a bridesmaid's to do list, kim mingyu
When your best friend Jihyo is getting married, you're nothing less than thrilled. Your excitement dies a little when you find out that your ex will be attending. Luckily, your friends have already found a solution!
🎵the only exception, paramore🎵you are in love, taylor swift🎵margaret, lana del rey🎵daylight, taylor swift🎵
pairing: kim mingyu x fem!reader
cw: alcohol consumption, smoking, strong language, toxic past relationship, trauma regarding past relationship, cheating, manipulation
tags: (kinda) strangers to lovers, fake dating, fluff, angst, he fell first and harder
word count: 13.1k
english is not my first language! sorry for advance if there are some mistakes :)
S01E01, THE INVITE
Jihyo and Joshua were madly in love. Everybody around them could see that. Sooner or later, they would get married. You’d like to think that it was obvious from the start, so why are you so shocked to see an invite to their wedding on your kitchen counter? Jihyo really liked to surprise people, but you didn’t quite think that she would surprise you – her best friend – with incredible news.
“Jihyo! What the hell!” You screamed through the phone, still in disbelief that this was finally happening. You were quite literally on the verge of tears, being the one who had introduced the pair back in high school. “I will genuinely sob right now. Don’t even try me”
“It took so much of me not to say anything about it to you. Actually, at first, we were like ‘huh, wouldn’t it be funny if we just didn’t tell anyone about us being engaged?’ but I just couldn’t keep it a secret. I’m so happy, Y/N” she said, her voice slightly wobbly.
“I don’t even know what to say, Jihyo. I feel like I’m going to combust from happiness and it’s not even my wedding”
“We both know that your wedding is not happening anytime soon, babe”
“Okay, that’s it. I’m not going” you said with a straight face, as if she could see you.
“Ah, you know I’m just jo-” Jihyo suddenly stopped talking and you could hear her mumbling something to someone – probably Joshua. “Joshua wants to talk to you really quick, is that alright?” you muttered a soft yeah, sure before hearing the man’s voice. “Hey, Y/N. So, you and Vernon got the invitations?” Joshua sounded weird. Like, really weird. As if he had something important to say to you but definitely didn’t want to say it.
“I mean, yeah, isn’t that obvious? Vernon isn’t home yet though” you laughed softly, curious about Joshua’s behavior.
“Okay, that’s good. Alright, I’m just gonna say it, but please do know that I am very, very sorry about this. I didn’t want to invite him, I really didn’t, but you know that I’m kind of a people pleaser, right? So, when I was talking to my mom about not inviting it, she started to say so many things. Like, genuinely, I started freaking out-”
“Joshua, what the fuck are you talking about?” You were so confused, brows furrowed and all.
“Jaehyun will be there”
Oh.
You see, Jaehyun is your ex, who also happens to be Joshua’s cousin. You broke up with him in September – which was just 4 months ago. The relationship lasted for about 2 years, which you regret so badly. At the beginning, he was perfect – paid for everything, opened every door for you, prepared romantic dates for the two of you – everything that a girl could have ever dreamed of, right? Well, no! After about 8 months, he started acting strange, hardly ever texting or calling you, being weirdly secretive and he would say just the meanest things to you during arguments. Of course, being naive and easily manipulated at the time, you tried talking to him, thinking that maybe he was just going through a hard time. The answer that you received from him? Looking back at it now, it’s the most ridiculous thing you have ever heard. Jaehyun, with a straight face, said that you living with your roommate – Vernon - was making him really insecure, and that he truly doesn’t know what goes on in that apartment when he’s not there. Yeah...
Foolishly, you believed him, suddenly forgetting all of the time you wasted explaining how Vernon was really just a good friend. You’ve known him since both of you were 5, for God’s sake! That led to you almost never being in your apartment anymore, spending pretty much all of your time at your boyfriend’s place, even when he wasn’t there (which was a very common occurrence, oh poor you). Jaehyun spent the next year gaslighting you into thinking that his mood switches were a hundred percent your fault. Long story short, the guy was cheating on you. Pretty much since the beginning of your relationship. With multiple women. He even fucked one in your apartment, when neither you nor Vernon were home.
And now, you were supposed to face him at your best friend’s wedding, in what, six months?
You weren’t mad at Joshua, though. You’ve known him for such a long time, and you know how his relationship with his mother is like. Sure, some would think that a twenty-seven-year-old man would not care what his mother says. Not Joshua, though. And you’re not even saying this in a bad way – you wish that you and your mom were even half as close as Joshua and his mom. She was also probably the smartest woman that you’ve ever met, so she probably convinced Joshua to invite Jaehyun with some really appealing arguments. You were not about to fight with Mrs. Hong.
“Y/N, are you there? Is everything okay?” Joshua’s very concerned voice snapped you out of your thoughts.
“Yeah, everything’s okay. Don’t worry about me, I mean, he is your family after all. Doesn’t matter how shitty he treated me”
“Are you sure? We haven’t sent the invite yet. Just in case”
“I’m sure Joshua. Don’t worry, go and be excited about the wedding. I have to go, though. Vernon just came home. Bye!” You said quickly after hearing Vernon open the door with his keys.
“Hey! What’s going on?” Vernon asked, his eyebrows furrowed upon seeing you standing with your face in your hands. His eyes wandered to the kitchen counter, smiling widely after seeing two invites to the wedding of his good friends. “Shouldn’t you be crying from happiness right now?”
“Jaehyun is going to be there”
S01E02, THE OFFER
“You’re joking”
You’re currently sitting on your couch, 3 wine glasses in. You lay your head on Seulgi’s shoulder, since she’s the only one sitting next to you. The girl is talking to Seungkwan, who’s sitting on the floor in front of her. You can hear Vernon, Sana and Mingyu talking in the kitchen, probably pouring themselves more wine – you really can’t blame them. To be honest, you don’t even know what’s the occasion was for this gathering, or where the rest of your friends went, but you’re way too busy sipping on your fourth glass of wine. The group that was in the kitchen walks back to the living room, and you make eye contact with Mingyu almost immediately.
It’s not like you and Mingyu are friends. Of course, you know him – he's Vernon’s best friend after all, you’ve met him a handful of times. Neither of you interacted with each other much, except for group hangouts like this. You didn’t really know that much about Mingyu. You knew that he runs his own restaurant, which you had been to with Vernon multiple times. You know that he has a cat, since Vernon took care of it when Mingyu was on vacation. To be completely honest – that might be all of your knowledge when it comes to Kim Mingyu. It does kind of make you jealous – seeing how effortlessly he strikes up a conversation with everyone in the room. Why does he never talk to you?
You must have had a grimace on your face, because Seungkwan looked at you, concerned. “Are you okay? You’re sulking” he nudged your calf with his foot. “What’s got you so worried?”
“Oh, it’s nothing. Just thinking about Jihyo’s and Joshua’s wedding” you didn’t completely lie – you were thinking about it, until Mingyu walked into the room.
“Right, Jaehyun” Sana said in a cold voice.
No one noticed, but Mingyu visibly perked up at the mention of your ex – if he’d been sober, then he would have tried to be much less obvious about it. Mingyu knew about Jaehyun and his actions, since Vernon had come to him numerous times, hoping that he would give him some advice on how to free you from the monster’s hands – Vernon's words, not his.
“I just don’t want to see him at all. Also, I’m sure that he will try to talk to me. I’ve had to block his number four times, because he kept messaging me from new ones” you frowned, drinking all the wine left in your glass at once.
“God, I don’t even have words to describe that filthy fucking-” you stopped Seulgi from continuing by placing your hand on her mouth.
“Wait! I think I have a good idea!” Seungkwan exclaimed. “How about you and Vernon go to the wedding together and pretend to be a couple? Maybe he’ll leave you alone, since he was so insecure because of him?” He rolled his eyes while the last sentence left his mouth.
“Aren’t we too old to do that? Besides, he would think that he was right. You know, accusing me of cheating on him with Vernon”
“Why don’t you take Mingyu instead? He can be scary sometimes!” Vernon exclaimed, definitely proud of his idea.
“I don’t know about that second thing” you snorted, making the rest of your friends laugh.
