Zero by One: Take Me Home

11. Three Ill Fates

[*Garosu-gil = a trendy street of upscale boutiques, galleries, restaurants, cafes, etc. in Gangnam
*Woolies = slang for Woolworths.]

　

　

　

　

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　"This is the moment of truth when you should stop bothering with those apps, hyung. How many times have you been ghosted this ye- no, this month? Probably more than these." Taehyun pointed at the broken crumbs (that fell off the fried chicken they had been munching on) at the end of his sentence.

　"I'm sorry? Who was the one that swiped right for me after going through 165 profiles in an hour??" Yeonjun retorted sarcastically before putting his hand up to call the waiter.

　"That's because you forced me to. You were even on your knees for this 'one last try' so I helped. Also, since when were you into men?" After ordering a refill of beer, the pink-haired man snapped his head back to the brunet.

　"My inner rainbow has been out these days for no reason, is there a problem?"

　"Not that I'm against...." Releasing a satisfied ah after chucking down his liquor, the brunet continued, "but you needn't be sassy just because your date hasn't turned up-"

　"Yet."

　"Right. We'll see."

One wearing a smug expression while the other with a frown, neither of the sunbae-hoobae duo noticed the two guys who were stealthily eyeing them from afar.

　"No! If you want to, go back on your own! I didn't force you to come with me in the first place!"

　"I said, let's! fucking! LEAVE!" The shorter of the two unknown men whisper-yelled, dragging his reluctant companion out of the diner.

　"But why! What about my-"

　"Cancel. Reschedule. Or whatever. I don't care. Just... not now!" With that, he shoved the taller man into the front seat of his swanky Hyundai Sonata Red.

Driving off like they just robbed a bank, the taller man almost broke his neck when gazing back at the shop windows where his intended 'plan' was - who now faded into a tiny pink dot in the distance - before turning to his friend.

　"You don't just ruin somebody else's date without having a valid reason, dude, seriously. What was the problem?" The driving man sighed at his friend's begrudging question.

　"Look, I'm not letting you spoil the element of surprise that I need."

　"Element what? What nonsense are you talking about?"

Once their car slid into the line of blinking rear lights that stretched to the other end of the bridge, the shorter, black-haired man faced his friend.

　"Remember what I told you the other day? The bait is set and we just have to wait for our fish to come touch it?" The taller one's forehead and nose morphed into an orange that was left out three days in the sun.

　"What does your fishing have to do with my date?"

　"Well, stupid, if you must know, you're meeting with the goddamn fish I was waiting for!!"

　"Eh?? But you told me that guy's a... some kind of salty... midget??"

　"Precisely."

　"Wait a damn minute... Oh dude, that must be the other guy! There were two! And my date said he's 183cm in the profile."