[2] Red | Mingi ✓

five | the one with the guilt

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THEN LATER, SHE LET HERSELF go.

   Once having perceived that indeed she was misspending the weekend. Again, her thoughts were occupied with wishes of having friends and being knowledgeable of how to keep them. She was on her way to making a new one, she could feel it in the air. Yeosang might be full of shit but he told her what she wanted to hear, which made him a keeper. Being surrounded by honest jackasses hadn't been helping one bit.

   It was nice to be coaxed with lies every once in a while. It had morphed into Mint's sole surviving factor at this point. What kept her going hard even after managing to look the other way.

   At least she maintained the firm believe he had been shut out, yet he was still here, seemingly kicking stronger than ever. Mint hadn't anticipated them leaving the party the same time, hitching a ride in the same cab, walking to her door together, feeling him solid behind her when she spun on the balls of her feet to mutter a shaky goodnight. Mingi said nothing as he pushed the door until he heard it click, then got out of his coat before assisting Mint with hers, her brain having mild fizzles as she strived to go with the flow.

   She forgot for a moment he was not supposed to be here, but there went Yeosang's lies again, ringing loud from within, putting Mint at thorough ease, telling her that this was alright.

   "You're giving me these weird looks," Mingi said. She almost forgot how good he looked when he beamed. His thin eyes, she could see the mirth in them. "Why?"

   "W-What?" Mint snapped out of it. Honestly, this man did things.

   "If I didn't know any better I'd say you're trying to avoid me," he said. Like he was not willing to accept that was what she was up to. "Are you trying to avoid me, Mint?"

   Mint's fibs had wrong timings, but she wondered if there was ever the right time to lie. Mingi was fully expectant, holding tight for her answer. She saw the wheels whirling through his milky forehead as he weighed out the prospects. His mouth might be borne out in a shit-eating grin, still Mint could trace the anxiety looping his features, his brows starting to crease without his knowledge. She appreciated the reflex effort.

   "No, Mingi," she said with a headshake. "Why would I do that?"

   She turned away, unready to hear what he said next. She was desperate, but as the seconds climbed towards a minute, the line blurred, making Mint infuriated for no longer knowing what she wanted specifically. Mingi whelmed her and she found it hard to keep up. Hard to imagine he was that clueless to her feelings even after putting it out there. Was it possible that he esteemed her so highly to think she'd be over what transpired back in college by now. The idea made Mint wish she was more resolute than this.

   He tailed her like a dog. Mint craved the undivided attention. She headed straight for the fridge. After filling her system with wine from a mug at Sonny and Hwa's get-together, she decided she needed something else to drink. She was ready to down only liquids for the rest of the night, all she had at Hwa's party did not suffice anymore. She held open the door of the fridge, sight before her a depressing one. So she reached for water instead, pulled out two and returned to Mingi at the breakfast bar. She was not expecting the closeness  when she did, influencing the faint gasp that left her gaping mouth. However, it was as far as Mint was willing to go with expressing emotions tonight. After the unravelling that took place at the hands of Yeosang, she'd become a bit too conscious of the fact that it appeared she could be read easily. But maybe not by Mingi, if he chose to act like everything was perfectly normal, the way they were supposed to be.