The Foolproof Plan

Chapter 14: THERE'S GOING TO BE TROUBLE

We were setting up to celebrate Namjoon's birthday, and Hoseok pulled me into the kitchen of their house.

I stared at him in confusion. "Yes?"

He looked down as if to compose himself then looked me in the eye. "You know how Joon gets when he thinks Bella is upset."

I was sure the confusion intensified in my eyes. "Meaning?"

Hoseok seemed to hesitate. "Seokjin, please don't fool around with Minda tonight at the party. If it makes Bella upset in any way, there's going to be trouble. I don't want you and Namjoon to end up fighting."

"Why do you think I'm going to fool around with Minda?" I asked.

He sighed. "I think we all know what's going on. Just don't make a big display of it."

"What do you all know is going on?" I asked, my voice rising. "Care to clue me in?"

"I know it's none of my business--or anybody's business--but keep in mind that just a while ago you were professing your undying love to Bella, and now you're, uh, hanging around with another girl, especially a girl like Minda.  Won't look good if you're trying to get Bella back...as you claim to be. But, well, I guess you can have a little fun on the side, as long as you're discreet."

I frowned. "Well, thanks for your faith in me, friend."

"Bro, don't take it like tha--"

"I am taking it like that," I interrupted him angrily. "You obviously think I'm some mindless horndog who can't control himself, and you keep smearing Minda's character. I'm not fooling around with her. You know, she has only ever said nice things about you and Allie and everyone else. I don't understand why all of you make her sound like a whore."

Hoseok pressed his lips together and looked down. "I didn't mean to insinuate that."

"You've done more than insinuate, Hobi," I replied. "Minda's being a good friend to me, and I appreciate that, especially when I don't get the same consideration from my other friends. I would like all of you to treat her with respect around me. Is that too much to ask?"

He sighed again. "Fine. Forget I said anything. Maybe I'm not being fair to you. Or her." He turned to walk away, but then turned back to face me. "I really do hope that I've...that we've all misread this. In which case, I'm sorry." He walked out of the kitchen.

I heard the doorbell ring a few times, and the sound of different voices increased. I placed my hands on the counter and hung my head, wondering why my friends had such a negative view of me. They were acting as if they didn't know me.

"Hey, there, handsome."

I looked up and saw Minda walking toward me with a smile.

"Oh, hi."

She stood next to me, leaning against the counter. "That's definitely not a party look. What happened?"

I turned around and leaned against the counter, too. "Oh, it's nothing. You want a drink?" Then I smiled. "Actually, here. Drink this, hon." I handed her a can of hard seltzer.

"Better," she said and took the can. "No woman can resist an assertive man."

"Correction. No woman can resist a handsome, assertive man," I added with a chuckle. "I followed your advice, but if I weren't good-looking, you would've slapped me.

"Possibly." She opened the can and took a long drink. "I've heard so much about you, I feel as if I've known you forever."

"Uh oh."

She smiled. "Not anything bad other than everyone said you're a player. Never with the same girl twice. Rushing out the door. The usual 'wham, bam, thank you ma'am' playboy stuff."

"Wow. I'm glad it was nothing bad," I deadpanned. "That makes me sound awful."

She took another drink. "It really doesn't. Not worse than any other guy." She leaned closer to me. "People just fixate on you because you're so. Fucking. Hot."

"Oh. Excuse me."

The voice made me snap my head up. Bella!