ATEEZ Imagines

Mingi - "Stranger"

Mingi shuts his laptop with a sigh. He's spent so many hours with his nose buried in the screen that the thought of spending even one more minute online makes him want to cry. He's never known boredom like this before. This empty, lonely, aching desire for something interesting to happen.

He gets up, looking out the window. His mind wanders to his members, the way it always does at night. He wishes he could be with them—wherever they are. It's become too hard for him to keep track.

He stares out into the dark for a long time. Embracing the boredom is somehow better than trying to fight it. The cool night air seeps through the glass, chilling his forehead as he rests against the window.

Just as he's about to call it a night and crawl into bed to stare at the ceiling, something catches his eye. A person walking alone in the dark. You.

Mingi instantly straightens. His mind floods with questions. Why are you out so late at night? Where are you going? Aren't you scared?

Feeling a strong, indescribable need for answers, Mingi grabs his coat, yanking it on as he runs out to meet you.

* * *

The front door to the apartment building across the streets swings open, grabbing your attention. You watch as Mingi walks out; just some tall strange man to you. Your heart thumps a little, anxiously, at the sight of him, but you try not to panic. Despite what your survival instinct says, you know that he more than likely doesn't want to cause you harm.

You're reassured for a second. Until you notice him just standing there, staring at you.

You slow to a complete stop. Your muscles tense as you stare back at him, hoping that he'll walk off, but he doesn't. Biting your lip, you look down the street in the direction you need to go; knowing that once you pass him, he'll be behind you and you won't be able to see him. The thought of not being able to keep an eye on him makes your heart sink into your stomach.

Turning your eyes back to him, you fill with dread as you see him step off the sidewalk and begin heading straight toward you.

"S-stay back!" you yell, quickly backtracking. You brace yourself, ready to kick him between the legs if he tries to grab you.

At your frightened warning, Mingi instantly stops in his tracks. He hadn't expected you to be scared of him, though maybe he should've. He places himself in your shoes—out walking alone at night when suddenly a tall man that you don't know tries approaching you. He swallows a self-deprecating curse. Of course you're scared. Anyone with a brain would be.

He carefully holds out a hand to you. "I'm not going to hurt you, I promise. I just want to talk."

You eye him warily. "Why?"

He sighs, his shoulders lowering as he slouches. "I don't know. Because... " His eyes turn up toward the sky, twinkling as the moon reflects in them. He shrugs. "I guess because I don't have anyone else to talk to."

Mingi grimaces at his own words, embarrassed by how pathetic they are. "I didn't realize how stupid that sounded until now. I... I'll just go. Sorry for bothering you."

You watch as he turns and begins heading back across the street. Although it might be kinda stupid, you feel your heart go out to him. You know what it's like to feel alone and like you have no one to talk to. As a matter of fact, you're in the same boat right now.

Mingi's already reaching for the door when you call out to him, "Wait!"

Surprised, he turns and watches as you run across the street to join him.

You silently ask yourself what you're doing. You have no reason to trust this guy. But for some reason you do.

You rub the back of your neck, growing embarrassed. "If you wanna talk, we can talk."

Mingi breaks into a huge grin. "Then let's talk."

So that's what you guys do. You sit on the front steps and just talk for hours. You exchange life stories, and swap deep dark secrets, and joke like you're lifelong friends. Even though you're strangers, nothing's off limits, and you guys are more comfortable with each other than with most people you've known for years.

You talk late into the night. When you finally check the time, it's only a few hours away from sunrise.

You yawn, standing. "I should really get going now."

Mingi doesn't hide his disappointment well. "Oh yeah. Of course." He smiles. "Thanks for talking to me."

"It was my pleasure." You grin. "And for once in my life, I really mean it."

You guys stand there awkwardly for a second, unsure of how to say goodbye. Neither of you are sure who initiates it but somehow you guys find your way into each other's arms. You two share a tight hug, sealing your single bizarre night of friendship.

When you pull away, Mingi asks, "Will I ever see you again?"

You shrug as you begin to step backward off the steps. "Maybe. Maybe not."

He taps a finger against his leg. "Well, you know where I live."

You nod. "I do." Your foot touches the sidewalk. You look up at Mingi as he peers down at you with a mixed expression of fondness and melancholy.

Meeting up again would be easy. You could just give him your number or set up another time and place to meet. But it almost seems pointless. Somehow you both know that even if you guys stayed in contact, and even if you became real friends, your connection would never be the same as it has been tonight.

An unspoken understanding passes between you two.

Tonight was special. Both of you got to know every little thing about each other. That's almost why it'd be so hard to be friends or anything other than strangers. Because you both know far too much.

You both needed tonight. You both needed each other.

But night doesn't last forever.

Soon morning will come and tonight will become nothing more than a fond memory. Any attempts to keep tonight going will only taint it.

Neither of you could express these thoughts and feelings to others, or each other, or even yourselves. But you both felt them.

You give Mingi one final smile. "It was really great meeting you, Mingi."

"You, too."

He watches as you spin on your heel and head down the street, not taking his eyes off you once until you disappear out of sight.