“Hey! I can be scary if I want to! I’m tall and probably more handsome than Jaehyun! I can do it!” Mingyu pouted, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Sure, buddy” Seulgi patted his shoulder.
“Guys don’t laugh at me! Y/N, I can do it! Seriously! I’ll be the best, scary fake boyfriend on planet earth! He won’t even dare to look at you!”
“Why do you want to do it so bad anyways?” you asked the man, visibly confused.
“Because I really want to prove you guys wrong, and all of you will be there. I’m the only one that didn’t get an invite, and I get that it’s because I don’t even know Jihyo and Joshua that well, but I would be very sad if all of you were having fun and I was sitting at home. And obviously, I want to help you, Y/N” Mingyu said with a pout on his face, and after not receiving a response from anyone, he added “Well, also because I really love weddings”
You could feel everyone’s eyes at you, curious about how you’ll respond to Mingyu.
“Okay, let’s do it” you sighed. As soon as the words left your mouth, you felt muscular arms wrapping you in a hug and lifting you up from the couch.
“YES! You won’t regret this, Y/N!” Mingyu shrieked, spinning you around.
S01E03, THE CRASH OUT
The next two months will definitely be hard.
You haven’t heard from Mingyu for a whole week. Obviously, you were too embarrassed to ask him for his number, and he also didn’t ask for yours. That really made you think, though. What if he was just really drunk? Or maybe he was just making fun of you and didn’t actually want to go to the wedding with you? All of these thoughts were storming through your head. Wanting to get them out, and preferably get some comfort, you were now talking Vernon’s head off.
“What do I do?” You sighed dramatically, head falling off the couch while your legs were up in the air. If someone were to ask, in your opinion Vernon was just pretending to listen. “This was all your idea! Why would you even bring this up?” You groaned into one of the pillows that you took from the couch.
“What do you mean? Dude, Seungkwan said it first!”
“Well, why would you suggest taking Mingyu? And him pretending to be my boyfriend? He’s so hot! I’m going to make a fool out of myself” You heard Vernon mumbling something about him just being your type, which you responded to with a yell. “Don’t you have eyes? Ask a random person on the street and they’ll get on their knees for him!”
“Now you’re just exaggerating. I don’t even know why you’re crashing out, he texted me a few days ago asking for your number”
“You’re just telling me this now?!” you said in utter disbelief. “Why hasn’t he texted me, then?” You sent Vernon a questioning look.
“He’s just a shy dude” your best friend shrugged his shoulders, never once looking up from his phone.
“Mingyu? Shy? Am I living in a different world, because what the fuck?”
What you didn’t notice, though, was that Vernon was texting someone.
Vernon dude can u just text y/n she’s like crashing out rn actually she’s BEEN crashing out for like 3 days put me out of my misery pls
Mingyu 😵💫😵💫😵💫 this is the motivation that i needed lol
Vernon HURRY UPPPPP
It’s been another three days.
***
Mingyu did not text you.
You were slowly, but surely, going insane – acting like a teenager waiting for her crush to text her, and definitely not like a 26-year-old woman. You’re a grown up, for God’s sake! You have a whole ass job and everything! This man is making you crazy, and it’s not even like you know him well.
Mingyu, all the way in his apartment (which is not far from yours, by the way) is facing the same problems as you are. He’s never been that shy to text a woman before – and that says a lot. ‘I can be scary if I want to’ - Mingyu’s surely regretting his words now. Vernon threatened to take his phone and text you so many times, Mingyu stopped counting after the seventeenth time. He doesn’t want to even think about it – you just make him so nervous, and the thought that he will have to pretend to be your boyfriend? That’s the cherry on top.
He’s at work when he gets a text from Vernon.
Vernon yooo i'm at ur place rn with seungkwan
Mingyu wdym why are u in my house
Vernon lol mb we're at the restaurant
Mingyu ohhhhh i'll come out in a bit
Vernon yessir
Vernon was in fact not with Seungkwan. That damn traitor.
Coming out of the kitchen, Mingyu was relieved. I mean, he was just about to see his friends! And it was pretty early, so they were almost the only people in the restaurant. Oh, poor Mingyu. His smile faded so fast.
“Oh. Hi” he smiled sweetly at you, cheeks red before glaring at Vernon. If looks could kill, Vernon would be long gone. You muttered a quiet hi, and averted your gaze into your hands. Wow, your nails are so gorgeous – the nail tech did a really great job.
“I’ll be back in a minute, okay? I have to go to the bathroom” Vernon said quickly, a smirk on his face. Let’s just say, both you and Mingyu were calling him various insults in your mind.
As soon as Vernon left, Mingyu plopped himself on the seat in front of you, immediately speaking up. “I’m sorry” You raised your brows, acting as if you didn’t know what he was talking about. “You know, about not texting you. It’s been hectic and I’ve also been just...uh...”
“Go on” you teased him, having a feeling that you knew what he was about to say.
“Hey! I’m here apologizing and you’re being mean!” He frowned.
“You know I’m just kidding. Also, you don’t have to be sorry or anything. We didn’t agree that one of us would text the other” you shrugged your shoulders, trying to look nonchalant. Let’s put an emphasis on the word ‘trying’, because truly you were about to explode.
“You don’t have to act all cool, Y/N” Mingyu laughed. “Vernon already exposed you a couple of days ago” You froze. Is it possible for a human to vanish? Disappear? Forever? Make everyone forget that you even existed?
“Oh. What exactly did he... uh... tell you?” You stuttered, definitely taken aback. “You know that Vernon likes to exaggerate a lot of stuff”
“Well, I don’t remember it exactly. Does a crash out sound familiar?” that motherfucker was smirking. Smirking!
“Yeah, well, let’s not talk about it. You’re still on for the wedding?”
“Yes ma’am” You handed him your phone with the contacts app pulled up.
“I’ll text you. Can’t really trust you with it now, can I?” You teased him, enjoying that he was going along with it – his hands over his heart and a frown on his face, acting like your words really hurt him.
“You guys done now?” Both of you jumped up slightly, not noticing when Vernon came back.
“Yup”
Mingyu Hi
“Yeah”
***
You hiiiiii didn't expect u to text first lol
Mingyu ouch that hurt
You yeah yeah sure
Mingyu fr!
You no no i believe you 100%
Mingyu anyways i heard vernon talk ab group shopping? do i also have to go?
You you can!! it's just the bridesmaids and groomsmen choosing their dresses and stuff lol but not only them jihyo and joshua said that anyone who doesnt have smth to wear can join oh but it would be rlly good if you went because you could find a tie in the exact same color as my dress pink btw ✨✨✨
Mingyu ill go then do jihyo and joshua know that youre taking me
You yup!! sent a rsvp yesterday got a call from jihyo demanding explanation lol
Mingyu hahhahahah did you tell her?
You yeah it would be weird if my best friend didn’t know ab my ‘boyfriend’
Mingyu oh right didnt think ab that lol so whens the shopping?
you may 5th!! so in like 3 days lmao we’re supposed to meet everyone at the store at 1pm
Mingyu cool i'll pick you up?
You getting into character asap i see
Mingyu always so?
You sure!! see you mingyu
Mingyu see you 😉
“What’s got you smiling like that?” Vernon asked, walking into the living room with a cup of tea.
You immediately straightened up, putting your phone next to you. “Nothing” you said with a straight face.
S01E04, THE SHOPPING TRIP
“Don’t lie. Was it Mingyu?” He was met with silence. “It so was” You threw a pillow at his face, a small smile appearing on your face at the mention of Mingyu.
Is it acceptable to ghost a man who was supposed to drive you to your destination? Because you might do just that. You woke up later than your alarm, your hair was not looking great, you only had 15 minutes to do your makeup, and you still haven’t even picked out your clothes. Oh, and you were probably going to spend an ungodly amount of money on a fucking dress. You were not happy – to say at least. Vernon could sense it, he hasn’t talked to you once today, but maybe it’s for the better. He didn’t know what to expect – a meltdown, or maybe yelling?
“Y/N, Mingyu’s here!” Vernon yelled from the hallway, not even daring to walk into your room.
