Chapter Text
Mingi felt the wind brushing through his hair, the way goosebumps would wander all over his arms and the smell of alcohol and paint in his nose. He loved this. He loved being outside, he loved the whole experience of feeling free like a bird — able to do everything he wanted to do, at least for a moment .
His friends calling him in the late evening, armed with a black backpack and nothing but creative ideas in their minds. Mingi was doing street art since the beginning of time. The first time he was able to hold a pen in his tiny hand he would drabble chaotic lines all over every paper and tell his mom what he was seeing in them. Dragons or other fantasy creatures even if it was only a huge mess of color or pure black circles and lines. But over time it got into more — trying out more styles and colors and ending here, in this exact moment.
In front of a big white wall in the middle of nowhere, his best friend Yeosang and San right beside him boldly spraying the first line of their design on there, while Mingi was watching them for a moment and deciding if he should go with yellow or a rather darker orange. He was obsessed with the color palette of red these days - probably the reason he dyed his hair the same color. A deep yellow with the tips being a darker red.
“By the way, did Woo answer you today, I haven’t seen him with us for a while now”, Yeosang was asking, casually sucking on his lollipop and taking off his leather jacket before risking to get paint on there. San was looking in his direction as he was shaking his head. Causing his long black hair to bounce from left to right.
“Nah, his dad got him into some trouble because of his studies, I think he will be out for a while”
“It’s not like he’s doing anything besides complaining and drinking coffee”, Mingi was adding, a big grin on his lips since it was nothing more than a tease against his friend. Actually he knew far well that Woo hated the smell of paint and everything surrounding graffiti but he was coming along because he had an eye on San for a long time now.
Mingi and Yeo were taking bets how long it will take for San to finally take the fucking hint. Mingi was for some reason close to winning because even though Wooyoung had his hands all over him by any change he got, San was still too naive to get it. Maybe it was too normal for him to have his head on his shoulder, or his legs over his lap — Woo making him compliments about his painting or his muscles like they were in highschool again. It was embarrassing to look at but at the same time they were kinda cute still.
“Speaking of dad-trouble , how’s your old pal doing?”, San was putting the black can down and picking up a new one, giving Mingi a meaningful look as he was shaking it up. And the latter was immediately laughing out in disbelieve, thinking about all the fucking chaos surrounding his dad for the last two days.
“I don’t know, I didn’t talk to him since. I am trying to avoid all of this as long as I can”, he was confessing, “I mean we are not this close but hearing him say such things kinda hurt still”.
“Yeah it’s still all over the internet”, Yeosang was saying and Mingi was taking the last steps forward to concentrate his disappointment and his anger on the wall before him.
“Guess I was wrong and my dad still hates that I am gay”, he whispered, recalling a leaked voice memo from his dad saying some homophobic stuff while he was drunk on a business dinner. The thing was, his dad was not any person. Not any conservative dad who was giving their child a difficult time. His dad was the owner of the company Smileways — a huge social media company designing dating apps and other tools to connect people. How fucking ironic that this man was making money with people being in love but he was speaking down on them.
“I am just trying to avoid all the paparazzis. I hope it will calm down in a few days”, Mingi was saying more to himself than to the others - spraying the first line on his first design for the week.
⚘
But the chaos didn’t calm down, quite the opposite — it got worse any minute that was passing by. Mingi needed to be even more careful with his little art-meetings with the rest of the clique because the paparazzi were still everywhere and he didn’t want to get in trouble. Not that he had a lot to say in all of the business stuff his father was involved in, but Mingi was smart enough to know that being caught by the cops at night for spraying would not add well into the already boiling pot.
Or the fact that he got money from his father so he could live from making art and selling pieces online without telling him about the illegal spraying at nighttime.
The internet was the most brutal though. Even if Mingi was really hurt and wanted to avoid it at the same time it was impossible not to see it. Reading the most nasty shit about his own dad was still paradoxically hurtful, even though they had every right to say that.
What made the story even more weird and uncomfortable for Mingi was the press conference a few days ago where his father would proudly tell the world that his son was gay and that he therefor couldn’t be homophobic. Probably the dumbest and most unrealistic statement a person could make - but maybe he was really desperate now.
