you got me looking for attention

CHAPTER 1: TRADITIONS DON'T DIE

Every year, your family would organize a two-week vacation with the Jeons. They've been friends long before they had children. So, it was a no-brainer for them to live next to each other. When Joshua was born, Mrs. Jeon was already expecting. A few months later, in July, she had Wonwoo. Then, you were born in 1997, and Wonwoo's brother was born the year after.

You all grew up alongside each other—holidays, birthdays, ordinary days that blurred into something constant. So it didn’t come as a surprise to anyone when you and Wonwoo started dating. Your mom was thrilled, Joshua didn’t worry (it was Wonwoo, after all), and his parents had already been treating you like family long before anything changed.

Before dating, you and Wonwoo were the best of friends. By the time you and Wonwoo made it official, it was easy. It felt like stepping into something that had always been there. You stayed that way for years, until he left for college, and somewhere along the distance, things quietly fell apart.

The tradition didn't.

This year's two-week vacation will be held at a beach resort. It's also a special family vacation because this year, your family had invited Mingyu, your boyfriend. It's the first time you're bringing someone.

Well, not that it's entirely new. Wonwoo has been coming along for years due to your history. So while you went on the annual trip as lovers, he never really counted as a guest; he was just there, part of it.

Mingyu isn't.

Still, he was invited without much hesitation. After all, Wonwoo was the one who vouched for him when your mom and Joshua asked.

Spending two weeks at a beach resort was something you, Joshua, and the Jeon children were looking forward to. Especially now that Mingyu's in the picture. Wonwoo liked Mingyu. After all, they were best buds in high school until college.

The weather was perfect. The air was warm, the kind that clung to your skin. The wind was just right and there weren't many people at the beach.

You and Mingyu were sitting on a beach towel with a big umbrella sticking from the sand. Before Mingyu could fully settle into the moment, you leaned up and pressed a quick, sweet kiss to his lips.

"I'll go join Joshua in the water," you smiled as you glanced toward the shoreline where your brother was waiting, waving his arms already calling you over.

Mingyu blinked once, still stunned by the kiss, then nodded with a small smile. "Alright. I'll get us ice cream then."

You got up from the beach towel and looked at him, "Don't trip and fall. Only fall in line and in love with me."

"Dangerous instructions," he said, eyes flicking to the water. "Just don't drown before I get there."

"I won't!" You grinned, before turning and jogging off toward the water.

Mingyu watched you with a big smile on his face before getting up to buy ice cream for the two of you.

The sun was harsher and hotter near the stalls. Mingyu waited in line, shifting on his feet, watching the sand, listening to the distant crash of waves. He had a semi-permanent squint on his face, mentally cursing himself for not bringing his glasses, and sweat dripping from his forehead. When it was finally his turn, he bought the ice creams, paid for them and began the journey back to your spot.

That was when he looked up and saw you.

You were in the water now, laughing as Wonwoo effortlessly lifted you before tossing you back into the shallow waves. You splashed down with a sound that was too bright to ignore. Nearby, Joshua was laughing like he'd seen this exact scene a hundred times before.

Oh, because he had seen this before. He'd seen it since forever. As kids. As teenagers. When you were together—and after you weren’t. He'd seen your whole story.

Mingyu stopped walking. The sight made him sick. The ice cream in his hands started to drip faster. At first, he didn't notice. He was too busy watching the way you resurfaced; hair wet, cheeks flushed, cursing, and laughing as if nothing in the world could weigh you down. Wonwoo stood nearby, relaxed, like this was normal.

To be fair, this had always been normal. He was the only outsider after all.

Mingyu gulped. The cones softened in his grip; his hands were now sticky with melted ice cream.

Then, you looked up. Your eyes found him instantly. "Hey!" you called with a bright smile, lifting a hand above the water, "Come here!"

For a moment, everything stilled. Joshua turned first, then Wonwoo, both following your gaze. Wonwoo was cool with Mingyu. Wonwoo looked the same as always: calm, unreadable, all resting bitch face and quiet eyes.

And Joshua? Joshua was harder to read. Sometimes, Mingyu felt like he was being quietly evaluated by Joshua, as if checking if he could live up to the standards Wonwoo set. Other times, you'd say Mingyu was overthinking because Joshua was, and he quotes, "a literal cinnamon roll". Joshua definitely didn't give Mingyu "cinnamon roll" vibes. If anything, Joshua's the definition of the "looks like a cinnamon roll but can actually kill you" meme.

Mingyu felt the shift immediately; the awareness of being seen. Something inside him tightened, sharp and quiet.

He took a deep breath and smiled. Quick. Easy. Familiar. Like nothing was wrong. Like he wasn't standing there with melting ice cream in his hands, watching a world he wasn't part of.

"Yeah," he called back, lifting the cones slightly as he jogged over to where you were. "Coming, honey!"

Mingyu watched as you got out of the water and met him halfway. You smiled, kissed his cheek, and grabbed one of the ice cream cones.

"Thank you, handsome." You grinned, immediately eating your ice cream.

"Sorry if it melted." Mingyu said, eating his own ice cream. You shrugged it off and said it was fine. When you were both finished, you dragged Mingyu to join Wonwoo and Joshua.

The four of you began to swim around, laugh, splash each other, and just talk about life. Naturally, you drift into an easy conversation with Wonwoo. To you, it was nothing but a conversation with a friend. To Mingyu, it was different.

"Remember when we went to the cafe near the house?" You asked Wonwoo and he laughed.

"Of course!" Wonwoo caught his breath, "It was hilarious. We went there because it was the grand opening and because you were so excited, you bumped into the window thinking it was the door!"

You splashed Wonwoo and laughed.

Mingyu watched. He felt... off. Back in high school, Mingyu never paid much attention to you beyond being Wonwoo's girlfriend. He never really paid any mind to you whenever you'd watch their basketball practices. He never paid you any mind when Wonwoo would cancel game sessions just for you. It wasn't until after the breakup, when Wonwoo left, and you stayed behind, that Mingyu really got to know you.

You were left behind with Mingyu because you were in the same year. Then you grew closer and by the time you were college freshmen, you've been dating him since graduation.

Oh, you were absolutely his whole world.

However, he can't help but feel guilty every time he looks at Wonwoo. He was your first love, after all. Your first love, who still kind of... hovered. Wonwoo didn't beat him up for dating you. Wonwoo didn't unfriend him for dating you. Wonwoo was just... Wonwoo.

Seeing you two fall into a familiar rhythm just did a number on him, and he didn't know if he should go lie down or go home and cry where nobody could see him. Unbeknownst to him, Joshua paid attention to him. Joshua saw how his shoulders slightly dropped as soon as you and Wonwoo entered your own little world. Joshua noticed how distant Mingyu was when the three of you laughed about some old anecdote that Wonwoo shared.

He saw everything.

Joshua drifted closer to Mingyu and slightly nudged him, "You okay?"

Mingyu quickly glanced at Joshua and immediately laughed it off. Joshua knew it was fake, but for Mingyu's sake, he 'bought' it.

"Yes, hyung." Mingyu smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Everything's going... swimmingly. Why wouldn't it be?"

Joshua hummed at that, unconvinced in a way that wasn’t cruel, just observant. His eyes lingered for half a second longer before he finally looked away. “No reason,” he said simply.

And that somehow made it worse.

A moment later, you turned toward them, brushing wet hair out of your face as you walked closer. "You two are being weirdly quiet," you said suspiciously, narrowing your eyes playfully.

Mingyu panicked, but Joshua saved the situation.

"Mingyu's just grumpy because his ice cream melted." Joshua snorted. Mingyu glanced at him and Joshua raised his brows expectantly.

"It was tragic, actually," Mingyu replied, turning to you, slipping into the familiar version of himself before you could look any closer.

Your expression softened immediately. "I'll buy you another one," you promised, loosely grabbing his wrist. "I mean, I know we had ice cream already, but another one wouldn't hurt, right?"

Mingyu stared at your face as you gave him a smile. And just like that, the tightness in his chest loosened enough for him to breathe again.

He's really in love with you.

"C'mon," you kissed his cheek as you tugged him gently toward the shore. "Walk with me, handsome?"

"Always, beautiful."

You waved at Joshua and Wonwoo as you walked with Mingyu to shore.

Wonwoo watched the two of you walk farther down the shoreline, your hand still loosely wrapped around Mingyu's wrist as waves chased your footsteps. For a while, neither he nor Joshua said anything. The only sound between them was the water shifting against the shore and your laughter carrying faintly through the wind.

Then Wonwoo spoke, "They're good together."

Joshua glanced sideways at him, brows lifting slightly. "Yeah?"

For the first time, Joshua wasn't on the same page as him. It wasn't anything Mingyu did or didn’t do, but Joshua was used to Wonwoo. Used to the certainty that came with him. He'd never had to worry before because it had always been Wonwoo. And maybe that was the problem. In Joshua's mind, Wonwoo had quietly set a standard no one else could reach. So, to hear Wonwoo say that Mingyu's a good match for you? That was skeptical.

"Mingyu makes her happy." Wonwoo shrugged, eyes still fixed ahead.

"That's not what I'm skeptical about." Joshua shook his head.

That finally pulled Wonwoo's attention. Joshua sighed quietly dragging a hand through his wet hair before looking back toward you. "She likes him. A lot, actually." He paused. "I just don't know if Mingyu fully understands what he signed up for."

Wonwoo frowned a bit, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Joshua was quiet for a second, carefully gathering his thoughts. "He's dating someone with a history she can't separate herself from," he said eventually. "Most people say they're okay with that until they actually have to live beside it."

Wonwoo's expression shifted—subtle, almost unreadable. "You think he's bothered."

"I think he's trying very hard not to be."

The waves rolled softly around them. Joshua watched the way Mingyu instinctively slowed his pace to match yours farther down the shore, the way you leaned into him without thinking.

"And honestly?" Joshua muttered. "I don't know if anyone could treat her the way you did."

Wonwoo looked away at that, jaw tightening slightly.

"She was loved properly with you," Joshua continued. "That's hard to follow."

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Farther ahead, Mingyu said something that made you laugh loudly enough for the sound to carry back toward them. Instantly, his entire expression softened as he looked at you.

Wonwoo noticed it. Joshua did too. And maybe that was why Joshua sighed, quieter this time.

"But he really does love her."

Wonwoo nodded once. "I know."

Joshua's gaze lingered on the two of you for another second before he finally looked away.

"I just hope he doesn't spend the entire relationship feeling like he's competing with something he was never supposed to beat."

"Hyung," Wonwoo started, "don't be like that. Just give him some time. We're different people. The way I loved her was different and the way he loves her is different. He'll be setting his own standard, he shouldn't follow whatever standard you think I've set."

"I'll try." Joshua nodded. "For her."

While waiting in line at the ice cream stall, your arms were wrapped around Mingyu's waist. He had one arm wrapped around you, and the other stayed on his side.

"What flavor are you getting?" You asked.

"Hmm," Mingyu thought. "Maybe chocolate and a scoop of vanilla with chocolate drizzle."

"Wow." You laughed.

Mingyu hated himself a little for thinking this way. Nothing about this was wrong. You weren't hiding anything from him. You weren't sneaking around or crossing lines or giving him reasons to doubt you. If anything, you had always been honest about Wonwoo—about what he meant to you, about the years you spent together, about how important he still was in your life.

Mingyu understood that. He truly did.

After all, he was a witness of yours and Wonwoo's love story from before and he was a witness of your healing journey on your fourth year of high school because you and him were left behind.

But understanding something and feeling okay about it were two different things.

Because every time he looked at the two of you together, he became painfully aware of how much history existed between you. Not just romantic history. Something older and deeper built into the way you moved around each other without thinking. You and Wonwoo naturally fit beside each other in a way Mingyu still had to learn.

God, that sounded horrible in his head. It made him feel petty. Ungrateful. Insecure in ways he never thought he'd be. After all, he has you. It's him you're dating now, not Wonwoo.

It's him you were kissing. It's his hand you were holding. It's him you're looking for in crowded spaces. It's him you loved openly.

Somehow, he couldn't get that through his head.

After paying for both of your ice creams, you and Mingyu slowly walked back to your spot while talking about random things and the upcoming academic year. Mingyu dreaded it, if he were being honest. This meant he'd see Wonwoo again, and he'd see you drag Wonwoo around while he trailed behind both of you, feeling like a third wheel in his own relationship.