“I’m going!” You have to admit, your tone was a little bit too aggressive. But, hey! Vernon’s a tough guy. You walked out of your room, seeing him already waiting for you by the entrance door.
“Stop sulking! It makes me even more unwanted in that car, and I had to convince Mingyu to take me too!” Vernon says with a grimace on his face, almost immediately noticing the smile that was growing on your face. “Stop giggling over Mingyu! He’s my best friend” he rolled his eyes, acting hurt.
“Don’t be so jealous, Nonie. Let’s go.”
The two of you walked out of the building, noticing Mingyu’s car straight away. You ran to it, wanting to take the passenger seat – you really do love annoying Vernon. “Hi!” You smiled at the man sitting inside the car. Mingyu looked so good. And you weren’t even exaggerating. You just stared at each other, quietly admiring yourselves – that was until Vernon slammed the backseat door, crossing his arms over his chest. “Seriously? I was always the one in the passenger seat!”
“Well, now my girlfriend is going to be seating here.” Vernon wished he could rip his best friend’s stupid grin off of his face. There’s no way that this worked on you, right? You have to be fighting your laughter right now.
Wrong.
Vernon looked at you with so much hope in his eyes – there's no way that both of his best friends are so dumb. All he saw, though, was the blush creeping up onto your cheeks and you trying to look all nonchalant. “I’m so done with you guys. Just drive, man.” He just sighed, not wanting to look at either of you.
The ride was, surprisingly, very peaceful. The music was quiet, but you could still hear it just fine. The car was filled with light chatter and laughs, everyone just enjoying each other’s company. You were in the middle of chuckling at a stupid joke that Mingyu made when you arrived at the destination. Suddenly, you froze.
“What’s he doing here?” You could clearly hear the anger in Vernon’s voice upon seeing Jaehyun standing outside of the shop, seemingly waiting for someone. “Seems like Mingyu has to act well today.”
“Is that...?” Mingyu asked quietly, eyes focused on your face. He could see that you weren’t ready to see the guy, and he could have sworn that he saw tears forming in your eyes. “Mhm.” You just hummed, not wanting to risk your voice cracking.
You thought that seeing him again wouldn’t be so hard. He was just an asshole. But why were you almost crying over an asshole? That’s the thing, though – you really had a hard time accepting that someone would love you. All kinds of doubts always swam through your head, and when you finally opened your heart up to someone, cherishing the feeling of being cared about, he cheated and manipulated you for months. Seeing the guy just standing there, acting like he didn’t do anything wrong, like he didn’t control your every move. There is a bit of guilt within you – you spent countless nights crying yourself to sleep, cursing yourself out for being so easily manipulated. You know that it wasn’t your fault, but it sure is hard to accept it. A slamming door snapped you out of your thoughts, and you saw Vernon going up to Jaehyun, an angry expression on his face.
“Hey, we don’t have to go in. Whatever makes you comfortable.” You looked at Mingyu and it just made you want to cry more. He looked like he genuinely cared, eyes soft, a small – barely noticeable – pout on his lips. “No, it’s okay. Let’s just set boundaries. Fuck. I really didn’t know that he’d be here.”
“Hey, easy. Remember to breathe, okay? Everything’s fine”
The two of you started to quickly talk about the start of your relationship. It was decided that you started dating in January, being together for six months before the wedding. You had met through Vernon, immediately clicking. Mingyu, of course, was the one who confessed. “What about physical touch?” Mingyu asked softly, continuing when he saw your confused expression. “I mean, we have to sell it somehow. Wouldn’t it be weird if we’ve been dating for a couple of months and there’s no physical contact at all?” Shit. You really didn’t think about that. Why did you agree to do this?
“Let’s just hold hands, is that okay? Maybe a kiss on the cheek will be fine.” You said clearly nervous.
“Yeah, of course. If you feel uncomfortable let me know, alright?” Mingyu squeezed your hand for reassurance before coming out of the car and opening the car door for you. You muttered a quick ‘Thanks’, wiping your palms on your jeans. Why were you so nervous? Everything’s fine – you told yourself over and over, kind of wishing that you would just believe it. Suddenly, you felt a warm hand holding yours. You looked up, seeing Mingyu smiling softly at you. Yeah, your heart is definitely not surviving this.
Vernon and Jaehyun were no longer standing outside, and you were starting to worry about what your best friend had said to the man. Well, Vernon’s a grown man, he’ll be fine.
As the two of you walked into the store, your eyes wandered around it. Light pink wallpaper accents, beautiful white arches between each section of the shop, flowers adorning each one. So many mannequins dressed in some of the most gorgeous pieces of clothing you have ever seen. All of the guests were already sitting in the middle of the main room, drinking champagne and laughing. When Jihyo noticed you, her eyes lit up – already waving you and Mingyu over. You greeted everyone, introducing Mingyu as your boyfriend to those who didn’t know him. It had caused quite a commotion, pretty much all of the attention redirected to the man next to you. The aunties circled him, asking about his job, age, and everything else, only turning to you to ask how you managed to find such a catch. You should have known.
After about 10 minutes, Jihyo showed the bridesmaids the dresses that she thought they would like – each bridesmaid getting a dress in a different style, only the color being the same. When she brought you your dress, you were stunned. A light pink color, silky fabric, the top had thin spaghetti straps and a cowl neckline. The dress was fitted at the torso and waist, cascading down in multiple asymmetrical layers. At the waist there was a draped overlay that gathered on one side, adorned with a flower made out of the fabric.
“I saw it and it just screamed you! If you don’t like it we can always look for another one”
“Jihyo, this is the most perfect dress I have ever seen.” You heard a squeal before feeling arms wrapping you in a hug. “You’re going to look so beautiful in it! Now go and try it on. Oh! Show it to Mingyu first!” She winked at you, calling Mingyu over and walking away from both of you.
“Do you like it?” You couldn’t help but feel awkward. Mingyu looked like he was in a trance, though – and you weren’t even wearing the dress yet.
“Oh. Uhm. It’s gorgeous. You’re trying it on?” You nodded, grabbing his arm and walking over to the changing rooms. Mingyu sat on the couch in front, waiting (not so) patiently for you to come out. And, oh. Nothing could have prepared him for this moment. When you walked out of the changing room, his breath stopped. It was knocked out of his lungs. Mingyu could have died right there, and he would be very happy about how he spent his last moments on earth. What really got him, though, was when an employee walked up to you, clipping the dress in the right places, so that it clung to your body perfectly. Yeah, consider him dead.
“You forgot to close your mouth.” You teased him, walking up to stand in front of him.
“Well, you’ll have to forgive me. You look really, really beautiful.” You hit his shoulder playfully, blush creeping up your cheeks. “You’re just saying that” You rolled your eyes, trying to act like he was just joking, but the look on his face said the complete opposite. A small smile on his lips, eyes with visible sparkles lingering on you for just a little too long, blush adorning his ears and slowly making its way to his face.
“Can you go and get Jihyo? Thank you.” You smiled at him, suddenly feeling overwhelmed. You were so out of it that you didn’t even notice someone coming up to you.
“You look good.”
You just froze.
“What do you want?” You asked through gritted teeth. You knew that all of this was going too smoothly. You should’ve known when you didn’t see him sitting and talking with other people. But of course, stupid, naive you thought that he wasn’t going to bother you.
“Hey. Chill. I’m just trying to talk.”
“I think I gave just enough signs for you to figure out that I don’t want to do that.”
“You see, I don’t think so.” That made your blood boil. Was constantly blocking his number(s) not enough? Changing your lock so that he wouldn’t have the correct key? Ignoring him when he would knock on your door for hours? What more is there to do?
“What’s going on here?” Mingyu asked, clearly confused. He walked up to you, putting his arm over your shoulders.
“Just talking, man. Who are you?” If looks could kill, Jaehyun would be long gone.
“Kim Mingyu, her boyfriend.” The man said with a straight face, hugging you closely.
“Boyfriend, huh? Moved on already? That’s so not like you”
“Are you fucking serious? Why can’t you just leave me alone? That’s all I fucking want.” You could feel tears forming in your eyes. Again. All because of Jaehyun. You were just so tired.
