Wonwoo fell asleep with his head resting against Mingyu's shoulders whilst a movie played on the TV screen. Mingyu had been writing for the majority of the night in the little red book but that didn't stop Wonwoo from stealing as many kisses from his as he liked which is probably why writing took so long.

Other than the biting cold of Mingyu's living room and the lack of covers the two slept soundly. However, after a dream or two passed something pulled Wonwoo from his slumber.

"No, I'm not asking you to come back. I just want to talk to you."

Wonwoo woke up to Mingyu's hushed voice.

"Stop twisting my words. I'm trying to fix what happened."

He seemed to be talking to someone but of course Wonwoo could only hear his half of the conversation. He stayed still with his eyes closed listening to Mingyu's soft voice.

"I'm sorry but I don't want that." He had started to grit his teeth and let out an irritated sigh.

"Just let me say what I need to say for once in your life!" Mingyu paused, "Thank you... What I have been trying to explain is that I think you're holding on too much. When you told me you loved me I just didn't feel the same way... or I was confused. It doesn't matter. Basically, I think you should move on and- Let me finish my sentence, wow-"

Wonwoo sat and rubbed his eyes. Mingyu was on the phone to Joshua, he assumed.

"We're still friends, I would never let that relationship we had fall apart, but that is all we will ever be. Nothing more, nothing less. Is that ok?" Mingyu smiled at Wonwoo as if he was checking what he said was the right thing to do so Wonwoo gave him a thumbs up and a grin, followed by a yawn.

"Don't say that. You're an amazing person! You'll find someone someday."

Judging by Mingyu's responses Joshua was a very pushy person but Mingyu seemed to care about him a lot. They must have been really good friends before it all went wrong between them.

"If you want... Ok... I'll talk to someone and see what they think about it."

Mingyu s his arms around Wonwoo's shoulder and held him close as he spoke into his mobile.

"Alright... See you soon. Oh and Joshua... stay safe." Then Mingyu hung up and sighed. He looked exhausted and it was evident Joshua had been talking to him for a very long time.

"You ok?" Wonwoo asked.

"Yeah. I called Joshua and fixed everything with him. I wanted to give him a clear answer and to advise him to move on."

"Good idea."

"He's so heartbroken, Wonwoo. I totally tore him apart when I rejected him all those years ago. I didnt realise how much he cared about me." The situation was upsetting Mingyu almost as much as it was upsetting Joshua.

"It's not your fault. You were totally entitled to say no to him."

"I suppose so." Mingyu looked away from Wonwoo's eyes and suddenly developed an interest in a spot on the carpet where he stared blankly, thinking and pondering, regretting and accepting. "Anyway, it's ok now. I told him he should move on and he asked if I knew anybody I would set him up with. I've got a few ideas."

"That's good. Hopefully he can find someone who will love him as much as he loves them." Wonwoo lightly turned Mingyu's head by his chin to face him and offered him an encouraging smile and a gentle hand against his cheek.

Mingyu smiled and kissed Wonwoo's lips ever so lightly, as if they were made of silk. "I need to take my mind off things. Shall we go out today? I've got the day off."

"Ok." Wonwoo replied trying to forget the fact he had to do work today because spending time with Mingyu was a thousand times more fun. "Where?"

"I don't mind. Anywhere that makes you happy."

"The only place that makes me happy is here, to be honest." Lazy Wonwoo made a comeback.

"Seriously? There's nowhere else?"

"Hmm...the library makes me happy because no one tries to talk to you and you can read. But we can't have a date there."

Mingyu stood up from the sofa and held his hand out for Wonwoo to take. "Yes, we can. Let's go."

-

The smell of burnt cigarettes and petrol seemed to hang in every corner of the busy city but not once did it bother Wonwoo as he walked, with his hand being held gently, next to the boy he loved. The library was miles away and it would've been easier to drive there but Mingyu insisted on walking saying that it would be better for their health (not mentioning the truth in which he just wanted to hold Wonwoo's hand for as long as possible).