He lightly shook his head and blinked. 'What the fuck is wrong with me?', Mingyu thought.

Wonwoo wasn't a threat. He's not... right?

Mingyu wasn't sure. He knew he was spiraling. Knew he was making himself miserable over something he couldn't even explain properly.

But calling it "nothing" felt unfair, too. Because to him, it isn't nothing.

You lightly nudged Mingyu when you noticed him grow quieter. He glanced at you, and you stopped walking.

He stopped too, and fully turned to you. You stared at him and said, "You've been quiet."

"Have I?" Mingyu asked, playing dumb. After all, it was easier.

"Mhm", you nodded as you continued eating your ice cream. "You okay?"

Mingyu stared at you, and he could've sworn he heard Joshua. It was as if reality was glitching. First, he saw you; then Joshua; then he saw you again; then Joshua. It was alternating quickly. It also didn't help that you and Joshua looked very similar.

"Baby? You okay?"

Mingyu snapped out of it. Now, he saw you with a worried look etched on your pretty face. He gave you a small smile, "I'm fine. Just... distracted."

"Distracted? Wanna talk about it?" You asked sweetly, intertwining your hands together.

"It's nothing serious, babe. It's just... I just realized how much you and Joshua hyung look alike." Mingyu smiled.

You chuckled lightly, "That's it? Well, he's my older brother. Of course, we'd resemble each other."

You reached up and brushed his hair back, "Thank god it's nothing serious. I was worried about you. Let's walk back?"

Mingyu nodded once, "Yup. Let's go, honey."

Mingyu was emotionally distraught. His heart melted when you said you were worried about him, but part of him felt sick.

You weren't the problem. It was him.

CHAPTER 2: THE DREADED FAMILY DINNER

Before you and Mingyu dated, he was very close to Wonwoo. Of course, he was quite the nerdy kid back then. Wonwoo had been one of the few people genuinely nice to him; nice enough to let him join the basketball team. There, Mingyu excelled. He was still nerdy, but he gained a bit of confidence and an improved sense of style thanks to Wonwoo.

Mingyu barely saw you back then because Wonwoo liked to keep his relationship private. Mingyu knew your face before he knew you. He would smile and wave at you politely when you watched practices. Sometimes, he would hear Wonwoo talk sweetly with you on the phone when they hung out at the mall.

He remembered getting a bit jealous of Wonwoo because he had a special someone he could talk to about anything and everything. No matter how hard Mingyu tried back then, connections never seemed to come easily.

How funny fate turned out.

Now, Mingyu was in Wonwoo's seat, and he didn't know if he liked it. He loved you. He really did. But sometimes, being in Wonwoo's place felt a little like standing where everyone still remembered the person before you, all because Jeon Wonwoo sat before him.

Mingyu stared at Wonwoo as he placed some japchae on your mom's plate and the right amount of kimchi on Joshua's plate. He could do that, too, but apparently, it was always Wonwoo's job to do so. Wonwoo wasn't required to do it, no. It just so happened that Wonwoo has been doing it since forever.

Dinner settled into the same rhythm it always did.

Plates shifted around the table. Someone asked for water. Someone complained about the heat outside. Your mom kept insisting everyone eat more despite the fact that the table was already crowded with food.

It was normal, comfortable, familiar. It's the kind of familiar Mingyu had wished for.

Then, Joshua laughed suddenly.

"Oh my god," he said, putting his chopsticks down. "Do you remember that camping trip?"

Immediately, you looked up. "No."

Wonwoo looked up, too. "Yes."

You pointed at Wonwoo dramatically, "Don't encourage him."

Alas, it was too late. Wonwoo was already smiling, Joshua continued to laugh, your parents were amused, you groaned, and Mingyu had no clue what was going on.

Joshua began recounting the time you, Joshua, Wonwoo, and his younger brother went camping. It was a spontaneous trip. Joshua had just received his driver's license and decided it'd be fun to go camping for the weekend.

"That was the weekend I told you I'd be gone, Mingyu-ah." Wonwoo smiled at Mingyu. "That's why I couldn't help you with your project."

Mingyu nodded and said something along the lines of, "Oh, right. I remember."

"Y/Nie cried over a frog!" Joshua cackled and clapped his hands. Everyone laughed, too.

"Noona screamed so loud that Shua hyung almost dropped the grill." Wonwoo's younger brother snickered.

"It jumped on me!" You exclaimed and pouted, resting your head on Mingyu's shoulder in embarrassment. He immediately wrapped his arm around you to make you more comfortable. Wonwoo saw this and smiled before paying attention to the story again.

"It was tiny, Y/N. Give us a break." Joshua rolled his eyes playfully.

"It touched me!"

"Its foot touched you." Wonwoo corrected as he chewed on some bulgogi.

"WONWOO!" You said in frustration, making everyone laugh again. Mingyu gave a small smile, but the fact that Wonwoo remembered little things about you just gnawed at him.

The universe was against him.

One story somehow turned into another. Then another after that. Suddenly, everyone was talking over each other, throwing memories across the table.

Mingyu wanted to yell. "I'M RIGHT HERE!!", Mingyu internally yelled.

"Wonwoo was so crazy because he actually JUMPED into the lake because Y/N lost her Pandora bracelet for some reason." Joshua chuckled.

Wonwoo wasn't stupid. He knew Joshua didn't mean any harm; he always liked telling stories from the past. However, Wonwoo knew things were different now because you now had Mingyu. He could sense that Mingyu was feeling out of place, and he could sense that Mingyu felt something.

They were best friends, after all. At least Wonwoo still thought of him as a best friend.

"Hyung, stop," Wonwoo sighed. "We get it now."

"He literally DOVE IN!" Joshua ignored him.

"She cried for an hour," Wonwoo said. "It broke me because I didn't like seeing her cry, so I swam for it."

Mingyu knew he looked ridiculous with his tight-lipped smile, and he knew he was about to sound ridiculous if he asked questions, but he felt like an ass for not contributing to the conversation, and he would also like to politely let everyone know that he was still present.

"Did you find it?" Mingyu asked in a hushed voice, but everyone was too busy laughing. He cleared his throat and asked a little louder, "Did you find it?"

Everyone stopped laughing. Joshua glanced at Mingyu, and his eyes widened a little. He completely forgot about Mingyu.

Wonwoo smiled politely and nodded, "I did. Good thing it was perched on top of a rock, so I had no problem grabbing it. It just took me a while to find it."

"That's good." Mingyu hoped and prayed that his tone was light. He didn't want your families to think that he was being a dick. Mingyu reached for the spicy chicken, and Wonwoo quickly stopped him.

"Don't get that one," Wonwoo said as he placed a different kind of chicken on Mingyu's plate.

"Hm?" Mingyu blinked. Was he not allowed to eat that specific kind of chicken?

"It's too spicy. You can't have food that's too spicy." Wonwoo pointed out, "You complained about your stomach acid for two days, remember? Coach had to make you sit on the bench for the game."

Mingyu couldn't function after that.

"Aigoo, Wonwoo-ya is so thoughtful and sweet." Your mother cooed.

Just like that, everyone started talking again. Mingyu just stopped working. He didn't know why Wonwoo would remember such a detail.

"Baby?" You nudged him gently. Mingyu turned to look at you, but you were already staring.

You were worried about him. Again.

'Fuck, I hate myself.' Mingyu thought.

"Where'd you go, hm?" You asked in a hushed voice. "You keep zoning out. What's wrong?"

"I'm just very," Mingyu inhaled sharply, "...very embarrassed that Wonwoo hyung would remember a detail like that."

You let out a sigh of relief, "Well, that's Wonwoo for you. He's very caring and very thoughtful."

"Mingyu-ya, please eat some more. I don't want your eomma to think we're not feeding you." Your mother said sweetly to Mingyu.

"Ah—yes. Thank you, eomoni." He picked up his chopsticks almost immediately, eyes dropping to his plate. Across from him, conversation had already started flowing again. Joshua was laughing over something Wonwoo's younger brother said. Your mom was asking Wonwoo something about college. Wonwoo was piling more food into people's bowls despite protests.

Everything was normal. So normal that Mingyu wondered if he was the only person sitting at the table having a terrible time. Beside him, you leaned against his shoulder lightly.

"Eat properly," you whispered.

There it was again, that softness, that warmth, that care. Mingyu glanced sideways, and his eyes softened. You looked completely relaxed beside him.

No hesitation. No distance. No uncertainty. Just you. His girlfriend, looking at him like you always did. Suddenly, guilt crawled up his throat because while you sat beside him as if this were the easiest thing in the world, Mingyu wondered if loving you was enough when there were parts of you he could never touch—years and memories and history that would always belong to someone else.

And for the first time that night, a thought crossed his mind that made his chest tighten.

What if you were never really his to keep?

CHAPTER 3: JOSHUA HONG IS ACCIDENTALLY EVIL

Dinner slowly dissolved, as family dinners always did. No one ever announced the end of it. It just happened naturally. Chairs shifted back. Empty glasses piled together as conversations split into smaller ones.

The adults migrated to the living room for what Mingyu had come to recognize as parent talk: long conversations that somehow lasted over an hour. They even have a glass of wine each.

Wonwoo's younger brother disappeared down the hallway almost immediately, muttering something about showering first before tonight's swim.

Mingyu knew you mentioned it before coming to the beach resort. He didn't expect all of you to like swimming so much. Obviously, he wouldn't get it. He was never there. Of course, there was a late-night swim. That was tradition too.

You had already disappeared upstairs a few minutes ago to change, yelling something over your shoulder about meeting everyone at the pool in twenty minutes. And just like that, everyone naturally fell into place.

Joshua stood up first, then Wonwoo. No words exchanged. No discussion. Just movement. Joshua gathered plates, and Wonwoo collected glasses. Easy. Practiced. Well, they've done this a hundred times before.

Mingyu stared for a second too long before immediately standing, too. Helping felt normal. Helping felt useful. Helping felt like maybe, just maybe, he could stop feeling like a guest.

"Hyung, let me help," Mingyu said with a bit of enthusiasm. He smiled anyway. Lately, pretending had become easier than explaining.

Mingyu grabbed a few of the bigger plates and stacked them together as he trailed behind Joshua and Wonwoo, who were laughing about something. Mingyu jogged a little to catch up, but the plates shook, catching the attention of Joshua. He stopped walking, turned around, looked at the plates, and looked at Mingyu.

"Careful. I bought those plates from Beijing." Joshua stated. "Don't be clumsy."

Wonwoo was looking at him too, but turned around when Joshua turned around. They continued to walk to the kitchen, and Mingyu just stood there. He felt stupid.

Still, he pushed through because he loves you and he wants to stay in your life.

Joshua was washing the plates, and Wonwoo was drying them and putting them on one side. Mingyu carefully placed the expensive plates from Beijing in the sink as Joshua continued to wash them with ease.

Not knowing what else to do, Mingyu moved to Wonwoo's side and grabbed a few plates to put back. Joshua noticed this through his peripheral vision and said, "Ah, leave that. Wonwoo knows where everything goes."

Mingyu froze. His hand tightened slightly around the plate, "Oh."

That was all he said. Just one word. He knew Joshua didn't mean anything by it. A small, rational part of him knew that Joshua was being normal. Joshua didn't mean any harm because it was a fact: Wonwoo knew where things went. Wonwoo had been coming over since he was a kid. Longer than that, most likely. Wonwoo knew everything. It all made sense.

However, a huge part of Mingyu was hurt. Suddenly, Mingyu felt like he was seventeen again: very awkward, poor skin, dehydrated, and socially inept.

Back then, he used to stand near the basketball court with his backpack hanging awkwardly off one shoulder while everyone else laughed like they'd known each other forever. Then Wonwoo had walked over, handed him a spare jersey, and asked: "You wanna join us?"

And just like that, Mingyu had stopped feeling like an outsider. Until now.

Before Mingyu could think too hard about it, Wonwoo moved beside him and gently took the plates from his hands. Then held out a dish towel. "Dry the plates instead," Wonwoo muttered. His voice was quiet, casual. Like it wasn't a big deal, like Mingyu belonged beside him naturally. And somehow, that hurt too.