“Just-”
“That’s enough. Back off man, seriously.” Mingyu said firmly, his fingers moving to intertwine with yours, squeezing the palm of your hand.
“Typical. Making someone else deal with your shit. You really haven’t changed, have you?”
You broke. Tears finally escaping, feeling Jaehyun’s words hit you.
“You do know that what he said isn’t true, right?” Mingyu said carefully while getting into the car.
“Say one more thing to her, and I swear to God, I’ll kill you.” Mingyu sent him a glare, leading you back into the changing room. “Change back into your clothes, okay? I’ll take care of the rest.” He said softly, wiping your tear-stained cheeks. You nodded, changing out of the dress after Mingyu walked out. He took the dress, telling you to go back to the car.
***
“It is though. I can’t even stand up for myself.” You sniffled, hiding your face in your hands. Mingyu’s hand made its way into your hair, gently patting while trying to comfort you.
“You can. You were standing up for yourself. That fucker was just ignoring it. I know that it’s hard, but you can’t let his words get to you, okay?” You nodded, tears still falling.
“What about the dress and tie, though?” You said in a small voice, making Mingyu chuckle softly. “I paid for it to be altered. We’ll pick it up in a few days and find a matching tie. You can look at heels, too”
“You didn’t have to.” You frowned.
“Don’t mention it.”
You looked carefully at Mingyu, hesitating a bit before asking him a question. “Do you think that I ruined the day for Jihyo and Joshua? I don’t want them to feel guilty because of me. That they invited him to the wedding, I mean”
“We’re really sorry.” Jihyo said while caressing your arm. As soon as she heard about the situation, she drove to your apartment. The woman felt so guilty – she knew how Jaehyun treated you, so why did she agree to invite him to the wedding? She was a part of the rescue group when you were living with him, practically not talking to any of your friends. “I mean that. I don’t know why I agreed. I’m really, really sorry.”
“You didn’t ruin anything. I’ll text Vernon and drive you home, is that okay?” You just nodded, feeling so tired.
***
You looked up at her, eyes red from crying. “Jihyo, I really wish that I could be mad at you and Joshua, but I just can’t. Don’t worry about it. I was just shocked seeing him for the first time.” You reassured her, telling her the complete truth. Damn, you really should start being more selfish; it would probably make you feel a hundred times better. You were sick of it. Being so sensitive and fragile. You almost felt weak from all of your friends comforting you – like you can’t handle it on your own. Just like Jaehyun said it.
Jihyo stayed, insisting to watch a movie together. The two of you haven’t been able to hang out lately, because the wedding is coming up. It almost reminded you of the high school days – walking to the other’s house immediately after class ended and spending the whole evening together. You were so glad that this friendship lasted so long. When you were teenagers, you were so scared of growing up, going to college, worried that you and Jihyo wouldn’t keep in touch anymore. Instead, you always made time to talk to each other and catch up. You smiled at these thoughts, hugging the woman beside you tighter. “I love you.”
S01E05, THE FLIGHT
“I love you too.”
Two months passed way too quickly – it was now 4 days before the wedding and the soon to be married couple was flying you out to the seaside, where the wedding would take place. Yes, they were that rich.
In those two months, you started getting closer to Mingyu – but only for the act to be convincing, of course! No other reasons. You would come to his restaurant without any of your other friends, simply just to see how he’s doing. He’s your fake boyfriend; you have to check in on him!
About a week after The Incident™, Mingyu took you to the store again. You made sure that the dress was tailored the right way – the man drooling almost immediately when he saw you in the dress again. Let’s just say, you’re not the only one who’s being delusional. Mingyu picked a tie that matched the color of your dress perfectly, and then he spent almost three hours searching for heels that you could walk in with you. That man was down bad – he didn’t even make fun of you for not being able to walk in high shoes despite you being almost twenty-eight years old. He might just be perfect.
Mingyu also hung around at your apartment much more under the pretext of hanging out with Vernon. Said hangout almost always ended in him laughing with you, Vernon asleep either on the couch or in his bed. Well, it wasn’t your fault that Vernon couldn’t fight his sleep! And you couldn’t possibly make Mingyu drive for these long ten minutes back to his place – it was so late already! You’re not a monster! Of course, you made him stay the night, one time even falling asleep with him on the couch – let's just say, when you woke up you thought that you were still dreaming. But that’s just because Mingyu’s conventionally attractive, okay?
You’re at the airport with Vernon, waiting for Seulgi, Sana, Seungkwan and Mingyu. Vernon was looking at the resort where you would be staying, eyes wide at its luxury. How the fuck could Jihyo and Joshua afford that? For almost a hundred people!
You check the seat number on your ticket comparing it to Vernon’s. Damn it, he’s not sitting next to you.
When the rest of your friends arrived, you swiftly made your way to the gate, talking about how wonderful the next couple of days would be. You got on the plane, and naturally Mingyu was sitting next to you. Did Jihyo plan this? If she did, you don’t know whether to thank her or crash out. Obviously, Mingyu is fun, and over these two months you started to like him – that's the problem, though. You were starting to like him a little too much, giggling like a schoolgirl whenever he joked around or catching yourself smiling a little bit too hard when messaging him.
You were falling for Kim Mingyu.
“You okay?” Mingyu asked, a teasing smirk on his face. His voice snapped you out of your massive realization, eyes wide as you looked at him.
“Yeah, just a little bit scared of flying.” Lies, lies, lies! You were anything but scared of being on planes. You just couldn’t think of a better lie.
Mingyu’s eyes softened, his smirk disappeared off of his face, quickly starting to reassure you that everything’s going to be fine and bringing up some statistics which said that planes were way safer than cars. You weren’t really listening to him, though. Mingyu blamed that on your fear, quietly offering you one of his headphones so that you could watch a movie together. You took it, muttering a small ‘thank you’.
You were out of it for the whole flight – barely paying attention to the movie. You just couldn’t get rid of the thought about falling for Mingyu, suddenly not being able to talk to him at all. Again, the man brushed it off, thinking that you were probably very scared. So, what did Mingyu do? He intertwined your hands, tracing various patterns on your skin. God bless him for being so caring, but oh my you were about to go insane. That’s not even a joke.
Thankfully, you didn’t have a mental breakdown; the plane landed soon after. Mingyu said something along the lines of ‘see? That wasn’t so bad’ but you couldn’t even bring yourself to answer him, only giving him a tight-lipped smile.
Your group called two taxis that were supposed to drive you to the hotel, and you literally sprinted away from Mingyu, not wanting to sit next to him again. The drive was peaceful, and you spent it looking at the view – you were riding along the shore, the water looking way too beautiful. There were so many cute small houses and people on the street looked genuinely happy.
Joshua welcomed you at the reception, handling the room situation. Each one of you got a keycard, Sana sharing a room with Seulgi and Vernon sharing it with Seungkwan. Surely, you weren’t sharing a room with Mingyu. The number on your keycard’s different, right? Jihyo and Joshua wouldn’t do this to you, you introduced them – you were the reason that this wedding was even happening!
“Oh! Are we sharing a room? I have a 405 on my keycard.” Mingyu said while pointing at the number on your card – 405. You have to be fucking kidding.
Mingyu’s brows furrowed after seeing the look on your face, his eyes showing his sadness and confusion. “We can switch if you want to. I can room with Vernon or whoever else is willing to change.” He reassured you, placing a hand on your shoulder. Fuck you, Kim Mingyu, for being so thoughtful and not wanting to make anyone uncomfortable.
“Oh, no! I don’t want to switch! Don’t worry!” Mingyu didn’t look like he believed you, his mouth already opening to say something. “Yes, I’m sure.” You beat him to it, already knowing what he would say. “Let’s go” you said, walking towards the elevator.
“I’ll take your bags; you can go to the room.” Mingyu said as the elevator reached the fourth floor. You smiled at him, walking to the hotel room. You swiped the keycard, not bothering to close the door since Mingyu would be inside in a minute. You walked deeper into the space, stopping when you saw something.
“Is something wrong?” You heard Mingyu ask, before you could feel his presence behind you. You turned to look at him, pale, eyes wide. There was only one fucking bed. Normally, this wouldn’t be a problem, but after today’s realization you might just crash out really badly.
