That evening, Minjun deliberated for a while before deciding to dress up a little and head out.
He’d felt inexplicably uneasy right up until the moment he left, so he’d asked Gangha multiple times before walking out the door — “I’m really going now, okay? Is it really okay? You’re sure you’re fine? You’re not going to take it back later?”
Minjun stood in front of the entryway and checked himself over from every angle, then stepped into the elevator with a light stride. To make a good impression on Mina, he’d even borrowed Gangha’s supercar. Gangha could be a bit sensitive, but he was generous enough to lend out his expensive car without hesitation.
Minjun had already left the house buzzing with anticipation. He wasn’t sure yet what kind of person Mina was, but if they clicked well, dating her didn’t seem like a bad idea.
“Mina, hey.”
“Hey.”
They’d agreed while texting to drop the formalities with each other. The two of them met at the agreed-upon spot and walked together, surrounded by a slightly awkward atmosphere. It was the pleasant kind of awkwardness that only the first date could bring.
“Are you on break right now, Mina?”
“Yeah. What about you?”
“Same.”
They made light conversation as they stepped into a pasta restaurant with a nice ambiance. When Minjun told her he’d retaken his entrance exams five times before getting into Hankuk University, Mina’s eyes went wide with surprise. The smiles never left their faces throughout the conversation.
But sadly, the pleasant flutter of excitement didn’t last long.
He’d had a nagging sense of discomfort right up until he left home — and sure enough, the moment they’d barely started deciding what to eat, Minjun’s smartwatch buzzed.
Gangha
Incoming call
“…….”
There had never been a moment when that name felt so unwelcome. You said I could go…. He looked away, pretending to be distracted, but the buzzing didn’t stop.
“…Mina, I’m going to step out and take this call real quick.”
“Sure.”
He couldn’t bring himself to ignore Gangha’s call, so he ultimately got up from his seat. Nine times out of ten, when Gangha called like this, it meant he wanted Minjun to come home — so his feet were already heavy before he’d even answered.
“Yeah, Gangha. What’s going on?”
He asked in the warmest tone he could manage, hoping that if he was nice enough, Gangha might go easy on him.
— Hyung, I’m suddenly not feeling well.
“You’re not feeling well? Is it the hangover?”
— Yes. I was fine up until a little while ago, but I’m feeling dizzy.
“Ah…. Should I send over some hangover medicine? The electrolyte drink seemed to help too.”
Delivery from convenience stores was possible these days, so maybe he didn’t have to go himself. Finding a glimmer of hope, Minjun carefully searched for a way out.
— No. I think I need to go to the hospital. I hurt my hand too.
“What? How did you hurt your hand?”
Minjun’s eyes went wide.
“Are you okay? Is it bad?”
— I didn’t realize there was a piece of glass on the bed and I put my hand down on it. It’s bleeding a little.
“It’s bleeding?”
That’s exactly why I cleaned so carefully. Minjun, who had been trying every which way to avoid going home until just moments ago, completely forgot about all of that and grew frantic.
Gangha was tall and broad-shouldered now, but until he’d manifested as a dominant alpha, he’d been terribly frail. The Gangha of back then would bruise from the lightest bump and got indigestion from eating just a little too fast.
“If you’re hurt, we need to get you to the hospital. Should I come home right now?”
— Yes.
“Got it. Wait just a little. I’ll be right there.”
Minjun hung up and walked back to Mina at a quick pace. His expression must have looked urgent, because Mina spoke first.
“Oppa, is something wrong?”
“Yeah…. It’s just — my younger sibling says they’re really sick, so I think I need to go. I’m sorry.”
“Is that actually your sibling?”
Mina looked at Minjun with eyes full of suspicion. She’d met him at a bar, after all, so it made sense that she wouldn’t be quick to trust him.
“They really are. Yesterday was because of them too. They say they’re really sick, and I think I need to take them to the hospital. I’m sorry.”
“Your sibling can’t even go to the hospital without you?”
“They’re kind of frail…. I’m really sorry. I’ll treat you to something good next time.”
Minjun hurried to the counter, paid, and left the restaurant. Mina followed him out, looking visibly annoyed.
“Ugh, what is this.”
“…I’m really sorry.”
“I’m blocking you. Don’t contact me.”
“I’m sorry.”
