Artificial Love || Minho

54 || Drunk

Minho's P.O.V.

"Wha-?" Taking a step back with my mouth agape, my eyes widen as I stare at the person beside me. "W-what do you mean?"

...Interested?

I feel my cheeks involuntarily kiss pink, a sudden warmth washing over my whole face. Averting my gaze away, I gulp as my hands come up from my sides to nervously fiddle with the hem of the shirt Jisung lent me.

Of course I'm interested, how could I not when this stupid feeling always comes when I think about her?

"Don't play dumb with me. I saw it from the moment you met eyes." Breathing out another puff of smoke, she then proceeds to drop the cigarette to the ground, stepping on it with her heel as she lets out a sigh. "What's your name again, kid?"

I spin my head around, only to make direct eye contact with her. She had her arms crossed, eyes holding a slight darkness with full expectancy.

Gulping, I hesitantly reply. "...Minho."

Taking a few steps forward, she says nothing as she squints at me suspiciously. I panic, lowering my gaze to stare at the ground, nerves bolting as I flinch a bit from her gaze. "Uhm, ma'am, I..."

But soon after a pause of silence, she breaks her stare, letting out a sigh as her arms unfold. "Sorry." She says. "It's just a habit of mine to get protective. You can go inside now, Minho."

...

What?

"Huh?" I ask, raising my head up. "Wait, what do you mean?"

Taking another cigarette out of the packet, she lights it up, eyes training back onto the street roads. "A pushy one we've got here, don't we?" She merely chuckles. "I guess you want the truth to be broken to you now instead of later?"

"Ma'am, I'm sorry, but you're confusing me." I take  another step back, tilting my head.

She looks to me, another puff of smoke leaving her lips before letting out a sigh. "Your a good kid, Minho, I can see it. But..."

"But...?" My eyebrows furrow, patience dwindling to hear the answer.

"I'm gonna be super straight forward." She turns to me. "Hwamin, is in love with someone else. And I don't think that's going to change anytime soon."

I feel my breath hitch in my throat.

"I'm only saying cause I'm looking out for the two of you." A car passes by on the roads, cutting a bit of the awkward silence in the air. "I'm not the one to stop you from your decisions, but this is a warning." She shoots me a glare. "Understand?"

I open my mouth to reply, but my consciousness wasn't paying attention to her words, causing me to draw a blank.

She's in love with someone else?

I feel a tight pain forming in my chest, dread travelling across my veins.

"Miss, I-"

The sound of the front door echos as it gently swings open, another slight wind coming as it fans across my face. I see Hwamin's head suddenly peak out from inside, her mom and I both turning to look at her.