you. I think.”
“You think?” Mingi narrowed his eyes, like he was searching for an answer in Yeosang’s face. He inched closer, obviously aiming for the latter’s lips.
“Mm…I think,” Yeosang smiled into the kiss. He let Mingi stole another kiss or two from him. He shut his eyes when he felt Mingi deepening the kiss, feeling the other male’s warmth invaded him completely. Yeosang wasn’t really thinking clearly when he blurted, “I love you.”
Their kisses stopped.
Yeosang became panicked, suddenly uncertain if it was not the time yet, but then Mingi rested his forehead on his chest, as if he was listening to Yeosang’s heartbeat.
“God, I almost don’t know how to respond to that. I’ve loved you since the first moment I laid my eyes on you,” Mingi’s voice was so low that it almost came as a whisper. “I love you so much, you’ll never understand. …your father was the only who understood my feelings.”
“My father…?”
Mingi pulled away with a nod. “Your father was a kind man, Yeosang. It made me believe that his son must be even kinder.”
“Did you…come to the funeral house…? When my father died…?”
“Of course. But you weren’t there, and your brother looked exhausted, so I left after paying my respect.”
Yeosang felt the tears coming. He was so relieved upon knowing that Mingi was there that night. It just showed that Mingi really cared about him, even when they weren’t together yet. “When you’re not working, would you visit him with me…?”
“Of course, babe. Let’s visit him together.”
“Thank you.”
They stayed still for a long time, merely enjoying each other’s presence.
Yeosang was the first one to break the silence. “I think I want to take that trial. Does the offer still stand?”
Mingi didn’t need to be told twice as he carried Yeosang bridal style into the bedroom, ending their weekend perfectly.
***
Right before Mingi’s birthday, they managed to settle into their new apartment.
They agreed on not having too much furniture, just the essential ones. It made moving in so much easier. A few boxes were still lying around, but they decided to kick them aside for now-adorning the place could wait.
Wooyoung had deliberately invited the group for a sleepover at their new apartment-apparently celebrating both their new place and Mingi’s birthday. He even said that Yeosang and Mingi didn’t need to worry about their sleeping attire, they would bring their own blankets and pillows.
Yeosang was placing the empty glasses on the island when he couldn’t stand his hair creeping on the back of his neck anymore. The weather broadcast said it was going to be rainy season soon, but no signs of it yet, the summer still went on. It had been a while since he had his hair cut. Luckily, he had some spare rubber bands. Yeosang was about to tie his hair into a ponytail when he remembered something.
Since he was homeschooled, he was even reluctant to go to a barbershop. So it was always Seonghwa who did his hair for him. The older male usually just trimmed the end of his hair, but he was so precise about it that it looked like the result of a hair stylist.
I miss Seonghwa-hyung.
Yeosang was still thinking about his brother when his phone buzzed.
“Wooyoung said they’d get the cake,” Yeosang read the message loudly. Mingi was in the other room, currently setting his computer. “Have you ordered the food though? They said Jongho is coming along.”
“The food is enough for a village-” Mingi fell silent as soon as he saw Yeosang. “Babe, don’t look so hot!”
Yeosang groaned. “What part about me is hot?”
“Everything. Could you please not expose the back of your neck like that?”
“But the weather is too hot. I can’t stand my hair sticking to my neck. Besides, I don’t believe Yunho and the others would find it hot. They’d understand why I’m tying my hair.”
“B-but you haven’t met Jongho yet. What if he gets turned on by you?”
“Mingi!” Yeosang frowned disapprovingly. “He’s San’s younger brother, right? That would be so inappropriate. I’m tying my hair with or without your consent, don’t make a fuss about it.”
“Fine,” Mingi huffed. “But if Wooyoung says you look good with it, please untie it right away.”
“Why are you even worried about what Wooyoung says…ugh, fine.” Yeosang pouted. He crossed his arms on his chest, trying to show his protest as he followed Mingi. The taller of the two failed to see his act of protest, he was busy looking at the computer screen. “Uh, Mingi?”
“Yes?”
“You said the food is more than enough, right? Would it be alright if I invite another one?”
“Of course. Who do you have in mind?”
“Seonghwa-hyung.”
It got Mingi’s attention. The male simply stood up, searching for something in the drawer, before making his way to Yeosang. “Why would you even ask? Here, his business card.”