And it was not the fact that Mingi was afraid for people to know — he was openly out for years now, it was just a feeling of getting used for this. Trying to fix his dirty laundry by using his name and first of all his sexuality.
“You weren’t this proud the moment you talked to your friends on that recording”, he heard himself saying to himself, as he was scrolling through the Twitter content considering the said press conference. He was not actively searching for it, but the videos were haunting him on his timeline.
“Being the parent of a gay son, it's clear that I have a profound understanding of the importance of acceptance and love. My genuine care for my child's happiness and well-being is a testament to my open-mindedness and empathy. This experience has likely taught me the value of treating all individuals with respect and kindness, regardless of their sexual orientation—”, he heard his father say and Mingi couldn't control the laugh coming out of his mouth.
“That’s the biggest lie of all time — being the parent of a gay son, my genuine care for my child’s happiness, what does that even fucking mean?”, he was mocking him but sitting up straight in his bed as he got a notification in the upper corner of his phone. Maybe the universe was sending his dad a signal that his son was making fun of him, or the message from the devil himself was just an coincidence.
He didn’t explain much, just letting him know that a driver will pull up in half an hour and he should come to the company to discuss something.
“Don’t say you want to apologize to your son for once, instead of caring for the world more”, Mingi was still pissed at all of this, already bored and stressed over the fact that he needed to meet him instead of going out with San, Woo and Yeosang.
And the drive to the company was quiet and calm. The driver was not talking much, the radio played some new K-Pop release and Mingi was digging himself deeper into his black oversized hoddie and closing his eyes for the whole ride. He knew his dad would hate the way he was pulling up - a matching red and orange neon print on his hoodie, a black baggy pant and a big silver ring on almost every finger on each hand. It was not that Mingi wasn’t used to this society, or wearing suits and ties and acting all polished, he just didn’t want to most of the time.
The driver was passing by the back entrance, only a few single people with phone cameras still standing there - and bringing them into the underground car park. Mingi was putting on the hood and letting his hands sink into his front pocket as he was leaving the car and entering the elevator.
And finding his father’s office was like finding his own living room. He'd spent so much time at this company as a kid instead of at home that he knew every room and hallway by heart. Still it felt kinda tensed and different today and Mingi could tell by the little bows and smiles in his direction that everyone had a rough week.
He wanted to feel bad but… at the same time he was also only a puppet in this little game.
He stopped, sighing one last time before he knocked.
“Come in ”, a dark voice was letting him know from the inside and Mingi was preparing himself to whatever would happen in that room. Letting the door swung open and closing it behind him.
And it started to be weird with the fact that his father was actually not alone — but another old man with gray hair and a dark blue suit was accompanying him. Sitting right in front of his desk and both rambling through some paper and not even looking up when Mingi entered.
The second guy, however, he only noticed when he was already walking past the way too big lion statue, his father got at his africa vacation - and seeing him standing on a wall with his arms crossed to his left. Right besides the book shelf and the little leather couch as if somebody forgot to pick him up.
Dark brown eyes pinning him down, flawless skin and almost black hair with shimmering red highlights in it. No it was not really highlights , the brown just looked a little red when the light was hitting it. Also dressed in a fancy midnight black suit and for some reason he was looking like a bodyguard the way he was standing up. Probably the same age as Mingi, some inches taller than him and a slender body. Only a single ring and a little necklace instead of a tie. He looked like every other rich, spoiled dude he knew. He probably asked his father for the Mercedes on the weekends to impress some girls - or even worse, pretend that the new summerhouse was his and he brought it with his own money.
Mingi just casually letting his hood slide down and clearing his throat as his father was still ignoring him. First he thought it’s kinda a business thing, but he didn’t send some information for Mingi to get ready over text, so he had the feeling he could talk more comfortably.
“So what’s the matter? Are we having a party?”, he wanted to know and he could see how the guy was pushing himself off the wall and was walking slowly towards him. Just to stop a good five steps beside him, his eyes scanning Mingi as if he was an animal in a zoo. Looking arrogant without a damn reason.
Yeah look again, rich boy, what’s the fucking matter?
“I am curious too”. And for the first time they had some motion going on. The old man was standing up, having some papers in his hands and cleaning his palms on his thighs as if it was a hell lot of work he had just gotten over with.