The kitchen settled into a rhythm after that. Water running, plates clinking. Joshua washing, Mingyu drying, and Wonwoo putting things back where they belonged. No one said much at first. Then, Joshua suddenly laughed. Not loudly, just to himself.

Wonwoo looked over immediately, "What?"

"Nothing." Joshua shook his head, stifling a laugh. Then, a pause. "Okay, remember that one summer..."

"Hyung," Wonwoo groaned.

Joshua grinned.

While he didn't know much about Joshua, Mingyu knew the grin he made. He knew it well. It was the type of grin nerds like him knew all too well, for it was the kind of grin bullies made before they teased someone.

From your stories, Mingyu knew Joshua wasn't a bully. He'd never hurt a fly, but Joshua Hong looked like he was about to bully him.

Joshua looked at Wonwoo and said, "Remember when Y/N insisted on helping us for dinner?"

Wonwoo looked tired. 'Joshua hyung seems to remember a lot of things tonight.' Mingyu thought.

"No," Wonwoo answered, hoping Joshua would drop it.

He didn't.

"You absolutely do." Joshua stared.

"No."

Joshua pursed his lips and dramatically turned to Mingyu, "She dropped an entire bowl of Caesar salad."

Wonwoo sighed like a man accepting defeat.

"The salad went everywhere!" Joshua exclaimed, wide-eyed, before laughing uncontrollably.

Wonwoo looked exhausted. Joshua wheezed beside him. Mingyu smiled politely, still drying plates like he wasn't mentally taking psychic damage.

"Y/N cried because she thought she ruined dinner."

Mingyu glanced up, "She cried?"

"She's always been a crier," Joshua said.

"To be fair, she thought your mom was going to get mad." Wonwoo shrugged. Mingyu noted the subtle defense.

Joshua wiped his tears from laughing, "And then Wonwoo spent twenty minutes convincing her she wasn't in trouble."

Mingyu slowly looks back down at the plate in his hand. Of course. Of course, Wonwoo comforted you.

The conversation shifted again. Joshua was still laughing to himself as he dried his hands. Mingyu quietly focused on wiping down the remaining plates.

"Y/N-ah?" Your mother's voice carried through the house from the living room. "Actually—Wonwoo-ya?"

Without stopping or looking up from his tasks, Wonwoo answered, "Ne?"

"Where's the other bottle of wine?"

Mingyu glanced over automatically. Wonwoo didn't. Actually, he didn't pause or think. Wonwoo simply dried his hands, walked out of the kitchen, and disappeared around the corner. Then he came back holding another bottle.

"It was in the cabinet beside the refrigerator," Wonwoo answered as he placed it gently on the coffee table before returning to his spot.

Joshua didn't react, not even a little bit. In fact, nobody in that moment found it strange that Wonwoo knew where wine was stored in a house that wasn't his.

"Joshua-yah!" Your mother called out.

Joshua looked up, "Hm?"

"Can you get my glasses upstairs, please?"

Before Joshua could answer, Wonwoo casually interrupted, "They're on the side table drawer beside the couch."

Joshua immediately nodded and walked out. No hesitation at all. No "how do you know that?". Nothing. Nada.

Apparently, everyone had accepted that Jeon Wonwoo simply knew things. Mingyu blinked. When Joshua returned, he casually wiped the dining table clean.

A minute later.

"Wonwoo-yah!" His father called out. "Did we bring the card deck?"

Wonwoo pointed toward a drawer without even turning around, "It's in the second drawer beside the TV."

"Found it! Thank you!"

Wonwoo hummed in reply. Mingyu was bewildered. He stared, actually stared. At this point, he was starting to wonder if Wonwoo had blueprints of the house memorized somewhere.

Joshua looked over and snorted, "Ah."

Mingyu slowly turned, and Joshua grinned again. The same 'bully grin' from earlier.

"Scary, right?"

Mingyu blinked. "...Hyung?"

Joshua nodded towards Wonwoo as he wrung the little towel he used to wipe the table with on the sink. "That."

Mingyu looked over, and Wonwoo was putting away cups now. He moved around the kitchen like muscle memory had taken over.

"He's been like that forever," Joshua snorted. Mingyu stayed quiet, then Joshua laughed quietly, "Honestly, I think Wonwoo knows this house better than I do."

Mingyu laughed. Small, automatic. It was probably a joke. Joshua thought for a second and nodded to himself, "Actually... No, I think he genuinely might."

Radio silence.

Wonwoo didn't deny anything. He didn't react either. He just continued putting away cups and plates. Both Joshua and Mingyu stared at him.

"I mean, he practically grew up here." Joshua shrugged.

Oh. Mingyu felt like he was about to collapse. He glanced at Joshua, who was busy wiping the table again, and looked down. He didn't know if he could stay in the kitchen any longer. He didn't want to be trapped with your brother and your hot-and-dependent-all-around-ex-boyfriend.

"I'll, uh, I'll go check on Y/N." Mingyu said before leaving the kitchen.

"Don't forget about our swim night!" Wonwoo called out.

"Of course, he'd remind me. Ugh, what's wrong with me?" Mingyu asked himself as he walked up the stairs to your shared room for this vacation.

In truth, he wasn't up for swimming anymore. However, he didn't want to bring down the mood, and he certainly wanted to make a good impression on everyone. With a heavy sigh, he smiled to himself before knocking and entering your room.

CHAPTER 4: FORGIVE ME, FOR I HAVE SINNED

Mingyu rarely prayed. However, since meeting you, he'd come to realize that your family's the religious type. Not the judgmental kind. Not the kind that quoted Bible verses every five minutes or acted like they were better than everyone else. You'd all go to church every Sunday, and you and Joshua would join Catholic Outreach Programs every two months. He also took note that your family loved to donate often—not because anyone asked, but because helping people seemed as natural to you as breathing. You had mentioned before that you and Joshua were raised to do Christ-like things.

In truth, Mingyu noticed it all. He noticed a lot of things about you. So, he started praying too. At first, he wasn't serious because he didn't want to fake things like that. Besides, he wasn't sure if he believed it all. Sometimes he'd stay over at your dorm and find your Bible sitting on your desk with little sticky notes peeking out from the pages. You'd underline passages and tell him your favorite verses. Sometimes you'd drag him to church and hold his hand during prayer.

So he got curious... then intrigued.

-

It was a perfect, sunny afternoon when Mingyu arrived at your dorm. He had been planning a cute date after finals, and you were finally free that day. He knocked on your door, and you quickly opened it before running back. Mingyu was confused.

He entered your dorm and saw all your clothes scattered everywhere. His jaw was wide open as you looked through your dresses, muttering something about wearing your new white dress on Sunday when you go to church with your mom and Joshua.

"Um... did you need more time, baby?" Mingyu asked, making himself comfortable on your bed.

You looked at him with a sweet smile and said, "This will be quick, but can you help me pick a dress?"

"You can wear a trash bag, and I'd love it, and I'd think you'd be so chic. Wear whatever you want, baby." Mingyu smiled.

"I know, but I want it to be perfect. You've been planning this for a while now. Just help me: the pink dress or the yellow dress?" You held up the dresses in question for Mingyu to see. He began to genuinely, thoroughly think about it.

"Hm, I like both of them, but the pink one looks a bit uncomfortable. It's more of a party dress than a date dress. Wear the yellow one." Mingyu said softly.

You sighed in relief, tossing the pink one somewhere, "You're a lifesaver. I'll go get ready in the bathroom!"

"Take your time." Mingyu smiled as he watched you enter the bathroom. He quickly looked around your dorm and began to clean up. Granted, he still had to figure things out, but he was able to clean up quickly. Checking the time on his watch, he figured he should lie down and scroll through his phone.

Reaching for his phone, Mingyu unlocked it and began to scroll through Instagram.

Like.

Like.

Comment.

Like.

Then his phone died. Mingyu groaned in annoyance. He knew you weren't even halfway done. Rubbing his face with his hands, he charged his phone on your bedside table.

Bored out of his mind, Mingyu sprawled out across your bed, just waiting. He was bored. Then, he noticed your Bible sitting on your desk. Mingyu had stared at it for a second, then he stared longer.

"For someone who claimed she wasn't forcing religion onto people, Y/N sure has a lot of tabs sticking out of that thing," Mingyu quietly said to himself, propping up on his elbows to see it better.

Tiny sticky notes peeked out from pages. Some corners were folded. There were little highlights and underlines everywhere. You'd clearly read it a lot.

Naturally, Mingyu did what any curious boyfriend would do. He sat up, crawled onto your bed, reached for the Bible, and opened it on a random page, a random verse.

Mingyu leaned on your headboard and muttered, "Hm.. let's see here. It says 'Genesis' on top. Is the title of the chapter, 'Genesis'? Why are there tiny numbers on each sentence? This is confusing."

Mingyu's eyes scanned each word, each sentence, until he was fully into it. His eyes moved quickly, and he flipped the page with intrigue. Five minutes later, the bathroom door opened.

"Baby, I'm—" You stopped.

First of all, your clothes were now in your closet. Secondly, the floor was clean. Lastly, Mingyu was no longer lying down. He was sitting upright against your headboard. Rigid. Wide-eyed. Holding your Bible with both hands, staring at you. No greeting. No 'wow, you look pretty as always'. Nothing. Then he spoke.

"Oh, my god," Mingyu said, still in shock.

You blinked, "...Hello?"

Mingyu looked genuinely distressed. Like, actually distressed. "What do you MEAN God flooded everything?!"

"Mingyu, honey... what?"

He pointed aggressively at the page, "It says so right here!" Mingyu scanned the page until he found what he was looking for, "Here, listen: 'I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish.' What the hell? Also, only ONE guy built the ark?! That's not realistic!"

You could only stare at him. Mingyu stared back, "And why are there SO MANY animals?! Did he live on a farm? It didn't say anything, but holy shit— I mean, sorry. Not supposed to say that while holding this Bible, but oh my god??"

Then, you burst into laughter. You had actual tears in your eyes, and Mingyu looked offended immediately.

"Why are you laughing?!" Mingyu screeched.

"Baby... are you reading Noah's Ark?" You laughed as you walked over to your mirror and fixed your earrings.

Mingyu sat there, clutching your Bible like he'd uncovered classified government information, "You're telling me this actually happened?!"

You looked at him through the mirror and slowly turned around, then smiled dangerously. Mingyu narrowed his eyes immediately. He knew that smile. You walked over and gently held his face, "Baby."

Mingyu stared at you.

"A whale swallowed Jonah."

Mingyu was silent. He blinked a few times as his face slowly contorted into confusion, "A WHAT swallowed WHO?"

You folded instantly, bent over laughing. Mingyu looked horrified as he looked at your current form.

"Why are you saying it so casually?!"

You couldn't even answer. You were wheezing. Mingyu looked at the Bible, then back at you, and then back at the Bible.

"You're telling me, there's MORE?" Mingyu was in disbelief. Now, he genuinely wondered what your family does at church every Sunday. Did you read more unhinged stories? Do you all laugh at the stories of these unfortunate characters in the Bible? He didn't know. He's not sure if he wanted to.

You kissed his cheek, "Baby, there are plagues too. Oh! I almost forgot. There's also leprosy."

"Leprosy? What's that?"

You ignored his question. You wanted him to figure it out on his own. It was more fun that way. "Also, Jesus has a close friend named Lazarus."

"Okay? Um, good for Jesus for having a close friend."

"Lazarus died."

"Oh, I'm sorry. That must have—"

"Jesus brought him back to life."

"Jesus did WHAT?"

"Jesus bestied so hard, he brought Lazarus back to life." You chuckled, amused by his reactions. Gosh, you loved your boyfriend so much.

Mingyu slowly closed the Bible, placed it back on your desk, stood up, and grabbed his car keys. "You know what? Let's just go, babe. I need some time away from... that. No offense." Mingyu said.

"None taken." You laughed.

The two of you left your dorm, locking the door behind you. You walked side by side down the hallway, then Mingyu stopped walking. You blinked and turned around. He was staring at you.

"...What kind of church do you people GO TO?"

You gasped dramatically, "Kim Mingyu!"

"No, no, seriously!" He pointed between you and your dorm door. "Every five minutes you're introducing a new problem!"

"Mingyu!"

"First floods, then whales, then DISEASES—"

"MINGYU!"

"And now people are coming back to LIFE?!"

