_

thankfully, it was a sunday, so yunho didn't have to think about opening eden. because honestly - he just couldn't.

he couldn't bring himself to smile and be polite to customers when he just wanted mingi.

so he sat by the window for the majority of the day, where mingi had been before he left. it had only been a day, but the older male couldn't take it not knowing if he would ever see his boyfriend again.

it was the first time he had ever properly committed to someone, given himself completely. but even if mingi didn't come back, he didn't regret it - not for a second. the time he had with the red-haired boy was worth it.

this said, he couldn't see himself loving someone the way he fell completely in love with mingi in just a few months.

a tear cascaded down his cheek as the hours went by and there was still no sign of him. he had begun to resign himself to the fact that he would be sleeping alone again for another night when he heard a faint knocking on the door.

his heart began thumping against his ribcage in anticipation, but he refused to let himself believe it would be mingi in fear of being disappointed.

but as he neared the front door, the glass window gave the identity of the person away immediately. a red mop of hair was visible through the frosted glass, making yunho's heart beat at a million miles an hour.

it was mingi.

yunho scrambled around to find the keys and hastily jammed them into the lock. when he finally opened the door, mingi stood before him, his eyes wide but his head bowed.

"mingi?" yunho asked unsurely. he felt like his heart was now going to burst - he wanted nothing more than to pull mingi in and kiss him for however long it took until everything was better again.

mingi glanced up and held eye contact with yunho as he begged: "forgive me"

"done." yunho instantly replied.

"what?"

"I forgive you, mingi. please just come back to me. I can't take another night without you" he spoke as he let further tears slide down the pale skin of his cheeks.

mingi didn't need to hear anymore. he wasted no time in enveloping the older boy in the tightest hug he thought he had actually ever given. "I'm so sorry" he whispered as he felt his own eyes begin to swim with unshed tears. "I should have never said the things I said. they weren't true. I'm sorry, please don't cry, baby" he soothed as yunho sobbed into his shoulder.

"you're coming home, aren't you?"

"if you'll let me" mingi replied as he pulled away from the hug and instead held on tightly to both of yunho's shaking hands.

"please" the older boy whispered, turning his head slightly to wipe his tears with his shirt.

"you're so beautiful, yunho" mingi beamed.

he didn't feel beautiful. he hadn't showered or brushed his hair since mingi left. his eyes were red, his nose was stuffy, and his cheeks were stained with tears. but mingi didn't care: "you're truly the most beautiful person, inside and out, and I hurt you so bad"

"shhh, please don't talk about that now. just come hold me"

and so the two males made their way upstairs and to their bedroom, where yunho sure enough laid curled up in mingi's arms.

neither boy spoke for a while, they just held each other tight, neither wanting to ever let go again. yunho was the first to break the silence.

"where did you sleep last night?"

"at a friend's" mingi quickly answered. he didn't want to give the other cause for worry - and he didn't deserve it anyway.

"don't lie to me. I know you didn't"

"it's okay, yunho" mingi tried to soothe.

yunho held tighter to the younger boy's body, "it's not okay. this is your home, mingi"

"I don't deserve it after the way I was towards you"

the taller boy fell silent for a moment, before he finally asked: "what happened, mingi?"

mingi sighed. "I let guilt take over. and I guess I kinda had imposter syndrome - living in this house, eating well, having fun, having you. it was so different to the life I was living before - the life I felt like I deserved. it was very disconcerting for me. and I guess I also found it weird for someone to actually treat me well - to truly love me and care for me. I've never had that" he explained.

yunho sat up to face the boy, taking the hand closest to him in both of his. "I understand... I mean, I don't. I will never understand what you've been through. but I forgive you, mingi. as long as you promise me that if any of these thoughts re-surface, you'll talk to me about them?"

mingi nodded as he sniffled remaining tears away. "so there's no part of you that resents me for what happened to eden?"

"not a single bit. how many times do I need to tell you? I love you. sometimes I think I love you so much that my heart might actually burst" yunho chuckled. "it's not a feeling I've ever had before. that's how I know"

"how you know what?"

"that you're the one"

mingi smiled shyly and yunho giggled at the sight of his boyfriend blushing. but then he became serious again. "do you really think I only let you live here because I feel sorry for you?" he wanted to know.

"no. everything I said was out of insecurity" mingi admitted, feeling ashamed.

"then I guess I will just have to love you until you don't feel insecure anymore" yunho said passionately. "this is your home, mingi, as much as it is mine"

"nah, it's not. it can't be"

"because you don't help me financially?"

"well... y-yeah" the red-headed boy stuttered, feeling embarrassed about just how useless he was in that respect.

"well that will soon change. I'd been thinking about this for a while but - when the store re-opens, I want you to manage it. you're also going to be my business partner which means you'll take a large cut of the profits from all the stores"

"yunho.."

"nope. don't argue. I want you to have your own money too so you can do whatever you'd like with it. it's time you start living your life again - going out, meeting new friends and having new adventures" yunho smiled at his tearful boyfriend.

"I don't deserve it, yunho"

"you deserve the world, baby" yunho cooed as he snuggled back down into mingi's arms.

he gazed down lovingly at yunho, stroking his hair away from his forehead as the older boy closed his eyes in pure bliss.

"and if youngjo ever dares to come back," yunho added, "I'll beat him up"

mingi had felt sick momentarily at the mention of youngjo's name, but he couldn't help himself but to let out a loud burst of laughter at yunho's words. "are you sure about that, babe?"

"absolutely" yunho smiled smugly while mingi continued chuckling. "I love you, mingi"

"I love you so much" mingi told him. "thank you for saving my life"

"thank you for saving mine"

~ the end ~

_

a/n: this was a short final chapter BUT there is still an epilogue to come so look out for it soon! ♡