“Since they are both here now — you tell them, let me get a coffee and sign this”, he was saying as they were shaking hands for a last time and walking past Mingi and the other snotty dude.
“Sign what, dad?”. Oh so it was his dad. Why did they have a dad-dad son-son situation going on?
“Mingi, why are you looking like this?”, his dad was cutting through the little chit chat from the other duo and Mingi was just raising his eyebrow.
“I think you have news to tell, so let’s not talk about my outfit”, he was complaining, seeing in the corner of his eye that the other man left and the younger one was eyeing him again. Or his outfit, to be correct. His dad let out a deep sigh as he was pointing at the stranger.
“That’s Jeong Yunho”, he was explaining and Mingi was looking over to him. And? Why was it important to know him?
“Yunho-ah, that’s my son—”
“Song Mingi, I know him”
“Oh, you know me?”, Mingi was snapping back, not knowing why a simple comment was make him this annoyed at him already. Probably just his arrogant face…
“I mean people talk about you”, this Yunho guy was saying, an presumptuous smirk on his face.
“Oh, is that so? Try not to fangirl about me too much, okay?”, Mingi was being sarcastic, seeing the way he was clenching his jaw as he was biting his teeth down.
“Would only be nightmares about this hair color—”
“You better get along guys, cut it off ”, his dad was letting them know, standing up and placing himself in front of his desk. Seeing Yunho biting his bottom lip and bowing his head in a little apology. Yeah kiss my father's ass, that will definitely help you on the sympathy scale…
“Listen to me, okay? You both heard of the incident that happened over the last few days and sadly the situation hasn’t stabilized even after the statement and the press conference. The stock price for Smileways went down almost three procent and that cost us a shit full of money—”
“Dad, I don’t know stuff about stock prices, just tell me what that has to do with us both”, he was shortly looking at this Yunho guy and than back to his dad.
“I was talking to Yunho’s dad the whole day and we came up with a plan to help us both out. It will set the tone for the upcoming work in the company and also the new image for the new launching app—”
“And? Do we have to do some ugly paperwork nobody wants to do — or another dumb statement that I am actually even more gay? Spit it out”, Mingi was getting impatient and he was feeling that the guy beside him also got a little restless.
For some reason his dad was looking at them for a moment, letting his eyes switch between them and crossing his arms before his chest as he let out a deep sigh.
“You two are getting married, Mingi”, he was saying.
Wait.
Hold on.
Wait, wait wait, what?
What?
No.
Wait.
“Hold the fuck on”, Mingi threw his hands up for him to understand that he should stop right then and there — that he shouldn't dare to say another word until Mingi’s brain was able to process this.
He said marriage, right? He clearly said marriage, or did he? Was Mingi going insane? No, it needs to be another word, no way he just said marriage. What the fuck was going on?
Yunho beside him stared at him for a full second, even though he seemed calmer than Mingi.
“Mister Song, I don’t know if I understand—”
“Dad, that’s a fucking joke. Please cut it off”, but both of them were flinching the moment his dad just let his palm hit the tabletop to shut them up.
“First of all, you are not fucking cursing in front of me and either will you talk to me like this, do you understand?”, he was yelling at his son, causing Mingi to press out a little shocked laugh.
“Marriage? Really?”, was everything he could bring over his lips. This was insane. He was insane. Completely out of his fucking mind. And why was that fucking Yunho not saying a word? He needed some backup here.
“Gay marriage is legal for almost half a year now, Mingi. Your marriage would fix the public perception of the company”
“Don’t you dare acting like you are supporting gay marriage and don't fucking call it my wedding. It would fix your stupid mistake”, Mingi was not able to hold it in but his father was just looking at him, as if his eyes wanted to kill him. Yunho on the other hand seemed in complete denial as he was just standing there quietly and staring into nothing.
“It’s already decided. You and Yunho will make a public announcement in two days, so you better get to know each other”, he was saying, leaving Mingi with the most brutal stomach ache and a dizzy brain. Feeling like his world just turned upside down. Feeling like he would just black out any minute…
“What about my dad?”, Yunho was breathing out shakingly as if he would hold the same amount of anger and shook right now.
“He is signing the papers right now”.