You were practically wheezing now, clinging to his arm while he looked genuinely betrayed. Then he looked at you, really looked at you. He looked at the way your eyes had disappeared from laughing too hard, the way you leaned on him for support, and the tears gathering at the corners of your eyes.

And despite the Biblical crisis, his confusion, the absolute betrayal, Mingyu started laughing too. You looked happy, and Mingyu had always been a little helpless when it came to you.

If it was true that God created everything—if He made people meet and paths cross and things happen for reasons beyond understanding, then Mingyu was really, really thankful He made you.

And somehow, even more thankful that He gave you to him.

-

Back then, loving you felt easy. Of course, relationships weren't easy, at least not completely. You were insanely stubborn. Mingyu was overly dramatic. You fought over stupid things and made up just as quickly.

But loving you? That part had always been easy. Every time Mingyu looked at you, you never questioned it. He never had to wonder where he stood. He never had to wonder if he belonged beside you.

Tonight felt different.

He was supposed to be getting ready for tonight's swimming, but he was too busy staring at the night sky outside the resort, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his hoodie. The pool lights reflected softly against the water nearby. Somewhere outside, he could hear laughter. Familiar voices. Yours. Joshua's. Wonwoo's.

Tradition again. Always tradition.

Mingyu swallowed. Lately, he had started noticing something ugly about himself. Every memory, every story, every room, every conversation, somehow led back to Wonwoo.

Mingyu hated that he noticed. He hated it even more because part of him wondered if God was punishing him for something.

For falling in love with you. For dating you. For loving someone that had belonged to someone else first.

"God, did You really give her to me at all?" Mingyu chuckled to himself bitterly. "Or am I just keeping the seat warm until Wonwoo hyung comes back again?"

CHAPTER 5: JOSHUA HONG TALKS A LOT, NO?

The pool is quieter now. Everyone else is still around, but the energy softened. The late-night tradition was settling into something slower. Mingyu had left you by the pool because he was tired and wanted to shower. You didn't mind.

Now, you were just in the pool. Not really swimming, but you just stood there, rested your arms on the ledge, and looked at the view. Being the nosy older brother that he is, Joshua noticed you first. He swam to you and stayed beside you. Both of you were silent for a while.

"You're thinking too loud," he said casually.

You glanced at him and blinked, "That's not a thing."

"It is when you're my sister." He looked at you. "You can lie to mom, but you can't lie to me."

You looked away, and he sighed, putting a hand on your shoulder, "Did he say something to you? I'm not scared to kick him out of this trip. Just tell me. Did he make you uncomfortable? Did he force you to do something you didn't want to do? He's way taller than me, but I can strangle him."

"It's not that," you sighed.

"Throw me a bone here, Y/N! I'm not a mind reader. I'm just a very concerned older brother because you've never been like this before. Not even when you were with Wonwoo. So, tell me. What's wrong?" Joshua pushed your hair back gently.

"He's been weird all day. He keeps zoning out. Like, he's here, but he's not here. He's physically here, but he's mentally checked out. I keep asking him what's wrong, but I know he's lying. I just didn't want to confront him on the spot because he could be overwhelmed." You confessed.

"Overwhelmed?" Joshua's brows knitted in confusion.

"Well, if I were him, I'd be overwhelmed too. Imagine being invited on a two-week vacation at a beach resort with people you barely know." You pointed out.

"He knows you and Wonwoo."

"Yes, but that's not the point." You sighed, looking at your hands and glanced up at him, "He just... he kept looking like he didn't belong here. He kept looking at us like he was looking at a men's Dior winter coat through the glass."

"An outsider always looking in," Joshua concluded with a nod. "Yeah, I noticed."

"You did?" You frowned. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Sweetheart, I told you before, and I'll say it again: if you're having a conflict within the relationship, never bring in other people who could poison your mind. I don't know much about Mingyu, so it'd be unfair of me to just jump right into conclusions without getting to know him first. It'd also be unfair to you because I meddled with something that doesn't concern me. YOU are my concern, not your relationship." Joshua said softly.

"Your relationship concerns should only be between you and Mingyu. Only come to us if your relationship's problem involves us. Right now, it's just you and him." He added.

"What do you think of him?" You asked.

He looked at you with pursed lips, "In my honest opinion?"

"Yes."

"I think Mingyu is trying too hard to fit in. I appreciate his efforts, but it's just painful to watch. He looks like a kicked puppy. He's been trying hard all day. Then he spirals by himself. Always comparing, always thinking too much. As your brother, it makes me kind of annoyed because you're right there, and he's not even paying much attention to you because of his insecurities." Joshua ranted as you nodded slowly.

Joshua looked at you and sighed, shoulders dropping, "I think he's losing to someone who isn't even competing, sweetheart."

He pulled you in for a tight hug, which you reciprocated. "All of you should talk." He mumbled before pulling away. He held you in arm's reach, looking at your disheartened expression.

"But you should talk to him first.... before he talks to Wonwoo."

Just as Joshua was about to swim away and leave the pool, he paused and turned around to face you, "He likes you a lot, you know. Like... a lot, a lot."

"You think so?"

"Y/N, if he's willing to come out here with your family and your ex's family for two weeks, all because of a tradition that started way back when, he's totally committed to you all the way." Joshua smiled.

"Good night, Y/N. Love you."

"Love you too, Shua. Good night."

When he left the pool area, you sighed to yourself and got out of the pool too. You grabbed your towel and dried yourself before going up to your room and shower. When you arrived, Mingyu was already asleep. You gave him a kiss on his forehead and went straight to your bathroom to shower.

When you closed the door, Mingyu's eyes opened a bit before smiling a small smile and drifting back to sleep.

Morning came too easily. The resort was already awake by the time Mingyu was. Sunlight spilled across the curtains in uneven stripes, warm but forgiving. Somewhere outside, waves broke against the shore like nothing had ever been wrong.

Mingyu sat still for a while before moving. He didn't feel well-rested. He didn't feel worse either. He felt... empty.

Like something had changed, and he hadn't caught up to it yet. When he finally stepped out, Joshua was already there. Waiting—not literally. Joshua never “waited” for people. He just happened to be present at the exact moment they needed him. He glanced at Mingyu once, briefly.

Mingyu bowed, "Good morning."

Joshua waved him off and politely greeted him as well. He gestured for Mingyu to sit on the chair next to him, and Mingyu nervously did so.

"This is a really beautiful place. Thanks for inviting me." Mingyu said softly.

"No problem," Joshua said.

"This house is beautiful, too. I'm sure it must've cost a fortune to rent it out for two weeks." Mingyu mentioned, leaning back on the chair.

Now, Joshua swore he's not one of those people, but he slightly took offense. "We own this house, Mingyu." Joshua corrected.

Mingyu was embarrassed. "I'm so-"

"It's okay," Joshua gave him a polite smile, "You didn't know."

Then there was silence. It wasn't awkward, and it wasn't bad. It was just... silent.

"So, um, how are you?" Mingyu asked awkwardly. He wanted to have a decent relationship with Joshua. He wasn't asking for a close relationship like Joshua's relationship with Wonwoo. Mingyu just wanted to have a normal relationship with Joshua, normal enough to know that you can leave him alone with Joshua.

Joshua looked at him and nodded, "I'm good. How are you?"

"I'm good, too," Mingyu replied.

Using this as an opening, Joshua fully turned his body to face Mingyu. "No, you're not." Joshua countered.

"What—"

"Let's talk." Joshua said, "Properly, this time."

"Um, alright." Mingyu was confused, but he kind of felt that Joshua knew something. Especially when Joshua asked if he was okay at the beach yesterday. Mingyu could only gulp nervously.

Joshua, being the professional and polite guy that he was, thought of proper words to direct his points. Eventually, he settled for something simple. "You've been tense since yesterday. Have we done something to make you feel this way?" Joshua asked, keeping his tone light.

Mingyu's eyes widened. He absolutely DID NOT want your family to think they made him uncomfortable. Mingyu shook his head, "No, of course not."

"It's Wonwoo, isn't it?" Joshua stated.

"N-No..."

"Don't lie to me, Mingyu. You kept looking at Wonwoo before you looked at my sister." Joshua huffed, "One might think it's Wonwoo you're dating."

"It's not what it-"

"Oh, I know it's not what it looks like." Joshua cut him off. "I just want you to be honest about your feelings. I know you're bothered."

"I'm just..." Mingyu stuttered, "It's not a big deal, hyung. I was just... overwhelmed. Yeah, I was overwhelmed."

"Bullshit." Joshua was deadpanned. He stared at Mingyu and sighed as he leaned back against his chair, rubbing his face tiredly.

"Mingyu," he said more softly, "I've known Wonwoo almost my entire life. I know the way people act around him."

Mingyu nodded as Joshua spoke.

"I get it. Wonwoo's a catch. He's a gentleman, he's soft spoken, very kind, very level-headed, and very loyal." Joshua added.

Mingyu stayed silent, poking his tongue through his cheek.

"And I know what insecurity looks like, too," Joshua stated, eyes focused on Mingyu. "Look at me when I'm speaking to you, please."

Mingyu looked at Joshua slowly, feeling slightly scared. Joshua sensed his fear and sighed.

"You think everyone's comparing you to him," Joshua continued. "You think every story about him is secretly a reminder that you're not him."

Mingyu's jaw tightened.

"No one is doing that to you except yourself, Mingyu-yah," Joshua said, matter-of-factly. Mingyu frowned. He didn't know whether he should be offended.

Joshua gave him a small smile, "Mingyu, you're a catch, too. Heck, so am I, but that's not the point."

"Then what is the point?" Mingyu sulked, making Joshua chuckle lightly.

"The point is," Joshua shifted in his seat to make himself more comfortable, "you were too busy looking and analyzing Wonwoo, that you failed to notice my sister. You were too busy thinking about Wonwoo being the 'perfect' boyfriend to my sister that you didn't even allow us to get to know you."

Mingyu's gaze softened, "Y-You wanted to get to know me?"

"Of course!" Joshua chuckled, "You're my sister's boyfriend. Of course, we want to get to know you. Mom and I were skeptical, but Wonwoo vouched for you, you know? He was very persuasive; he said you were good at everything."

"I bet you were disappointed, huh?"

"A bit," Joshua admitted. "Wonwoo told me to give you a chance. As for mom, she's just really nice, and she saw how happy Y/N is, so that's enough for her."

Mingyu laughed once, but there was nothing happy about it.

"I know I'm being insane." He rubbed his face harshly. "I know she's right there, and I know she loves me, but sometimes…" He swallowed hard.

Joshua watched him carefully, "Sometimes what?"

"Never mind," Mingyu shook his head and looked away.

"Spit it out, Gyu. The Bible said that the truth will set you free," Joshua said, "and don't look away when we're speaking. Please look at me, it's very rude not to."

Mingyu looked at him, "Sometimes, I see him in the back of my mind." Mingyu confessed. "Then I ask myself if she sees him too whenever she looks at me."

Joshua stayed silent as he nodded, beginning to understand where Mingyu was coming from.

"And sometimes I wonder if she wishes she were holding him instead of me," Mingyu admitted.

"So now the truth comes out." Joshua chuckled. "Thank you for telling the truth."

Mingyu felt some weight being lifted off his shoulders. Joshua nodded slowly.

"Wonwoo was right," Joshua murmured. Mingyu stiffened, staring at Joshua.

"…What do you mean?" Mingyu asked quietly.

Joshua glanced at him, "When Wonwoo found out you and Y/N were dating, he told me something."

Mingyu's heart dropped. Joshua leaned back slightly against his chair.

"He said you were going to keep comparing yourself to him." Joshua chuckled lightly. "Said you'd probably drive yourself insane eventually."

"Oh... he did?"

"Mhm," Joshua nodded. "Then he called me out for saying things about you because frankly, I had said some... unpleasant things about you at the beach yesterday. I said that you weren't Wonwoo and that you could never reach the standard he set."

Mingyu could feel himself panicking, but Joshua reached out and touched his arm. Joshua smiled, "But Wonwoo was right. You're not Wonwoo, you're Mingyu. You love her differently, but it works. You'll set your own standard, and because Y/N is so happy, I'd like to think that you're doing a pretty good job."

Mingyu unintentionally gave Joshua puppy eyes.