"What sound does a bird make?" Wonwoo asked.

Mingyu chuckled, "We're in public, Wonwoo. I think we would get some pretty weird looks if I started squarking all of a sudden."

Wonwoo giggled but it seemed solemn and Mingyu suddenly felt guilty. He had promised to help Wonwoo hear the world through his words, he shouldn't let something as little as a few funny glances get in his way. He bowed his head and laughed to himself at the thought of imitating a bird on the street but before he could change his mind he had already yelled "Kaw!" at the top of his lungs.

Wonwoo jumped and looked over at him. "What the hell was that?"

"What?! You said you wanted to know what a bird sounded like!" Mingyu blushed and complained defensively.

"That was a bird sound? I thought someone had stepped on your foot."

"So supportive." The taller replied sarcastically.

The city's library was massive. With an entrance made of glass on the first floor and an art gallery on the fifth it was one of the biggest buildings in the centre. Unfortunately, due to the world of technology it had gradually faded from importance and become considerably empty. Wonwoo was one of the only people who regularly visited. He had read rumours online about the building being potentially sold to make a shopping centre and he feared they might come true too soon. He loved spending hours upon hours reading on the rose red sofa on the back wall of the second floor, it had become his safe haven; the only place he could feel at peace even in the hardest of times. Seeing it turn into a wrack of clothes or a shelf of food might just break his heart.

"Wow, it's so enormous." Mingyu looked up at the high ceiling that seemed to reach the stars.

"Have you never been here before?"

"Of course not. I buy all my books online."

"I am disappointed in you."

Wonwoo lead Mingyu up the stairs to the second floor after explaining to him that the elevator only took you to the art gallery. Mingyu huffed as they ascended.

"Who builds a building with five floors with an elevator that only takes you to the top level?" He complained as he ambled up.

"Get over it, Mingmong." Wonwoo sang.

Wonwoo's favourite section of the library was the love story section. Stereotypically, that area was not a place where you would expect to find two men such as Mingyu and Wonwoo, browsing for a book to read together, but neither of them cared. Afterall, Wonwoo was a er for romance.

"Hey, Hot Chocolate, what about this one?" Mingyu held up a book but Wonwoo ignored it.

"Did you just call me Hot Chocolate?"

"Yeah." Mingyu grinned mischievously.

"Don't ever call me that again. I get violent flashbacks to the time I spat my drink over you at SVTea everytime I hear that nickname."

"That was so cute. I had the biggest crush on you." Mingyu laughed.

Wonwoo deadpanned the reply "You make me cringe." despite the fact that his stomach was exploding with butterflies.

"You keep rejecting my affection." Mingyu pointed out as Wonwoo slid a book off the shelf.

He flipped it so he could read the blurb and said "That's not what you were saying last night." It felt good to act sassy and confident. Wonwoo made a mental note to do this more often.

Mingyu blushed and shushed him quite aggressively.

"I was joking. Chill out." Wonwoo laughed and strolled passed Mingyu with a book in his arm.

Together they made themselves comfy on Wonwoo's favourite red sofa and Mingyu opened the book Wonwoo had chosen on the first page. He began to read and ever so sweetly the words flowed to Wonwoo's ears. Every syllable was beautiful and every word was a wonder coming from the mouth of a person he had come to adore.

"'And there I was, intertwined in the web of the wrong lover, kissing lips that weren't mine to kiss, betraying the love of my life.'" Mingyu read to Wonwoo. "'I knew it was wrong and that-'"

"Then why doesn't she stop?!" Wonwoo interrupted a little too loudly.

"Shh, let me finish." Mingyu chuckled and thread one of his hands into Wonwoo's hair who was now resting his head on his thigh. "'I knew it was wrong and that I had to get out,'" He continued, "'but the lust was overwhelming. A knock at the door made both of us jump apart. I panicked and pulled the bedcovers-'"

"Her boyfriends home?" Wonwoo asked.

"I don't know. You won't let me read it since you keep interrupting-"

"Shh, keep reading!"

