Nothing but the sound of sniffles were able to be heard in the car on the way home, Yunho curled up in the passenger seat with his head against the window. He tried to stop crying, but he worries that he messed everything up with Mingi back there at the club and he can't lose him.

He's the best relationship he's ever been in, and to think he's about to lose it?

Lose him?

It's enough to make Yunho cry for all of eternity.

Mingi can't stand the sound of his love crying, but he lets it go on throughout the car ride, wanting to wait for them to be back at their place for this conversation and not in the car. He doesn't want to have any kind of distractions. He wants to focus on Yunho, and Yunho only.

As soon as they're inside the house, Mingi wraps his arms around Yunho, who responds immediately by jumping up and wrapping his legs around him. Mingi carries his big baby back to their room, Yunho's head stuffed into his neck, the sniffles still audible.

"Shh..." Mingi runs his fingers through Yunho's fluffy brown hair, "Don't cry, my pretty angel," He gives him soft kisses on his head, temple, and all over his face, "Now... Tell me what's going on inside that beautiful mind," He lays them back on their king-sized bed, their bodies immersing themselves in their mass amount of blankets.

"I-I," Yunho sniffles and hicks, looking up to meet Mingi's eyes while he bundles him up in one of his favorite blankets, "I can't let them go from my mind..." He says softly, about to look away in shame when his face is held steady by Mingi's gentle hand, his thumb gliding over his bottom lip.

"Do you still love them, Yun?" Mingi asks, preparing his heart for the potential hits it will take depending on Yunho's answer. The them that he refers to are mainly Seonghwa, Jaehan, and Wooyoung, the three men that had the most impact on his love's life.

No, I don't love them anymore...

Yunho had an answer the second Mingi stopped speaking, the thought wanting to rush out and stop Mingi from worrying about that because that's not what he's feeling. It's a feeling much harder to explain, and Yunho wishes he could do so better, to make Mingi not feel insecure in their relationship -- to make Mingi not feel insecure in their love.

"No," Yunho finally says aloud, already cursing himself for letting that moment pass where he said nothing, knowing that Mingi would take it as hesitation, "I don't love them, Mingi. I love you," He says surely, not taking his eyes away from him, "I... I just... There's something in me that can't let them go," He says, saying it in the only way he knows how right now.

Mingi softly strokes Yunho's brown locks, letting him nuzzle into his chest, "I love you, Yunho," He whispers into his hair before kissing his head, "Try to explain to me, okay? Take your time," He gives him a careful squeeze, "We're in no rush at all, I'm here to listen to you."

And listening is exactly what Mingi does, letting Yunho speak without interruption as he speaks aloud every thought that he's kept holed up in that mind of his.

"I can't get them to leave my mind. I'm not sure that I want to... Does that make sense? I don't know," Yunho sighs, already getting frustrated with his own thought process, but Mingi keeps him calm and stable with the smallest of touches, "I f-feel like if I try to let them go, then I will feel that terrible feeling again... I don't want to feel like I'm a-alone," Yunho admits, curling into Mingi as much as possible, listening to his soft breaths.

Yunho always wanted to have someone, someone to be there so he's not left alone, even in his mind.

First, he found Seonghwa, and although he denied his emotional feelings for him... He didn't deny his physical feelings, and that led to Yunho seeking him out at the various high school parties. He wanted that connection. He wanted to not be alone. Even if that meant he had to put aside his emotional needs for the night, settling for Seonghwa's touch that came with no strings attached.

Yunho tried his damndest to be okay with that, to be okay with being left behind when someone else came around. Because for those short moments, he felt wanted.

After Seonghwa ran out on him, he realized that he couldn't let that happen to him again.

He had to be the one to leave them.

It was the end of senior year when seventeen-year-old Yunho first went to the nightclub he would come to be a regular at, and eventually, a performer. But before that, he was just dancing amongst the rest of them, content with being no one in particular, sleeping around with anyone that gave him the attention he craved -- within reason.

Until...

꘎ ♡ ━ ꘎ ━ ♡ ꘎

"Hey, gorgeous," A deep voice came from behind Yunho's shoulder, hands easily finding their way onto his waist, "You're an incredible dancer, hmm?"

The deep-voiced man's hands eventually rest on Yunho's hips when he turns around to match a face to the voice that was whispering sweet nothings into his ear, "I wouldn't say incredible," Yunho says, his normally apprehensive demeanor absent. He's been coming here for a while now, and he's no longer a stranger to men and women coming up to him, curious as to if he'll bite the tempting bait they've laid out for him.

"I would," His voice turns to a whisper as he leans down to Yunho's ear, not shy of his lips brushing against the young boy's lobe, "Jaehan, and you?" He introduces himself in the most casual way possible, and Yunho can't help the subtle smile coming to his face.

"Jaehan?" Yunho bites, letting his arms go up to snake around the clearly older man's neck, "I'm Yunho," He's surprised when Jaehan matches his dance movements, making him wonder how many times he's done this to other club-goers.

Surely, plenty of times.