"I think what you're feeling is normal," Joshua admitted. "Honestly, if I were in your position, I'd probably feel weird too."

Mingyu sighed in relief. He genuinely thought he was going insane.

"But the difference is," Joshua continued as he slowly moved his hand away from Mingyu's arm, "I'd talk to him instead of suffering in silence."

There was a pause.

"He was your best friend first, no?"

Mingyu swallowed hard.

"He's probably wondering why you're pulling away from him, too."

Mingyu sighed. Joshua was right. He was too blinded by everything he was feeling that he failed to live in the moment. He was too worried about being the "next Wonwoo," but he had absolutely nothing to be worried about because you loved him anyway.

"You should talk to my sister, too. She opened up to me last night, you know." Joshua casually mentioned. "But I won't meddle about that. Besides, your relationship isn't my concern, Y/N is. Treat her right and we'll be just fine, Mingyu."

"Does she hate me?" Mingyu asked in a small voice.

"She could never hate you, Gyu. Y/N's in love. It's so obvious. She's practically glowing and healthy. I honestly love that for her." Joshua confessed.

"You think so?"

"I know so. Now, go." Joshua shooed him away, "Take her out. Let her tour you around. She's been wanting to do that since we invited you. Talk to her then, talk to Wonwoo."

"I will." Mingyu stood up, "Thanks, hyung."

"Don't mention it." Joshua shrugged. "Oh, and Gyu?"

"Hm?"

"Welcome to the family."

CHAPTER 6: "I WAS LOOKING AT HIM, THINKING I COULD NEVER BE LIKE THAT" ... "BUT IT'S YOU WHO I WANT, AND I WISH YOU COULD SEE THAT"

Joshua sat in comfortable silence, gazing at the early morning view in front of them. The sound of the ocean, soft chatters of people in the area, and a few dogs barking in the distance were the only sounds present. Sending Mingyu off to look for you was the best decision he's ever made today.

Knowing you, you'd be walking by the beach. You always loved walking by the beach so early in the morning. Joshua chuckled to himself as he thought of you walking by the beach with some "aesthetic song" playing in your mind. To add, Joshua guessed that it's most likely 'Mariners Apartment Complex' by Lana Del Rey.

The door opened, and Joshua glanced up to see Wonwoo with two cups of coffee. "Figured you haven't had coffee yet," Wonwoo said, handing one of the cups to Joshua and sitting on the seat where Mingyu sat.

'How ironic,' Joshua thought.

Sensing something weird, Wonwoo looked at him and asked, "What's on your mind?"

Joshua shrugged, taking a sip of his coffee, "Nothing. It's just.. ironic."

"What's so ironic?"

"Well," Joshua started, a small, amused smile forming on his lips, "it's just that Mingyu is currently in your seat."

"Oh, hyung." Wonwoo sighed, "We've been over this-"

"Now, you're on his." Joshua nodded towards the chair Wonwoo currently occupied.

"I don't get it."

Joshua laughed, "It's just so funny. Mingyu sat there earlier. We had a talk. It was nice. Now, you're sitting in his seat."

Wonwoo playfully rolled his eyes, "Ha ha, very funny. Is that how old guys joke?"

"I'm not THAT old!"

Now, it was Wonwoo's turn to laugh.

-

"You lose your way, just take my hand. You're lost at sea, then I'll command your boat to me again," You sang quietly to yourself.

'Mariners Apartment Complex' was always your go-to song if you wanted to have a moment to yourself. It makes you feel like the main character in a book you never seem to finish reading. Well, you kind of are. After all, your story isn't finished yet.

"Don't go too far, right where you are, that's where I am," You continued.

"I'm your man," a familiar voice finished for you. You turned your head and smiled when you saw Mingyu. Immediately, you cling to his arm, earning a chuckle from him.

"You look very beautiful, honey," Mingyu greeted sweetly, kissing the top of your head. "How's your morning so far?"

"It's great now that you're here," You smiled sincerely. "Did you sleep well last night? I know yesterday must've been overwhelming for you. It was your first day, after all. I'm sorry if I didn't check on you enough."

"Don't apologize, baby," Mingyu replied. "I slept well, thank you. Yes, I was overwhelmed, but I think I managed."

You stopped walking and pulled back slightly to get a good look at him. Mingyu looked at you, too. As he really looked at you, he began to feel a little ache in his chest. He missed you.

"You know," you started, "I really missed you yesterday. You were... kind of zoning in and out."

Mingyu sighed, "I know. I'm sorry, honey."

"Penny for your thought?" You looked at him with a small smile. Mingyu thought you were so cute.

"We should sit down for this," Mingyu said.

Sitting on the sand with you between Mingyu's legs with his arms wrapped around you, you began to relax and lean back on his chest. Mingyu felt relaxed, too, but he grew nervous about what he was about to tell you.

Unfortunately for him, you noticed immediately.

"You keep doing that," you murmured softly.

"Hm?"

"Thinking too hard." You leaned your head back slightly against his shoulder. "Your eyebrows scrunch together every time, and you're always so quiet."

Mingyu laughed quietly through his nose, "Sorry."

"You don't have to apologize for thinking."

"No," he sighed, tightening his arms around you a little. "But maybe I should apologize for the things I've been thinking about."

That caught your attention. What he said confirmed your thoughts. He was bothered and distracted about something. You slowly turned your head to look at him properly. Mingyu avoided your eyes at first, staring out at the ocean instead.

"Mingyu."

He gulped.

"I think..." He paused, trying to organize his thoughts. "I think I got so stuck in my own head that I forgot how to just be with you."

Your expression softened instantly. "You never have to try so hard around me," you whispered.

"I know that now." Mingyu laughed weakly. "Joshua hyung yelled at me this morning."

That made you snort.

"He did not yell at you. He could never yell, no matter how mad he is."

"Well, he spiritually yelled at me."

You laughed softly, and Mingyu felt his chest ache again because there it was—that sound he missed. That warmth. You.

"I've been weird," he admitted quietly. "And unfair."

"You've been overwhelmed," you corrected gently.

Mingyu shook his head. "No. Overwhelmed is part of it, but..." He exhaled slowly. "I think this started way before this trip."

You frowned slightly. "What do you mean?"

Mingyu stared quietly at the waves. Then, he laughed once to himself. "I don't think I ever told you this before."

There was a pause.

"I remember when you and Wonwoo hyung broke up."

You froze slightly in his arms. Mingyu noticed immediately. Rubbing your arms up and down, he quickly said, "I'm not bringing it up to hurt you. I just... I think that's the first time I realized how much space you took up in people's lives."

You stayed quiet, listening carefully.

Mingyu lowered his gaze to the sand.

"It was a few days before his graduation," he murmured softly. "And suddenly, you just weren't there anymore."

Suddenly, Mingyu was seventeen again.

It was a few days before Wonwoo's high school graduation when Mingyu noticed it. No, he didn't notice the breakup itself. He didn't bother learning about Wonwoo's relationship status. However, he did take note of your absence.

At first, he didn't think much about it. He was seventeen and oblivious, after all. He was more concerned about basketball practice, schoolwork, and whether or not he could convince Wonwoo to go eat after school. Eventually, Mingyu noticed something felt off. He realized you weren't around anymore.

Normally, you'd wait outside Wonwoo's classroom after school. Sometimes, you'd sit with them during lunch. Other times, you'd quietly do homework beside Wonwoo while Mingyu complained dramatically about his life.

You were just... there... every day. You were always clinging to Wonwoo like there's no tomorrow. Then suddenly, you weren't.

Mingyu remembered standing beside Wonwoo near the school gates while students flooded past them. "Y/N's not coming?" Mingyu asked casually.

Wonwoo didn't answer immediately. He just adjusted the strap of his bag and kept walking.

Mingyu blinked and quickly followed after him. "Did you guys fight?"

Still no response from Wonwoo. Now Mingyu was confused. Usually, Wonwoo answered him immediately, even when annoyed.

"Hyung?"

Wonwoo stopped walking and finally looked at him. Mingyu froze. Wonwoo looked exhausted. Not physically, but emotionally. Like someone had reached into his chest and pulled something important out of him.

"We broke up," Wonwoo said quietly.

Mingyu's eyes widened slightly. "Oh."

It wasn't that Mingyu couldn't believe it. The two of you had been together for so long that Mingyu genuinely never imagined you apart. Plus, he knew yours and Wonwoo's history. In his mind, you and Wonwoo were... endgame.

Wonwoo looked away again. Then, very softly, he said, "It's better this way. I'll be off to college soon. I'll be too busy adjusting, and she'll be too busy with senior year; you'll be too busy with senior year, too. It's just... It's just not meant for us, I suppose."

"But-"

"Mingyu-ya, please," Wonwoo said, tears threatening to fall from his eyes. "It's better this way." He repeated before walking off again.

Mingyu trailed behind him. Even at seventeen, Mingyu knew that was probably a lie.

When senior year came, Wonwoo was settled in college. Mingyu grew closer to you without even meaning to. He was there for you throughout your healing process. His friendship with Wonwoo took a pause because of Wonwoo's busy schedule at college.

Then, Mingyu realized he couldn't function without you. He would always look for you, and he'd always feel a sense of relief when he found you. He realized that he had been feeling that way ever since he met you. He didn't understand it at all. He's never felt it before.

Until one day, you hugged him goodbye when he walked you home. His heart flipped, and he had butterflies in his stomach. It finally sank in that he has liked you ever since he met you.

But, oh, how terrible he felt.

His best friend loved you. So much. You loved his best friend, too.

He felt like a traitor, but how can he resist you when you make his day brighter? So, it came as a surprise to him when you returned his feelings and eventually became his girlfriend.

Mingyu blinked slowly as the memory faded. "It's stupid," he murmured.

"No," you said softly.

He sighed. "Back then, I thought I was sad because Wonwoo hyung was sad."

His arms tightened around you slightly. "But now I think..." Mingyu swallowed hard. "Part of me noticed you were gone, too."

You stayed quiet for a long moment. Not because you didn't know what to say, but because your heart hurt for him. Mingyu had been carrying this for years. Quietly. Secretly. Alone.

Slowly, you turned around in his arms until you were facing him properly. His eyes avoided yours immediately. That alone nearly broke you.

"Mingyu," you whispered softly, holding his face gently. "Look at me."

He tried. God, he tried, but the moment his eyes met yours, they started watering instead.

"I know it's stupid," he laughed weakly, embarrassed. "I know it sounds insane."

"It doesn't."

"It does," Mingyu insisted quietly. "Because he's my best friend."

His voice cracked slightly on the last two words. "And I love you so much that sometimes it scares me."

Your expression crumbled instantly. Mingyu finally looked at you fully this time, eyes glassy and exhausted.

"I kept looking at him since yesterday," he admitted. "And every time I did, I kept thinking..." He swallowed hard. "I could never be like that."

Your brows pulled together painfully.

"I could never know your family the way he does. I could never fit into this place the way he does." Mingyu laughed bitterly. "Even Joshua hyung knows him better than me."

"Mingyu—"

"And then I started thinking stupid things." His voice grew quieter. "Like maybe when you look at me, part of you still looks for him too."

You looked genuinely heartbroken now, and Mingyu felt awful, but he owed it to your relationship to be honest.

"Sometimes I see him in the back of my mind," Mingyu confessed shakily. "Then I ask myself if you see him whenever you look me in the eyes."

A tear slipped down his face before he could stop it.

"And sometimes…" He inhaled sharply. "Sometimes I wonder if you wish you were holding him instead of me."

Your eyes filled with tears almost instantly. For a second, you genuinely couldn't speak. All this time, Mingyu had been loving you while secretly believing he was standing in someone else's place. That thought shattered something inside you.

"Oh, baby," you whispered brokenly. You cupped his face carefully, like he was something fragile. "Is that really what you've been thinking this whole time?"

Mingyu laughed shakily, embarrassed now that the words were finally out in the open. "It sounds pathetic when I say it out loud, huh?"

"No." Your voice cracked immediately. "No, it sounds heartbreaking. I'm sorry for making you think you couldn't tell me, but I understand you completely."

Another tear slipped down Mingyu's face, and you wiped it away quickly with your thumb.

"I need you to listen to me, okay?" you whispered.

Mingyu nodded weakly.

"I loved Wonwoo once."

Mingyu's face fell slightly despite himself.

"But I'm very much in love with you."

