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CHAPTER THIRTY ONE

It’s not the end.

‘Just a break’ they both agreed. Not a breakup, but indeed a break. Maybe space was what they needed — Maybe.

It didn’t feel real.

Wonwoo finally had the concert not too long after the incident. Although, yes, the events prior to the event weren’t what he was expecting, Wonwoo managed to hide his troubles with distracting the audience with his playing (Plasters and light makeup, thanks to Jiwoo, were also used in the process to help too).

Jiwoo had an after-school exam to attend that day, unfortunately, but Jihoon and Soonyoung came along for support. 

As for the duo, Soonyoung and Jihoon found out what went on without help since Wonwoo and Mingyu never talked about what happened — But it was too obvious to tell something was wrong.

It put Wonwoo in an awkward state, but thankfully Soonyoung and Jihoon were fine with him being that way, and the words ‘Take your time to open up, we can wait’ really reminded Wonwoo how much he’s thankful for his friends. What did he do to have such great people with him?

Yet on that day something didn’t feel right. Something was missing.

Without Mingyu in the audience, he felt like he lost some of his motivation to play violin —  And to tell the truth, Mingyu was partially the reason that Wonwoo played violin. 

Their rivalry gave him something to fight for, to turn passionate about. Wonwoo will never forget that. Although Mingyu loathed Wonwoo’s taste in music, he would still come and watch him play, even if the older didn’t get a solo or only played in one piece. He had such a priority when it came to him.

Mingyu had a lot of commitment, Wonwoo realised. He should’ve tried harder for him.

However the story that everyone knows about that day, had no idea that someone secretly gatecrashed the concert too.

Stood in the empty booth, a clear view of Wonwoo playing in the spotlight, which was probably and arguably the most stunning, although he also admits any angle of him is stunning, was Mingyu with a downcast look on his face, silently watching. 

It wasn’t important how he got in, besides the younger was good at getting into places without getting caught, but it only took him ten minutes of looking at Wonwoo that he couldnt watch anymore. He missed him too. 

They couldn’t go back to the way they were before; Things were different now. I should’ve been sat there, not Soonyoung and Jihoon.

Mingyu left in a hurry; It was all too much.

As well as that, Mingyu still didn’t see Wonwoo around school — Exams were going on and the only places he’d think Wonwoo would go during lunches and free periods was either the library or the empty classrooms since no one goes there.

There were moments here and there where they passed each other, but they other didn’t take much notice if one did. It made Mingyu remember the time he had to carry the piles of books to the library to serve as a punishment. To be honest, it was a ty punishment, but the taller learnt how to keep his mouth shut.

Passing the garden, Mingyu rests the books on the ledge to give himself a break, but mainly to enjoy the painfully nice day that he can’t enjoy due to his detention. Mingyu uses his hand to shield his eyes from the sunlight and stares at the tree with the stone bench, flashing memories of the night he remembers cursing and sharing a confession he didn’t expect to be shared back.

His eyes averted down to stare at the flowers, but ended up focusing on something else.

“I wonder what time you slept…” Mingyu quietly comments to himself, looking at the boy he loves — Well, used to love — Sleeping under the shade provided by the tree. The male’s head was hanging low and Mingyu was hesitating to quickly fix it, he didn’t want the older to get a neck cramp. 

However, he hummed at the sight because he looked better. A lot better.

‘No, you can’t be like this Mingyu.”

Mingyu huffs at the thought, collecting the books he set aside before he walks away to the library. There’s a voice faintly echoed from the halls, which was no one else but Vernon.

“You’ve been here Wonwoo? Sleeping?!” Vernon nags, “And why did you sleep like that? You’re going to get a neck cramp now.”

Mingyu weakly smiles. If he can’t tell things to Wonwoo, at least there’s always someone else to tell him.

—♩—♪—♫—♬ —

Wonwoo took his time.

For him, the older went through a long process making up his mind. Most of the time, his friends (Jihoon) kept yelling at him since it wasn’t that hard and that he should ‘talk to the damn guy or he’ll put them both in Jihoon’s basement so they can talk it out’. And Jihoon had a point. Wonwoo didn’t know why he was making things such a big deal, but he kept doing so nonetheless.

That, and Junhui also interfered by being the pessimistic one, which was strange considering it’s Junhui, but only because he’s worried for Wonwoo’s rejection and all the possibilities that can make everything go downhill.

Ergo with the balanced out options and advice, Wonwoo began to take different ways of getting advice, and they slowly turned more insane the last, landing from using Minghao’s magic eight ball to keeping Jiwoo all night to talk about his boy problems.

“Geez, what do I do?” 

Wonwoo questions, frowning through the phone. He hears the same tired sigh, because this wasn’t the first or last time Wonwoo complained.

“Should I feel nervous? I don’t usually feel on edge but this time I feel really on edge, is that weird? I find that weird… Actually, what should I say? I’ve been planning this for the past week… And I have no idea what to say to him tomorrow… Should I just wuss out? No, that seems to stupid, that’s like saying I wasted all my time and effort to do all of this. I’ll think of something- Do you think I’ll come up with something good? I might just stay up really late scribbling what I want to say to him tomorrow… That’s okay isnt it-“

With each sentence said, the male is responded by the same monotone hum from Jihoon. It made Wonwoo think the shorter purposely made a voice recording of him humming so that Jihoon wouldn’t bother to listen.

The older confronts Jihoon, hands shaking. “Jihoon are you even listening to me or are you just looking at pictures of Soonyoung.”

“I’m listening! You know I’m not good with situations like these, I’m your best friend, not a therapist… Plus don’t bring Soonyoung into the conversation, yes I love him, but right now I’m more concerned about my best friend being safe and okay.”

Jihoon’s words stuck to Wonwoo’s head, but the ‘I love him’ stood out. He couldn’t pinpoint what it was, but the phrase sounded strange to him now that the feeling was forgotten.

A long ‘Uh’ from Jihoon lasted for a while Wonwoo was in the process of thinking. The older could tell Jihoon was trying to find the words he wanted to say, but fails and gives another sigh instead.

“Look, just- I want you to- Maybe- I just- Good luck- And- But really— this is going out all wrong, let me say this again!” The younger groans. Wonwoo holds back a chuckle at how hard Jihoon’s trying, it was admirable. “Just… Take it easy. Don’t approach him and force the idea again, and make sure you and him meet eye to eye, got it? Not literally, because I know you can’t look at Mingyu straight in the eye anymore without your thoughts going all over the place.”

“Yeah.” Wonwoo pauses. “Yeah… I will. Thanks Jihoon.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Just in a few seconds, Wonwoo flips his attitude again. “‘Gyu must really hate me.” He says breathily, laughing to cover up his pain.

“I wouldn’t think of it like that. Besides, I can’t think of anything about you that makes Mingyu genuinely hate you. Even if you look at him you can tell he’s whipped for you, it’s annoying.” Jihoon fake gags. “And if he does hate you, I have weapons and i won’t be afraid to use them—“

“Woah Jihoon-“