The Odd Doctor Out | A Drama | S. 2

210 🩺 Not Feeling It

Yunho felt royally uncomfortable.

Sitting in a nice restaurant with lovely food and surprisingly not-so-shit tasting wine, everything should have been perfect.

Rose had turned out to be easily the most beautiful girls he'd laid eyes upon, with long, naturally chestnut hair that fell in pretty waves around her face and to her waist. She was dainty and petite and smelled of a floral bouquet of lilies, daisies and roses, with delicate features and a voice that fit her image perfectly.

But as Yunho sat there, he felt somehow like he was holding up a front - an image, if you will, of what he felt was expected of him.

She was sweet and smart and calm...

Mingi is calm...

Choking suddenly at that voice that had emerged from its hiding spot, he patted his chest and immediately picked up his water to sip.

'Oh my goodness! Are you okay?!' Rose took a napkin from the table and offered it to him, but Yunho shook his head.

'Sorry,' he said, his voice a little raspy from his choking. 'Continue your story.'

'... I... I just finished the story...'

Yunho cringed. He hadn't been listening to a single word...

'You must be really tired from work,' Rose said, her tinkling voice soft and smooth.

Yunho nodded. 'I heard you volunteer at the art studio?'

A grand smile grew upon her lips as she modestly set into a story of how she'd come to work there and had loved every minute of it.

But Yunho found himself unable to concentrate on what she was saying. He knew nothing about art...

Except hand painting...

An image of Mingi sitting on his kitchen floor in jeans and a sweater, sleeves pushed up to his elbows as he laughed... The sun made his little stud sparkle, and when he moved his hands just right, the little beads on his bracelet gleamed in the rays of warmth flowing in the window onto the two of them...

Yunho shut his eyes for a moment, trying to regain his focus.

This was a date. This was a couple of hours, for him to give this woman his attention.

And he couldn't even seem to do that!

After the first image of Mingi had appeared in his mind, others just seemed to come easier and easier...

Why the fuck am I thinking about this?

Because I feel genuinity from Mingi...

And it was true. In all of the time he'd known Mingi, he'd seen how he had a distinct line between life and work, engrained right down to how he dressed at home and with his friends, and the workplace. It was so easy to feel the level of trust and proximity from him. Whether he was with him at a restaurant or bar, or at home in his jeans, Mingi gave off homely, casual, calm vibes...

But this girl... She had put in so much effort. From everything from her elegant clothes to the detailed makeup made to look natural, everything about her seemed distant.

Of course maybe that was because Yunho didn't feel himself, sitting in the restaurant.

But more likely, it was simply because he wasn't in the right mind space to be here in this chair right now.

Either way, there was a distance much more than the table between them, no matter how many kind smiles and polite laughter surfaced.

'Yunho... Where are you? I feel like you are an eternity away from here...'

Rose's soft, slightly concerned voice rang out, distracting him from his thoughts.

'Oh, I'm so sorry... I'm trying... I just... I think I'm really tired. I can't seem to keep my focus...'

Rose smiled a genuinely sweet smile. 'You know, we could have easily rescheduled for a time when you hadn't just worked a really long day...'

That wasn't a "really long day"...

'I guess I didn't think I'd be this tired...' I'm not even tired...

Rose smiled. 'That's okay, we can finish this another time~. You should get home and rest. It must be so tiring being a doctor.'

A student. 'That might be a good idea... I'm sorry I kind of ruined the night.'

'It's fine~. The food was lovely and I had a nice time~. We should definitely come back here next time~.'

I don't really want to come back next time...

'Yeah...'

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