A+, meanie

Equation

Mingyu boils in rage, slamming his room door shut with a loud bang. He can't believe his mother's audacity to remain so nonchalant, especially after doing stuff she isn't supposed to. Like he'd expected, his mother had already made a public announcement of 'Kim Mingyu's relationship with Lee Agencies' next rumoured heir - Lee Chaeyeon'. After being hideous enough to deliberately trouble Mingyu by putting up the photograph in the living room, she hadn't been satisfied with her deeds, clearly.

And when Mingyu questioned her about his phone, she'd just shrugged like a psychopath, and said, "It's my money the phone came from. I can do anything I want." That was a bluff, Mingyu could tell by the ever-so-slight tremble of her eyes, and the fact that he'd fucking gone himself to buy it. But he was too tired to even argue back; knowing well enough the argument would turn on him eventually, so he'd left it that.

Right, the news. Needless to say, Chaeyeon had called in literally five minutes after it was announced, and she sounded so desperate, Mingyu felt bad he couldn't do anything, although it was his own mother who'd caused this. Shamefully muttering a silent "I'm sorry." Mingyu hung up, because he was speechless. How was he supposed to address the situation?

And right now, Wonwoo's sent in a text to meet up at the library after classes tomorrow. Amidst all of this mess, Mingyu nearly forgot he even had this to do. Sending in a quick "Okay", Mingyu tries to divert his full attention to his studies lying unattended on his desk. He hopes completing an assignment for Human Resources takes his mind off of things.

∿

"So, you and Lee Chaeyeon, huh?"

If they weren't at the library, Mingyu would have seriously strangled Wonwoo until he begged him to let go. Just another reminder of his terrible life he needed. "Shut the fuck up." He grunts, gesturing towards the books lying open on the table in front of them.

"Aww, are you embarrassed?"

"I'm leaving." Mingyu begins gathering his books, until a hand stops him. It immediately recoils, as Wonwoo cringes. "I won't say anything more, I'd rather do Calculus than talk about you."

"Great. Thank you."

"So it isn't true, it seems?"

Mingyu glares at him. "You just fucking said-"

"Oops." The wicked grin on Wonwoo's face tells Mingyu Wonwoo was, in fact, not sorry, for he'd done it purposely.

"Jeon, I swear to god-"

"Okay, I'll shut up."

Wonwoo imitates closing a zipper across his lips, and looks down at the thick, massive study material sprawled on the library's long table.

"We have clubs after this."

Mingyu says out of nowhere, making Wonwoo tilt his head in confusion. "Okay?"

"It's fucking October."

"I know..."

"WE'RE PREPARING FOR THE YEAR-END PLAY!"

"I KNOW- Oh..."

"Yeah, that."

"That's disgusting, you had to bring that up now?"

"It's disturbing."

"No shit Sherlock. You think I want to do this?"

"I don't know."

"Well, I don't. You said you'd keep it closed off, just for Theatre."

"Yes."

"Then shut up."

The next hour passes by calmly, but the one and half hour after that is unbearable. Mingyu thinks he could talk Professor Lee out of it, just for the rehearsals.

To his rare luck, Professor agrees, and lets them go without kissing for the rehearsals. Mingyu wonders how he and Wonwoo would manage on the actual day of the performance, then he slaps himself for even thinking up till there.

"Why did you do that?" Wonwoo asks.

"Do what?"

"Slap yourself."

"I did?"

Wonwoo gives him a weird look, ignores Mingyu and goes back to whatever he'd been doing.

∿

The next time Mingyu found himself tutoring Wonwoo for Calculus, he realised he's gotten used to watching the boy do his thing: crouching over the table while his pen scribbles recklessly across the page, and the usual sticking his tongue out when he's confused and all. Mingyu doesn't think Wonwoo even needs to be tutored, he's pretty smart. Or maybe, he's just using Mingyu to get better, so he could surpass him every time after this, with little to no effort. Mingyu wouldn't be surprised if Wonwoo scored more than him the next time, and then walked away like nothing happened, pretending as if he'd done it on his own. No one would even raise a brow.

Wonwoo huffs from his side a while later, causing. Mingyu to break out of his train of thoughts. As he takes a look at the boy with glasses, he notices he looks a bit frustrated with the question he's solving. He violently scrubs his hand over the page, and then flips it to the other side to start anew. Mingyu carefully watches him go through it once again, which only gets the exact same reaction as earlier. "You need help with that?" Mingyu points to the page.

"No." Wonwoo barks, but then his voice softens. "Just... Just gimme a second."

"Okay."

Mingyu watches him yet again, stifling a laugh when Wonwoo grumbles annoyedly. When he silently pushed the sheet of paper towards him, Mingyu had expected it already, and stuck his hand out to grab it from him. He shouldn't have, because now he feels extremely awkward since his hand brushed against Wonwoo's. The boy stutters, and clears his throat, gesturing to the unsolved equation eventually.

"Right, the question."

Mingyu mumbles, not knowing how to react to the brief contact.