𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒃𝒐𝒓𝒐 𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 : 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒆

00:08

But still he humors his friend, confirming which outfit looks the best out of the five pictures the other had just sent to him.

He loves his friend, but Minghao couldn't be more obvious about trying to impress someone. He doesn't even think Minghao realizes he's doing it. Poor unfortunate soul.

Mingyu shoves his phone into his pocket after sending Minghao a text that he was on his way and grabs his keys and wallet from his desk.

He hustles down the stairs, ignoring the railing and even skipping the last two steps completely in his haste.

"Ah, Mingyu! Where are you going?"

Mingyu freezes, the familiar low voice of his father making his stomach burst with an uncomfortable feeling as he turns to face the other.

His father is standing in the hallway to the kitchen, briefcase in hand and suit jacket thrown over his shoulder. He looks tired, the dark circles under his eyes seem much darker compared to the last time Mingyu saw him. He almost feels bad, almost.

Unlike his mother, Mr Kim doesn't come home nearly as much. His job requires him to go on a lot of business trips from Japan to Sweden. Mingyu hadn't seen him in a good few months, he'd almost completely forgotten what he looked like, just like him mom.

He's a tall man, both of his parents are, with greying hair and a sad face. Mingyu wonders if that's how he'll look at that age, even without the work schedule.

"I'm going out..." He supplies, watching the man as he nods.

"With that one boy...what's his name...Ming?"

"Minghao."

"Ah yes! Minghao, good kid. Are you guys still friends?"

"Yeah..." Mingyu bits down on his inner cheek to stifle the annoyed huff he feels building.

His father smiles, lazily and dazed.
"How's school going? I know freshmen year isn't easy!"

Unfortunately there's nothing he can do to stifle the sharp unwanted pinch he feels inside of his chest, he can barely stop the air that suddenly leaves his lungs. He stands there for a moment feeling something akin to anguish fill up his body, eventually he lets out a shaky breath, feeling a bit light headed.
"Dad, I'm a junior..."

The older Kim frowns, titling his head in confusion before his eyes seem to darken a bit and he feels even more tired than before. Mingyu can't find it in him to feel sympathetic.
"Oh...wow...time really does fly..."

Mingyu shrugs, feeling the stinging burn building in his eyes. He spins on his heel.
"Sorry dad, but I'm already late! See you later!"

He quickly rushes out of the house, almost slamming the door shut and making a bee line to the garage door, slamming his thumb down onto the button connected to his keys multiple times in an attempt to make it raise faster.

He feels like vomiting, a heavy feeling falling onto his shoulders and weighing him down as he tries to breathe.

Mingyu isn't sure if it's the fact that his father didn't know what grade his own son was in or if it was the sadness that came after he realized it.

His parents felt like strangers to him, they knew as much about him as he knew about them.

Mingyu swallows down the lump in his throat and ducks under the slowly raising garage door, going straight to his own car and pointedly ignoring his dad's SUV parked next to it.

He didn't use his car often, more likely to use his skateboard or hitch a ride with someone else than drive around.

He jumps in, inhaling the clean leather and very faint perfumie smell of Minghao's own cologne. Because he didn't drive it often, the car never truly worn down. The new car smell still lingered even after almost two years now.