The difference hit him immediately.

"Really?" Mingyu cried. He couldn't help it.

You nodded, tears streaming down your face as well, "Yes, really. I'm in love with you, Kim Mingyu. I'm sorry for making you feel this way."

"No, I'm sorry for being stuck in my head instead of telling you how I feel."

You and Mingyu sat there, holding each other tight, as if one of you would disappear. Mingyu cried, and you did too. When both of you calmed down, Mingyu wiped your tears away before he wiped away his.

"I was looking at him, thinking I could never be like that," Mingyu said softly.

"But it's you who I want, and I wish you could see that."

"I see that now," Mingyu smiled and kissed your forehead. "I'm sorry for only seeing it now."

"It's okay." You smiled and kissed his lips. He gingerly kissed back and gently cupped your face. The kiss you shared wasn't lustful at all. It was sweet and light. After a few minutes, you pulled away and smiled.

Mingyu stared at you with a small smile etched on his face. He felt immensely better, but he knew he had to talk to Wonwoo.

"What's on your mind?" You asked, running a hand through Mingyu's hair.

"I just realized that I have to talk with Wonwoo hyung." Mingyu sighed. "Do you think he hates me?"

"Honey, trust me when I say this: Wonwoo could never hate you." You stated. You knew Wonwoo like the back of your hand. He could never hate the people close to him. Mingyu was—no, Mingyu is one of them.

"You think so?"

"I know so." You confirmed. "How about you relax first, hm? Let's walk around first. Then, talk to him tonight, after dinner."

"That sounds great, actually. My head hurts from crying."

CHAPTER 7: BEST FRIENDS DON'T HURT EACH OTHER, BUT BEST FRIENDS DON'T BETRAY EACH OTHER EITHER

By the time the two of you got back to the house, the sky had already begun turning orange. Your slippers scraped lightly against the wooden floors as you entered the beach house hand-in-hand with Mingyu. The moment Joshua spotted both of you, his eyes narrowed immediately.

"Oh," he said slowly. "You guys talked."

You immediately pointed at him accusingly. "Don't start."

Joshua raised both hands defensively. "I didn't even say anything!"

"You were about to."

"I absolutely was."

"Ugh, I know you so well, Joshua Hong."

"Well, I'm your very handsome older brother, Y/N Hong."

Mingyu laughed quietly beside you, and Joshua paused for a second. The sound caught him off guard. Not because Mingyu never laughed, but because this one sounded easy. Natural.

"You laughed," Joshua mentioned, eyes focused on Mingyu. He half expected Mingyu to cower in his gaze, but surprisingly, Mingyu laughed even more.

"Your dynamic is very funny. I'm really grateful to witness it. Thank you again for extending me an invitation." Mingyu smiled and bowed.

Joshua exchanged a brief glance with you before smirking slightly to himself. He was proud.

"Anyway," he stretched lazily from the couch, "go shower and change into something comfortable. Mom's making dinner, and apparently, we're all required to participate in Family Bonding Time tonight."

"Ahh, yes. The dreaded "night 2" of our trip. Why must they always do this?" You groaned.

"It's part of tradition, Y/Nie." Joshua sighed, not excited either. "You do know that we'll be the ones carrying this tradition, right? All our kids will be here, and we'll be the ones drinking wine after dinner."

"That sounds threatening," Mingyu muttered.

"It is." Joshua nodded.

From the kitchen, your mother yelled, "Joshua!"

Joshua grimaced immediately, "See?"

You burst into laughter while Mingyu smiled properly for what felt like the first time since arriving.

And somehow, the entire house felt lighter because of it.

Dinner felt lighter tonight, and Mingyu noticed it immediately. This time, when Joshua teased him, he teased back. When your mother asked him to help bring drinks outside, he didn't panic internally before standing up. Even Wonwoo's father had gotten him involved in some ridiculous conversation about beach resorts and grilled meat.

And for the first time since arriving, Mingyu laughed without forcing it. More importantly, he stopped looking for Wonwoo every five seconds. Instead, he looked at you. And every time he did, you smiled back immediately.

On the other hand, Wonwoo noticed Mingyu's sudden change. It was refreshing to see the Mingyu he once knew. Whenever Wonwoo would look at him, he'd often see the shy, nerdy Mingyu who stood by the door of the gym to watch basketball practices. In some way, Wonwoo could still see that version despite having a few changes.

The old Mingyu didn't bother with skincare, but the new Mingyu seemed to be very excited about sharing his routine with Joshua and his younger brother.

The old Mingyu didn't care about his body proportions. If it were up to old Mingyu, he'd stay the same, but the new Mingyu just invited Joshua to the gym he frequents and even showed off a little bit of his arms, which made the moms (and you) swoon.

Despite all that, Wonwoo could still see how Mingyu would be shy when offered more bulgogi. He could see that while he was being talkative, he still wasn't confident enough about what he was going to say. Somehow, that made Wonwoo feel at home.

Wonwoo was really proud of Mingyu. He just wished Mingyu would see that.

By the time dinner ended, Mingyu felt strangely calm. The kitchen slowly filled with the familiar sounds of cleanup. Plates clinked softly. Your mother and Wonwoo's parents disappeared into the living room. Joshua kept stealing pieces of fruit while helping to dry the dishes, despite being scolded repeatedly.

Wonwoo stood beside the sink quietly rinsing glasses. Mingyu watched him for a moment.

"It's now or never," Mingyu thought to himself. Taking a deep breath, he asked, "Hyung?"

Wonwoo glanced over immediately. "Hm?"

Mingyu shoved his hands into his pockets awkwardly. "Do you.. wanna drink outside for a bit... later?"

There was only a brief pause. Wonwoo looked at him carefully. Not suspicious. Not upset. Just attentive. Then he nodded once, "Sure."

Wonwoo wasn't dumb. He knew what was about to happen. It wasn't just a drink. It was more than that.

Night 2 of this two-week vacation was a hit. The whole family played charades that somehow turned into a round of "What Are You Most Grateful For?" and "What Bad Habits Do You Want To Get Rid Of?" Mingyu was most surprised because everyone listened with no judgment. If he did that with his family, he'd probably get a scolding afterward.

As the house grew quieter, the parents had gone upstairs first. Wonwoo's younger brother went up next. Soon, Joshua followed after claiming he was "emotionally exhausted from being everyone's therapist". You laughed at that from the living room while Mingyu nearly choked on his drink.

Eventually, even you grew sleepy.

"You coming?" you asked softly, standing near the staircase.

Mingyu looked up from the couch. For a split second, guilt flashed across his face before he smiled gently.

"In a bit, baby."

You nodded sleepily, completely unaware. Walking over, you pressed a sweet kiss against his lips before heading upstairs. Wonwoo watched the interaction quietly from the dining area. He smiled to himself, knowing that you were in good hands.

The moment your bedroom door closed upstairs, silence settled over the house again. Mingyu inhaled slowly, then stood up. Wonwoo followed him outside without needing to be asked twice.

The night air felt colder now. Waves crashed softly against the shore nearby while the wooden deck creaked beneath their weight. Mingyu sat down first, beer bottle hanging loosely from his hand. Wonwoo sat beside him. Not too close, not too far. For a while, neither of them spoke.

Mingyu stared ahead at the dark ocean while Wonwoo quietly took a sip from his drink. It almost reminded Mingyu of high school again.

Late nights after basketball practice. Convenience store ramen. Walking home together in silence that never felt awkward. Going to the mall on weekends when Wonwoo is free. Playing games together until god knows when.

Back then, Mingyu thought nothing could ever come between them; that nothing could ever become strange between them. Now, he didn't even know where to begin.

As observant as ever, Wonwoo saw the conflict in Mingyu's eyes. He also noted that Mingyu was swirling his drink a lot, a nervous habit. Wonwoo noticed that Mingyu bit his bottom lip longer than usual. He's worried that it might bleed. If Mingyu wasn't going to say the elephant in the room, Wonwoo would give him a nudge.

"You can still tell me anything, Mingyu-yah," Wonwoo said in a soft voice. Mingyu looked at him in surprise.

"What?"

Wonwoo fully turned to look at him and said, "I can tell that you want to say something or ask something. Just go ahead. I'm not a stranger, Mingyu. I was once your best friend."

Mingyu didn't know where to begin. He was so caught up in everything in his head that he blurted out something else instead.

"Do you remember when we used to walk home together after practice?"

Wonwoo smiled faintly, "You complained the entire time."

"Because you never bought me food."

Wonwoo laughed quietly. "Well, I was saving up for dates. I didn't exactly have a job back then. I was depending on allowance."

Mingyu's smile slowly disappeared. "I miss that."

"Me, too." Wonwoo smiled fondly. "We really were attached at the hip before. Contrary to belief, I didn't have a lot of friends. I kept a small circle, and part of that circle is you. You're my best friend."

Mingyu laughed quietly, but there was nothing happy about it.

"That's kind of the problem, hyung."

Wonwoo stayed silent, tilting his head a little as he kept his gaze on Mingyu. Mingyu stared down at his drink. "I think I forgot how to be your friend somewhere along the way."

As soon as Mingyu said those words, tears began to brim in his eyes. He really didn't want to cry in front of his hyung, but he couldn't help it. He felt terrible.

"Why would you think that?" Wonwoo asked. He wasn't born last night. Of course, he had an inkling of what Mingyu was trying to say, but he wanted Mingyu to man up and say it directly. He wanted him to elaborate so they could talk like grown-ups. Most of all, he wanted to ease his best friend's pain. Wonwoo knew that Mingyu wouldn't enjoy his relationship with you if he were stuck with whatever's going on in his head.

"I felt like I stole something that was never mine to touch," Mingyu said through his tears. He looked at Wonwoo, who just nodded for him to continue.

"When she started coming around, I was nervous at first. I'd usually just hear about her, but seeing her in the flesh, I was weirdly happy. I guess I was very happy for you because you found someone you connected with at such a young age. Your eyes would light up every time she'd walk in the room. You looked at her like she hung the stars. She was your whole world."

Wonwoo smiled at that and nodded for him to continue again. It was true. Wonwoo really did look at you that way. You were his first love, the love of his life. Now, he looked at you fondly. Kind of how people look at their first love.

"I didn't know when it stopped being admiration and started becoming something worse. I genuinely kept hoping it would go away. Do you know how awful I felt the first time I realized I liked her?"

"Awful?" Wonwoo asked with furrowed brows. "How come?"

"You were heartbroken, hyung. And I was sitting there realizing I couldn't stop thinking about her or how she's doing or how heartbroken she must feel. Then, when it was just me and Y/N for senior year, we got closer. Then I just.. I started falling for her, hyung." Mingyu sighed, setting down his drink and running a hand through his hair. Wonwoo noted that Mingyu was frustrated and feeling many different things at once.

"I felt like I stole something that was never mine to touch." Mingyu sighed, not even bothering to wipe his tears away. "Every time I looked at her, I felt happy at first... then guilty right after because I'd see you in the back of my mind. Then I think of you hating me for loving someone you once loved; someone who was the love of your life."

"You really thought I'd hate you for that?" Wonwoo almost scoffed. "Mingyu, I was sad because we broke up. Not because she belonged to me. Y/N's a person. You love her. That's not betrayal. The betrayal was that you thought I'd hate you for having feelings you couldn't control."

"You started looking at me like I was someone to be afraid of. I kept wondering why you stopped calling me. I missed my best friend before I ever missed being someone's boyfriend. Do you know how lonely that sounds?" Wonwoo sighed. All his pent-up feelings were finally being released. However, he needed to let it out one by one.

Mingyu cried even more.

"What sucks is that you trusted me, hyung. I thought being happy with her automatically made me a terrible person. Yesterday, every time you were nice to me, I felt worse. I was invited here, but I felt like it was required, not because I'm actually wanted."

Wonwoo shifted in his seat to turn fully and look at him. "Mingyu, I vouched for you because I knew you'd love her properly. Joshua's hard to convince, but when I told him about you, he allowed it because he knew it would make her happy. Joshua is very much in tune with his sister, and I am too. You think I can't tell when she's happy?"

Mingyu could only look at him through his tears.

"Before she was my girlfriend, she was my best friend. She still is. She's very happy with you, Mingyu. As her best friend, I'm very happy to see her happy. That's what matters. What hurt me the most was that you stopped being my best friend long before you started dating her."

