SCARS | MINSUNG

《O1.

Minho was in a tattoo studio, undergoing what might have been his 10th piercing.

"If everyone were like you, Minho, I'd be a millionaire," the artist commented.

"I believe you," Minho replied, relaxing as he got his ear cleaned.

"I always thought that a tragus piercing was a good idea, especially for you," the artist complimented Minho.

"What does it symbolize again?" Minho had long forgotten the meaning of the piercing.

"It signifies attractive energy and enthusiasm," he proudly explained.

"Does that really match my personality though?" Minho asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course," he assured while cleaning his needle. "You can trust me; I've been doing this since I was 16."

"You were piercing people at 16?" Minho widened his eyes in surprise.

"Yeah, my sister with a safety pin. I'm still proud of it," he chuckled.

"Well, that doesn't sound safe at all," Minho remarked as he closed his eyes, feeling the needle going through his ear.

"True, nobody said it was," he chuckled again. "But it worked out fine; nothing got infected, and she still has it."

"That's good for her, I suppose. She paved the way for one of the best tattoo artists in the city," Minho said, trying to regain his composure.

"You know just how to make me happy, Minho," he grinned.

"Well, I can at least give you some recognition while enjoying the 20% discount," Minho grinned back.

"You're not only the best customer but also the best friend, Minho," he said warmly. "So, what piercing are you considering next time?"

"I've been thinking about a tongue piercing," Minho shared. "But I'm still undecided."

"A tongue piercing, huh?" he smirked. "That's quite alluring."

"Do you really think so?" Minho questioned, raising his eyebrows.

"Yes, imagine the appeal of someone with a tongue piercing while making out," he teased.

"I might actually go for it," Minho mused.

"It would suit you; your face was made for piercings. They suit you more than anyone else," he noted. "That's why I always enjoy piercing your handsome face."

Minho smiled. "But you know I'm not currently dating anyone, right?"

"Given your looks and physique, I'm surprised you're still single," he said. "Life can be unfair sometimes."

"I don't necessarily need someone; I'm ok with my life as it is," Minho said, briefly distracted by the jewelry on the shelf.

"True, happiness doesn't solely rely on being in a relationship, but we all hope to find someone to share our happiness with," he replied. "What caught your eye there?" he noticed Minho's interest in the jewelry.

"Do you like these new sets?" he asked, getting up from his seat.

"This is the 'Love Disease' set," he said, pointing to the one that had captured Minho's attention.

The set featured earrings with red ruby hearts amd cherries set in silver.

"There's a piercing for almost every part of the body in this set, even nipple piercings," he smirked.

"Nipple piercings are not on my list," Minho stated, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"Just saying," he shrugged innocently.

"I'm quite fond of this set," Minho admitted.

"Really?" he asked. "Red suits you, so there's no reason not to buy it."

After some thought, Minho decided, "Alright, I'll take it," and proceeded to make the payment.

-

Upon returning home, Minho stretched out on his couch.

He felt tired, perhaps due to the piercing's effect on him at that moment, but he didn't mind.

Getting a piercing was his way of substituting one type of pain with another.

He had several tattoos as well, although they weren't as effective as piercings. Tattoos were more of a concealment.

In terms of tattoos, he had completed about 30% of his desired designs. He was eager to finish the remaining 70% as soon as possible.

He decided to go for a run to clear his mind, changing into black sports attire—black tee, black shorts, and leggings underneath.

Plugging in his AirPods and playing some music, he began his run.

About ten minutes into his run, he started feeling odd. His head hurt, he was unusually breathless, and extreme fatigue set in.

It slipped his mind that he should be resting after getting piercing.

He spotted a bench and decided to sit for a moment.

After a few minutes, someone joined him on the bench.

Ignoring the person at first, Minho focused on his condition until he was tapped on the shoulder.

Looking up, he saw another boy his age sitting next to him.

"Is something wrong?" Minho asked.

The boy typed on his phone and activated the speaker.

"Can you help me? I'm lost," the Google translator spoke.

"You're a foreigner?" Minho inquired, but the boy simply blinked and appeared confused.

Minho gestured for him to wait and pulled out his phone, only to notice that the boy had a Japanese keyboard he wasn't familiar with.

"Wait a moment," Minho signaled.

He grabbed his own phone and translated something from Korean to Japanese.

"What do you need help with?" the Google translator inquired.

The boy typed rapidly. "They kicked me out of the hotel."

Minho was perplexed. "They kicked you out? Why did they do that?" Minho asked.

Using the broken Japanese of the Google translator, Minho inquired about the reason for the boy's eviction.

"Because of my nationality," the boy sadly answered.

"Really?" Minho looked at him with a sympathetic gaze.

The boy nodded, his expression reflecting his predicament.

Minho quickly typed a response. "Come home with me; we'll figure it out." He conveyed to the boy that they would find a solution.

The level of trust the boy had toward Minho was remarkable. He was now homeless in a foreign country.

---

Hey lovely.
Thanks for reading whatever this is. Because i recently attended a little carcrash, i decided to start posting this thing to make sure yall have enough content if i samehow end up in another one and not make it✌️😘 stay healthy and use public transport instead♡
- autor