“I can sleep on the floor. Or on the armchair.” He said, already taking a pillow and placing it on the floor. You see, you weren’t cruel. Mingyu wasn’t about to sleep on the floor for five nights. You let out a shaky breath, mentally preparing yourself for what’s about to come out of your mouth,
“Mingyu, stop. You’re not going to sleep on the floor or in the armchair. We’re adults, we can share a bed without making it weird, right?” Your voice cracked. It literally fucking cracked. There goes your nonchalant persona.
“Oh, yeah. Totally.”
“I’m gonna go shower, I’ll be right back.”
After you almost crashed your head on the shower wall, you came out of the bathroom, seeing Mingyu sitting on the floor, back against the side of the bed. “You can go now.” You let out quietly, making your way to bed, snuggling under the covers. When Mingyu came back, you were fast asleep. He couldn’t help but stare at you – you just looked so beautiful. The sound of his phone snapped him out of his trance.
Joshua to wedding guests 🎉 We're eating breakfast tomorrow at 10!! Attendance is mandatory since the family is arriving on the 6th 😉
S01E06, THE CONFUSION
Mingyu liked the message, not wanting to respond right now. He slid under the covers, facing you. His hand automatically moved your hair from your face, lingering a bit too long.
“I think that I’m just going to kill myself.” You said with a straight face, stopping your pacing around Vernon and Seungkwan’s room. You were truly going insane – you texted the group chat demanding a meeting in one of their rooms.
“You’re not killing yourself. Can you explain what exactly happened? You haven’t even said anything.” Seulgi said, brows raised at your behavior.
“Basically, we got to the hotel room yesterday evening, right? I walk in and, of fucking course, there’s one bed. And, you know me – that's not a problem at all! Well, it fucking is right now! Why? Because on the plane I realized that I have a fucking crush on Mingyu! Seungkwan don’t you dare say anything.” You pointed a finger at the man who was clearly seconds away from bursting laughing. “Okay, continuing – Mingyu comes to the room, eyes wide and he fucking offers that he could sleep on the floor! On the floor! I’m not that cruel! We’re spending 5 nights here, for fuck’s sake! And what do I do? I told him that it was fine! That we can share a bed without making it weird! I’m the one who’s making it weird! ME!”
“Hey, Y/N. Calm down, I think you’re overreacting a bit.” Vernon walked up to you, placing a hand on your shoulder for you to relax.
“Vernon. That’s not even the end.” He sighed, sitting back down on the bed. “So, I showered and went to sleep, right? Fell asleep right away. I wake up, and Kim fucking Mingyu is cuddling me. Like, he’s fully on me! Head in the crook of my neck type of shit! I ran away as fast as I could, but he had to fucking wake up, so I lied to him that Sana stole my charger and my phone is dying.” You were met with silence and judgmental stares.
“God, you’re so stupid.”
“What? Sana, I’m going insane!” You hid your face in one of the pillows on the bed.
“Bro, he also has a crush on you.” Vernon said while patting your back. He heard your muffled response. “You’re just saying that to make me feel better.” His eyes widened, brows raising at your words. He looked at the rest of your friends with utter disbelief. “Okay, you’re actually just fucking dumb.” His hand still patted your back, a sign of comfort despite his words.
“Don’t you see how he looks at you? It makes me sick.” Seulgi asked, pretending to gag at the thought. You looked at her with confusion in your eyes.
“Y/N, I literally had to beg him to drive me to the store when we were buying outfits for the wedding. He didn’t want to agree because he was already picking you up. We’re fucking roommates.” You turned your head towards Vernon, who had a scarily straight face. “Want me to continue? He let you try the food that he was making when we hosted dinner at our place. He never lets anyone try it. More? Okay. When he wanted to hang out with the whole group and I told him that you were sick, he literally dropped off a soup for you. Made it as soon as he heard you weren’t feeling well.”
Your jaw dropped. “That was from Mingyu?”
“Did you think that I made it? I can’t cook shit.”
Okay, maybe there were some signs that Mingyu could potentially like you back. But nothing’s confirmed, right? You’re just going to closely observe his actions and draw your own conclusions – yeah, that’s actually a great idea.
“Go get ready, we’re meeting everyone for breakfast in 10 minutes.” Seungkwan told you, pushing you towards the door. “What?” You asked, trying to remember agreeing to that. “Didn’t you see the group chat that Joshua made?” Your face fell. You were fast asleep, and you didn’t even bother checking your messages today, wanting to text your friends right away. Seungkwan just sighed, telling you to run to your room. Thankfully, it was just a couple doors away but still, there was no way that you could get ready in just ten minutes.
You barged into the room, seeing Mingyu sitting on the bed. He was wearing a white linen shirt, with brown pants made of the same material. He looked too fucking good. “Mingyu, I’m going to be late for breakfast, could you save me a seat?” You asked sweetly, already looking through your suitcase.
“Yeah, of course.” You sent him a smile, rushing to the bathroom to change and do your makeup. 20 minutes later you were checking the way you looked in the mirror – you opted for a light green knee length skirt with a white sleeveless high neck top. You quickly put on your ballet flats and locked the hotel room door.
After a short ride to the elevator, you arrived at the dining area, quickly spotting your friends sitting on the patio. You made your way to the table, seeing that Mingyu had indeed saved you a seat.
“There she is!” Jihyo teased you with a smile on her face. You rolled your eyes at her, looking at the people sitting at the table. You were met with the couple’s friends from college, who you haven’t seen in a while – Minghao, Soonyoung and Chan, Jihyo’s good friends from work – Irene and Mina, and some of Joshua’s friends – Seungcheol, Seokmin and Jeonghan. The couple flew out the people that they were the closest to and those who could take a couple of days off work (Jun, Jihoon and Wonwoo could not, so they were arriving the day before the wedding.)
You greeted everyone, gushing about how you haven’t seen them in a while. While talking with Soonyoung you felt a tap on your shoulder.
“I made you your morning tea.” Mingyu said, bringing the mug closer to you. You looked at him with wide eyes, trying to figure out how he remembered that – you only mentioned it once! A month and a half ago!
“Thank you.” You smiled at him sweetly, taking a small sip of the drink – and God, Mingyu made it perfectly. Damn you, Kim Mingyu.
“I’m going to get more food, you coming with me?” He took your hand in his, already dragging you with him. Is it wrong to just pretend that he’s not just acting? Because you might just give in.
When the two of you left the table, Jihyo and Vernon kept sending each other knowing looks. “Is Y/N dating Mingyu?” Soonyoung asked, brows furrowed.
“Well-” Joshua opened his mouth to answer his question, but he was brutally cut off by his fiancée and Vernon.
“Yes”
“Yeah, dude.”
Soonyoung just pouted before sighing, “Damn, I missed my chance, then.” Jihyo smacked his arm as soon as he said it. “Stop! They’re really happy together. Don’t you dare ruin that.” The man started to rub his arm to soothe the pain, mumbling something about understanding it now. Seungkwan sent Jihyo a bright smile, happy that she’s making their plan come to life.
Wait. What plan?
That’s a wonderful question – your dear friends came up with a brilliant idea, just after you ran out of Vernon’s room. They called your best friend, telling her about the whole situation. Jihyo had a suggestion – they would confirm to everyone (even your friends that you haven’t seen in a while who had nothing to do with Jaehyun) that you were, indeed, dating Mingyu. Why? So that the two of you have to always act like a couple, finally confessing to each other. Damn. Your friends really want you to get laid.
You walked with Mingyu for a bit, looking at all the food. When you both had full plates, you came back to the table where everyone was laughing and enjoying each other’s company. “So, how long have you two been together?” Chan asked curiously.
“Oh! Uh...” You were confused, to say the least. How did they know? And why did you suddenly forget all of the details that you had gone over with Mingyu?
“Since January.” God bless Kim Mingyu. He’s out here saving your ass every single day. You looked at him, eyes meeting his gaze. He had a certain look in his eyes – a warm and sparkly one. You didn’t even notice the smile growing on your face – too focused on the man next to you.