"I felt like I needed to compete with you," Mingyu cried, cheeks red and lips pouting.

"You were never competing with me, Mingyu." Wonwoo shook his head. "I told this to Joshua hyung, and now I'm telling you the same thing: I never wanted another version of me for her. The way we love her is different. She chose you. I think you punished yourself more than I ever could, and I'm so sorry that you had to go through that pain alone. Best friends are supposed to hurt with each other, not away from each other."

Silence.

Mingyu covered his face with his hands and just started bawling his eyes out. Wonwoo could feel a pang in his chest as he watched his best friend break down in front of him. 'He must've held that in for a long time', Wonwoo thought.

When Mingyu calmed down a little bit, Wonwoo took a deep breath and said, "If I'm being honest, when Y/N told Joshua about you, and he relayed it to me, I was kind of... mad. I'm only human, after all. I get sad and mad, too. For a few weeks, I was in a bad mood, and I felt betrayed—"

"See?! I betrayed you—"

"But I didn't let it linger, Mingyu." Wonwoo cut him off. If he didn't, he knew Mingyu would spiral once more. "I chose to let it go because I realized that she's a person who deserves to be loved, just. Like. You. Granted, it took some time for me to move on, but if both of you love each other so well, who am I to stop it?"

Mingyu groaned in frustration, "But I liked her while you were dating, hyung. Albeit unknowingly, but still. I was looking for her all the time, and I— I stared at her, too."

Wonwoo snickered, "You didn't think I'd notice? Of course, I knew. I trusted both of you. I know you well enough to know that you wouldn't do anything to hurt me. I know you're not the type of person to steal or betray. I can't really blame you, either. She's a catch, isn't she?"

Wonwoo looked at him expectantly, and Mingyu gave a small nod in agreement before Wonwoo continued speaking.

"Back then, I didn't mind you having a secret crush on her because I knew she went home with me at the end of the day. At that time, she chose me, but that was so long ago, Mingyu. She chose you now. And I'm so happy that I get to see her happy."

Wonwoo laughed quietly through his nose. "You know what the worst part was?"

Mingyu looked up slowly.

"I kept seeing things that reminded me of you."

Oh, Mingyu wanted to cry again.

"Convenience store ramen." Wonwoo smiled faintly. "Basketball shoes that you were obsessed with and have been saving up for. That stupid grape drink you liked."

Wonwoo looked down and added, "And every time something happened, I still wanted to call you first."

"I thought if I chose her, I'd lose you," Mingyu said quietly. Then, he laughed weakly through his tears, "Then I realized I was losing you, anyway."

Mingyu stared at him quietly. Then, his face crumpled all over again. "I'm sorry," he choked out.

Wonwoo blinked. "Mingyu—"

"No, hyung, I'm serious." Mingyu wiped at his face harshly. "I'm so sorry." His voice cracked. "I left you alone, too."

Then, Wonwoo had tears streaming down his face. That made Mingyu cry all over again. Both of them felt silly, just crying so hard in the middle of the night. But somehow, it felt good to release all of it.

Wonwoo wiped his tears and stared at him for a long time before sighing. Then he reached over and pulled Mingyu into a tight hug. "C'mere, you."

Mingyu froze instantly. "Hyung—"

"Stop thinking so hard," Wonwoo muttered quietly as he gave a few comforting pats on Mingyu's back. It was enough to make Mingyu cry all over again.

After a while, Wonwoo pulled away and wiped Mingyu's tears.

"You still look ugly when you cry," Wonwoo said with a deadpanned expression.

Mingyu gasped through his tears. "You're literally evil."

"And dramatic," Wonwoo added. "You're evil and dramatic, too."

"I learned from you, hyung." Mingyu chuckled.

"I learned from Joshua hyung." Wonwoo laughed, which made Mingyu laugh, too.

"So," Mingyu started, "are we okay?"

"We're more than okay, Mingyu-yah," Wonwoo confirmed. "We'll be just fine."

EPILOGUE - MONTHS LATER

Sunday mornings had started feeling familiar again. This week, you and Mingyu went home to your childhood home. Wonwoo came along, too. After all, he only lived next door.

The sound of pans clinking downstairs. Your mother is humming worship songs in the kitchen. Joshua is complaining dramatically about waking up early despite being awake for the past hour already.

Mingyu woke up slowly to the warmth of sunlight spilling across your bedroom floor. For a moment, he simply lay there, staring at the ceiling while listening to the muffled sound downstairs.

A few months ago, Mingyu would've panicked waking up in this house. He would've overthought every interaction waiting for him downstairs. Wondered if he was intruding. Wondered if everyone secretly preferred someone else sitting beside you at breakfast.

Now?

"Kim Mingyu! Y/N Hong!" Joshua yelled from downstairs. "If you don't wake up right now, I'm stealing all the fried rice!"

Mingyu snorted to himself. Yeah, things were different now.

Beside him, you groaned softly into your pillow. "Tell Joshua I hate him."

"He says good morning to you, too, baby."

You cracked one eye open and frowned sleepily. "What time is it?"

"Church time."

That got an even louder groan out of you.

Mingyu laughed quietly before sitting up properly. Your bedroom door was slightly open, and he could already smell breakfast drifting upstairs. He rubbed his face tiredly before glancing around your room.

Then his eyes landed on something familiar sitting on your desk. Your Bible. Mingyu stared at it for a moment. Then, without even thinking too hard about it, he stood up and walked over. By the time you dragged yourself out of bed, Mingyu was already sitting on the small couch near your window. Your Bible rested in his hands while he squinted suspiciously at one of the pages.

You blinked sleepily at the sight. "…What are you doing?"

Mingyu didn't even look up. "Apparently, a man got swallowed by a whale."

You burst into laughter instantly. Mingyu finally looked at you with the same expression he had months ago—genuine disbelief mixed with betrayal.

"I'm serious! Why are these stories so intense?" He flipped the page dramatically. "And why does nobody react normally?!"

You fell back onto the bed laughing while Mingyu fought back a smile.

"You know," he murmured quietly, looking back down at the page, "I think I get why you like this stuff now."

Your laughter softened immediately. Mingyu traced absentmindedly over one of your highlighted verses with his thumb.

"It's comforting." He shrugged softly. "Messy people trying their best. Loving each other badly sometimes. Still being forgiven anyway."

You stared at him for a moment. Then your expression melted completely. "Oh," you whispered.

Mingyu looked up immediately. "What?"

"Nothing," you smiled emotionally. "I just love you."

Mingyu's face softened so quickly it almost hurt to look at. Before he could answer, Joshua suddenly appeared at the doorway holding car keys.

"Love each other later," he deadpanned. "We're gonna be late for church."

You threw a pillow at him immediately. Joshua dodged it easily before tossing the car keys toward Mingyu instead. Mingyu caught them automatically.

"You're driving today," Joshua said casually.

Mingyu blinked. "Me?"

"Yes, you. Mom likes your driving better." Joshua shrugged before turning around dramatically. "Also, hurry up, brother-in-law. Mom hates being late for church."

Silence. You froze. Joshua kept walking downstairs like he hadn't just changed the trajectory of someone's entire emotional state. Meanwhile, Mingyu sat there completely still.

Brother-in-law.

Not guest. Not Y/N's boyfriend. Not Wonwoo's friend.

Family.

You looked at him carefully. "Gyu?"

Mingyu laughed quietly to himself. Then he looked around your room. At your Bible in his lap. At the sunlight spilling through the windows. At you standing in front of him, looking half-awake and beautiful.

Home.

For the first time in a long time, Mingyu stopped wondering whether he belonged there. Because somewhere along the way, without even noticing, he already did.

-

Mass had already ended ten minutes ago. Unfortunately, your mother had no intentions of leaving anytime soon. You sat slumped dramatically against the church pew while Joshua stared blankly into space beside you like a soldier returning from war. Near the altar, your mother continued happily chatting with three different church friends while occasionally pointing toward the two of you.

"I think she's introducing our entire bloodline at this point," Joshua muttered.

You sighed. "She's been saying goodbye since mass ended."

"Classic mom behavior." Joshua shook his head and crossed his arms. "Gosh, imagine how long it'll take her to say goodbye to her church friends when we give her grandkids."

"Oh, lord, I don't want to think about that, yet." You huffed. "The kids would fall asleep first before she finishes saying goodbye."

Mingyu sat quietly beside you, amused. A few months ago, he would've felt awkward sitting here. Out of place. Like, he didn't belong in the middle of your family traditions. Now? Now he was just sleepy.

Just then, his phone buzzed in his pocket. Mingyu blinked before checking the screen.

Wonwoo Hyung Don't let Joshua hyung pick the worship songs on the drive home. He thinks Hillsong is club music.

Mingyu snorted loudly. Joshua narrowed his eyes immediately, "What?"

Just as Mingyu opened his mouth to respond, another text came in that garnered his attention.

Wonwoo Hyung Also, your church is terrifying. Why does everyone know your name already?? You must be popular among the ahjummas.

This time, Mingyu laughed, shoulders shaking and all. You leaned against him curiously, "Who's texting you?"

"Mhm," Mingyu hummed, trying not to smile too hard. Then, another message appeared.

Wonwoo Hyung Wanna buy a shit ton of ramen and play games later?

Mingyu stared at the message for a second. Then slowly, he smiled. Beside him, Joshua groaned dramatically.

"Oh my god," he whispered in horror.

You blinked and looked at Joshua, "What?"

Joshua pointed toward your mother across the church. "She's starting another conversation."

You groaned and started ranting with Joshua again while Mingyu typed back.

Mingyu: only if you're buying the ramen :p Wonwoo Hyung: Me again?! You never changed istg. Fine.

Mingyu looked down at the screen and laughed quietly to himself. Yeah, some things never change, and maybe that was a good thing.

a/n: my bread and butter is finally out! please please please send me some feedback! I'd really appreciate a like, reblog, or a comment! :>

He doesn't say anything else after, driving off. You look out of the window, making sure to watch carefully where he is headed. You can't tell him no no matter how hard you try, though. So after a few minutes, you finally ask. "Where are you taking me?"

"I have a contract that expires today."

You frown, averting your eyes from the outside and staring at him. "What now?"

"A contract. Surely you know what that is."

"I'm not stupid," you roll your eyes, annoyed. There it is. You like this reaction much more than the one you had before when he used his sweet words to lure you in. "What on Earth do you need me for?"

"My powers are gone," he mumbles as if that were to make any sense to you. You watch his hands grip the steering wheel tighter, making sure to keep his eyes on the road and not look at you. You tilt your head to the side. Okay. Maybe this isn't some sick joke he is playing on you. He looks seriously pissed. "And for some stupid reason—" he takes a deep breath, trying to steady himself, "You have them."

"Joshua, I bet you sound really incredible in your own head and that these metaphors make sense to you but—" You don't get to finish your sentence as he reaches for your right wrist, leaning all over the consol to get to you. Your eyes widen, panic over him not having a proper control of the wheel taking over you for a split second. But then the car keeps going in a straight line, no dangerous slips or anything.

"I have no idea why they suddenly jumped to you, but I can't use them without holding you." His eyes look tired. You don't even think he's angry anymore, he just seems exhausted. "Trust me, I tried," he sighs, letting his eyes close for a second. The panic settles in you all over again. How the hell is this car still going safe and steady?

"Joshua, the car—"

"The car won't crash as long as I'm holding your wrist," he assures you, way too calm for your liking. No matter what he believes, what metaphors he is spitting at you hoping you'd understand, this doesn't make any sense. "What do I need to do to have you believe me?"

"Let's start by you paying attention to the road—" Doing the exact opposite of what you just asked him for, he lets go of the wheel completely, leaning back in his seat and gripping your wrist tightly. You watch as the wheel turns on it's own, the car taking a left turn. What the fuck? No, this doesn't— this isn't— "What the fuck?" You breathe out finally.

"Will you finally listen or do I need to let go of your hand and crash the car first?"

Okay, you need to relax. Your eyes flicker all over his calm self, trying to mimic it. The car isn't crashing, you tell yourself. You have no idea how, but he's got it under control. You'll live. "Okay so," you swallow all your worries, turning to face him fully and avoid looking at the road. "What the fuck?" You repeat your previous question, now actually willing to hear his answer.