Yeosang hesitated, but he accepted the card, albeit half-heartedly. “On second thought, I-I don’t know, it’s so sudden, he might be busy…”
“Yeosang, just call him. It’s been a long time, right?” Mingi patted his head affectionately. “Take your time. I’ll be here if you need me.”
“Mingi,” Yeosang said quickly. “Thank you.”
Mingi sent him a look, as if saying he didn’t need to thank him. His husband gave him another pat on the head before going back to his computer.
Yeosang gazed at the number in the business card.
There were definitely a lot of things he wanted to say to Seonghwa. Where should he even start? But what he wanted to know the most was Seonghwa’s condition. Was he happy? Had he lost weight? Had he gained weight? Had he met someone? Was he dating someone?
Yeosang realized that he was a much, much braver person now. The old Yeosang would probably opt for a message instead, but the new him was different. He wanted Seonghwa to know that, and hopefully he’d be proud of what his little brother had become.
So he took a deep breath, gathered his courage and finally pressed call.
It took three rings for Seonghwa to pick up.
“Hello?”
Yeosang wanted to cry upon hearing the familiar voice.
“Seonghwa-hyung. It’s Yeosang…”
Yeosang immediately untied his hair when Wooyoung’s first words were,
“Looking damn hot, Song Yeosang!”
End.
“I want to marry Park Yeosang, Appa.”
The look his father gave him was so menacing that it almost made Mingi cower. He also didn’t quite understand some of the words the came out of his father’s mouth, but they all sounded like a curse.
Mingi honestly didn’t understand what was wrong with that. It was his thirteenth birthday, he merely stated what he wanted. His older brother looked at him, half amused, half sorry, at the words he just said. Mingi grimaced.
Tracking Yeosang was hard.
The school wouldn’t give him his personal information. After getting suspended for a week, Mingi was heartbroken upon knowing Yeosang had quit school instead. It didn’t seem that he went to other private schools, he couldn’t find his name anywhere. He wasn’t even in any social media. How was he supposed to find him then?
Mingi knew his father made contact with Yeosang’s father when they got called to the school. He saw the way they were talking, they must’ve known each other before this, probably meeting in a charity event somewhere, or they were acquaintances in the business.
His parents stopped asking him what he wanted for his birthday when his answer was still the same the next year.
Mingi was desperate. Couldn’t they just casually relay it to Yeosang’s father as a joke? (“Hey, my son wants to marry your son. Isn’t it funny?”) Couldn’t they arrange a family meeting, asking him if he was serious with what he said? His parents didn’t seem to take him seriously. It made him lose hope in his parents, but he wasn’t about to give up.
Not for Yeosang.
If no one was willing to help him, he’d find his own way.
So Mingi was more eager than ever to succeed. He started preparing himself for a spot in his father’s company. To use his father’s connection-it was how he was going to find Yeosang.
Years went by, and sneaking into his parents’ events were easier when he turned seventeen. Everyone would turn to look at him, amazed at how such a young kid was already so invested in his father’s business, complimenting him that the Song family had such a good heir.
If only they knew his real intention.
One day, the lady luck favored his side, because Mingi spotted him.
Yeosang’s father.
The man he had been searching for.
The event was still ongoing that night, but Yeosang’s father seemed to be in a hurry. Mingi saw him heading for the exit, and he knew it was his one chance.
Mingi’s feet were transfixed onto the floor. All of a sudden, the strength that he had mustered over the years disappeared, just like that. The opportunity had presented itself in front of him, and there he was, feeling extremely nervous facing his (soon-to-be?) father-in-law. He mentally berated himself, reminding himself why he was doing it in the first place.
When he managed to run outside, it was just in time because Yeosang’s father almost got into the car.
“Mr. Park!”
Mr. Park turned to him, a questioning look was on his face.
“Mr. Park, I don’t know if you remember me, but my name-my name is Song Mingi.”
“Song Mingi,” Yeosang’s father repeated his name quietly. “You’re the person who punched my son’s bully.”
“Mr. Park, I-”
Mingi had replayed this scene in his head over and over again. But when it really happened, he became afraid. A hundred of ‘what ifs’ ran through his mind. But still, Mingi curled his hand into his fist and just went with it.
His gut feeling said he’d be alright.
“I want to marry Yeosang, Mr. Park.”