Minjun kept apologizing like a man confessing to a crime. But he couldn’t exactly not go when Gangha was sitting there bleeding from his hand….
“Mina, can I at least drive you to the bus stop…?”
“It’s fine. I’m going to stay out longer.”
Mina scoffed and called someone. She’d already turned her back and was walking away, so he couldn’t make out exactly what she was saying — but it was obvious she was venting about him.
Feeling dejected, Minjun made his way to the parking lot and got into the supercar. Wanting to go on a date in the first place had been his own selfish desire, he thought. Until Gangha had someone he was dating, things like this would just keep happening.
Mina I’m so sorry about yesterday ㅠ
Lee Mina
🖕
And that was the end of things with Mina. Minjun deleted her contact with a gloomy expression.
The silver lining, at least, was that Gangha’s injury hadn’t been too deep. Gangha had a habit of getting hurt whenever Minjun wasn’t around, so he could never fully let his guard down. Baek Gangha was probably the most sickly dominant alpha in the entire world.
While Minjun was rolling around on his bed, his phone buzzed. He shot upright thinking it might be Mina — but it was Sowon.
Jin Sowon (Gangha’s friend)
Hyung, what are you up to?
Nothing much
I’m bored, won’t you hang out with me?
ㅇ
Minjun sent the half-hearted reply and lay back down on the bed. The excitement he’d felt about a long-awaited date had sunk into something miserable.
“Haah….”
But it wasn’t as if there was no hope at all. Gangha might meet someone decent once he started university. Surely there would be plenty of people who’d fall for Gangha in college, and among them, someone might catch Gangha’s eye too.
Should I ask Gangha what his ideal type is? If I found someone who matched perfectly and set up a blind date….
Minjun let the unrealistic fantasy run its course before finally stopping himself. For now, I should let go of wanting things. Though of course, even with that resolution, the moment someone new came along, he’d probably get his hopes up all over again. Minjun was someone who kept lighting the flame of hope no matter how many times he was disappointed.
Yesterday he’d braced himself to eat rich, heavy pasta even through his hangover — but he’d ended up eating spicy jjamppong instead. That was because Gangha had given Minjun his pick of the menu, apologizing for calling him away in the middle of a date.
Should I heat up the leftover sweet and sour pork? Minjun, having recovered some of his energy, got up from the bed. He was hungry, so he needed to put something in his mouth first.
Buzz— Just then, Minjun’s phone went off.
He glanced over and saw the name [Jin Sowon (Gangha’s friend)] on the screen. Does she have something to say? Minjun picked up without much thought.
“Yeah, what is it?”
— Hyuuung, I’m downstairs right now.
“Right now? You came to see Gangha?”
The out-of-nowhere statement made Minjun tilt his head.
— Huh? No. You said you’d hang out with me, so I came….
“I said that?”
— You said okay when I asked you to hang out.
A flustered Minjun pulled up their chat history.
Jin Sowon (Gangha’s friend)
I’m bored, won’t you hang out with me?
ㅇ
“That was me saying no.”
He’d replied ㅇ to a question asking if he wouldn’t hang out — so it was a refusal. On top of that, even though they’d been on fairly friendly terms with Sowon all along, they’d never spent time alone together, so he’d figured she was just joking.
— Really…? I misunderstood then. I thought you meant you would.
Sowon’s voice suddenly dropped.
— I’m sorry. I got confused. Ah, I’m such an idiot….
Her deflated voice sounded so pitiable that Minjun’s conscience stung, even though he hadn’t done anything wrong.
— Then I’ll just head back. Sorry for showing up unannounced.
“…You’re leaving already?”
He couldn’t quite bring himself to just cheerfully say safe travels to that. Minjun paced around his room, not sure what to do. Was it okay to send her away like this — a girl who’d shown up at the door? The same girl who’d been sobbing her eyes out after Gangha rejected her just two days ago. Somehow, sending her away like this left a bad taste in his mouth.
“Sowon, just wait a moment, don’t go yet.”
— Are you going to hang out with me?
“I don’t know. Just hold on.”
Minjun muted the call, deliberating, then headed to Gangha’s room. He asked Gangha whether it was okay to head downstairs for a bit since Sowon had shown up — and, as was typical, the answer that came back was go ahead. Gangha didn’t seem particularly pleased about it, but it was permission all the same.