"And what's a beautiful young guy like you doing out here dancing all alone?" Jaehan asks, squeezing Yunho's hips inward towards his own, but not touching just yet.

"I'm just here to have fun," Yunho says offhandedly, but that was his first mistake -- no, actually, his first mistake was entertaining this older man at all.

"Have fun, eh?" Jaehan chuckles, letting one of the hands on Yunho's hips slide behind him and grasp one of his cheeks to finally bring their hips together, "I think I could show you some real fun, gorgeous," Jaehan smiles and kisses Yunho's neck.

Yunho can't help the deep crimson blush that rises to his cheeks at the man's actions, normally denying the men and women that come up to him, but something about this guy makes his heart set on fire. Yunho lets himself go, leaning up to the man to connect their lips in a heated kiss when he unattached from his neck, "So show me."

That was what started it all.

It was a few weeks after they started seeing each other, sleeping together regularly, when Yunho knew he needed to tell Jaehan. He knew it was wrong all this time, and he felt dirty lying to him.

"Jae?"

"Mmm, yes, gorgeous?" Jaehan doesn't stop his pursuit, kissing down from Yunho's ear, to his neck, to the start of his chest.

"Please don't be angry at me," Yunho starts and it makes Jaehan immediately stop his movements.

Jaehan looks up at his boy with an unreadable expression spreading across his face, "You're mine and mine only, so don't tell me you went to someone else..."

"No! No, I didn't," Yunho reassures, putting up his hands to calm Jaehan down, "I wouldn't," He says, and it's true. He hadn't slept with anyone else since he started seeing Jaehan, falling into the feeling of thinking he was finally someone's, but he might mess that all up right now.

Jaehan doesn't speak anymore, looking into Yunho's eyes waiting for him to continue speaking, a twinkle in his eye saying he should get on with it.

"I'm only seventeen," Yunho says nervously as he closes his eyes, wanting to brace himself for the impact Jaehan's words will have on him.

But the words Yunho expects never come. When he opens his eyes Jaehan is still with him, not looking angry, but he's... laughing?

"That's it?" Jaehan chuckles, cupping Yunho's jaw to bring his face up to him, "You think you're the only underage one that sneaks into nightclubs?" He kisses Yunho's soft lips, "I don't mind if you don't mind. You know you're my one and only."

Yunho's heart races, looking up at Jaehan with his big brown eyes.

This older man is... accepting him? Even still? Yunho doesn't think about the bad things, the illegal things, that comes with Jaehan wanting to still be with him. He's only thinking about how this experienced man wants him. Jaehan has done nothing but make him feel special, and he can't let go of that feeling.

"I don't mind," Yunho whispers, reconnecting their lips as he pulls the man over him once again.

He should've minded back then, god, he should have thought more about it. He was so caught up in worrying about Jaehan wanting him, choosing him, staying with him, that he didn't really see the things that Jaehan was doing to him behind the scenes.

The things that he ruined. The main thing being him.

Looking back, Yunho feels so stupid, especially when his recent best friend and dance partner, Wooyoung, points them out to him.

"He's manipulating you, Yun."

Yunho quickly shoves his phone back into his front hoodie pocket, "No he's not, he would never do that," Yunho is quick to retort, defending the man he's fallen in love with over the past two years, "He's just worried."

Wooyoung narrows his eyes, having had a bad feeling in his stomach about Yunho's boyfriend for a long time, but he's never had any basis to call him on. Except for this time.

Jaehan

Where are you?

You'll be home by nine, right?

Yunho

I told you, silly, I'm with Woo practicing

It might be a little closer to 9:30

Jaehan

You know how nervous I get, I just needed to be sure.

I've been thinking about you all day, can't you just leave early?

If you love me, you'll come <3

"He's trying to make you feel guilty," Wooyoung says, knowing that it might've just been a one-time thing, but he's noticed other times where Yunho has said things that put him off. Yunho asks if it's okay he leaves early from practice often, and after seeing that text, he knows it must be his boyfriend's fault, "I don't think he's a very good person, Yun... I've been meaning to talk to you about him for a while, but I didn't know how to bring it up."

"He just misses m-" Yunho's phone buzzes again, looking down to see a notification from Jaehan again that just says 'Come home' and Yunho feels his heart rate speed up.

Is he mad at him?

He forgot to answer when Wooyoung started talking to him, so he knows he's probably mad.

"Yun?" Wooyoung's voice brings Yunho's face back up, having been staring down at his phone.

"Y-Yeah?" Yunho's eyes are rather wide, "Listen, I have to go," He says and quickly walks over to the wall opposite of the mirror, getting all of his stuff in his duffle.

"Yun, don't go," Wooyoung begs, "Please listen to me," He tries, wanting to explain to him other things he's noticed in hopes that Yunho will realize. He learned before that if this type of thing is happening to someone, it's hard for them to see unless shown. And it's harder for them to do something about it when they don't believe it.

