𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐆𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐒𝐄

55; 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩

mingyu relentlessly chased the shady ability user(though he was still not sure if he saw it right, or if it was just a hallucination). he didn't care if he got into an accident, he's going to stand right back up and chase that shady man.

he ends up confused.

firstly, why is that man heading to a local restaurant? secondly, why did he run when he made eye contact with mingyu, if he wasn't going to do anything wrong? thirdly—is he an ability user at all?

so, mingyu follows him inside the restaurant. "who are you?" mingyu asks, only to be answered a second later; the man takes off his cap and is revealed as someone mingyu knew very well. "well.. why did he run then?"

mingyu calmly walked over to the table where the shady man sat. "wonwoo?"

"oh my fu—mingyu! yes, you're done with your errands today?" wonwoo clutched his chest in utter surprise. mingyu sets down the brown envelope that he held, squinting at wonwoo. "w-what?"

"why did you run when we made eye contact?"

"i-i don't know how to start a conversation with you. so i ran." wonwoo confessed, stuttering a little. that surprised mingyu. "did you follow me? why?"

"because you looked shady." mingyu crossed his arms, while wonwoo looked away. mingyu can't help but to notice how awkward wonwoo became; maybe because he knows that mingyu is dealing with something big right now and he's not good at emotions. mingyu totally understood him, though. "why are you here?"

"because they're going to order pizza for dinner and i hate greasy food. i want homemade ramen."

"you're going out for homemade food at this hour?" mingyu looks at his watch. "it's almost nine." though he doesn't point out the homemade ramen that wonwoo mentioned, he felt a little squeazy inside, realizing that wonwoo liked his cooking.

"i can defend myself very well if something happens," wonwoo plays with the cap, making it float up and down. he hasn't even ordered yet, he's starving. "can i order now?"

"come on, i'll just cook for you." mingyu stood up and motioned for wonwoo to follow him, before grabbing the brown envelope atop the table. they walk home.

the silence was unusual for wonwoo. unlike before, mingyu talked and talked, smiled and laughed. even though sometimes wonwoo didn't give back mingyu's energy.

wonwoo didn't know if he liked the silence.

"done!" mingyu exclaimed, placing the bowl of ramen in front of wonwoo. wonwoo looks at it in delight, and eats it as soon as possible. mingyu chuckles at wonwoo's actions.

"this tastes good. thank you." wonwoo expresses his gratitude to mingyu, and mingyu smiles at him.

"welcome."

after that, the two of them falls dead silent. mingyu was eating his own bowl of ramen, too, so wonwoo wasn't exactly confident with starting a conversation—in fear of being ignored. should i do it? what would i talk about?

abruptly, wonwoo spoke. "well—uh—so.. how are you holding up?" wonwoo watched mingyu's expressions, to try and see if he gets angry or something.

mingyu replies, with a small smile that he mustered up courage for. "just fine. i'm getting more okay these days," mingyu went back to eating. wonwoo felt embarrassed—thus the ting of pink on his cheeks. "wonwoo? you okay?"

shit, he noticed. "huh? n-nothing." wonwoo replied, proceeding to stuff ramen noodles inside his mouth; pretending that the blush thing was nothing big.

"wonwoo, you're usually not like this. what happened to you?" mingyu asked, reaching over to feel for wonwoo's forehead. "you're not heating up. why are you blushing, stuttering, looking away? it's almost like you're acting coy."

great. now that mingyu enumerated all signs of wonwoo being embarrassed, he's now even more embarrassed. plus, acting coy?! he never meant to act that way! "i'm not." and then wonwoo tries to compose himself. "i was unsure how to address your current situation and how to give you reassurance or comfort. i avoided you for the same reason back there, as well. i-i just wish i could help you more."

mingyu was speechless. wonwoo expressing his worries? stuttering? blushing? this was very unlike wonwoo, but he appreciated it. mingyu laughs for the very first time.

"aw, that's cute, wonwoo-ssi! i'm really doing just fine. you've helped enough." mingyu ruffled wonwoo's head of hair, who was like a deer lost in headlights. "you're the one who beat that portals guy, right? that's more than enough."

wonwoo nodded, but he was not contented. so, even though he was quite awkward, he walked to where mingyu sat, and stood behind him. "what?" mingyu had then asked, and wonwoo enveloped mingyu in his strong pair of arms.

surprised at the back hug(even with the chair kinda getting in the way), mingyu stiffened up. wonwoo was stiff too, unfamiliar with sharing his warmth to others. "i-i hope you feel better."

mingyu chuckled, and stood up. then, he hugged wonwoo properly, in the most lovely way he could ever imagine.

wonwoo was caring, that was one detail that mingyu missed out when he was observing wonwoo on the first few days of him being a seventeen member. it's all showing only now, which was both disappointing and satisfying at the same time. disappointing that mingyu knew about this character only now; satisfying that it showed in the right time.

god, he was so loveable. mingyu's eyes started welling up with tears, even. "t-thank you very, very very much. you have no idea what this did to me, do you?" mingyu blinked away the tears and chuckled.

"no. i have no idea. but i do wish it's a good thing, because that is my goal."

"yes, it's a good thing."

"i'm glad then." wonwoo pulled away first. he smiled at mingyu, before turning to the table. he collects the dishes. "now, i need to put these in the dishwasher. you cooked, so it is unfair if i let you do the washing of the dishes, too."

mingyu laughed. "i'll join you."