Stereotypes | Lee Minho

6

"So you two have a date today?" My best friend asked me excitedly.

"No! Ha-eun, I just help him a little bit with some school stuff." She looked at me with lifted eyebrows. After Minho and I couldn't meet on Sunday, we decided to reschedule it for Tuesday. I told my Mum earlier that I was going to study with a friend and probably will be home late. Hopefully, she won't be mad at me for being out at night.

"Oh yeah, of course. That's what they all say"

"I only-" My phone interrupted our conversation. "Ahh wait a second, I got a message"

Minho
Can we maybe already meet at 5 pm?
Me
Nah sorry, I have to work until 5.30 pm

"Are you texting the boy you have a date with?" Ha-eun tried to get a better look on my phone.

"It's not a date!" I whined. "But yes, the message was from Minho"

"And where are you gonna meet?" I froze for a second. I knew I forgot something important. I heard Ha-eun laughing beside me. "Don't tell me that you didn't ask him"

"Oh, look there are new customers" I said and turned away from my friend.

"Yahh, don't change the to-" I couldn't hear the rest of her words.

Me
Uhm
Me
Where do we meet?
Minho
Don't worry about that
Me
Uhm, why?

No answer. This boy is confusing me.

"Minseo, I'm not paying you to be on your phone" I panicked when I heard my boss's voice beside me.

"Yes, of course, I am sorry" I bowed and went back to Ha-eun.

A minute before my shift ended, I made an extra iced americano, before opening the door to leave the café. But I stopped as soon as I saw that Minho was standing outside. He had his hands in his pockets and was looking down at his feet. It seemed like he didn't notice me. Minho suddenly lifted his head. Our eyes met. I stumbled a little and his eyes widened.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, everything is okay. Here this is for you" I said a little bit embarrassed and handed him the iced americano. Minho was just looking at the coffee in my hand. He hasn't moved even a millimetre.

"If you don't want it, then I'm gonna drink it"

"Wait, no" He took the cup out of my hand quickly and started walking. "Follow me!"

"No, don't worry you don't have to thank me for the iced americano" I shouted and heard him laughing.

"Thank you"

Minho's home was 20 minutes away from the café. We didn't talk much on the way. The silence between us wasn't awkward at all. It was really comfortable, just like the last time. He opened the door to an apartment building. By now it was 6 pm. I followed him into the elevator where he pushed the button for the 8th floor. The inside of the elevator wasn't big. I stood in one of the corners, while Minho stood directly in front of me. I cleared my throat.

"So, are your parents home?" This was the only question I could think of in this situation. The smile that was placed on Minho's face vanished for a second. The doors opened and he stepped into the hallway. I was walking behind him and couldn't see his face anymore.

"No, they aren't," he eventually answered my question shortly. We stopped in front of a door with the number 0325 on it. "There we are" Minho opened the door and I walked in, carefully looking at everything. Minho waited a few seconds before he brought me into his room. I didn't know what I expected but it was definitely different from what I was seeing right now. It wasn't big but also not as small as my room and there lay cat toys everywhere.

"Uhm yeah, that's my room," he said and laughed nervously. I sat down on a chair next to his desk.

"You have a cat?"

"No" Minho walked towards me and sat down on the other chair beside me.

"Oh, I just thought tha-"

"I have three cats" He interrupted me. And not even a second after he said that, one of them appeared in the room.

Okay, that's it, I'm gonna marry him. I loved cats more than anything else but sadly my mother doesn't allow us to buy one.

"What are their names?" I asked while slowly bending down to the cat.

"That is Soonie." He pointed at the one in front of me. "The other two are called Doongie and Dori" His eyes softened while he talked about them. I didn't understand how the other students could call him mean or heartless.

We studied for two hours. I was surprised because Minho really tried to learn things from me. Even though I got distracted every time, one of his cars entered the room. In the end, Dori ended up laying on Minho's lap, while Soonie was sleeping on the floor next to my feet.

I looked at the phone to check the time, that moment I got a message from my mother.

Mum
Where are you and why aren't you home?
Mum
Come home now! Your father is here and we want to eat together

"Is everything okay?" A worried look was placed on his face. I guess I didn't have a poker face when it came to my parents. I love them but sometimes they forget that I have my own life.

"Yes, it's just my mother" He nodded understandingly as if he knew exactly what I meant.

"You have to go now, right?" I really didn't want to go home. Every time I was eating together with my parents they only talked about how great my siblings are and how proud they are of them. But when it comes to me, they start complaining about everything I do.

"Yes, I have to go," I packed all my things into my bag.

"I can bring you home," Minho offered but I'm not sure how my parents would react if they saw that a boy brought me home.

"No, don't worry, you don't have to, I will take the bus."

"Oh okay," he brought me back to the door and said goodbye. I patted the cats one last time before leaving.

The bus arrived the moment I came to the bus stop. I sat down on a seat at a window and took out my sketchbook. I always carry it with me. It would take me at least 30 minutes until I arrived home, so I used the time to draw a little bit. I was completely lost in my thoughts and almost forgot to leave the bus at my stop. I looked at the drawing again, before putting my sketchbook away. I hadn't really paid attention to who was my reference while making the sketch. But now two familiar eyes were looking at me from the paper. I blinked a few times. Did I really draw Minho? Oh god, what was happening to me?