Mingyu rolled his eyes with a smile. "'-up to my neck as the door swung open. My boyfriend stood there; frozen, shocked, hurt. The sudden agony that-'" He flipped the page "'-filled the tears in his eyes made my stomach lurch and I instantly regretted everything. I loved him. Not the man in the bed beside me. And I was wrong to ever doubt the strength of our affection. But it was too late now.'"

"Damn right it's too late. Honestly, she had several chances to-"

"Wonwoo!" Mingyu laughed.

"Oh sorry. I'll stop interrupting now."

Mingyu continued to read the story of the female protagonist who cheated on her boyfriend but the story felt empty without Wonwoo's inputs. He tried sublty encouraging Wonwoo to say something by dramatically gasping or muttering a possibly controversial opinion that might set him off but instead Wonwoo listened calmly.

"I miss your interruptions, Wonu." Mingyu mumbled as he flipped the page again.

Wonwoo let out a releaved sigh "Oh, thank God. I thought I was going to burst." After taking a massively deep breath he began to rant about all the mistakes the protagonist made, complaining and criticising every sentence. Mingyu loved listening to his comments since he found them quite halarious so instead of continuing to read he placed the book face down on the arm of the chair and gave the boy lying on his lap his full attention. With one hand playing with his hair, twisting and brushing each strand, and another laced with his fingers, Mingyu watched Wonwoo's eyes light up passionately he spoke. He couldn't help but feel wonderfully content in the presence of the deaf boy.

"-and who would do that anyway? He was in trouble, she had the chance to help him, but no, she couldn't because her ego is obviously too massive."

"Wonwoo, calm down!" Mingyu laughed.

"I'll calm down when that makes the right decisions!" Wonwoo stood up on the sofa and pointed his finger to the ceiling in false anger making Mingyu laugh hysterically.

"Oh my God, Wonwoo. You're meant to be quiet in libraries. Sit down!"

"Oh man, really? I didn't know." Wonwoo blushed and slumped down next to him.

"Well, this book is obviously too angsty for you. How about we go shopping in the centre instead?" Mingyu stood up pulling Wonwoo from the sofa by his hands.

They strolled out the library smiling whilst the librarian glared holes in their backs. Mingyu made a mental note to buy some books for Wonwoo online to keep him occupied for a few months so the librarian had time to forget who they were, just incase she wouldn't let him back in for making so much noise.

Of course neither of them could resist buying two massive bags of squashies from the sweet shop which they ate as they idly walked passed colourful shop windows. They passed a home decoration store and an idea sprung into Wonwoo's head so fast it could have knocked him off his feet.

"Mingyu, let's go in here." Wonwoo dragged him by his hand through the front door.

"Why? You don't even own a house. You live in an apartment."

"I know but I've got an idea." He kept pulling Mingyu through different isles searching excitedly for what he needed eventually arriving at the wall paint section of the shop. "Remember that book you read to me on my sofa? The one about the blind girl?"

"Um... yeah. Why?"

"Well at the end her boyfriend decorated her house full of objects that make different sounds, like bells on the ceiling that chime when you brush passed them, because she couldn't see so he wanted to make her life beautiful with sounds."

"That doesn't explain why we are standing next to paints in a home decor store." Mingyu furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"You paint don't you? You told me so when we had our first phone call."

"Yes, but I use oil paints on a canvas, Wonwoo. Not wall paints. You're so cute." The younger chuckled.

"But can you decorate my apartment? If I can't hear everything I want to see it instead. My walls are so bland and it's honestly depressing. We should paint them!"

"What about your landlord?"

"My landlord can get over it. I wanna see what I can't hear."

Mingyu was hesistant to answer but seeing Wonwoo rummage excitedly through the paints got his stomach filling with butterflies and he couldn't refuse  "Alright. Which colours?" He grinned almost as wide as Wonwoo and dived into searching the various tubs on the shelf.

Wonwoo hummed thoughtfully "Blue and... what's your favourite colour?"

"Red!"

