ALL BARK NO BITE | SADISTIC BEAUTY SPINOFF

Chapter 58

~ Shake Shack, Seoul Plaza, Shopping Mall, 81 Namdaemun-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul

Minho awkwardly stared at the dew collecting on the frosty glass of strawberry milkshake in front of him. On the other side of the table, Eunyeong sat quietly stirring her tall order of cherry vanilla milkshake... neither could lock eyes, let alone utter the first word. Minho saw the whipped cream piled on his glass teeter and he caught it with a finger, pushing it back. He was already numb from the affair with Wookyung... about what he said... he kept hearing it again and again in his head.

"Let's not stay in this place for too long... it's not good for either of us"

Minho was feeling hopeful with him again. In the silly way that he always did. He wanted to kiss him, be held by him, to expose every broken piece and let him put it back as he wished... he wanted to write... write for him... about him... suddenly everything he needed was standing right there but... the bruises hadn't healed yet... why hadn't they?? If only his skin wasn't so delicate, so showing of what he's been through, so hideously red and purple and blue and yellow... maybe Wookyung wouldn't have left...

What had he told him...

That he needs to work on himself...? Why wouldn't he tell him about it?? What work was he talking about? Why is it needed... and where... to fix what?? Clearly he was struggling with his own demons... but why hide them from him? He wanted to see those parts of him too but he... didn't seem to want to show him. As he went through whatever was tormenting him... Wookyung didn't need him... he wasn't willing to keep him by his side. He looked at all the bruises and what would go into fixing the things between them and just... refused...

He... rejected him...

"Oppa?" Eunyeong called and Minho shook himself out of the daze. She had met him outside the adult video shop, a few purchases in her hand. She kept waiting for him to say something but Minho was so shell-shocked with what happened earlier that he kept mute... leading her to think the worst possibilities as to what he might be feeling. "I am sorry for everything..." she finally mustered and Minho frowned "ah... but why...?" he asked and Eunyeong gulped guiltily "For making you uncomfortable"

Minho looked taken aback "Me? I'm not uncomfortable..." he said and Eunyeong nodded slowly "... but you must've found it... inappropriate... that I do... things like these..." she scratched her ear and Minho reached across the table to gently touch her hand "Eunyeong... I admit I was... not expecting that and it was bad timing for me to find you in a private moment but... it's really alright with me. I don't see it as something bad, if that's what you think..." he said and Eunyeong grew a bit more relaxed.

"Really...?" she looked at him with her beautiful, brown eyes, "Because... the thing is... a couple years back... my mother was pressuring me to meet a few men and talk about marriage... and I was too naive and frank about such things..." she idly fiddled with Minho's thumb and he nodded as he was all too familiar with the situation "I thought... that it would be okay to express my desires... and to be interested in them but I learned the hard way that... it isn't..." she trailed and Minho rubbed her fingers "They were idiots" he uttered finally.

Eunyeong let out a laugh, bringing her other hand to hold Minho's too as he took a deep breath "If anything... it makes a person more intriguing..." he expressed "Is that what they like? Is this what pleases them? Is this what they wish for me to do? It's so unique and intimate..." he looked up at her "I don't know how those men felt otherwise but your desires are just as important a part of you as any other... how can you be happy with someone if they simply aren't what you desire..." he shook his head.

Eunyeong shook her head too, smiling "In short, good you booted those men" Minho said dramatically "After all, they are not a fitting audience for the one and only Jungle Queen... or the... or the Beach Bombshell!!" he yelled and Eunyeong burst out laughing "Oppa..." she bowed her head, trying to wheeze a little softer "Ah... my belly hurts!" her shoulders shook and she tried to compose herself "How are you literally the most... amazing person I know...?" she asked and Minho shrugged "I could ask you the same..."