"I'm not lying to you," his eyes meet yours, doing their best to convince you. "This mark—this tattoo like you like to call it—is not just some ink on your skin. It's mine. And it carries everything I exist for."

So maybe you've gotten Joshua Hong wrong. Maybe he isn't a spoiled brat who never had to work a finger in his childhood which caused him to grow into an asshole. Maybe he is just a mentally ill psycho. That would explain everything, wouldn't it?

But the longer you look into his eyes, the harder it is to think he doesn't believe with every inch of him that what he says is true. What if it is the truth? What if, by some sick twist of the universe, the mark on your wrist does have powers than are now in your body. What if he does have powers? What if there is an entire new world beyond what you've known and trusted your entire life?

You don't say anything else. You can't. The words won't leave your mouth. Instead, you lean back in your seat, staring mindlessly on the road ahead as Joshua drives the car to who knows where—still refusing to put his hands on the wheel.

The car comes to a sudden stop after taking a swift turn. It's only then that you blink out of your thoughts, quickly scanning your surroundings. You're parked in front of a judo studio. Huh? You look at Joshua to question why he took you here, but before you can voice your curiosity, he is leaning over your side, making a little finger gun and whispering, "bang."

Your eyes trail his, landing on a group of four guys standing in front of the entrance. They each have their own gym bag over their shoulder, laughing as soon as they see you in the car. Based on Joshua's proud grin as he leans back in his seat again, you have a hunch they aren't laughing at you but at him. Glancing back at them to apologize, your eyes widen in horror as you watch one of them fall to the ground. "What—" The rest of the men quickly gather around the fallen one, asking what's happening, asking the same you're wondering as Joshua starts the car again and quickly drives off.

"Did you just kill the guy??" You question, petrified.

"The terms of our deal came to an end," he says simply. "He killed himself."

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PANEL 2 — CLOSE ON YOU

You’re standing dead center, holding a coffee. You stare directly at the narration box with the expression of someone who's been dealing with this for far too long.

“Don’t you dare,” you warn it.

The narration box flickers.

NARRATION: ...and the villainess plots her next—

“NOPE,” you snap, grabbing the box mid‑air like it’s a misbehaving balloon. “We talked about this. No villain monologues before 9 a.m.” You fold the narration box until it is the approximate dimensions of a post-it note and shove it into your pocket.

The rest of the campus, meanwhile, bustles around you like nothing happened. Like it never happens. Like there isn't a floating narration box following you from birth and plotting your eventual fall from grace. You really should start looking into those therapy services offered by the mental health office. You know they can't help you with "being narrated since birth" but it's probably the next best thing, right?

Anyway, it's spring and, frankly, you're very tired.

You, Y/N, are the notorious campus queen: the stunning daughter of an affluent political family and the presumed villainous antagonistic force in Kim Mingyu's, your childhood friend, star-crossed love story. For three volumes and counting, you, Mingyu and Lee Ara have fallen into a rhythmic dance of misunderstandings, relationship dramas, and flashy battles all leading to one, inevitable conclusion: Mingyu and Ara will fall in love and live happily ever after.

Or that's how it's supposed to work.

Except none of that happens in the shadows, the white spaces that the Writer's pen never quite fills in. Those are the places where characters come to life in ways even the omnipotent Writer can't see coming. Like when Mingyu saved you from a car last spring. Or that night you snuck into the school pool together and splashed around instead of studying. When it was just the two of you, when no one could see, no one was writing. When everything seemed perfectly scripted without a script.

In those moments, when the narration box couldn't reach you, nothing else seemed quite as important as his smile.

Until the next scene began, that was.

You don't remember when you and Mingyu became aware of the fact that none of this was real. You always thought that you were losing your memory, wondering how you ended up at home when you were just in class seconds ago, how so much time seemed to pass without your realizing it. It didn't click until you were aimlessly roaming the school halls one afternoon and noticed the air fluttering unnaturally around you, things moving floating out of place in the corner of your vision and an unsettling feeling of something. A presence? A monster? A force beyond your knowing and naming trying to reach out to you.

When you talked to people, they'd be confused or dismissive, thinking you're joking. And when you'd ask them again some time later, they wouldn't know what you meant and keep repeating the same responses over and over, no matter how many times you would try and ask, hoping it'd finally ilicit a different response.

Finally, you tried talking to Mingyu about what was happening to you, only to find Mingyu was feeling exactly the same way. That things were happening without his express conscious will, and he felt the presence of something vaguely sinister outside of his direct sphere.

That's when you both realized the absurd, nonsensical reality that you're living in a webtoon, in a narrative world crafted by someone who felt very little need or concern for either of your agency. That something, a presence beyond human knowledge and imagination, was dictating and guiding you along towards an end goal: an inevitable romance between Kim Mingyu, the male lead, and Lee Ara, the female lead, and you're left to be the evil side character who had to be defeated for Mingyu and Ara to obtain their Happy Ever After.

Which sucks ass because you really like Mingyu. Maybe even a little too much. And you know, deep down, that the feeling is mutual. The Writer might make you do whatever she wants to further the plot, like flirt with Mingyu against your will during scripted love tropes. But whenever the writer isn't actively intervening, you get to be just you and Mingyu, and not the fictional, plot-dictated versions of you two that are forced together by the writer. You wonder sometimes, if it wasn't for this damned world, if you'd be happily dating each other.

You feel the narration box wriggling in your pocket, desperate to escape and comment. To announce loudly, obviously that you'll do whatever you can to disrupt Kim Mingyu and Lee Ara from meeting, but ultimately end up helping the course of fate along because the Writer makes it so. Because the narrative demands a twist at the very last second, and Kim Mingyu can't end up with you.

With a sigh, you take the now much smaller narration box out and unfold it, letting its words be absorbed back into reality:

NARRATION: ...and the villainess plots her next loser plan to keep our golden boy and pure maiden away from each other.

"I fucking hate you," you mutter under your breath.

Just then, a slim figure rounds the corner: Lee Ara in all of her oblivious perfection, wearing a fluffy dress that no college student would survive in, looking very much like she is running towards you.

PANEL 3 — BUST SHOT: YOU, GLOWERING.

Your lips curl up into your default, scheming smile. You really wish it didn't feel so natural.

PANEL 4 — EXTREME CLOSE UP ON LEE ARA.

Her hair blows dramatically out of the way as she stares determinedly ahead like this isn't a typical, daily interaction for the two of you. You can't tell if it's supposed to look brave or goofy, but it sure isn't intimidating.

"Ara, you look absolutely stunning today," you feel your eye twitch as the words leave your mouth, words you didn't choose, didn't want to say, words that materialized on your tongue like someone else is operating your vocal cords.

Which, technically, someone was.

Ara blinks up at you with those impossibly wide doe eyes. "Oh! Um, thank you? That's... really nice of you to say."

No, it fucking isn't, you thought viciously, even as your face arranges itself into what you know is a calculated, mean-girl smirk.

"I just wanted to say," your mouth continues without your permission, and you feel the familiar horror of a scripted scene taking over, "that dress is so brave. Not everyone could pull off that... particular shade of yellow."

There it is. The backhanded compliment. Right on schedule.

Ara's face falls slightly, and you want to scream. You helped her pick out that dress last week during your actual, off-page friendship that the Writer conveniently ignores. You told her the sunshine yellow made her look like bottled happiness.

"Oh," Ara says softly. "I... thank you?"

"If you like looking like you're blocking traffic, then feel free to keep wearing it," you snort and then the scene releases you like a puppet with cut strings, and you immediately grab Ara's arm. "Wait, that came out wrong—"

PANEL 5 — ARA TURNS.

She's already walking away, and you know why. The Writer has got what they wanted: another moment of you being terrible to the heroine. Another panel of the villainess doing villainess things.

You stand there in the middle of the quad, students flowing around you like water around a stone, and contemplate the very real possibility of screaming until your throat bleeds.

"Rough scene?"

You don't have to turn around to know who it is. You recognize that voice anywhere. It's the voice that makes your stomach do complicated acrobatic routines, the one that belongs to your best friend since childhood, the one that's supposed to fall in love with Ara and definitely not with you.

"Mingyu," you say, turning to face him. "I just told Ara her dress makes her look like a jaundiced traffic cone. How do you think it went?"

Mingyu winces, adjusting his backpack on his shoulder. He's wearing his usual off-scene outfit: an oversized hoodie that's seen better days, glasses slightly askew, hair unstyled and falling into his eyes. He looks nothing like the chiseled, perfectly-coiffed golden boy who appeared in the actual comic panels.

"Ouch," he says. "Did you at least get to apologize before the scene ended?"

"Tried. She walked away. The Writer probably needed her to be sad for the next panel where you comfort her and she realizes she has feelings for you for the millionth time," you make a gagging noise. "I hate this. I hate all of this."

"I know," Mingyu falls into step beside you as you start walking toward your next class. "I had a scene this morning where I had to flex at the gym for fifteen minutes while Ara watched from the doorway. Fifteen minutes, Y/N. Do you know how long fifteen minutes of flexing is?"

Despite everything, you snort. "Did you at least get a good pump?"

"I got a cramp in my left bicep and the overwhelming desire to go home and read my economics textbook," he pauses. "Which I did, by the way. Chapter twelve is fascinating. Did you know that—"

"Mingyu, I love you, but if you start explaining supply and demand curves right now, I will push you into that trash can."

The words hung in the air for a moment. I love you. You said it all the time, had said it for years, best friends who'd grown up together and know each other's every secret.

But lately, the words felt heavier.

Mingyu's ears turned red, they always did when you said it, even casually, and he clears his throat. "Right. No economics. Got it."

You reach your classroom and stop, turning to face him fully. He's tall, he'd always been tall, but he hunches slightly, like he's trying to take up less space. It's such a contrast to his on-page persona, where he stands with the confidence of someone who'd never doubted himself a day in his life.

"Same time tonight?" you ask. "My place? We can finish studying for that chem mid."

His face splits into a grin, a wide, boyish one that makes his glasses slide down to the tip of his nose. "Definitely," he agrees. "Maybe without the interruption this time."

PANEL 6 — ARA WALKING TOWARDS MINGYU

"And here I go," you mutter, "back to fading into the background so these two can have their meet-cute."

"I'm really sorry," Mingyu says again, "and I know that doesn't mean anything. I hope I can—"

NARRATION: ...Kim Mingyu notices his true love standing alone in the corner, a beautiful flower ready to bloom into...

"You changed into your jock gear," you note, sounding unimpressed, as Mingyu looks down and realizes that yes, he's wearing the clothes his character usually wears to work out instead of the sweater he wore before.

"Fuck," he sighs, "Here I go, I guess."

"You want me to text you after?" you ask him.

He nods, giving you a strained smile, and says, "Please."

PANEL 7 — SLOW ZOOM-IN ON ARA'S FLAWLESS SKIN AS SHE LOOKS UP AND ATTENDS MINGYU'S DAZZLING SMILE, HEARTS POPPING AROUND HER AS WE DRAMATICALLY FOCUS IN ON MINGYU.

"Ara! Just the girl I wanted to see."

You let out a long sigh, before turning away from the pair. Your story might be stuck in this linear route, but you really don't have to stick around and watch the love of your life play his part in this tale.

PANEL 8 — Y/N WALKS AWAY, SHOULDERS HUNCHED, BACKGROUND BLURRING INTO SOFT PASTELS AS THE ROMANTIC SCENE CONTINUES BEHIND HER

Each step away feels like wading through honey. You can hear Ara's delighted laugh behind you, that genuine, sweet sound that makes you hate yourself for being scripted to hurt her. You can hear Mingyu's voice doing that thing: that confident, flirty thing that isn't him at all.

The real Mingyu stutters when he's nervous. The real Mingyu talks about economic theory at 2AM and falls asleep with his glasses on.

But the Writer doesn't care about the real Mingyu.

PANEL 9 — CLOSE-UP ON Y/N'S FACE, EXPRESSION CAREFULLY NEUTRAL, BUT EYES BETRAYING PAIN

NARRATION: Meanwhile, the villainess retreats to lick her wounds, knowing she can never compete with—

"Oh, fuck off," you snap, reaching up to grab the narration box again. It's vibrating indignantly, trying to narrate your heartbreak into something convenient for the plot.

You squeeze it harder.

"You don't get to narrate this. This part is mine."