Reaped // Minhee Fic

18

"Where are you from then?"

"Korea but I studied in the US for a time."

"What did you study?"

"English."

"Wow," another peer says. He sits on the floor beside a recliner, "that must've been hard."

"Yeah but I got through it," the boyfriend grins, "I enjoyed it a lot." He stands up, turning to Lotte, "I'm gonna find the bathroom."

Lotte nods, "alright, don't be gone for too long."

She continues talking to her friends, about how attractive her partner is and the near future, before spotting a figure across the hall. He's tall, not Minhee tall but is still a giant. He wears a black hoodie, blue jeans, and chunky air force one's. His skin is as translucent as glass, his stare on her is as cold as ice, his hair and eyes as brown as chocolate- Shit.

At lightning speed, Lotte stands up and excuses herself to the kitchen, "I just need some water... Or alcohol," before running to the neighbouring room. She hopes she disappears out of Jungmo's sight.

In the tiled kitchen, Lotte rushes to push her cup under the sink. Her head is down as she finishes filling it up, gulping down the water like it's a shot. No one is in the room to see her chest heave. Her vision is a bit blurry: Wooden cabinets suspended from the low ceiling, tiled counters, a fridge plaster with magnets and photos of random loved ones. She attempts to control her breath, in and out, in and out, before Jungmo is seen closing the wooden door behind him, "hey there."

"Hi," Lotte makes eye contact with him, her voice is quiet, "I'm sorry that we didn't go on that extra date. I'm taken now, anyways."

"Oh I know," Jungmo's grin doesn't change through his chuckles. He walks to her and leans forward, "I know I know, I've heard about you and Minhee."

The party rumbles through the door as Lotte's mind scurries through thought. From what she knows, Jungmo doesn't talk to anyone from here, hell he's from a different country: How does he know?

"If you can't be with me, why are you with him? You don't know him," Jungmo continues. His voice is smooth but his eyes are sharp, "Minhee isn't what he seems."

The woman's sight maintains his gaze, her hands trembling. She realises how close she is to him. She doesn't like it, "can you step back please? And if he's hiding anything he'll tell me, we only started dating after all."

"Yeah but what if he's just putting up with you?"

For a second, Lotte's breath stops, her green eyes widen. But she composes herself, breathe in and out, "I told you to step back."

He doesn't, he only grows closer, his voice disruptive, "god you're so two-faced. You were so sweet to me when we met. Now you're being so cold and impolite. What happened to treating people with respect huh? Did Minhee tell you to act like this? You know he has no heart."

Lotte's back is on the sink, her grip on the cup is sliding. Her breathing accelerates. She feels Jungmo's thighs on her white tennis skirt. She hates it with a passion. Her back leans against the sharp edge of the sink, the lower end of her shirt becomes damp. Her words choke on anxiety, "get off me, please."

"You don't deserve anyone. You're pathetic you know? Relying on others like that. You don't have any independence don't you? You would if you were with me but you had to fumble me huh? You're only nice when you need people. Fuck you, Lotte," Jungmo sterns, he towers over the woman.

Now Lotte starts to cry hot tears, "I said get off." She raises her bare hand, masking her fear in an angry stare, her eyebrows furrow, her eyes glare.

Jungmo laughs, "you're gonna hit me? You should never resort to violence. What would Minhee think? Oh right, Minhee wouldn't care, he's not here with you after all." After a tense second of inertia, of Lotte's frozen stance, he spits with a tease, "of course you can't."