Chapter 24- Just A Lie

“Baby! Wake up! Babeeeee!” Wonwoo shook Mingyu’s shoulder, attempting to wake the younger up after their late night movie marathon. He had promised to wake Mingyu up in the morning to bring him out for breakfast before sending him back to the dorms. It was to make up for the times they didn’t manage to spend together during the week.

“5 more minutes…” Mingyu groaned, flipping over to the other side, his back facing Wonwoo. The thought of getting up at 10am when they only managed to legitimately get into bed at 7am made Mingyu reconsider his life choices.

They barely finished one movie, ordering food delivery at 2am after Mingyu’s incessant nagging and whining, to which Wonwoo weakly gave in, not bothering to put up a fight. Mingyu was definitely one of his weak spots. After which, they tried to beat each other at Mario Kart till 5am, the final winner being the one who gets to sleep in more, the loser having to wake the other up. They were both equally terrible when it comes to waking up in the morning, so you could imagine the extent and underhand methods used trying to win the other. Which brought them to their next activity, wrestling each other. Apparently Wonwoo was a sore loser, swinging a pillow into Mingyu’s face. Not a good idea. They started holding each other in headlocks, tickling each other, sitting on each other’s back as if the other was a horse. But of course, it all ended with a good cuddling session with Wonwoo apologizing, peppering his adorable and irresistible boyfriend with sweet little kisses. They only fell asleep after Mingyu’s eyes fluttered shut unwillingly while on their 5th round of the staring game.

“Yaaaaaah! If you don’t get up, we’ll not be getting our breakfast! Yaaaaaah! Kim Mingyu!” Wonwoo yelled, settling on the younger’s torso, effectively earning a groan.

“It’s too early!” Mingyu whined, as he tried rolling onto his side.

“Come on~ Don’t be that lazy kid in every project group. That’s not how I raised you to be!” Wonwoo laughed, poking Mingyu’s pout with his finger.

“What project…? It’s Saturday! Who does projects on the weekends?! You’re not my mum!” Mingyu squirmed around, pulling the sheets over his head.

“Did you forget? You told me that you’re meeting your classmates for whatever project it is! You’re really acting like a baby right now! I regret giving you this nickname!” Wonwoo huffed out loud, staring at Mingyu’s figure that was buried under the sheets. His frown was soon replaced with a smirk. This ought to wake you up.

“…M-Mingyu…b-baby…” Wonwoo exhaled, letting out a few wheezes.

“What’s wrong now…I just want another 5 minutes of sleep…please…” Mingyu groaned from under the sheets, still not moving from his previous position.

“…I-It’s so tiring…to wake you up…I c-can’t…breathe…” Wonwoo let out a few dramatic gasps, as he sat on the ground next to where Mingyu was laying. He had a smug smile on, almost 100% sure that Mingyu would fall for his trick. It sounded too realistic for Mingyu to not believe.

“Oh my god! Wonnie! Is it the attack again? Where are you?!” Mingyu threw the sheets off himself, frantically looking around the room, until his eyes landed on Wonwoo, who seemed to be having a great time laughing at him. The older’s eyes were folded into little crescents as his nose scrunched up, laughing at Mingyu as if he had just told the funniest joke.

“Another one of your stupid jokes…” Mingyu rolled his eyes, his head landing back onto the pillow with a loud thud. I swear to god…I’ll be the one needing the heart surgery…

“Yah! Don’t go back to sleep! We need to go get breakfast!” Wonwoo tugged on one end of the blanket. There was no way he was going to be the only one awake.

“Kim Mingyu!” Wonwoo pulled the sheets off, crawling back onto the bed as he hovered over the younger.

“Ahhhh…go away…I’m a growing kid, I need more sleep.” Mingyu covered his face with both hands. Maybe he should have lost on purpose the night before, and be the one waking them up.

“Let me go! Let me go!” Mingyu squealed as soon as Wonwoo had his arms wrapped around the younger, tickling him in all his sensitive spots. His sides, his neck, his ears and his foot.

“Since you’re going to act like a baby, then I’ll start treating you like one~” Wonwoo sang, carrying the younger, one arm supporting his back, the other under his legs.

“Yaaaahhhh…don’t do it! I’m going to be so embarrassed if granny sees us!” Mingyu whined, throwing soft punches into Wonwoo’s chest.

“All the more I should do it~” Wonwoo replied in a singing tone, sticking his tongue out to tease the younger further.

“Wonwoo, what’s all the ruckus you’ve been causing since last-” Granny Jeon stopped in her steps, staring Wonwoo who was visibly startled, freezing in his steps as well.