"I have to go," Yunho swings the duffle over his shoulder, "I'm sorry, I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?" He looks back at Wooyoung with a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes. He's about to walk out when he gets another text from Jaehan saying that he's outside waiting to pick him up and that the car's running.

Yunho can't help but worry about burning up Jaehan's gas, so he hurries outside, climbing into the passenger seat.

"How's my gorgeous baby?" Jaehan smirks, leaning over to kiss Yunho on the lips before he starts driving, not waiting for Yunho to put on his seatbelt before taking off.

"I missed you," Yunho giggles from the kiss, buckling up.

"I missed you more," Jaehan squeezes Yunho's leg, letting his hand travel up and down Yunho's thigh before resting at the very top.

The car ride is quiet aside from Jaehan's music playing from the car radio, allowing for Yunho to lay against the window to close his eyes and listen wordlessly.

Yunho thinks back to what Wooyoung said in the studio.

He's manipulating you.

Jaehan would never.

Right...?

He loves me.

That night after Jaehan fell asleep, Yunho pulled out his phone and opened up Google, staring at the taunting search bar for god knows how long before his thumb begins to move.

He types in 'Signs of Manipulation' and reads through the various websites and topics that it brings up.

- What are the signs of emotional manipulation?

- What is manipulative grooming?

- 9 signs you're dealing with an emotional manipulator

Yunho is shocked by how many results pull up, clicking on the top ones and reading through since he's not sure exactly what to look for. His heart drops as his eyes skim down the many signs of manipulation, unable to help himself from glancing over at Jaehan to make sure he hasn't stirred since his search began.

It feels like chills envelop him entirely as he relates to the majority of the signs and can easily fit situations between Jaehan and him into the examples that are listed.

Yunho feels the hair on his arms completely stand on end as he hits the 'return' button, only to read similar things on all of the rest of the results that showed up on the first page. He slowly backspaces his previous search of 'Signs of Manipulation' and types with a hesitant and shaky thumb

'What is grooming?'

Yunho slowly covers his mouth with his free hand as he scrolls down the page, reading everything before sitting up and using both thumbs to rapidly delete his last search and retype

'Can a late teen be groomed?'

Yunho doesn't even notice his tears running down his cheeks and pooling at his chin until a clear droplet falls onto his phone screen, right on top of the sentence explaining that grooming can happen at any age.

Yunho

Woo, I think you were right.

I need to get out of here...

꘎ ♡ ━ ꘎ ━ ♡ ꘎

Mingi holds onto Yunho as if he's the only person on Earth, gently stroking his back, "It's okay, my love... It's okay to cry," He whispers warmly, trying to calm Yunho down.

Yunho lets out a weak sob, wiping his nose and face with a mix of Mingi's shirt and the blanket that he's wrapped in, "Wh-What do you think is wrong with me, Min...?"

"Nothing is wrong with you, angel," Mingi places careful kisses on each of Yunho's cheeks before brushing his fingers through his hair, "Absolutely nothing, you hear me? You've been through a lot in your life, but that doesn't mean you are wrong, okay?"

Yunho quietly nods, his chest still heaving, "Wh-Why won't they leave my head?"

Mingi thinks for a moment, trying to choose his words carefully, "They still have some sort of emotional hold on you."

Yunho nods again, "I... I think that I fear if I let them go, then i-it'll prove that I was disposable..."

Mingi listens intently, letting Yunho go on.

"B-But I don't want them to have that kind of power over me anymore," Yunho sniffles and wipes his eyes, "Seonghwa and Jaehan, I mean... I think... No, I know I want them out," Yunho squeezes onto Mingi's hands, "They've been bringing me down since high school. Th-They ruined me," He says the last part in a hushed whisper, more to himself than to Mingi.

Seonghwa was the one that started his downfall, but Jaehan is the one that took advantage of him and caused the real ruination. He separated him from his family and friends, wanting Yunho to focus only on him, and he did... For so long, he did. Yunho shut everyone he knew out.

Wooyoung was the one there to bring him up from the ground, becoming his best friend and leading Yunho to think he might've had feelings for him. Wooyoung never did anything wrong to him...

"You're not that boy anymore, Yunnie," Mingi brings Yunho's hands up and kisses the backs of them, "You have people that care about you, okay? Wooyoung and I. I know that I get a little too jealous over Wooyoung sometimes... But I really appreciate him being in your life, Yun. He's a kind guy," Mingi says, and it's true. He knows he needs to work on his jealousy issues, but he would be lying if he said he wanted Wooyoung out of Yunho's life.

Wooyoung is Yunho's best friend, and Mingi has to thank him some time for being there for his precious angel. He's the one that initially helped Yunho see Jaehan for who he really was, and he will be eternally grateful for that.

Without Wooyoung, he and Yunho might've never met.

Mingi looks into Yunho's reddened eyes, his heart fluttering the same way it did when they first got together, "I love you, Yun," He knows it'll be a long road until Yunho is free from his own pain, and it might never go away fully, but Mingi wants to be right there by Yunho's side. The whole way.

"I love you, Mingi."

End of Chapter Fifteen