Once the two boys had collected almost too many paint pots to carry (and noted down the colours they would buy online once they got home) they ambled to the cash registers to pay.

"Seungcheol!" Mingyu's face lit up when the worker at the first till waved at him. Wonwoo recognised him as the stranger with dark hair who was sitting in the corner of SVTea on his laptop the last time he went to talk to Soonyoung.

Wonwoo could see his face in more detail now. His onyx bangs were nearly covering his eyes and stood out against his pale skin. Wonwoo envied his large eyes and rosy lips that made him look rather handsome.

"Hey, Mingyu. Who's this?" Seungcheol smiled.

"This is Wonwoo. We're going to decorate him apartment!" Mingyu hauled two of the paint pots onto the counter then bent down to pick up some more.

"Ah." Seungcheol nodded his head knowingly, "I've heard a lot about you from Jeonghan. Mingyu talks about you a lot."

Wonwoo couldn't hear a word he was saying but tried his best to act as normal as possible by nodding his head. Mingyu slammed three heavy buckets of paint on the table in attempts to take Seungcheol's attention off his boyfriend.

"Jeonghan told me all about Mingyu's little fantasies about you; all the dates he planned and the gifts he's saving up for. He even said something about asking you to-"

"How much?"

"Huh?" Seungcheol looked at Mingyu who had just interrupted him.

The taller was blushing furiously and Wonwoo was certain he could see beads of sweat forming on his forehead from the pressure which made him wonder what Seungcheol had said to him that made Mingyu so flustered.

"How much for all of these?" He signalled towards the many buckets of paint.

Seungcheol scanned them into the cash register and called out the finishing price, Wonwoo's eyes widened as he read the numbers.

"Don't worry! I'll pay." Mingyu grabbed his wallet.

"No, Mingyu. They're for my apartment so I'll pay."

Mingyu leant over slightly so his mouth was close to Wonwoo's ear in a way which made it hard for Seungcheol to see what he was saying.

"Let me pay. We need to get out fast before Seungcheol exposes me." Then Mingyu turned, dropped a wad of cash onto the counter, grabbed the bag of paints and rushed away dragging Wonwoo with him.

"You do know I couldn't hear anything he was saying. You don't have to be so embarrassed." Wonwoo laughed and poked Mingyu's red cheeks once they had left the store.

"You could've lip read it."

"Yeah right. I hate doing that. Lip reading can kiss my ."

Mingyu sighed in relief before giving Wonwoo a side smirk. "Can I kiss your ?"

The latter cringed and hit Mingyu's arm. "Not unless you want me to kick yours."

"Anything for the booty."

"Stop."

The next shop they visited was an arts and crafts store where Wonwoo purchased some bunting and glow in the dark star stickers. Then they moved on to another store in which they bought bedcovers and fairy lights, planning the ultimate pillow fort as they walked.

Wonwoo's landlord was going to kill him, probably quite literally, when he sees the mess the two were planning on making but Wonwoo didn't mind. He was done feeling trapped and alone in the silence ,living a bland life in a bland home.

Just as the two were making their way towards the exit of the centre something caught Mingyu's eye. A couple were strolling idly, hand in hand, passed them. They both wore matching blue jumpers and although the boy seemed slightly embarrassed by it they looked adorable together. Wonwoo noticed Mingyu interest in it and the soft smile that rested on his lips so he pulled him into a nearby shoe shop. The amount of bags they were carrying made it near impossible to walk but Wonwoo wanted to buy one last thing before leaving.

"Help me choose some shoes." Wonwoo lead him towards the mens section and dumped his bags of shopping on the floor since he was certain his arms were about to drop off.

Mingyu gasped "These!" he grinned as he picked up a pair of simple, red, high-top converses "They'll look so good on you."

"Ok. And what's your size?"

"My...size?"

"I need to know your shoe size! Idiot." Wonwoo chuckled.

"I thought we were looking for shoes for you."

Wonwoo was so close to faceplaming at Mingyu's cluelessness. "We're gonna get matching shoes. It'll be cute."

_____

a/n: This book makes me cringe ew.