After breakfast all of you went to hang out by the pool – playing chicken fight (you and Mingyu only lost once!), drinking beer, tanning and talking. You didn’t even realize how much you missed hanging out with Jihyo’s and Joshua’s friends. After drying up you went to a local restaurant for dinner. What made you concerned, though, was Mingyu getting back to the hotel as soon as he finished eating. You quickly ate the rest of your meal, leaving money for your friends to pay for your and Mingyu’s meal. You made your way back to the hotel room, abruptly stopping when you saw the man inside. Mingyu was sitting on the bed, head in his hands, sniffling. You furrowed your brows, making your way to sit next to him.
“Jihyo, why didn’t you tell us anything? They’re so cute!” Irene said with a smile. The two of you just looked at each other again, giggling at each other. Seulgi observed you from the end of the table, disgust written all over her face. The pair of you was making her believe in love, and she absolutely hated that.
***
“Hi. Do you want to talk about it?” You asked him softly, placing your hand on his arm.
“It’s stupid.” He lifted his head up, looking at you with red eyes from tears.
“Don’t say that. If you’re upset, then it’s definitely not stupid.” You squeezed his hand before intertwining your fingers.
“I called Soobin, one of the other chefs in the restaurant. You know – just to check how everything is going. He said that it’s been really hectic and stressful. He also said that it’s just really hard without me. And, I guess that I feel really guilty about leaving them alone. I don’t want them to be mad at me; I could’ve just flown in with the family and worked with them for those two days.” He sniffled, averting his gaze to the ground.
“Mingyu...” You said quietly, a heavy feeling in your chest. “You also deserve a break. You worked so much recently, I promise they’re not going to be mad at you. Don’t stress it, okay? You want a hug?”
“Please.” You immediately draped your arms over his neck, feeling his head nuzzle into the crook of your neck. “You probably think that I’m a loser now – crying over something like this.”
“Mingyu, don’t be silly. It just shows how much you care about other people.” You felt his arms tighten around your waist as your hand made its way into his hair – softly playing with it. “Do you want to take a nap? Rest for a bit?” You heard him agreeing and instantly sliding under the covers. His hand reached out for you, tugging you to lie next to him. His arms draped around your waist, his face coming back to its place in your neck.
You to wedding guests 🎉 me and mingyu are going to take a nap so don’t be scared if we’re not answering
Soonyoung Taking a nap, sure 😉
You i'm going to block you
Today he woke up, and surprisingly, did not cling to you. He turned around to face you, seeing your peaceful expression, your hair all around the pillow. Mingyu smiled to himself, his eyes focusing on the barely visible freckles adoring your cheeks and nose. His hand reached out, tucking your hair behind your ear. You started stirring, clearly waking up. You opened your eyes, immediately met with a pair of brown ones dangerously close to you. None of you said anything, just looked at each other with soft smiles.
***
Mingyu was starting to think that you’re not the smartest person. And he means it with all due respect – he has the biggest crush on you, for God’s sake! That just seemed to be the problem, though. No matter what he’s doing to try and show you that he likes you, you just don’t get it. Do you really think that he’s pretending to be your boyfriend when you’re alone? He makes your tea every morning, boiling hot with two teaspoons of sugar (even when it’s 30 degrees outside, how can you drink hot tea in this weather?). He always compliments you but only because he really means it - Mingyu thinks that you’re the most beautiful woman on this earth. He’s almost always trying to touch you – an arm draped around your shoulder, hand on your leg, on the small of your back whenever you’re walking somewhere, hand tracing different shapes on your palm, and just so much more! The two of you even cuddle when sleeping, and Mingyu acts like he’s asleep when you wake up, hoping that you’ll get the clue.
“You snore.” You whispered, breaking the silence. Mingyu groaned, hiding his face in his hands.
“We were having a moment, and you ruined it.” He muttered, looking over at you after hearing your giggles. “Sorry.” You whispered, trying to contain your laughter.
“I really don’t want to get up today.”
“We can stay here all day!” Mingyu exclaimed, throwing his arms around your waist and nuzzling his head into the crook of your neck.
“We can’t. Today’s the rehearsal dinner, remember?” Your hands made their way into his hair, brushing through it. Mingyu started to mumble protests, tickling your neck, “you’re like a baby.” You huffed out, acting like you were annoyed with the man.
“I’m your baby, remember?” He lifted up his head, looking up at you with sparkling eyes and a pout.
“Get out!” You laughed, not believing what he had just said. Mingyu started to apologize, practically laying on top of you. “Mingyu, get off. I’m hungry, we need to go eat.”
After what felt like an eternity, you finally convinced Mingyu to get up. You both started getting ready together, the act feeling strangely domestic. That’s the thing – everything that you did with Mingyu felt like that. And yeah, you do have a crush on him, but are you ready for a relationship? After Jaehyun you were really scared to get into something serious, scared that once again you would be manipulated and mistreated. You knew that Mingyu wasn’t like that, he was Vernon’s best friend, and they have known each other ever since you can remember. Still, deep inside you were just terrified. Your ex’s presence definitely did not help you in overcoming the fear.
You and Mingyu arrived at the venue late. Not your finest moment.
You decided to ignore those thoughts, smiling at Mingyu, who was waiting for you by the hotel room door.
***
Of course, you sent Jihyo a message explaining the whole situation, making it a bit more complicated when in reality both of you were taking a nap.
You walked in, taking your seats and greeting Jihyo’s and Joshua’s family. You haven’t seen them, mostly because they only arrived today and Mingyu has been holding you hostage in your hotel room. Literally.
You were sitting next to Jihyo’s mom, Mingyu sitting next to Vernon on the other side of you. Mrs. Park has always treated you like a daughter, so she threw herself at you the moment that you sat down.
“Oh, darling! I haven’t seen you in so long!” She spoke, voice wobbly. You hugged her back, tearing up, “I missed you, auntie” you whispered into her hair.
“You’re doing better, right? That’s why you haven’t called?” She said, placing her hands on your shoulders and looking into your eyes. You nodded, not wanting her to worry anymore. She smiled softly at you, her eyes drifting to the person behind you, “who’s that?” A teasing smile made its way onto her face, eyebrows raising.
“Oh, right!” You chuckled awkwardly, grabbing Mingyu’s arm. “Auntie, this is my boyfriend, Mingyu! Mingyu, this is Mrs. Park, Jihyo’s mom.” You were shitting your pants. Mrs. Park would definitely notice that Mingyu isn’t actually your boyfriend – she knows you too well! And of course, you forgot to warn Mingyu about meeting her. Great.
Mingyu stood up to shake her hand, bowing his head. “It’s so nice to meet you, Mrs. Park. Y/N told me so much about you.” He sent her his best smile, and you could immediately tell that Jihyo’s mom was a goner. God bless Kim Mingyu and his ability to woo any woman that he meets.
“Oh, please just call me auntie! I didn’t know that Y/N had a boyfriend! Is that why you haven’t called?”
You opened your mouth to answer her, but Mingyu had already started talking, “Well, that might have been my fault. I’ve been bothering her too much, I’m sorry that she couldn’t talk to you.” He smiled sweetly, his hand making its way to your waist.
“I’m just happy that our Y/N has been busy! Especially after that horrible guy you were dating! You know, I knew that there was something wrong with him. Anyways, enough about him, how did you two meet? How long have you been together? Tell me everything!” She asked excitedly, her eyes glowing with happiness.
“I’m one of Vernon’s friends, so he introduced us. She was with her ex when we met, so we haven’t really talked much, but I’ve had the biggest crush on her ever since I saw her for the first time. I finally asked her out on a date in December. It took me a month to ask her to be my girlfriend, I was that nervous. Today is exactly six months since we started dating.” Mingyu looked at you with a soft smile and a sparkle in his eyes, and you were speechless to say the least. Just the fact that he came up with it on the spot was insane to you – was he not even a little bit nervous? You can’t lie, though, your heart fluttered when you heard his words. Is it wrong to gaslight yourself into thinking that he’s telling the truth?