“Erm…we were just fooling around yesterday night. Did we keep you up? Sorry…” Wonwoo apologized, his face burning with embarrassment.

“Oh my god…I told you so…” Mingyu hid his face in Wonwoo’s shirt, refusing to look in granny Jeon’s directions.

“J-Just…don’t do anything stupid…and make it safe.” Granny Jeon waved Wonwoo away, dismissing him. But no, Wonwoo just had to make things more awkward than they already were by asking the dumbest question.

“Make what safe?” Wonwoo asked, plastering the most innocent look he could come up with.

“Whoever’s doing it…just use condoms. You boys are kids, I don’t have to teach you all that.” Granny Jeon’s face flushed red as soon as the words left .

“Oh. You mean . Right. We weren’t doing anything of that sort.” Wonwoo cracked a small mischievous smile while Mingyu wishes internally that some sort of black hole would teleport him elsewhere before he kills Wonwoo with his bare hands.

“Okay enough nonsense Jeon Wonwoo. I’m going out. Take care of Mingyu. I don’t want you to hurt this innocent kid.” Granny Jeon shook her head, walking towards the main door.

“Hey! I would never hurt him…and what if he was the one hurting me…? Why does everyone think that he’s this innocent angel…” Wonwoo pursed his lips, staring at granny Jeon.

“That’s because you act like a brat with your surprises and jokes all the time.” Granny Jeon retorted, sending a pointed look in Wonwoo’s direction. Mingyu let out a small laugh, nodding his head in agreement.

“Am not.” Wonwoo narrowed his eyes, scrunching his nose up in mischief.

“Your father is returning tonight because he has some lunch appointment. So do whatever you want, stay or leave. There’s no way I can stop you either…” Granny Jeon sighed towards the end of her sentence.

“Wow…thanks for the heads-up. There’s no way I’ll stay around when that is here.” Wonwoo rolled his eyes at the mention of his father.

“You’ll eventually have to meet him…and your step brother.” Granny Jeon semi-whispered, but both Wonwoo and Mingyu heard her. Mingyu’s attention was now drawn to Wonwoo, his pupils enlarged. He has a step brother?!

“He’s not worth to be called my brother.” Wonwoo narrowed his eyes once more, exhaling loudly. The thought of his father abandoning him, only to set up another family elsewhere was excruciating. It disgusted him.

“You know what…forget it. I don’t want to ruin your day.” Granny Jeon left eventually, leaving Wonwoo seething in anger as he stood there with Mingyu in his arms. Great. My mood is officially ruined for the day.

“Wonnie…? Babe…” Mingyu cupped Wonwoo’s right cheek with one of his hand, sighing when he didn’t respond. Wonwoo squeezed his eyes shut for a moment before putting Mingyu back down on the ground. The jovial mood from before dissipated into another one of Wonwoo’s silent negative treatments.

“Babe…don’t be upset. Come on…you don’t have to see him or them if you don’t want to.” Mingyu whispered, an arm wrapped around Wonwoo’s torso as his other hand patted the older’s head.

“Can we not…talk about them…please…” Wonwoo begged, pain laced in his tone. He never liked his step brother. He has always wondered why the other deserved his father’s love, while all he got was criticisms and hate. He grew up with no parents, and that kid had both parents. Wonwoo had to live through his peers’ mean jokes about his broken family, as that kid probably lived lavishly with no social problems. It just wasn’t fair for Wonwoo.

“If you don’t want to talk about it, then we’ll not. Let’s go wash up?” Mingyu tilted his head to the side, holding onto Wonwoo’s hand. The older nodded his head, boring holes into the ground as they made their way to the toilet. Wonwoo hated being this sad and hatred filled person, but it was his instinct to react in such a way whenever his father was mentioned. Wonwoo hated it so much when he ruined the atmosphere around Mingyu. He was supposed to be the one lightening up Mingyu’s life, to make him happier after going through so many appalling events. His misery was nothing compared to Mingyu’s. If Mingyu could continue being his bubbly self despite having such sombre memories, Wonwoo could do it too. And that was why he decided to try his best to keep that smile on his face as long as he was around Mingyu. Even if he was falling apart inside.

“Here you go…” Mingyu held out Wonwoo’s toothbrush with the toothpaste he just squeezed on.

“Thank you babe…” Wonwoo sighed, leaning his forehead onto Mingyu’s chest.

“Nah…it’s nothing…” Mingyu giggled, feeling ticklish from the breath Wonwoo let out against h