You looked over at Mrs. Park, seeing a wide smile on her face, her eyes looking from Mingyu to you, “oh, I’m so happy for you! You better treat her right, Mingyu! If not, I’ll harass Vernon into telling me where you live.” She pointed her finger at him jokingly before hugging both of you.
The dinner was filled with laughs, happy tears and so many smiles. Thankfully, you weren’t the only one tipsy from wine – pretty much your whole group of friends was intoxicated, making the way back to the hotel interesting.
Jihyo’s mom disappeared to talk to her daughter, leaving you and Mingyu alone. The man was staring, you could feel it, but you couldn’t get yourself to meet his gaze, suddenly feeling very awkward around him. You could see his hand reaching out to rest on your thigh, the action interrupted by the server bringing you your food. A quiet ‘thank you’ escaped your lips and you immediately started eating, praying that Mrs. Park doesn’t come back for a while. Confusion and anger flooded your mind, not knowing why you were reacting like that. You were so lost in your thoughts that you didn’t notice Mingyu shifting towards you, his hand tucking a piece of your hair behind your ear. His eyes finally met yours and feeling his hand brushing through your hair combined with the gentle look on his face instantly made you relax. To be honest, Mingyu probably had no idea what was happening to you – you didn’t even know what was going on – but his facial expression made you feel like he understood. And that was all you needed.
***
“Ugh, I don’t want to wash my hair.” You mumbled into the pillow, freshly showered Mingyu lying beside you.
“If you don’t wash it right now, you’ll hate yourself for it tomorrow. It’ll take you like twenty minutes.”
“Twenty minutes too long.” You grumbled, knowing that Mingyu was right. Was he sobering up already? Why was he actually thinking? His stare made you groan and get up from the bed. Men will never understand the dread that comes with washing your hair.
After some time, you walked out of the bathroom dressed in pajamas, drying your hair with a towel. The man sitting on the bed looked at you with a glimmer in his eyes, gesturing for you to come closer to him. You sent him a confused look.
“Come on, I’ll dry your hair for you.” He said, insisting that you sit between his legs, your back against the bed. You slowly made your way to sit on the carpet, making yourself comfortable and handing him the towel. Mingyu took it and started gently drying your hair and playing with it.
“You don’t have to.” You said quietly, voice slightly cracking.
“You were so annoyed that you even had to get up from the bed, just let me do this.” He chuckled, playfully tugging a piece of hair, earning a slap on his thigh from you. “Ow! Anyway, why didn’t you tell me that Jihyo asked you to prepare a speech for tomorrow?”
“I think that she wanted to surprise everyone. She asked me to not tell anyone, which is ironic considering that she was gushing about it with everyone after four glasses of wine.” You could hear Mingyu chuckle, suddenly feeling warmer after hearing the sound.
“Are you nervous?” You hummed in response, not really wanting to admit it out loud. “You get nervous a lot, don’t you?”
You were about to kill Kim Mingyu.
“Yeah, well, isn’t that normal? Don’t you get nervous?”
“Sometimes.” He muttered, clearly focused on the task that he gave to himself.
“So, when do you get nervous?” You asked in a teasing tone, not really expecting a serious answer.
“When I’m around you.” You immediately tense up, eyes going wide. A quiet ‘what?’ left your lips without you even meaning to let it out, shock taking over your whole body. “I get really nervous when I’m around you. I try not to show it, though. You’re so beautiful, funny, kind and just so many other things that it’s impossible for me to not feel nervous around you. I guess I just like you that much.”
What. The. Fuck.
You turned around to face him; mouth open in shock. “Mingyu, are you still drunk? How much wine did you drink?”
Mingyu rolled his eyes, “No, I’m not drunk. I’m not that much of a lightweight. Just decided that it would be better for us both if I told you.” His eyes roamed around your face, slowly starting to worry when you wouldn’t even look at him. “Y/N? I know that you feel the same, Vernon betrayed you”
You wanted to throw up. For some reason, you just couldn’t believe Mingyu’s words. You’ve been thinking about this for so long. So why, now that it’s actually happening, can’t you just tell him that you do like him?
“Mingyu, go to sleep. You drank too much.” Your voice shook as you got up from the floor, still not daring to look at him.
“God, Y/N. Why can’t you just believe that I like you?” He took your hands into his, making you look up at him with teary eyes. “Please, Y/N. I don’t need you to give me an answer right now but just believe me. I know that that fucker hurt you really badly and I’ll do anything to make you trust me.”
“I don’t want to talk about it, Mingyu. Not right now.” You could feel tears escape your eyes, looking down at the carpet. You just couldn’t do it – you hated yourself for not being able to trust Mingyu fully. You knew that he was a great guy, so why were you so scared?
He squeezed your hand before letting go of it. “Do you want to be alone for a bit?” He asked, his hand reaching to wipe your tear-stained cheeks. You nodded, trying to stop the tears from falling. Mingyu hugged you, whispering in your ear, “Get some sleep, and don’t worry. We’ll figure it out. I’ll go sleep with Vernon and Seungkwan.” He moved away from you, gathering some of his things and exiting the room. Once you heard the door shut, you started sobbing. You were so stupid. Why couldn’t you just react normally to a confession from a guy that you have a crush on? You didn’t deserve Mingyu – he should’ve gotten mad. Of course he didn’t. He was too good for you – he understood, even when you couldn’t understand. The worst thing, though, was that you didn’t even realize how much Jaehyun ruined you. You didn’t know who to hate more – him, for being so horrible to you and destroying you mentally – or yourself, for being so weak.
S01E07, THE WEDDING
You chose the second option.
You were already overwhelmed, and it was only 10:00 a.m.
Before falling asleep yesterday, you were thankful for the hectic nature of a wedding day, thinking that at least you wouldn’t have time to think about Mingyu.
You were wrong.
You offered Jihyo to help her with the last touches, wanting to get rid of some of her stress. You were supposed to think only about the wedding, so why were you thinking about him every chance you got? Making sure that the flower bouquets were correct, ironing the bridesmaids’ dresses, driving to the venue to see if everything was perfect – you just couldn’t get him out of your head.
All of the bridesmaids were getting their makeup and hair done when you returned from your errands. Laughter and chatter filled the room, making you calmer almost instantly. You sat down in one of the chairs next to Seulgi, who was getting her hair done.
“Don’t worry, Jihyo isn’t making you do more things. She said that everything is taken care of.” She sent a warm smile your way.
“Oh. Well, I wanted to do them. To take some weight off her shoulders, that’s all.” You said quietly, secretly disappointed. You stared at the floor, feeling Seulgi’s gaze burning through you. You looked at her, her face laced with concern.
“Seungkwan told me.”
“Told you what?”
“That Mingyu slept in their room.” Her hand reached to grab yours, wanting to comfort you. “That’s the only thing we know, though. He wouldn’t tell them what happened.”
“Can we not talk about this here? This is Jihyo’s day. I want to be happy today.”
“Of course, honey” She replied, squeezing your hand. “But don’t ignore him later, okay? Everyone thinks that the two of you are dating. If you want to talk, let me know.”
“I’ll be fine.” A weak smile formed on your face, your eyes barely meeting hers. “I’m good at distracting myself, you know that.” You chuckled, playing with the rings on her fingers.
Not long after, it was your turn to get ready. You were talking with the girls and the makeup artist, laughing every now and then at their remarks. Your hair was perfectly curled, and the makeup highlighted your features. You decided to change into your dress before taking pictures with the bridesmaids.
Suddenly, you remembered that you wanted to check your speech one more time. You informed your friends, making your way to your hotel room. When you opened the door, you were met with Mingyu, who was in the middle of tying his tie. He looked at you, smiling softly, letting his eyes roam around your frame. You suddenly stopped, taking the view in. Kim Mingyu looked way too good in a generic black suit.
“You look beautiful.” His eyes sparkled, almost like he didn’t believe that you were real. “Seriously, I don’t think there are words to describe how wonderful you look.”
“Thanks.” You lowered your head, not really knowing what to do. Why was he acting like yesterday was fine? Should you be acting like this? You will have to talk to him sooner or later.
“Y/N...” He stepped closer, hand reaching out to hold yours.
“Can we not talk about it? At least until after the wedding. I want to be in a good mood today.” Your voice cracked slightly while the second sentence left your mouth.
The ceremony was breathtaking. Everything looked so beautiful. Your friends’ vows made you cry multiple times. You were just so happy for them, you almost started sobbing.
“Yeah, of course.” Mingyu replied quietly. “Do you still want to do the whole couple thing?” You nodded in response. “Okay. Let’s just have a great time, yeah?”
***
You made sure to catch the newlyweds before the reception, squeezing them so hard, that someone would probably think that you’re trying to kill them. All of the guests made their way to the venue, slowly sitting down in their assigned seats. It only meant one thing – you had to give your speech soon. Your hands were shaking, the nerves taking over.
“Hey.” Mingyu sat in his seat next to you, squeezing your hand. You looked up at him, unconsciously biting your upper lip. “Everything will be fine. You’re gonna do great.”
“You promise?”
“I promise. Your speech will probably make everyone cry and laugh at the same time, knowing you.”
You smiled at his words, starting to play with his fingers. “I just want it to be perfect. For Jihyo and Joshua.” you muttered.
“It’ll be amazing. I just know that they’re going to be so happy.”
Your gaze met his, looking deeply into his eyes. They were addicting, you almost felt like you were being lured into them. In that moment everything felt right, you suddenly forgot all about your worries, focusing on the man in front of you. The thoughts in your head started to wander in the wrong direction – blaming yourself for being too scared. You mentally sighed. You were doing such a great job distracting yourself today.
Mingyu’s hands on both of your shoulders woke you up from your trance, making you realize that it’s time for your speech. You looked at the guests, all seated and waiting. You let out a shaky breath, making your way to the small stage. You were handed the microphone, looking over at Jihyo and Joshua.
“Hi. My name is Y/N, and I’ve been kindly asked to give a speech tonight. I’m really nervous, so bear with me.” The crowd chuckled, giving you a few cheers of encouragement. “I don’t really remember when I met Jihyo. She’s been in my life ever since I can remember, and I couldn’t be grateful enough for that. I don’t think that I can accurately describe our bond – everything that I say will be an understatement. I love this girl so much and have ever since we were little kids. We were grossed out by guys together, then it stopped, and suddenly we were teenagers sitting in front of the other’s house, waiting for her to tell us all about the date she’d just been on. Growing up with her by my side has been one of the best experiences of my life. I always wanted the best for her, not wanting her to go on dates with guys I haven’t approved of. I remember exactly how I met Joshua. We were fifteen, and he and his family were moving into the house next to mine. Joshua brought me a tray of cookies that he made, probably wanting to bribe me into being his friend. I thought to myself ‘hm, I’ve known him for five minutes, and he’s already been nicer to me than half the boys at my school’. That’s when I knew that I had to introduce him to Jihyo. I obviously didn’t tell any of them about my plan – I invited Joshua to come over, and when he was in the bathroom, I quickly called Jihyo, telling her the same thing. I think I’ll always remember her dragging me to another room after she saw him. She shut the door and said, ‘why didn’t you tell me that there’s a hot guy in your living room?!’. Now, who has seen a photo of our dear Joshua in high school?” You chuckled at the amount of people raising their hand. “Okay, so almost all of you know that calling him hot was insane. Soon, they started to hang out without me, and honestly, I was so happy. Seeing how perfect they were for each other made me emotional almost every time we were together. They treated me like their daughter. I still remember when Jihyo sat down with me – she's been dating Joshua for three months. She said to me ‘Y/N, I think this is it. I’m falling in love.’ The next day Joshua told me the same thing – that he’s in love. He started to ask me if I was fine with it, and I just started crying. His face was priceless! Joshua thought that I was upset, but truthfully, I was the happiest person on earth. I still am, just seeing them be so madly in love. I hope that you guys have the best life, I love you both so much. Thank you for letting me be here with you.”
You were having so much fun. Were. Because, of course, your ex had to throw himself at you again.
The speech left you with tear-stained cheeks, and after hugging Jihyo and Joshua you made your way to your seat. When you sat down, Mingyu squeezed your hand, looking at you with a certain sparkle in your eyes. He wanted to tell you that you deserve the kind of love that your friends share, and maybe that he could give it to you, but he didn’t.
***
It was getting late, and you were tipsy (drunk). You were relieved at the thought of Jaehyun not bothering you. Speak of the devil and he shall appear – the moment that you were left by yourself near the bar, he striked.
“I have to say, you look really good.”
At that point, you decided that it would be best to ignore him. Maybe then he would go away.
Well, he did not.
“You’re not even gonna respond, huh? I’m complimenting you; you should at least thank me.”
“I don’t want compliments from you.” You grumbled in his direction, praying that he would just leave you alone.
“We both know that’s a lie, darling.”
“Look, Jaehyun.” You spat out. “I don’t know why you feel the need to harass me, and I don’t want to know. I have no idea why you keep giving me more attention now than when we were dating, but it’s your problem. And honestly, it’s fucking embarrassing – chasing after a girl that you cheated on, don’t you think? I’m sick of you saying that you just wanna talk! Even if you do, I don’t! You hurt me, made me drift away from my friends because you were jealous and controlling! I never had an issue with you being God knows where half of the time! After all these things, do you really think that I want to even look at you?” Your voice grew louder, gathering the attention of people nearby.
“Damn, no need to be so pissed off. You had a fight with this boyfriend of yours, or what?”
“No! Me and Mingyu are fucking amazing! And he’s treating me way better than you ever did. God, I can’t believe that I was ever in love with you.” You huffed, making your way to the balcony.
You were met with one of Jihyo’s cousins, who had clearly heard the whole situation.
“Here. Figured that you’d need it.” He said while handing you a cigarette and offering to light it.
A quiet ‘thanks’ left your mouth, and soon you were left alone, inhaling the smoke slowly.
“You okay?” The voice made you jump slightly before recognizing the person standing behind you.
“No, but it’s fine.”
You felt something on your shoulders – big coat warming you up.
“Want to talk about it?” Mingyu said quietly, moving to stand behind you, arms on the balcony railing.
You inhaled the smoke, slowly turning your head to look at Mingyu. You were met with genuine concern adorning his eyes.
“I don’t know. I’m just so tired. I hate that how he treated me still affects my life.” Mingyu could hear your voice crack, making him immediately pull you in a tight hug. You put down the cigarette, melting in the man’s embrace. “Mingyu.” You looked up at him, tears threatening to fall. “I’m probably only saying this because I’m drunk. But I’m still really scared to tell you this.” His hands made their way to your cheeks, gently caressing them in a soothing manner. “I really like you. But I’m so fucking scared. I know that you’re not like Jaehyun at all, but it’s like my mind automatically assumes that you’re gonna do what he did. And I don’t think that I can fix it.”
“Hey. You’re not alone, you know that? I will do everything to make you feel better, okay? It’s not impossible and don’t you ever think that. You deserve the best, and I’ll make sure that you’ll get it.”
“But it will take so long, Mingyu.”
He wiped the tears off of your cheeks gently. “I’ll wait. I’ll help you. You won’t go through this alone.” He looked deep into your eyes, as if making sure that you understood his words.
More tears fell from your eyes as you hid your head in his chest. “Thank you.” You muttered with a shaky voice, squeezing Mingyu even harder. He kissed your hair, making you smile slightly.
“Mingyu! Was it you who punched Jaehyun in the face?” A voice came from the venue. You looked up at him with disbelief in your eyes.
“...No?”
a/n: here it is! i honestly dont know if i like this lol. but i spent so much time thinking about everything and overthinking it. i hope that you guys enjoy this and that it isnt too bad lol!!! this is the first thing that i have ever written (so scary to say it) so constructive criticism is highly appreaciated!!! just dont be mean lmao
taglist: @amingo046 @foxyjun @ateez-atiny380 @cheolifyme @patronellathebossoftheworld @tokitosun @itsmarieposa @sadgirlroo @mingyuisthevictimofsvt @tricky-ritz @potayaa @tigerhoshii @junniesoleilkth @chaoticstrawberryland @alohacrispyrn @chariseiswriting @blockbusterhee @lukeys-giggle
